Transcript Revit Technology Conference 2010

TM
How the Revit API has saved our
company time and money
Rod Howarth
Bornhorst + Ward
Overview
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Introduction
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What you can do with the API
– Examples of B+W’s commands
– What others are using it for
– Technical overview of each macro
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Where to start learning
– Learning tools / resources
– The ‘research process’
Revit Technology Conference 2010
Goals
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Describe WHAT can be done with the API
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Overview of HOW I’ve implemented the API
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Show you WHERE to find information on the API
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Show you how to LEARN how to use it
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Overarching aim is: ‘teach a man to fish’
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Bornhorst + Ward and Autodesk Revit
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Began implementation in 2005
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Used for all structural documentation
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Fully customized families
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Continuously looking for ways to improve
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My experience with Autodesk Revit
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I don’t claim to know Autodesk Revit in any great detail
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I’m coming from a programming background
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Began developing with API in 2008
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I’ve picked up some Autodesk Revit skills along the way
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As opposed to Autodesk Revit users who learn programming
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How we have implemented the API
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Ideas pulled from years of Autodesk AutoCAD experience
– Had a fully customized Autodesk AutoCAD setup
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Mentality of ‘surely there’s a better way’
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Here’s what we want to automate – go code it
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Feedback provided by drafters
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Various API Examples
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Load Families
Title Block Editor
Plotting
Model Stripper
Element Numberer
Visibility Togglers
Quick Placer
Plan Copier
Detail Number Modifier
Sheet Setup
Family Management
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LoadFamilies
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Replacement for built in Load Families dialog
Loads multiple families at once
Small amount of time saved quickly adds up
Adaptable to different file structures
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LoadFamilies – Technical Details
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WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) user interface
– Allowed a nice code design with data binding
– Looks better than tab based windows forms
– Pictures from thumbnail
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Actual API implementation is simple
– Just calls document.LoadFamily / document.LoadFamilySymbol
– FamilyLoadOptions to override ‘family already present’ dialog
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Title Block Editor
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Easily update all of your title blocks
Huge timesaver
– Original way was to manually edit a schedule – took hours
– Now this is done in a few clicks
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Title Block Editor – Technical Details
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Heavily coupled with title block families
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Parameters setup for revisions 1-rev 1-desc 2-rev etc
– To allow for history
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As well as parameters showing current revision
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Loops through parameters to find latest revision
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Then adds a new one
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Plotting - Overview
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Replaces inbuilt printing dialog
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PDF, DWF, Paper, DWG
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Automatically names + moves files
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Links with document management
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Saves time issuing documents
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Keeps print settings standard
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Plotting – Technical Details
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ViewPrinter example is best place to start here
– This shows a replication of the inbuilt menu
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A lot going on, but nothing too complex
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Uses DSOFile for document properties
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Has been a few quirks in the API
– Different default file names
– Prints don’t come out in order
– Has been improvements with every API release
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Model Stripper
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Allows stripping of files down to bare minimum
Used for sending models out of the office
Removes a lot of our intellectual property
Reduces file sizes
Still retains BIM data
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Model Stripper – Technical Details
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Uses FilteredElementCollectors to search document elements
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ParameterFilter, OfClass, OfCategory
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Calls Document.Delete method with found elements
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New Revit 2011 API has vastly improved it
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Element Numbering
• Sets mark instance parameter
• Numbering manually has problems
– Tedious
– Human error (C1..C2..C4…C4..)
• Does Beams, Sections or Columns in Structural
– Architectural does Doors, Stairs, Windows, etc
• Run the tool, setup and click the elements
– One after the other – will number accordingly
– Allows control over numbering
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Element Numbering – Technical Details
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Document.Selection.PickObject(ObjectType.Element) method
– Used in a loop
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Allows users to select elements one after the other
– Accessible by getting the Reference.Element Property returned
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Then simply set the Mark parameter of each picked element
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Visibility Togglers
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Toggles visibility of certain things on/off
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Simple API, small time saved but adds up
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Emulates Visibility/Graphics menu
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Allows use in keyboard shortcuts
– Saves a number of clicks each time
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Eased transition from Autodesk AutoCAD
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Visibility Togglers – Technical Details
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Used manifest file to make customizable toggles possible
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Create KeyboardShortcut to External Tools menu
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View.setVisibility method
– Accepts category and visibility
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Quick Placer
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Keyboard shortcuts to place detail components
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Similar to Autocad functionality
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Custom shortcuts, not Revit shortcuts
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Imports family if its not present
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Quick Placer – Technical Details
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Reads CSV file for shortcut details
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Searches this based on user input
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KeyPress event on Windows Form
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1 Character shortcut to open form
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UiDocument. PromptForFamilyInstancePlacement
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Plan Copier
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Select Plan Type to use as base
Select the plans from that type to duplicate
Duplicates it for plan types in template
View types are setup in template, any version of Autodesk Revit
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Plan Copier – Technical Details
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Uses FilteredElementCollector.OfClass to get a ViewPlan
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Then GetValidTypes() to get the types of plans in model
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Gets ViewPlans with that Type
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Document.Create.NewViewPlan to make new plan
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newPlan.ApplyTemplate(originalView) to copy original
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newPlan.ChangeTypeId(newTypeId)
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Detail Number Modifier
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Detail Number automatically set
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Our numbering is done by View Name
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Copies the View Name to the Detail Number
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Does this for all Sections + Callouts on sheets
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Detail Number Modifier – Technical Details
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Uses a category filter with BuiltInCategory.OST_Sheets
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Loops sheets, and loops all Views in sheet.Views
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Retrieves View Name parameter from view.Parameters
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Sets Detail Number with parameter.Set
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Standard Sheet Setup
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Sets up sheets at start of project
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Ensures standard names + numbering
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Based on a text file with company standards
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Saves time, typing and human error
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Standard Sheet Setup – Technical Details
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Reads text file line by line
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Title Blocks from Document.TitleBlocks
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Document.Create.NewViewSheet
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newSheet.ViewName
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newSheet.SheetNumber
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Selection Filter
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User selects elements
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Only wants certain types
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Runs tool, chooses types,
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It changes selection
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Selection Filter – Technical Details
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Reads the categories and types of elements selected
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Edits the UiDocument.Selection.Elements set
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Family Management
• System for managing and documenting families
• Needed an efficient way of providing documentation
• Old way (PDF version) was too much manual work
• Multiple parts
– Saver – saves metadata to files
– Documenter – adds information + pictures to database
– Documentation – Intranet page with live view of families
– Reloader – Updates a project to have the latest families
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Family Management: Saver
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Writes metadata to family files
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Automatically prompts and updates version
number parameter
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Stores Version, Date, Author, Editor
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Breaks barrier between Autodesk Revit and
‘outside world’
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Family Management: Documenter
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Does initial import to database
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Select a family file
– Automatically gets a thumbnail
– Can add more pictures
– Add a comment
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Family Management: Documentation
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Web page with documentation on families
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Retrieves all the information from the database
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Reads metadata from files
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Displays in easy to read and reference manner
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Easily accessed from internal systems
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Family Management: Documentation
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Family Management: Documentation
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Family Management: Documentation
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Family Management: Reloader
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Ensures the families in the model are the most up to date
Gives the option to replace any superseded families
Uses the metadata from library to compare to current families
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Family Management: Saver – Technical Details
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ExternalApplication that captures events
– DocumentSaving, DocumentSavingAs
– DocumentOpened, DocumentCreated, DocumentClosed
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Gets/Updates the parameters when saving
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Uses DSOFile.dll to store metadata after closed
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Family Management: Documenter Technical Details
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Guy Robinson has a thumbnail grabbing library on his blog
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Can set which view for preview when saving
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Imports to SQL database
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Reads the text file with family for sizes
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Family Management: Documentation – Technical
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ASP.NET intranet site
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Stored in SQL database
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Uses a batch update of a database scheduled every night
– So there’s no IO access done when user loads a page
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Family Management: Reloader – Technical Details
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Loops through the families loaded in the document
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Find the matching family in the families database
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Read the Version that was taken from the metadata in database
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Compare with the matching parameter on family loaded
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Give the user a list of families that have been updated
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Use LoadFamiliy to replace if user selects it
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What others are doing
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Autodesk Revit Extensions
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Import/Export to 3rd party applications
– Analysis Software
– Cost Estimation Software
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Room ReNumberer
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Google Earth Export
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Revit Content Browser/Importer
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What others are doing
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Room Phase Copier
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Case Changer
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Door Mark Updater
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Sort and Mark tool
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Wood Framing tools
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Facilities Management
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Avatech, Tools4Revit
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RevitTv
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Where do I start?
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How do I start learning the Autodesk Revit API?
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Question I’ve been asked many times
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There are a number of tools and resources for you to use
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Handouts lists the ones I’ve mentioned here
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Learning Tools + Resources
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Started out fairly scarce
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Now getting a lot better
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Autodesk and the community actively trying to make it easier to learn
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But you still have to be prepared to do some “trial and error”
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C# / VB.Net Resources
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First step is going to be to learn how to code in C# or VB.NET
– Make a ‘hello world’ application in .NET first
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Plenty of information online
– MSDN
– Stack Overflow
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As well as lots of good books on C#
– Read mainly the first few chapters
– Head First C# (Stellman, Greene – O’Reilly)
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SDK Samples
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Lots of samples
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Majority written in C#
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Can do conversions online
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A HTML file lists all of them (useful for searching)
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An External Application puts them all on your ribbon
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Developers Guide eBook
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Shipped with SDK on disk
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Very good overview
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Easy to understand
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Best place to start
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Compiled HTML Help File
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A CHM file is included with SDK
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Technical documentation on the classes
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Detailed descriptions and some examples
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Learn the basics first
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Webcasts
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Dev TV introduction to API webcast recording
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Regularly done live with question and answers
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Do a little research into the basics before viewing
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Check autodesk.com for new live webcasts
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Autodesk University
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AU Virtual
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Previous years classes are available online
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Download podcasts and listen to them whilst travelling to work
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Blogs
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The community is actively increasing the information out there
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Best is ‘The Building Coder’ by Jeremy Tammik of Autodesk
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Other great blogs:
– Cad Application Development by Matt Mason
– Revit Programming by Ed Pitt
– Bolt out of the Red by Guy Robinson
– Blog.RodHowarth.com
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Autodesk Revit API Search Engine
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Google custom search engine I set up
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Only indexes API specific sites/blogs
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Search for API specific information
– Without the general clutter of the internet
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http://revitapisearch.com
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Online Forums
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Great place for beginners
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2 main ones
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AUGI Revit API Forums (most active)
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Autodesk Discussion Group
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Lots of helpful people to answer your queries
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More importantly... lots of questions already asked!
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Autodesk Developer Network
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http://autodesk.com/adn
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A must for all serious API developers.
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Direct line to Autodesk when you are stuck
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If they can’t do it – chances are it’s not really possible.
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Works on a subscription model with online support and downloads
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RevitLookup
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Saved the best for last
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This tool is essential to my API development work
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Allows you to ‘snoop’ the database via the API.
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Pick an element, and see what properties and parameters are exposed via the
API.
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First point of call
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Available free online
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Formerly known as RvtMgdDbg
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‘The Process’
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A number of steps that I generally follow when given a new task
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Something to use once you’ve learnt the basics
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This is ‘how to fish’
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1. Learn how to do it manually
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Generally you are trying to automate something
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Rarely possible to do something you can’t manually do
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What are the steps/menus to do it in Autodesk Revit?
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2. Identify key words / areas
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What were the menu names?
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What type of element are you working with?
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What is the functionality you are doing?
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Examples
– Load Family
– Beam
– Level
– Visibility
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3. RevitLookup
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Pick the elements you were manually choosing
Snoop the whole database and look for the keywords
Try and identify parameters or properties
If you can see the property here – you are in luck!
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4. Search SDK Samples + Developers Guide
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Use your key words to do a search
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Windows can search inside .cs files
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Can also use the solution with all samples
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Or the HTML index of samples
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If there is a sample, life just got easier!
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5. Search CHM
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Find more specifics on what you are after
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Or use it as a refiner for your keywords
– For if you haven’t had any luck yet
– Do a search on variations of your keywords to find correct one
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Gives you an idea of methods and how to use them
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6. Search online
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For if you are still out of luck or are confused
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API search engine
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AUGI forums
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Autodesk Forums
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ADN knowledge base
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7. IntelliSense / Experimentation
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If you have at least a starting point
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Use IntelliSense to find your way through
– Good for when you are using a sample as a base
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Create a test application
– Run it, use Message Boxes or Debug.Write to output info
– VSTA can be helpful to avoid reloading Autodesk Revit
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8. ADN / Forums
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Reached the end of the line – still stuck
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If you have ADN subscription, use DevHelp
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Or AUGI forums can be a great, free, help
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Usually takes a day or two for responses
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Conclusion
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The API is very powerful and can save you time + money!
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Big investment up front, but pays dividends
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There is a lot of information out there nowadays
– See your handouts for links
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Buy pre-made
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Hire a programmer
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Or learn yourself!
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I will be at AEC booth if you want to chat
Revit Technology Conference 2010
Questions
... and don’t forget your survey form!
Rod Howarth
Revit Technology Conference 2010