Families - things to determine before creating

1. Hosted versus non-hosted - generally most things are non-hosted but note the following:
• if it needs to create an opening in its host (eg. window) be certain that you'll only be doing this with one kind of host as a hosted element can only cut one type of host. For example, a window created this way can only cut eg. a wall OR a ceiling, not both.
• if you're not sure of the above, but want it to move with a wall etc, then place the element and select the 'Moves with Nearby Elements' option so when the host moves, so does the placed element.
• another option is to make the element 'face-based' or nested
2. Family category - critical to choose the correct one
3. Insertion point - determines the location about which the family will geometrically flex;
• important if you expand eg. a table later to fit more chairs - you'd want the insertion point to be in the middle of the face of the table in that case
• the reference level in the Family Editor corresponds to the datum level in your project so determines the visibility of your component in different views
• if you swap this component with another, if the insertion points are the same then its all good...
4. Flexibility - if you're sure you'll need to modify some of the dimensions later when in use, then create some rules first:
• reference planes are the simplest way to add rules - they do not have endpoints so are used to create linear geometric relationships
• reference lines do have endpoints so can be used to control angular relationships

In-Place components

Similar concept to massing - like a family massing
For large odd things (not normal stuff) so don't use when in conventional projects
You can only apply materials for in place families when you are in edit mode.
NB. have to make sure masses are visible in view (VV)

• Component - Model In-Place
• When the option window appears, select 'Mass'

Both solid and surface masses can be created from either model or reference lines. They look the same but are not.
Differences:

• model lines for creating forms unlikely to require further iteration or rule-based parameterisation
• reference lines if you think you'll be using formula or other rules, they allow for more flexibility, best to use reference lines regardless

Step One: create a face

1. Massing & Site - In-place mass - Reference Lines - draw a shape eg. use the spline line:
• go to the 3D view and click 'top' on the view cube so you're looking down
• draw the line you want, (make sure it's defaulting to creating this on level 1 - check in the options bar)
• then draw another line this time on level 3 (change this in the options bar)
• select both lines and Create Form
2. Finish Mass (will get error but this is okay)

Step Two: make this into a wall

1. Create a wall:
• select this face
• Home - Wall by Face, click away and a wall will have been created from your shape!

Step Three: edit this in place

1. Select the mass - easier to do this if you disable the wall visibility (VV)
2. Edit In-Place - you can move the control points.
3. Finish Mass
4. Unhide the wall and select
5. click Update to Face

Rendering

NB. Screen print is for quick rendering

Setup - Camera - Crop Size (ie. no scale)
Width A3 (usually) = 380m but make slightly bigger eg. 500mm and "lock scale" and then shrink down to size on the sheet to make the image crisper.

View - Render - Background - Style - Image

Settings

• Render - Adjust Exposure - white point, take this to 5, saturation - 1:36

NB. Revit and 3DSMax uses the same materials library

• Set up the camera first (Setup), in plan view
• reflections - eg. for windows, tip is to create a wall with a photo of what you want reflected and set the camera at a 45 degree angle to this so is reflected in the window...best if the sun is behind the camera

GD: Settings to use

• Background gradient
• Shadow - ambient
• Sun intensity - 70
• Ambient light - 30
• Don't go lower than 150 DPI for final printing

Lighting

• Studio lights - these have no structures associated so are used for pure light source
• if rendering in daylight with lights, need the light to be very bright eg. 3x stronger than sunlight (20000W)
• if wanting a night render, use 'artificial lighting' only
• put soft lights inside...can group lights to apply same properties to a whole group, or turn a whole group off and on

Exporting image on page
Export, image,

• zoom = 100%
• shaded views, jpeg (lossless), 300 DPI or more