The Revit Clinic

Export to CAD in Revit 2012 does not Include Layer Phase Status

You may notice that by default when you export to CAD in Revit 2012, the phase status is not included.

For example, in Revit 2011 if the Phase Created of a wall is set to Existing, when you export to CAD it is placed on the A-WALL-EXST layer.  Export the same existing wall in Revit 2012 and you notice the wall geometry is placed on the A-WALL layer.

In Revit 2012 you can modify the export setup, and include the phase modifier by doing the following:

R > Export > Options > Export Setups DWG/DXF > Add/Edit Modifiers for All… > add {Phase Status} > OK > OK

Now when you export to CAD the phase status will be included, in this case A-WALL-EXST:

You can save multiple export setups in Revit 2012; I have included some WikiHelp documentation below:

Layer Mapping for DWG/DXF Export

Revit Server 2012 Stops Working after Installing Vault Server 2012

Just wanted to quickly pass along a Revit blog post that was posted on our sister support blog for Autodesk Vault regarding Revit.  Go check out the post on this topic at Cracking the Vault.  

Importing 3D geometry from AutoCAD MEP into Revit MEP

The following post was contributed by one of our Revit Technical Specialists, Chris Aquino.  (The telltale sign:  I have never and will never use the word, "Hark" ).  Much appreciated, Chris :-).  Looks like we have a great candidate for guest author.

 

Recently we have been seeing more of these cases, and I thought it would be a good time to document the process.

You get this amazing .dwg from a consultant using AutoCAD MEP and you want to import it into your own awesome Revit MEP file.  But hark! You get the error below, and 3D objects don’t get imported.

 
 

When you go into AutoCAD MEP and change PROXYGRAPHICS to 1, then reimport the drawing, it has been flattened into a 2D block. Getting closer, but it’s not the sweet, sweet 3D you want. Because Revit does not have an Object Enabler, we have found this workaround for importing 3D geometry from AutoCAD MEP into Revit MEP.

The process below should let you import the 3D geometry into Revit AND avoid the whole “my 3D .dwg information isn’t being cut in section” issue: 

1. In AutoCAD MEP go to a 3D view
2. Zoom Extents.
3. Type Convertto3DSolids at the command line.
4. Export to AutoCAD.
5. Open a Generic Model Revit family.
6. Import the .dwg.
7. Load the family into your Revit project.

The family should now be a 3D block in Revit that is a cuttable object in plans and sections.

One thing to keep in mind is that while the Projection Lines can be globally controlled by the Object Style, or overridden in the Visibility Graphics for Imported Categories in the View, the Cut Pattern is governed by the Generic Model category.

    

Click here to watch a video of the process.

Revit Server 2012 New Features

With Revit Server 2012 now available with the installation > Install Tools & Utilities, I wanted to highlight some of the new features:

• Support for Editing Requests.
• Support for Revit 2012 Worksharing Display Settings.
• Side-by-side support for Revit 2011 and Revit 2012 models on the same Revit Server.  You can upgrade Revit Server to 2012, and still work normally on Revit 2011 projects without affecting the product version.
• Windows Server 2008 R2 and VMware are now officially supported operating systems.
• New installer and log file location; log files are now located at “C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit Server\Logs”.  Installer location is at “C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Revit Server” but the sub folder structure has been updated.
• Autodesk Revit Server Administrator 2012 has an updated UI and features as follows:

 

Revit 2011 Project Example

Revit 2012 Project Example

Revit version now listed, Filtering \ Sorting \ Grouping options, Comment Display [Revit 2012 only], Model  \ Support Files Size information, and various UI adjustments.

• BlueStreak single-sign on integration.
• Large model scalability improvements and fixes from the 2011 Revit Server release.
• RevitServerTool for command line-based local file creation.  I have included the syntax information and available options below from the documentation:

USAGE:

RevitServerTool createLocalRVT <model path> [-d|-destination <path>] [-s|-server <server name>] [-o|-overwrite]

COMMANDS:

l, createLocalRVT
Creates a local model from the specified server-based central model.

OPTIONS:

<model path>
A model path relative to the Revit Server project directory. For example: "Hospital\North Wing.rvt".

-d, -destination
A path that specifies the location and filename of the new model. Absolute, relative, and UNC paths are supported. By default, the new model is created in the subfolder "RevitServerTool" beneath the user's Documents folder. If the new model name is not specified in the destination path, by default the name of the server-based central model is used.

-s, -server
Revit server name. By default, if the environment is configured to work with a specific Revit server, that server name is used.

-o, -overwrite
Overwrites the destination model if it already exists.

Special thanks to Michael Brian Lee for this feature overview!

Revit Quiz: When I Export a Revit project with 2 Locations why does 0,0 vary in the DWG for each Location?

You have 2 Locations in your Revit project.  The first has a 0 degree rotation between True and Project North.  The second has a 25 degree rotation between True and Project North.  When you change coordinate systems in AutoCAD, and draw a line at 0,0,0, the point varies between each system.  Why is that?

Scroll down for the answer…

When the Survey Point and Project Base Point are at the same location [for example startup 0,0] and you apply an Angle to True North rotation to the Project Base Point, the Survey Point  rotates at the same point.  So the location doesn’t change.

If the Project Base point was unclipped and moved, and then the Angle to True North is adjusted, you will see the Survey Point rotate around the Project Base Point.  This will create a different 0,0 point for this Location in AutoCAD.

Here is a simple video showing this [no sound]:

Video Example Part 1

If I export my Revit project with the following 2 Locations, 2 Coordinate Systems would be created in the DWG as follows:

Internal – 0,0 will be in default location
25 Deg Rot.  – 0,0 will match Internal since I rotated the project base point over the survey point

If I export a version of the Revit project where I rotated 45 degrees when the Project Base Point was in another location [thus moving the Survey Point around it] I would have the following:

Internal – 0,0 will be in default location
45 Deg Rot. – 0,0 will be rotated 45 degrees down to reflect the survey point moving

Here is video part 2 opening the exported files in AutoCAD for comparison [no sound]:

Video Example Part 2

Remember when you change the Angle to True North you are actually rotating a Project True North.

Revit 2011 FBX to 3ds Max 2011 Tips

I wanted to organize a few tips when exporting from Revit 2011 to FBX format and going into 3ds Max 2011…

1.  Keep the Revit \ Max version in mind

A Revit 2011 FBX export should be imported into 3ds Max 2011 due to the protein appearance format.  For additional information see the technical solution here.

2.  Apply the 3ds Max Hotfix 4

Hotfix 4 – Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
Hotfix 4 – Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2011

There were several FBX improvements, including 3 specific to Revit with the 3ds Max 2011 hotfixes.  I have included the 3 from the readme below:

•FBX files from Autodesk® Revit® with RPC content loaded as empty scenes; all of the content now loads correctly.
•An empty scene was created when loading RPC assets from Autodesk® Revit® through FBX.  An empty scene is no longer loaded.
•When using Autodesk Revit 2011, FBX texture maps were using GUID labels for naming texture maps; texture maps now use their appropriate file names.

3.  Update the FBX Plug-in to 2011.3.1

From 3ds Max 2011 > Import > FBX > Web Updates > Yes > Download Free FBX Plug-ins, FBX Converter, and FBX QuickTime Viewer > FBX 2011.3.1 Plug-in for 3ds Max 2011 [32-Bit or 64-Bit].  Close Max 2011, run and install, launch Max 2011.

4.  Where are the Revit materials stored?

After you update the FBX Plug-in version, the .FBM folder issue is corrected for importing and linking FBX files.  The .FBM folder will now be created and saved in the same location as the FBX file you imported \ linked.

Previously, before the updated plug-in version, the materials were always unpackaged to the users %Temp% folder.  While the hotfix corrected some of the naming issues, in order to have the .FBM folder created [which contains the un-packaged materials, .xml files, .mi files, and .exr files] ensure to update the FBX Plug-in from step #3 as well.

5.  Preparing the model and exporting \ linking \ importing into Max

Included below is a quick process to take from Revit to Max via FBX:

•  In Revit, in a 3D View hide elements or use a section box you do not want to be included in the export.
•  The default 3D View you do this in will be included in the FBX file.
•  R >  Export > FBX, name and save file.
•  Next you want to link the file into Max.  From the File Link Manager, browse and select the FBX file to attach.  Or import under Import > Import.
•  Rendering > Render Setup > Assign Renderer > mental ray Renderer.

6.  Additional documentation

If you have access I would recommend reviewing the Autodesk University Revit® to 3ds Max® via Autodesk® FBX® documentation or screencast here.

In addition, the Revit 2011 Help Documentation has the process + tips here.

If anyone has any additional items they would like to add please leave a comment below! 

 

New Version of Revit DB Link 2011 available on Subscription Center

There is an updated version of Revit DB Link 2011 available on Subscription Center at the link below [login required]:

Subscription Center - Revit DB Link 2011-02-10

This release includes a number of performance, memory utilization and stability improvements.

With this updated version it is important to keep in mind the log files are now stored at the following location:

Vista \ Windows 7 - C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit DB Link 2011\log

Windows XP - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit DB Link 2011\log

10 Revit Server Troubleshooting Next Steps…

We have a lot of this information in a number of places but I wanted to group it in one post.  The following is a good process checklist to go through should you run into any Revit Server issues:

1.  Installation \ Prerequisites

Ensure all requirements were set during the initial installation.  There is a video documenting this process here.

2.  Initial Troubleshooting Steps

Next, ensure the following items were verified in our original troubleshooting post here.

3.  Revit Server and File & Printer Sharing Firewall Exception

Client workstations will be unable to see the Revit Server as active, which can generate an error if the Firewall is not configured properly.  Please reference our previous post for the steps to verify here.

4.  Can you manually browse?

Verify you can browse to each Revit Server from a client workstation.  Such as navigating to: 

\\<RevitServerName>\c$

5.  DNS & VPN

Verify all Revit Servers and client workstations appear on the network DNS.  Also verify if the Revit Servers are connected to the network via VPN.  I have included a discussion group thread with some additional information and links here.

6.  Verify Environment Variable is Correct

Verify the correct Revit Server name appears on the client workstation Environment Variable [under Computer properties > Advanced System Properties > Environment Variables > User Variables for %Username% > REVIT2011SERVER].

7.  Revit Server Admin

From a client workstation, make sure you can connect to the Revit Server Admin.  

For example, from Internet Explorer, browse to the following location:

http://<RevitServerName>/Revitserveradmin

8.  Ping?

Verify that the client workstation and Revit Server can ping each other by both DNS name and IP Address.

9.  Folder Permissions

Verify the Windows Security Groups for the Revit Server Cache, Projects and TempRepository folders.

All locations should contain the Creator Owner group.  If a folder does not contain this group it needs to be added in order for Revit Server to properly write files in these locations.  Verify that the Creator Owner group has full control / full access to the folder. By default configuration they are installed at C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit Server\.

10.  W3wp.exe Created & Owner

When a workstation attempts to connect to a Revit Server from inside Revit, a w3wp.exe process should be created in the Windows Task Manager on the Revit Server.  To test this, on the Revit Server end any w3wp.exe processes listed. Then have a workstation attempt to connect to Revit Server from inside Revit.

This should create a new w3wp.exe process if the workstation can communicate with the server.  Take a note of the User Name it is created under for future troubleshooting.

Project Dasher

Interesting Autodesk Research project for Revit models involving real time web-based lifecycle management…

Read more here…

Revit Server and the Firewall Exception

In addition to our previous Revit Server Troubleshooting post, I wanted to include one quick setting to verify below. 

Client workstations will be unable to see a Revit Server as active, which will generate an error message if the Firewall is not configured properly.  Error typically appears as below:

Ensure to verify and set the following Firewall Exception on each Revit Server [Central and Local]:

1.  Revit Server > Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Change Settings > Exceptions tab.

2.  Locate File and Printer Sharing.

3.  Ensure the box is checked for every instance of File and Printer Sharing.

4.  Click OK, restart Revit Server.

Even if you originally set this exception properly, make sure to double-check in order to rule out a Windows Update or Group Policy adjusting the value.