The Building Coder

ADN Mesh Data Custom Exporter to JSON

I mentioned my idea of implementing a custom exporter to JSON to drive Philippe Leefsma's online 3D WebGL viewer. Well, here it is. Muttenhorn Before getting to that, though, let me briefly mention that I went on a nice mountain with my friend Martin last Saturday, over the Gross Muttenhorn on the south side of the Furka pass. A glacier named Muttgletscher lies over its north-western flanks, and we crossed that on our ascent up to the west ridge. From... Read more →

Texture Bitmap and UV Coordinates

Yesterday, I mentioned the new custom exporter framework providing direct access to the Revit viewing and rendering graphics pipeline. That brings new possibilities to a related area that we discussed way back in 2010: how to obtain texture data UV coordinates. At the time, the Revit API did not provide this information, and a work-around based on the Revit FBX export helped a little. Happily, the custom exporter framework opens that up a bit more. Let us look at that... Read more →

Graphics Pipeline Custom Exporter

One important Revit 2014 API highlight is the new custom exporter framework providing direct API access to the rendering output pipeline, including geometry and material properties. The What's New section of the Revit API help file describes it in more detail like this: Custom Export The Custom Export API provides access to the rendering output pipeline through which Revit sends a processed model (its graphics 3D representation) to an output device. In the case of Custom Export, the "device" is... Read more →

Recursively Disable Architecture Mismatch Warning

I recently explained the cause and resolution of the processor architecture mismatch warning MSB3270. On closer consideration, I decided to fix it for all the ADN training material labs and samples, and actually for the entire collection of Revit SDK samples as well. This is obviously not something you want to do manually, considering that it involves a modification of hundreds of project files. Here are the steps involved in automating and testing this process: Disable mismatch warning utility Project... Read more →

More on Structural Analysis Code Checking

I am busy be making the final preparations for my trip to Moscow tomorrow. However, I also received some new input to share with you first on the Structural Analysis SDK that I mentioned last week, introduced in the Revit 2014 SDK. It enables engineering experts to provide specialised structural code checking applications on top of Revit, and now also supports storage of analysis results. Augusto Goncalves recently took a more in-depth first look at it from a technical point... Read more →

Behind the Scenes of the NBS Revit Add-in

Here is a guest post by Stephen Hamil of RIBA Enterprises, director of NBS, the national standard specification company in the UK, owned by the Royal Institute of British Architects. They just released the new version of their Revit plug-in that integrates the Revit design model with the NBS specification model, technical guidance and National BIM Library objects. Below, Chris and Calum from the NBS software development team give a little insight into some of the API functionality they used... Read more →

Sun Direction, Shadow Calculation and Wizard Update

I enjoyed some wonderful hot sunny days since I returned from New England back to Switzerland. Summer finally arrived. A nice change after the rain and cold both here and in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Talking about rain and sun leads up nicely to today's topic, on the sun direction and shadow calculation in a Revit BIM. Before I get to that, though, I present an update of my Revit add-in wizards resulting in part from yesterday's post on the... Read more →

Processor Architecture Mismatch Warning and Key Hook

In the past ten days, I migrated The Building Coder samples, ADN training labs, MEP and Structural sample material from Revit 2013 to 2014. In all of these migrations, I lamented the processor architecture mismatch warning MSB3270 saying There was a mismatch between the processor architecture of the project being built "MSIL" and the processor architecture of the reference "RevitAPI, Version=2014.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, processorArchitecture=x86", "AMD64". This mismatch may cause runtime failures. Please consider changing the targeted processor architecture of your project... Read more →

Structural Analytical Code Checking and Results Builder

In case you have not noticed, I would like to point out one important specialised addition to the Revit 2014 SDK: the new Structural Analysis Software Developer Kit. It lives in its own sub-directory Structural Analysis SDK and consists of documentation, sample code and Visual Studio templates for two main components: Code checking framework Facilitate code checking workflows For both users and developers Complete extensible add-in User interface, report generator, data storage Documentation, samples, Visual Studio templates Results builder framework... Read more →

ADN Training Material for Revit Structure 2014

Here comes the final step of migrating the ADN training material and The Building Coder samples to Revit 2014. The previous steps included: ADN Revit API training labs ADN Revit MEP sample AdnRme The Building Coder samples migration and deprecated API usage cleanup Now we turn to the final component, the ADN training material for Revit Structure, consisting of: Revit Structure training labs Revit Structure link sample NewRstLab RstAvfDmu The ADN Revit Structure Training Labs The ADN Revit Structure training... Read more →

The ADN Sample AdnRme for Revit MEP 2014

I am back safe and sound in Europe again, and the pressure to complete my preparations for the upcoming Moscow Revit DevCamp on June 25th and the Revit 2014 API training in Sydney in July is gradually growing. As part of the preparation, I recently migrated the The Building Coder samples and the ADN Revit API training labs to Revit 2014, followed up by fixing most deprecated API usage warnings generated by The Building Coder samples. I now also addressed... Read more →

Wishlist Survey Reminder and New SDK Sample Overview

Here is a quick post to remind you of the Revit API wishlist survey and provide the first overview of new SDK samples added in Revit 2014. Revit API Wishlist Survey Reminder I recently mentioned that this year's Revit API wishlist survey is now open. It closes end of this week, on June 15th, 2013. Only five more days to go. These are the relative numbers of repsonses for the various products in percent so far: 39 AutoCAD 22 Revit... Read more →

Removing Deprecated API Compilation Warnings

I completed The Building Coder sample migration to Revit 2014 back in April, but it was still generating 111 warnings due to use of obsolete API calls. After migrating the ADN training lab material last week, I thought I could now turn my attention back to resolving these warnings. I replaced 27 calls to the get_EndPoint method, which actually refers to the EndPoint property, by the new GetEndPoint method. That reduced the count to 84 warnings. Replacing the obsolete creation... Read more →

Migrating the ADN Training Labs to Revit 2014

My colleague Gopinath Taget has started supporting the Revit API as well, and we are very happy he is joining our workgroup. He migrated the ADN Training Labs to Revit 2014, and I cleaned up and documented the results a little. Just like for the migration of The Building Coder samples, the changes are quite small this time around and the basic procedure is the same, so you should refer back to that post to see how to update the... Read more →

Auto PDF Print from Revit 2014

Below, we will take a look at a Revit multi-project batch PDF printer project driven by the Windows task scheduler and the Revit Idling event. Before getting to that, though, let me share some of my Sunday activities. Contact Impro Jam and Tech Summit Arrival From the Fells, I continued along the Mystic Valley Parkway and stopped to enjoy the beautiful Mystic Lakes on my way to the weekly Sunday contact improvisation jam in the Arlington Center, followed by a... Read more →

RevitRubyShell for Revit 2014

Håkon Clausen of dRofus AS published an updated version of RevitRubyShell. In Håkon own words: I have updated the add-in to 2014 and added new docking and idling features. It was all completely modal in Revit 2013, which was a little inconvenient. There was some trouble with the key input focus working with modeless and idling in earlier versions, e.g., using the tab and enter keys. In Revit 2014, the new dockable panel feature in combination with idling solves that... Read more →

Exchange App Webinar and Travel Plans

Register and mark your calendar now for this upcoming webcast on making the most of the Autodesk Exchange Apps store: "How developers can ride and profit from the Autodesk Exchange Apps adoption wave" There are currently 15 Autodesk Exchange Apps stores. They represent a huge opportunity for developers to gain direct access to the growing number of Autodesk customers using Exchange Apps. In just one year they have enjoyed over one million visits and over 250,000 downloads. With comments like... Read more →

DWG Issues and Various Other Updates

One of the highlights mentioned in the overview of the Revit 2014 API is the FreeForm element API that enables modification of solid geometry imported from DWG or SAT. Several other new DWG and DXF related features include import of DXF markup, import and link of SAT and SketchUp, and access to the DWG, IFC and DGN layer, linetype, lineweight, font and pattern tables. One result of these enhancements is the possibility to access 3D coordinates in DWG import for... Read more →

Add-In Wizards for Revit 2014

I updated my Visual Studio Revit add-in wizards and am taking the time to publish them today, which is Ascension Day and a holiday in Neuchâtel. That also gives me some extra time to prepare for the June 3-4 Tech Summit presentation of my cloud-based round-trip 2D Revit model editing project. The presentation must be pre-submitted by May 20, and a full recording by May 27, so pressure is rising. I completed the implementation and still want to catch up... Read more →

Copy and Paste API Applications and Modeless Assertion

Here is a detailed description of one of the most exciting Revit 2014 API features that you should have heard about by now and promises numerous uses, prompted by a question from a developer on duplicating views from one document to another. Another couple of uses of it cropped up in the past, so it seems like an overview is called for: Duplicating a view from one document to another Solving the non-unique unique id problem Managing materials in adsklib... Read more →

A Simpler Dockable Panel Sample

Here is a very nice little sample on using the new Revit 2014 dockable panels by Håkan Wikemar of AEC, Sweden. In Håkan's words, it is close to the DockableDialogs SDK sample but easier to follow. The DockableDialogs SDK sample demonstrates modeless dialog design, external events, and the new dockable dialogs UI API framework. Håkan's DockableDialog sample described here focuses purely on the dockable panel functionality and nothing else. One thing to note is that you need to register the... Read more →

Revit 2014 SDK and Visual Debugging Tools

Two hot topics for today, especially the first: Updated Revit 2014 SDK Visual debugging tools Updated Revit 2014 SDK An updated Revit 2014 SDK is live on the ADN Open Revit developer page now: www.autodesk.com/developrevit This version includes RevitLookup and the AddInManager! Visual Debugging Tools Rudolf Honke of Mensch und Maschine acadGraph GmbH discovered a glitch in the definition of the room solids in one of the standard sample RVT project files. Rudi says: When testing VRML exporter with Revit... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2014 API

Here is one post that I prepared well for in advance, by publishing the previous 'What's New in the API' sections two months back: What's New in the Revit 2010 API What's New in the Revit 2011 API What's New in the Revit 2012 API What's New in the Revit 2013 API The information provided here is extracted from the document 'Revit Platform API Changes and Additions.docx' provided with the Revit SDK. It is also included in the 'What's New'... Read more →

Compiling the Revit 2014 SDK

Here are some notes on the small issues I encountered compiling the Revit 2014 SDK: Compile and install RevitLookup Set up the Revit API assembly paths First compilation run causes expected errors Set up the RevitAddInUtility assembly path PointCurveCreation Office reference CancelSave RevitAddInUtility Reference Set up the RvtSamples application Fix errors in RvtSamples.txt Download RvtSamples and RevitLookup I already described this same process during the Revit 2013 timeframe. Let's see if anything changed, or, better still, improved. Compile and Install... Read more →

Migrating a Built-in Category and Other Things

Here is a category related issue that appeared when migrating from the Revit 2013 to the Revit 2014 API, plus a several other typical simple little Revit API questions from the last day or two: Migrating the room separation lines built-in category Storage of RGB colour values for materials Updating a DXF link Retrieving truss family elements Retrieving stair stringer data Storing custom data Migrating the Room Separation Lines Built-in Category Question: I get the following error while migrating my... Read more →

Grouping Schedule Headers and How to Do Something

Here is my first real Revit 2014 post, sharing some code friendlily provided by David Robison of Design Master showing how to use the ViewSchedule.GroupHeaders method. Using the ViewSchedule GroupHeaders Method Question: I am trying to call ViewSchedule.GroupHeaders, and it keeps throwing an unhandled argument exception saying "Headers could not be grouped. Parameter name: right". Answer: Yes, this issue has been raised in the past and a few solutions were suggested. First case The ViewSchedule.GroupHeaders produces the argument exception mentioned... Read more →

Migrating The Building Coder Samples to Revit 2014

I started migrating The Building Coder samples to Revit 2014. Funnily enough, on the exact same date as last year for the previous version. The changes are very small this time around. Furthermore, I am well prepared, since I recently intentionally eliminated all compiler warnings and deprecated calls compiling the code for Revit 2013. First, however, a picture or three from my ski tour last weekend over Il Chapütschin (3386 m) and La Sella (3584 m) in the Swiss Engadin.... Read more →

Perpetual GUID Algorithm and Revit 2014 Product GUIDs

Every year anew, people ask for the Revit product GUIDs used to identify the Revit installation and stored in the Windows registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall I already answered several queries from developers lately wishing to update their installers for the new version. I discussed this topic on a yearly basis in the past for Revit 2010 and previous versions, Revit 2011, Revit 2012, when the 'perpetual GUID algorithm' was introduced, and Revit 2013. The install path is less of an issue... Read more →

The Revit 2014 Pre-release API and SDK

Below, we look at how ADN members can obtain the Revit 2014 pre-release SDK, address migration issues, and one or two interesting new aspects of the API. First however, a few words on yesterdays post touting the idea of a cloud-based restaurant seating arrangement and cleaning application. As you probably noticed, the main new ideas I discussed there were in honour of April fool's Day. Many of my colleagues joined in with other similar hoax blog posts. Stephen Preston presents... Read more →

Revit 2014 API and Plan View Room Boundary Loops

I am continuing the research and development for my cloud-based round-trip 2D Revit model editing project. At the same time, Revit 2014 has been announced, and I am sure you are eager to hear more about that, especially from the API point of view, so let's have a look at that first. The Revit 2014 API It is impossible to cover everything, and I have to start somewhere. Here are a couple of highlights: API access to the project browser... Read more →

Revit 2014 and Supporting Columns

Revit 2014 Announced As you probably noticed by now, Revit 2014 has been announced. Here are the main product features: Design Enhanced Autodesk Exchange Dockable window framework New stairs and railings Temporary view templates to change view properties temporarily Point cloud improvements improve appearance and controls of point clouds Parameter variance for groups to vary the value of parameters assigned to groups New air terminal on duct enables placement of air terminal device on duct face New angle constraints to... Read more →