Is the JOIN command the worst command in Revit?

[samov]

Is the JOIN command the worst command in Revit?

Well... it quite hard NOT to admire the Align command. But i've started really hating the JOIN command.

Issue 1:

Sometimes joining does not work... you disjoin the object and then it works...
ex: Wall, Beam, Floor plate. Join Beam to Floor, then Floor to Wall, Wall to Beam... sometimes does not work.... then you disjoin and try again in a different order. This is very annoying since it disjoins from EVERYTHING and then you have to join it again in all the other views.

Issue 2:

Has anyone noticed that Joined Beams DO NOT export correctly in IFC... sure if you import solids it's ok but it seems to be an issue with the centerlines and joining. It would be nice to have an option, "Make all centerlines meet (miter)" Since from an architectura standpoint... you want one wall to butt over the other... not miter, but from a modeling standpoint you want them to have clean centerlines since most structural software works that way.

Issue 3:

Some things do not automatically join. If i model the walls and then the floor. It asks me to join and attach. But if i modify something then a have to check if everything joins. Same thing when you create a new section, you have to double check if everything is joined ok, sure... it was joined in the last section... but these are new walls and beams.
I wish they had ONE BIG rule.... TWO OBJECTS CANNOT OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE! that is if they do... join them automatically and see who wins :) (just like in the real world, at least as long as you stay out of quantum mechanics)

Is there any way or workflow to keep things nice and clean?!

[chodosh]

Is there any way or workflow to keep things nice and clean?!

Personally, reference planes are my favorite friends.

-LC

[sblackburn]

Please expand on your use of reference planes in this application - I am aware of their use in families but not in joining objects. Thanks.

Steve Blackburn
MPA Architects, Inc.

[chodosh]

Similar principle applies as in Family creation, perhaps less rigidly, but the same concept. Usually I place a reference plane between two objects, placed where I need it to go in the model and rarely allow other objects to join to each other, generally don't find it too helpful, but that is personal preference and most likely because my experiences have not been within one model, usually using a link for most of the "context," therefore joining never really became an active part of my daily routine. When I have tried to use it, I ended up with goofy results (columns within floors, etc.) and chalked it up to moving things around too much after allowing them to join. That's the crux of why I prefer to use a reference plane or two, or offsets, I like to move things around too much to bother with joining things together. Probably should step out of this thread and let the experts respond.