Issue: 3D Orbit does not center on Family

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone,

I am building a new Family that is composed of multiple nested families in Revit. When I load this into my project, the center of rotation fails to remain local to the newly loaded family. It always orbit around the Project Origin point when selecting the family. I am mystified by where the problem is occurring as I've meticulously investigated each nested family individually to verify it is modeled properly and origin point is in tact. This orbiting problem gets worse as the project grows and doing any work in 3D is near impossible. 

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? What steps can be taken to troubleshoot the root problem causing the center of rotation not to work? If related to issues with nested families, how should they be structured to avoid this orbit issue? 

Any insights on this would be very much appreciated. 

Thanks! 

-Tim

[barthbradley]

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@lightseeker wrote:

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? 

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All the time! HA! I feel your pain, dude.

Use the steering wheel navigation wheel to center. Works most of the time - unless Revit is just being bitchy that day. 

[Anonymous]

Hi @barthbradley. I did try that after reading it in another part of this forum. However, when I simply hit escape the problem persists. Attached in the images it shows the larger issue. The family has some mysterious floating content out in space. The 'make editable' icons identify the problem but they go away (obviously) once you decide to start working with the family. I have desperately tried to find the source of where these invisible things live inside my family causing the orbit issue. Unfortunately I am stuck and hope someone here can enlighten me on this frustrating issue. Many thanks! 

-Tim 

[barthbradley]

Please post a screenshot of this with your surrounding desktop environment included, so we can better decipher.  

...those "Floating" elements are "Make Editable" icons. Those have nothing to do with what I thought the issue was - which was how to get Revit to revolve around a particular axis. 

[ToanDN]

No problems here.

[Anonymous]

I am orbiting with the Shift + MMB after selecting the object to orbit around. Causing a lot of headache and not manageable in 3D. Please see video attached. 

[barthbradley]

I understand why the orbit axis center is where it is initially -- it's default position is the middle of the view (you've got elements on both sides of it). If you got rid of that one element to the far left, the orbit axis center default position would move to the center of the element cluster on the far right. How about setting up another working view that excludes that "irritating" element on the left?  Other than that, centering using the navigation wheel method looks to be working for you - albeit not consistently. 

[barthbradley]

Here's a couple of things I do sometimes when orbiting becomes problematic:

1. Right-Click on Cube and press "Go Home" 

2. Right-Click on Wheel and press "Restore Original Center"

Then I start afresh. 

It usually works. Don't know why. I've always thought it kicked the cob-webs out of Revit's head. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@barthbradley Thanks for all the response and consideration of my issue here! I was able to find the ideal solution in the most unlikely of places. In the spirit of giving my content a good SHAKE, I did the following: 

1. Select Family > Edit Family

2. In 3D View > Window Select all content (nested families)

3. DELETE

4. SAVE

5. Re-load to Project 

6. With the Family still open in the same session of Revit, Ctl+Tab back to Family

7. Undo... as many times as necessary to return to original intended super family. 

8. Save

9. Re-load to Project

10. PROBLEM SOLVED. Orbit / Center of Rotation was effectively reset on all the nested families and working. 

Hallelujah!