Property Lines

[DanielleAnderson]

A coworker and I have discovered an issue with property lines. Here's the situation:
I bring in a site survey from Autocad and start drawing property lines by tracing the linework the survey provides. 1) the lines don't always snap to the endpoints. I have to zoom way in and move the end until it "looks right"--this does not exactly promote accuracy. 2) the lines don't stay snapped to that line and when you go to adjust them the corners that were lined up on the parts of the property line jump off the intersection.
Also, it is not possible to diminsion to a property line so we've had to overlap a reference plane and dimension to that (or use grid lines).
Has anyone else encountered this? If so, any suggestions?

[luigi]

To answer your question in regards to dimensioning to the property lines, I dimension to the property line all the time. The problem is most likely in the dimension tool (you can only dimension 2 parallel lines, unless you dimension to a point which is not present in the property line except for the ends of a single line)

For your other questions:
If you must use the property lines imported from Autocad (I myself, when I have the legal description, put all the information in the table instead of sketching, it is more accurate that way) you can use the "pick line" tool instead of the sketching tool (when you sketch you have 2 ways of sketching, either picking an existing line, or sketching from scratch) , if it is correct in Autocad, it will be correct in Revit.
Also, I don't know if I understand your other question, but if for some reason you want to lock the property lines to the Autocad property lines, you just check the "Lock" option when you pick each property line.

Hope this helps

[Steve_Stafford]

To dimension the property lines themselves you can also tag them with the property line segment tag which will show bearing and distance data.

To dimension to major building elements and the property or setback lines, these are usually dimensioned "perpendicular" to the boundary to the nearest point of the feature, true? If true in your circumstance, then start by picking the property line and then hover over the object you want to dimension to and tab, you'll be able to select the corner and possibly some other options.

Last, for dimension that just won't work for your condition see this THREAD (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=5012&highlight=invisible).

[DanielleAnderson]

I suspected the dimensioning issue had to do with parallel lines.
As for the rest of it, unfortunately we don't have the property line data to enter into the table so we have to go with the Autocad survey. What we've ended up doing most of the time for base information in these drawings is to do all the linework in autocad and then link the autocad drawing into revit to get base survey information. I've noticed the issue of not being able to snap to some autocad lines when trying to cut things like streets and sidewalks into sites also (tracing from an autocad drawing that is like an underlay). I end up having to sort of estimate sometimes (because admittedly, Revit will snap to SOME lines).

[Mr Spot]

Another method for drawing the property lines in Revit if you already have them in autocad is to chose to sketch the propertly lines and then import the autocad file straight into the sketch, the lines will automatically become sketch lines and this way you are positive it is exactly the same...

[Wes Macaulay]

What also works is using the SE (snap endpoint) command to find the endpoints of lines -- or the property lines in this case. Or SI, which forces an intersection snap on your next left click. Sometimes you do have to zoom in a bit to see what you're snapping to...

Cool tip on importing a DWG in the middle of a sketch...

[studio3p]

Cool tip on importing a DWG in the middle of a sketch...

Really cool. That should be documented!

[m_diffen]

Does anyone know if it is possible to edit property lines after you have added the topo? I am working on a topo that someone else entered into the program, and I have this funky property line that runs partially through the topo that shouldn't be there. Please help!

Thanks.

[aggockel50321]

Sure,

Just move it, delete it, or turn it off in view / visibility...

[Chad Smith]

Danielle, I find I have the same displaying inaccuracy too. Changing to a wireframe display helps to some degree. I also find that the display inaccuracy happens on some other objects from time to time.
Text is also a problem, as I zoom in and out the text will shift slightly up and down by about half the height of the text. This can lead text overlapping linework because it wasn't displayed in the correct place at the time the linework was drawn.

[DanielleAnderson]

Chad,
I must admit that I haven't had a reason to play with the property line tricks that other people had suggested way back in June since I got moved to a couple other projects. Wes's snapping suggestion does sound promising though. :)
Danielle

[pomaikai]

Has anyone had a problem with the property lines changing during a project by themselves?

I have had a project where the property lines where laid out then by the end of the project the PL was in diffrent coordiantes.

Any ideas?

[Wes Macaulay]

Has anyone had a problem with the property lines changing during a project by themselves?

I have had a project where the property lines where laid out then by the end of the project the PL was in diffrent coordiantes.

Any ideas?Yeah. Someone moved them by mistake. It happens when people don't realise what they've got selected. Use the Pin tool to keep them from wandering around...

[Chad Smith]

Use the Pin tool to keep them from wandering around...
I always pin the property lines down. It's one of the few objects on a project that will very rarely change.