GnT - Resetting User Interface

       
You would like to reset the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 user interface back to the out-of-the-box version and remove any customization that has been applied.

Solution

Have us do it for you:
Download and run the following script on your computer:
autodesk_revit_structure_ui_reset_2011.vbs (vbs - 6Kb)
Warning! This script may delete a file on your computer. It also removes a Windows Registry key. Do not use it without consulting your system administrator first.

Do It Yourself:

To reset the ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar:

Rename or delete the UIState.dat file located in the Autodesk Revit Structure 2011 folder, which can be found in one of the following locations, depending on your operating system:

Windows XP

%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Structure 2011

Windows Vista/ Windows 7

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Structure 2011

To reset your Project Browser to the default location:

Using the Windows Registry editor, rename the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Structure 2011\Components\Panels

GnT Save all families in a project to RFAs and folders AUTOMATICALLY

Let's say you have a project with heaps of families in it, and you want to save them to individual files. There is an API add on that does exactly this. How do you get it and use it?

First of all, download this file

Now:

This is a ZIP file, so unzip the file.
Browse in the contents to:
\c24\ExampleApplication\ExampleApplication\bin\Debug\
Copy everything from this folder to:
C:\Revit Projects\
Copy the two .addin files from the \c24\ folder to the correct location as shown below:
* For a specific user:
o For Windows XP - C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011
o For Vista/Windows 7 - C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011
* For all users:
o For Windows XP - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011
o For Vista/Windows 7 - C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011
Refer to this post at The Building Coder for more information.
Restart Revit 2011

Now, on the Add-Ins ribbon, there will be a new section for the Revit Family Export Utility:

 

When you run this with a Project open, it will prompt you for a directory, and then it will save all the families from the current Project to .rfa family files, and it will put them into appropriate directories (by Category) for you!

This is a very cool tool - thanks to Don Rudder for his great chapter in the book, and for this excellent API demonstration.

Consider some ways you could use this:

Load a bunch of families into a project and get this tool to sort them into appropriate folders for you.
You have an RVT but you do not have the RFA files for families loaded into the RVT - use this tool to get them all out quickly.

Transfer all RFAs from one RVT to another by saving them out and then loading them all in at once.

GnT - Reduce Size of Revit Families

When creating Autodesk Revit families for use in Revit projects, it is very important to minimize the file size of the families so that they do not bloat the project. Reducing family size is especially important when a family will be used many times in a project, although if a family is just used once or twice, the consequences of the larger size are not too significant.

The most common way of reducing file size is to Purge Unused information from the file.

• This function is available from the Manage tab and the Settings panel.

• If you select the Check All button, then select the OK button, most of the unused information in the file will be removed.

• If you select the Check None button, then you can select only the items that you desire to remove from the file.

• Unused nested family types will be removed, so if a nested family has 5 different types and 2 of those types are used in the file, then just the 3 unused types will be removed.

Unused Materials do not get removed when the Purge Unused function is utilized, so those need to be removed separately.

• Materials are accessed from the Manage tab and the Settings panel.

• In the Materials dialog box, select the unwanted material in the left side, right-click and select Delete from the context-sensitive menu.

• Note that it is possible to delete a material that is actually in use. Be careful.

                  - An Object that has a deleted material assigned to it will default to a setting.
                  - A Category that has a deleted material assigned to it will default to not having a material assignment.

An often overlooked family file reduction method is to compact the family. This can significantly reduce the file size of the family and should always be performed before utilizing the family in a project.

• From the Application Menu (the big purple “R”), select Save As -> Family.

                  - In the Save As dialog box, select the Options… button in the lower right corner of the dialog box.
                  - In the File Save Options dialog box, place a checkmark next to the Compact File option. Pick the OK button, then pick the Save button to save the file and perform the file compaction.

• This option is only available after the family has been saved as least once before.

The above steps are in addition to keeping your Revit family streamlined and not including excess information.