10 Jun

Engipedia Topo Shaper, Revit® Add-in

Main purpose of the tool is to shape topography instance with help of model lines. Tool adds additional topography points along selected model lines. Line division can be per number of points or per distance between points. If there are more than one topography instance, tool will prompt to select only one.

Tool can be downloaded from Autodesk® App Store

All model lines are supported: lines, arcs, ellipses, curves and nurbs. Make sure that selected model lines are not closed loops, otherwise the tool will warn and ignore them. If there are closed loops (circles, ellipses) to be used, then they should be divided into 2 or more parts with Revit® Split Element tool.

Topography is a mesh object so points division should be thought carefully. More points does not mean better results.

Additional feature is saving current topography. Current state of topography can be saved into CSV points file with which original state can be returned later using Revit® Massing & Site > Toposurface > Create from Import > Specify Points File tool. Saved topography points CSV file is always in Meters.

Tool is added to “Add-Ins” tab on Revit® ribbon:

User interface of Engipedia Topo Shaper Revit® add-in tool:

 

Example

Let’s show on a simple example: topography + multiple instances of Model Curves, Model Lines and Model Arces.

When user runs the tool the following will happen:

1. If there are multiple instances of Topography object, tool will prompt user to select one of them which will be used by the tool. If there is only one instance of Topography object, tool will skip this step and select that Topography instance.

2. Tool will prompt user to select one or more model lines with which to modify the topography. Model Lines must be bound, meaning they are not closed loops. If none of the lines are selected or all selected Model Lines instances are unbounded, the tool will quit. If among bounded Model Lines there are unbounded Model Lines selected, they will be ignored. To use unbounded Model Lines (for example: circles and ellipses), user should split them into 2 or more elements (by using Revit® split tool).

3. After successful Model Lines instances selection, main tool window will show. In main tool window, user can select the division method: by number of points per each selected line, or by distances between points on each selected line. Number of divisions must be in range 2< n < 1000, otherwise, tool will ignore it and set appropriate number. Distance between points must be in range 0 < L < Shortest Line Length. Tool will offer shortest distance (length) of all selected Model Lines. Distance between points must be number lower than this number, otherwise the tool will ignore user input and choose appropriate distance. Distance units are the same as the model units.

4. User can save the state of the current (still unchanged) Topography for possible later use. The tool will create CSV file with the timestamp. File gets saved in the same folder with the model. Points coordinates are always saved in meters.

5. Clicking on the Shape Topography button will shape the selected topography by adding additional topo points along the selected model lines.

Tool does not “remembers” which model lines were used so they can be used again (possible adding more points where they already exist).

Nor tool nor Revit® will create points with the same XY and different Z coordinates.

Topography bounds are no limit for the tool, if model lines are outside toposurface bounds, tool will add points there also.

Tool can be downloaded from Autodesk® App Store

10 thoughts on “Engipedia Topo Shaper, Revit® Add-in

  1. Hello,
    we have installed your plugin which is present in the Revit ribbon 2019, but when selecting the model lines the main window of the tool is not displayed.
    cordially
    Eric

    • Hi, have you clicked on the “Finish Button” in Revit Options bar (below the ribbon)?

      Model lines must be selected first (multiple selection is set by the default). Then “Finish” button must be clicked to finish the selection, and after that the add-in will show. If you make “wrong” selection, you’ll need to exit the add-in and run it again (it will start from the selection again).

      I will update this article to make it more clear. Still haven’t got the time to record simple video to show how to use it.

  2. “A Point is outside of the Surface boundary. Insert the Point on the boundary instead, and then drag it to the desired location.”
    Hi
    I got above error message while working on you tool.
    what is the meaning of this and what is the resolution?
    Regards,
    Adeel

    • Hi! Thank you for your comment.
      We are not talking here about an error in tool, it’s Revit workflow issue.
      You have more than one topography surfaces in your model. The line, you are trying to shape a topography with, is outside it’s bounds. Move the line (or make it shorter) to be inside the bounds of your topography (when looking from top/bottom view).

      Lines can be outside the bounds of your topography only if there is one topography instance in your model or your topo instance is not surrounded with another topo instance. Otherwise, make sure your lines are inside the topography bounds in plan view, simple test: click on inner topo > Edit Surface, try adding additional topo points outside your inner topo surface manually – Revit will not let you.

  3. I have installed your Topo shaper plugin for Revit 2022 but the plugin icon is not appearing under “add-ins”. I have tried to uninstall and reinstall, closing and opening revit but without any luck.

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