The Building Coder

Jeremy Tammik

About the Author

December 2009

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

Reverse Index

December 18, 2009: Vertical Projection of Beam Analytical Model
Comments: 2 | Categories: AU 2009 , Element Relationships , Events , Parameters , RST , Settings

We tried to fly from Milano to Paris this evening for the last DevDays conference, but unfortunately our flight was cancelled due to snow in Paris. Now we are stuck at the Milano airport and hoping that the first flight...

December 16, 2009: Custom Ribbon Tab
Comments: 3 | Categories: 2010 , External , Ribbon , User Interface

I am still on tour presenting at the Western European DevDays conferences, and with no time for blogging or responding to comments. In fact, I have almost no time for anything at all except presenting, meeting and discussing with participants...

December 14, 2009: Parameter Filter Units
Comments: 0 | Categories: 2010 , Filters , Parameters , SDK Samples , Settings , Units , User Interface

The Western European DevDays conference tour has begun, and I will be presenting and travelling all week, leaving very little time to spend blogging or responding to comments. I visited relatives in London the preceding weekend, and took some time...

December 11, 2009: Modeless Dialogues in Revit
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation , External , Transaction , User Interface , Win32

Here is an overview and summary of a number of discussions that we have already presented previously on driving Revit from outside and interacting with modeless dialogues, which hopefully will help to further clarify the issues involved. Question: How can...

December 10, 2009: AU is not done yet
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Events , News

Here are some updates on AU and the class materials. Class Materials Several people have inquired where the class materials suddenly disappeared to. The AU 2009 classes will soon be available online. Starting Friday, December 11, AU Online will have...

December 9, 2009: Modify the DWF Export Filename
Comments: 0 | Categories: DWF , External , SDK Samples

Here is another case handled by Joe Ye regarding the DWF output filename generated by the ImportExport Revit SDK sample. We already presented another related case of his regarding the DWG export filename. Question: This problem is similar to the...

December 8, 2009: Updated DevTV Introduction to Revit Programming
Comments: 0 | Categories: 2010 , Getting Started , News

The Revit Developer Center proudly presents an updated version of the DevTV Introduction to Revit Programming for Revit 2010, which is now available in both English and Portuguese: English: View online | Download. Portuguese: View online | Download. The original...

December 7, 2009: Distinguish Different Dimension Types
Comments: 2 | Categories: AU 2009 , Parameters , Settings , User Interface , VB

I am back in Europe again after spending most of the weekend travelling, similarly to Kean but in the opposite direction. In his last post, Kean summarised some interesting views on the evolution of Autodesk University. Returning to the Revit...

December 4, 2009: AU Winds Down
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Events , Getting Started , News

AU is winding down. The physical conference has closed. AU Virtual is still in full swing today with tons of great on demand content. I just learned that everybody, including you, is invited to engage with AU Virtual via the...

December 3, 2009: AU and Automated Testing
Comments: 2 | Categories: AU 2009 , Events , External , News , User Interface , Utilities

AU has been as exciting as ever, with lots of fascinating news and good meetings and discussions with developers and colleagues that I never get to meet except here. Here are some quick facts and photos. I visited two great...

December 2, 2009: Crop 3D View to Room
Comments: 5 | Categories: Element Relationships , Filters , Geometry , Settings , User Interface

In case you have heard enough about both climbing and AU and AUv in the last few posts and would prefer to read about the Revit API and nothing but the Revit API, here is something for you. This is...

December 1, 2009: AU Begins
Comments: 2 | Categories: AU 2009 , Climbing , Events , News

I left the desert and the climbing in Red Rock and entered the air conditioned world of conference land. My first task Monday morning was the one I found most challenging, the recording session for my virtual class on the...

November 29, 2009: Handle Category Name Change
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Relationships , RST , Settings , User Interface

Here is a little note I wrote sitting in Washington Dulles airport and did not get around to posting until now, to point out the importance of using language independent category comparisons: Question: Apparently at least one category name changed...

November 29, 2009: AU Virtual free for ADN Members
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Events , F# , Family , News , RME

Kean Walmsley just announced that a free Premier Pass to Autodesk University virtual is available for members of the Autodesk Developer Network. Please join us there. We are presenting at both AUv and the non-virtual AU: Kean's F# sessions. AutoCAD-related...

November 28, 2009: Visible Elements
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Climbing , Geometry , SDK Samples , Settings , User Interface

I am sitting here cramped up in an economy seat crossing the Atlantic Ocean as I write this. I should urgently be practicing and preparing for my sessions at AU, but somehow it feels as if writing a blog post...

November 25, 2009: Select Model Elements 2
Comments: 0 | Categories: Filters , Geometry , Performance , SDK Samples

We already had several stabs at the topic of selecting all model elements, i.e. all elements in a Revit BIM which contribute to the building geometry. Their main characteristic is that they have a non-null geometry which is visible on...

November 24, 2009: Solid Material
Comments: 2 | Categories: Geometry , Settings , Utilities

Here is a simple question with a simple answer on materials and solids: Question: Is there a way to retrieve the material of the solid geometry object of a Revit Element, like the door leaf of a door element? Answer:...

November 23, 2009: New Project Document
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation

A short and simple question from Nadim on the NewProjectDocument method: Question: I am using Document doc = app.NewProjectDocument( string templateFile ); Revit shows that it is loading the template as it does usually when it creates a new document;...

November 23, 2009: Change Family Parameter Value
Comments: 0 | Categories: Family , Parameters , SDK Samples , User Interface

Here is another issue dealing with family parameters, after the notes on how to read the values of family parameters and looking at the family parameter values via the part atom export. Question: I'm using the AutoParameter SDK example to...

November 20, 2009: Nested Family
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Element Creation , Family

Here is another interesting question that came up on the creation of a nested family. Question: Can you help me to create a nested family via the API? I have a column family and a shelf family stored in RFA...

November 18, 2009: Revit API Flavours
Comments: 0 | Categories: gbXML , Getting Started , RME , RST , SDK Samples

Maher raised an interesting question regarding the different flavours of the Revit API: Question: I have a few questions on Revit MEP, Arch, and Structure in general. What are the major highlights of each API? I downloaded the SDK and...

November 16, 2009: Extract Part Atoms
Comments: 4 | Categories: 2010 , Family , Parameters , User Interface

Last week, we discussed how to use the Revit API to read the values of family parameters. Another quick way to access all non-empty parameter values in a family file and see some other interesting family data as well is...

November 13, 2009: Title Block of Sheet
Comments: 0 | Categories: Debugging , Element Relationships , Parameters , SDK Samples , Settings , User Interface , Utilities

Here is a question that crops up now and then in different variations, on how to access the title block information of a sheet: Question: My drawing list routine exports various sheet view information to a spreadsheet. I would like...

November 11, 2009: Room Occupancy
Comments: 4 | Categories: Debugging , gbXML , Getting Started , Parameters

Shifali asked a question on reading and writing the room occupancy: Question: We get the document from ExternalCommandData object's Application and the project information in document. We need to store the construction type of the current document or project file....

November 9, 2009: Family Parameter Value
Comments: 10 | Categories: Family , Parameters , SDK Samples

Pramod asked an interesting question on obtaining the values of family parameters in a family document which led me to explore this topic and discover a little more complexity than I was originally expecting: Question: We are using the API...

November 6, 2009: Ribbon Embed Image
Comments: 7 | Categories: .NET , Ribbon , SDK Samples , User Interface , Win32

Previous posts discussed the Revit 2010 Ribbon API, the associated Ribbon SDK Ribbon sample, and my use of it for the MEP sample ribbon panel. Krispy5 very friendlily posted a series of comments to the latter describing a detailed solution...

November 5, 2009: Product Support Subscription Videos
Comments: 0 | Categories: 2010 , External , News , Utilities

I mentioned the Revit 2010 Subscription Pack last week, and Matt Mason highlighted the model review add-in included with it and its little API, which is just one example of all the good stuff in there. Autodesk Product Support has...

November 5, 2009: Autodesk University Extension
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Events , News

As already mentioned, I submitted the material for my AU sessions last week, and one of them is a virtual class which will be broadcast live worldwide for those who cannot attend AU in Las Vegas in person. Another option...

November 4, 2009: Model Review
Comments: 0 | Categories: External , News , Settings , User Interface , Utilities

We recently mentioned the subscription pack for Revit 2010. In addition to the product update itself, the subscription page for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 includes some new applications to complement Revit workflows to: Validate the accuracy of building information models...

November 2, 2009: Adding a Column to RDBLink Export
Comments: 8 | Categories: External , Parameters , SDK Samples , User Interface

Probably the most complex Revit SDK sample of all is the RDBLink one. We mentioned it briefly in Anthony Hauck's note on integration with a database or ERP system, but provided no additional details. Like all the SDK samples, RDBLink...

October 30, 2009: Revit API Forums
Comments: 3 | Categories: Getting Started , News

As you have seen in the past year and more, I am more than happy to answer any questions I can on the Revit API submitted in comments to this blog. Sometimes, however, questions are submitted that I really cannot...

October 29, 2009: RvtMgdDbg for Revit 2010
Comments: 7 | Categories: 2010 , Getting Started , SDK Samples , Utilities

Rod Howarth asked a very pertinent question on RvtMgdDbg: Question: Just wondering, is the 2010 version allowed to be distributed to non ADN members? Is it uploaded anywhere? I would have thought it would be ok given the 2009 version...

October 28, 2009: Revit Family Creation API Labs
Comments: 0 | Categories: 2010 , AU 2009 , Element Creation , Family , Parameters , Performance , VB

The handouts and presentation for my Autodesk University family API session are finally done, as well they should be, since they are due to be submitted by today. The last part I worked on was to add more documentation on...

October 26, 2009: Revit 2010 Subscription Pack
Comments: 9 | Categories: 2010 , News , Parameters , Ribbon , SDK Samples , User Interface , Win32

The Autodesk Subscription Advantage Packs have been released, including ones for Autodesk Revit Architecture, MEP and Structure 2010. English versions are now available for download on Subscription Center. ADN members also have access to the subscription center by going to...

October 23, 2009: AU 2009
Comments: 0 | Categories: AU 2009 , Events , Family , News , RME

These days I am pretty occupied with the preparation of my sessions for Autodesk University 2009: CP308-2 All Systems Go in the New Autodesk Revit MEP API CP9118-1 The New Autodesk Revit Family API: Everything is Relative The Family API...

October 21, 2009: System Versus User Family Category
Comments: 3 | Categories: Family , RME , Settings

Here is a simple question and suggestion on classifying categories into built-in system versus user defined. Question: Given an arbitrary element, how can I determine whether it belongs to a system family as opposed to a user-defined family? I thought...

October 19, 2009: Modeless Pressure Drop Tool
Comments: 1 | Categories: Parameters , RME , User Interface , Utilities , Win32

This weekend I went with a couple of men friends to spend two days together in Arcegno near Locarno. One afternoon we went climbing together in Ponte Brolla at the end of the Maggia Valley. We did some very easy...

October 15, 2009: Namespaces
Comments: 3 | Categories: Getting Started

Here is a question by Vince that many beginners may encounter, on namespaces and references and setting up a project. Although it may seem confusing the first time through, it is very simple to handle once you know how. Question:...

October 14, 2009: Analytical Support Tolerance
Comments: 2 | Categories: Element Relationships , Geometry , RST , SDK Samples , Settings , User Interface

Here is an interesting issue dealing with the analytical model in Revit Structure. As we see below, the issue is not really API related, but since one symptom is the missing data obtainable through the API, it is worth an...

October 12, 2009: Unrotate North
Comments: 0 | Categories: Climbing , Geometry , Settings

I spent this weekend on the Rigi Mountain together with seventy other people from the alpine club. Saturday it rained quite hard most of the day, unfortunately, but a couple of us still went on a very nice hike from...

October 9, 2009: Dismiss Dialogue using Windows API
Comments: 0 | Categories: External , User Interface , Utilities , VB , Win32

I am often confronted with unwanted dialogues popping up when I am trying to drive some application programmatically. In Revit, many dialogues raise an event when they are displayed and allow us to implement an add-in application to handle them...

October 7, 2009: Revit 2010 Web Update 2
Comments: 6 | Categories: 2010 , Events , News , Parameters , SDK Samples

The first web update of Revit 2010 (build 20090612_2115) was already released earlier this year. Now the web update 2 for Revit 2010 (build 20090914_1845) including new fixes and minor enhancements has been published and can be downloaded from the...

October 5, 2009: DUT versus UST
Comments: 0 | Categories: Parameters , Settings , Units , User Interface

After a wonderful weekend in the Swiss alps climbing the Diechterhorn, here is a follow-up explanation by Jeremy Sawicki of Autodesk on the difference between DisplayUnitType and UnitSymbolType in continuation of our last discussion on the unit suffix. Question: What...

October 1, 2009: Unit Suffix and the ProjectUnit SDK Sample
Comments: 0 | Categories: Parameters , SDK Samples , Settings , Units , User Interface

We delved into various aspects of units in several previous posts: Basics on units. Formatting unit strings. Unit types and format options. Unit conversion. And still the topic is not exhausted. Here is a new point to consider: Question: Is...

September 29, 2009: Display Strings and Enumerations
Comments: 0 | Categories: Getting Started , Parameters , Units , User Interface

Question: I need to get the string value displayed in the Revit user interface for some parameters whose values only contain an integer value, such as: Wall Function: the API returns an integer value, whereas the UI displays "Exterior". Wrapping...

September 28, 2009: Document Elements
Comments: 7 | Categories: Filters , Getting Started , VB

We have already used the Document.Elements property a couple of hundred times in previous posts to this blog, so this explanation is rather belated, but addresses a question that does keep on popping up from time to time anyway: Question:...

September 24, 2009: Revit Install Location
Comments: 8 | Categories: External , Settings , Utilities , Win32

Quite a while back, we discussed the Revit install path and product GUIDs. Last week, Jim Bish of Inlet Technology wrote me a nice message making use of that and including VB code demonstrating how to use the install path...

September 22, 2009: Getting Started with the Revit 2010 API
Comments: 6 | Categories: 2010 , Family , Getting Started , News , Ribbon , RME , User Interface

I am back again from a great vacation in Italy which I mostly spent outdoors camping, swimming, cooking, and drinking cappuchino. Yesterday was the Jeûne Fédéral holiday (French) in Neuchâtel. I used that to make a first pass through my...

September 18, 2009: Adding a Category to a Parameter Binding
Comments: 0 | Categories: Parameters , Settings

Here is another interesting question raised and answered by Henrik Bengtsson of Lindab. It is another example of how you sometimes need to dig in rather deeply into Revit to update certain internal information stored in the Revit application or...

September 16, 2009: Door Marks
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Relationships , Parameters

Here is a question from Håvard Dagsvik of Cad Quality as on door marks. It can obviously be generalised to other model marks in the BIM as well. Question: One of the best documentation features of Revit is the function...

September 14, 2009: The Revit MEP API
Comments: 7 | Categories: Element Creation , Element Relationships , Family , gbXML , RME , SDK Samples

By the time you read this, I will be away happily on a one-week vacation in Italy. I hope you and the blog manage yourselves and behave well until I return. I scheduled some items to be published in my...

September 11, 2009: Room Boundary Location
Comments: 0 | Categories: Geometry , Settings , VB

We already had a look at enabling the room volume computation in C#. Here is a closely related question that also prompted me to implement something similar in VB for a change. Question: Could you please provide some VB.NET code...

September 9, 2009: Duplicate Family Solids
Comments: 0 | Categories: Family , Geometry , Parameters

Here is a question handled by Joe Ye on multiple occurrences of solids in a pipe family definition. Question: We were surprised to discover that the solids inside a pipe family are duplicated. This is an issue for us, because...

September 7, 2009: Remove all Geometry from a Family
Comments: 4 | Categories: Element Relationships , Family , Geometry

Here is a question from Joel Karr of Environmental Systems Design, Inc that nicely complements the issue of identifying model elements in a project file with the subsequent correction added. Question: Is it possible to delete all geometry from a...

September 4, 2009: Elevation and Section Views
Comments: 13 | Categories: Element Creation , Geometry , User Interface

Here are some questions handled by Joe Ye, on creation of and line work in elevation views and the cut plane definition of a section view. Question: There are different specialised kinds of views derived from the Autodesk.Revit.Elements.View class, and...

September 2, 2009: Detail Lines
Comments: 10 | Categories: Element Creation , Geometry , SDK Samples

We previously discussed various aspects of model lines, such as model line creation, the model line sketch plane, and the minimal length of a model line. Here is a question on the related topic of detail lines handled by my...

August 31, 2009: Creating a Non-rectangular Slab
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation , Geometry , SDK Samples

Here is a question raised and answered by my colleagues Katsuaki Takamizawa and Phil Xia on creating and editing a slab. Some related topics that we already discussed are related to the analysis of the geometry of existing slabs, e.g....

August 28, 2009: Obfuscation Tools
Comments: 4 | Categories: Debugging , External , Utilities

We already explained the need for and basics of obfuscation, and yet developers I meet are often still surprised to discover how easy it is to decompile their .NET application and obtain the original source code back from the released...

August 26, 2009: New Sweep and References
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation , Family , Geometry , SDK Samples , VSTA

Here is a question posted by Mike Cotreau of Langan Engineering & Environmental Services on how to create a new sweep using a reference array, which provided a welcome opportunity to explain a little about the use of references in...

August 25, 2009: Revit MEP API Webcast
Comments: 6 | Categories: Events , News , RME , SDK Samples

Here is a last-minute reminder to register for the Revit MEP API webcast that we are holding on Thursday August 27th. You still have 36 hours time until it begins, starting now. To register, you can visit the ADN or...

August 25, 2009: Autodesk Search Beta
Comments: 0 | Categories: External , News , User Interface

We recently mentioned two new online search possibilities, the availability of online help for the Revit product and Rod Howarth's customised global Revit API search. Here is another note in the same vein: Autodesk Search Beta is now available and...

August 24, 2009: Shared Parameter Visibility
Comments: 3 | Categories: Debugging , Parameters , Settings , User Interface

Here is an interesting question and a workaround for a problem accessing the visibility property on shared parameters, raised by Jon Smith of Construction Industry Solutions COINS: Question: We need to be able to tell if a parameter is visible...

August 22, 2009: Happy Building Coder Birthday!
Comments: 5 | Categories: Events , News

The first Building Coder post was published one year ago, on August 22nd 2008. We celebrated an intermediate birthday with the hundredth post in February 2009. Today is the first real annual birthday and The Building Coder has now reached...

August 21, 2009: Library Paths
Comments: 0 | Categories: Debugging , External , Settings , User Interface

Here is a question posted by Edgar on how to modify the application options library paths: Question: I'm having trouble updating the Revit options for library paths. I'm not sure what I'm missing to update back to the database. Answer:...

August 19, 2009: Deleting a Shared Parameter
Comments: 2 | Categories: Parameters

Here is another question handled by Joe Ye, on removal of shared parameters. Question: I'm creating a shared parameter and adding it to a parameter group. I then bind it as an instance parameter. I would like to be able...

August 18, 2009: Fixing RvtMgdDbg for MEP Connectors
Comments: 0 | Categories: Debugging , RME , SDK Samples , Utilities

Still working on preparations for the MEP webcast mentioned last week, I notice that RvtMgdDbg is having trouble displaying the connectors on electrical components, throwing an exception saying Angle is available only for connectors of DomainHavc and DomainPiping. The method...

August 17, 2009: Bottom Face of a Wall
Comments: 2 | Categories: Geometry

We already went into quite a bit of detail analysing the geometry of walls and other elements, but the topic keeps cropping up again anyway. An overview of the preceding posts on this topic is given in the discussion of...

August 14, 2009: MEP Sample Ribbon Panel
Comments: 5 | Categories: 2010 , External , Ribbon , RME , SDK Samples , User Interface

I am preparing our upcoming Revit MEP API webcast to be held on Thursday August 27th. To register, you can go to the Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) DevTech API training schedule and filter for Revit MEP API. One thing I...

August 13, 2009: DWG Export Filename
Comments: 0 | Categories: DWF , DWG , External , gbXML , SDK Samples , VB

Here is a question handled by Joe Ye that I thought might be of general interest. It makes use of the Revit SDK sample ImportExport converted to VB.NET. We mentioned the issue of converting Revit SDK samples from C# to...

August 12, 2009: Electrical Settings and Lighting Fixtures
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation , Parameters , RME

Here are two recent questions on electrical settings of distribution systems and family instances for lighting fixtures handled by Saikat Bhattacharya and Joe Ye, respectively. By the way, this is a special occasion, namely the 200th post to The Building...

August 10, 2009: The Revit Family API
Comments: 13 | Categories: 2010 , Family , Getting Started , SDK Samples

Here is a rather lengthy and rich post to start off the week, describing the new family API introduced in Revit 2010 and including both an overview and in-depth information. These are the main topics covered: Creating a Family through...

August 7, 2009: Roof Eave Cut in AutoCAD Architecture and Revit
Comments: 0 | Categories: ACA , Parameters

Here is a case that is interesting in its own right, or rather two separate cases and a comparison between the two. The issue is the programmatic setting of the roof eave cut property in AutoCAD Architecture and Revit, respectively....

August 6, 2009: Online Revit API Help
Comments: 2 | Categories: External , News , SDK Samples

On Monday, we pointed out that the Revit product help is available online. Rod Howarth responded with a comment mentioning his very useful custom Google search for global online Revit API help. Rod also published a blog post providing some...

August 5, 2009: Unit Conversion
Comments: 0 | Categories: Family , Parameters , SDK Samples , Units , User Interface , Utilities

Here is a useful and instructive reader-contributed unit conversion utility which has been submitted for addition to the official Revit SDK samples. We discussed the Revit unit handling in one of the very first posts to this blog. One main...

August 4, 2009: Service-Oriented Architecture
Comments: 4 | Categories: Debugging , Getting Started

A reader contributed the following introduction to Service-Oriented Architecture SOA. Even without having dealt with this paradigm previously, the recommendations made are all quickly recognisable as good practice, simply based on experience and striving for reliability and maintainability. This contribution...

August 3, 2009: Default Family Template Path
Comments: 2 | Categories: External , User Interface

Question: Is any API exposed to read and write the default family template path? It is displayed under 'Default path for family template files' in the RAC 2010 options dialogue: Answer: Unfortunately, there is currently no way to set the...

August 3, 2009: Free gbXML Webcast
Comments: 4 | Categories: gbXML , News

We already mentioned the Green Building XML Schema or gbXML and how to export certain family instances to it. The gbXML Advisory Board is hosting a free webcast titled 'Using Green Building XML (gbXML) for Sustainable Building Design' on Wednesday,...

August 3, 2009: Online Revit Help
Comments: 4 | Categories: Getting Started , News , User Interface

Help for the three Revit products is now available on the web, viewable in the browser. Links to the online help are provided on the documentation pages for each of the product centres: Here are the links to the product...

July 31, 2009: Store Project Data
Comments: 0 | Categories: Family , Filters , Parameters , SDK Samples

We recently discussed storing structured data in a Revit file, and received a number of very helpful additional comments on the topic. To store custom application data in a Revit project, one needs to attach a shared parameter to some...

July 29, 2009: API Wish List Survey Reminder
Comments: 0 | Categories: News

Here is a last minute reminder that the Revit API wish list survey that I already pointed out in a previous post will be closing this Friday, July 31st, 2009. Thank you very much to all of you who have...

July 29, 2009: Porting from C# to VB.NET
Comments: 0 | Categories: Getting Started , SDK Samples , VB

Yesterday, we mentioned Kean Walmsley's recent post on converting between C# and VB.NET. In response to the closely related frequently asked question on porting the Revit SDK samples provided in C# to VB.NET, here is an exhaustive study of the...

July 28, 2009: A .NET Language Learning Resource
Comments: 0 | Categories: External , Getting Started , News , Utilities , VB

Since all Revit API programming is based on .NET, and the most accessible programming languages for creating .NET applications are C# and VB, we are occasionally asked how to get started with these. While we discussed the resources available for...

July 27, 2009: Integration with a Database or ERP System
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Relationships , External , SDK Samples , Utilities

A while ago, I published Miroslav Schonauer's popular high-level overview of Revit and database integration. Here is an additional useful note from Anthony Hauck on this topic: Question: How can I integrate Revit with an ERP solution or an SQL...

July 27, 2009: Debug Geometric Form Creation
Comments: 0 | Categories: Debugging , Element Creation , Family , Geometry

Here is a useful hint on debugging the generation of geometric shapes from Harry Mattison. Question: I am trying to create multiple swept blends in a family document. The first call to FamilyCreate.NewSweptBlendForm() succeeds, but the second call is failing...

July 24, 2009: Store Structured Data
Comments: 7 | Categories: Algorithm , Parameters

After yesterday's exciting and successful Revit Family API webcast, here is a complete and mature solution to a frequently asked question that I mulled over for some time. Question: I read your post on creating a shared parameter on the...

July 22, 2009: Revit Family API Webcast
Comments: 0 | Categories: 2010 , Family , Getting Started , News , SDK Samples

Here is a last-minute reminder to register for the Revit Family API webcast that we are holding tomorrow, Thursday July 23rd. You have 25 hours time until it begins, starting now. To register, you can visit the Autodesk Developer Network...

July 22, 2009: Scale a Curve
Comments: 0 | Categories: Algorithm , Element Creation , External , Family , Geometry , News , Units , Utilities

Now let us get back to really practical things again, after the practical notes on impractical things, and the more or less practical boot camp note. Question: I have a CurveArray object containing data defined in inches. Now I need...

July 21, 2009: Revit Boot Camp on Mac
Comments: 0 | Categories: External , News , User Interface

Following up on the practical notes on impractical things, here is one on a practical thing as well: Autodesk is now officially supporting Apple Boot Camp for users of AutoCAD, 3ds Max, Inventor and last but not least the three...

July 21, 2009: Practical Notes on Impractical Things
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation , External , Family , Geometry , News , RST

I just learned that the two introductory images presented in the article on the Revit form creation API came from Zach Kron, whose blog Buildz presents lots of interesting 'practical notes on making impractical things' in Revit. Here is a...

July 20, 2009: NewLineLoad
Comments: 0 | Categories: Element Creation , RST

In Revit Structure, a new line load is created using the NewLineLoad method. It provides four different overloads, which we wish to explore here in a little more detail: NewLineLoad(XYZ, XYZ, XYZ, XYZ, XYZ, XYZ, Boolean, Boolean, Boolean, LineLoadType, SketchPlane):...

July 17, 2009: Revit Form Creation API
Comments: 12 | Categories: 2010 , Element Creation , Family , Geometry , SDK Samples

Here is an overview of the Revit form creation API written by Saikat Bhattacharaya. The form creation and conceptual design API can be seen as a subset of the new Revit 2010 family API. It includes new point and curve...

July 16, 2009: Language Independent Category Access
Comments: 0 | Categories: Parameters , RST

I recently discussed category comparison, and I keep stressing the importance of keeping the application implementation language independent as far as possible. Jiri Smerak of Ing.-Software Dlubal GmbH now uncovered a situation in which due to a localisation issue the...

July 16, 2009: API Wishlist Survey
Comments: 0 | Categories: News

The Summer 2009 Revit API wishlist survey is now ready and will remain open until July 31st, 2009. Please take the time to fill out the survey. The engineering team uses the feedback you provide to prioritise our API development...

July 15, 2009: Think Big in Revit
Comments: 5 | Categories: Element Creation , Geometry , Units

A couple of cases dealing with issues concerning small dimensions in Revit were recently raised by Toste Wallmark of Tecton Limited and Henrik Bengtsson of Lindab: Minimal length required when calling NewLineBound. Minimal possible family component dimension. Minimum scaling factor...

July 14, 2009: External Command Replay
Comments: 0 | Categories: External , News , RME , Transaction , User Interface , Utilities

Matt Mason of Avatech Solutions pointed out a few important items related to the preceding post on replaying a journal file: One topic that you did not cover – using the journal file with Revit external commands. Here are some...

July 13, 2009: Journal File Replay
Comments: 10 | Categories: Climbing , Events , External , Family , SDK Samples , Transaction

In spite of pretty mixed weather I went on a climb in the alps with my friend Robert on Saturday, the route Kurze Kombination (4c) on the mountain Schmalstöckli (2012 m) close to the Lidernenen Hütte. Here I am after...

July 10, 2009: Harvard Energy Model Survey
Comments: 0 | Categories: News , RME

Here is an invitation to a survey on the use of building energy models during design, construction and operation. It is being carried out by the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University (GSD) in collaboration with the Harvard Office...

July 10, 2009: Retrieving Newly Created Elements
Comments: 6 | Categories: Algorithm , Element Creation , Element Relationships

The day before yesterday, I demonstrated the use of the Mirror method. Henrik Bengtsson of Lindab immediately came back with a question on this. Funnily enough, the reason I quickly posted the article the day before yesterday was because someone...

July 9, 2009: View Sketch Plane
Comments: 4 | Categories: Element Relationships , Filters , Geometry , User Interface

Some views provide a sketch plane, others do not. In particular, the section views do not. Here is a little exploration into this subject prompted by the following question from Toste Wallmark of Tecton Limited: Question: I'm trying to get...

July 8, 2009: Mirror an Element
Comments: 2 | Categories: Element Creation , Geometry

We already discussed transformation of elements using Move and Rotate. Here is a question regarding the related method Mirror that also deserves attention: Question: I am trying to mirror a family instance element using the X axis as the mirror...

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The Building Coder

Jeremy Tammik

December 2009

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