RevitLookup 2018 and Forge DevCon CFP

Revit 2018 has been released.

The Revit 2018 SDK (Software Developers Kit) is available from the Revit Developer Centre.

I migrated RevitLookup and The Building Coder samples.

Finally, the call for proposals has opened for the Forge DevCon at Autodesk University in Las Vegas:

• Revit 2018 Software Developers Kit
• RevitLookup 2018
• The Building Coder samples 2018
• Forge DevCon call for proposals

Revit 2018 Software Developers Kit

Revit 2018 has been released and the Revit 2018 SDK is available from the Revit Developer Centre.

First of all, you might want to check out the overview of new product features and check how they correlate with the API functionality enhancements discussed in the DevDays Online API news.

The Revit SDK contains documentation and samples, which I unpacked in my local folder C:\a\lib\revit\2018\SDK:

• Subdirectories:
  • Add-In Manager
  • Macro Samples
  • Revit Server SDK
  • Revit Structure
  • REX SDK
  • Samples
  • Structural Analysis SDK
• Documents:
  • Autodesk Icon Guidelines.pdf
  • Getting Started with the Revit API.docx
  • Read Me First.doc
  • Revit Platform API Changes and Additions.docx
  • RevitAddInUtility.chm
  • RevitAPI.chm
  • RevitAPISDK_Eula.rtf

The most important things to install and always keep at hand are:

• The Revit API help file RevitAPI.chm
• The Visual Studio solution containing all the SDK samples, Samples\SDKSamples.sln

You will need these constantly for research on how to solve specific Revit API programming tasks.

Another main source of more in-depth official information is provided by the developer guide in the online help.

Obviously, while migrating your existing samples, the first place to consult in case of problems is the list of Revit Platform API Changes and Additions.docx.

It is also included as a separate section in the help file.

RevitLookup 2018

After installing Revit 2018, the first thing I did was to update and recompile RevitLookup.

The flat migration with no significant changes produced the release 2018.0.0.0.

That was rather easy!

The Building Coder Samples 2018

Next, I turned to something more complex, The Building Coder samples.

The flat migration from Revit 2017 to Revit 2018 initially caused several compilation errors.

I fixed those with the following GitHub commits:

• updated Revit API references to Revit 2018
• replaced old Autodesk.Revit.Utility namespace by new Autodesk.Revit.DB.Visual
• added RevitAPIUIMacros.dll
• Ellipse.Create renamed to Ellipse.CreateCurve
• Ellipse.CreateCurve returns a curve not an ellipse
• RevitLinkLoadResult was renamed to LinkLoadResult

After that, compilation completed successfully with zero errors.

Seven warnings about deprecated API usage remained:

• CmdAzimuth.cs(104,13,104,53): warning CS0618: ProjectLocation.get_ProjectPosition(XYZ) is obsolete: This property is deprecated in Revit 2018. Use ProjectLocation.GetProjectPosition instead.
• CmdUnrotateNorth.cs(48,33,48,61): warning CS0618: ProjectLocation.SiteLocation is obsolete: This property is deprecated in Revit 2018. Use ProjectLocation.GetSiteLocation instead.
• CmdUnrotateNorth.cs(79,33,79,61): warning CS0618: ProjectLocation.SiteLocation is obsolete: This property is deprecated in Revit 2018. Use ProjectLocation.GetSiteLocation instead.
• CmdUnrotateNorth.cs(163,17,163,57): warning CS0618: ProjectLocation.get_ProjectPosition(XYZ) is obsolete: This property is deprecated in Revit 2018. Use ProjectLocation.GetProjectPosition instead.
• CmdSetTagType.cs(226,30,228,48): warning CS0618: Document.NewTag(View, Element, bool, TagMode, TagOrientation, XYZ) is obsolete: This method is deprecated in Revit 2018 and will be removed in a future version. Use IndependentTag.Create instead.
• CmdGetMaterials.cs(248,48,248,62): warning CS0618: AssetPropertyDoubleArray3d.Value is obsolete: This property is deprecated in Revit 2018. Use getValueAsDoubles or getValueAsXYZ instead.
• CmdGetMaterials.cs(254,48,254,62): warning CS0618: AssetPropertyDoubleArray4d.Value is obsolete: This property is deprecated in Revit 2018. Use getValueAsDoubles instead.

I captured this state in The Building Coder sample release 2018.0.132.0.

Later, I fixed the trivial warnings:

• get_ProjectPosition renamed to GetProjectPosition
• replaced ProjectLocation SiteLocation property by GetSiteLocation method

These fixes have been applied in release 2018.0.132.1.

Three warnings remain to be sorted out, listed in my migration notes.

The asset related ones are explained in the section on Asset API Changes in the changes and additions document mentioned above.

Good luck with your own add-in migrations!

Meanwhile, looking a bit further ahead:

Forge DevCon Call for Proposals

The Forge DevCon call for proposals is open. Applications are now being accepted to speak at the November event in Las Vegas. The deadline for submission is next month, May 17.

Forge DevCon is taking place on November 13–14 in Las Vegas and will constitute the world’s largest gathering of design- and engineering-focused software developers.

Would you like to share your experience working with the Forge platform, or how you creatively used Forge to enhance a project or solve a challenge?

If so, the DevCon call for speakers is for you. It is open now and closes May 17.

If you speak at Forge DevCon, you also get the benefit of attending Autodesk University, the premier Autodesk learning and networking event.

AU takes place immediately after DevCon, November 14–16, in the same location.

About DevCon: The Forge Developer Conference is the largest global gathering of design- and engineering-focused software developers, bringing together over 1,500 software developers, engineers, business owners and information officers as a community interested in creating web and mobile applications that use the Autodesk Forge or Fusion 360 APIs.

About Autodesk University: AU Las Vegas 2017 is your chance to connect with the best in the business, share technical knowledge, solve unique business challenges, and gain a deeper understanding of cross-industry opportunities. Plus, you can learn best practices, stay on top of the latest trends, and experience advanced technology first-hand. Join your global community of professional designers and engineers as we explore the Future of Making Things.

About Forge: Autodesk Forge is a connected developer cloud platform that powers the future of making things. It comprises software components, technical resources, and an engaged community.

I am looking forward to seeing you in Las Vegas this year!