Happy New Year & Rotating Tags

A Happy New Year to all.

The video here demonstrates a method for Rotating Tags. This method employs the use of a rotating array, in which the elements you don't want are excluded. This offers an alternative to using reference planes, where the rotation can be a little unpredictable.

The key stages to build the tag are as follows

• Create a label and rotateto vertical. Position the tag as near to the reference plane and a preferred distance from the centre origin. Make sure the label is set to vertical align 'middle', horizontal align 'centre' and 'keep readable' is checked.
• Put in another element. Where this goes and what it is doesn't matter. This is required so that the group created in the next step contains more than one element. In the example, this is a vertical line. (This is necessary as the group exclude outlined below will not work if the group contains only one element)
• Select both elements and create a group called 'Label'. Drag the group origin point to the reference plane intersection
• Select the group, go to Array, Rotation. Ensure 'Group and Associate' is checked. Check the 'Last' radio button. Drag the rotation point to the reference plane intersection point and enter the required rotation angle into the box
• To hide the elements not required, Tab into the groups and select the element. Right click and hit 'Exclude'. Do this for all elements until left with only the required label
• Now put an angular dimension to lines of the array. (on the line over the vertical reference plane, make sure you tab through to get the correct line)
• Pick the dimension and add a parameter called 'Tag Angle'

As is sometimes the way with Revit, youdon't get something for nothing! If an angle of 0 or 360 is entered, the array breaks. To overcome this, some control is required through the use of a formula. This will get us as close to vertical as we can (in this case 0.11)

• Create a new angle parameter'Angle Adjust'
• In the formula box, enter if(or(Tag Angle=0,Tag Angle=360),0.11,Tag Angle)
• Now amend the array dimension parameter to 'Angle Adjust'

Now to have different angle tags, simply duplicate type and enter a new angle. Or you can create a pre-defined set of angles quickly using a type catalogue. Enjoy!