Naming Filled Regions and Fill Patterns??

[Bike-Ramrod]

Good day,
Currently, I am reviewing our office standards in regards to our Filled Regions and Fill Patterns.
My main goal is to complete a list that is organized and easy to understand. Right now we are struggling with finding a naming system that clearly identifies all the different types of filled regions and fill patterns we use. I have experimented with a few ideas, for example:

Fill Region: <Classification> - <Course/Medium/Fine Scale> <Projection/Cut> (<Model/Drafting>)
Gypsum Board - Course Cut(D)
Plywood - Fine Projection (M)
Plywood - Course Projection (M)

Fill Pattern: <Material> - <Projection/Cut> (<Model/Drafting>)
Brick - Projection(M)
Brick - Cut(D)
Concrete - Cut(D)

My question is:
What are some tips to go about this? What are other offices doing to keep a well organized list??

[karcher]

We have started adding a prefix to materials and Filled Regions based on CSI divisions. When a Fill Pattern is used for the surface or cut we name that pattern using the same system. That way its easy for users to understand that the gypsum board Fill Pattern is used for gypsum board in the model and in details. I'd also stay away from special characters ( ). Revit usually plays nice with these, but all bets are off once you start exporting.

I'm not saying its the best, but the idea of naming things consistently throughout your model benefits everyone.

I'd also advocate for simple names. Nothing is more frustrating to new users than learning sometimes else's brilliant system of letters/dashes/codes. Coming from someone who excels at coming up with those cryptic systems, a line style simply named Medium Lines tells most users everything they need to know.

[damon.sidel]

I mostly agree with karcher in keeping things consistent and simple. The more English and the less codes you use, the better. That said, there's nothing I hate more than seeing fill patterns and line patterns that are called just "Diagonal Down" or worse yet, "Diagonal Down - Small". We work mostly in millimeters and so all our patterns are named with sizes, so we have "Diagonal Down 1.5mm", "Diagonal Down 2.0mm". For material-based patterns like Steel, we use what scale they work best at, so it would be "Steel 1-100" or "Steel 1-10".

[Bike-Ramrod]

Hmm, good things to consider!
Thank you for your input!

[hworrell]

Agreed with information above. It is nice to have all fill pattern names be the same as their filled region counterparts. Attached is a couple screen shots of our lists. The nice thing about including the CSI information at the beginning of the name is that it keeps all the extraneous patterns at the bottom of the list that you don't want users to use.

891658916489163

Have fun changing names! :)

[Bike-Ramrod]

Thanks for the attachments!

Now, another problem I am realizing. Rotating patterns.
I know only model patterns can be rotated.

But when I am dealing with Drafting Patterns and I need a vertical and horizontal cut pattern. (plywood for example)
Is it worth it to find both vertical and horizontal pat files, then later extend my naming system by adding vertical and horizontal text.
Or is it best to leave well enough alone and tell my employer to deal with it?? :shock:

[hworrell]

At least for plywood, we didn't like what Revit gave us, so we made a detail component with 3 layers that allowed us to control the look... (and now to keynote).

In my experience, that is usually the only pattern that is directional like that... right?

[antman]

Plywood is certainly the most prevalent. I recently ran into expansion joint fire barrier too...

As for the naming - I like that idea. Fortunately I haven't seen in Revit (yet) what I've seen in AutoCAD - people putting their name in the style name (Joe's Dimension_48...)

[karcher]

Now, another problem I am realizing. Rotating patterns.
I know only model patterns can be rotated.

But when I am dealing with Drafting Patterns and I need a vertical and horizontal cut pattern. (plywood for example)
Is it worth it to find both vertical and horizontal pat files, then later extend my naming system by adding vertical and horizontal text.
Or is it best to leave well enough alone and tell my employer to deal with it?? :shock:

There is a setting called "Align with element" that rotates the pattern with the element. Attached images show the option in the dialogue box and how we use it for CMU hatch in plan.

[antman]

There is a setting called "Align with element" that rotates the pattern with the element.

The unfortunate part of that option is that filled regions aren't considered 'elements' apparently. .-(

[Bike-Ramrod]

At least for plywood, we didn't like what Revit gave us, so we made a detail component with 3 layers that allowed us to control the look... (and now to keynote).

In my experience, that is usually the only pattern that is directional like that... right?

Detail Component is a good idea!
I will try creating something like that!
Perhaps a Line Based Generic Model family will work aswell??

[jeffh]

Detail Component is a good idea!
I will try creating something like that!
Perhaps a Line Based Generic Model family will work aswell??

There is an articel at the wikihelp covering this topic if you wan tto take a look at it for reference when making your own version.

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/Community/Examples/Create_Plywood_Detail_Component_Family

[stefan.l]

There is an articel at the wikihelp covering this topic if you wan tto take a look at it for reference when making your own version.

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/Community/Examples/Create_Plywood_Detail_Component_Family

Thanks @jeffh, the link wasn't working at first, but it is now, and it shows exactly what I need.