Chapter 3: The Basics of the Revit Toolbox

Select, modify, and replace elements. There are many fundamental interactions supported by Revit to select just what you need and to modify elements efficiently.

Master It How can you quickly select only the door tags in a plan view and switch them to another type?

Solution First, window-select around the entire plan. Then, using the Filter tool in the Modify ribbon, select only the Door Tags category, close the Filter dialog box, and change the type in the Properties palette.

Edit elements interactively. The editing tools in Revit are similar to those found in other CAD and BIM software programs. Tools such as Move, Copy, and Trim are available on the Modify tab of the ribbon.

Master It How do you create a parametric repetition of an element?

Solution Select an element and activate the Array tool from the Modify tab of the ribbon. Specify a linear array with the Group And Associate option and choose either Move To 2nd for a specific element spacing or Move To Last for a consistent overall length with varied element spacing.

Use other editing tools. Beyond the basic editing tools are more advanced commands to help you consistently and intelligently populate a building model with content.

Master It How do you copy model elements in the same location for a multistory building?

Solution Select the required elements and copy them to the clipboard (Ctrl+C). From the Clipboard panel in the Modify tab, select Paste ÿ Aligned To Selected Levels and then choose the levels to which you'd like to paste the copied content.

Creating site context for your Revit project. The site tools in Revit allow you to create context for your building models, including topographic surfaces, graded regions, and property lines.

Master It Describe the different methods used to create a topographic surface.

Solution A topographic surface can be created by placing points at specific elevations relative to Revit's internal project coordinates, by using an imported 3D CAD file from a civil engineering software program, or by using a text file that contains the XYZ coordinates of a field of points.