angular input

[1rv]

Hi!
I've just started to dig into revit.
Could somebody explain how to:
1.input angle value in move command
2.force constrain along desirable direction
??
Thanks in advance,
BTW, is this a right place for such "green" questions?

[ws]

Have a look at DGcad's blog for Saturday - 2nd item down as of today - on using angle snaps, small angles and other aspects of point entry - I found it quite helpful:
http://revitrocks.blogspot.com/

...and yes - this is the place for questions of most colours ;)

[iandidesign]

As a general bit of advise from someone also just learning, Revit seems to prefer the arbitrary placement of elements which are then adjusted. After the object is on screen you have choices based on your design intent—modify the temp dimens, align to other objects, offset from other objects w/ locked dimen, etc.

Having spent years with VectorWorks and ArchiCAD, which both have very precise methods for sizing things and putting them right where you want them as you place them, I am still getting used to this work flow.

My comment as someone too green to deserve an opinion is that this woks well if you intend to constrain whatever it is you're working on. But if you want to just draw something to a specified size—like a filled region (polygon) in a drafting view—it's an extra step. I'd like the ability to input values at creation. In cases where there are two temp dimens—like x,y for rectangles or l,a for walls—I'd like to be able to tab between the two like SketchUp. And frustratingly I often find that when modifying elements I am forced to place dimens just to get the size I want because the temp dimens prefer other objects.

And while I'm on my rant, why can't you stretch the edges of a floor or roof (in plan view) with shape handles like you can a filled region?

[Scott D Davis]

when modifying elements I am forced to place dimens just to get the size I want because the temp dimens prefer other objects.

Temp dims can be modified....click on the 'control' on the extention line and it will toggle to the next location. Or click and drag the control to another reference point. Temp dims can also be made "permanent" dims by toggling the "dim' symbol near the temp dim.

[iandidesign]

I am aware of that.

The situation that prompted that comment is resizing a filled region via the shape handles. The temp dimen cannot be redirected to read the size of the region itself. So you must either place a dimension or edit the sketch (extra step). And if you want to input the amount of the change (∆) rather than the overall size you must edit the sketch then use the move command (two extra steps). But that doesn't work for line based elements. So if you want to stretch the top or bottom of a wall in section, say to extend the siding over the foundation, how do you tell Revit you want it 50mm? Reference plane with offset (extra step).

Am I missing something?

[ws]

I use Reference planes with offset a lot of the time.

In Allplan there is a very smart offset to cursor position which I miss, but I like the temp dims in Revit - when they work out it's great and when they don't I just workaround it.

I seem to recall that when Nemetschek introduced the smart cursor thing to Allplan a few versions ago the auto-alignment was a bit like Revit temp dims in sometimes fastening on to distant objects, but they improved the 'intelligence' of it in later versions and made it a pleasure to use, so I imagine the Revit team would be capable of improving this aspect of the software sometime - although I doubt it's a high priority.