New in Revit 2013

The following new and changed features apply to these Revit applications: Revit, Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, and Revit Structure.

• Project templates. The workflow around project templates has been improved. On the Options dialog, File Locations tab, you can list multiple templates and specify the file locations. The first 5 templates display on the Recent Files window for easy access when creating a project. Or click New to access the full list of templates, or None to start without a template. See Project Templates.
• Project Browser. You can now search for entries in the project browser using the Search in Project Browser dialog. Right-click in the Project Browser and select Search to open this dialog.
• View types. You can create custom view types for plan views, 3D views, legends, and schedules, in addition to elevations, sections, and drafting views. For example, you can create a Furniture Floor Plan view type, to which a particular view template is always applied. See View Types.
• View templates. View templates have been improved to provide stronger control over views. You can now assign a view template to specific views. Future changes to the template will affect the views to which it is assigned. You can also apply a view template to a view without permanently assigning the template to the view. If a view property is defined by an assigned template, you cannot change that property in the view's Properties palette. See View Templates.
• Filter list. On several dialogs, you can filter categories by discipline using the Filter list. This list replaces the Show categories from all disciplines check box. See Filter List.
• Dimension enhancements.
  • You can now tab to an individual segment in a multi-segment dimension chain, and delete the segment. See Removing a Dimension Line Segment.
  • The new Diameter dimension tool allows you to dimension a diameter and also includes an option for a diameter symbol. See Diameter Dimensions.
  • Dimension instances in equality strings can display segment Values, Equality Text, or a new Equality Formula string. See Changing the Equality Display and Defining an Equality Formula.
• Family editing. Double-click an instance of a family in a project to open the family for editing. See Modifying Families in a Project (or Nested Family).
• View references. View references can now be placed in any standard project view except schedule and sheet views. During placement, options are available to choose the view type and target view. See Placing View References.
• Visualization Graphics.
  • Background now includes options for Sky or Image settings. Accessed from the Graphic Display Options dialog, this functionality is available in Elevation, Section, Isometric, and Perspective 3D views. Also the background options are available in Hidden Line, Shaded, Consistent Colors and Realistic visual styles. See Graphic Display Options.
  • Surface Transparency Sliders. The Ghost Surfaces and Transparent Override options were replaced with a Surface Transparency slider. Now you can set a Surface Transparency override between 0-100 by Element, Category, Filter and View. Access the Surface Transparency slider from the Graphic Display Options dialog, or select an element, right-click, and select Override Graphics in View By Element, By Category, or By Filter. See Graphic Display Options.
  • Hardware Acceleration Support for WARP. WARP software graphics solution replaces OpenGL on Windows 7. This benefits visual display features such as Ambient Occlusion and the Realistic visual style. See Hardware Acceleration.
  • Anti-Aliasing now provides smoother lines for geometry in all views. See Hardware Acceleration.
  • Realistic Visual Style
    • RPC Appearance allows you to preview your RPC in the Realistic Visual Style. Previously, you could only see the real picture of entourage in a rendered view. This feature is available in all view types where Realistic visual style is available. See Realistic Visual Style.
    • Artificial Lights and Photographic Exposure settings on the Graphic Display Options dialog provide additional options for creating more realistic scenes. See Artificial Lights and Photographic Exposure.

  • Ray Trace Visual Style is a photorealistic rendering mode that allows you to interact with the camera in real time on 64-bit systems. (Ray Trace is not supported on 32-bit systems.) See Ray Trace Visual Style.
• Materials.
  • New data model incorporates an extended set of material assets, including appearance as well as structural and thermal performance properties. These properties can be applied to projects in logical combinations for a range of different purposes, such as appearance for rendering, and thermal properties for whole building energy analysis.
  • New user interface leverages the new data model and provides consistency across several Autodesk products, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Inventor. See About Materials.
  • Thermal properties data facilitates heating and cooling load calculations, energy analysis, and gbXML support.
  • Structural properties data facilitates structural analysis.
• DGN export/import. Support has been added for V8 MicroStation file format, with a new user interface that provides mapping functionality for levels, lines, line weights, patterns, and text and fonts. DGN export setups can be saved to the project file and copied between projects using the Transfer Project Standards tool. Users can now specify whether slightly off-axis lines will be automatically corrected during import.
• IFC export/import. IFC capabilities were enhanced to significantly reduce the number of surface models exported, resulting in better performance. More elements are supported, such as assemblies, parts, and curtain walls on massing elements. Other performance enhancements include reducing the IFC file size for many use cases.
• Revit Server. A new architecture supports storage of central models on multiple host servers, to which users connect through locally-installed Accelerators (similar to the local servers used in previous releases), which provide optimal performance. Full functionality is retained even when the Accelerator is unavailable, and the connection is automatically restored when the Accelerator becomes available again. The Revit Server Administrator tool provides centralized management of model data, and administrators can now move models among host servers without users having to create new local copies. The impact of model level locks and orphaned model level locks has been reduced. Revit Server can now be installed side-by-side with previous versions and with Autodesk Vault.
• Construction modeling.
  • Parts. New functionality for parts includes the ability to merge parts and to add or remove parts from the merged part. Parts can now be excluded from the project so that they are not visible and will not be included in schedules or material take-offs but can be restored when needed. You can also specify a divider offset for part divisions and apply customizable family profiles to a division. Parts can now be made from loaded families (such as Columns, Structural Columns, Structural Framing, and Generic Model) and from originals in a Revit link.
  • Assemblies. For assemblies, 6 new view options have been added for creating detail section views around the outside of the assembly instance. Assembly views can now be placed on project sheets, and project views placed on assembly sheets. Element creation tools are now available in edit assembly mode. Assemblies now have an origin, allowing the assembly type to be changed for an assembly instance. The origin also provides a local coordinate system used to determine how the assembly geometry is displayed in views on a sheet.
• Conceptual Design Environment. You can apply divisions onto paths and form edges with nodes which can host components and component arrays. This facilitates placing many instances of the same element in a finite series.
• Loop Arrow Style. You can specify a loop arrow style for annotations. See Specifying Arrowhead Styles.
• Worksharing Enhancements. The editing request workflow has been improved through dynamic interactive notifications. You can now immediately grant or deny permissions and see highlights of the corresponding requested elements in the drawing area.
• Zoom All To Fit. You can double-click the mouse wheel to zoom all visible project contents to fit within the drawing area.

The following features apply only to Revit in the Autodesk Building Design Suite. They do not apply to Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, or Revit Structure.

• Three products in one. Autodesk Building Design Suite includes a new version of Autodesk Revit that combines tools for architectural design, MEP engineering, and structural engineering in a single, comprehensive application. Gain access to a broader set of tools to streamline your workflows and collaborate more effectively with other building design disciplines within the Revit platform.
• User interface configuration. If authorized by the BIM manager, you can modify the user interface to show or hide architectural tools, structural tools, systems tools, and related analysis tools. As an alternative, the BIM manager can create Revit deployments pre-configured for different user groups with appropriate tools enabled.
• Suite Workflows. Autodesk Building Design Suite supports simplified workflows for 3ds Max Design and Showcase. See Revit Workflows in the Autodesk Building Design Suite.

The following new and enhanced features apply to Revit Architecture and Revit in the Autodesk Building Design Suite.

• Stair by component: The new component-based stair tool provides the capability to assemble a stair using individual run, landing, and support components. See Stair by Component. Direct manipulation controls are available for in-canvas stair modification. See Modifying Stair Components Using Direct Manipulation Controls. Customize stair documentation, including the symbolic representation, annotation, and graphic display. See Customizing Stair Documentation.
  See also: Videos for 2013 Stairs and Railings
• Railings enhancements: The Railings tool is improved to include new handrail and top rail elements, enhanced railing transitions, and the ability to include system-generated extensions to top rails and handrails. See Modifying a Continuous Rail.
• Ribbon tab changes: In Revit Architecture, the Home tab is now labeled "Architecture."
• Selection sets: Revit Architecture now offers selection sets, a feature that was previously available only in Revit Structure. Using this feature, you can create a selection and isolate, hide, or apply graphic settings for the elements in the selection. You can also load the selection later to select the elements again. See Managing Selection-Based Filters.

The following new and enhanced features apply to Revit MEP and Revit in the Autodesk Building Design Suite.

• Centerlines. You can display centerlines for round elements, including round duct, pipe, and conduit segments and fittings in hidden line plan and elevation views. See Drawing Duct In a Plan View.
• Routing preferences for duct and pipe. You can assign segments and fittings to specific size ranges for use when routing duct or pipe. Segments and available sizes are defined in the Mechanical Settings dialog. See Specifying Routing Preferences for Duct and Specifying Routing Preferences for Pipe. Pipe types no longer have a default connection type.
• Pressure loss report. You can generate pressure loss reports for one or more duct or pipe systems. Report parameters are customizable and can be saved for use when generating future reports. See Generating a Pressure Loss Report.
• ASHRAE duct fitting database. The latest version of the ASHRAE duct fitting database has been implemented for Revit MEP. The new tables extend the coefficient value of fittings.
• Room calculation point. A Room Calculation Point setting has been added for air terminals and lighting fixtures. When these families are placed in a project, sometimes the connector is located outside the space, which results in no values being reported. This setting allows the user to move the location of the calculation point to fall inside the space. See Placing Air Terminals and Placing Lighting Fixtures.
• Duct, pipe, and conduit size prefix setting. You can now define a size prefix for round duct and pipe in mechanical settings, and for conduit in electrical settings. See Duct Settings, Pipe Settings, and Conduit Settings.
• Export category for gbXML. When exporting to gbXML, you can specify whether to export rooms or spaces. See Exporting Your Design to gbXML.
• Ducts and pipes now have varying flow along their length as defined by takeoff/tap fittings. . This results in separate sections wherever the flow changes, which results in proper pressure drop calculations along the length. Color fills (for flow or velocity as an example) will show different colors for each value along the segments. See System Inspector and Applying Duct Color Fill.
• Ribbon tab changes. In Revit MEP, the Home tab is now labeled "Systems." The Architect tab is now labeled "Architecture." Massing tools are now located on the Massing & Site tab.
• Site tools. Revit MEP now offers tools for site design, including toposurfaces, property lines, building pads, and site components. See Site Design.
• Selection sets. Revit MEP now offers selection sets, a feature that was previously available only in Revit Structure. Using this feature, you can create a selection and isolate, hide, or apply graphic settings for the elements in the selection. You can also load the selection later to select the elements again. See Managing Selection-Based Filters.

The following new and enhanced features apply to Revit Structure and Revit in the Autodesk Building Design Suite.

• Reinforcement. Several enhancements have been made to structural reinforcement tools.
  • Improved snapping and alignment to fillets and hooks. You can now avoid interferences and collisions with other rebar while placing a rebar/rebar set in the fillet or hook. See Fillet and Hook References.
  • Units added for a structural rebar: Reinforcement Area and Reinforcement Area per Unit Length.
  • Area and Path reinforcement can now host a rebar. You can now display rebar elements in floors, walls or foundation slabs, schedule rebar and remove the area or path system to expose the individual rebar elements.
  • Fabric Reinforcement has been added to Revit Structure. You can now place evenly lap-spliced Fabric Sheets in floors, walls or foundation slabs. See Fabric Reinforcement.
• Structural Analysis. Improvements to the analytical model include
  • Manual adjustment of the analytical model such as manipulating with the surface analytical model, including or excluding openings from the analytical surface and creating analytical links. The analytical model is isolated from the physical model and can be adjusted independently.
  • New instance properties of analytical elements: Member Number, Surface Number, Foundation Number, Node Number (Analytical Nodes), Comments, which facilitate identification of analytical elements; Physical Material Asset, another new instance property, lets you preview a name of the physical asset assigned to the physical material from the analytical model.
  • Modified instance properties of analytical elements: the Rigid Links property has been renamed as Analytical Links and developed to distinguish 2 types: Analytical Links as instance properties for columns and beams and Analytical Links created manually in the analytical edit mode.
  • Global visibility. Adding the new analytical model category Analytical Nodes in the Visibility/Graphic Overrides for 3D View dialog.
  • Analytical Model Settings. Adding Valid Physical Material Asset as a new criterion of Analytical/Physical Model Consistency Check.
  • Filtering load combinations generated by add-ins.
  • Adding a new display style Deformed Shape to display the deformation of the analytical model.
• Ribbon tab changes: In Revit Structure, the Home tab is now labeled "Structure." Architectural tools from the Architect & Site tab are now located on the Architecture tab; site tools are located on the Massing & Site tab.
• Massing tools: Revit Structure now offers tools that are useful for massing studies and conceptual design.
• Decals: Revit Structure now allows you to create decals (for rendering), in addition to managing decal types.
• Plants and entourage: Revit Structure now supports the use of plants and entourage in the model for rendering images.

The following changes may be of interest to BIM managers, CAD managers, and Revit administrators.

• Select discipline during installation or deployment creation. When you install the software or create a deployment, you can specify which discipline Revit supports: Construction (the default), Architecture, Structure, Electrical, Mechanical, or Plumbing. The selected disciplines corresponds to specific Tools and Analyses options on the User Interface tab of the Options dialog.