Test Walls and Dimensions (Temporary vs Permanent)

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1. In a floor plan (e.g. Level 0), place a test room:
   1. Go to Architecture → Wall.
   2. Draw a simple closed rectangle of walls.
2. Select one wall and look for the temporary dimensions that appear in light blue.
3. To convert a temporary dimension to permanent:
   1. Click the small pin icon or blue dimension symbol next to the temporary dimension.
   2. It becomes a standard dimension element that remains on screen.
4. To edit a dimension:
   1. Click the dimension value.
   2. Type a new length (e.g. 900 cm) and press Enter.
5. To change what a dimension is measuring:
   1. Find the small blue grip (circle) on the dimension extension line.
   2. Drag it to snap to:
      • The centerline of a wall, or
      • The face of finish of a wall.
   3. If Revit only snaps to the centerline, press TAB to cycle through possible snap points until you reach the finish face.

Note: These same principles apply to most Revit elements: select → use temporary dimensions → convert to permanent if you want them to stay and print.

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Taught in

• BIM + Computational Workflow · 2023 — original class recording lives there.