Revit Tip - Ensuring Revit MEP Symbol Notation is Right Reading whatever the Host Orientation

by Dennis Collin

When placing content such as MEP equipment like sockets, switches and data ports, the elements are often represented in a symbolic form due to their small physical size. These symbols will resize according to annotation scale changes.

With multiple sockets and switches, the symbols also often have a number indicating the nature of the socket with a 2 or other symbol to show its specific type.

Fig 1. Out of the box Revit families often have incorrectly orientated annotation!

All works as expected until elements are placed on angled host elements that result in these numbers or symbols appearing upside down, which makes the reading of complex areas problematic. In the figure above, a light switch is placed but in the highlighted area the switch notation appears upside down. Whereas the data and power sockets behave as desired.

To correct this, when defining the symbol with a Revit Generic Annotation family tick boxes need to be enabled within the family’s settings to ensure notation orientation is correct whatever the host element orientation!

Fig 2. When creating a family, choosing the correct template is key!

Start a new generic annotation family and sketch the required symbol at the desired printable size, with a suitable text note reference, in this example a triple light switch. Remember to delete any undesired elements that are not required!

Fig 3.

Select the text element and ensure that the text element has been set as ‘Keep Readable’ in the property’s palette (As per Fig 3).

Unselect the text and then tick ‘Keep Text Readable’ and ‘Rotate with Component’ within the Annotation families’ properties.

Fig 4.

Save and load the annotation symbol into the switch geometry family and position appropriately within a view, possibly with a slight offset from the family origin to aid read ability.

Fig 5.

In the main switch family, tick ‘Maintain Annotation Orientation’ within properties. Save the family, load into a project and test! The new or modified Switch family should now behave and display as per the image in Fig 6.

Fig 6. Symbol annotations are now orientated consistently and correctly!