Revit 2019 Manager Tutorial Topic

Object Styles

Line Styles

Workaround / Tips

How to Deal with Details

#RevitTopic

12.1 Object Styles

First, let’s break down what object styles are… straight from the help file: "Object styles"

Help File:

The Object Styles command specifies line weights, line colors, line patterns, and materials for different categories and subcategories of model objects, annotation objects, and imported objects in a project.

You can override project object styles on a view-by-view basis. For more information, see Visibility and Graphic Display in Project Views.

Topics in this section

• Creating Object Style Subcategories
• Modifying Object Styles
• Deleting an Object Styles
• Renaming an Object Styles

What you need to know: THEY ARE PROJECT BASED!

When I say project based, you need to understand that this creates management issues.

• How do you create them
• How do you maintain them
• Where are they (the project) save

This also brings your network and your BIM Standard Files into question

• Do you have multiple servers hosting your Company Standard files – please say no!
• Do you want to hold all your system families in one file or break them down?
• How to you Use / Protect / Audit these Project files?

12.2 Line Styles

Well this is so close to AutoCAD that it should be a review for you; however, as with all things, there are “gotchas”

Let’s knock one thing off the table right now!!! Do not mess with line weights.

• What is the point? Is it -

1. worth your emotional effort
2. worth your time/money

12.2.1 Issues

• Creation
• Inserting Families (yes, this is a problem)
• Importing CAD files!!!!! (The BIG ONE!)

12.2.1.1 Creation / Inserting Into Projects

• No one should know but you!
• AND apply a naming convention to your line styles so you know you created them
• Inserting: File Load into Projects
• Run this from your “LineStyles.rvt” Project
• This may get you more than you bargained for

12.2.1.2 Inserting Families (yes this is a problem and a solution)

When creating families, if you create new Object Styles for Lines or Symbolic lines, you are creating new “Subcategories” in that families’ “Category.” When you insert that family into a project you now have more “Subcategories” the project.

12.2.1.3 Importing CAD files!!!!! (THE BIG ONE!)

There are two ways to looking at this. The “oh that’s horrible” way and the “sweet, just what I wanted” way. You will have to know your CAD Detail Library status to choose one of the two ways.

12.2.1.4 Useable text and verbiage

When you insert and explode a CAD detail in Revit, it will create new line styles in the Revit project. These line styles are based off the CAD file’s layer name. Be sure to use the same layer names in all your CAD details. Then control the weight of the printed line from the one line style in Revit.

CAREFUL *** CAREFUL *** CAREFUL

You have to know what is inserted when you explode CAD files.

• Line Styles
• Line Patterns
• Fill Patterns
• Materials
• Text Types

12.3 Workaround / Tips

• Template Project files… no, not Project Template Files… Template files that are project based.
• There are two KINDS of Family’s in Revit:
• Standard - doors, windows exc: these can be loaded at any time
• System - Walls, Line Styles, text types exc: these should be Template Projects
• These two things are going to create issues. Files management issues, we will address these in future BMSS Tutorial s.

12.4 How to Deal with Details

Don’t use your CAD Details Library, I’m not saying don’t use the DWG’s that are there! Under your Revit Project Folder, create a “CAD Details” Folder. Then, LINK in the CAD details as DWG. This will allow you to, modify the CAD detail’s layer standard and then, Explode the Detail. Again, be aware of what happens when you explode the DWG file.