"PLace at" dropdown box when linking CAD file

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to link a CAD file into an elevation view using Revit 2017.  When doing this, there's a dialog box open showing a dropdown box in the lower right corner that says "Place at:"  Unfortunately, there's only one option in the dropdown box which says "Elevator Pit".  None of my other (many) levels are shown in the dropdown box, and I don't wish to place the CAD file at the Elevator Pit level.  Why is this the only choice in that drop down box?  Layers/Levels is set to "ALL" in the Link CAD Formats dialog box.

K.

[SteveKStafford]

It's confusing, I agree but that setting is also irrelevant.

A level relationship is ambiguous for links that are loaded into elevation views. The more important setting is Orient to View in this context. Most elevations that are drawn in a DWG are created in a plan orientation, not a Front (or other side orientation). This means that the so called elevation drawing is really oriented as a plan view when the software talks to each other. The Orient to View option flips the plan oriented drawing in the DWG to be aligned with the oriention of the elevation view you are in. Without it the elevation ends up looking like a "line" in the view...a side view of the elevation drawing.

Oh, I believe it is choosing Elevator Pit because that is probably the original Level in your project template. Once it is imported you can use it's Level parameter to shift it to a different Level relationship or use the Offset parameter. In general, you're going to have to adjust the position of every file you import for this kind of view orientation because they are looking at the design from different sides/angles...with no common "origin" for all of them to rely on...at least not something in common like the same grid intersection, which works well for plans.

[Anonymous]

Really?  Why isn't that dropdown box greyed out if it's not relevant?  No matter what elevation view I'm in, the dropdown box says "Place at:  Elevator Pit".  Where is it getting that information?  I'm not in any view that has anything to do with the elevator pit, and why is "elevator pit" the only choice in that box when I'm in an elevation view?

The strange thing is that it IS placing the CAD link at the level of the elevator pit.  Then I have to move it.

Thanks for the reply.

K.

[SteveKStafford]

Well...as I wrote before, it is confusing, counter-intuitive.

The link has to have a relationship with a level like everything else in Revit but since the dialog serves multiple linking roles (view orientations) the code doesn't trap the uniqueness of this situation. Due in part to the likelihood that no collection of linked elevation oriented files are going to land in the same spot with any consistent ligic. It's been my observation that people are even more inconsistent about where they draw their stuff in AutoCAD for elevations than they are for plan oriented views.

[Anonymous]

Thanks.  I guess I'll just have to accept that there are some things about Revit that just don't make sense to me.  I'm very experienced at 3D in AutoCAD, and I'm not finding Revit to be very intuitive.  There are so many limitations compared to AutoCAD.  I know that Revit automates a lot of things, but at some expense.

K.

[SteveKStafford]

Yes, they don't share any DNA...Autodesk bought Revit from its parents in 2002. As such their parents have different styles with regard to dealing with their children. Personally I think AutoCAD is every bit as idiosyncratic as Revit is, if not more so. I've taught people how to use AutoCAD, Microstation and Revit just to name a few...they are all weird. 🙂

The software you mastered first always influences your perspective...until you spend enough time in something else and go back. It's cliche, but it takes time.