1. Revit API Techniques for Managing Building Data
Mario Guttman

2. Code Examples in C#

3. Introduction to Building Data - 1

4. Introduction to Building Data - 2
Commercial Products
Affinity (Trelligence)
Onuma Planning System
CodeBook
dRofus (Nosyko)

5. Ribbon Menu and Connection Screen for RevitDbLink Tool
Introduction to Building Data - 3
WhiteFeet RevitDbLink
Ribbon Menu and Connection Screen for RevitDbLink Tool

6. Revit API Customization
Visual Studio
Restoring Settings
Quick Select Buttons
Visual Studio
Integrated
Development
Environment (IDE)

7. Access Objects and Relationships
Structuring Data – 1 Relational Database Design
Tables
Rows and Columns
Keys
Primary
Foreign
Relationships
One-to-Many
Referential Integrity
Normalizing Data
Access Objects and Relationships

8. Relational Database
Relationship
Table
Table

9. Table Columns (Fields) Rows (Records) Room Table Room ID Type Floor
Area
10101
Office - A
Floor 01
200
20101A
Office - B
Floor 02
220
20102
30103
Kitchen
Floor 03
140
30110
Library
230
20111
Lobby
400
Rows
(Records)
Room Table

10. Primary Key Field A Primary Key Field uniquely identifies a record.
It must be:
Not Null
Unique
Room ID
Type
Floor
Area
10101
Office - A
Floor 01
200
20101A
Office - B
Floor 02
220
20102
30103
Kitchen
Floor 03
140
30110
Library
230
20111
Lobby
400
Room Table

11. Foreign Key A Foreign Key Field
Points to the Primary Key of another table.
May be Null.
May be a Primary Key.
Floor ID
Area
Floor 01
32200
Floor 02
34220
Floor 03
Room ID
Type
Floor
Area
10101
Office - A
Floor 01
200
20101A
Office - B
Floor 02
220
20102
Floor Table
Room Table

12. One-to-Many Relationship
A One-to-many Relationship is defined by a Foreign Key.
A value can only occur once on the “one” side.
A value may occur many times on the “many side.
Floor ID
Area
Floor 01
32200
Floor 02
34220
Floor 03 1 
Floor Table
Room ID
Type
Floor
Area
10101
Office - A
Floor 01
200
20101A
Office - B
220
20102
Room Table

13. Referential Integrity
Referential Integrity requires that the “one” side exist before the “many” side is used.
Changes can be cascaded from the one to the many.
Deletions can cascade, but will delete the whole record.
Floor ID
Area
Floor 01
32200
Floor 02
34220
Floor 03 1 
Room ID
Type
Floor
Area
10101
Office - A
Floor 01
200
20101A
Office - B
220
40102
Floor Table
Cannot use value “Floor 04” here.
Room Table

14. Contact Table with Office Addresses
Normalizing Data
A table is Not Normalized If it has redundant data.
Name
Office
Address
Adam Smith
Acme Construction
123 North Main St., Culver City, CA
Betty Jones
Clark Kent
Best Engineering
2100 Flagship Wy., Sacramento, CA
Contact Table with Office Addresses
The data can be Normalized by using two tables.
Name
Office
Adam Smith
Acme Construction
Betty Jones
Clark Kent
Best Engineering
Office ID
Address
Acme Construction
123 North Main St.
Culver City, CA
Best Engineering
2100 Flagship Wy.
Sacramento, CA  1
Contact Table
Office Table

15. Structuring Data - 2 Formalizing the Space Program Data From Client
Formatted visually.
Excel or hard-copy.
Program Characteristics
Room Types.
Organizational Uses.
Space Program
Type – Use Pairs.
Count each.
Space Program

16. Room List with Types and Uses
Rooms
Each room instance.
Type – Use that room.
Room List with Types and Uses

17. DATA TABLE: DOCUMENT: SPACE NEEDS READABLE FORMAT TYPE OF ROOM
UNSTRUCTURED DATA
DATA TABLE:
SPACE NEEDS
TYPE OF ROOM
WHO IS USING IT
HOW MANY OF EACH
CLIENT REQUIREMENTS
(EXCEL WORKSHEET)
SPACE PROGRAM
(ACCESS TABLE)

18. DATA TABLE: INDIVIDUAL ROOMS TYPE OF ROOM WHO IS USING IT
ROOM OBJECTS:
GEOMETRY
DATA ATTRIBUTES
ROOM LIST
(ACCESS TABLE)
BIM MODEL
(REVIT PROJECT)

19. Linking Revit to a Database - 1
Using Access and Revit
Windows Memory Space
Revit: 64-bit.
Access: 32-bit.
Connection
OLE: ACE (JET) Drivers.
COM: Interop Mode.
ACE Pass-through Service
Service
TCP-IP interface.
32-BIT
ACCESS
OLE – ACE DRIVER
SERVICE – ACE PASS-THROUGH
TCP/IP PROTOCOL
64-BIT
REVIT
ACE Pass-through Service

20. Linking Revit to a Database - 2
RevitDbLink Overview
The “Link”
The “Link” is actually a logical relationship, based on conventions in both programs.

21. Linking Revit to a Database - 3
RevitDbLink Overview
Main Menu
Synchronization Menu
The Main Menu (left) is used to select the link and query data. The results are shown on the Synchronization Menu (right), where discrepancies can be resolved.

22. Code Example 1 Working with Data Linking to a Database Access.
SQL Server.
Using Excel
Data Objects in C#
Database Tables - Named Columns
Excel Worksheet – Fields in First Row

23. CREATING A DATABASE CONNECTION
Set connection type.
Build connection string.
Create connection.

24. Make Data Objects.
Define:
Primary Key.
Update/Delete Commands.
Work with data.
Update database

25. CONNECTING TO EXCEL Define Excel objects. Link to Excel Session:
Start new session.
“Bind” to existing or start new session.

26. HIDING EXCEL APPLICATION
Define “ShowWindow” call to Windows.
Apply it to every “Excel” process
Use minimize option.

27. WORKING WITH EXCEL WORKSHEETS
Get a list of existing worksheets.
Use a Worksheet:
Existing.
New.

28. Define C# data objects.
Use the first row of the Excel worksheet to create columns in the data table.

29. For the remaining rows in Excel:
Get a row from Excel.
Make a row in the data table.
For each column in Excel:
Get the Excel value.
Set the row value.
Add the row to the data table.

30. WORKING WITH DATA IN C# Create a data table. Add columns.
Create a new row.
Work with the rows.

31. Planning Groups Derived from Space Program
Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 1
Abstracting Major Spaces
Major Planning Groups
Space Requirements
Classification
Planning Groups Derived from Space Program

32. Place Unplaced Areas Menu
Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 2
Importing Areas
Unplaced Areas
Parameters
Key Value.
Descriptive Name.
Classification
Required Area
Floor
Revit Schedule
Place Unplaced Areas Menu

33. Areas Placed as Squares and using a Planning Module
Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 3
Placing Areas
Area Boundary Lines
Shape
Squares.
Modular Rectangle.
Classification Color
Areas Placed as Squares and using a Planning Module

34. Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 4
Parti
Site Constraints
Plan Dimensions
Number of Floors
Floor Heights
Building Geometry Constraints

35. Areas Moved to Plan Locations
Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 5
Manipulating Areas
Areas Moved to Plan Locations

36. Areas Converted to Solid Forms
Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 6
Converting Areas to Solid Forms
Standard Block Shape
Area extremities.
Height, Width, Depth.
Extruded Boundary
Area boundary.
Fixed Height
Areas Converted to Solid Forms

37. Basic Area and Massing Diagram
Creating Areas and Solid Forms - 7
Basic Area and Massing Diagram

38. Solid Families Made From Areas and Rooms
Code Example 2
Making Solids
Based On
Areas.
Rooms.
Family
Standard Rectangle.
Extrusion.
Setting Material
Solid Families Made From Areas and Rooms

39. MAKING SOLID SHAPE FROM ROOM
Use an existing room.
Create a new family.
Make a new material.

40. OPTION 1: A PRE-DEFINED RECTANGULAR SOLID
Get the location and dimensions of the room.
Create a family instance.
Adjust dimensions.
Set material.

41. OPTION 2: A UNIQUE FAMILY USING AN EXTRUSION
Get room shape:
Room boundary: list of curves.
Each curve: list of segments.
Create CurveArrays.
Build CurveArrArray.

42. Create new family.
Add extrusion of CurveArrArray.
Get or make a subcategory.

43. BOTH OPTIONS: APPLY MATERIAL AND SAVE FAMILY
Apply the material to the subcategory.
Save the Family to a file.

44. BOTH OPTIONS: MAKE AN INSTANCE OF FAMILY
Load the new family:
Use the saved file.
Delete the file.
Get the family symbol.
Create a new instance:
Use family symbol.
Location (0, 0, 0).

45. BOTH OPTIONS: TRANSFER PARAMETER VALUES
Get the parameters:
Room – Source.
Family – Target.
Transfer values:
Get source value.
Convert data type.
Set target value.

46. Creating Rooms - 1

47. Creating Rooms - 2 Computing Rooms from Program Database
Rooms in Access

48. Unplaced Rooms in Revit
Creating Rooms - 3
Importing Unplaced Rooms
Unplaced Rooms in Revit

49. Rooms Placed in an Array and then Moved to the Plan
Creating Rooms - 4
Placing Rooms
Array of Squares
Tagged
Moved to Plan
Rooms Placed in an Array and then Moved to the Plan

50. Creating Rooms - 5 Validating Program with Database Discrepancy
No Database Record.
No Model Element.
Unequal Values.
Actions
No Action.
Update Model.
Update Database.
Synchronization of the Model and the Database

51. Creating Rooms - 6

52. Sized Rooms Placed and Dragged to Location
Code Example 3
Placing Elements
Based On
Areas.
Rooms.
Boundary
Area Boundary Lines
Walls
Room Separation Lines.
Parameters
Copying Values.
Classification.
Sized Rooms Placed and Dragged to Location

53. PLACING UNPLACED AREAS
Get the unplaced area.
Calculate points:
Square.
Required area.
Build a curve array of lines.

54. Construct an area boundary line:
Use the curve array.
Place new area inside boundary.
Transfer the parameter values.
Delete the unplaced area.
Tag the area.

55. PLACING UNPLACED ROOMS
Option 1: walls.
Option 2: room separator lines.
Make new room.
Delete the unplaced room.

56. Room Data Sheets Workflows
Alternative Methods
Revit
Views.
Tagged Views.
Sheets
Access
Images.
Report.
Room Data Sheets Workflows

57. Batch Process - Creating Views
Room Data Sheets - 2
Creating Room Views 2D
Crop. 3D
Section.
Visibility
Naming
Batch Process - Creating Views

58. Batch Process - Tagging Views
Room Data Sheets - 3
Tagging Rooms
Room Tag
Labels
Parameters
Batch Process - Tagging Views

59. Batch Process - Placing Views on Sheets
Room Data Sheets - 4
Placing Views on Sheets
Frame
Titles
Batch Process - Placing Views on Sheets

60. Batch Process - Exporting Images
Room Data Sheets - 5
Exporting Images
Raster Type
File Name
Batch Process - Exporting Images

61. Room Data sheet Access Report
Room Data Sheets - 6
Access Report
Data Controls
Images Controls
Control Source
Naming.
Room Data sheet Access Report

62. Cropped Room Views Made Automatically
Code Example 4
Making Views
Space Around Room
2D View
2D Crop Box.
3D View
3D Section Box.
2D Crop.
View Template
Cropped Room Views Made Automatically

63. CROPPING A 2D VIEW Use bounding box of subject element.
Create new bounding box.
Set new box size with margins.
Create a new view and apply the bounding box to it.

64. SECTIONING A 3D VIEW Create a new 3D bounding box :
Get 3D bounds of the subject element.
Create new 3D box with margins.
Make a new 3D view.
Apply the section box.

65. CROPPING A 3D VIEW IN 2D Get the room to crop to.
Get the closed shell of the room.
Get all vertices:
For each object in the shell.
For each edge in the object.
For each vertex in the edge.

66. Make the new view.
Get the inverse of the view transform.
Project all of the verticies.
Find the extreme X and Y points.

67. Create new bounding box with margin.
Add the crop box to the view.

68. SETTING UNDERLAY AND APPLYING A VIEW TEMPLATE
Set the underlay to none.
Apply a view template.

69. Color Fill Plan with Calculated Values
Color Fill Plans - 1
Flattening Relational Data
Related Tables
Room.
Room Type.
Room Type Category
Calculating Parameter Values
Math
Roll up areas.
String
Concatenate.
Color Fill Plan with Calculated Values

70. Room Data sheet Access Report
Color Fill Plans - 2 Σ
SUM ROOM AREA:
BY ROOM TYPE CATEGORY
BY FLOOR
ROOM
ROOM TYPE
ROOM TYPE
CATEGORY
DESCRIPTION
Room Data sheet Access Report

71. Color Fill Plans - 3
Math Calculation Tool

72. Signage Interactive Selection Multi-line Text Edit Specialty Equipment