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Revit Architecture 2011 User Assistance
What’s New? >
New in Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2011

The following features are new or enhanced for Revit Architecture.
For additional detail and a more interactive listing of New Features for Revit Architecture, go to the
following: http://www.autodesk.com/revitarchitecture-features.

User Interface Enhancements
• Modeless Properties Palette
• Repeat last command / Repeat Commands recently used
• Quick Access Toolbar (QAT):
• Single QAT per application
• Increased number of default commands in the QAT
• Customization options via dialog box: move command up/down, add separator, remove
command
• Improved access to Worksets and Design Options on status bar
• Ribbon Enhancements:
• Redesigned Modify tab:
• Consistent modify tools - panels and buttons are always in the same order on the left
side of the Modify tab. Buttons enable/ disable as necessary.
• Modify tab name updates to reflect the active contextual tab appended.
• Contextual tab content is appended to the right side of the Modify tab when active.
• Modify and contextual contents are separated by a gray visual bar.
• Persistent access to core modify tools (Object-Action commands):
• Move
• Copy
• Rotate
• Mirror - Pick Axis
• Mirror - Draw Axis
• Delete
• Type Selector Enhancements
Type Selector is combined with the Properties Palette. Open at all times; can be
opened/closed using the Properties Palette button available in the Properties ribbon panel.
• Group Edit Mode access
Panel is removed from the ribbon and will float in drawing area when invoked. Default is
upper left corner of drawing area and can be moved.
• Model In-Place
Project ribbon replaced with the family ribbon when an in-place model is started or edited.
When you finish editing in-place, the ribbon will revert to the project ribbon.
• Improved icons based on user feedback

Large Team Workflow: Linked Models
• Enhancements to the Visibility Control of Worksets in workshared files:
• Visibility by Default for Worksets
• Ability to open/close Worksets for linked models
• Ability to control visibility of linked models according to host model
• Ability to apply View Filters to linked models from host model
• Ability to tag elements in linked files, with the exception of rooms, spaces, and areas
• Ability to automatically generate a ceiling grid from walls in a linked model
• Ability to apply View Filters to linked files
Graphics
• Realistic materials available in editable views
• Hardware acceleration (DX9) on by default
• Levels of Details (adaptive to zoom)
• Ambient occlusion
• Display performance improvements (over 30%)
• Significant performance improvement in display of mechanical and electrical drawings (up
to 200%)
Materials
• Protein 2.0 appearances, in single project library
• Increased interoperability with 3ds Max through:
• Export of FBX files to Max with Protein 2 appearances
• Import of DWG files and ADSK files with Protein 2 appearances
Note: 3ds Max/Design 2011 is required for materials to transfer.
• Support for new realistic display style through Protein 2 materials
• New material classes available in Protein 2, including procedural appearances

Inventor Interoperability
• Support for oval duct, cable tray, and conduit connectors
• Support of new electrical properties (such as Motor)
• Improved performance when importing ADSK files
• Improved AEC Exchange functionality
• Support of Protein materials

Performance Improvements
• Graphics
• MultiCore Operations
• Sync with Central
• Model Open
• User interface reaction time
• Linked Models

DWG Export
• Increased visual fidelity when exporting Revit files to DWG
• Export option for True Color
• Export option for Text treatment

Family Editor Enhancements
• Interactive exploration of parameter values in Revit families
• Ability to lock labeled dimensions
• Reporting Parameters
Parameter Enhancements
• Default parameter type (length vs. text)
• Parameters groups automatically set

Temporary Dimension Enhancements
• Remembering witness lines
• Family Editor: right-click permanent dimensions to select labels
• Ability to control temporary dimension font size and background (transparent or opaque)

3D Alignment Enhancements
• Align tool now works on an element's node, vertex, edge, surface, form, or level
Expanded Region of High Geometric Accuracy
• Previous versions of Revit were unable to maintain the expected level of geometric
accuracy at locations farther than 1 mile from the project origin. Revit will now maintain a
high level of geometric accuracy for elements placed within 20 miles of the project origin.

Selection Enhancements
• Select All Instances in the current view or in the entire project

Text Notes Enhancements
• Additional leader attachment points: Top Left (TL), Middle Left (ML), Bottom Left (BL), Top
Right (TR), Middle Right (MR), and Bottom Right (BR).
• Ability to adjust leader end distance
• Ability to show box around text
• Ability to create bullets and numbering

Sheet Enhancements
• Create new sheet list rows to create placeholder sheets
• Convert placeholder sheets to project sheets
• Grid guide for sheets, enabling consistent sheet creation
Floor Enhancements
• Ability to set span direction for metal deck floors
Analysis
• Sun Path
• Interactive tool for visualizing the impact of natural light and shadows on buildings and
sites

Conceptual Design Environment (CDE) / Conceptual Form Making and Editing
Tool Enhancements
• Solid-Solid Cut: Ability to cut one solid from another solid
• Dissolving Forms: Ability to dissolve a form back to the curves from which it was created.
• Generic mass template
• Flexible component mass
• Sketch Edit mode for Form Profiles

Surface Rationalization Enhancements
• Dividing Surfaces with Intersects by:
• Intersecting levels, reference planes, and lines on reference planes
• Combination of U or V grids and intersects

Subscription Advantage Pack
Note: The following items were previously released exclusively to Subscription customers.
• Conditional Formatting in Schedule
• Element Section Area and Linear Weight in Schedules
• Span Direction Tool
• DWG Export enhancements (Index color and True Color support)
• Beam Coping for steel beams framed into joined beams and columns
• Text Formatting Shortcuts (Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, and Ctrl+U)
• Beam System Tags
• Split Walls with Gap
• Keyboard Shortcut UI
• Find and Replace Text in Notes
• Convert between Line Types: Model, Detail, Symbolic
• Export to DWG with correct RGB colors
• Linked File Performance Enhancements
• New API for slope angle and elevation for x,y location in given slab with choice of top and
bottom
• Structural Components and Modeling:
• Slanted Columns
• Beam Placement using 3D CAD Geometry
• Curved Beams
• Structural Trusses
• Metal and Structural Deck Assembly
• Control beam length tolerance
• Beam Coping Tool

Revit Extensions
• Shared Parameters Converter
• Model Review
• Autodesk Revit DB Link
• Road and Terrain modules
• Wall framing enhancements:
• New method to choose the location of the studs (wall layers are exposed)
• Multi-selection of walls and openings

User Assistance (Documentation)
• Transition to Web Help, which includes improved search capabilities
• Streamlined Help reference content
• Short Tutorials in video format
• Additional Enhanced Tooltips
• New animated ToolClips
• Improved First Experience

Other Enhancements
• Custom elevation tag
• List sheets not in a project on drawing list
• Background images in renderings
• Repeat last command
• Sheet layout grid
• Removal of 4 core rendering limit
• Google Maps™ mapping service interface (Location dialog) lets you visualize project
locations