AutoCAD details into Revit

[patricks]

We have several standard details, namely shingle roof details, that were originally drawn in AutoCAD and we have them in Revit as just a bunch of lines. These are like drafted perspective views showing things like starting rows of shingles, valley flashing, etc. Now would it be better to leave them as lines, or should I go through and convert all the closed areas (like each shape that represents a shingle) to filled regions? As far as file sizes go, would it be better to have say, a box made of 4 lines, or a box made of blank mask filled region?

[kparks140020]

My office has a library of standard details as well, nevertheless, importing AutoCAD details using the "link" option will allow you to edit a DWG in AutoCAD, then reload into Revit. Try to avoid dumb lines in Revit if possible. Your detail seems like it was exploded in Revit. If you need to hatch, the regions tool you will need to use.

[patricks]

Yeah I'll probably turn them all into filled regions.

The only problem is in a couple of places, there are what appears to be a hatched area (really a bunch of exploded lines), but the lines of the hatch fill converge to a vanishing point along with the other lines in the detail. So I wouldn't actually be able to re-create that with a filled region.

[ejburrell67787]

If you are going to so much trouble to re-create generic details, why don't you model them in Revit?

[patricks]

Because they're just that, generic details, which we keep in our project template. Even if I tried to model it, there would be so much drawing and filled regions on top of it that it might as well just be drafting views anyway.

One of the details looks like this:

[aaronrumple]

If the ain't broke - don't fix 'em.

If you need to significantly modify them later, it would be worth converting to Revit. But if it gets the point across and prints well - I say you're done. If they were converted, I think I'd just stick with linework for most of the elements. I don't think it would be justified making a half dozen new fill types for these details.

[patricks]

Well, I'll at least clean up the line work. Right now, all the notes and dimensions have drafted lines for leaders and extension lines, and other things like the nail heads shown on the shingles are drawn, not as a 1/2" ellipse, but instead about 30 tiny little line segments to create the ellipse, which makes for hundreds of line objects where there should be maybe 10 or 20! So I'll go through and actually change those to ellipses, should help with keeping the file size under control.

[Rols]

I've been dealing with the same issues with our standard details. I finally decided that it would be worth it to have actual Revit details. So, I traced the details.
I link the Autocad detail into a drafting view, then I trace detail lines over the Acad detail. Heck, you can even draw a detail line by selecting a line on the linked file. When I'm done, I just remove the link and I'm left with a nice, clean Revit detail.

[Troy.DeGroot]

Rols,
I am just starting Revit and have to convert some details. I thought there was a way to set up Revit to automatically convert certain AutoCad layers or colors to specific Revit line types.
AutoCad RED = wide line
White = medium line
Yellow = thin line

Am I wrong?
If there is a way, could someone explain how?

[captainbunsaver]

Take a look at File-->Import/Export Settings-->Import Lineweights Dwg/Dxf

Take special notice of the note at the bottom of the dialog box.

Note: These values only apply to lines and layers set to DEFAULT lineweight in source DWG/DXF file. Lines and layers with set lineweight value are automatically imported at that width.

TC