Revit objects go wacky when unlinked in Max

[Tim Nelson]

This usually doesn't happen with files I get from Revit, but I have this file where I am trying to un-link some geometry, and when I do, they lose their positions, get rotated, whatever. Anybody have any suggestions?

 

I'm trying to move some window glass back because its coplaner with the muntins. I can't move them all in the same direction - they go in opposite directions at different rates...ugly. So thats why I need to un-link, so I can reset xform, then attach them all as 1 mesh.

[Gus_Rayvus]

try taking a snapshot of it, to mesh, then delete the old geo.

[RevitGary]

I had serious problems similar to yours when I made revit objects into max groups. Avoid groups if you are using them.

[Tim Nelson]

I should also mention that these were imported from Autocad, exported by Revit. I noticed that the particular objects I'm having trouble with are blocks in the autocad file. So I'll try to explode all blocks in autocad first, and then re-import.

 

I wasn't using any groups - not even able to because of the parenting I think.

[Chad Warner]

One of the stupidest tricks I've found is to copy everything from the AutoCad file that's been exported from Revit into a brand new AutoCad file. For whatever reason, I've had much better luck with a fresh dwg than the one thats exported straight from Revit.

[jhiler]

I think when you unlink the geometries, if they are instances they lose all of their information they've brought with them from Revit - Cad - Max.

 

The object in Revit is probably a family, so when it gets exported into Cad it is a block and then becomes an instance in Max. For some reason I've noticed that unlinking the objects make it appear that it goes back to its original creation state in Revit. What I mean by that is that it loses the location that Revit/Cad gave it and it falls back to its creation point. At least that is what it appears to be doing to me. I'm sure there is some real explanation, but I'm not sure what it is.

 

What I've done in the past is exploded the objects in Cad and then brought them in. Just be careful to only explode the object down to a mesh or soild and not all the way down. If you explode all the blocks in your Cad file, you will also help with some of the file bloat that occurs when linking in.

 

Sorry for the long windedness.

[Tim Nelson]

One of the stupidest tricks I've found is to copy everything from the AutoCad file that's been exported from Revit into a brand new AutoCad file. For whatever reason, I've had much better luck with a fresh dwg than the one thats exported straight from Revit.

Yep, you are right about this....no matter what I did I could not get the autocad file to import without parenting, until I copied & pasted the acad objects to a new file. Then all of a sudden it works!

[Tim Nelson]

I just have to say thanks again Chad....Its been a while since I've worked with a Revit file and I was having the same issue again. Did a google search and this thread came up, ironically. Snapshotting over 10k items would have taken who knows how long, especially for 6 different buildings. The copy and paste trick worked again, thank you! Saved me a lot of trouble.

[Chad Warner]

I just have to say thanks again Chad....Its been a while since I've worked with a Revit file and I was having the same issue again. Did a google search and this thread came up, ironically. Snapshotting over 10k items would have taken who knows how long, especially for 6 different buildings. The copy and paste trick worked again, thank you! Saved me a lot of trouble.

 

No problem! I have to use that trick more and more these days.