Just a little reminder, don't forget you can search the Project Browser!! Forget what you named a family exactly? No problem just search for what you do remember! The hardest part is remember you can search it! It's just a little right click away.
Showing posts with label Project Browser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Project Browser. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Switch Between Palette and Browser with Keyboard Shortcut
With the new dockable window feature that supports hosting the Project and System Browser (MEP), Reconcile Hosting Dialog and Properties Palette comes the slight awkwardness of never having what you really want open (having focus) when you want it.
This video shows how assigning a keyboard shortcut to the Properties Palette gives me the illusion of switching between the Project Browser and Properties Palette quickly. I write illusion because the Properties Palette is really closing but then reopening within the dockable window framework. Try it, like it...mileage may vary.
This video shows how assigning a keyboard shortcut to the Properties Palette gives me the illusion of switching between the Project Browser and Properties Palette quickly. I write illusion because the Properties Palette is really closing but then reopening within the dockable window framework. Try it, like it...mileage may vary.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Not on Sheets
Let's imagine you've been working on your project for awhile now and your project browser seems a bit out of control. It's pretty likely it doesn't take all that much imagination.
How can you tell which views are properly assigned to sheets and which aren't? I read a post today that offers one solution using a View List, a schedule of views.
You can also use the Project Browser sorting features. All the stock Revit templates include a browser configuration called "not on sheets". It's got a filter looking for views that don't have a sheet name parameter assigned.
If that's true the view remains in the views portion of the project browser. Those that are assigned to sheets are hidden from view. If you are thinking you could do the reverse to see those views ON sheets, really no need. You can just review those by expanding the Sheets portion of the project browser instead.
In fact this segregation lends itself to the notion of using working and production views that I wrote about the other day.
If my role is documentation I can focus on the sheets part of the browser. If I put on my modeler hat then I can move up to the views part of the browser instead. The "not on sheets" browser configuration will strip out all those documentation views for me.
There is also nothing wrong with some naming conventions to help declare their purpose. I like to see user names in working views so we can chase down the person who needed it to see if we can safely remove it. I've met some who manage such things with a scheduled Monday purge of so called working views. Ever run across a project with 200 sections views, all un-referenced? Nah, I didn't think so, your project teams are far too organized and careful.
Many people also use more formal naming for production/sheet views compared with working views. Something like PLAN - OVERALL - FLOOR SIX sure looks more formal than Level 06. If you use the Title on Sheet parameter then it gets a bit harder perhaps. For those just the presence of Uppercase versus lower case can be a subtle clue to their intended use for the team.
A hat tip to a little browser organization!
How can you tell which views are properly assigned to sheets and which aren't? I read a post today that offers one solution using a View List, a schedule of views.
You can also use the Project Browser sorting features. All the stock Revit templates include a browser configuration called "not on sheets". It's got a filter looking for views that don't have a sheet name parameter assigned.
If that's true the view remains in the views portion of the project browser. Those that are assigned to sheets are hidden from view. If you are thinking you could do the reverse to see those views ON sheets, really no need. You can just review those by expanding the Sheets portion of the project browser instead.
In fact this segregation lends itself to the notion of using working and production views that I wrote about the other day.
If my role is documentation I can focus on the sheets part of the browser. If I put on my modeler hat then I can move up to the views part of the browser instead. The "not on sheets" browser configuration will strip out all those documentation views for me.
There is also nothing wrong with some naming conventions to help declare their purpose. I like to see user names in working views so we can chase down the person who needed it to see if we can safely remove it. I've met some who manage such things with a scheduled Monday purge of so called working views. Ever run across a project with 200 sections views, all un-referenced? Nah, I didn't think so, your project teams are far too organized and careful.
Many people also use more formal naming for production/sheet views compared with working views. Something like PLAN - OVERALL - FLOOR SIX sure looks more formal than Level 06. If you use the Title on Sheet parameter then it gets a bit harder perhaps. For those just the presence of Uppercase versus lower case can be a subtle clue to their intended use for the team.
A hat tip to a little browser organization!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Why Use So-Called Working Views
When I get to work with people that have recently joined a firm that has been using Revit for quite some time the notion of working and sheet (or production) views is often confusing to them at first. When I first started to use Revit it was just me working on models alone. I didn't compete with anyone for other views.
Enter worksharing (worksets) and now we are sharing all the views of the project with any number of other people. The first view we fight over is the Default 3D view. I want it to show shadows in hidden line with ghost surfaces and Tony wants it in wireframe with all the walls off. The first one of us to make these changes will become the borrower of the view. The other will lose out, sort of. They'll get to see their changes (some kinds of changes, not all) too but Revit won't let them save the changes. They'll see a message declaring this too.
Revit was changed to deal with this conflict better by giving us our own 3D view, adding our Revit username to the default 3D when we create one, by clicking on the Default 3D button. They saw that users were creating and specifically naming their own 3D views that way so they figured, "Hey we can code that in!".
Over time we've learned that having some specific views for modeling activities versus those that we want to rely on for putting on sheets worked to our advantage. It also led me to write about the notion of Revit Roles that I've discussed here before (Modeler, "Documenter", Detailer, and Content Maker)
If I want to change the way a specific floor plan looks I really don't want to have to remember everything that was done to make it correct for the sheet it belongs to. It is easier to just work in a separate floor plan view instead, after all a floor plan is nothing more than a specialized report of the model. Of course View Templates make it much easier to restore a view's settings.
With 2013 View Templates get more aggressive too because they can be assigned to a view and take over many of the things we can alter, forcing users to edit a template instead of just using Visibility/Graphics overrides directly. The change actually enhances or increases the likelihood that working (modeling or personal) views will be useful. Working views don't need to be assigned to a view template because they aren't intended for sharing with others, putting on sheets.
Do you have to use working views and sheet views? No. Can it help improve your project experience, sharing it with others? Probably. It is more complicated, more views to deal with (check out the post by Phil Pleiss about managing views in the project browser), but it does provide the freedom to do certain tasks without the fear of messing up things that people often feel.
Enter worksharing (worksets) and now we are sharing all the views of the project with any number of other people. The first view we fight over is the Default 3D view. I want it to show shadows in hidden line with ghost surfaces and Tony wants it in wireframe with all the walls off. The first one of us to make these changes will become the borrower of the view. The other will lose out, sort of. They'll get to see their changes (some kinds of changes, not all) too but Revit won't let them save the changes. They'll see a message declaring this too.
Revit was changed to deal with this conflict better by giving us our own 3D view, adding our Revit username to the default 3D when we create one, by clicking on the Default 3D button. They saw that users were creating and specifically naming their own 3D views that way so they figured, "Hey we can code that in!".
Over time we've learned that having some specific views for modeling activities versus those that we want to rely on for putting on sheets worked to our advantage. It also led me to write about the notion of Revit Roles that I've discussed here before (Modeler, "Documenter", Detailer, and Content Maker)
If I want to change the way a specific floor plan looks I really don't want to have to remember everything that was done to make it correct for the sheet it belongs to. It is easier to just work in a separate floor plan view instead, after all a floor plan is nothing more than a specialized report of the model. Of course View Templates make it much easier to restore a view's settings.
With 2013 View Templates get more aggressive too because they can be assigned to a view and take over many of the things we can alter, forcing users to edit a template instead of just using Visibility/Graphics overrides directly. The change actually enhances or increases the likelihood that working (modeling or personal) views will be useful. Working views don't need to be assigned to a view template because they aren't intended for sharing with others, putting on sheets.
Do you have to use working views and sheet views? No. Can it help improve your project experience, sharing it with others? Probably. It is more complicated, more views to deal with (check out the post by Phil Pleiss about managing views in the project browser), but it does provide the freedom to do certain tasks without the fear of messing up things that people often feel.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Kiwi Codes - Project Browser for 2013
Okay gang, check out Phillip's latest add-on for Revit! An alternative Project Browser, can you say drag and drop folder like organization? Sure you can...
and much much more! Nice work Phillip!
and much much more! Nice work Phillip!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Project Browser Interferes with Plotting and Exporting
I'm having a deja vu moment. I feel certain I've written about this before but can't find a post. I even feel like I've recorded a video of it...but again, don't find one. I've been at this too long I think. I've definitely talked about it in class and during support sessions many times, tonight too...which is why I was looking for the post, to echo it. Okay, moving on.
Have you encountered this when you try to print?
Or this when you try to export, the options for file format are disabled?
You need to change the "focus" of Revit back to the drawing area. They are both "windows" as far as the software is concerned. If the Project Browser is selected then Revit thinks you want to print the Project Browser (or export from it) instead. Just click in the drawing area before you start to print or export.
Subtle...
Have you encountered this when you try to print?
Or this when you try to export, the options for file format are disabled?
You've got the Project Browser selected.
You need to change the "focus" of Revit back to the drawing area. They are both "windows" as far as the software is concerned. If the Project Browser is selected then Revit thinks you want to print the Project Browser (or export from it) instead. Just click in the drawing area before you start to print or export.
Subtle...
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