Air Terminal Flow Arrows

[buzz]

I can disable the flow arrows for the air terminals one-by-one (by un-checking the boxes) - but I would rather have the display of the arrows controlled via Visibility/Graphics. Has anyone figured out how to do this?

-Buzz

[Jrobker]

What you have to do is this.
Edit Air Terminal Family.
Edit Air Terminal Arrow (This is an annotation symbol).
Settings-->Object Styles-->New sub category--> name it whatever "I used Arrows"
Select all lines and change it to the new category.
Keep in mind you can't control filled regions and lines with one VG parameter.
Just delete the filled region.
Load into Air Terminal family.
Load Air terminal into project.
You can now control the visibility of the flow arrows in VG.
Annotation categories-->Generic Annotations-->Arrows.
This will turn them all ON or OFF, not individual.
We just deleted the annotation symbol and used filled regions groups for flow patterns.

[buzz]

Thanks Jrobker - that sounds like it will do what I want.

-Buzz

[Jrobker]

If you want to have individual control this way, you will have to create 4 separate Annotative categories and families that correspond to each other,.

[Simon.Whitbread]

...and used filled regions groups for flow patterns.

Why would you want to use groups instead of families?

I didn't use groups in AutoCAD, and, especially for detailing, wouldn't use groups in Revit. Its so inefficient, from a user point of view and a Revit one. I spend a fair amount of time talking to Architects and asking them not to use detail groups as it slows down the linked file. It would be equally frustrating for them to link a services file that is similarly inefficient.

In AutoCAD, you could disable groups, I wish you could in Revit - at least until the user was sufficiently knowledgeable

[Jrobker]

I'm currently working on a 14 story building, and have 5 flow pattern groups, and it sure is killing my computers performance (sarcasm).
I am working on another building that has large amounts of groups from the Architect and that has no bearing on my computers performance. Whatsoever, Period.
Lets not blame the fact that perhaps it's the program itself.
I have another job that is 10 stories with NO groups, complete with Mechanical piping, Mechanical, Fire Protection, Medical Gases and Plumbing. Good luck getting any sufficient work completed in 8 hours in that model. I doubt your Group theory has any merit, unless thats all your using.
Hell, I add 1 floor of duct and it drastically slows my machine down. Should we disable that too?
"at least until the user was sufficiently knowledgeable"
How about, until the programmers are sufficiently knowledgeable.
Please show us the way Revit Sensei.

[truevis]

...Please show us the way Revit Sensei.

Grasshopper,
In my limited experience with a large MEP project, the best way to gain performance is to break the project up into multiple, linked RVTs. Limit the number of users on one RVT to three.

There are also all kinds of ways to control visibility of elements in Families. You could have multiple types which show different arrow combos.

[james.klatt]

How large are you revit files? I would try using worksets first a different workset per floor and when you open the file only "specify" the worksets you plan on using. We did this on a 700k sq ft airport expansion. 350k new and 350k existing we just broke the building into sections and floors and didn't load unnecessary areas. It wasn't lightning fast but we got the job done.

[Simon.Whitbread]

I'm currently working on a 14 story building, and have 5 flow pattern groups, and it sure is killing my computers performance (sarcasm).
I am working on another building that has large amounts of groups from the Architect and that has no bearing on my computers performance. Whatsoever, Period.
Lets not blame the fact that perhaps it's the program itself.
I have another job that is 10 stories with NO groups, complete with Mechanical piping, Mechanical, Fire Protection, Medical Gases and Plumbing. Good luck getting any sufficient work completed in 8 hours in that model. I doubt your Group theory has any merit, unless thats all your using.
Hell, I add 1 floor of duct and it drastically slows my machine down. Should we disable that too?
"at least until the user was sufficiently knowledgeable"
How about, until the programmers are sufficiently knowledgeable.
Please show us the way Revit Sensei.

I wasn't being specific enough - are your groups model or detail?
Its the detail ones that FTU. And have no real use in BIM collaboration.

For example - an architect draws ceiling fans using 2D detail lines, in the project. Utilises the detail group command and creates a 'fan' and then populates their project with objects that are of no use to me whatsoever. They do slow down the project and even if I can see them in one view, select / copy and paste, I cannot change them into any sort of object that has electrical connections. Its an education issue

[Jrobker]

Interesting point.
I receive Architectural models that have, plants, desk lamps, chairs. These elements have no use to me. Architects need to be more educated? Why don't you create your own ceiling fan? Are you suggesting that Architects should only use families that have MEP connections? I think these issues come down to a time and management constraint. Revit on average is taking at least twice as long to complete a set of construction documents. When it's crunch time we are going to do whats easiest and fastest. Doing it the "right way" may not necessarily be the way to do it. So, sorry if we appear uneducated or design below your standards.