Naming things in Revit

[truevis]

This is important, especially with large firms, so that people can quickly understand what things are. Some things that we have to name:

• File names, local & central
• Families
• Family Types
• Parameters
• Materials
• Rendering textures
• Views
• Sheets

The naming of things has already been thought out by the military. I think we can use what they’ve already devised. I’d replace commas with dashes in Revit where needed. Here are some descriptions of how it’s done there:

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The following is typical per mil-t-31000 and mil-c-100.

Noun Name, Modifier, Modifying Phrase - Modifying Phrase, Modifier

Example:

Guide, SHAFT, BUTTERFLY VALVE- .010 INCH OVERSIZE, LOWER

When using the words "ASSEMBLY", "INSTALLATION" or SUBASSEMBLY in a basic name, it appears as the last word in the noun phrase (first part) and may b abbreviated.

Reference: http://www.engineersedge.com/wwwboard/messages/492.html

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Title Assignment

When assigning a drawing title, clearly describe the item with the most applicable noun name and, if necessary, additional modifiers.
First Part of Item Name The first part of the item name shall be the noun name. It shall not contain the method of manufacturing, such as casting, forging, machining, etc.

Noun Name

The Noun Name is a noun or a noun phrase that best establishes a basic concept of the item. It describes what the part is and the usage of the part, and not the material or method of fabrication. A compound noun or noun phrase is used only when a single noun is inadequate or ambiguous.

Example

Basic Name

BRACKET PISTON SLIDE RULE SOLDERING IRON

(Noun) (Noun) (Noun Phrase) (Noun Phrase)



First Part Modifiers

When the noun name represents an item to which types, grades, variety, etc., are applicable, the remainder of the first part of the title consists of one or two modifiers. A modifier may be a single word or qualifying phrase. The first modifier serves to narrow the concept established by the basic name. Succeeding modifiers must continue a narrowing concept by expressing a different type of characteristic. A word directly qualifying a modifier precedes the word it qualifies, thereby forming a modifying phrase.

Example: BRACKET, PRESSURE TRANSMITTER The word “PRESSURE” qualifies the word “TRANSMITTER”, thus a qualifying phrase is formed. Also, the modifier is separated from the noun or noun phrase or subsequent modifier by a comma.

Second Part of the Item Name

The second part of the item name may contain the word casting, forging, etc., only when there is a machining drawing as well as a casting, forging, etc., drawing.

Second Part Modifiers

The second part of a title is separated from the first part by a dash (-) and consists of modifiers or modifying phrases as required. Modifiers indicating what an item is (its shape, structure or form) or what an item does (its function) are preferable to modifiers indicating the application (what it is used for) or location (where used) of the item. When two or more drawings in the same major assembly are similar and the parts detailed thereon perform the same general function, they are distinguished by additional modifiers indicating location, position, form, dimensions, etc.



Examples

BRACKET, PRESSURE TRANSMITTER - OUTSIDE, LOWER BRACKET, PRESSURE TRANSMITTER - OUTSIDE, UPPER TUBE ASSY, METAL - FILTER INLET, TURBOPUMP TUBE ASSY, METAL - FILTER DISCHARGE, TURBOPUMP

ITEM NAME ADDITIONAL MODIFIERS (First Part) (Second Part)

GUIDE, SHAFT, BUTTERFLY VALVE-.010 INCH OVERSIZE, LOWER

Noun Name, Modifier, Modifying Phrase, Modifying Phase, Modifier

Title Breakdown

The singular form of the noun or noun phrase shall be used as the basic name, except as follows:

1. Where the only form of the noun is plural. Example: TONGS, SCISSORS. Etc.



2. Multiple single items on the same drawing (Tabulated).
Example: BOLTS, SHIMS, SPACERS, WASHERS, FUSES, CONNECTORS, etc.
(In the parts list of the next assembly, use the singular form of the name).




Noun Abbreviations

When using the word, “ASSEMBLY”, “SUBASSEMBLY” or “INSTALLATION” in a basic name, it appears as the last word in the noun phrase (first part) and may be abbreviated, if space is a problem.

Examples

SWITCH INSTL OR SWITCH INSTALLATION POWER DIVIDER SUBASSY OR POWER DIVIDER SUBASSEMBLY

Ambiguous Noun

An ambiguous noun, or one which designates several classes of items, is not used alone as the basic name, but as part of the noun phrase.

Examples

Acceptable Not Acceptable

TERMINAL BOARD BOARD, TERMINAL

WIRING HARNESS HARNESS, WIRING

SHOCK ABSORBER ABSORBER, SHOCK



When the item is not a container or material, but its basic name involves the use of a noun which ordinarily designates a container or material, use a noun phrase as the basic name.





Examples

Acceptable Not Acceptable

JUNCTION BOX BOX, JUNCTION

SOLDERING IRON IRON, SOLDERING

A trademarked or copyrighted name shall not be used as the noun name, except where the technical name is extremely difficult.



Example

“FREON-12” rather than “DICHLORODIFLUORMETHNE”



Drawing Types Included In Title

The following types of drawings shall include the drawing type as the second part of the title:

BLOCK DIAGRAM
DRAWING TREE
INTERCONNECTION DIAGRAM
MANUFACTURING FLOW CHART
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
SYSTEM DIAGRAM
WIRING DIAGRAM

Reference & more at: http://www.engineersedge.com/wwwboard/posts/1936.html
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Please discuss

[aaronrumple]

All upper case is really hard to read in the family browser.... TitleCase is much easier on the eyes.

[truevis]

All upper case is really hard to read in the family browser.... TitleCase is much easier on the eyes.

I agree. I reckon some of that mil spec comes from the old days when we used templates to write text on drawings. We need to keep the best of the old and apply it to our new technology.

[cjneedham]

I had earlier been trying to lock down something like this. I'll re-read this again to let it soak in, but it seems to be very similar to (though perhaps better articulated than) something I'd prepared late last year. The link below takes you to a demo video which explains the bones of the system I had proposed to a client.

http://www.c3consulting.com.au/surve...ly Naming.html

I'd be curious to get others' feedback from the general Revit community...

[twiceroadsfool]

I use a solution similar to Chris', using fields in increasing order of specificity. That way, everything is sorted nicely in the browser, as well as in the directories. Some people sort their content by catagoiries (so do i), but since the component drop down doesnt, i like to start with that. I dont want *door* next to *desk* next to *Dinner Cart* because they have nothing to do with each other. Hunt and peck is a time waster... Ill attach the two for families and Walls.

For Models i use the following:

F1-F2-F3-F4w

F1 - Project Number
F2 - Discipline
F3 - Area demarkation (if multiple files)
F4 - Version of revit
w - Only present if it is a workshared model.

This method gives you ALl the pertinent information BEFORE you open the file. Is it workshared? Which version of Revit? Etc...

For views i go back to the increasing level of specificity thing, but its not perfectly delineated at this point:

I dedundantly make the first field the "Actual view type," because i have some Floor Plans that are Legends, some Sections that are elevations, Some cameras are on sheets and some are working views, etc.

F1-F2-F3-F4

F1- Actual View Type (what its used as, not the revit view type)
F2- Location/Area/Floor
F3- Phase (if necessary)
F4- Scale (if within a linked model using Linked Views)

[greg.mcdowell]

We wrestled with this awhile back and decided to use CSI and UniFormat numbers as our organizing system. It's how we note our drawings and it should help us learn what the various numbers represent.