oh Snap! Can't align pipe from a snap point

[Anonymous]

For years I have never been able to find an answer to this:

When a pipe is rising (in plan view) sometimes I cannot choose a snap on the pipe. For instance if I want to align a pipe to a detail line the snap nodes do not appear when I hover over the pipe. (see scenario in attached picture)

[robert.klempau]

Hello @Anonymous,

Did you try the following:

1. select the Align tool
2. select the line
3. hover over the Pipe until grip pups up (small blue dot)
4. use the tab key twice
5. Then click once and a bit later twice.

now the pipe should move to the line.

[Anonymous]

@robert.klempau Thank you for the response. Unfortunately those steps did not work. Hovering over the pipe does not bring up the snap nodes in blue. Also some pipes have insulation and some don't. None of them will snap. Also I have my view set to fine and wireframe.

[ben]

I wish it would allow aligning on vertical pipes too. It's obviously not a "end view" issue because it lets you align looking down the end of a pipe in a section view. Here is a screencast that shows the best way I've found as a way around not being able to align.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @ben. Nice screencast. I need to learn how to do that!

It looks like you are brute forcing it eh? That is much more time consuming than just using the align tool. Also for me to brute force it it the way you are doing, I have to an an extra step to connect in a section view because I'm not at the top of the pipe.

[ben]

---

@thebugster1 wrote:

Thanks @ben. Nice screencast. I need to learn how to do that!

---

Free to download and use https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast

That was in an overhead/plan view; I'm not sure if it grabbed the top or bottom of the pipe to be honest. You shouldn't have to add a section view, it should work from doing it overhead.

Using the move command isn't as convenient as being able to use the align tool, but it gets the job done. The only difference really is that instead of just being able to click & click, you have to find an "edge" of the pipe click, travel in a straight line and click on the center or line that your trying to align to. It's pretty much the same thing just not as quick and not as automated. Short distances, like in my screencast are easy, when you have to move something longer distances is when it gets more difficult and would be much nicer to be able to use the align tool.

[Anonymous]

@ben downloaded and here is my cast, thanks!

you see here:

1) The pipe risers are in a chase through many floors. I'm trying to connect the 2nd floor pipes into the main riser. So I can't be at the top or bottom end of the risers.

2) The pipe on the 2nd floor is smaller than the main so I cant move the riser to the edge of the branch pipe.

3) I can't align it to anything because there are no snap quadrants or center snap.

[Anonymous]

I have to align the pipe using detail lines.

Also cannot extend pipe to make a connection. There is not a node that comes up as I drag the grip past the pipe center or edge.

[ben]

Can you use the Move command and grab the "bottom edge" (not the bottom of the pipe but the edge of the pipe closest to the bottom of the screen) can you grab that to move it instead of the "side edge"? It should work whether your moving your vertical or horizontal. I don't know why, but for some reason Move seems to give you more snap points than Align. then once you have them aligned use Trim/Extend (TR)

[bnussbaumR34T4 · Accepted solution]

Have your tried turning on Pipes--->Center Line in your VG settings?  This usually works, sometimes you have to tab select for Revit to highlight the point that is the center.  Also make sure nothing is hiding the center of the pipe, like the floor above.  Graphics Display Options--->Wireframe is sometimes helpful if you can't quite seem to get a hold of the center when it's being hidden by the pipe itself, our something else in the view.

https://www.screencast.com/t/HiKm0hSv83D

[Anonymous]

@ben Unfortunately the move command still doesn't give me snap points.

@bnussbaumR34T4 The center lines worked! I'm able to align to the center lines and I'm able to EXTEND into the pipe riser! I think this is my solution for now.

I really appreciate everyone's suggestions!

I still think Autodesk needs to address this snap problem so that the align tool works without having to turn center lines on. Also even with the center lines turned on I cannot move the pipe from the center snap point. I can only move it from the ends of the center line extensions. I turned off all links so that there wouldn't be any elements (i.e. floor, ceiling) in the way.

[vladimir_sinitskiy]

Thank you so much for the very helpful advise! Its rather simply action but so required!