Existing Phase Filter -- which phases are shown?

[angus.110169]

Hi All,
I seem to get my phase filters working but I am puzzled by the logic for my existing phase filter.

I have 3 phases : Existing, Demolition and New.

If I create a wall in the existing Phase, and want to view it in the Existing Phase Filter; why does the Existing phase filter need to have the "New" phase shown? (I have set it to by category). I would have thought I only need to show Existing and Demolished? If I have the New Phase set to Not Displayed, it does not show walls created in the Existing Phase.

[fosland1]

First off, I wouldn't create a separate phase for demolition. It makes it more complicated than it needs to be since demolition is something that happens between the two phases of existing and new, and would be controlled by the Phase Filter of the view, and by the Phase Demolished filter of any element you want demolished.

If the element you're trying to view was created in the Existing phase, have you tried setting your phase to Existing, Show All? Even Show New would make the existing items appear, and since your view is now in the Existing phase, anything you draw here will be considered existing.

[Duncan Lithgow]

Here's my suggestion as I see people constantly getting confused about what is going to be visible with which setting. Make a simple model with lots of remodelling and make a sheet that shows everything with descriptions of the settings. Once you've done that you'll always be able to understand how your settings affect the graphics. I've attached an example, I'm sorry I can't give it to you in full quality, but I think you get the idea.
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[Steve_Stafford]

Nice graphic Duncan!

For the O.P. ... I wrote a blog post about choosing phase filters (https://revitoped.blogspot.com/2014/03/which-phase-filter.html) that might also help. Then a reader posted a comment which prompted a follow up post (https://revitoped.blogspot.com/2015/02/phases-and-phase-filters-follow-up.html).

I'll echo the "no demo phase" needed. In Revit demolition is an activity that takes place because of and during New Construction. We have an existing building (not touched) and then the New work...which includes a lot of tasks, demolition being one of them. An element that has parameter settings Phase Created: Existing and Phase Demolished: New IS Demolished in Revit's world, in a View whose Phase is assigned to New. If the view's Phase is assigned to Existing then the element is "new" and has not been demolished yet.

The phase of a View defines what "now" is and the phase filter defines what phase states (Existing, Demo, Temp or New) should be visible. Revit's views are time traveling tools in that we can change which phase is "now" and move back and forth between now, the past and the future. Revit can only see "now" and the past at the same time...there is no forward looking in a view, only backward.

[Duncan Lithgow]

Thanks Steve. I found it really useful to make about 7 years ago. Forced me to understand the advantages and disadvantages. Reading your post reminds me just how confusing I think this is. I mean, I know perfectly well how it all works and how to manage it - but explaining it is a nightmare. My current employeer has a Demolition Phase ... should I try and move the decision of a 6000 strong company back to sanity? That's a rhetorical question, I can't be bothered making the effort just now.

[Steve_Stafford]

Well a demolition phase adds to the complexity... :)

[Duncan Lithgow]

Maybe not having a demolition phase would help?
https://revitoped.blogspot.com/2011/08/demo-is-not-phase.html

You're not working as Revit is designed, so things can be a bit harder to understand. Maybe trying to do a whole set of drawings as above will help understand the system?

[marmiketin]

I fully agree that Demolition is not a phase and is more like a step to moving from existing to new but that process is continuous through from existing to new and is not a stagnant point. Adding additional phases always seems to complicate things especially if you work with consultant models and having to link them together and making sure the phasing is lined up.

On a side note it would be nice if revit added and ability to stage elements in the construction process. Recently I worked on a multi million dollar renovation to a Fire Management Headquarters (this is a operational headquarters where crew, helicopters, water bombers leave from to fight forest fires) and we had to stage portions of the project as to ensure the existing building remain operational during construction. We essentially just kept the 2 phases and produced our entire drawing package, but then as an additional we added 11 more plans which showed the entire site and showed what work needed to happen when and where and what needed to be temporary at certain times to maintain access around the site. It was a bit of a nightmare as I needed to show portions of new work that had happened like one addition on the north side happened 9 months before the addition to the south side as the north side needed to be done so people could relocate to that new space to free up existing spaces so work could proceed in those spaces.

If there was some way to add stages and assign elements to those stages so a view could just show everything up to stage 5 or everything up to stage 8, or set to none and it would show as normal. It could probably be set up through adding a shared parameter and then filtering but it would be nice if there was an intended way.

[Duncan Lithgow]

Nice one! This thread is now featured in AUGI Hot News
https://www.augi.com/uploads/augihotnews_issues/AUGI-HotNews-2020-08.htm

[kchris89]

I believe when you are asking about stages, are you not essentially describing phases? Which starts with "Existing" then travels through each "Stage" or phase and then ends where you would rename "New" to "Completed" or something along those lines. I think what you are wishing Revit to do is essentially what Revit does, although it could be improved upon.