Working with Type Parameters can be a bit challenging in Dynamo for beginners and on top of that working with multiple elements and their parameters. Today we are going to look at how to set the multiple type parameters for each of the various families in the project.
Type parameters are specific to a family type, and we need to obtain the family type to access its parameters. Setting parameters for multiple elements can be achieved in a similar manner.
Revit is a powerful tool for building design and construction, but with great power comes great responsibility. Keeping your Revit projects tidy and efficient can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to purging unwanted elements. Revit does come with an out-of-the-box feature Purge Unwanted to purge items, but it doesn’t allow bulk deleting of custom-picked elements.
To solve this problem, we can turn to Dynamo, a visual programming platform that allows us to automate tasks in Revit. By creating a Dynamo script or workflow, we can first get all the materials used in the project and then let the user pick the elements or materials that need to be deleted. The script filters out the selected materials and deletes them in bulk.
Delete Unwanted Materials Dynamo Graph
By creating our own Dynamo workflows around this, we can delete other unplaced elements in bulk, such as views, floor plans, sections, legends, schedules, spaces, rooms, scope boxes, imported files, and more.
By using Dynamo to automate the process of purging unwanted elements in Revit, we can save time and improve the efficiency of our workflow. So why not give it a try and see how it can streamline your Revit projects?
Python 1: Get All Materials
This piece of code retrieves all the material elements and their names in the project.
# Import the necessary packages
import clr
clr.AddReference('RevitAPI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *
clr.AddReference('RevitServices')
from RevitServices.Persistence import DocumentManager
# Get the Revit document
doc = DocumentManager.Instance.CurrentDBDocument
# Get all the materials in the project
materials = FilteredElementCollector(doc).OfClass(Material)
mats = FilteredElementCollector(doc).OfClass(Material).ToElements()
# Create lists to store the material names and IDs
material_names = []
material_ids = []
# Loop through the materials and retrieve their names and IDs
for material in materials:
material_names.append(str(material.Id) + " - " + material.Name)
# Define the outputs
OUT = mats, material_names
Python 2: Filter List
The Python 2: Filter List node is taken from the List.FilterBySelection custom node by spring nodes by Dimitar Venkov. This Python code defines a custom form with checkboxes that allow the user to select elements. The code adds references to the necessary libraries, defines a few functions, and then creates the form using the CheckBoxForm class. The form includes buttons to check or uncheck all the elements, and to save the selected elements. This code can be used in Dynamo scripts to enable user selection of elements for further processing.
#Copyright(c) 2016, Dimitar Venkov
# @5devene, dimitar.ven@gmail.com
import clr
clr.AddReference('System.Windows.Forms')
clr.AddReference('System.Drawing')
from System.Drawing import Point, Color, Font
from System.Windows.Forms import *
def tolist(obj1):
if hasattr(obj1,"__iter__"): return obj1
else: return [obj1]
def hasInd(l1, i):
try: l1[i] ; return True
except: return False
class CheckBoxForm(Form):
def __init__(self, cm1):
self.Text = "Filter By Selection"
self.Width = 400
self.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(40,40,40)
self.output1 = []
self.ControlBox = False
self.TopMost = True
self.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog
self.StartPosition = FormStartPosition.CenterScreen
self.label = Label()
self.label.Text = cm1
self.label.Location = Point(5, 5)
self.label.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(234,234,234)
self.label.Font = Font("Calibri", 10)
self.label.AutoSize = True
self.Controls.Add(self.label)
self.button1 = Button()
self.button1.Text = 'Save Selection'
self.button1.AutoSize = True
self.button1.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(234,234,234)
self.button1.Font = Font("Calibri", 10)
self.button1.Click += self.save
self.Controls.Add(self.button1)
self.button2 = Button()
self.button2.Text = 'Uncheck All'
self.button2.AutoSize = True
self.button2.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(234,234,234)
self.button2.Font = Font("Calibri", 10)
self.button2.Click += self.uncheckAll
self.Controls.Add(self.button2)
self.button3 = Button()
self.button3.Text = 'Check All'
self.button3.AutoSize = True
self.button3.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(234,234,234)
self.button3.Font = Font("Calibri", 10)
self.button3.Click += self.checkAll
self.Controls.Add(self.button3)
self.panel1 = Panel()
self.panel1.Location = Point(5, 31)
self.panel1.Width = 370
self.panel1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(53,53,53)
self.panel1.ForeColor = Color.FromArgb(234,234,234)
self.Controls.Add(self.panel1)
def add_check(self, text1, y1, b1):
self.check1 = CheckBox()
self.check1.Text = text1
self.check1.Location = Point(5, y1)
self.check1.AutoSize = True
self.check1.Font = Font("Calibri", 10)
self.check1.Checked = b1
self.panel1.Controls.Add(self.check1)
def btn_adjust(self,y1):
if y1 > 700:
y1 = 700
self.panel1.AutoScroll = True
self.panel1.Focus()
self.panel1.Height = y1
self.button1.Location = Point(5, y1 + 38)
self.button2.Location = Point(170, y1 + 38)
self.button3.Location = Point(275, y1 + 38)
self.Height = y1 + 130
def save(self, sender, event):
ctrl1 = self.panel1.Controls
count1 = ctrl1.Count
loc = 0
self.output1 = [c.Checked == 1 for c in ctrl1]
#for i in xrange(count1):
# if ctrl1[i].Checked == 1:
# self.output1.append(l1[loc])
# else:
# self.output2.append(l1[loc])
# loc += 1
self.Close()
def uncheckAll(self, sender, event):
ctrl1 = self.panel1.Controls
count1 = ctrl1.Count
for i in xrange(count1):
ctrl1[i].Checked = False
def checkAll(self, sender, event):
ctrl1 = self.panel1.Controls
count1 = ctrl1.Count
for i in xrange(count1):
ctrl1[i].Checked = True
l1 = tolist(IN[0])
if IN[1] == None: names = None
else: names = tolist(IN[1])
form = CheckBoxForm(IN[2])
y1 = 5
for i in xrange(len(l1)):
try:
if hasInd(names, i): val1 = names[i].ToString()
else: val1 = l1[i].ToString()
form.add_check(val1, y1, IN[3])
y1 += 25
except: pass
form.btn_adjust(y1)
Application.Run(form)
OUT = form.output1#, form.output2
Application.Exit()
Ever wondered how to export data from Revit or any source for that matter to an existing Excel file where you already have some formatting done? It can be a bit winding task to first export your data to an intermediary blank Excel sheet and then copy/paste or link the cells or range to your original Excel template file.
This workflow here does not require any custom node or high-level coding — just a couple of out-of-the-box nodes to get your job done in a few seconds.
This is how you can save precious time to export data to any existing Excel file without making any modifications to the formatting. You can re-run the Dynamo script after changing input data in order to make any further changes.
Power BI is one of the most popular business analytics service out there to leverage your data to create attractive dynamic presentations of stats to visualize the trends better than every before.
Building “Information” Models are not far away in terms of getting the insights of your built asset to make informed decisions and provide productive insights into them.
Power BI can be used to do a number of things to get a better view at your building model.
In the gif below, we have got a floor plan of a sample Revit model to get the information of Rooms into Power BI.
Some Applications of BIM Data
Many times when you are creating MEP models in Revit using native rfa families, it would be required to split the piping or ducting into some standard lengths based on the project requirement. This could be quite a tedious manual process to measure and split the pipes/ducts especially when it comes to sloped piping the exact standard split length seems to be hard to achieve.
This Dynamo workflow helps you to split Pipe or Duct networks into optimal Manufacturer’s lengths in Revit. Just run the script in Dynamo or Dynamo Player and select the model in a Revit view. It will auto-detect all the piping/ducting and split them into user-specified lengths. You can anytime make adjustments to the selection method.
Supported Versions
Revit 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Dynamo 2.0.4 and above
Packages Required
GeniusLoci
Data-Shapes
Graph Instructions
Thanks to Alban de Chasteigner for his amazing Genius Loci package for Dynamo.
WordPress compresses images, so the above picture might not be legible. Please see the screenshots in two parts below. Right click on the image and select ‘Open image in new tab’.
Dynamo can be used to perform basic text editing and formatting in bulk either in Autodesk Revit or any text information imported from other sources.
Image displaying changing the case of multiple text notes to Upper Case.
A simple dynamo workflow to change text case to lower case, upper case, title case, and separated by underscore.
Dynamo Player is a quick and easy way to run your Dynamo routines or scripts. It provides a visual user interface where you do not have to worry about all the nodes, wires, and the back-end stuff. It is just like any other music player to run the .dyn files. It proves to be most helpful when you have to run the same script over and over again in a Revit project.
To use the Dynamo Player:
How do I enable my Dynamo scripts to run into Dynamo Player?
QR Code has been an essential tool in the design-to-fabrication or spooling process in construction industry to track and check the status of individual components that are manufactured or fabricated and shipped to project site for installation.
At a micro level these unique tags facilitates the 7D BIM, which caters to Facility or Asset Managment Applications. COBie data population and extraction, BIM As-builts are parts and parcels of this process.
In essence, these optical labels, QR codes or Bar codes sticks to an item to bind the real-world component to a digital model component.
Here we are going to see how we can easily extract data out of Revit models and quickly create QR Codes.
Generating a QR Code in Dynamo
QR Coder on github
For schedule preparation in Revit
Create multiple QR codes out of Revit data
Exported QR Codes from Dynamo
Components Scheduled with QR Codes in Revit
Revit Python Shell or RPS is a good way to write Python codes in Revit and create plugins. It’s a free script editor integrated into Revit API that gives you the benefit of seeing the result as you code.
Use it in combination with Revit Lookup. It has below three features.
But first, we will see how to install RPS in Windows.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>
<RevitAddIns>
<AddIn Type="Application">
<Name>RevitPythonShell</Name>
<Assembly>C:\Program Files (x86)\RevitPythonShell2019</Assembly>
<AddInId>GENERATE_AND_INSERT_GUID_HERE</AddInId>
<FullClassName>RevitPythonShell.RevitPythonShellApplication</FullClassName>
<VendorId>RIPS</VendorId>
</AddIn>
</RevitAddIns>
5. Unzip the downloaded revitpythonshell-master package from step 2 and copy the contents of the folder revitpythonshell-master\revitpythonshell-master\RevitPythonShell\DefaultConfig and make a folder with RevitPythonShell2019 or whatever version the Revit version you want to work with and paste the contents into this folder at the path shown in the image below.
Launch the target Revit version and accept the RevitPythonShell popup with Always Load. The RevitPythonShell ribbon should appear under Add-ins tab.
Making and Deploying RPS Addin
An RpsAddin refers to a Revit Addin that was written using the RevitPythonShell and then bundled for deployment using the “Deploy RpsAddin” feature of the RevitPythonShell.
RpsAddins allow you to easily deploy your scripts without having to install and configure RevitPythonShell on each machine. It does this by creating a Revit DLL that can be used as an Addin. This DLL will use some runtime glue code located in
RpsRuntime.dllto provide IronPython integration for the Addin. The DLL also contains your scripts and a manifest for the addin as string resources.
In a future post, we’ll see to create and deploy an RPS addin. Till then, download the guidebook for Python Scripting with RPS from here.
Ever wondered how to filter out elements in Autodesk Navisworks Manage by their Revit worksets?
Worksets in Navisworks can give you greater control over your model data. You can perform various filtering, formatting on the worksets. It is also easier to extract parametric data out of Navisworks when you have clearly defined worksets.
Worksets in Revit
Steps:
Exporting as *.nwc
2. Append the file in Navisworks Manage. Select any element and right-click and make sure that the Set Selection Resolution is kept as the First Object. It will make the object path start at the highest level of objects below the layer node, if applicable.
Set Selection Resolution setting
3. You can see all the property data of the selected Revit element from the Properties panel in the Home ribbon. This is for our viewing purpose.
Properties in Navisworks
4. Now open Selection Tree panel (Ctrl+F12), and select Properties from the drop down menu.
As worksets are a property of the elements, go to Element > Workset.
Here you can find all the worksets (only those that contain elements) from your Revit project.
Workset Selection
5. You can right-click and tick Hide Unselected to isolate the elements of the specific workset.
Click on Selection Inspector and it will show all the elements of that particular workset. Click Save Selection for all the entities in Workset.
Save Selection for Workset
Now you can find all the worksets under the Sets in the Selection Tree. All the filtering and sorting could be performed on these worksets.
Workset Section Sets
Tip: To sort or filter elements of different categories based on their parametric values Find Items is a pretty handy feature.
Go to View > Windows > Find Items
Find Items for filtering
You can search in the already defined worksets or other selection sets to narrow down the filtering.
BIM Regime 