Getting Started Introduction

A. Warning
You cannot save if you are using Revit in Demo mode. If you have bought the package you are able to save. But saving a tutorial directly will overwrite the original preventing you from being able to do the tutorial again. You would have to re-establishing the training file using the installation CD. Not very practical.

This is what I do as a result of the experience of overwriting my tutorials accidently in the past.

I have three! tutorial folders.

Tutorials. This is the folder that comes with the package. I don't even open it and if all goes well it never will be opened. I use Windows Explorer to make a complete copy of the folder with the name Tutorial_Backup.
Tutorials_Backup. This is a misnomer because this is my tutorial folder for all intents and purposes. I take my tutorials from this folder (leaving the original folder untouched). Note when I File->Open a tutorial file from Tutorial_Backup folder I immediately File->Save As the file into my Tutorials_Current folder.
Tutorials_Current. This is an empty folder ready to recieve the progressively saved steps of the tutorial I am currently wrestling with. For example a tutorial: d_space.xxx is saved by me progresively as d_space1.xxx, d_space2.xxx, d_space3.xxx ...etc every time the tutorial blurb says "eSave the file" untill sucessfully concluded. Sooner or later you can't follow what they want you to do and you just stab on semi-blindly or even when you are confident you can find you missed doing something critial several steps back and in either case it becomes necessary to go back to one of the earlier saves and re-continue in the light of your freash understanding. My arguement is don't save at all if your just barging through the tut and if you lose the plot tough! but if you are going to save as an aid to learning then save progressively. A final point. On some longer difficult tuts I've worked through, saving when they tell you to is not enough. You save when you are undecided as to the correctness of what you are about to do or just on the basis of the amount of time you have invested in getting safely where you are.

B. Load Project File
By default the Training file is installed in My Documents/Autodesk Revit 5.1/blah blah due to needs imposed by the limitations of the American public education system. I placed them with the installation files under Program Files/Autodesk Revit 5.1/blah blah.

C. Loading GSGExerciseFile_M.rvt
On loading the Getting Started file, two things become apparent:

The Options Toolbar does not appear and
The screen (ie the "Editor") is effectively blank. The Outline of the home and path is not visable.

1. Options Toolbar not displaying.
Although Figure 1 of Exploring The User Interface section of Getting Started (page 9) with which you are suppose to familiarise yourself with shows the Options Toolbar displayed in actuality it is intended to complement the current operation and does not apper untill a command option such as Wall is selected from the Type Selector.

2. The screen editor is blank.
A House Pad and a Path Pad evident in the thubnail during the file opening process a(see the image to the right) are there waiting to be selected. If you move the cursor over the screen they will lifgt upas the cursor passes over them. when the House Pad lights up left click on it and it will become selected amd visable ready for use.

Should you continue and move the cursor over the Path Pad and select it the House Pad will deselect. Optons exist to Tab and use the back arrow button as part of the selection process but they are not worth pursuing at this stage.

Note. I have an old computer and it is possible the outlines are all there greyed out and they just don't show on my monitor.

o0o