Bringing Information from Excel into Revit

Following is information and workflows for bringing information from Excel into Revit.  Multiple options, tutorial videos on most options. 

Go to Subscription Center to get the Revit Database Link Extension.  Under Downloads > Product Enhancements > Autodesk Revit DB Link 2013 (or 2012 if this is the version you are running) > Download the Extension > Close Revit and reopen Revit for the Extension to populate in the Add-Ins Tab > External Tools dropdown.

www.subscription.autodesk.com

RDB Link works with Microsoft Access.

Revit DB Link video demonstration.  This is a free add-on for subscription customers.

http://youtu.be/brhp44jaCsI

Another video showing (although from 2010, workflow remains similar)

http://youtu.be/Ka9HuYDpfpY

Import Excel into Access

http://youtu.be/JKXxaqqkbNs

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This video outlines the (manual, but effective workflow) for linking in Excel through the ACAD file link.

http://youtu.be/IfYX19e1WIw

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Third Party:

I have seen individuals have luck with: Quick Table

http://www.tools4revit.com/Fast-Documentation/Quick-Table.html?listtype=search&searchparam=Quick%20Table

Excel to Revit tool:

http://www.dotsoft.com/revit/xl2revit.htm

Ideate BIMLink information:

Import from Excel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxskB7N5qMw&feature=share&list=PLFCBEBF1B8495CECA

More videos about BIMLink:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCBEBF1B8495CECA

Provided by: Alan DeLuce, Application Engineer - Building Solutions

From Autodesk: How to get your Autodesk software on a CD, DVD or USB drive

Did you know that you can still get your media on a CD, DVD or USB drive?  If you are a Subscription Customer you can request the physical media (e.g., CD, DVD, or USB—depending on the product) for the products you have licensed on your subscription contract, directly from Subscription Center. 

1) Log onto the Subscription Center, and click Get Your Upgrade in the center of the page.

2) Under Related Information on the left menu, click Request Media for:

Follow the link to continue: How to get your Autodesk software on a CD, DVD or USB drive

Little Features in Revit 2013

There are so many blogs out there talking about the new features of Revit 2013.  This one is specific to dimensions...a small change, but something we received as a Support case just this past week.  There is now an option to select an individual segment in a multi-segment dimension chain, and delete the segment!  Watch, and I will demonstrate:

Simply hovering over the dimension thread, selecting the individual dimension and hitting the Delete key will remove it...so simple, so beautiful...

To More You Know: Don't forget the FREE Stuff!!!

Autodesk Labs

http://labs.autodesk.com/

Autodesk Labs provides free technology they are currently testing, not to be mistaken for beta testing.  They are relevant tools to the industry, and they look for feedback from clients to verify whether or not the tools would be good for to put out or add to existing software products, like Revit.  Project Vasari and Photofly both are on the site, and functionality from Project Vasari have been added to the Revit platform because of feedback and excitement.  

Autodesk Seek

http://seek.autodesk.com/

Autodesk Seek was created to share Manufacturer specific content created in Revit to the AEC community.  Free to the AEC community, many clients have benefit from using the Revit Families up on this site.  Each Revit platform has a direct link to Autodesk Seek.  There are guidelines and technical requirements for Manufacturers.

Green Building Studio

https://gbs.autodesk.com

Green Building Studio is a web-based program that comes free for clients on subscription using any of the Revit platforms or Ecotect (there may be others, but those are the ones I am familiar with). 

More information on: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=11179508&siteID=123112

This program is a whole building analysis software that assists in qualification for LEED 8.1 Daylighting credit, water usage and cost, Energy Star scoring, natural ventilation potential, carbon emission reporting and more. 

Revit Extensions

https://subscription.autodesk.com

All three Revit platforms have extensions available.  I find those for Revit Structure to have the most extensions that will provide an immense amount of efficiency for the client.  The Reinforcement Extension alone will help any client looking to model the rebar in more than one element at a time.  The Wood Framing extension (also beneficial for Revit Architecture), Freeze View extension, and many more are fantastic!

The More You Know: BIMAssist for Revit

Many people are familiar with the extensions for Revit from Autodesk.  For Revit Architecture, Revit MEP and Revit Structure, they have been available since June 20, 2011.  If you have not downloaded them already, I hightly recommend you do, as many of them will help you considerably. 

In additon to the extensions for Revit from Autodesk, several channel partners have also created add on tools.  Advanced Solutions has the BIMAssist Tools, available FREE to our Revit Subscription clients.  The utilities include the following:

• Case Update
• Door Mark Manger
• Fire Rating Coordinator
• Match Instance Parameters Feeatures
• Note Block Creator
• Room Phase Replicator
• Room Renumber
• Room Surface Parameter Extractor
• Sheet Number Update
• Space Synchronizer
• Text Find and Replace Features

There is a short video for each utility, or you can find them on our YouTube site.  In August, we will have two webcasts during which ASI Application Engineer Brenda Thomas will demonstrate each of the twelve productivity enhancing utilities of BIMAssist™ for Revit®.

Optimize Your Productivity with BIMAssist for Revit on Tuesday, August 2, 2011

or

Optimize Your Productivity with BIMAssist for Revit on Wednesday, August 10, 2011

About Advanced Solutions, Inc.

Advanced Solutions, Inc. is an award-winning Autodesk Gold Partner in Manufacturing, Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Authorized Autodesk Training Center (ATC) and Authorized Autodesk Consulting Services Partner (CSP). For more than 24 years, the company has focused its business model on helping customers realize industry-leading return on investment with their 2D and 3D design software. Beyond the box of software, Advanced Solutions helps customers gain a competitive advantage through innovative design software work flows, enabling customers to realize higher revenues and improving their operational efficiency. For additional information about Advanced Solutions, Inc., please visit our website at www.AdvancedSolutions.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Civil 3D and ATC are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Why Won't My Power Loads Calculate?!?!?!?

A client came to me this week with an issue.  He is working with Color Scheme Legends in Revit MEP.  He created a Color Scheme Legend for Lighting Loads and it works fine.  However, when checking for the Power Loads, the Color Scheme Legend has a zero calculation! 

I knew this had worked for me in the past, but when I tried to recreate the issue in a new file, low and behold, my Power Load calculated as zero as well!  Jay Ayala to the rescue!  Sometimes 2 heads are better than one...although I did slap my palm to my forehead that I didn't think if checking this setting myself...Watch the video below:

For some reason, the option is no longer checked on by Default, but checked off...

Defining Parameters of Mechanical Equipment

Have you ever wondered what the Flow Configuration vaules really mean and what each value type represents?  The Flow Configuration defines whether or not a Connection will be the defining factor of Flow for attached equipment.  The two used most often is the Preset and Calculated. 

When a Supply System is created with the Diffusers and the VAV Box, the Flow inherited in each Diffuser can be used to calculate the Flow upstream to the VAV Box.  The Flow Configuration for each Diffuser will be Preset, meaning the Diffusers will be the defining elements of the connected elements, namely, the VAV box they are connected to.  The Flow Configuration for the VAV Box will be defined as Calcuate, as the Flow value is calculated based on the Diffusers connected to it. 

The calculated Flow value of the VAV Box will update as the Diffuser Flow value changes.

Simple and useful.  More questions?  Please feel free to comment!

Where did this thought come from?  Well, Autodesk has a wonderful Blog called Inside-the-System.  A while back, they had two parts explaining, in more depth, what I discussed above:

Go with the Flow - Part 1

Go with the Flow - Part 2

Learn to fish...watch the videos...

Troubleshooting: Why isn't my Pipe Filter Working?

Have you been diligently creating Filters for your Pipes?   Are you hitting a wall when you try to make a Filter on a Pipe connected to a System that you want to be a different color, like a Vent Pipe that is connected to a Sanitary System connection?  Well, there is a simple answer:Filter List Order Makes a Difference!!!

The order that Filters are listed in the Visibility/Graphics Override, Filters tab provides an additional display control. Filters are ranked by the order they appear on the list. Filters higher on the list have display priority over all filters listed below them. If the Pipe you selected to change has not changed, we need to move the newly created Pipe Filter above the System Filter the Pipe is connected to on the list. 


Note the blue Pipe connected to the Hot Water connection:

There are two Filters already assigned to the horizontal Pipe.  However, the System Filter is above the new Pipe Filter we created, hindering the change.  

1. Type in VV or VG to go back to the Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog > click the Filter tab.

2. Click the Pipe Filter > click the Up button near the bottom of the dialog to move the new Pipe Filter listing above the original Filter listing > click OK to exit the Visibility/Graphics dialog.

Note that now the horizontal pipe is magenta, exactly what we wanted.

Engineers Can Save Time Using Green Building Studio (GBS)

The Green Building XML schema, better known as "gbXML", was developed by Green Building Studio, Inc. back in 1999.  The first version of the gbXML schema was published in June of 2000...since then, it has been integrated into a range of CAD and engineering tools to facilitate the transfer of information.  


Mechanical engineers may use several different applications for their heating and cooling load analysis, energy analysis, code review, etc.  Manually entering in the information about a building, especially since the building design will change quite frequently, can be extremely time consuming.  There are two ways to save time, reducing the time it takes to manually enter in data:


1) If the architect is using Revit Architecture, they can export their model as a gbXML file.  If the engineer does not want to yet import the architect's model into Revit MEP and begin their project, they can request the gbXML file from the architect.  If the engineers are on subscription with Revit MEP, they have the ability to bring this file into Green Building Studio (GBS) then use it to export the model information to several of their analysis programs, including Trane Trace 700, eQuest and EnergyPlus.


2) If the analysis is done after the engineer creates his model by linking in the architect's Revit Architecture model, he can himself export his model as a gbXML file and bring it into Trane Trace directly.  However, to bring the model into eQuest or EnergyPlus, the engineer must still bring the gbXML file into GBS.


Revit Architecture does not have as much information embedded in their Rooms as Revit MEP has embedded in their Spaces, as seen in the images below:


Revit Architecture Room Information

Revit MEP Space Information

When a gbXML file is imported into GBS, the program will identify additional information based on the location of the project.  When exported from Revit Architecture, more information is defined through GBS because of the lack of information in the Rooms, versus Space information brought in from Revit MEP, as shown in the images above.

When the engineer is ready, select the Export and Download Data Files Tab:

This will bring the engineer to the location where the types of files to be exported can be selected. 

Notice this includes the gbXML file to use when the original file was brought in from Revit Architecutre, as well as the option to create a DOE-2 file for eQuest and the EnergyPlus file type.

Whether you chose to utilize any of the tools in Green Building Studio itself or not, the program can lend a hand in bridging the gap between Revit and analysis tools you already use.  If you have any architectural models created in Revit Architecture and have already completed, or are close to completing the project, test the workflow of using GBS.  Compare the results you obtained through manual data entry with the results of the digital interoperability...you may be surprised!
Need more information?  Check out Getting Started with Green Building Studio Web Service.