Suitability of Imported Geometry

When you import a file into Revit, the format of the imported file may support varying qualities of geometry. These variations are caused by the file type, the export settings, and the import settings.

Some tools and capabilities in Revit require specific types of geometry. For example:

• The Join Geometry tool requires volumetric geometry.
• Rendering an image requires that faces are associated with material properties.
• The Roof by Face tool requires geometry with suitably sized faces for flat roof panels or a NURB representation of a complex, shaped roof panel.
• Masses require volumetric geometry to calculate volume, surface area, and floor area faces. See Considerations for Imported Geometry in Mass or Generic Model Families... and Importing Massing Studies from Other Applications.

You can import many different types of file formats into Revit. When you export a file from the originating application for use with Revit, you can set a variety of export options. With these many variations of file formats and export options, it is important to ensure that the exported file provides the geometric data needed for the Revit capability that you plan to use. To optimize results with various file formats, consult the documentation provided with the exporting applications.