topic Re: Project Base Point in Revit Architecture Forum

Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 03:15:19 GMT

have a site plan autocad file link into Revit, if you look at the screenshot you will see the no. 2 N 29881.659, E 5095.835. Is at the end part of the site plan boundary. But when I key in the N/E value Using Revit Project Base Point is nearer into no. 1. What is the problem with this Project Base Point or autocad file?

Re: Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 03:44:54 GMT

just to follow up the dimension should be 150040 instead of 150.040 maybe that is the reason?

Re: Project Base Point

JasonLLINDNER — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 03:56:00 GMT

Probably it's a unit issue... Make sure both cad and rvt are using the same

Re: Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 04:28:52 GMT

they are in the same units. thank you

Re: Project Base Point

RDAOU — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 06:29:34 GMT

@BIM_Dreamer

Before you linked the CAD file in, did you open the dwg file and cleaned it? ie: the Portion you Need can be zoomed to the extents of the Screen?

...Is that a decimal Point or a Digit grouping sep. in the dim reading 150.040 vs 150040??? in Revit it is obvious it is mmm...
...can you Change the Project Units and add 4 decimal Points then in the CAD file Switch unit to mm and place new piont coordinates and validate your findings? It could be that what you are keying in (IN Revit) is missing a few Digits due to the defined Units accuracy settings
...Last probable cause...How far off from the Startup Location in Revit are you? If too far off (>10miles) nothing will tally

Re: Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:19:05 GMT

@RDAOU yes i cleaned the autocad file to the max.

you wrote

...Is that a decimal Point or a Digit grouping sep. in the dim reading 150.040 vs 150040??? in Revit it is obvious it is mmm...

when i measure the distance it says 150.040 it should be 150040mm

you wrote

...can you Change the Project Units and add 4 decimal Points then in the CAD file Switch unit to mm and place new piont coordinates and validate your findings? It could be that what you are keying in (IN Revit) is missing a few Digits due to the defined Units accuracy settings

already changed to mm and 4 decimal points

you wrote

..Last probable cause...How far off from the Startup Location in Revit are you? If too far off (>10miles) nothing will tally

please see attached is that consider 10 miles? (not sure)

Sorry for another question. what is the reason why the value of N becomes - sign?

thank you

Re: Project Base Point

Keith_Wilkinson — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:42:51 GMT

Looks like a units issue to me. When you imported the CAD plan did you use 'automatically detect units' or set the units yourself? If it's the former try doing it again selecting metres and see if that sorts it.

In general if this is a survey from a reputable survey company then it will more than likely be in metres rather than millimetres.

Re: Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:54:16 GMT

hello, i tried both auto-detect and millimeters and the outcome are the same. the file is from microstation .dgn and imported to autocad. but the units is still in MM. i have a feeling that caused the problem of importing but not too sure. thank you.

Re: Project Base Point

Keith_Wilkinson — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 07:56:24 GMT

Try metres. (or Meters as it's American software... )

Re: Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:01:38 GMT

not possible autocad file is in MM. thank you

Re: Project Base Point

Keith_Wilkinson — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:06:23 GMT

If you aren't going to try it then I'm sorry I can't help you any further. But to finish, if you have a dimension that reads as 150 instead of 150000 you have a units issue.

Good luck sorting your issue.

Just in case you didn't understand it's the bit in RED that you need to change.

Re: Project Base Point

RDAOU — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 12:30:32 GMT

@BIM_Dreamer

You didn’t really answer any of my questions accurately...

On your screenshot I can read all sorts of Units!!!　That (.) appears like a decimal Point sometimes and other times like a digit grouping sep.

go to and double check again the Project Units on both files and (not so important) but do verify that the Linear Dimension Annotation you are using is using Project UNITS and not an alternative Setting.

Units can be bluffing if your Project is set to meters and the Dim Annotation using alternative mm

Good you changed...I asked you to go back to CAD file open it in AutoCAD and place coordinate Points (live ones)...the ones you have are most definitely converted to text (otherwise you won’t see different Units on the cad file)

The Project base Point is not necessarily the Startup Location.

Select the Project base Point >> unclip it >> right click it >> click "Move to Startup location"

Once you do Report back if it moved far away or stayed in place

Similar to what @JasonLLINDNER and @Keith_Wilkinson have already said...from just a look at a screenshot it seems that the most probable cause　is the Units...and a messy DWG cad file.

One of two Options...Either you upload the file for someone to help you fix OR you Need to try every single suggestion given and report what you did, how you did it and what were the results (yes/no/maybe/not possible are not acceptable answers if you Need to resolve this)...this is one of the most　annoying yet easiest　Topics to resolve　in Revit so let’s not make it a guessing game else I too won’t be able to help either if it's going in that direction

Re: Project Base Point

ToanDN — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 17:19:41 GMT

@BIM_Dreamer wrote:

not possible autocad file is in MM. thank you

It does not mean a whole lot, if anything at all. Change units in AutoCAD does not scale the drawing for you.

What do you see when you measure a know distance in AutoCAD? I would do what @Keith_Wilkinson has suggested in his screenshot.

Re: Project Base Point

chrisplyler — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:27:32 GMT

Meh. Just move the cad link to line it up with your Revit base point. It's just a background.

Re: Project Base Point

Keith_Wilkinson — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:29:52 GMT

Ordinarily I'd agree wholeheartedly with that solution, however if the import scale is wrong then there's still a major issue.

Re: Project Base Point

BIM_Dreamer — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 09:36:06 GMT

thank you all, just changed dwg units in autocad and link again into revit now reading correctly.