Analytical Colored Plans

[dbaldacchino]

Hi all,

I'm trying to do an "analytical" colored plan to show which areas are above the program area and which ones are below. I want to color them red and blue respectively. I have done schedules with calculated values that sort and filter for areas above Program area and another for below Program area (they filter for differences of 5% minimum). But I can't seems to figure out how I could use this info. to do a color fill.

I know you can color by Area and set ranges....for instance spaces under 500 SF would be one color, spaces between 500 SF and 2000 SF would be another color, etc. How can I do the same for a calculated value (Area - Program Area)? It would then be as easy as assigning a color for a negative value and another for a positive value. Is this even possible? Any work arounds?

Thanks!

[hand471037]

I don't think that you can use Calculated Values to drive color fill patterns (sadly).

So what I do is have two columns, the first being the calculated value, which I call 'Calculated Area' and another generic Project or Shared parameter area collum called 'True Area'. I then look at the calculated numbers, and then enter in or cut-and-paste the numbers from the calculated collum into the manual one. I then set the manual one to drive the color fills for me.

It's not automatic, but at least the number is. And there are many times on a job where I've done stuff like this where (for a verity of reasons) I didn't want to show the actual calculated value in every case, but instead a user-created value. So the calculated value becomes a reference that no one sees, and is the basis for the 'real' number they do.

[dbaldacchino]

What a bummer :(


So I guess you created a Project Parameter, which you manually type in the numbers (it would be awesome if you can select a whole column and copy its values like in Excel, and then you paste them into this column, instead of one field at a time) and then you select that parameter in the color fill options, right? And then use the range and set the colors as needed.

Even though this will work out in theory, I really wanted something that updates on its own. I can just look at two specific schedules right now and tell which spaces are over/under program. But it would have been nice to see it clearly on a plan. I'll try your method and see if I can get it to work and will post back later.

Thanks a lot!

[hand471037]

So I guess you created a Project Parameter, which you manually type in the numbers (it would be awesome if you can select a whole column and copy its values like in Excel, and then you paste them into this column, instead of one field at a time) and then you select that parameter in the color fill options, right? And then use the range and set the colors as needed.

Yup. Sucks. Being able to use a Calculated Value for a color fill, and being able to see the color fills in 3D, have been two of my biggest wishlist items for a long time now in regards to this sort of thing.

[dbaldacchino]

Thanks Jeffrey.

A while ago I was trying to do occupancy calculations display in tags, which is not possible at the moment. Adding the flexibility of calculated parameters would actually make these analytical plans possible and changes would happen automatically. I don't understand why this has never been implemented. While calculated values are great in Schedules, calculated parameters which can be scheduled would be even more powerful and would open up a whole new realm of possibilities.

Read my previous post on this:
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=29318

I might start a poll in the wishlist forum on this. I'll post here about it if I do. I believe that we could get lots of benefits out of this added functionality.

[Wes Macaulay]

This is a great idea -- I'll add it to the master wishlist.

[hand471037]

A while ago I was trying to do occupancy calculations display in tags, which is not possible at the moment. Adding the flexibility of calculated parameters would actually make these analytical plans possible and changes would happen automatically. I don't understand why this has never been implemented. While calculated values are great in Schedules, calculated parameters which can be scheduled would be even more powerful and would open up a whole new realm of possibilities.

Well, to be fair you can do this with Component Families. That is have calculated values that can also appear in tags and such. You just can't do it with Project Parameters, and System Families, which sadly is what Rooms fall into. So I agree with you totally about this being a great addition to Revit, I just want to point out that it's possible with Compent Families, for I've used this a lot for calculating out area of daylight and ventilation in Windows and such and then totaling it up per room. Things like that.

[dbaldacchino]

Thanks Wes, that's nice and helpful of you!

Jeffrey, I actually didn't know you could do that in component families. I need to experiment a little bit. And oh by the way, I visited your site and to my surprise, I realized you were one of the presenters at AU! I attended your presentation class and that CNC actually gave you away haha. You did a great job and I found the presentation very interesting.

[hand471037]

Thanks Wes, that's nice and helpful of you!

Jeffrey, I actually didn't know you could do that in component families. I need to experiment a little bit. And oh by the way, I visited your site and to my surprise, I realized you were one of the presenters at AU! I attended your presentation class and that CNC actually gave you away haha. You did a great job and I found the presentation very interesting.

Oh hey, thanks! I still haven't gotten my reviews, so I don't know how I did other than I didn't do well enough to win an iPod for 'best first time speaker'. ;-)

I'm actually in the shop right now, covered with sawdust, making some little brackets to hang my wife's photo backdrop and curtains from the ceiling of the office, so it's funny that you mention the CNC.

As for calculated values in Families, you just put formulas in your parameters, and make them shared so that they can be reported in Tags.

For example, for the window daylight area, I make a new Shared Parameter called 'Window Daylight Area', set it to be an Area value, and exit out of the Shared Parameter editing window. I then open my window family, and I add that new parameter to it. I then type in the slot to the right of my new parameter's '=' sign (where the formulas go) "Height * Width * 0.7" (I'm assuming that only 70% of the area is giving light, a rough guess from the glazing and mullions). This then gives me a calculated value of the Window Daylight Area, and if the window size changes it does too. I then load this window into my project, and add my Shared Parameter to my project as well, and now I can schedule this new 'intelligence' this window has. If I make a Window Tag, I can add this new Shared Parameter to my window tag family, and when loaded into my project and stuck on a window that has a Daylight Area it will report the calculated value...

[dbaldacchino]

Oh man, sorry to hear that! I think you did very good. Unfortunately, not everyone fills out those evaluation forms (I'm guilty myself for missing a few!).

Thanks for the example....I wasn't thinking straight before. I kinda knew you could use calculated parameters in certain families. I'm still learning how to build families and sometimes stumble because I expect something to be possible (by comparison to other things) and find that certain functionality is restricted. There are a few parameter restrictions that I'd like to see improved, but I'm sure lots of others have expressed these wishes over time. Hopefully the Revit programmers are keeping an eye on us :)


About the CNC....that Christmas tree is pretty cool and I think you're on the right track about thinking that one day we'll be building components for buildings directly from models Now you have a 3rd reader of your blog ;) Hey, it's Saturday night man, what are you doing working and getting dusty?! Oh, look who's on the laptop replying to this forum at 12:30am hahaha.

Laters!

[hand471037]

About the CNC....that Christmas tree is pretty cool and I think you're on the right track about thinking that one day we'll be building components for buildings directly from models

But you know something that's really surprised me? When the firms I was doing consulting work for (no longer a consultant am I, my blog has more info for those that care) found out about the CNC stuff, or when I offered to mill them something, all they ever seemed to want was nice site models. Carved topos, that sort of thing. Or they would just assume that the CNC was for model making, and not for making real products or applied to Architecture. Or they would instantly talk about the laser cutter they had in school and how great it was for making Architectural models, and how I should buy one too.

The thing the excites me about the CNC table is that it makes real things, things of value. Models are cool, but it's not what I'm after. I wanna make whole buildings this way someday.:D

Thanks for thinking the tree is cool. It's really nice to hear that.


Now you have a 3rd reader of your blog ;) Hey, it's Saturday night man, what are you doing working and getting dusty?! Oh, look who's on the laptop replying to this forum at 12:30am hahaha.

I'm married, that's what. ;-) And I don't watch TV, and don't own an old car anymore, so I need things to do...