[MEP] Height and width (ducts) are inverted in section views

[fruity101079]

Height and width are inverted in section views.

It occurs misunderstandings and especially errors because revit keeps values you entered, so in section view width is height, and height is width, so your duct is drawing in the wrong size, and it can't connect families...

Height is always vertical, no matter you see it from the top or from the side.

[Thierry.A]

Please make sure that, regardless of the view, the height is always the height and the width is always the width. It's just unbearable on a daily basis! Besides, even Revit ends up mixing values and offers improbable connections!

Thanks

[scott_dakin2]

Same as cable tray, drives me up the wall. +1

[NateBrush]

I agree. Height = a measure of distance perpendicular to the ground. Width = measure of distance parallel to the ground. They could make this the standard and add a pop-up tool tip of the definitions whenever a user hovers of "Height" or "Width."

[hobyrne.ca]

The issue I've noticed primarily with modelling elements in section (i.e. ductwork) is with the dimensions that appear when working in section view as opposed to plan view. Say for instance one wants to draw a duct that is 16" high by 12" wide - in plan view, there are options for height, width and offset (elevation) and the duct gets modelled in accordingly. When one wants to model the same duct in section view, it would be nice for those same dimensions would apply - but instead 12" becomes the height and 16" becomes the width (i.e. dimensions are inconsistent and one has to reverse the order of the sizes in the dialog when working).

For extra points, it would be really cool if there was a 'depth' dialog that could be added to section view that would basically amount to modelling a length of duct in plan.

Not sure if this applies to other systems for other disciplines but if it does I would imagine these features would be time-saving and worthwhile!

[pieterdewaal]

In terms of tagging, it correct to show it as height x width in section.

Where I agree is the confusion in design which I always consider width x height. The worst is when I have a vertical grille at say 400x150 and I attempt to create duct in section from said grille, it draws at 150x400 by default, even though it says 400widthx150height, causing unnecessary drawing work.

If anything, they should just add an option to disable this inversion in modelling, but keep it enabled by default for those used to this less than perfect workflow. Simple.

[LDK-SKK]

Hi all,

Sorry but Thierry's suggestion (below, which unfortunately just found) is a much needed addition for all serious engineers using Revit. Please Autodesk Community re-consider it.

Thank you!

[CFNBen]

Why do we need a swap button and not just a fix to what appears to be a bug?

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I can't fathom why the switching of Width and Height in a section view would be intended behaviour?

[LDK-SKK]

@CFNBen 

You are talking about switching width-height when you move from plan view to section view. However, sometimes you actually want to swap and other times Revit thinks you want to go one way (on plan view even) but you really want to go another. I don't think you can actually consider it a bug when both options are valid.

We're working now on a huge development (> US$500 million) on Revit, and I cannot imagine that any mechanical engineer who works on large projects would not welcome such a simple button.

[CFNBen]

You want to switch the position of them? You want height to sit on the left within the ribbon?
If that's what you're talking about, I have no opinion on that - I have never wanted for that feature.

I was talking about the fact that when I go into a section view, the names of the parameters remain in the same place, but the actual parameter values refer to the opposite dimension.

For example:

In a plan view, I draw a duct of 300 wide, 200 high.

I go to a section view of this duct and the parameters will say Width:200 Height:300.

Having just checked this in Revit 2020.2.4, they have fixed it! Scratch all my previous mentions from the record!

I've been working in Revits 2020-22 for a while but hadn't noticed they'd fixed it - feeling foolish now!

[LDK-SKK]

Let me make it clear. No one is talking about switching positions. I don't know where you draw that conclusion from.

No they haven't fixed it, at least in 2021. Width-height dimensions don't swap between plan-section views when you're actually in the Draw Duct function and moving between plan-section views.

[fruity101079]

I could add:

When you click on a connector to draw a duct, so with dimensions, Revit is also drawing them inverted, it doesn't consider the view as a side view.

[twellins]

This comment right here.   Yep this is an industry problem.

[fruity101079]

What do you mean , an industry problem?

[twellins]

@fruity101079 

Poor choice of words, I should have said Revit Problem.

[tristan.haehnel]

propose a duct height/width inversion button in section view because the values ​​are inverted on these views compared to a plan view to allow both values ​​to be quickly enabled