Dimensioning Secrets Part 3

When dimensioning to the center of openings you can add a center line symbol and also change the line type and tick mark. On the properties of the Dimension Style you can manipulate the type of centerline symbol to use as well as the line pattern and even the type of tick mark used for center dimensions.

These changes will only apply when dimensioning to the center of objects.

Also under the dimension properties you can manipulate the how the dimension text is placed and how it is read.
Here you have a number of options for text placement.

Other properties that are worth pointing out are the Dimension Line Snap Distance where you can specify the distance between dimensions when stacking  dimensions.

Witness Line Control you can specify the gap from the object to the leader line or Fixed to Dimension Line like so...

Dimensioning Secrets Part 2

When dimensioning your model you have a few options for string type.

Continuous, Baseline and Ordinate.

These types allow you to represent the dimensions in different ways such as:

Continuous: Allows you to create a string of dimensions places consecutively one after another.

This is typically how we dimension for Architectural projects.

Baseline: Baseline dimensioning is when you start at a base point and separate dimension strings are created (automatically spaced evenly). I typically see baseline dimensioning in fabrication where you can place a tape measure at one end and mark off the distances as you go.

Ordinate: Ordinate dimensioning is similar to baseline dimensioning but instead of separate dimension strings it is one continuous string of dimensions with the dimension text places next to the leader dimensioning the object.

Dimensioning Secrets Part 1

Here is a series about Dimensioning and the dimension tools available in Revit...

Dimensioning in Revit is quite a powerful tool, there are a number of tips and tricks that will help you dimension your project.

You can convert you Temporary Dimensions into Permanent Dimensionsby clicking on the little dimension icon.

The grip at the base of the Dimension leader line controls the distance away from the object your dimensioning.

The second grip located midway along the leader line controls what you are dimensioning too. You can either drag this grip to what you want to dimension (such as another object) or if you click on the grip it will toggle through the options Center of Wall - Exterior Face of Wall - Inside Face of Wall.

Below the dimension text you'll see a padlock icon.

When selected this will Lockthe dimension.

This will set the dimension distance you are so it will not change, however you can still move the object (in this case a wall) and it will move both objects (both walls at once).

Don't get this mixed up with Pinning an object which will hold it in place, locking the dimension will fix the distance but not the location, for example you can lock the dimensions of partition walls butting into an exterior wall but still be able to move the exterior wall location.

Too add or subtract dimensions to create a String of Dimensions pick the dimension and select the Edit Witness Lines tool then continuo the objects you want to dimension too.

Remember to click in the blank space to finish the dimension.

Dimensioning in Revit

Here is a quick tip when Dimensioning.

Typically we'll start the dimension tool and pick point to point to complete our string of dimensions.

This method is using the Pick "Individual References" mode where we select each point we want to dimension.  

If we take time to look at the options bar and what we can select you'll see we also have the option to select the entire wall.

Here when we choose the "Entire Wall" the Options become active and we can select what references the Auto Dimension will refer too.

However I do find that the dimension selection may need to be edited after placement of the auto dimension but it is still a quick way of dimensioning.

You can edit what dimensions refer too by using the Edit Witness Line tool (EW) after selecting the dimension string you want to edit.

Activate this tool and then select the reference dimension you want to remove or add, then click in the blank space to finish.