Complicated Grid Lines

[j_starko]

Hey we've got a project with a really unique building shape . that leads to some unique grids.

to create them in the model, many gridlines were created to emulate one continuous one . the Grid has multiple radiuses and straight sections.

just to make the drawing read easier, is there a way to trick revit into having the same grid names for the grids ?

[wmullett]

I don't think so.

BTW - how does that really work?
Why use grid lines if they don't define where something is?

I think straight sections are a grid and curved sections are a different grid and each is identified & located. A wavy grid line can not be identified except in seperate sections so I would never document like that.

[twiceroadsfool]

I never would either. Architecturally (forget about the software) its just ambiguous. id never produce a drawing like that.

Having said that, many people do, and there are ways around it.

Linked Files, with grids that use the same names, for one.

Design Options, with different sets of grids (though you then need multiple views).

Fake Grid heads (shudder).

But i wouldnt do it.

[dhurtubise]

Happened to me several times. Some shape requires more then a simple arc/line for a gridline and that doesnt interfere with the system at all.
Email me i'll send you a family to use that works great.

[j_starko]

I was sure someone else has run into this situation as well.

[Scott Womack]

You can get them to "appear to be one continuous grid, with the "appearance" of the same grid line. Enable multiple language support on your system. Then ensure the font in your gridlines has multiple languages in the Fontmap of the Font. Each of these has some "none-printing characters in them, sone in each language supported. Create your gridlines, then in renamingthem to all be "A", add a non-printing character to the 2nd A, the 3rd A, etc. All will appear to be the A gridline.

Only caviate, might be how Revit Structural's column schedule may interpret these. I have not done any testing of this with that regard.

[j_starko]

You can get them to "appear to be one continuous grid, with the "appearance" of the same grid line. Enable multiple language support on your system. Then ensure the font in your gridlines has multiple languages in the Fontmap of the Font. Each of these has some "none-printing characters in them, sone in each language supported. Create your gridlines, then in renamingthem to all be "A", add a non-printing character to the 2nd A, the 3rd A, etc. All will appear to be the A gridline.

Only caviate, might be how Revit Structural's column schedule may interpret these. I have not done any testing of this with that regard.

yeah I tried this at first ( my fav cheat is ALT + 0129 ) but it didn't work. So you're saying that I have to ensure the font can support said characters and that should work ? I will try this route again as it's the simplest !

and as for you other readers .. what do you guys do ? just design rectilinear buildings ? haha

[twiceroadsfool]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the shape of the building. But if i have a building that is part straight, then part canted at 17 degrees, then an Arc that intersects both pieces, and there are grids inset 1'-6" from each of those exterior walls, i just give them entirely different names. Its just not a hard concept, lol.

They all get different names, and the dimensional control plan calls out which ones are incident off of which others or which workpoints, and thats that.

Has nothing to do with the shape of the building at all.

[wmullett]

I might add that both Revit ARchitecture and Structure will report column locations by grid lines. So, if you use a fake grid identity by using a different font or use linked files or design options - good luck!

We have a very large, complicated building under construction now with curved grid lines and straight ones and we didn't fake anything.... and everone kows where the curved column lines are.

[j_starko]

it was more a tounge in cheek comment, as a square building could have many curved features inside. you are right, building shape doesn't necesarily drive grids :P

as I've seen discusion get out of hand sometimes, I'm not wanting to debate the motives for how the grids are laid out, I'm more interested in finding a solution to this situation .

That is a good point about the other disciplines getting involved. I'm not totaly sure we've got their grids copy monitored, just their columns.
so as long as the grids were in the same places, nothing should move or have troubles with it's referencing. Most likely if it works to have some dummy grids in the main model, that structural would be receptive to having their grids changed to match.

[j_starko]

hidden characters works like a charm.

Thanks Ascii gods !

[EJFAIRBANKS]

I am working on a stadium projects which has straight grid lines that follow the shape of the stadium but also has arc segments which are like a oval race track....similar to your high school football feild with a track going around it. Does anyone have a good process down to creat multiple arc segmented grid lines and call them one grid name?

[MikeJarosz]

Have you considered having no grid at all? I have done buildings with scattered columns (high rise concrete apartment buildings) that were determined by the apartment layouts. There was no rhyme or reason to the pattern so we numbered each column and located them by x,y coordinates from the building benchmark.