Revit Template

[amindez9667]

Hi Everyone

We are getting ready to launch our pilot revit project.
I have started a template while the programming process for the project is taking place.

Basic stuff as typical sheets, window door and room schedules.

Title block, cover sheet and print settings.

Any words of advice on possible issues to tackle now?

thanks guys.

[jcoe]

Create and load office standard callout tags and assign to section and callout types in your template file.

Set up you text/ annotations/ dimensions with the appropriate height, fonts, leaders, etc...

Create and load office standard tags for doors/ windows/ walls/ rooms/ areas...into your template file.

Phase Settings and graphic overrides for such (if needed).

Define your object styles ( I have found that some of the OOTB styles are too light or too dark for my liking and some are just right - trial and error)

View Templates (you may not get a feel for this until you have worked through a project or two)

Line Styles/ Patterns (if needed)

Filled Region types

Browser Organization (if desired)

Wall Types/ Ceiling Types/ Floor Types (if you have standards)....

To keep the template file to a manageable size, you might want to avoid having a lot of pre-loaded standard doors and windows and other loadable components into the template file.

When building templates I like to start with the system families first then think through what user's will need on a regular basis (ie. tags, annotations, titleblocks...)

[saeborne]

I would advise keeping your template lean. If there are things that your office uses all the time, by all means, pre-load it into your template. But here's a little cautionary tale...

Initially, the office wanted to create a template that was robust, and full of family components, and standards. If I needed to place a conference table, it was there for me. Any door style that I needed, it was already there.

But more over, we tried to make the template too "smart." The Revit manager guy set up a bunch of sheets so that the second you start modeling, you begin to flush out CDs, Space Planning Diagrams, Boma Calcs. EVERYTHING.

At first blush, this might sound like a good idea. But there were many downsides. First, the template became bloated and Huge, upwards of 75 mb. Which means every time anyone launched revit, for any reason, you would have to wait for this 75 mb file to load. It became a nightmare to control standard component families, because everything was already pre-loaded.

Another issue is the Revit manager based the template off of his most recent project, was really a specialty project type... By no means the office bread and butter. I mean really, do I need a predefined area category for "Laboratory," when 90% of the office does government interiors / law firm interiors?

I've since moved on, and have had the opportunity to have a larger role in defining the new office template. Our new philosophy is "Lean and Mean."

If most projects require a square structural column, yes, add it to the template. For everything else, which has a more sporadic utility, create a central repository on the server to store those components.


--

Just as important as the template, is a good Naming Convention. This is critical to maintain good organization within the office.

[twiceroadsfool]

Empty templates rock. Ours is 6 megs.

Titleblocks, and standard SETTINGS like lineweights, phase overrides, etc. A bunch of views set up, and the "Previous Phase legends" are in place already.

Aside from that, everything else goes in standard Project Files, to be brought in later.

Our template has 3 wall types to start, all generic. This helps with QC.

My advice, make a shoot from the hip template. Go through a project, have a post mortem, talk about what DIDNT work... Then start over.

[greg.mcdowell]

Now that Revit opens with Recent Files instead of the default template, keeping your template small to make starting Revit faster is a non sequitur. Only challenge I have with my 36mb template is remembering to keep it updated as new discovers are made.

[saeborne]

Yeah, I know what you mean. But fast loading is just one benefit of a lightweight template. You named another, regarding updating the components / settings, etc.

But mostly, I didn't like that all files in the office get encumbered by 70 mb of family components that aren't ever used in a given project. For example, my project might only use one style of glass door... Do I really need to preload 15 other styles of glass doors?

Yes, each project team can purge unused components. But if every project team in the office has to start by purging / deleting / etc, isn't it easier to ask them to selectively add components, when necessary?

I'm with you, Aaron, our template is 5.5 MBs. I was a bit irritated when it exceeded the 5 MB mark. Oh well.

[twiceroadsfool]

It has nothing to do with fast loading, for me. It has to do with Quality Control.

If i start a project with 3 generic walls, midway through Design Development i should be able to tell whats been used and what hasnt, simply by looking in the wall type dropdown. If someone loaded the "Interior Wd Stud Partitions" Group, then i know there are wood stud partitions in the project. And so on and so forth.

If i start with 60 wall types, every door and frame combo possible, already loaded in, where is my QC check to make sure someone on the team isnt stuffing 2" frames on doors in masonry walls? Well yeah, i can go and manually check them all, but...

There are TONS of reasons i like the "lean and mean" template, and the above isnt even a good analogy. As some projects will have a myriad of doors/windows/frames/wall types.

BUT, ive YET to see a compelling argument for having so much garbage stuffed in a template. But its just my humble opinion. :)

[dhurtubise]

Use Schedule for Quality control, not the Type Selector. it will also allow you to find the geometry.
So no need to go load a wall type everytime you need it.

[twiceroadsfool]

What i meant is that its also for identifying when those decisions are being made in the project cycle.

if a wall is Generic, the entire project team can be certain that no decision has been made regarding the construction of the wall. As such, dimensions/space protection/ detailing should be taking place.

If a wall is listed as EIFS on Metal stud, and another member of the team placed it, am i to assume that those decisions have been made? or did they simply use the wall because it was available, and they THINK that is what it will be?

Of course, i understand that the above logic could mitigate such issues if everyone on the TEAM understood that logic, and simply used the appropriate wall types given the decisions or lack thereof, but in my experience it doesnt work that way. If they HAVE options for real walls, theyll use them, decisions or not.

This goes for all content. Next thing you know, people are clearancing fixtures and appliances that they think are finalized, when they are- in fact- generic placeholders.

Thats why we also no prefix everything with a denotation for Specified versus Generic.

Theres STILL no way i want 50 wall types in a new project, lol...

[cliff collins]

Perhaps a Template for Concept/Schematic Design should be used at onset,
with a limited pallete of Generic Content.

Then, as the project advances, move into a New template with more "boiler plate"
sheets, details, wall types, etc. pre-loaded.

I agree with Aaron that we do not want all that info available at early concept stages.

Once decisions have been made by the design team, then start adding complexity/detail.

( hey Aaron--we agreed on something!)

cheers............

[twiceroadsfool]

LOL, we agree on a lot, i think. FWIW, i dont disagree with you in the other thread, i just think we need to think it through.

As for reloading in different templates, i just have our DD/CD content pieces saved out as groups, so that they can be loaded in on the fly. They also come in with their legends/details already drawn as embedded detail groups.

It just delineates the THINKING process in architecture. We (as architects) dont just go willy nilly throwing **** on the paper (okay, i guess some do), so i dont want end users to have that option in the model either. Make a decision, and dont have step.

Yesyes?

[cliff collins]

Agreed!

cheers.....

[ROBinHI]

I'm in the process if creating my office templates and face the same issues. I want to keep my default template as thin as possible using generic walls and components that are close to what we use but can easily be modified or swapped out when the actual detailing of items are decided.

Would it make sense to create a basic lightweight template that users start off with, and have more detailed templates categorized by project type or however it makes sense for the type of work you do and transfer standards by selecting only what you want from a "bloated" template with finer detailed components?

I'm still learning but want to see if I'm on the right track here.

[G_J]

My view on templates is they should contain:

Object styles, annotations, view tags, view templates, materials with physical attributes, title sheets, text, sections/elevation heads, line types, styles, weights, etc. The key things to make sure all models and documentation is standard throughout the company.

I personally don't think a template should include families or if it does it should include very few, users can load families into the projects from the library.

However, I am a Revit Structure user and know Architecture may have different needs.


Regards

[ROBinHI]

Could you create a master wall family template with every wall type and save that as a single file where users can copy only the families they need into their default template?

If so I'm guessing we could do the same for all of our other families - doors, windows, floors, etc?

[Scott Womack]

You are mixing and matching your system families, and the object families. Doors and Windoes can be saved as individual family files. As such IMHO they should remain as such.Stsyem families are the ones that need to be kept in a "container" file, for importation into a project as they are needed. These would be Floors, Ceilings, Roofs, Walls, Stairs, Railings, etc.

[ROBinHI]

OK. Gotcha. Thanks.

[tklein.208994]

Scott,

Just so I'm clear on the concept of"container files" for organizing System Types: Say you're moving from SD where types might be "generic" to DD where Types need to be defined you would transfer project standards from those container files into your project as needed. I'm guessing you'd need a container file for each type of wall assembly: PC, CMU, St Stud, etc. How lean do you keep those container files?

Our current office template has every imaginable type in it and it is a bear to work with.


Tom

[Scott Womack]

Just so I'm clear on the concept of"container files" for organizing System Types: Say you're moving from SD where types might be "generic" to DD where Types need to be defined you would transfer project standards from those container files into your project as needed. I'm guessing you'd need a container file for each type of wall assembly: PC, CMU, St Stud, etc. How lean do you keep those container files?

We look at it a little differently. Due to the type of architecture designed here, the Walls Template or "container" file has the 100 or so interior wall styles in it. This is CMU, metal stud and wood stud walls. Exterior walls we force the project manager to design "inside" of their project, since they vary extremely from project to project. In that Walls "container" file we purged out everything but the wall styles we had designated as standard. It does have the drafting views of the walls styles in it as well. So as you move from the generic wall process, to more specific wall styles, you'd open that file, and transfer project standards for the wall types. Then you'd insert views from that same file to get the drafting views you needed as well.

We're doing the same thing for hollow metal frames & doors, membrane roofing, etc.

[twiceroadsfool]

We do something similar, but we DO break them out by type of construction. Furthermore, i have them saved out as Groups (though theyre still RVT's). The groups have all of the pertinent walls in them, and a detail group of the details for the partition schedule. INstead of having people open the file and TPS, they just "Load file as group". They dont even have to PLACE the group. Simply loading it brings in the relevant walls for "Metal stud interiors" or "wood frame interiors" and so on...

EDIT: www.aaronmaller.com/partitionschedule.mp4

I cant watch the movie from work, but i *think* thats a video of how ours works...

[ROBinHI]

Do you know if there is a tutorial on how this was setup? The Video has no audio so I am trying to see if I can understand from watching but it shows a few things I am not sure how to do. Is there an actual tutorial? if not can I post the portions I don't understand and maybe someone can explain? LMK

Thanks!

[cphubb]

We also use the Group function,

However many of our users like to "Browse" for their walls so we have an entire file of nothing but walls (3rd Floor Wood Studs Ladies Lingerie) and others of nothing but floors etc. We call them Repositories to distinguish from Families and groups. We also have groups (contained inside the repository) for fast drag and drop of entire wallsets. Uses really like the grainlier nature of the system.

[twiceroadsfool]

Rob-

I apologize for the low budget film, hehe. Post questions on whatever youre not clear on ,and ill explain what i was doing, as im sure others will.

Chris- That sounds like a great idea. Ill have to think on that one, and maybe ALSO put all of the *Container file* groups i have inside a master list (Ill call it Sears instead of womens lingerie, LOL)...

[ROBinHI]

twiceroadsfool,

Actually I've re-read your previous post and I think I can follow what you've explained. I'll attempt to go through it and see if I can figure it out from watching the video.

I see you've separated your partitions into two files, masonry and metal stud. I'm thinking how I should classify my group files. Do you use wood construction at all?

What does the "include attached details" option do?
Can a wall tag also be shown in the partition schedule as well as the floor plan an parametric where if the partition type changes in one view it changes in all?

I'll post if I have anymore questions.

Thanks again!

[Andrew Dobson]

I would move the levels so that the ground floor (or level 0 I think in the US template) is somewhere near the height above sea level.

That way, when you create a new project, you can adjust the ground floor/level 0 to the exact sea level, and use absolute levels in your topography, as topo surface levels are always relative to the lowest level in the project.

[twiceroadsfool]

twiceroadsfool,

Actually I've re-read your previous post and I think I can follow what you've explained. I'll attempt to go through it and see if I can figure it out from watching the video.

I see you've separated your partitions into two files, masonry and metal stud. I'm thinking how I should classify my group files. Do you use wood construction at all?

What does the "include attached details" option do?
Can a wall tag also be shown in the partition schedule as well as the floor plan an parametric where if the partition type changes in one view it changes in all?

I'll post if I have anymore questions.

Thanks again!


Rob-

I seperate them in to many different classes of partition types. I only had two in the folder when i was setting up the video. You should break them up in to groups that make sense. IE if someone is bringing in mtl std interior partitions, they may not need Masonry walls, so i have them seperate. Wood partitions are seperate too, as are some specialty wall groups.

"Include Attached Details" tells the Model Group to bring in any attached Detail Groups, which is how all the notes for the partition Legend come in. That is a Detail Group that is included in the Model Group.

[ROBinHI]

That's interesting. I'm still a little baffled as to how it works.

I see once you've attached the Detail Group you have all your annotations. Does that bring in just the notes or another set of drafted details with annotation.

I've played it over and over, pausing on every step trying to walk through and figure it out. Still new to me.

Are you allowed or do you mind posting one of your files that I can inspect?

Thanks.

[twiceroadsfool]

I think its confusing you because thats a video of how to import it after the fact, not of how to create them. Its just a floor plan view, with some walls modeled in it, and some annotations and detail components.

Model group the walls. Then while youre in Edit Group, hit the Attach Detail button in the edit group toobar. It will ask you to name a detail group, do that. Then pick all the dimensions, wall tags, detail components... And hit finish group. THAT is the "detail" that youre telling it to attach...

[ROBinHI]

Where is the legend created in the partition type file or in the project file?

I'm not sure of the legend was imported as well?

[twiceroadsfool]

The VIEW is created in the project, but the notes and details are in the Partition Type File.

Worth mentioning, because of the way this is done, its not an actual LEGEND. Thats a Floor Plan, of a Phase that happens before the Project. This entire thing is a Floor Plan...