As I continue to contemplate on “the Zen of Revit" I commonly return to the effort of using Revit. Most of my effort this month has been spent finding my tools within the ribbons, but that's another post. . . coming soon.
Effort and Revit
How much effort do I contribute and how much effort does Revit contribute? If you have used Revit for any amount of time at all you have noticed that Revit does a lot of the work. How can we optimize Revit’s effort?
Optimization:
The procedure or procedures used to make a system or design as effective or functional as possible, especially the mathematical techniques involved. In other posts we talked about simplifying the model, the views, etc. Here I will illustrate ways in which we can limit the amount of computational effort Revit has to perform.
Revit Architecture:
The effort of calculating volume, If you’re not scheduling volume in your room schedule don’t have Revit calculate it. Thankfully it’s off by default.
Revit Structure:
Analytical Model Management
If you are not using the analytical model features of Revit Structure or are not too concerned about the analytical model accuracy, you may be able to significantly improve model performance by turning these features off in the user interface or disabling them in the RevitStructure.ini file.
To turn off the features in the user interface, click Manage tab ➤ Project Settings panel ➤ Structural Settings.
Then, on the Analytical Model Settings tab of the Structural Settings dialog, under Automatic Checks, clear the Member Supports and Analytical/Physical Model Consistency options.
To disable these features, use Notepad to open the RevitStructure.ini file (located in the C:\Program Files\ RevitStructure2010\Program folder) and add the two lines shown below to the end of the file:
.
. .
. . .
[Misc]
DisplayRecentFilesPage=1
[AppFrame]
Theme=0
[Graphics]
InvertBackground=0
Antialiasing=0
[Recent File List]
File1=C:\Users\rliucci.MICROSOL\Documents\BSD Demos\Revit Structure\GASAI_Structure_2010.rvt
[Recent Workset List]
Config1=All
Config2=All
[Analytical]
DontUpdateAnalyticalSupportInfo=1
Change to 0 in order to re-enable the analytical processing
NOTE To disable the analytical support feature for a worksharing project, make the above modification to the
RevitStructure.ini file on all local computers that are used on the project.
To enable this feature again for the existing project or for a new project, either delete the above two lines from the .ini file; or change the value from 1 to 0.
NOTE After re-enabling analytical support on an existing project, you may experience a significant delay when opening the model or adding new structural elements, because Revit Structure must reload all the analytical check information into the model. After the computation is done, no further delays should occur. If possible, avoid excessive modeling of 3D connections in Revit Structure. For typical detail creation, use 2D detail component connections (such as connection plates and bolts) instead.
Revit MEP 2010 Software Optimization and Best Practices
View Performance
The Model Graphics Style settings have the largest impact on performance for view manipulation operations (scroll, pan, and zoom). Due to the requirement to dynamically generate gaps and hidden lines when elements overlap in the view, the Hidden Line style requires the most processing and thus results in a noticeable performance impact in views with many visible elements. The following best practices will help to mitigate this performance impact and streamline project workflows.
Modeling and Sheet Views
To streamline project workflow, it is recommended to create both modeling and sheet views for the same regions of the building.
Follow these guidelines:
■ Modeling views should be configured to use the Wireframe model graphics style.
■ Sheet views should be configured to use the Hidden Line model graphics style to produce the desired appearance for construction documentation.
■ For your sheet views, use dependent views, which allows you to have multiple regions of an overall level in different views, without requiring duplicate annotations.
■ Differentiate modeling views from sheet views both in the view name and sub-discipline to provide a
logical organization of the view for users, and help to ensure proper usage.
■ Use view templates to streamline the creation of these views and achieve consistency.
■ Use duct and pipe color fills only in modeling views where the Wireframe model graphics style is used.
Revit MEP 2010 Software Optimization and Best Practices
Optimizing Hidden Line Performance
Performance in views with the Hidden Line model graphics style enabled is directly related to the number
of faces displayed in the view. Although elements display as 2D lines in a Revit view, in the model they are 3D objects made up of faces. The faces are processed by the Revit graphics system and display in the view as 2D lines. Use the following best practices to optimize the performance of views with the Hidden Line model graphics style enabled.
■ Avoid using the Fine detail level when working in mechanical views unless necessary, as multi-line representations slow performance. Displaying pipes as 1-line at Medium detail level is usually sufficient when working with HVAC systems.
■ If using complex 3D components in your building service designs, turn off the visibility of the complex 3D geometry in your sheet views. In place of the complex 3D geometry, use model lines that convey the overall component shape in the family definition. Make those model lines visible at the detail level defined in your sheet views.
■ If not necessary for documentation when working with hidden lines in a view, setting the Mech Hidden value for Inside Gap and Outside Gap to 0 can provide substantial performance improvements.
Model Manipulation Performance
Revit MEP allows users to create models of building services, often in the form of large connected networks.
The powerful analytical capabilities of Revit MEP, in conjunction with the Revit Parametric Change Engine, allow data to flow throughout the connected network when manipulations are made. Improper structure and configuration of large connected networks has been shown to have a severe impact on model manipulation performance. In comparative testing, models have been shown to perform significantly better when structured properly. As a connected network grows, the performance of model manipulations (such as moving elements, changing flows, and connecting new elements) is impacted by a number of factors. Understanding these factors, and adhering to the best practices outlined below, will allow for optimal model performance.
Create Systems
Create logical systems for your connected networks, rather than leaving all elements on the default system. Associating elements into systems helps to streamline data propagation and facilitates the analytical uses of systems, such as in pressure drop calculations. Testing of customer models with all elements on the default system showed significant improvements when the connected network was restructured as logical systems.
Set Correct Connector Flow Directions
Ensure that the Flow Direction parameter for connectors on families in the connected network is not set to Bidirectional unless the family is placed in-line with connected networks like dampers and valves. The Bidirectional setting can make flow determination more difficult and thus impact regeneration performance.
In Conclusion:
Although Revit is one powerful database there are many many instances where we must manipulate the way we approach the way we use the tool. There are so many benefits and few issues that distract from design.
I was hoping that Revit MEP had a similar option for disabling the processing and diagnostics of built systems or networks. This is not the case in MEP 2010. Many engineers might say that to change their process to match Revit’s requirements in less than ideal. But as we in the BIM word have said before;
"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory." -- W(illiam) Edwards Deming
“If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.“
~Mary Engelbreit
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