Design Options

[hworrell]

I have a few users that have a really hard time understanding design options. I finally have them understanding that they need to create new views for each of the options to see the elements that they are editing, but they still don't understand main model vs. elements in the design options. I've indicated that the pull-down menu is only for what you are editing (not necessarily what you are seeing)...I've explained things to them in a number of ways...but I still see the struggle in their faces with the concept.

Does anyone have a video/pdf or something that helps to explain it further? Maybe it will be different enough that it will shed some light for them...

Thanks!
Heather

[damon.sidel]

I don't have a video/pdf to explain it. Youtube does, though. That said...

Are these users familiar with Photoshop? Here's my analogy: "In Photoshop, copy an image layer three times: leave the first layer color, make the second black and white, and the third sepia. Then turn each layer on or off to see which one you like." In Revit, it's the same thing: the option set dialog is just the way you turn on and off the color, b&w, or sepia option.

Also, you may be confusing them with the "new views to edit" since the only time you need to set a view to show a specific option is when you want to compare different options on the same sheet. Otherwise, if the view is set to "Automatic" for an option set, you can edit any option and see what's there, without changing view settings, right?

[MikeJarosz]

Keep in mind something I learned the hard way......design options only allow one user at a time. You will fall into a save/relinquish trap if more than one user tries to work on the same option.

[Alfredo Medina]

I have a few users that have a really hard time understanding design options.
...Does anyone have a video/pdf or something that helps to explain it further? Maybe it will be different enough that it will shed some light for them...

I have this class about Design Options in the store portion of my site. It's an online, live, hands-on class of 2 hours, with an exercise, with documentation and extended support in forum format after the class. If you are interested, please contact me by email or by the private message system of this forum.