Fill Pattern Manipulation

When you have materials with Fill Patterns in your model, they generally get placed in you model where Revit decides is best. Hence, their alignment is not what you would like to see.

Fortunately you have the opportunity to align or rotate the fill patterns to show them how you would like.

For example, the ceiling pattern below needs to be aligned with one of the walls.

Select the align tool, then pick the wall and then one of the lines in the fill pattern and it moves into alignment.

Another Example, the block pattern on the wall below needs to be shown vertically.

Tab until you select one of the brick pattern lines, and then hit the rotate button and rotate into final position.

In this process you have to make sure you are just selecting the fill pattern, or else you will be adjusting the entire ceiling or wall.  

Hyperbolic Parabaloid

One of my students asked me about creating a roof that sort of looked like a Pringle chip. So once I had worked it out I thought I would post the tutorial here. 

A Hyperbolic Parabaloid shape in Revit is based off creating a square form and lifting 2 of the offset corner points. Below is the outline for creating a square and circular hyperbolic parabaloid shape.

View References

When creating views in Revit, there are times you would like to have the opportunity to create a Plan View Reference in an Elevation or Section View.  Traditionally this is not possible using the normal view creation tools like the Section or Callout tool.

In the example below we are looking at creating some window details in plan and section. This view is the finished product, but how did we get there?

Family's Height Grip Arrow

If you create a family and you want the height to be an instance parameter that has a Grip arrow visible to adjust it in your project file. It isn’t as obvious as you think. 

When you create the family and assign the Height Instance Parameter. You have to make sure that you dimension from the Reference Plane not the Reference Level.

If you dimension from the Reference Level you won’t get the little Grip Arrows.

As standard practice when creating Families, I always dimension to Reference Planes.

Wall Top Constraint

When you are using the wall tool, you should never leave the wall set to an unconnected height. This is because the Structural Engineers require the walls to be associated to Levels.

If you have a wall selected ensure that the wall has a Top Constraint level and utilise the Top Offset Parameter. 

Remember: The walls can utilise the same top constraint level as the base constraint with the top offset giving it the height.

TAB Key Rewind

When you are selecting elements in Revit, the Tab key is very handy to cycle through your selection, especially if you have many items on top of one another.

As inevitably happens you can accidentally cycle one item too far and you have to start pressing the Tab key again to get to the same element, very annoying.

If you have gone too far then hold down the shift key and press the Tab and you will back track through your selection.

Revit Apps you can't do without....

Here are a few of Revit Apps (Addins) that you can't do without.


Coins Auto-Section Box

Allows you to select and element or elements and create a 3D view with a section box surrounding.

GSA Detail Filter

Gives you extra levels of filtering.

Palladio X BIM WindowsLayout

Allows you to tile your windows quickly and save away favourite settings.

Boost your BIM File Version Checker

I use it primarily to stop the upgrade process if I accidentally open a file in a new version.

Mertens 3D Hatch 22

Creates custom Fill patterns. Can be a little tricky to install but worth it.


There are heaps more in the Autodesk Exchange Apps, but this is just a selection of my favorite free Apps.

Revit Giving Medical Advice Now!

Some days I have to laugh at the obtuse error messages that Revit greets you with.

While I was opening my project this morning and the network drive went down, it halted my model load and I was shown this error message.

Now I know I did let myself go over the Christmas Holidays, but I am back at the gym. Get off my back Revit!!!

I suppose that it is just the software becoming more advanced, but I did think it got a little personal!!!

What is Revit going to tell me next? ‘Pay off your credit card early?’, or ‘Does that shirt really go with those pants?’

Got to love those crazy programmers at Autodesk!!!

......and remember......Revit is watching you!!!