multiple titleblock sizes

[Justin Marchiel]

I am trying to set up our office standards and have a question about the titleblocks. i can understand creating a titleblock, but what i am not sure what to do is the size. we have 4 sizes of titleblocks, and the size obvioulsy depends on the scale of the project. do i have to have 4 templates, with 4 different titleblocks in it?

While i am talkign about template i would also like to know, if i have 3 different types of templates (ie residential, commercial, institutional) and i want to have the same documentation families in each (annotations, or scheudle). what happens if i change something about the family? for example we might start adding something extra to a schedule. I would have to change the 3 templates correct? so if i had 4 titleblocks and 3 types, I would have to change 12 families? plus then i would have the same amount but in metric. so another 12 for 24 total! Seems very time consuming, so would it much better to keep your families out of the templates and import as required? how does everyone else handle template, titleblocks, and families?

Thanks

Justin

[Nevine]

If you anticipate frequent changes to your title blocks, I would create the 4 sizes and keep them off the templates and load the appropriate title block into the project when you start it. This hardly takes time and that way if you make a change to a title block you can save it to the family and you will have only one source for the most updated family instead of having to chase after it in each template. That is how I do it.
nevine

[kpaxton]

Don't burden the Template.


I would suggest creating one of the titleblocks you use the most - say a 24x36 (Arch D) and place it into the template. All should be created as individual separate families, kept in your library, so they may be modified on the fly if needed. Load the other titleblocks on an "as-needed" basis. This especially helps if you work in both Metric and Imperial sizes.

TIP: Did you also know that if you have a sheet already in your project, and you need to change your titleblock size, you can replace it on the fly?


Load your new titleblock into your project.
Go to the Sheet view you want to change.
Select the titleblock
Go to the pull-down properties (in the upper left) of the options bar.
Select the new titleblock.
Ta-Da!
As for families, we keep everything in a central library. IF we know we're going to need to modify something, we'll copy it to the Project's Family folder, modify that, then insert it into the project. If it's good enough and we anticipate using the Family again, we'll submit it to our IT dept. to be added to the library. (We can always copy it to the Family folder of the new project too!)

Personally, I have a hard time understanding why people create so many different templates. If I had my druthers, I would only have one, and it would be comprehensive to include those things necessary for all ranges of projects. If I need something else, I can always pull it from the Library. If I need different sheet layouts, I can modify the Browser window to filter properly. But again, that is just me. :D

I hope this helps you.
Kyle

[Justin Marchiel]

i am coming from and adt background and that is pretty much what i did. I had a project template that could be addapted to suit the job requirement. any styles could be brought into the project and modified as need for the project.

The way the vendor and what i have read seems to say is that you should have lots of templates cause revit is based on templates. This made me a bit worried about haveing to change things in multiple templates. But after reading your post i think that i will model the revit structure like the adt structure in that i will have only one project template, and keep all the familes in organized folders on the server. when needed they can be imported into the project.

I will keep my templates nice and clean.

I will try your tip about the titleblock. Just curious, would you even need a titleblock in the template? could you not just import it in later?

Justin

[cosmickingpin]

A lot of templates? First I have ever heard of this. You are right you can add or change any title block at will with complete ease at any point, imported, edited and reimported, renamed, etc... I like to have them all set and ready for various stages in the design, a schematic design one that is more graphic in nature, then getting more technical as you approach CDs. to save time you can always import you cad titleblock into your revit title block family, then add your lables for sheet names and numbers, and revision dates.

[Justin Marchiel]

how do you handle moving from one pahse to the next. in adt i like to redraw the model, because there is always errors and tiny imperfection that come up and haunt me (do to less experiences users) later in the job. is it your policy to resue the existing sd model in dd than into cd or, do you redraw it? would it depend on the size of the job?

Justin

[cosmickingpin]

Well that is the real trick there. My approach it to mature the model in a controlled fashion, I mean you can very quickly produce a pretty picture that is unusable and undevelopable, in Revit you if you can resist the urge to do that, you will never have to remodel anything. The rule of thumb I use is keep the model matured at a level appropiate to the level of design, I mean in schematic, use model it just the way upi would a schematic thing, then as you move to DD then you are enhancing and maturing the model, the key is to touch it once, and not get overly complicated too fast and have to backtrack. In schematic you may have a simple mass with generic colors and patterns to show layout, then as you move through DD's you are adding level of detail with each pass, using design options you can explore the design further for study, but keep your base model intact and usable for Cd's. I have never had to remodel as I move through phase development, that's is the whole point of Revit, do it once. now the actual execution of this is complicated and takes experience to work out, but the key is to invest into creating an extremely useful central dataset from which a building can be built.
One thing to avoid, especially when you are starting out locking dimensions and elements, there is another post today about that with some good advice..
Don't be afriad to ask specific questions as you begin to work this out, folks in here can be very helpful when given the chance.
early on use area plans and not room boundries, I typically don't start using room tags and schedules till mid DD when things start to settle down a little and we begin working out interior materials.


how do you handle moving from one pahse to the next. in adt i like to redraw the model, because there is always errors and tiny imperfection that come up and haunt me (do to less experiences users) later in the job. is it your policy to resue the existing sd model in dd than into cd or, do you redraw it? would it depend on the size of the job?

Justin

[kpaxton]

how do you handle moving from one pahse to the next. I usually do a little dance then.... ummm. :shock: Actually, we just transition smoothly into it. Sheet categories are created for design and production in our Templates. We also create specific views and view templates for design and production drawings to get the different 'looks'. These are all contained within the same file and coexist in perfect harmony.



in adt i like to redraw the model, because there is always errors and tiny imperfection that come up and haunt me (do to less experiences users) later in the job. :shock: ...HOLY WTF REVITMAN....:shock: REDRAW??? There is no need to redraw things in Revit. Sure we run into the inevitble wall that is off by .02 degrees, but that's a snap to grab its grip and relocate. Etc. Etc. Once users get the knack for how the program works, it flies!



is it your policy to resue the existing sd model in dd than into cd or, do you redraw it? would it depend on the size of the job? Justin There can be only one! (movie reference... anyone...? anyone...? Buehler?) We typically use the same model from start to finish. Remember, all the Design information is still in the file (and doesn't take up that much room anyways). We NEVER redraw anything, only modify the existing data, add information and embellishments. To me this saves SOOOOO much time. IF there is any question about a finicky owner or going back to something, we'll keep a copy of the file at the end of each phase as a record copy and store it away from people.

[blads]

~snip~

There can be only one! (movie reference... anyone...? anyone...? Buehler?) There can be only one! from Highlander (as it was called here...)