How to Convert Model lines into Detail Lines

[Scott Hopkins]

To convert model lines into detail lines or vice versa, take the following steps:

1) Turn off all categories except for the model lines and/or detail lines you wish to convert.

2) Export the project to an Autocad DWG file.

3) Import the DWG file back into your Revit project.
(if you check the "current view only" box, all of your lines will import as detail lines.)
(if you don't check the "current view only" box, all of your lines will import as model lines on the reference level you select.)

4) Explode the imported Autocad drawing.

5) Change the line type of the exploded lines back to one of your standard Revit line types and then delete the Autocad line types.

This technique works both ways in a Revit project file but is a one way street in the Revit family editor. In the family editor you can convert symbolic lines into model lines but not vise versa. When a DWG file is first imported into the family editor it will behave as a group of symbolic lines. However once you explode this group, all of the lines will convert back into model lines.

[Joef]

Thanks Scott, An excellent piece of information!

Joe

[irwin]

If there aren't too many lines to convert (or the lines form a small number of chains) then an alternative is to create lines by picking. In the Detail Lines tool, choose the Pick Lines option in the option bar (the arrow icon). Mouse over any model line and click to create a detail line in the same place. Or, press Tab before clicking to create a whole chain of detail lines. Same thing works to create model lines from detail lines.

[anders.hedman]

Perhaps there will be possible in the future just to use the "match type" tool for this conversion?

[tgrinstead]

Or, you could have it be a toggle box in the object properties dialog box. That way you could select a group that included both types, click the box and be assured they were all the same, model or detail.

[irwin]

Or, you could have it be a toggle box in the object properties dialog box. That way you could select a group that included both types, click the box and be assured they were all the same, model or detail.
There are complications with this approach. Detail lines are view-specific so in order to convert a model line to a detail line the software needs to know in what view it should appear. Model lines lie on a sketch plane, so in order to convert a detail line to a model line the software must know on what sketch plane to put it.

[Chad Smith]

There are complications with this approach. Detail lines are view-specific so in order to convert a model line to a detail line the software needs to know in what view it should appear. Model lines lie on a sketch plane, so in order to convert a detail line to a model line the software must know on what sketch plane to put it.
I would have thought 2 dialogue boxes would have solved these complications. :?

The first dialogue would ask which view/s to place the detail lines. At the top of the list it could have an option like 'Current view only'.
The second dialogue would ask on which plane to place them.

It would be nice to have the option to change a line's 'state'.

[janunson]

If there aren't too many lines to convert (or the lines form a small number of chains) then an alternative is to create lines by picking. In the Detail Lines tool, choose the Pick Lines option in the option bar (the arrow icon). Mouse over any model line and click to create a detail line in the same place. Or, press Tab before clicking to create a whole chain of detail lines. Same thing works to create model lines from detail lines.

What would make this awesome for the purposes in this discussion is if you could window select w/ that tool!