The Building Coder

11 Years and Revit API Docs Full Text Search

Happy Birthday to The Building Coder! The online Revit API documentation now supports full text search. Dynamo implements a new ViewCone functionality... Read more →

Revit API and Design Automation API Survey

The Revit product team is conducting a survey to improve the functionality of the Revit services. Please help them prioritise new features and upcoming enhancements to future releases of the Autodesk Revit API and the Forge Design Automation for Revit API by taking a brief survey... Read more →

IFC Update, Instance Geometry, Parameters

I completed the move to my new computer, and happily all systems go now. Here are some other topics that came up in the past few days – Revit-IFC Release 20.1.0 – Community discussion on Revit – Solid or instance, depending – Exporting parameters to Access – Store globals on custom DataStorage, not ProjectInfo – Iranian civil engineering project video... Read more →

Roadmap, Rebar Curves, Wizard Zip and More

Topics for this week – Revit public roadmap July 2019 – Rebar curves – Built-in zip utility for add-in wizard – Only detail section views can be used for top view direction – Displaying an RFA family instance in DA4R – Revit 2020 alters the TEMP file system variable – Lattice multiplication... Read more →

BIM365 Getting Started, Materials API, CPU Voltage

I am on vacation right now, enjoying splendid weather camping on the coast of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, here are a few items that cropped up in the past few days – Getting started and programming buttons with Revit API – Links to API to modify visual appearance of materials – Improving performance by optimising CPU voltage... Read more →

Revit Camera Settings, Project Plasma, DA4R and AI

Here are this week's interesting items I want to share with you – Map Forge Viewer camera settings back to Revit – Project Quantum becomes Plasma – Mikako's DA4R overview – AI is affecting human game strategies – AI can convert speech to gesture – Barcelona Forge accelerator – Open positions at Autodesk... Read more →

Access BIM360 Cloud Links, Thumbnail and Dynamo

This post is somewhat overdue and hence rather full of various topics, mainly due to my struggles with my MacBook slowing to an unbearable crawl in the heat last week – Accessing BIM360 cloud links – Retrieve RVT preview thumbnail image with Python – Paolo's Dynamo primer and slide deck compendium – Slow MacBook with kernel_task using several 100% CPU – Failings of the political establishment... Read more →

DirectShape Element to Represent Room Volume

Yesterday, I implemented a new add-in, RoomVolumeDirectShape, that creates DirectShape elements representing the volumes of all the rooms – Request to display room volumes in Forge SVF file – RoomVolumeDirectShape functionality – Retrieving all element properties – Converting a .NET dictionary to JSON – Generating DirectShape from ClosedShell – Complete external command class Execute method – Sample model and results – Challenges encountered underway – Cherry BIM Services – On the value of the "Loss Method" property – AI-generated talking head models... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2020 API

The Revit 2020 API includes exciting enhancements for add-in developers, including numerous developer wishes and requests that have now been explicitly addressed – Information sources – Installation and migration from previous versions – What's new in previous versions – Detailed TOC of major changes and renovations – API Changes – API Additions... Read more →

Slow, Slower Still and Faster Filtering

Today I discuss (once again) an important performance aspect of Revit element filtering, a Python script for tagging JPEG images with EXIF data, prompted by a recent ski tour, and three other interesting topics that caught my eye – Slow, slower still and faster filtering – Python JPEG EXIT filename tagging – TED talks and population growth – Objective reality does not exist – Artificial intelligence judge... Read more →

Assigning a Level to an Element Missing It

I recently implemented the IfcSpaceZoneBoundaries add-in to link in and analyse IFC file zones and spaces, then prepared it for use in Forge Design Automation. Now I want to add level information to the CSV export. However, the DirectShape elements created to represent the rooms and zones have no valid level assigned, so their Level property is invalid. Happily, we can easily analyse the BIM and generate the equivalent information ourselves – Retrieve levels sorted by elevation – Determine level from element elevation – Carl Bass and Zoox autonomous vehicles – Physical reasons to be happy to be alive... Read more →

AI, Trends and Yearly API Usage Cleanup

Same procedure as every year: eliminate all deprecated Revit API usage warnings before even thinking of migrating to the next major release. First, however, two other technical news items – Self-teaching AI surpasses human knowledge – CAD trends 2019 – Deprecated API usage warnings – Replace GetRules by GetElementFilter – Deprecated material asset accessors – Update with zero compilation warnings... Read more →

Forum Français and Treeview Performance

As usual, I have been much too active in the Revit API discussion forum recently and worked too little for my taste here in the blog. Here are some of the recent items that I want to share plus a few pictures from my latest mountain outing – Marat's shapka ushanka and Balmer's Graetli – Naveen is a top solution author now – Revit et BIM en Français – Tree view performance optimisation – Underture... Read more →

Register for DevDays Online

Revit API and Forge updates – keep up to date with the new enhancements by joining the upcoming webinars; also enjoy the fact that your Revit knowledge is a valuable skill – DevDays online schedule – Revit is one hot job skill... Read more →

Design Automation for Revit in Public Beta

The long-awaited public beta phase for Design Automation for Revit (aka Revit IO and DA4R) has finally arrived! Design Automation for Revit makes the power of the Revit API available as a Forge-based service... Read more →

Dashboard, Regen and Revit API Panel at AU

Topics to start the week – Revit API panel at AU in Las Vegas – Automatic BIM dashboard data extraction – When to regenerate the document? – RevitLookup centre parent for forms... Read more →

Revit Add-In Locations and BIM360 EU

I am just getting ready to leave for Darmstadt, for the Forge DevCon and German Autodesk University. Here are some quick recent topics I want to share before jumping on the train – BIM 360 Docs API change for European data centre access – Revit add-in locations – Autodesk AppStore bundle format – Juli Zeh über das Turbo-Ich – YouTube video subtitles and auto-translation... Read more →

Forge DevCon in Darmstadt and Las Vegas

I am making my last preparations for going to DevCon Europe in Darmstadt next week; DevCon Asia took place in Tokyo in August, and DevCon for the rest of the universe is coming up next month – DevCon Europe at AU Germany in Darmstadt – DevCon at Autodesk University in Las Vegas... Read more →

That BIM Girl and AskNow

I arrived in Rome Sunday afternoon and am now happy to be here at the Forge accelerator together with my Autodesk colleagues and the other attending companies. Before diving in further into the accelerator, I would like to point out the new inspiring AEC resources shared by That Bim Girl, and also post some notes to self on Q4R4 – That BIM Girl – Notes to Self on AskNow for Q4R4... Read more →

Roadmap, CI for RTF, Geometry Library Limitations

Lots going on, and off to Rome next week for the Forge accelerator. Meanwhile, here three of the many topics recently discussed – Revit Public Roadmap – September 2018](#2) – Configuring CI to use the RevitTestFramework RTF – Revit Geometry library limitations... Read more →

Colleagues Deleting Non-Shared Project Parameter

Some happy news about two new Revit API supporter colleagues, Naveen Kumar and Zhong Wu. They already reached second and third place in the list of top solution providers. Here is also a very relevant recent case handled by Zhong – Top solution authors – Naveen on Naveen – Zhong shifts to AEC – Zhong on Zhong – Deleting a non-shared project parameter... Read more →

New Opportunities in the Forge Evangelist Team

I am excited to announce a number of new opportunities to come and join me and my closest colleagues in our work supporting external developers in their use of the Forge web programming technologies. Also, before closing for the week, I'll mention two interesting reads for the weekend, by Sasha Crotty on moving from Collaboration for Revit to BIM 360 Design, and by the World Economic Forum WEF on an action plan to accelerate BIM adoption – Would you like to come and work with us? – From Collaboration for Revit to BIM 360 Design – An action plan to accelerate BIM adoption... Read more →

What’s New Webinar and Forge vs. A360

Following up on yesterday's discussion of What's New in the Revit 2019 API, here is a webinar invitation to walk through the results live from the product point of view. I also share a high-level comparison of some aspects of Forge versus A360 for a total newbie thinking about building a solution for a client to manage 3D models and collaborate on them with sub-contractors – Webinar on What’s New in Revit 2019 – Forge versus A360... Read more →

Forge RVT to IFC, ADN Xtra, TBC, AdnRme Updates

I already described how I installed Revit 2019, compiled the Revit 2019 SDK samples and migrated RevitLookup to the new version. I now migrated some of the other basic samples and utilities and have some Forge news to share – The Building Coder samples for Revit 2019 – The AdnRme MEP HVAC and electrical samples for Revit 2019 – AdnRevitApiLabsXtra for Revit 2019 – Convert RVT to IFC via Forge – Forge accelerators – Forge webinars – Open position for an infrastructure BIM implementation consultant... Read more →

Updated ADN Web Site, Revit API Labs, Tag Creation

Here are a couple of Revit API related updates to take note of – Autodesk Developer Network ADN web site update – Revit Developer Centre update – ADN Revit API Training Labs update – Revit API Training Labs Xtra update – New top solution author record score... Read more →

Retrieving Newly Created Element Ids

An add-in will often need to retrieve the elements that it just created for further processing. Frequently, the Revit API method used to create them will return their element ids. Sometimes, that is not the case. Now this topic arose again in a couple of cases and brought some other aspects to mind – Using the element lister – Consecutive element ids – Retrieving recently added elements – AEC job openings in Munich and elsewhere... Read more →

DevDays, Keynote Manager and REX Extensions

Let's highlight a few recent threads from the Revit API discussion forum. Before getting to those, a quick pointer to the DevDays Online recording from last week – DevDays online presentations on Revit API updates – External command with ribbon button sample – RevitAddinKeyNoteSystem keynote manager – REX extensions versus Revit add-ins – Reloading Revit links from user selected folder – Converting all parameter values to metric... Read more →

Autodesk University Past and Future

Quick notes on the best speakers at the last event in Las Vegas, and your chance to become one of them at the next in London – Best AU Speakers in Las Vegas 2017 – CFP for Autodesk University London 2018... Read more →

Magic Number, Magic Automation and Magic Season

Time to wind down for the year... Here are some last things to share before signing off – Magic number for schedule instance bounding box margin – Using PostCommand with the Windows Automation API – Programmer jokes – Season's greetings... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2018.2 API

Let's discuss the Revit API enhancements added since the initial release of Revit 2018 – Revit 2018.2 Product Update and Resolved API Issues – Revit 2018.2 SDK Update – Major Additions to the Revit 2018.1 API – Material API additions – Geometry API additions – BrowserOrganization API additions – IFC additions – Rebar API additions – Major Additions to the Revit 2018.2 API – Fabrication API additions... Read more →

Cloud Model Predicate, and Set Parameter Regenerates

The Revit API discussion forum continues to reach ever new levels of depth and coverage. Here are a couple of recent topics – Welcome to the top solution authors, Jim! – Setting a parameter to regenerate the model – Checking model for C4R versus local file... Read more →

Vacation and Open Source Code Licenses, Again

Let me take leave from you for a short vacation. I recently repeated the importance of a license when sharing source code for reuse by others and pointed to these previous discussions – A readme is a must – People cannot use the code unless you specify a license... Read more →

Birthday Post on the XYZ Class

Today is The Building Coder's ninth birthday. We'll celebrate by discussing the pretty fundamental issue of XYZ points versus vectors, and how to distinguish different points – XYZ point versus vector – How to distinguish XYZ points... Read more →

Dockable Pane, Point Cloud, AI, BIM360, Forge, AU

Summer is here. Autodesk shut down for the first week of July. I went on a few mountain hikes. Explorations to apply artificial intelligence in construction projects are under way. World-wide Autodesk University, Forge Accelerator and BIM360 events have been announced – Forge accelerators in India and France – BIM 360 online hackathon – BIM 360 integration and partnering webinar recording – Call for add-in developers using dockable pane and point cloud engine – Forge at Autodesk University in China, Japan, Germany and Las Vegas – Deep learning analyses photos and videos of industrial sites... Read more →

Sensors, BIM, AI, RevitLookup, Fuzzy Comparison

We continue patrolling the well-trodden paths of BIM, AI, Revit precision and RevitLookup – Connected BIM – Intuitive AI – Fuzzy Comparison – RevitLookup 2018.0.0.1... Read more →

AI News and Sub-Transaction Regen

Things continue moving fast in AI, and the need to regenerate in the Revit API remains unchanged – AI News – Subtransaction Requires Regeneration... Read more →

Women Coders, Forge and Revit API Docs Updates

Updates on Revit 2017, Revit 2018, and above all our treasured Revit API Docs. Plus, the clock is running now on two Forge enhancements. Finally, notes on DevCon, AU, female coders and the Women Who Code conference – Revit 2018 added to Revit API Docs – Revit 2018.0.1 hot fix – Revit 2017.2.1 update – Forge scopes enforcement by May 22 – Forge View and Data API countdown – Forge DevCon call for speakers is open – Autodesk University call for proposals – Five Autodeskers speak at Women Who Code... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2018 API

The Revit 2018 includes numerous exciting enhancements for add-in developers. The What's New section always provides very important information, both for discovering and exploring the newly added API functionality and for later reference. If you encounter any issues migrating your existing add-ins between different versions, this is one of the first places to look... Read more →

RevitLookup 2018 and Forge DevCon CFP

Revit 2018 has been released. The Revit 2018 SDK 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... Read more →

RevitLookup and DevDays Online API News

Unprecedented exciting information to share with you today! DevDays Online recordings are available right now, before the product launch! Furthermore, we are proud to present another little update of the revamped version of RevitLookup – Forward-looking DevDays Online API news – Revit API news for the next major release – Revit API news slide deck contents – Must do – New functionality – Revit roadmap – RevitLookup enhancements... Read more →

TextNote Rotation, DevCon, TensorFlow and Keras

The Forge DevCon developer conference has been happily united with Autodesk University, text note rotation is easy, and I continued my deep learning exploration for implementing a Revit API question answering system – Forge DevCon at AU – Setting TextNote rotation – TensorFlow and Keras – Updating restricted Python packages – Rules of machine learning... Read more →

AU in London and Deep Learning

I took a first look at deep learning for question answering systems. Before that, I share some news on AU in Europe, thoughts on UI and innovation, and point out a useful Revit API feature for converting a Hermite spline to Bezier – Autodesk University in London – Rules of thumb for change agents – Invisible user interfaces – Conclusions from lexical analysis of top news stories – Converting a Revit Hermite spline to Bezier or NURBS – Lots of literature on deep learning... Read more →

Happy New Year, C++, Crypto and Content

Happy New Year to one and all! I had a great break over Christmas and New Year and hope you did as well. I continued checking into the Revit API discussion forum throughout and had several interesting discussions with the busy souls hanging out there – C++, audio, crypto and security – Prayer of the Mothers – Avoid remaking CAD content... Read more →

Need for Regen and Duplicate Parameter Access

A Python Revit API question on renumbering viewports helps highlight two separate important programming aspects; I also add some other notes from the Munich Forge accelerator – Question – The need to regenerate – Use built-in parameters to access parameters – Forge accelerator and outage report – Added materials to 210 King model... Read more →

1500 Posts, DevDay and Storing a Dictionary

Welcome to The Building Coder post number 1500! I returned safe and sound to Europe from Autodesk University 2016 in Las Vegas and recuperated from jetlag over the weekend. Today I discuss upcoming events, new simple samples to embed a Forge viewer in a web page or blog post, and strategies to embed a dictionary into the Revit database – DevDay Europe in Munich – AEC Symposium in New York – Embedding a Forge viewer – Storing a dictionary in the Revit database... Read more →

AU Day Two, IFC and Revit API Panel

The second day. I finally got to attend Angel Velez' IFC class – it always clashed with my own in previous years – followed by the product keynote and the Revit API panel discussion – Angel Velez on IFC – Product keynote – Revit API panel – Panel members – Questions and answers – Notes from previous Revit API panel sessions – Session materials... Read more →

AU Day One, Keynote and DevLab

Today Autodesk University started up for real. For me personally, the morning was occupied with booth preparation, the exciting keynote presentations and the afternoon DevLab Q&A – Autodesk University Keynote – Jeff Kowalski, CTO – Machine learning – Generative design – Virtual reality – Robotic systems – Exciting times – Guest Speakers Christian Benimana and Anna Nixon – Carl Bass, CEO – DevLab – Forge Pricing – Cl3ver, Chaos Group and V-Ray... Read more →

DevDay Conference at Autodesk University

Yesterday afternoon, I checked into the Venetian hotel for AU and the preceding DevDay conference – Desert day and night versus hotel morning – DevDay general session and Forge – AEC breakout – Revit API news, roadmap and idea station – BIM 360 – InfraWorks 360 and Civil 3D – Forge's first birthday party... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2017.1 API

I recently mentioned the updated Revit 2017.1 SDK and its API enhancements. They are documented in full detail in the section Major additions to the 2017.1 Revit API of the Revit 2017.1 API help file RevitAPI.chm included with the SDK, which is also provided there in the separate stand-alone document Revit Platform API Changes and Additions.docx. For convenient, easy and effective web searching, here is the online version of that information... Read more →

BIM@TuDa, DevDays, Forge News and More Events

I am in Darmstadt preparing the Forge and BIM presentation and hands-on workshop at Technische Universität Darmstadt, Institut für Numerische Methoden und Informatik im Bauwesen, the institute for numerical methods and computer science in the construction industry at the technical university here. Many other larger events are coming up after this – BIM@TuDa agenda – Getting started with Dynamo – Forge news – New Forge resources – Forge events and community – DevDays – Developer Day conferences and accelerators... Read more →