Revit Technology Conference 2007

“Interface”

Wesley Benn

Director, Benn Design

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Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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• Menus:• Largely (not entirely) duplicated in the design bar• Not user-configurable – other than the addition of API tools• Far too much effort!

• Tool bars:• Split into sections – general program tools (new file, open, cut, copy, paste, etc),

view tools (zoom settings, 3D view, etc), editing tools (move, copy, align, trim, etc)• Right-click on the tool bar for a list of available toolsets• Far too much effort!

• Option bar:• Includes the type selector and element properties button• WATCH THIS SUCKER! It is a contextual system – changing constantly to reflect

current activities• Can be several layers deep

• Design bar:• Breks down the tools found on the tool bar to their usage types – does not show

some of the more specialised tools (particularly from the ‘tools’ menu)• Right-click on the design bar for a list of available toolsets• Can be several layers deep

• Status bar:• Shows information relevant to current activity• Mimics the tooltips that pop up beside the cursor, but do not disappear after a short

time – also appear faster than the tooltips

• View control bar:• View specific• Beware of the shadow system

– Individual settings– Performance– Sun studies

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

3

Screen Elements(cont.)

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• Project Browser:• Heart of the system• Browser organisation• Multiple access methods• Applying properties to multiple views (view templates)• Printing...

• Drawing window:• We all know what this is for, right?• Origin point• Tile windows• Close Hidden Windows• Dependant views

• Notes:• Remember that many aspects of the interface are ‘contextual’ – they will change as

you progress through your actions. The right-click menu, the status bar, and the option bar will all change to reflect your current actions.

• There are almost always at least two ways of carrying out an action…• Add project folder locations to the file locations tab in Settings>Options to jump to

those folders in one go

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

4

Screen Elements(cont.)

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• Language of the user, not the programmer• Works the way YOU do• Think like a designer or builder to search for answers• USE your words...

• Important Concepts::– Parameters:

• Type vs. Instance• Shared• Nested

– Families:• Hosted / non-hosted• Category / sub-category

– Visibility/Graphics + Object Styles– View Range

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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Terminology

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• Think First!• Planning pays – garbage in / garbage out• Know your needs• GNDN• Revaluate your assumptions

• Leverage• Make your data work for you• Work to an appropriate level

• Consequence• Watch the interface• Interference checking• Review warnings

• Think again!• Read those ‘What’s new in this release’ files - can save some embarrassing

moments• Consider dumping and redoing work when problems occur – can be faster• Predictability and efficiency - saves you more time than just being ‘fast’

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

6

Methodology

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• Stop thinking about the way you used to work

• Experiment• The developers still get surprised by things people can make Revit do that hadn’t

occured to them

• Share your experience• User Groups• Conference events• Forums

• The right tool at the right time• Hint: may not always be Revit!

• Take the next steps...• Take the idea of leverage and apply it elsewhere

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

7

Methodology(cont.)

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Keys• General operations:

– 1. The most important key in the program is....• No! NOT the escape key!• Reduce the need to zoom in and out• Use in conjunction with tooltips and the status bar

– 2. Spacebar• can be used to flip walls about the location line while drafting, to change the

handing of a door, to rotate components during placement, and more – 3. Modify

• The standard selection tool• You do not have to hit escape, or swap to the modify tool, before changing tools.

Simply select the tool you want and get on with it– 4. Escape

• Finally, escape! Pressed twice, escape will take you back to the modify tool. Press just once, however, and escape will stop your current action, BUT LEAVE YOUR CURRENT TOOL ACTIVE

• Selection:– 1. The most important key in the program is....

• Yes, that one again• ‘select’ – tab allows you to select portions of chains• Tab can also pick up surfaces, edges, even fill pattern lines, not just whole objects

– 2. Control / Shift• Just like that legacy software – the control key can be used to ADD to a selection,

and shift to REMOVE from a selection• Control-left arrow will select previous – need to use it right away!

– 3. Delete• Umm yeah, you hit this to get rid of things...• But... hold down the delete key, THEN click on things

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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Keys(cont.)

• Views:– 1. The most important key in the program is....

• Hah!• Ctrl-Tab will cycle between open views

– 2. the Evil Eye• Rather boringly known as the dynamically modify view tool (keyboard shortcut

‘F8’)• Do not use this in general circumstances – this is what your mouse wheel is for!• Note that sneaky little flyout section

– 3. Arrow keys• The arrow keys can be used to nudge objects around screen by the snap

increment (which is zoom dependant).• SHIFT – Arrow key will nudge by 10x the snap increment

– 4. F5 - Refresh the screen

• Keyboard Shortcuts:– Set them up and USE THEM!– Can be customised through the ‘keyboard shortcuts.txt’ file

• C:\Program Files\Revit Architecture 2008\Program\KeyboardShortcuts.txt • Some suggestions include:

– LF – Load Family– AA – Activate view– DD – deactivate view– use the numeric keypad as a ‘compass’– use the standard number keys as single key shortcuts

• Distribute a single file throughout a multi-user environment

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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• CONSISTENCY ABOVE ALL!

• Project Templates• Object styles• Pre-loaded content• Import and export settings• Materials

• Keyboard shortcuts

• Naming conventions• Families• Files• Views

• Output• Titleblocks• Rendering• 2D vs. 3D

• Families• Develop a single standard for how parameters function• Library management is vital

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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Standards

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• Planning is all...

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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Setup

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• Planning is all...

• Hardware• Workstations• Network

• Software• Operating System• Revit - OOTB• Revit – API / Third-party software

• Backup• Make sure you have it• Test it!

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

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Setup

• Training• A quick course in navigation could

save you a lot of time at sea

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• Hardware• Only the first step...

• File Linking• Reduced file size• Simplified multi-user environment

• Worksets• Not just for multi-user environments• Balance flexibility vs. ease of operation

• File Management• Audit• Purge unused – especially CAD drawings!• Review warnings

• Detail level• Because you should, not because you can...• Performance from visible detail, not actual detail

Introduction

Screen Elements

Terminology

Methodology

Otherologies

Keys

Standards

Setup

Performance

13

Performance

Thanks to a whole lot of people who over the years have helped me to learn Revit, and who have contributed some of the tips and images shown here.

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