11 Jun

Engipedia Layers Manager PRO, Revit® Add-in

In short, use this add-in to:

  • tag/annotate wall material layers and their thicknesses in Revit®
  • schedule wall material layers and their thicknesses in Revit®
  • export wall material layers to Excel or CSV in Revit®

Now, replace the word “wall” in the sentences above with: floor, roof, ceiling, pad or structural foundation slab.

Try it on Autodesk® App Store (30 days free trial available)

Read More

11 Jun

Engipedia Structural Layers, Revit® Add-in

Engipedia Structural Layers application is Revit® Add-in with purpose to extract structural layers from layered structures in Revit®: Walls, Floors and Structural Foundation Slabs.

It’s unique workflow gives you ability to get structure from Revit® Walls and Floors. Once the structure is extracted, the model can be used as structural model, or as a reference for formwork plans in architectural model.

Update 2023-05-11: New version (v1.1.23.0501) is available, it now supports Revit 2016 to Revit 2024. Minor bug fixes. Minor UI improvements.

Add-in is available on Autodesk® App Store.

Add-in works in several stages:

  1. Analyzes current types of Walls and Floors in the model. (Structural Foundation Slabs are floors in Structural Foundations category, but basically act the same as floors).
  2. Types where none of the layers has “Structural” checkbox checked are types which are not considered structural and are shown with green background.
  3. Types with only one structural layer in core are presented with blue background.
  4. Types which have structural layer in core but also have other layers are shown with white background – these types can be “peeled” of layers.
  5. User select types from which structure will be extracted.
  6. When tool is ran, end result will be model with only structural layer in Walls and Floors category.

Tool will select only the types which have one structural layer in core. Structural layer is the one which has “Structural Material” checkbox checked.

Types with structural layer will be shown in table on the right. By the default, all the types will be selected in column “Selected”.

Selecting a type in any of tables will show their layer composition in the table on the bottom.

Bottom table also has feature to set core layer as structural material and apply it to the type without leaving the tool. Such changed types will automatically appear in the table on the right.

Selecting the types in the right table and running “Change Selected Types” command will change selected types in a way that they will end with only one (structural) layer. Tool will also impact instances of each type in a way that structural layer will stay in the same place as it was when it had other layers in type.

This way the end result will be model with only structural layers.

Warning: this will change the model drastically.  To avoid loss of work, or unwanted results, preferred workflow is as follows:

  1. Save your model as a new model with different name.
  2. Run Engipedia Structural Layers to extract structural layers from walls and floors.
  3. Save the model.
  4. Continue working on this structural model, or LINK it into your original model.

Other features:

Tool add each type change as separate Undo command so everything can be undone type-by-type.

Tool can automatically set every instance as “Structural”. This can be switched off in Settings.

If needed, tool can also change types with 0 instances (change setting to show types with 0 instances).

Use “Update Structural Checkboxes” to update any Walls/Floors instances with structural material to have Structural instance parameter checked (this can be used later for filtering).

Add-in is available on Autodesk® App Store.

11 Dec

Create and Change Revit® Family Instance with Dynamo Python

Creation of Revit® family instances with Python code in Dynamo is easy to do if you have the right code snippet. So I am sharing it here.

Code snippet shows how to do few useful tasks:

  • How to select particular Revit® family and type.
  • How to create instance of a type.
  • How to get particular parameter.
  • How to set particular parameter.
  • How to rotate family around it’s placement point (around Z axis).

Read More

06 Jun

Dynamo: Use Excel Coordinates to Create Model Lines in Revit®

If you have many coordinates in Excel spreadsheet or in other table format, it’s easy to use the power of Dynamo to get those coordinates into Revit®.

In our example, we will use x, y, z coordinates to create model lines within Revit® project.

There are two ways to approach this problem:

  1. Coordinates represent continuous points (like in polyline)
  2. There are pairs of coordinates, each pair representing single line

Read More

06 Jun

Supported Multi-Category Schedule Categories in Revit®

It is important to know that Revit® does not support all Revit® categories when creating Multi-Categories Schedule or Material Takeoffs.

Not knowing that may lead to omissions and wrong quantities.

The following table shows supported Revit® Categories in Multi-Categories Schedules.

Multi-Category Schedule – Supported Revit® Categories

Air Terminals
Area Loads
Cable Tray Fittings
Cable Tray Runs
Cable Trays
Casework
Columns
Communication Devices
Conduit Fittings
Conduit Runs
Conduits
Curtain Panels
Curtain Systems
Data Devices
Doors
Duct Accessories
Duct Fittings
Duct Insulations
Duct Linings
Duct Placeholders
Ducts
Electrical Equipment
Electrical Fixtures
Entourage
Fabric Wire
Fire Alarm Devices
Flex Ducts
Flex Pipes
Furniture
Furniture Systems
Generic Models
Lighting Devices
Lighting Fixtures
Line Loads
Mechanical Equipment
Nurse Call Devices
Parking
Parts
Pipe Accessories
Pipe Fittings
Pipe Insulations
Pipe Placeholders
Pipes
Planting
Plumbing Fixtures
Security Devices
Site
Specialty Equipment
Sprinklers
Structural Columns
Structural Connections
  – Anchors
  – Bolts
  – Plates
  – Profiles
  – Shear Studs
  – Welds
Structural Fabric Reinforcement
Structural Foundations
Structural Framing
Structural Rebar
Structural Rebar Couplers
Structural Trusses
Telephone Devices
Windows
МЕР Fabrication Containment
МЕР Fabrication Ductwork
МЕР Fabrication Hangers
МЕР Fabrication Pipework

 

Linked topics:

Nepodržane Revit kategorije u tablicama iskaza količina materijala

Revit kategorije koje se mogu i ne mogu rezati (presjeći)

06 Jun

Unsupported Revit® Categories in Schedules and Material Takeoffs

It is important to know that Revit® does not support all Revit® categories when creating Multi-Categories Schedule or Material Takeoffs. Look at the list of supported categories here.

Not knowing that may lead to omissions and wrong quantities.

The following two tables are listing unsupported Revit® Categories in Revit® Material Takeoffs and Multi-Categories Schedules.

Unsupported Material Takeoff Categories

Curtain Wall Mullions
Entourage
Fascias
Gutters
Planting
Railings
 – Handrails
Ramps
Roof Soffits
Slab Edges
 – Landings
 – Supports
Wall Sweeps

 

Unsupported Multi-Categories Schedules Categories

Areas
Assemblies
Ceilings
Curtain Wall Mullions
Detail Items
Floors
 – Slab Edges
Mass
 – Mass Exterior Wall
 – Mass Floor
 – Mass Glazing
 – Mass Interior Wall
 – Mass Opening
 – Mass Roof
 – Mass Skylight
 – Mass Zone
Multi-segmented Grid
Pads
Property Lines
 – Property Line Segments
Railings
 – Railings Balusters
 – Railings Handrails
 – Railings Supports
 – Railings Terminations
 – Railings Top Rails
Ramps
Raster Images
Roofs
 – Fascias
 – Roof Gutters
 – Roof Soffits
Rooms
Shaft Openings
Stairs
 – Stairs Landings
 – Stairs Runs
 – Stairs Support
Topography
Walls
 – Wall Sweeps

STRUCTURAL

Analytical Beams
Analytical Braces
Analytical Columns
Analytical Floors
Analytical Foundation Slabs
Analytical Isolated Foundations
Analytical Links
Analytical Nodes
Analytical Wall Foundations
Analytical Walls
Boundary Conditions
Structural Loads
 – Structural Internal Loads
 – Point Loads
Rebar Shape
Structural Area Reinforcement
Structural Beam Systems
Structural Fabric Areas
Structural Path Reinforcement
Structural Stiffeners

MEP

Analytical Spaces
Analytical Surfaces
Duct Systems
Electrical Circuits
HVAC Zones
MEP Fabrication Containment
MEP Fabrication Ductwork Insulation
MEP Fabrication Ductwork Lining
MEP Fabrication Pipework Insulation
Piping Systems
Spaces
Sprinklers
Switch System
Wires

 

Linked topics:

Podržane kategorije kod iskaza broja elemenata u Revit® tablicama

Revit kategorije koje se mogu i ne mogu rezati (presjeći)

09 May

Revit® Tips & Tricks #2

Project model environment

 

1. How to change temporary dimensions behavior

When modeling elements, Revit will suggest and put temporary dimension lines with which elements can be places precisely.

If Temporary Dimension lines in Revit are snapping to references that you think are wrong, you can always check the settings and set up prefer referenced to which temporary dimensions will snap.

 

2. Default IFC Revit project template

When linking IFC to Revit, two things happen:

  1. To create IFC file Revit picks first Revit template set in File > Options > File Locations
  2. Revit creates RVT file from that IFC model and saves it in the same location (folder) where IFC file is with the same file name as IFC.

Linked IFC (it’s actually Revit model file described earlier) can be found in Manage Links dialog on IFC tab where it can be reloaded if newer IFC file (under the same name) is saved into the IFC folder. Reloading means creating linked Revit file again.

To minimize IFC file size and load time, it is recommended to create separate Revit IFC template, which contains essential settings, such as line weights, line patterns, object styles and one level. This templeate should be first on the template list in Revit so it’s used every time IFC is loaded into project.

 

3. Change Cable Trays, Pipes, Ducts, Conduits level without moving elements

It’s a big deal if you have whole systems modeled in Revit just to realize that they need to be on another level. For point elements (such as ligthing or electrical fixtures) it’s not a big deal, but if you have pipes or other listed above, which are linear elements, and they also have slopes, you are in a lot of trouble. Revit will allow you to change the level for those elements but it will then put them on new level and keep the offset RELATIVE to that new level.

To change levels of elements in Revit but keep them in the same ABSOLUTE place, use free Dynamo script I created for this purpose:

Kako promijeniti referencu Revit familije bez pomicanja elementa

 

4. Create multi-category list containing some of system family categories

Multi-category schedule will not schedule system families.

To schedule system families, use multi-category material takeoff schedule in Revit. Next picture shows such example from Revit sample architectural project model (sorted by Category, Show all instances set to false):

But what if we just need want Ceilings, Floors, Roofs and Walls?

Well, the trick is to add unique shared parameter only to those categories you want to have together in a schedule and then filter by “parameter exists” schedule rule.

Let’s add shared parameter called “Layered”, of yes/no (Boolean) type. It will be added only to Categories mentioned above (you need to create it in your shared parameter file first):

Finally, if we add that parameter to the schedule and filter by rule “Parameter exists”, our table will have only wanted categories:

There are two tricks here that are not obvious:

  1. You cannot add parameters to system family categories trough Revit schedule Fields dialog, you must go to Manage > Project Parameters
  2. “Parameter exists” filter rule in schedules is available only to shared parameters

 

5. Compare Wall, Floor, Ceiling or Roof types to find duplicates

Finding duplicate layered types in Revit is not easy since layers in layered types are defined with multiple different settings:

  • Is layer inside of a core?
  • Layer Function
  • Layer Material
  • Layer Thickness
  • Is Layer defines Structural Material?
  • Can layer be of variable thickness?
  • Can Layer Wrap?

Additionally, Walls have options Wrapping at inserts and wrapping at ends.

If we ignore all of the other type parameters which can make a difference between one type and another, we can compare layered instances using Engipedia Layers Manager (since version 1.1.) and Multi-category Material Takeoff table from previous trick.

For example, if we set up add-in options like this:

Add-in will create comparison string containing only function of each layered type. The same principle can be used to find elements with the same materials with the same thickness or regardless of thickness and other layer properties.

 

Families environment

 

6. Saving family as family template

Revit® uses the following file name extensions:

  • .rvt – Revit® project file
  • .rte – Revit® project template file
  • .rfa – Revit® family file
  • .rft – Revit® family template file

You can save from Revit® to all of the file extension types except the rft extension. To get file as rft, you need to save it as Revit® family (.rfa), and just change the extension to .rft

Why is this useful? Well, you can set up a family with your parameters, line weights, lines patterns, fill patterns, materials, object styles, subcategories and other, save it as family and use it as a template for future families.

If you save it to default path for family template files (set under File > Options > File Locations), for example:

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 20xx\Family Templates\English\

it will be available every time you go to create a new family. (change RVT version number and language appropriately)

 

7. Create fixed value family parameter

The trick to create family parameter which value cannot be changed by user in Revit® project environment, set it by formula of the following syntax:

IF((1 = 1), “Fixed value”,  “any value”)

  • Note that this will not work for parameters that cannot be set by formulas, for example Materials.
  • Note that if you set this in type parameter, it will have the same value for all types.
  • Note that you must use (1=1) in parentheses since Revit® will give you “Invalid Formula” if you use 123 456 789,00 units number format in Revit® family editor.

 

8. Find out if number is even or odd in Revit® family

In Revit® family, if you want to test if a number n is even or odd, you can use the following formula:

if(roundup(n/2) = rounddown(n/2), “even”, “odd”)

The trick is that roundup and rounddown function will round number differently when number is different from integer.

for example, for n=3

  • roundup(3/2) = roundup(1.5) = 2
  • rounddown(3/2) = rounddown(1.5) = 1
  • 1 ≠ 2, meaning  it’s odd number

for example, for n = 4:

  • roundup(4/2) = 2
  • rounddown(4/2) = 2
  • 2=2, meaning it’s even number.

You can also use even/odd mathematical functions to find out if an number is even, odd, integer or exactly half.

In Revit®, for example, cosine function can do the trick of determining if a number is even or odd (since cosine is even function itself):
if (cos(n * pi (or 180°)) = 1, “even”, “odd”)

Both cosine and sine can be used to tell you if something is exactly half or an integer, for example:
if (cos(n * pi (or 180°)) = 0, “exactly half”, “not half”)
if (sin(n * pi (or 180°)) = 0, “whole number / integer”, “not an integer”)

* pi or 180° depends on your angle settings in Project Units dialog.

 

9. View Range in Revit® Family editor

Do you know that you have View Range dialog available in Revit® family editor as well.

The trick is that you need to click on the view name, not on the empty space inside of view. That way, when view name is selected, you will get all associated view properties in the properties panel, see image for instructions:

You have also crop box in family editor available on 3D view, but it mostly don’t work as expected.

 

10. Can’t move in Revit® family? Cut/paste to same place

In Revit® family there is an issue when you try to move family objects up/down, or any direction which includes up/down movement, regardless of Constrain checkbox status.

For example, family on the image below cannot be moved up, even if Constrain is unchecked and mouse is pointing up. Revit® only allows left/right movement in the Front view.

But, if select family objects, do Cut and Paste to Same Place and then try Move command again:

Now family is detached from anything it was attached to and can be moved to any direction.

Use this trick carefully considering your parameters and dimension lines sets.

 

Hope you learned something new, if yes, please comment in the comments section below!

If you have not already, read Engipedia Revit Tips & Tricks #1 blog as well.