The Revit Clinic

Quick Tip: Revit Extensions Error Message

You attempt to launch or utilize the Revit 2011 Extensions, and you receive an error message similar to below:

Extensions Error Report, Extensions encountered a problem.  This error occurred on : AREX

This error message should be resolved with the updated Extensions release as part of the 2011 Subscription Advantage Pack.

If you have not already, I would recommend logging into Subscription Center, and downloading & installing the Subscription Advantage Pack and updated Revit 2011 Extensions.

Revit Server Troubleshooting

With the addition of Revit Server in the Revit 2011 Subscription Advantage Pack, you might encounter some instances where you need to do some troubleshooting on the server.   For example, if you are getting something like this when you attempt to connect to the Server:

 

To troubleshoot something like this, I’ve put together a couple of steps to make sure that the Revit Server is setup correctly, where log files are stored and what to do to bring the server down .

1. The first thing to check is to verify and make sure that all the pre-requisites are properly installed.  Check out this video for the steps to setup IIS7.
   
   One of the easiest pre-requisites to miss is "Web Server (IIS) Support".  Make sure if you see that as an option to select when adding roles to the Server, that you check it (or it is already).  What is possibly confusing here is that there is a difference between the “Web Server (IIS)” role and the “Web Server (IIS) support” role service.  Revit server needs the role service, but there is a temptation to choose the role because it is available on the same page as the Application Server role and sounds so similar. 
   
   Local and Central Servers need the same pre-requisites for Revit Server.  Make sure they both are setup correctly.  
   
   
2. Revit Server also stores log files on the Server.  The log files are stored typically at C:\logfiles.  These log files can be helpful in understanding what is happening and if the server is running correctly and Support may ask you for them if you report a problem.
    
3. Along the way, you may need to bring the server down for maintenance, gathering log files or for other troubleshooting.  Bringing down the server allows you to delete or archive the existing log files so that new logs are created.  Before bringing down the server, if you have already setup a project, make sure to lock the server in the Revit Server Administrator so that no one can access it.  Bringing down the server means doing three things (the order is not important) :  
   • Go to the Start Menu and go to Administrative Tools, open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.  Select the RevitServerAppPool and in the sidebar select Stop. 
   • Go to Administrative Tools and select Services.  Shut down the AutoSync Service in Service by right clicking on it and choose stop.
   • Bring up the Task Manager and switch to the processes tab.  Check for any instances of w3wp.exe in the system process list and end those tasks. 
4. When you are ready to start Revit Server back up, go back to number 3 above and reverse the first two items by starting the RevitServerAppPool and starting the Autosync Service.

You can also verify from the Server if the running by attempting to access the Revit Server Administrator tool from the Server host.  Navigate to Revit Server Administrator the same way you would from a workstation.  This will help check if the Server is running correctly, but perhaps a firewall is in the way from the workstations.  

The biggest item in this list is number 1.  Making sure you have all the pre-requisites installed correctly is uber critical to getting Revit Server up and running correctly. 

Unable to Delete projects from Conceptual Energy Analysis

I've run into this problem a few times myself as I have been playing with the new Conceptual Energy Analysis tool as part of the Subscription Advantage Pack for Revit 2011.  The delete button is grayed out and not selectable for projects in the Results and Compare dialog box.

Conceptual Energy Analysis stores project in the cloud, but also on your computer. 

On Windows 7 or Vista:

C:\Users\%username%\Appdata\local\Autodesk\Revit\<Autodesk Revit Version>\CEA\DB

On Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\<Autodesk Revit Version>\CEA\DB

Within those folders there will be a folder for each project you have submitted.  I've found that sometimes the read only flag gets set on those folders (randomly it seems). 

To delete the projects you want to remove from the dialog, shutdown Revit and navigate to the folder above for your OS and delete the project folder and then launch Revit again, the project should be removed. 

I'd be intersted in hearing if anyone else is encountering this issue, let me know in the comments. 

Revit Wiki Help

You may have seen this already over at Robert Mana's blog, don't think: Do Revit, but I wanted to mention it here as well. 

We now have wiki help for Revit Server.  The wiki help is available at http://wikihelp.autodesk.com .

We have the Revit Server Adminstrator Guide, and the Revit Server Installation Guide for Revit Server.

In the wiki help, you can rate, enhance, or modify the entries. You can add videos, tutorials, comments, tags, tips, instructions, and links as well.

Our documentation team is very interested in seeing how you interact with the wiki and add content.  I think it is a great way to help out other users. Check out the information. 

Do you think you will add anything?  I'd love to hear your thoughts about the Revit wiki help, comment away! 

10 Things to Know About Revit Server

There seems to be a lot of questions and excitement about the new Revit Server extension out there.  Today, I'd like to talk about some of the differences between using Revit Server and using the typical file based worksharing method. 

Here are 10 things that are different about Revit Server.  I'd love to hear what you think of these.   

1. Creating Local files - The only way to create a local file from a Central model on Revit Server, is through the Revit open dialog.  You cannot create a local file using Windows Explorer or any other way other than the check box to create new local.  This means that any scripts you have for copying a central file to create a local file will not work with Revit Server.
2. Editing Request - With a project using Revit Server, the Editing Request button is grayed out and not available. 
3. Worksharing Monitor - With Revit Server, in part because editing requests are not available, the worksharing monitor will not function to give you notications about the model.  To handle times when you would normally place a editing request, you can use a Instant Messaging Application to communicate with others on the project. 
4. Working at Risk - Otherwise known as taking a local file home and working on it and being able to bring in back and syncing with center, is not fesible with a Revit Server project.
5. Thumbnails of the Central Model - When you are creating a local model or opening the central model from Revit Server, thumbnail previews are not available for the file. 
6. No right click in the open dialog for the Revit Server - Unlike the normal open dialog in Revit, you will not be able to right click within the Revit Server window.  Also, the meta data available on a central model in Revit Server is limited to only the Name, Type, and Date of the file. 
7. Folder Management must be done with the Revit Server Adminstrator - You must use the adminstrator to create new folders, move or copy/cut/paste projects for Revit Server.  These options are not available via the open dialog in Revit.
8. Overwriting the Central model - Perviously it was possible to save over a central file using the same name, with Revit Server, this is not possible.  You must save the central model with a new name or delete or rename the orignal central model. 
9. Recent Files List - Only Local files will appear on the Recently used files list for Revit.  Central models will not appear. 
10. Restore Backups of Central - You cannot roll back to  a backup of the Central file using the Restore backups tool within Revit.  Local files can be rolled back to a previously saved version, but Central Models cannot.   

Revit Server worksharing is about sharing models across a WAN with mutliple offices.  Typical file based worksharing is still available for use if you feel it is the right option for you. 

To get a better idea about Revit Server, check out this video:

 

Subscription Advantage Pack for Revit 2011

If you haven't heard it already, the Subscription Advantage Packs for Revit 2011 products are available on the Subscription Center.

The Revit 2011 Subscription Advantage Pack enhances the building information modeling (BIM) process with tools that support early-stage conceptual energy analysis for sustainable design, collaboration within geographically dispersed teams, and design productivity.

The tools are for Subscription customer only and give you early access to new tools. 

 

The Conceptual Energy Analysis tool gives users the ability to evaluate design options side-by-side based on reports that compare energy use, lifecycle costs, and breakdowns of consumption and loads. This tool is available for Revit Architecture and Revit MEP 2011.

The Revit Server Extension, for all three Revit products, enables users to work more effectively as a single project team over a distributed wide area network (WAN) with higher performance and efficiency by maintaining a seamlessly integrated collection of Revit central models on a single server that team members can access from local servers.

 

The Revit Extensions have also received an update.  Revit Architecture now has access to the Frame Generator.  Revit Structure gets a number of new extensions including Floor Vibration Analysis, Gravity Column Analysis, and the ability to import or export the SDNF file format.  All the products get updates to the existing extensions as well. 

I wanted to make sure to give you some  great resources for additional information about the Subscription Advantage Pack as well. 

First, check the download information and some overview videos for each product:

• Revit Architecture
• Revit Structure
• Revit MEP

Next, check out the online tutorials available for the Conceptual Energy Analysis.  Our good friends on the documentation team created some very good videos walking through the functionality.

Last, but not least, check out the Support Subscription Advantage for Revit 2011 videos.

In the Support videos, I walk through setting up Revit Server and in the videos about Conceptual Energy Analysis, give some additional details about using Green Building Studio along side the tools within Revit. 

Check out all the resources.  I'd love to hear your comments and feedback about the Support videos.    

Worksharing Monitor does not show any worksharing enabled projects open

Often if Revit doesn’t close properly it can leave an abnormal record in the Worksharing Log file which the Monitor utilizes.  This can cause an issue with the project being displayed improperly on the list, incorrect usernames listed in the file, or Critical file unavailable messages:

 

You can typically resolve this issue through the following steps:

1.  Close Revit [any users in the project should close while the steps below are followed].

2.  There is a Worksharing Log file [with a .slog extension] in the central file backup folder, located in the same folder as the central file.

3.  Open the backup folder, and also take note to see if there are any .bak files in there with the .slog.

4.  While Revit is closed, temporarily move the .slog & .bak files to the Windows Desktop.  This will force Revit to create a clean Worksharing Log when the central file is accessed again.

5.  Launch Revit, and then launch the Worksharing Monitor.

If you go through the process above, and the issue persists, there could be a potential file lock linger on the Revit project.  I would recommend following the steps in our previous posts here.

I hope this helps!

Revit 2011 and DB Link for 64 bit

The other day I helped out with the Q and A portion of a webcast by Amy Fietkau (of Ask Amy) on the Revit DB link extension that is available on the Subscription Center. 

The DB Link tool is a great little add on for Revit products that allows you to connect your Revit model to a external database. 

The most common questions that I have seen are about setting up the database and 64 bit Operating Systems.  It can be a little tricky if your not a regular database user (I fall into this group!).  There were a lot of great questions and a few good tips during the webcast so I want to make sure to get some of them out there and hope they help you use the tool. 

If your interested in what the tool can do, you should check out two videos that Inside the Factory put together.  They show what you can use the tool to do with Revit. 

Revit as a Database

Revit as a Database Part 2

One of the questions I hear a lot is “What about using Revit DB Link with a 64 bit OS?”

I’d have to say that Revit DB link works the easiest with a 32 bit OS.  A 64 bit OS can be used, but there are some things that will make it trickier and a little bit more trial and error will be needed.  If you are using Office 2010 it makes it a little bit easier, but not fool proof. 

The issue is that until Office 2010 came out, Microsoft did not provide the 64 bit ODBC drivers needed to connect to a Access Database or to Excel.  You had to use a different database, like SQL Express, to connect to it.

With the release of Office 2010, they released the drivers needed to connect ODBC with Access and Excel.  If you don’t have Office 2010, you still can download and install the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable so that you should be able to setup the connection.  I actually haven’t tried this download myself yet though.  

Even with Office 2010 installed, you will have to setup a ODBC connection (the MS Access Tab in the DB Link tool will be blank) in order to connect to a data source.  I ran across a good blog post the other day that walks through the setup.

Update on DB Link – using 64 bit ODBC drivers

If you want to use SQL Server as your connection, I was able to find another blog post (its in French, but can be translated) that explains the setup process pretty well. 

Tools Q3: RDBlink 

I’ve been messing around with SQL Express 2008 and the key for me has been making sure that I was using SQL Server Management Studio.  Having Management Studio made all the difference for making the connection and setting it up (without it, I was quite literally stuck). 

Last, but not least, a quick troubleshooting tip you can use when trying to work out a problem with exporting or editing/importing via the DB link tool is to see if you can export your model via the ODBC export option in the Application Menu.  This can help boil it down a little bit and see if the problem is with Revit or the ODBC connection. 

I’d be interested in hearing about your experiences with the Revit DB Link tool and why you have used it, so please submit your comments. 

Documentation for the Revit Extensions for Revit Structure

As a Subscription Customer you have access to some additional Revit tools and documentation; in this post I'm referring to the Revit Extensions for Revit Structure. I've seen quite a few customers with two main issues: where to find them and how to use them.

First, where to find them:

1. You'll need to log into your Subscription Account at http://www.autodesk.com/subscriptionlogin.
2. Once logged in, click the Downloads link on the left viewing pane.
3. Then click Product Enhancements to see the available tools for your account.
   
   
   

Now that you have the tools installed, how do you use them? I've organized a couple of key places where you can find more information about the Revit Structure Extensions for Revit:

• Extensions4Revit: http://www.extensions4revit.com/n/e4r 
  
• The Extensions for Revit section of BIM & BEAM, a blog written by Autodesk Employees Wai Chu, Nicolas Magnon, and Brian Haines: http://bimandbeam.typepad.com/bim_beam/extensions_for_revit/
  
• Autodesk University Online Class Materials: http://au.autodesk.com. If you log in and go to the Online Classes tab, you can search for the Keyword Extension in the Structural Design and Engineering track to see a list of the courses available. There are quite a few, for example: Maximize the Use of Autodesk Revit Structure Extensions and Concrete Reinforcement with Autodesk Revit Structure and Robot Structural Analysis.
  
  
  
  
  
• And lastly, within the Extension tool itself. You can right click on any Extension tool and select Info for more information on how it works.
  
  
  

I hope this information helps! Please feel free to share any other good places you've found as well!

For more information on the Subscription program, you can take a look at one of Harlan's previous posts, The Power of Subscription.

Extensions and Utilities for Revit 2011 subscription users

I am pleased to say that a number of Revit 2011 extensions and utilities are available for download from the subscription center for those customers.  www.autodesk.com/subscriptionlogin

Here is what is available:

ALL (Architecture, MEP, and Structure):

• Autodesk Revit DB Link 2011 
• Autodesk Revit Model Review 2011   
• Worksharing Monitor for Autodesk Revit 2011 
• Batch Print for Autodesk Revit 2011   
• Globe Link for Autodesk Revit 2011  

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011:

• Revit Extensions for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 

Autodesk Revit MEP 2011:

• Revit Extensions for Autodesk Revit MEP 2011  
• Space Naming Utility for Autodesk Revit MEP 2011

Autodesk Revit Structure 2011:

• Revit Extensions for Autodesk Revit Structure 2011  

I've downloaded them all already, but I highly recommend the worksharing monitor to everyone that can get it.  It is a great tool for workshared projects.