Revit to Navisworks and Convert Element Properties

There is an option under Add-Ins > External Tools > Navisworks 2010 > Navisworks settings > File Readers > Revit > Convert element properties.

By default this would be un-checked:

Basic Revit properties will be included in the Navisworks file regardless of this setting.  Checking this box will do 2 things during the export process:

1.  Additional properties will be included with the resulting Navisworks file.  These include properties for Navisworks related to the element properties, object orientation, material information, associated level, worksharing information, family specifications, cuttability and Revit object category.

2.  Depending on the size and number of objects in your project, the export time can dramatically increase as additional properties will be translated.  For example a 100 MB file with this unchecked may take a few minutes.  Check the box and the export time may jump to 20 minutes.  This is something to keep in mind if you don’t need the additional information in Navisworks.

For example, the following property control tabs will be available in Navisworks through the following export options.  Let’s use a generic 8” wall as an example:

Convert element properties un-checked:

Item, Element, Base Constraint, Phase Created, Revit Type & Element ID will be included in Navisworks.

Convert element properties checked:

Item, Element ID, Element, Base Constraint, Phase Created, Revit Type, Element Properties, Orientation, Wall Type, Materials, SimilarObjectTypes, ObjectType, PhaseCreated, Level, Document, ParametersMap, Parameters & Category will be included in Navisworks.

 

In addition for component families, there should be a Family tab in NavisWorks.  This lists some of the family specific category and cuttable information in Navisworks when Convert element properties is checked.

If your objects have shared or project parameters attached:

Convert element properties un-checked:

Shared or Project parameter information is included and located under the Properties > Element tab in Navisworks.

Convert element properties checked:

Shared or Project parameter information is included and located under the Properties > Element tab in Navisworks.