Color by Worksets

There are some options for you to help see the different Worksets visually.. and can be found by clicking this little button (across the bottom of the screen):

Worksets can be color coded visually to represent a few different scenarios:

If set to Checkout Status - you can visually see who has different Worksets checked out. We don't typically check Worksets out, so this won't help much. Just sayin'.

If set to Owners - you can visually see who owns what.

If set to Model Updates - items that have been updated since you did a Sync to central will turn a color. Also, items deleted since you did a Sync will be highlighted a different color.

If you set to Worksets - each Workset will turn a different color - giving you a quick visual.

You can set the colors by clicking on the Worksharing Display Settings...

NOTE:

One other way to visually display the worksets is a simple button I like to use. On the Worksets dialog box there is a button to 'Grey Inactive Worksets'. So make sure you are on the correct Workset (active) and then check this button.. the rest of the model goes gray. All items are still editable.

Happy Reviting

Hide Elev Marker at Some Scales

Enlarged Plans. We create them all the time. And, just as often, we drop in an Elevation Marker to create an Interior Elevation. Well, if you simply toss in the marker with the default settings.. you will see your elevation marker in all the Floor Plans.. not just this one Enlarged Plan.

There is a way to fix this.

Select the Elevation Marker's Triangle Pointer (not the main circle) as show here in this image:

Then you can change the property under the Graphics Settings to 'Hide at scales courser than 1/4"=1'-0". That way it will NOT be on the main 1/8"=1'-0" Floor Plans, RCP's, Furniture Plans, Finish Plans, Color Presentation Plans, etc.

Good to know.. for HIDING them all (individually) would be a real pain! You will find you may not have to HIDE them anywhere.. but keep your eyes open in any other Enlarged Plans. =)

Views NOT on Sheets

Two important things for you today:

TipOne: Delete any views that are temporary or unused.
I wish this went without saying, but.. When you're in the process of working on a specific project, you are going to have to create various project views. In many situations, you are most likely going to require hundreds of various views for a building that is complicated and large (typical). You should always look through your views and try to find any that you have originally created for visual and temporary reasons (that you are not using any longer).. and delete them. Not only is this going to result in your project being leaner, meaner and cleaner.. but it will also increase file performance speeds.

TipTwo: Quickly View all views NOT on Sheets.
You already know that if an Elevation, Section or Callout view is NOT on a sheet, it will NOT have a detail/sheet number reference. But if you want to quickly SEE which views are not on sheets (in the Project Browser).. Switch the 'filter' of your Project Browser.

Here's How: Select  View>User Interface>Browser Organization

Switch the Browser Organization for Views to 'not on Sheets'. Once this is done.. your Browser will ONLY show views that are NOT on Sheets. You can then see if you have accidentally not placed a detail (or other view) that was supposed to be part of the Drawing Set. And you can easily open views to see if they are needed any longer.. good candidates for deletion/ retirement.

*NOTE: Don't' forget to switch your Browser Organization back to normal! Whatever 'normal' is for you.

Using GROUPS rather than Design Options

There are many great uses for GROUPS in Revit. I just discovered another one. If you have a design decision to make and are unsure of which way the client will go, so you decide to use Design Options.. HOLD EVERYTHING. There is a much simpler way to do it.

Create a group, let's say an arrangement of furniture. Move the group's insertion point to a known location.. like the corne of a room or in this case, the corner of the fireplace. (The insertion point is the little x/y axis that shows up when you select the group.. it's dragable).

Then delete the group! Yep.. just hit delete. (it stores in the project, trust me)

Now, create another group.. with another furniture arrangement. Move this new group's insertion point to the same location as the first group.

Now you are ready for the magic. Simply select the group and swap it out (in the properties dialog box) for the other one. BAM. Works like a champ. The insertion point holds the group's location. So for a quick design decision.. you don't have to set up Design Options if you don't want to.

There seems to only be a couple drawbacks. You can't set up a view where one of the groups is visible and another view where the other 'swapped out' group is visible. So it's a manual process. The other drawback is that the groups, when swapped out, don't retain any visual overrides.

Other than that.. this is the way to go!

Visibility Control

Ok.
Some confusion exists between the different visibility control mechanisms we have in Revit.
And it's no wonder.. There are so many possible combinations that it takes real skill to keep them all organized.

Here are the main ones that are giving people issues.. there are others to help complicate things, but we'll start with these:

1. You can select an individual object and with a right click - select Graphic Override, and make it look any way you want.
2. You can also select any individual object and with a right click - Hide it or the entire category in which it belongs.
3. Categories give you the ability to make an entire category look any way you want (and the ability to turn an entire category on/off).
4. Worksets gives you the ability to group items (even from different categories) and turn them on/off.
5. Filters give you the ability to make your worksets (and other items) look any way you want them. (All grey, All dashed and light blue, etc.).
6. Phases give you the ability to tell items when they were created and when (if at all) they will be demolished.
7. Phase Filters give you the ability to make a graphic distinction between new and existing phases (Grey Existing, Dark New, Existing Off, etc.)

Now that should make things as clear as mud.