Line Based Family Auto-Join

Line based families are a great way of producing flexible Revit components, but there is a feature that may not give you the results you are after.

When you have 2 line based families next to one another they like to automatically join with one another, this is just at feature that occurs in this type of family. The only problem is that there is no disallow join feature (like the wall tool).

The magic number is 32mm, any closer and the components will automatically join.

If you need to have components closer than 32mm you may have to switch to a family with instance parameters, then you can get a close as you want without the components automatically joining.

Plan Region

If you are having trouble getting everything to show in your plan using the standard View Range settings, you always have the option of using a plan region.

While the preference is always to get everything to show using the standard view range, sometimes it is impossible without the use of a plan region.

The Plan Region allows you to set an independent view range to a defined area.

Just select the tool, draw an outline and set a new view range.

Now the object that is outside of the initial view range should be visible.

Selection Toggle Trick

When you are selecting objects in Revit if you hold the ‘Ctrl’ key down on your keyboard while picking it will add elements to your selection set. (There will be a little plus sign ‘+’ beside your cursor)

If you hold the ‘Shift’ key down on your keyboard then it will subtract elements from your selection set. (There will be a little minus sign ‘-’ beside your cursor)

Now here is the little trick…

If you hold both the ‘Ctrl’ and the ‘Shift’ Keys down while selecting it will toggle between adding and subtracting elements. (There will be a little plus/minus sign ‘+/-’ beside your cursor)

So instead of having to switch between the ‘Ctrl’ and ‘Shift’ key, just get used to holding both keys down when you are selecting elements.