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Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2011: No Experience Required

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2011: No Experience Required

by Eric Wing
Publisher: Sybex
Release Date: July 2010
ISBN: 9780470610114
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Book Description

Learn Revit Architecture step by step with this project-based tutorial

Revit Architecture is the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software for architects and others in related fields. Written by renowned Revit trainer Eric Wing, this simple, yet engaging tutorial teaches you the program's basics.

You'll find concise explanations, focused examples, step-by-step instructions, and an engaging hands-on tutorial project that will take you from an introduction to the interface and Revit conventions right in to modeling a four-story office building.

  • Explains views, grids, and the program's editing capabilities, and then progresses as the building's design would in the real world

  • Encourages you to work with structural grids, beams, and foundations and shows you how to add text and dimensions, as well as understand how to use dimensions as a design tool

  • Walks you through building floors layer by layer and joining them to exterior and interior walls, and creating and editing roofs and ceilings as well as stairs, ramps, and railings

Even with no experience, Revit Architecture and its accompanying Web site will support you as you learn Revit at your own pace.

Table of Contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Dear Reader,
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. About the Author
  5. Introduction
    1. Who Should Read This Book
      1. What You Need
    2. What Is Covered in This Book
    3. Contacting the Author
  6. 1. The Revit World
    1. 1.1. The Revit Architecture Interface
      1. 1.1.1. The Revit Workflow
      2. 1.1.2. Using the Ribbon
        1. 1.1.2.1. The Properties Interface
        2. 1.1.2.2. Element Properties
          1. 1.1.2.2.1. The Properties Dialog
          2. 1.1.2.2.2. Instance Properties
          3. 1.1.2.2.3. Type Properties
      3. 1.1.3. The View Window
      4. 1.1.4. Object Selection
        1. 1.1.4.1. Crossing Windows
        2. 1.1.4.2. Boxes
      5. 1.1.5. Modifying and Mirroring
      6. 1.1.6. Building on Existing Geometry
      7. 1.1.7. View Control and Object Display
        1. 1.1.7.1. The View Control Bar
        2. 1.1.7.2. The View Tab
          1. 1.1.7.2.1. The Steering Wheel
          2. 1.1.7.2.2. Traditional Zooms
          3. 1.1.7.2.3. Thin Lines
          4. 1.1.7.2.4. 3D View
    2. 1.2. The Project Browser
      1. 1.2.1. Windows
    3. 1.3. File Types and Families
      1. 1.3.1. System and Hosted Families (.rfa)
        1. 1.3.1.1. System Families
        2. 1.3.1.2. Hosted Families
      2. 1.3.2. Using Revit Template File (.rte)
      3. 1.3.3. Using Revit Family Files (.rft)
    4. 1.4. Are You Experienced?
      1. 1.4.1. Now you can...
  7. 2. Creating a Model
    1. 2.1. Placing Walls
      1. 2.1.1. Adding Exterior Walls
    2. 2.2. Using Reference Planes
      1. 2.2.1. Adding More Walls
        1. 2.2.1.1. Wall Adjustments
    3. 2.3. Adding Interior Walls
      1. 2.3.1. Using Temporary Dimensions to Gain Control of Your Model
        1. 2.3.1.1. Temporary Dimension Settings
      2. 2.3.2. Placing Interior Partitions
    4. 2.4. Editing Wall Joins
      1. 2.4.1. Displaying Wall Joins
      2. 2.4.2. Disallowing Wall Join
        1. 2.4.2.1. Editing the Cut Profile
    5. 2.5. Placing Doors and Windows
      1. 2.5.1. Adding Doors
        1. 2.5.1.1. Placing Wall Tags
        2. 2.5.1.2. Loading Families
      2. 2.5.2. Placing Openings in Your Walls
      3. 2.5.3. Adding Windows
        1. 2.5.3.1. Window Properties
    6. 2.6. Are You Experienced?
      1. 2.6.1. Now you can...
  8. 3. Creating Views
    1. 3.1. Creating Levels
      1. 3.1.1. Adding Levels
      2. 3.1.2. The Composition of a Level
      3. 3.1.3. Other Level Adjustments
    2. 3.2. Creating Building Sections
      1. 3.2.1. Making Building Modifications in a Section
    3. 3.3. Adding Wall Sections
    4. 3.4. Creating Detail Sections
      1. 3.4.1. Crop Regions
      2. 3.4.2. Splitting a Section Segment
    5. 3.5. Creating Callouts
    6. 3.6. Creating a Camera View
      1. 3.6.1. Modifying the Camera
    7. 3.7. Creating an Elevation
      1. 3.7.1. Interior Elevations
      2. 3.7.2. Elevation Properties
      3. 3.7.3. Annotation Properties
    8. 3.8. Are You Experienced?
      1. 3.8.1. Now you can...
  9. 4. Working with the Revit Tools
    1. 4.1. The Basic Edit Commands
      1. 4.1.1. The Move Command
      2. 4.1.2. The Copy Command
      3. 4.1.3. The Rotate Command
    2. 4.2. The Array Command
      1. 4.2.1. Radial Array
      2. 4.2.2. Linear Array
    3. 4.3. The Mirror Command
    4. 4.4. The Align Tool
      1. 4.4.1. Locking an Alignment
    5. 4.5. The Split Element Command
    6. 4.6. The Trim Command
    7. 4.7. The Offset Command
    8. 4.8. Copy/Paste
    9. 4.9. Creating the Plans
    10. 4.10. Are You Experienced?
      1. 4.10.1. Now you can...
  10. 5. Dimensioning and Annotating
    1. 5.1. Dimensioning
      1. 5.1.1. Aligned Dimensions
        1. 5.1.1.1. Aligned Dimensions by Picking Points
          1. 5.1.1.1.1. Dimensioning an Angle
        2. 5.1.1.2. Editing the Witness Line
        3. 5.1.1.3. Overriding the Precision
      2. 5.1.2. Linear Dimensions
      3. 5.1.3. Angular Dimensions
      4. 5.1.4. Radial Dimensions
      5. 5.1.5. Arc Length Dimensions
    2. 5.2. Using Dimensions as a Layout Tool
      1. 5.2.1. Constraining the Model
        1. 5.2.1.1. Locking a Dimension
      2. 5.2.2. Using Dimensions to Move Objects
        1. 5.2.2.1. Dimension Text Overrides
    3. 5.3. Placing Text and Annotations
      1. 5.3.1. Adding Leader Text
        1. 5.3.1.1. Changing the Leader Type
      2. 5.3.2. Modifying the Text Placement
        1. 5.3.2.1. Text Properties
    4. 5.4. Are You Experienced?
      1. 5.4.1. Now you can...
  11. 6. Floors
    1. 6.1. Placing a Floor Slab
      1. 6.1.1. Sketching the Slab
        1. 6.1.1.1. Picking Walls
        2. 6.1.1.2. Using Trim to Clean Up the Sketch
    2. 6.2. Building a Floor by Layers
      1. 6.2.1. Adding a Layer
    3. 6.3. Splitting the Floor's Materials
      1. 6.3.1. Split and Paint
    4. 6.4. Pitching a Floor to a Floor Drain
    5. 6.5. Creating Shaft Openings
    6. 6.6. Are You Experienced?
      1. 6.6.1. Now you can...
  12. 7. Roofs
    1. 7.1. Placing Roofs by Footprint
      1. 7.1.1. Flat Roofs by Footprint
        1. 7.1.1.1. Creating a Flat Roof System
        2. 7.1.1.2. Tapering a Flat Roof and Adding Drains
      2. 7.1.2. Pitched Roofs by Footprint
        1. 7.1.2.1. Viewing a Sloped Roof in Plan
    2. 7.2. Creating a Sloping Roof
    3. 7.3. Roofs by Extrusion
    4. 7.4. Adding a Roof Dormer
    5. 7.5. Are You Experienced?
      1. 7.5.1. Now you can...
  13. 8. Structural Items
    1. 8.1. Structural Grids
      1. 8.1.1. Placing a Grid
        1. 8.1.1.1. Adding Elbows
        2. 8.1.1.2. Adding Vertical Grids
        3. 8.1.1.3. Adding a Radial Grid Line
    2. 8.2. Adding Structural Columns
    3. 8.3. Structural Framing
      1. 8.3.1. Adding a Beam System
      2. 8.3.2. Adding Bracing
    4. 8.4. Foundation Systems
      1. 8.4.1. Foundation Walls
    5. 8.5. Adding Structural Footings
      1. 8.5.1. Structural Slabs
      2. 8.5.2. Piers and Spread Footings
    6. 8.6. Structural Views
    7. 8.7. Are You Experienced?
      1. 8.7.1. Now you can...
  14. 9. Ceilings and Interiors
    1. 9.1. Creating Ceilings
      1. 9.1.1. Modifying Ceiling Grids
      2. 9.1.2. Ceiling Element Properties
        1. 9.1.2.1. Creating a Plan Region
      3. 9.1.3. Creating a Custom Ceiling
    2. 9.2. Creating Ceiling Openings and Soffits
      1. 9.2.1. Creating a Ceiling Opening
      2. 9.2.2. Creating a Soffit
      3. 9.2.3. Adding Light Fixtures to Ceilings
    3. 9.3. Interior Design
      1. 9.3.1. Adding Plumbing Fixtures and Furniture
      2. 9.3.2. Adding Parabolic Troffers
      3. 9.3.3. Adding Casework and Furniture
    4. 9.4. Adding Alternate Floor Materials
      1. 9.4.1. Creating a Tile Material
    5. 9.5. Are You Experienced?
      1. 9.5.1. Now you can...
  15. 10. Stairs, Ramps, and Railings
    1. 10.1. Creating Stairs Using the Rise/Run Function
      1. 10.1.1. Modifying Boundaries
      2. 10.1.2. Adding Default Railings
        1. 10.1.2.1. Extending the Railings
        2. 10.1.2.2. Landing Railings
    2. 10.2. Creating a Winding Staircase
      1. 10.2.1. Making Railing Adjustments
      2. 10.2.2. Stair and Railing Families
    3. 10.3. Creating a Custom Railing System
    4. 10.4. Creating Custom Stairs
      1. 10.4.1. Adding a Custom Landing
      2. 10.4.2. Adding a Gooseneck
        1. 10.4.2.1. Adding a Railing to the Landing
        2. 10.4.2.2. Adding a Raised Panel Stile and Rail System
    5. 10.5. Adding Ramps
    6. 10.6. Are You Experienced?
      1. 10.6.1. Now you can...
  16. 11. Schedules and Tags
    1. 11.1. Creating Schedules
      1. 11.1.1. Adding Fields to a Schedule
      2. 11.1.2. Sorting and Grouping
      3. 11.1.3. Controlling Headers
      4. 11.1.4. Modifying Elements in a Schedule
      5. 11.1.5. Modifying the Schedule's Appearance
        1. 11.1.5.1. Adding a Schedule to a Sheet
    2. 11.2. Creating Material Takeoffs
      1. 11.2.1. Creating a Calculated Value Field
    3. 11.3. Creating Key Legends and Importing CAD Legends
      1. 11.3.1. Adding Legend Components
      2. 11.3.2. Adding Symbols to a Legend
        1. 11.3.2.1. Using the Revit Symbols
      3. 11.3.3. Importing AutoCAD Legends
    4. 11.4. Adding Tags
      1. 11.4.1. Adding Tags Individually
        1. 11.4.1.1. Tagging by Category
        2. 11.4.1.2. Tagging Walls
      2. 11.4.2. Using the Tag All Command
      3. 11.4.3. Tagging by Material
    5. 11.5. Creating Custom Tags
      1. 11.5.1. Using Multicategory Tags
    6. 11.6. Keynoting
      1. 11.6.1. Keynoting by Element
      2. 11.6.2. Keynoting by Material
      3. 11.6.3. Keynoting by User
      4. 11.6.4. Creating Keynote Legends
        1. 11.6.4.1. Keynote Settings
    7. 11.7. Are You Experienced?
      1. 11.7.1. Now you can...
  17. 12. Detailing
    1. 12.1. Working with Line Weights
    2. 12.2. Drafting on Top of the Detail
      1. 12.2.1. Using Predefined Detail Components
      2. 12.2.2. Masking Regions
      3. 12.2.3. Repeating Details
      4. 12.2.4. Modifying a Detail Component
      5. 12.2.5. Modifying Filled Regions
      6. 12.2.6. Drawing Detail Lines
        1. 12.2.6.1. Specifying Drafting Line Weights
    3. 12.3. Adding Notes
      1. 12.3.1. Adding Notes by Material
      2. 12.3.2. Adding Textual Notation
    4. 12.4. Creating Blank Drafting Views
      1. 12.4.1. Creating a Detail Group
      2. 12.4.2. Adding a Section to Another View
      3. 12.4.3. Importing AutoCAD into a Drafting View
      4. 12.4.4. Adding 2D and 3D Lines to the Model
    5. 12.5. Are You Experienced?
      1. 12.5.1. Now you can...
  18. 13. Creating Specific Views and Match Lines
    1. 13.1. Duplicating Views
    2. 13.2. Creating Dependent Views
      1. 13.2.1. Adjusting the Crop Regions
      2. 13.2.2. Adjusting the Annotation Crop Region
    3. 13.3. Adding Match Lines
      1. 13.3.1. Match Line Appearance
        1. 13.3.1.1. Adding View References to a Match Line
    4. 13.4. Using View Templates
    5. 13.5. Are You Experienced?
      1. 13.5.1. Now you can...
  19. 14. Creating Sheets and Printing
    1. 14.1. Creating and Populating Sheets
      1. 14.1.1. Sheet Organization
    2. 14.2. Modifying a Viewport
      1. 14.2.1. Viewport Properties
    3. 14.3. Adding Revisions to a Sheet
    4. 14.4. Addressing Project Parameters
    5. 14.5. Generating a Cover Sheet
    6. 14.6. Printing from Revit Architecture
    7. 14.7. Are You Experienced?
      1. 14.7.1. Now you can...
  20. 15. Creating Rooms and Area Plans
    1. 15.1. Creating Rooms
      1. 15.1.1. Configuring Properties
        1. 15.1.1.1. Room Bounding Properties
      2. 15.1.2. Placing and Manipulating Room Tags
    2. 15.2. Adding a Room Schedule
    3. 15.3. Adding a Color Fill Plan
    4. 15.4. Adding Room Separators
    5. 15.5. Creating an Area Plan
    6. 15.6. Are You Experienced?
      1. 15.6.1. Now you can...
  21. 16. Advanced Wall Topics
    1. 16.1. Creating Compound Walls
      1. 16.1.1. Adding Layers to the Compound Wall
        1. 16.1.1.1. Adding New Materials by Splitting a Region
        2. 16.1.1.2. Assigning Material to Different Layers
    2. 16.2. Adding Wall Sweeps
      1. 16.2.1. Modifying a Wall's Profile In-Place
      2. 16.2.2. Manually Adding Host Sweeps
    3. 16.3. Creating Stacked Walls
    4. 16.4. Creating Curtain Walls
      1. 16.4.1. Adding a Predefined Curtain Wall
      2. 16.4.2. Adding a Blank Curtain Wall
      3. 16.4.3. Creating Curtain Grids
        1. 16.4.3.1. Adding Materials
        2. 16.4.3.2. Adding Mullions to the Grid
    5. 16.5. Adding a Wall to a Massing Object
    6. 16.6. Are You Experienced?
      1. 16.6.1. Now you can...
  22. 17. Creating Families
    1. 17.1. Creating a Basic Family
      1. 17.1.1. Adding Reference Planes to a Family
      2. 17.1.2. Adding Dimensions and Parameters to a Family
      3. 17.1.3. The Type Properties Dialog
    2. 17.2. Using a Complex Family to Create an Arched Door
      1. 17.2.1. Creating a 3D Extrusion within a Family
      2. 17.2.2. Creating a 3D Sweep within a Family
    3. 17.3. Creating an In-Place Family
    4. 17.4. Are You Experienced?
      1. 17.4.1. Now you can...
  23. 18. Site and Topography
    1. 18.1. Adding a Site within Revit
      1. 18.1.1. Modifying a Toposurface
    2. 18.2. Splitting the Surface
    3. 18.3. Creating Subregions
    4. 18.4. Adding Site Components
      1. 18.4.1. Adding Contour Properties and Labels
    5. 18.5. Adding Building Pads to Displace Earth
    6. 18.6. Adding a Property Line
    7. 18.7. Creating a Toposurface by Instance
    8. 18.8. Creating a Graded Region
    9. 18.9. Orienting a Site
    10. 18.10. Are You Experienced?
      1. 18.10.1. Now you can...
  24. 19. Rendering and Presentation
    1. 19.1. Creating an Exterior Rendering
      1. 19.1.1. Creating Lighting Groups
    2. 19.2. Interior Rendering
    3. 19.3. Creating Walkthroughs
      1. 19.3.1. Exporting an Animation
    4. 19.4. Creating a Solar Study
    5. 19.5. Are You Experienced?
      1. 19.5.1. Now you can...
  25. 20. Importing and Coordinating Revit Models
    1. 20.1. Linking a Revit Structure Model
    2. 20.2. Activating Copy Monitor
      1. 20.2.1. Adjusting the Copy/Monitor Options
      2. 20.2.2. Coordination Alert
    3. 20.3. Running Interference Detection
    4. 20.4. Importing and Exporting CAD Formats
      1. 20.4.1. Exporting a Model to CAD
        1. 20.4.1.1. Exporting a 2D Model
        2. 20.4.1.2. Exporting the Model to 3D CAD
    5. 20.5. Are You Experienced?
      1. 20.5.1. Now you can...
  26. 21. Phasing and Design Options
    1. 21.1. Managing Project Phasing
    2. 21.2. Creating an Existing Phasing Plan
    3. 21.3. Demolishing Components
      1. 21.3.1. Creating a Demo Plan
    4. 21.4. Examining Phase Filters
    5. 21.5. Creating Design Options
    6. 21.6. Are You Experienced?
      1. 21.6.1. Now you can...
  27. 22. Project Collaboration
    1. 22.1. Enabling and Utilizing Worksharing
      1. 22.1.1. Enabling Worksets
      2. 22.1.2. Creating a Central Model
      3. 22.1.3. Creating a Local File
    2. 22.2. Working in the Revit Shared Environment
      1. 22.2.1. Loading or Not Loading a Workset
    3. 22.3. Are You Experienced?
      1. 22.3.1. Now you can...
  28. 23. BIM Management
    1. 23.1. Setting Up the Template
    2. 23.2. Managing Settings
      1. 23.2.1. Import/Export Settings
      2. 23.2.2. Controlling Annotations
        1. 23.2.2.1. Formatting Annotations and Leaders
        2. 23.2.2.2. Formatting Dimensions
        3. 23.2.2.3. Formatting Grids, Elevations Markers, and View Titles
    3. 23.3. Creating and Understanding Shared Parameters
    4. 23.4. Are You Experienced?
      1. 23.4.1. Now you can...