New Improvements in Revit 2012

Revit Architecture 2011 has many new and improved features, among them several Documentation Enhancements.

Custom Elevation Tags

• The long requested custom elevation tag arrives! In Revit 2011 you now have the ability to create from scratch a custom elevation tag. It’s much like other tag families and is pretty easy to setup. Unfortunately, if you want the body of the tag to stay horizontal so the text does not turn with the pointer, well lets just say maybe next year. Other than that customized Elevation Tags are a very nice option and I know will make lots of graphic standard makers very happy!

Custom Elevation Tag labels rotate unlike out of the box tags.

Text Improvements

• Now we have the ability to adjust leader end distance, show a box around text and create bullets and numbering. There are also additional leader attachment points: Top Left (TL), Middle Left (ML), Bottom Left (BL), Top Right (TR), Middle Right (MR), and Bottom Right (BR).
• Tip: The Line Weight of the box around the text and leader end distance are adjustable from the type properties of the text type.

Modify Tab

Text Abilities

Sheet Improvements

• Finally, Sheets have had some nice refinements. Who needs to list sheets not in a project on drawing list? I’m going to answer for every Architect…. Who doesn’t! If you have consultants on your project you have sheets in your drawing list that are not in your project. Now we can list sheets not in a project on drawing list, create new sheet list rows to create placeholder sheets and Convert placeholder sheets to project sheets later on in the project. Workflow has been considered once again. Thank you Autodesk!
• There is also a Grid Guide for sheets, enabling consistent sheet layout. While this isn’t quite as intuitive as I’d like it to be, it;s definitely a step in the right direction. Grid Guides will only allow snapping to Reference Planes, Levels or Grid Lines from the views that are placed on the sheet. So for now we have something that works. Also it does not print! So no mistake prints with guide lines in them. Yay!
• Tip: When using Guide Grids:
  • Setup name – Plan\Elevations Grid or 1/2″ Grid etc.
  • Align crossing of the grid to the sheet first, as moving after adjusting the edges will move the whole grid.
  • Adjust the edges of the grid as not to overlap other parts of the sheet.
  • Place views and use the Move tool to select a Views Grid, Level or Reference Plane to align to the Grid Guide.

Guide Grids

That’s all for this round. I hope you found something new that you like in Revit’s 2011 Documentation Enhancements. Check back for more on 2011 new features in the upcoming week. Check out this video from Autodesk reviewing the features you just read about. What do you think about Revit 2011?