New version of IFC Exporter for Revit (v2.14/v3.6) available

Update available for the Revit IFC exporters
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Just got this email from Autodesk, thought I'd share in case you downloaded the IFC exporters for Revit I posted about last June.

"You are getting this message because you downloaded a version of IFC Exporter for Revit or IFC Export Alternate UI for Revit prior to September 27, 2013. We have posted an update to the exporter only, which you can get using the links below.

NOTE: There have been reported issues with the earlier Revit 2014 exporter and UI installers. In particular, these could cause a crash on startup for users other than the user that installed the add-int. The latest versions fix this issue, and the IFC Export Alternate UI for Revit 2014 v2.5 installer has had a hotfix. If you or your company have had this issue, please make sure to update the 2014 UI also.

2013:

IFC Exporter for Revit 2013 (v2.13): *NEW*

IFC Export Alternate UI for Revit 2013 (v1.12):

2014:

IFC Exporter for Revit 2014 (v3.6): *NEW*

IFC Export Alternate UI for Revit 2014 (v2.5): *Hotfix for installer crash*

Updates from the previous versions are listed below. Please upgrade to the newest version!

(...)

What’s new for IFC Exporter for Revit v2.14/v3.6:

General

- Minor cleanup to remove extraneous arguments from some functions.

- Remove some obsolete code for old IFCDoorStyleOperation and IFCWIndowStyleOperation.

New Functionality

- Add support for Force properties (Newtons).

Bug Fixes

- Correct flow direction calculation for some connector domains, that would abort export of connector information.

- Export Authorization field in header as a null string ('$') instead of an empty string if it is not set.

- Export correct values for IfcDoor operation.

- Export internal ElementId Revit properties as IfcLabel, not IfcText.

- Export respects visibility settings of curtain panels if exporting elements in the current view.

- Fix export of some schedules with non-exportable fields that would prevent export with exporting of schedules as property sets on.

- Fix some caching issues with some parameter values.

- Protect against abort of export when trying to export some invalid systems in the Revit file.

- Set 2D representations of families to "FootPrint" representation, not "Annotation".

- Use IfcMaterial, not IfcMaterialList, if there is only 1 material in the list.

- Use IfcMaterialList, not IfcMaterialLayerUsage, for more BRep-based host objects.

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Revit 2014 Update Release 1

Available since last August an update for Revit 2014 to fix some issues
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Autodesk Released an Update for Revit 2014 that improves several features of Autodesk's main BIM Authoring Tool:

• Allows Stairs, Railings and Wall Sweeps to be individual entities when exporting to FBX format.
• Improves data integrity of projects which contain RPC elements when exporting to FBX format.
• Improves categorization of parts when exported to FBX format.
• Improves performance when utilizing Render in Cloud functionality.
• Improves appearance of material textures when Rendering in Cloud.
• Improves graphics integrity of linked models when Rendering in Cloud.
• Allows Point Clouds to be visible when unchecking “Show Imported Categories in this View” display option.
• Maintains display order of filled regions which overlap solid hatches in projects that are upgraded to the Revit 2014 format.
• Corrects visual fidelity of objects in printed output which show as “Thin Lines” in drawing canvas.
• Improves consistency of displaying revisions within schedules.
• Improves data consistency of keynote legend when un-checking ‘Filter by Sheet’.
• Allows schedule footer text to follow column alignment.
• Improves stability when pasting elements between two Generic Model adaptive families.
• Improves stability when exporting project to Navisworks 2014.
• Improves stability during the loading of a family when utilizing either “Delete Element” or “Delete Type” option.
• Improves stability when placing details.Improves stability when a crop region is moved while the disjoin option is enabled.
• Improves data integrity during “Save As”.
• Improves stability when creating form elements.
• Improves stability when exiting Revit.
• Improves stability when printing Elevation and Detail views.
• Improves stability while editing groups.
• Improves stability when adjusting the elevation value of Levels.
• Improves stability when navigating in a project which contains linked point clouds.
• Improves stability when using the type selector within the properties palette.
• Improves stability when editing the layout of a schedule.
• Improves stability when adding a schedule to a sheet which has an active view.
• Improves stability when upgrading previous release projects.
• Improves stability when place a view on sheet.

To download the Update go to the following links:

• Revit 2014
• Revit Architecture 2014
• Revit Structure 2014
• Revit MEP 2014

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Revit: Changing Family Type

How to change a family type? Easy and simple.
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Last week I needed to change a family from window type to door type. Why? Well, I had a door to model that actually looks like a window, but I needed to report it as a door on schedules. So I basically wanted to reuse a window family, and was wondering how to change the family type. I got the answer through revit forum on this thread.

The steps are very simple. You just need to open the family file, either by browsing to where you have it stored or by using the Edit Family function from a project when you have that family selected.

Once you are have the family file open, simply click on Family Category and Parameters on the Ribbon.

Here you will be able to see the family type and change it.

Once you've done that, you can reload the family in the project. Now, you will be able to insert it as the new family type you have set.

Easy and simple.
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Revit: Calculating and Scheduling Gross Wall Area

Revit wall area is incorrect if you want it including the openings area. This add in allows you to get the gross area (including openings) correct.
Català - Castellano - Deutsch
The way Revit calculates wall areas that have openings (doors, windows, etc) in them is by giving you the wall area minus the opening area. While this might be of some use, if actually you need to get accurate quantities I doubt this will do. The way the areas of the walls should be quantified according to, at least, our local standards is by including the opening areas that are below certain sq meters. Revit can't give you that by default (as far as I know) it just gives you the wall area minus the openings, see the example:

We need to be able to schedule the area of those openings (hello Autodesk??). Recently found an Addin, that allows to do that. It is called AutodeskWallOpeningArea (updated link)and gives you the chance to get this done right. After downloading it and installing it (simply run the .msi file) you will have a new button on your Add-ins tab in the Revit Ribon:

Once installed, simply go to a 3D view and click on the button. It will add 2 shared parameters on your wall families that will account for the openings Area.

The results you get are divided according to an area value you can set. All the openings below that Maximum value are stored as Opening Area Smaller Max, and the total openings area are added to the Opening Area Parameter. Now, you can schedule this parameters and get the Gross area of the wall by playing with calculated parameters. In this case I simply Added wall Ara + Opening Area to get the Gross Total that would be used on a project estimate.

Problems and limitations:

1. The parameters are not dynamically updated, which means that the command must be executed in order to updated the parameter value. Is is a major problem, actually and goes completelya gains the BIM approach of an integrated database, let's be serious, this sucks badly.
2. The Addin must be executed from a 3D view with all relevant elements (walls, doors, windows, openings, etc) visible. Second Major HUGE flaw.

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