Exporting Revit with links, colors and lines are messed up

[stuthill1106]

Hi,

I am using Revit 2014 with several linked files that are updated on a regular basis. It seems that I have to chose, either have the wrong colors export into AutoCAD, or have my line types not export correctly. I have gone into the Modify DWG/DXF Export Setup and changed all the color id's to suit our needs. I have gone into the lines category and made sure those settings were correct as well. So after much frustration of them still not exporting into the right color, I have (as suggested) changed Export layer options set to Export all properties BYLAYER, but do not export override. however, now my centerlines for my grid and other dashed lines export as continuous. Is it possible that these are my only 2 choices? or is there some way I can have Revit export the correct line type and the correct color? I have been trying everything I can think to do, choosing all the options in the Custom display settings for the links. I thought I had my settings worked out so I can have my Export Settings on Export category properties BYLAYER and overrides BYIDENTITY, however, now some of the leaders are appearing red though it says by layer and the layer is set to the correct color (253).

[david_peterson]

Did you check that they were actually continuous? When revit exports to cad, there's a check box for psltscale. Which can cause things to not look correct until it has been set up correctly.
Also depending on what you're importing, it may end up as a block (grid bubbles are one of those things).
Personally I wouldn't ever export to cad with out explaining to the person requesting it, that's going to be a 90% useless drawing.
No matter how many setting I've seemed to play with, most of what revit exports I wouldn't ever want to be the cad end user.

[MikeJarosz]

I wouldn't ever export to cad with out explaining to the person requesting it, that's going to be a 90% useless drawing.

Exactly.

A Revit file exported to Acad results in a file that will never satisfy any accomplished Acad user. The two systems are totally unlike each other. All the export is good for is to enable an Acad user to load the file and look at the general arrangement of things, not to pick up working in Acad where the Revit user left off.

[stuthill1106]

I haven't messed with the "psltscale" checkbox. I will give that a try. But why is it messing with my colors? As far as being useless for CAD, we have been using exported Revit Arch for our detailing backgrounds for at least 3 or 4 years now. Since we model in AutoCAD and most Architects whose files we get use Revit, there is little choice. They work just fine for our use, Its just then I either have to mess with the colors or the line type and when I'm exporting up to 30 drawings from a file at once, I figured not having to do this could save some time and I need to give my boss a concrete answer whether as to is it either/or. or can we change the colors and keep the line types at the same time.

[Steve_Stafford]

I wrote a BLOG POST back in 2009 in response to a related question here. The basic concepts of the three choices we have are described here:

• Category Properties BYLAYER, overrides BYENTITY - This deals with differences between elements that have the same layer assignment but "look" different in Revit for some reason. It maintains the graphic appearance but special conditions are not bylayer.
• All Properties BYLAYER, no overrides - This forces all exported elements to be bylayer which will change line patterns and colors so that they ARE By Layer. This results in solid lines where they were dashed for example.
• All Properties BYLAYER, new layers for overrides - This allows Revit to create a new layer when an element has a representation that a single layer will not support. This creates new layers so every element can be created bylayer.

I usually set PSTLSCALE to 0 (off) so that line patterns are generated faithfully regardless of Paper Space or Model Space being active.
If you'd like to see some images to go along with this they are in the blog post.