How to rotate inserted CAD file vertically

[samiabdurr]

I am using Revit 2021 and inserted a .dwg I made on Inventor 2019. I need it as a size reference to make topography but for some reason it inserts at the wrong orientaion. I tried exporting it as a different file type and got the same results. I tried redefining the front before exporting and it still inserted the file at the same orientation.

I am new to Revit and finding it quite confusing and unobvious and silly, but tutorials seem to be on how to make floorplans or topography so they can't help me with this. Other forums with the same question are older and have solutions requiring buttons I simply cannot find on 2021. Should I insert the CAD part into a Model or Family, and which Family should I be using, and how can I rotate the object or redefine its orientation? Should I use an earlier version or a different Autodesk software altogether? I want to make topography and insert lots of CAD models in it.

I'm going to vent a bit for a second so forgive me, but SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY SANE PERSON ON THIS PLANET LIKE OMG WHY CAN'T YOU DO OBVIOUSE THINGS AND IF THERE IS A GOOD REASON GONNA TELL US WHAT IT IS AND THE HELP SECTION FOR ROTATING ELEMENTS JUST SAYS YOU CAN ONLY ROTATE HORIZONTALLY BUT DOESN'T LINK TO ALTERNATIVES FOR VERTICLE ROTATION LIKE OMG

Thank you.

[RPTHOMAS108]

You probably need to rotate it is AutoCAD rotate3d about x axis by the look of it (in relation to view cube). In the end Z pointing upward in WCS of AutoCAD is what you get in Revit for the same 3D orientation. I'm not familiar with inventor so can't advise if there is a better way of exporting from that to cut out the need to use AutoCAD.

Revit is primarily orientated towards generating 3D from 2d plans and sections so there is no inherent way to rotate something in the way you want using it. Likely has to be the right orientation when it is brought in (Z up).

[RPTHOMAS108]

Actually easy to rotate in Revit, although I've never had to do it much.

Just unpin the link/insert, take a section through or go to one of the elevation views, select the link/insert in the view, then finally on modify tab select rotate (circular arrow) and rotate. 

[samiabdurr]

That is for rotating horizontally ;-; I'll download AutoCAD and see if it helps

[RPTHOMAS108]

Not sure what you mean by horizontal rotation, you can rotate about any axis depending on direction of section/elevation you rotate it in. Although yes as earlier stated it is preferable to place it with correct orientation to begin with or it will always have an unnecessary transform such as below.

[samiabdurr]

As you can see I can only rotate this model horizontally. A workplane-like thing also appears on the horizontal plane as I select rotate. AutoCAD is currently downloading, can you be more specific on how to modify the axes?

[samiabdurr]

Ok I think I managed to rotate it in AutoCAD... BUT IT STILL AINT APPEARING RIGHT IN REVIT! Unless I am doing it wrong in AutoCAD... (Edit: Ok didn't change the WCS just made a new UCS or something and somehow it remembers that when reopening it... Now how to change WCS...)

Ok so I brought the .dwg into AutoCAD and it was the wrong way round like in Revit. I rotated it, saved it, even tried saving it as a .sat, still the wrong orientation in Revit, but reopening it in AutoCAD opens in the right way round... Is this turning into a bug rather than insufficient knowledge? I don't wanna remake everything in AutoCAD ;-;

(Edit: I tried making a new project on AutoCAD and inserting the part so i can rotate it and save it to try to redefine the WCS and... I CAN'T EVEN ROTATE VERTICALLY ON AUTOCAD LIKE WHAT IS THIS PLEASE HELP ME MY SANITY IS AT IT'S LIMITS ;-; ;-; ;-;)

[TripleM-Dev.net]

Hi,

Need some more info; how are you linking the dwg?

Are you using "current view only?" then it will orient to the view, otherwise it will be treated as 3D and linked with the same world coordination system.

Dwg link options

In Autocad you can check by setting "plan" and "ucs" to World.

If this doesn't help post the dwg.

- Michel

[samiabdurr]

I did it. I inserted the part into a new autocad project and rotated it using the 3R command for 3D rotation i found in the comments of a yt vieo. Cause it too hard to find. I rlly want to bring this up with someone, unless you have a quick and easy solution that I long for. Do you know who to bring this up with by any chance? And thank you for your help.

-Samarium Argon Helium

[samiabdurr]

Hello, I am not using Current View Only. I go to view and set it to 3D but can only rotate horizontally.

I managed to insert the part to a new AutoCAD project and after being unable to rotate vertically there aswell found a command through a youtube video comment called 3R for 3D rotation (because for some reason it is seperate cause humans r insane seriously i wanna cry even AutoCAD seems crazy complex and unclear with a command bar and weird cursor honestly I love inventor). It opens correctly now but I really want an easier method straight from Revit, or even better from Inventor as I export it. For some reason you cannot just directly redefine the WCS on AutoCAD.

[RPTHOMAS108 · Accepted solution]

No the WCS is the world coordinate system, UCS is the user coordinate system. When you bring it into Revit it has to be aligned how you want in the WCS since UCS is largely ignored.

In AutoCAD you can use:

Rotate3d command, type x for x axis, pick a point to rotate about and then type rotation angle 90 degrees.

In Revit you would:

Unpin the link, create a new section through your dwg (perpendicular to the axis you want to rotate about). Then within this new section rotate command to rotate it.

https://autode.sk/2XrcdSm

[nanna]

Thank you! Best answer to date

[dannhauserhardus26]

life saver