D_Driver
2008-03-29, 11:10 PM
Mysteries of the revit.ini
I have been searching high and low for some explanation of the very odd things I see people doing with the Revit.ini file. While I have become a bit accomplished with it by trial and error, the primary reason for this post is to ask:
1) "Does anyone have any real documentation for this file?"
I have searched google, AUGI, RevitCity, and even resorted to searching the Revit help file (of course in all cases to no avail). So rather than answer that question, I am putting up here my questions and thoughts for all the Revit Guru's to take a look at and comment on.
The basic ini looks something like
[Revit.ini]
[Directories]
AccuRenderRoot=C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\AccuRenderRedist
DefaultTemplate=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Templates\default.rte
FamilyTemplatePath=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Templates
DataLibraryLocations=Imperial Library=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Library, Imperial Detail Library=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Library\Detail Components, Training Files=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Training,
MaterialLibraryLocations=..\Data\Materials,..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\WebLibrary,..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\RPCPeople
ProjectPath=
ImportLineweightsNameDWG=C:\Program Files\Revit Architecture 2008\Data\importlineweights-dwg-default.txt
AccuRenderRedist=C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\AccuRenderRedist
ExternalParameters=L:\occupancy\occupancyParams.txt
ExportLayersNameDWG=..\Data\exportlayers-dwg-AIA.txt
[DesignPane]
Basics=1
View=1
Modeling=1
Drafting=1
Rendering=1
Site=1
Massing=1
AreaAnalysis=0
Structural=1
Construction=0
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
RoomAndArea=1
[Language]
Select=ENU
[Applications]
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
Architectural=1
Structural=0
[Messages]
SuppressNewFeaturesWorkshop=1
SuppressShowButtonMessage=0
SuppressShowMassWarning=0
SuppressForceRasterPrintingWarning=0
[InstallationSettings]
Country=USA
Usage=Architectural
NAImperialTempl.cab=1
[CommonDialog]
FileSaveView=4
FileOpenView=4
[ToolBar]
TextLabels=1
Standard=1
View=1
Edit=1
Tools=1
Worksets=1
DesignOptions=0
Help=1
APITrackChanges=0
[Windows]
Maximized=0
[Colors]
CustomColor1=c8c8c8
CustomColor2=ff0000
CustomColor3=323232
CustomColor4=00ff00
CustomColor5=00ffff
CustomColor6=0000ff
CustomColor7=ff00ff
CustomColor8=ffffff
CustomColor9=969696
CustomColor10=646464
CustomColor11=ffffff
CustomColor12=ffffff
CustomColor13=ffffff
CustomColor14=ffffff
CustomColor15=ffffff
CustomColor16=ffffff
HiliteColor=255
ErrorColor=33023
[ChainOptions]
Lines=0
Walls=1
[Selection]
AllowPressAndDrag=0
[Partitions]
Username=Name
[Graphics]
UseGraphicsHardware=2
SuppressGraphicsHardwareWarning=1
InvertBackground=0
[Rendering]
LimitRenderingToSingleProcessor=0
[Recent File List]
File1=
File2=
File3=
File4=
[Recent Workset List]
Config1=All
Config2=All
Config3=All
Config4=All
My comments (lettered) and questions (numbered) go something like this:
(A) Use the ini, it is your friend. Even if you are only maintaining a 3 or 4 computers, either creating a network image for a network install of even standalone seats can save you time, or if you must, then copy the ini from a network location to the users computers. If you do this remember to set the username (under [partitions] section) to blank so that revit will fill this in with their name next time they start up Revit.
[Revit.ini]
[Directories]
(Comments B) This is the easiest part of the INI to understand, and if nothing else, will save you time walking around after each install and hit these 9 or 10 paths on each machine
AccuRenderRoot= (no comments)
DefaultTemplate= (no comments)
DataLibraryLocations=
(Comments C ) These are the shortcuts you see in the open and saveas dialog boxes (of course will possibly change in 2009) the format is <Library Name>=<Path>, <Library Name>=<Path>, comma and space are used to separate multiple library shortcuts
MaterialLibraryLocations=
(Question 2) I usually leave these alone and woefully wish these were project specific. Anyway, the question is there is no space as a separator between these paths… whats up with that?
ProjectPath=
ImportLineweightsNameDWG=<path>importlineweights-dwg-default.txt
AccuRenderRedist=<path>\AccuRenderRedist
ExternalParameters=<path>MySharedParams.txt
ExportLayersNameDWG=<path>\exportlayers-dwg-AIA.txt
[DesignPane]
Basics=1
View=1
(Comments D) This is a matter of taste whether you bother putting in the 0 (don’t show this tab of the design bar by default) or 1 (show it) for each of the tabs of the design bar.
AreaAnalysis=0
(Question 3) What exactly is Area Analysis? It is not part of Revit MEP 2008, perhaps left over from development when they thought the IES heating and cooling load link would be a separate tab?
Structural=1
Construction=0
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
(Question 4) Why are there Mechanical and Electrical tabs shown in this list in a default install of Architecture 2008?
[Language]
Select=ENU
[Applications]
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
Architectural=1
Structural=0
(Question 5) This one is an odd one that I truly do not understand If I had all of Revit Arch, MEP and Structural installed on my machine, could I just be able to toggle these all on and have access to everything? I have seen the tricks with batch files switching out INIs based on a shortcut…hmmmm anyone?
[Messages]
SuppressNewFeaturesWorkshop=1
SuppressShowButtonMessage=0
SuppressShowMassWarning=1
SuppressForceRasterPrintingWarning=0
(Comments E) Show Button Message is the dbox that pops up when you are working through the review warnings telling you about how the show button works. ( I leave this as 0 for new offices, 1 for experienced offices)
[InstallationSettings]
Country=USA
Usage=Architectural
NAImperialTempl.cab=1
(Question 7) Usage? What does this affect?
(Question 8) .cab files, If I know the name of the cab file and want to force a new download, I can set this to 0?
[CommonDialog]
FileSaveView=4
FileOpenView=4
(Question 9) Could someone describe what these do?
[ToolBar]
This section is easy, 1 if you want the toolbar on by default, 0 if you do not
[Windows]
Maximized=0
[Colors]
CustomColor1=c8c8c8 Etc….
HiliteColor=255
ErrorColor=33023
(Comments F) The custom colors are just the default custom colors found in the colors dialog box. Hilite color is selected items. This is the X11 color system (hexadecimal) google “web colors” if you are interested. Error Color is things like overlapping walls. Out of the box, while different, 255 and 33023 are both red. Jason Shebert set one office to green selected and red errors, works nicely. The values for this are:
HiliteColor=65280
ErrorColor=255
[ChainOptions]
Lines=0
Walls=1
(Question 10) I know Revit does not get carried away with last used settings, but does anyone know if there is a way to set in the INI, to uncheck the area boundary pick “Apply Area Rules”? My guess is that if Revit stores a value as a last used setting, then there is some way of putting a value in the INI. If Revit does not store it, you cannot put it in the ini, but some guru may know better.
[Selection]
AllowPressAndDrag=0
[Partitions]
Username=
(Comments F) Delete the username line if you are pushing out an INI to other workstations
[Graphics]
UseGraphicsHardware=2
SuppressGraphicsHardwareWarning=1
InvertBackground=0
[Rendering]
LimitRenderingToSingleProcessor=0
[Recent File List]
File1=
File2=
File3=
File4=
[Recent Workset List]
Config1=All
Config2=All
Config3=All
Config4=All
Some other things I add, (thanks to all the others who have gone before me)
[Backups]
SaveReminderMinutes=15
SaveToCentralReminderMinutes=15
Other comments and FAQ’s
No you cannot point all users to a network location for uniformity. Each user must have their own INI file, push from network location if needed
After you edit the INI for the network install, or especially if you are copying an INI to multiple users, make sure the username is set to blank so revit will fill this in next time they lauch Revit.
Change the temporary dimension size by adding the line
TempDimFontSizeInPoints = 8
To your INI
(Question 11) I see a few very weird usages of the INI, my question is where do these come from? Or rather how do the people who post these things know that [Spelling] or [Construction] is a valid INI group?
[Spelling]
OptionFlags=327680092
UseMSLex=1
CustomDict=C:\<new path>\custom.txt
[Construction]
AllowSplitwithGap=1
I have been searching high and low for some explanation of the very odd things I see people doing with the Revit.ini file. While I have become a bit accomplished with it by trial and error, the primary reason for this post is to ask:
1) "Does anyone have any real documentation for this file?"
I have searched google, AUGI, RevitCity, and even resorted to searching the Revit help file (of course in all cases to no avail). So rather than answer that question, I am putting up here my questions and thoughts for all the Revit Guru's to take a look at and comment on.
The basic ini looks something like
[Revit.ini]
[Directories]
AccuRenderRoot=C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\AccuRenderRedist
DefaultTemplate=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Templates\default.rte
FamilyTemplatePath=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Templates
DataLibraryLocations=Imperial Library=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Library, Imperial Detail Library=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Imperial Library\Detail Components, Training Files=..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Training,
MaterialLibraryLocations=..\Data\Materials,..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\WebLibrary,..\..\..\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\RPCPeople
ProjectPath=
ImportLineweightsNameDWG=C:\Program Files\Revit Architecture 2008\Data\importlineweights-dwg-default.txt
AccuRenderRedist=C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Rendering\AccuRenderRedist
ExternalParameters=L:\occupancy\occupancyParams.txt
ExportLayersNameDWG=..\Data\exportlayers-dwg-AIA.txt
[DesignPane]
Basics=1
View=1
Modeling=1
Drafting=1
Rendering=1
Site=1
Massing=1
AreaAnalysis=0
Structural=1
Construction=0
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
RoomAndArea=1
[Language]
Select=ENU
[Applications]
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
Architectural=1
Structural=0
[Messages]
SuppressNewFeaturesWorkshop=1
SuppressShowButtonMessage=0
SuppressShowMassWarning=0
SuppressForceRasterPrintingWarning=0
[InstallationSettings]
Country=USA
Usage=Architectural
NAImperialTempl.cab=1
[CommonDialog]
FileSaveView=4
FileOpenView=4
[ToolBar]
TextLabels=1
Standard=1
View=1
Edit=1
Tools=1
Worksets=1
DesignOptions=0
Help=1
APITrackChanges=0
[Windows]
Maximized=0
[Colors]
CustomColor1=c8c8c8
CustomColor2=ff0000
CustomColor3=323232
CustomColor4=00ff00
CustomColor5=00ffff
CustomColor6=0000ff
CustomColor7=ff00ff
CustomColor8=ffffff
CustomColor9=969696
CustomColor10=646464
CustomColor11=ffffff
CustomColor12=ffffff
CustomColor13=ffffff
CustomColor14=ffffff
CustomColor15=ffffff
CustomColor16=ffffff
HiliteColor=255
ErrorColor=33023
[ChainOptions]
Lines=0
Walls=1
[Selection]
AllowPressAndDrag=0
[Partitions]
Username=Name
[Graphics]
UseGraphicsHardware=2
SuppressGraphicsHardwareWarning=1
InvertBackground=0
[Rendering]
LimitRenderingToSingleProcessor=0
[Recent File List]
File1=
File2=
File3=
File4=
[Recent Workset List]
Config1=All
Config2=All
Config3=All
Config4=All
My comments (lettered) and questions (numbered) go something like this:
(A) Use the ini, it is your friend. Even if you are only maintaining a 3 or 4 computers, either creating a network image for a network install of even standalone seats can save you time, or if you must, then copy the ini from a network location to the users computers. If you do this remember to set the username (under [partitions] section) to blank so that revit will fill this in with their name next time they start up Revit.
[Revit.ini]
[Directories]
(Comments B) This is the easiest part of the INI to understand, and if nothing else, will save you time walking around after each install and hit these 9 or 10 paths on each machine
AccuRenderRoot= (no comments)
DefaultTemplate= (no comments)
DataLibraryLocations=
(Comments C ) These are the shortcuts you see in the open and saveas dialog boxes (of course will possibly change in 2009) the format is <Library Name>=<Path>, <Library Name>=<Path>, comma and space are used to separate multiple library shortcuts
MaterialLibraryLocations=
(Question 2) I usually leave these alone and woefully wish these were project specific. Anyway, the question is there is no space as a separator between these paths… whats up with that?
ProjectPath=
ImportLineweightsNameDWG=<path>importlineweights-dwg-default.txt
AccuRenderRedist=<path>\AccuRenderRedist
ExternalParameters=<path>MySharedParams.txt
ExportLayersNameDWG=<path>\exportlayers-dwg-AIA.txt
[DesignPane]
Basics=1
View=1
(Comments D) This is a matter of taste whether you bother putting in the 0 (don’t show this tab of the design bar by default) or 1 (show it) for each of the tabs of the design bar.
AreaAnalysis=0
(Question 3) What exactly is Area Analysis? It is not part of Revit MEP 2008, perhaps left over from development when they thought the IES heating and cooling load link would be a separate tab?
Structural=1
Construction=0
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
(Question 4) Why are there Mechanical and Electrical tabs shown in this list in a default install of Architecture 2008?
[Language]
Select=ENU
[Applications]
Mechanical=0
Electrical=0
Architectural=1
Structural=0
(Question 5) This one is an odd one that I truly do not understand If I had all of Revit Arch, MEP and Structural installed on my machine, could I just be able to toggle these all on and have access to everything? I have seen the tricks with batch files switching out INIs based on a shortcut…hmmmm anyone?
[Messages]
SuppressNewFeaturesWorkshop=1
SuppressShowButtonMessage=0
SuppressShowMassWarning=1
SuppressForceRasterPrintingWarning=0
(Comments E) Show Button Message is the dbox that pops up when you are working through the review warnings telling you about how the show button works. ( I leave this as 0 for new offices, 1 for experienced offices)
[InstallationSettings]
Country=USA
Usage=Architectural
NAImperialTempl.cab=1
(Question 7) Usage? What does this affect?
(Question 8) .cab files, If I know the name of the cab file and want to force a new download, I can set this to 0?
[CommonDialog]
FileSaveView=4
FileOpenView=4
(Question 9) Could someone describe what these do?
[ToolBar]
This section is easy, 1 if you want the toolbar on by default, 0 if you do not
[Windows]
Maximized=0
[Colors]
CustomColor1=c8c8c8 Etc….
HiliteColor=255
ErrorColor=33023
(Comments F) The custom colors are just the default custom colors found in the colors dialog box. Hilite color is selected items. This is the X11 color system (hexadecimal) google “web colors” if you are interested. Error Color is things like overlapping walls. Out of the box, while different, 255 and 33023 are both red. Jason Shebert set one office to green selected and red errors, works nicely. The values for this are:
HiliteColor=65280
ErrorColor=255
[ChainOptions]
Lines=0
Walls=1
(Question 10) I know Revit does not get carried away with last used settings, but does anyone know if there is a way to set in the INI, to uncheck the area boundary pick “Apply Area Rules”? My guess is that if Revit stores a value as a last used setting, then there is some way of putting a value in the INI. If Revit does not store it, you cannot put it in the ini, but some guru may know better.
[Selection]
AllowPressAndDrag=0
[Partitions]
Username=
(Comments F) Delete the username line if you are pushing out an INI to other workstations
[Graphics]
UseGraphicsHardware=2
SuppressGraphicsHardwareWarning=1
InvertBackground=0
[Rendering]
LimitRenderingToSingleProcessor=0
[Recent File List]
File1=
File2=
File3=
File4=
[Recent Workset List]
Config1=All
Config2=All
Config3=All
Config4=All
Some other things I add, (thanks to all the others who have gone before me)
[Backups]
SaveReminderMinutes=15
SaveToCentralReminderMinutes=15
Other comments and FAQ’s
No you cannot point all users to a network location for uniformity. Each user must have their own INI file, push from network location if needed
After you edit the INI for the network install, or especially if you are copying an INI to multiple users, make sure the username is set to blank so revit will fill this in next time they lauch Revit.
Change the temporary dimension size by adding the line
TempDimFontSizeInPoints = 8
To your INI
(Question 11) I see a few very weird usages of the INI, my question is where do these come from? Or rather how do the people who post these things know that [Spelling] or [Construction] is a valid INI group?
[Spelling]
OptionFlags=327680092
UseMSLex=1
CustomDict=C:\<new path>\custom.txt
[Construction]
AllowSplitwithGap=1