Autodesk 256B1-05A761-1301 - AutoCAD Revit Structure Suite 2010, User Manual

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rendering information to 3ds Max, including lights, render appearances, sky settings, and material assignments
for the 3D view. By preserving this information during the export process, Revit Architecture maintains a
high degree of fidelity and reduces the amount of work required in 3ds Max.
Before Exporting a 3D View to 3ds Max
Revit Architecture is designed to provide a high degree of interoperability with 3ds Max. However, you can
take steps to further improve performance and ensure satisfactory results. Before exporting a 3D view from
a Revit project for import to 3ds Max, use the following strategies.
TIP To export a 2D view, first create a 3D view that is oriented to a 2D view (such as a section view or elevation
view). In a 3D view, right-click the ViewCube and click Orient to View
➤
<view type>
➤
<view name>. For details,
see Specifying Camera Position in a 3D View on page 161.
Complete the Design Work in Revit Architecture
To ensure that Revit Architecture remains the single repository of data for the project, make all changes to
the building model in the Revit project. Do not make changes to the building model in 3ds Max.
If you update the project in Revit Architecture, export the 3D view to an FBX file. Then import it into 3ds
Max, and regenerate the rendered image.
Limit Model Geometry
To limit the model geometry that is exported to 3ds Max, consider doing any or all of the following in the
3D view that you plan to export from Revit Architecture:
■ Hide elements that are not required in the view.
■ Use a section box.
■ Set the detail level.
For more information about these strategies, see Limiting Model Geometry Before Exporting on page 1342.
Prepare the 3D View for Rendering
Before exporting a 3D view to FBX, apply materials to model elements, and specify the desired render
appearances. See
Materials on page 468.
Also, check the placement of lights in the view, and dim or turn lights on or off to achieve the desired result.
See
Using Lighting Fixtures in a Building Model on page 1190 and Turning Lights On and Off on page 1202.
In addition, follow best practices for rendering to optimize the results. See Rendering Best Practices on page
1233. Before exporting to FBX to render in 3ds Max, you may want to generate an initial rendering using the
native Revit rendering engine. By rendering in Revit Architecture first, you can check lighting and material
render appearances, and refine them as needed before exporting. See
Rendering an Image on page 1220.
Read 3ds Max Documentation
Read the 3ds Max FBX Plug-In Help for information about importing Revit projects. That documentation
includes suggested settings for importing Revit projects and other tips. By reading this information before
1374 | Chapter 24 Interoperability