Halftones from Revit with KIP plotters

Ever since we started using Revit MEP I have not been satisfied with the way halftones plot. To be more accurate, the way they don't plot. 

I thought I would share how to gain some control over this situation for others using Revit MEP that link architectural and structural models.

First if your Output Format coming from the KIP is set to KIP GL, try setting it to KIP Script. The image below shows how to access this setting. KIP Script just seems to handle halftone better, with one notable exception. Curved lines get spotty. So far it has been a necessary evil for me and it doesn't happen as much as you would think.

Secondly, try making things darker by using the Halftone Color Adjustment tool found just a bit further down the list from Output Format. I have mine set pretty dark I think.

In the Print Setups dialog, I use Black Lines with High quality and Vector processing. 

All of these things can effect your out put. I recommend that you change one thing at a time and write right on the plot what the settings were, so you can later compare everything. An easy way to do this is to create a schedule of settings along side a good floor plan with a lot of line weights and types represented. when the plot comes out, you can right the settings used directly in the schedule you plotted.

Does that make me a geeky engineer?

Can't Open Local - Revit Circular Ownership Issues

So there's a new architectural model and suddenly when you go to open your local you get a message that you can't because somebody else owns elements and they must first relinquish them them save to central and you have to reload latest blah, blah, blah. That person can't open the file either with the same warnings but someone else owns part of the model.

This seems to occur when someone forgets relinquish all their elements and then architectural model is updated. The best medicine is to always relinquish before exiting a Revit project.

To break the loop, first get everyone else out of the project. People concerned about loosing work should open their local files (detaching from central) and saving them with a different name. Any lost work can be copied from this file and pasted back into the updated file.

Next open the central file directly (detaching from central). Once open, save as the original file overwriting it. 

Relinquish all mine and save to central (this might seem weird because you are in the central file.... try not to think about it). 

Close the new central file.

Everyone working on the project, now needs to copy down a new local file.

When you open the detached central file you own everything, effectively kicking out everybody else who might have owned a bit of it. As long as you relinquish before you get out, the file is now clean. Bingo your are back in business.