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Suggested Settings for Revit Projects 451
the Geometry Options group of the AutoCAD
DWG/DXF Import Options dialog.
When Revit exports model geometry to a DWG
file, objects are translated as multiple surface
meshes. For example, a single w a ll is made up
of 6 or more A utoCAD entities; each a polyface
mesh with vertices that overlap t heir neighbors.
When the meshes get linke d to 3ds Max, the File
Link Manager or DWG/DXF Importer recombines
them back to a single object. However, when
the meshes are recombined, their vertices are
not welded, so you end up with a larger and
less elegant model than expected. By turning
on the Weld option and setting an appropriate
Weld Threshold (like 0.1" or smaller), coincident
vertices are welded together and the file str ucture
is more efficient.
Note: This is particularly important if you plan to
do radiosity renderin g because gaps i n the model
can cause leaks that greatly increase the rendering
time.
Turn on Views (cameras)
• Views (cameras) is found in the Include group
on the B asic panel of the File Link Settings
dialog and the AutoCAD DWG/DXF Import
Options dialog.
If you’ve set up one or more cameras in your Revit
project,theFileLinkManagerorDWG/DXF
Importer will recognize and link a camera when
the Views (cameras) option is turned on. There is,
however, a catch. Before you export a DWG from
Revit,thecameraviewmustbeactiveandonly the
active camera will be exported.
Avoid Entity and Entity, Blocks as Node
Hierarchy
• On the Advanced File Link Settings dialog,
when choosing a Derive AutoCAD Primitives
By option, avoid Entity and Entity, Block as
Node Hierarchy.
Elements are occasionally missing Revit embedded
data. Whenthisdataismissing,theobjectsare
"derived" according to the Derive AutoCAD
Primitives By setting. Deriving by either of the
Entity choices will not, generally, give you the
end result you want and could result in a scene in
3ds Max that contains a vast number of individual
objects. In particular, these settings can cause
issues with railing balusters.
UseLayer,BlocksasNodeHierarchy
• On the Advanced File Link S ettings dialog , use
Layer, Block as Node Hierarchy, when choosing
a Derive AutoCAD Primitives By opt ion.
TheLayer,BlocksasNodeHierarchyderiveby
option,oftengivesthebestresultsforlinking
DWG files, especially w hen the Revit project has
other drawings, RVT links (page 3–1004),linkedto
it. Combining by Layer (node hierarchies or not) is
the preferred setting. RVT links get exported to the
DWGasxrefs.IfyouwanttheFileLinkManager
to preserve color and material assignmen ts of
those objects, Layer, Blocks as Node Hierarchy is
the setting to use.
Turn o n Material D efinit ions a nd Assignments
• The Use Scene Material Definitions and Use
Scene Material Assignments on Reload switches
are on the Advanced File Link Settings dialog.
These two sw itches are quite important when
you’ve got materials assi gned in your Revit project.
When the Use Scene Material Definitions switch
is turned on, 3ds Max checks the scene for any
cur rently used materials m atching the exact same
name as a m aterial name in the linked DWG fi le. If
a match is found, File Link does not translate the
drawing’s m aterial, and instead uses the material
defined in the scene.
When turned off, the File Lin k Manager always
uses the material definitions contained in the