Site Tools

[Joef]

My advice. Get someone from SOM to ask.

[essdubbya]

Dear Factory

Now that Revit 8 is basicly wrapped up please fix the site tools. If you want details just ask Chad - he has detailed our needs many many times. It is one of the forum topics that gets many responses repeatedly. We are a patient lot but the lack of response is becoming increasingly irritating.

[lev.lipkin]

Factory knows about requests to extend site functionality and there are plans to address some issues in future releases. However there is no intent to make Autodesk Revit full civil engineering product, interoperability with Civil3d will get improved over time.

With respect to particular issues: curbs and road gutters are well understood. Split regions can share edges, but could not overlap because uncertainty of which material wins (full containment is supported). Errors (like intersection catching with other subregions or open loop) are being posted, at least on Finish Sketch of Subregion.

Please provide more info on what are issues with parking spaces and examples of when error does not highlight where the problem is. Thanks for your help.

[Chad Smith]

However there is no intent to make Autodesk Revit full civil engineering product...

I don't think the majority of us are asking for a civil package, just decent tools to model a reasonable looking and functional site.
In the same way that Revit is not a HVAC product, I know that Autodesk is developing a HVAC extension for later down the timeline.
While most of us would appreciate better (not necessarily a complete package) of site tools, ultimately I would like to see a Site/Landscaping extension for Revit. The company I work for is a complete design and construct company, and we do everything, including site and landscaping.

Errors (like intersection catching with other subregions or open loop) are being posted, at least on Finish Sketch of Subregion.

I've lost track of the number of times I place 2 sub-regions next to each other only to have an error telling me that this can't be done. But then 5 mins later it will work on a different part of the topo.

Please provide more info on what are issues with parking spaces...

Car parking is a nightmare and is only useful when viewed from a plan view. The fact that the lines of a car park float above topo when placed on a topo that is sloping, means that you can't show them in 3D. If the car parks are allowed to adjust to the slope then they can't be showed in plan accurately, and then can't be dimensioned as we have to do for our authorities here. We need car parking that can be drawn in 2D in plan, and then have the lines follow the exact topo in 3D automatically.

I've outline a whole heap here in a past topic.

[DanielleAnderson]

My main issues relate to the desparate need for curbs and sidewalks. Oftentimes we will end up building large models spanning a few blocks in each direction to show urban design impacts on neighborhoods surrounding our projects and I'm sure you can imagine the interesting sweep-contraptions we have had to think of to make sidewalks that sort of work.

The other issue I have with the site tools is that there are lots of times when I need to model a couple different ideas that come from the landscape architect very quickly to show their impact on our building design...it's the same thing as above, odd sweeps and solid/void combos to create very simple sloping and curving retaining walls, etc.

I don't need a complete civil package, just a little more flexibility with the tools that are there and a couple more tools to make things a little bit easier--curbs and sidewalks please!

Thanks!

[essdubbya]

I totally agree with Chad

I have Land Desktop 3 which I only use to create 2D drawings from Survey point files for import into Revit as an underlay for topo creation. The rest of the features in LDT3 are useless to me. It would save a heap of time if I could import point files directly. Even programs such as Vectorworks have this functionality built-in along with basic landscape design features. For most small design jobs that is all the functionality you need to produce drawings for approval authorities.

Just think of the potential user base that Revit would gain in the landscape design / landscape architecture field by addressing these needs.

[Scott Hopkins]

I agree with everyone else - Curbs and sidewalks (for sloped sites) are what I need. I wouldn't use a lot of sophisticated civil design tools.

[Scott D Davis]

I would like:

1. the ability to pick a line or series of lines while editing a topo, that would put points along the line. It's tough to place many points one at a time.

2. The ability to define an area on a topo, and then through as slope arrow, tell Revit "i want this area to slope from this point to this point at this slope, or by this amount." Sloped graded region.

[Chad Smith]

Some other things I would like are a couple of site tags.

1. Being able to pick two points (not Topo Surface Points) on a topo surface, and then have an arrow running between the points that shows the 'Up' (for those that have been reading those other threads, yes I did mean Up) direction and also the grade of the slope. The grade would be either as a ratio or rise/run, user selectable.

2. A batter symbol, once again picking two points to locate the batter symbols length and location, and then the grade value as described above.

[essdubbya]

Ditto what Chad just said re batters and grade.
And what Scott said
We really really need this stuff