Please Simplify Copy/Paste

[stilesj]

I don't understand why copy/paste is so difficult in Revit.
I had to redo a callout detail and wanted to copy detail elements and text from the old one to the new one.
It would be so nice if I could just select a base point when copying/pasting to get the objects quickly into the correct location.

Also, dimensions pretty much have to be redrawn, as they no longer can find a host when copied...not sure if there is a solution to that one or not.

[Steve_Stafford]

I moved this from the wishlist because I believe you just aren't fully aware of the options associated with Copy to Clipboard, Paste From Clipboard and Paste Aligned. The last one, Paste Aligned has several options which makes it child's play to put objects in exactly the same location in another view. This is pasted, pun intended :smile: from the Help documentation:

Paste Aligned


The Paste Align command allows you to copy multiple elements, such as walls, components, windows, on one level and paste them to another level exactly above or below where the original elements are located. This command is most useful for multi-story buildings, where you can copy and paste align elements from one level to many other levels.

Select the elements to be pasted.
From the Edit menu, choose Paste Aligned and then choose from the following:

Current View: pastes the copied elements to the current view. For example, you can paste elements from a plan view to a callout view. The view must be different from the view where the elements were copied.
Same Place: pastes the copied elements into the same place you copied them from. This is useful for pasting elements between worksets or design options. Also, you can use it to paste between two files that have shared coordinates.
Pick Level Graphics: pastes the copied elements in an elevation view. You must be in an elevation view to use this command as it requires you to select a level line on which to paste the elements. NOTE:Do not pick levels using the Project Browser. See Using the Project Browser (mk:@MSITStore:C:Program%20FilesAutodesk%20Revit%20Building%209ProgramHelpBuildingENU.chm::/WS46b90c3cb2c58cad922804fc7fa4315f-7f71.html).
Select Levels by Name: If you copy all model elements, you can paste them into one or more levels. After you choose this command, a dialog box appears, and you choose the level(s) by name. To select more than one, hold CTRL while selecting the names.
Select Views by Name: If you copy view-specific elements (for example, dimensions) or model and view-specific elements, you can paste them into either floor plan and reflected ceiling plan views.

[stilesj]

Please believe me when I say I tried everything I could think of!

You're right in saying that I don't fully understand Paste Aligned, but it didn't work in this case. Maybe I was doing something wrong?

My callout detail was slightly skewed. So basically I created a new callout looking at the same spot on the section, just head-on. Then I attempted to copy the notes and detail linework that had been added to the original callout to the new callout.

Paste Aligned only had the option to Select Views by Name, and the view to which I needed to paste was not in the list. I suspect this is because I was going from a slightly skewed view to a perpendicular view, so they were just a tiny bit off from each other in their work planes.
Maybe a good way of telling what other views are off, though...

[LRaiz]

Revit annotations often remember references to model elements (e.g. dimensions or tags). When pasted into a new view they need to find exactly the same elements and that requires that target view is exactly parallel to source view. Since your target view is skewed copied annotations would not be able to find their references and thus paste/aligned or paste same place was not possible.

In sounds like what your really needed was not a different way to copy/paste but your needed a better way to straighten out the original view. Then all annotations would keep their references and you would not need to copy/paste at all. You may want to restate your wish as a wish to have better means to rotate view in order to straighten it out (make it head on).

[lev.lipkin]

I did not have problem copying wall tag, detail line, and text from callout of floor plan to elevation view (in simple example) using 'Paste from clipboard' (and I got 'Edit Pasted Elements' mode to fix wall tag). Please post simplified example or illustration. Thanks.

'Edit Pasted Elements' could be used in case references are not found when doing paste in different place, thus making paste possible when " copied annotations would not be able to find their references". This mode allows picking of new hosts among other things.

[stilesj]

You have it exactly, the rotation of the callout is really the issue...and I've already posted my wish in regards to it! Thanks!

[stilesj]

I was able to copy/paste detail lines and text from one callout to the other. I'm just not too thrilled with the Edit Pasted Elements for aligning...I think a base point option from the start would be simpler. But I'm no programmer, so I don't know how the software understands it.

With the dimensions, they probably couldn't find their original host because of the rotation issue, and no amount of editing pasted elements could rejoin that.

[steve.crotty]

You are right that paste aligned will not work....because your view is not 'aligned' to the view the elements were copied from.
So...you will use regular paste.This sounds complicated because I am fully explaining all the options...but the short version is...you can paste all your detail things, and at time of paste, move and rotate them all as a set. If some things need a 'host', you can just paste and lose them, or you can enter a special mode to pick new hosts if you really want to paste them.
1.
A. Right when you paste you will be in regular paste mode. At this point you have all the pasted elements selected. You can now move, rotate, mirror, and align of of them as a group to get them into the right position. If at this point you just hit finish, Revit will try to paste all your elements. At this point All detail elements will just always paste ....except for 'problem' tags and dimensions.
B.If tags and dimensions to not find a new 'host' (ie. a wall tag can't find a new wall, or a dimension can not find a new reference) you will get a warning that only that problem element(s) will be deleted. Say ok, everything else will paste but you lose tags and dims.
2. If you really want to paste those dimensions and tags proceed with 1A, but when you reach B (tags and dims will be lost) hit the 'Edit Pasted Elements' button. You can now 'Select All' and then 'Finalize Selected' again to paste everything that has no issues.
You now can select dimensions and stretch them to find new parallel hosts, select tags and use the 'rehost' button to find a new tag host, or, the most complicated is to rotate a dim into a new position.
3.To rotate a dim into a new position. You must select the dim and all it's references and rotate them. I have included an image for this. The references can be temporary model things (they are shown as green dashed)- they are there so you can line up your dim with new references, but are not part of the pasted set. If you now rotate, then drag the witness lines to a new position they will find references in the new view.

[marcusmjohnson]

Has anybody disussed:
The paste align function does not work from file to file.
If you try to copy from another file the aligned image shows in the proper place but there seems to be no way to paste it at this exact location.
Instead you have to move the curser to try and align it best you can.
A key stroke is needed to just accept the image location as shown.

[Damo]

The paste align function does not work from file to file.
If you try to copy from another file the aligned image shows in the proper place but there seems to be no way to paste it at this exact location.
Instead you have to move the curser to try and align it best you can.
A key stroke is needed to just accept the image location as shown.Yes, I have found this irritating too.

A simple hit on the 'Return / Enter' key to confirm the same relative place would be helpful.

[irwin]

Has anybody disussed:
The paste align function does not work from file to file.
If you try to copy from another file the aligned image shows in the proper place but there seems to be no way to paste it at this exact location.
Instead you have to move the curser to try and align it best you can.
A key stroke is needed to just accept the image location as shown.
Although Paste Aligned | Same Place isn't enabled for copying between documents, in many cases Paste Aligned | Current View will do what is needed.

[marcusmjohnson]

Although Paste Aligned | Same Place isn't enabled for copying between documents, in many cases Paste Aligned | Current View will do what is needed.

Irwin
Sorry this is an issue for non-plan views such as sections.