Transcript P - The Building Coder

Opening the Lines of Communication Between
Revit® and Third-Party Applications
David Rushforth, PE, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Electrical Engineer, R.G. Vanderweil Engineers
[email protected]
Presentation Expectations
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Have questions?
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Please save them for after the presentation or send me an e-mail
Experience Level
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Topics are advanced
 Explanations are geared toward non-programmers
 Database communication only
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Goal
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Revit API experience is (partially) assumed
Share “the power of the possible”
WARNING
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The following content was prepared by an engineer, NOT a
programmer. The samples of code shown may contain disturbing
examples of poor programming practices and represent only one of
many ways to accomplish the desired objective.
About the Presenter
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Electrical Engineer at R.G. Vanderweil Engineers
Native to Las Vegas
BS Electrical Engineering, BYU
MS Electrical Engineering, UNLV
Presentation Outline
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Communication Overview
Lines of Communications
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Text Based (Csv, Txt, XML, Ini, Dat)
Microsoft Access®
SQL
Microsoft Excel®
Autodesk AutoCAD®
Other Applications
Autodesk Revit®
Another Approach: Microsoft Access® As Hub
Ideas For Further Development
Communication Overview
Microsoft Access ®
SQL
Microsoft Excel ®
Text
Autodesk AutoCAD ®
SKM Power Tools
Autodesk Revit®
Lines of Communication: Text Based
Lines of Communication: Text Based
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Write New File (Example formats: Csv, Txt, XML, Ini, Dat)
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Dim writefilename As String
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writefilename = "C:\[your path here]"
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Dim fs As New FileStream(writefilename, FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write)
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Dim s As New StreamWriter(fs)
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s.WriteLine("Stuff")
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s.Close()
Read/Write/Edit existing File Data Code
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Dim FilePath As String
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FilePath = " C:\[your path here]"
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Dim text As Array
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Dim lines As New List(Of String)
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text = System.IO.File.ReadAllLines(FilePath)
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lines.AddRange(text)
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Dim n As Integer
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For n = 0 To lines.Count - 1
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‘[read, store, insert, or make decisions based on lines(n) ]
Next n
Color Key
Variable declarations
Supporting code
Read
Write
Lines of Communication: Microsoft Access®
Lines of Communication: Microsoft Access®
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Connect to database file for direct manipulation
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Dim strAccessFile As String = "C:\Temp\MyDatabase.accdb"
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Dim mAccessApplication As New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Application
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mAccessApplication.OpenCurrentDatabase(strAccessFile)
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Dim myEmployeesRecords As dao.Recordset
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Dim TableName As String = "Employees"
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myEmployeesRecords = mAccessApplication.CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("SELECT * FROM " & TableName)
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myEmployeesRecords.MoveFirst()
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Dim readFirstName As String
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readFirstName = myEmployeesRecords.Fields("FirstName").Value
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myEmployeesRecords.Edit()
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myEmployeesRecords.Fields("FirstName").Value = "David"
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myEmployeesRecords.Fields("LastName").Value = "Rushforth"
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myEmployeesRecords.Update()
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mAccessApplication.Quit(Option:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcQuitOption.acQuitSaveNone)
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mAccessApplication = Nothing
For 64-bit compatibility
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Copy dao360.dll to Revit “Program” folder
Color Key
Variable declarations
Supporting code
Read
Write
Lines of Communication: SQL
Lines of Communication: SQL
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Connect to database file for direct manipulation
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Dim StrConnectionString As String
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StrConnectionString = "Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=C:\Temp\TestDatabase.mdf;Integrated
Security=True;User Instance=True“
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Dim mySqlConnection As New SqlConnection(StrConnectionString)
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Dim mySqlCommand As New SqlCommand
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mySqlConnection.Open()
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mySqlCommand.Connection = mySqlConnection
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Dim TableName As String = "Employees“
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mySqlCommand.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM " & TableName
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mySqlCommand.CommandText = "UPDATE " & TableName & " SET
FirstName='EditedFirstName',LastName='EditedLastName' WHERE (NameID= 1234)“
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mySqlCommand.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM " & TableName & " WHERE (FirstName='FirstName1')“
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mySqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery() ‘RUN THIS AFTER EACH .CommandText
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Dim mySqlDataReader As SqlDataReader
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mySqlDataReader = mySqlCommand.ExecuteReader
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While mySqlDataReader.Read() 'While Data is Present
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MsgBox(mySqlDataReader("FirstName") & ", " & mySqlDataReader("LastName"))
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End While
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mySqlDataReader.Close()
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mySqlConnection.Close()
Color Key
Variable declarations
Supporting code
Read
Write
Lines of Communication: Microsoft Excel®
Lines of Communication: Microsoft Excel®
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Connect to Excel file for direct manipulation
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Dim strXlsFile As String
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strXlsFile = "C:\Temp\test.xls"
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Dim mExcelApplication As New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application
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Dim mExcelWorkbook As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbook = mExcelApplication.Workbooks.Open(strXlsFile)
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Dim mExcelWorksheet As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet = mExcelWorkbook.Worksheets(1)
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Dim readValue As String
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readValue = mExcelWorksheet.Range("A1").Value
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mExcelWorksheet.Range("A2").Value = “New Value"
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mExcelWorkbook.Windows(1).Visible = True
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mExcelWorkbook.Save()
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mExcelWorkbook = Nothing
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mExcelApplication.Quit()
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mExcelApplication = Nothing
Color Key
Variable declarations
Supporting code
Read
Write
Lines of Communication: Autodesk AutoCAD®
Lines of Communication: Autodesk AutoCAD®
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DXF Files
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Text based file format
 Can be written or edited
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Scripts
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Auto-run script on open AutoCAD
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cadpath = myApplicationFilePath & " /b " & ScriptName
 Dim ACADProcessID As Integer
 ACADProcessID = Shell(cadpath, vbMaximizedFocus)
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LISP
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Load a LISP routine during a script
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s.WriteLine("(load ""MyLispFilename.lsp"")")
Lines of Communication: Other Applications
Lines of Communication: Other Applications
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Identify ways of:
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Getting Data Out
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Reports (txt, xls)
 Export options
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Getting Data In
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Import options
Proprietary extensions (e.g. .xyz) may be text based
Lines of Communication: Autodesk Revit®
RibbonCommands.dll
Ribbon.dll
Set References (RevitAPI.dll, etc.)
Create Ribbon Toolbar
Create Button1
-When pressed access class in
RibbonCommands.dll
Create Button2
-…
.addins or Revit.ini
Load dll on
startup
References (Revit API)
RevitAPI.dll, RevitAPIUI.dll
Set References (RevitAPI.dll, etc.)
Class PowerSuite
-Gather Param info
-Open Power Suite
-Transfer Info
Class SetPowerSuiteParams
-Set changed parameters
Class ParameterXfmr
-Sort Project Elements
-Sort Selected Elements
-Open form
Class …
AHK
Lines of Communication: Autodesk Revit®
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Getting Data Out
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Getting Data In
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Read Parameters
Import from text
Connect to Database or Table
Excel to DXF
Link CAD drawings
Set Parameters
Load Families
Create objects
Automating the Interface
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AutoHotkey (AHK) Scripts
Another Approach: Microsoft Access® As Hub
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Work flow
Send data from Revit to Access® database
 Access® stores and controls the flow of information between Revit and
third party applications
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Benefits
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Perform advanced lookups and calculations
 Review and change design outside of Revit
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Can send changes back to Revit
Same interface for Revit and Non-Revit projects
Integrated Program Example
Text
SKM Power Tools
Microsoft Excel ®
Autodesk Revit®
Autodesk AutoCAD ®
Microsoft Access®
Ideas For Further Development
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Write custom reports from Revit
Write errors or standards deviations to journals
Export room dimensions
Automate print settings
Create sheets, objects, or families from stored data
Extract specific family types from project
Create a keynote database
Automate riser diagrams
Create room or space schedules with error reporting
THANK YOU!
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Send me an email and let me know how it helped.
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 [email protected]
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