Indexing pcg for Revit 2013

[surveys]

We scan buildings and build models in revit.  In 2012 we indexed .fls files in Autocad then opened them in Revit (due to the scaling problems encountered in revits own indexing)

With 2013, we would like to do the same especially as Autocad has a batch indexer (revit does not for some reason), but revit 2013 does not seem to import .pcg files indexed in autocad 2013, it says the file is incompaitable or corrupt which is strange as they open in Autocad 2013.

I would like to ask autodesk is there a way around this, or is this something you are aware of?

[Lance.Coffey]

Are you able to continue using the 2012 version of AutoCAD to index PCG files for the 2013 version of Revit?

[JasonMCD]

Any update on this issue? I am also having problems with PCGs indexed in AutoCAD MEP. Being that Revit 2013 doesnt support batch indexing (and the fact that I am using a software add-in for modeling struct/arch components in AutoCAD), my workflow would prefer AutoCAD2013 to be used for the indexing --> then the PCGs to be brought into Revit 2013MEP.

[philip-ecs]

Lance,

I don't think the issues is weather or not they can index the PCG files, but they are wanting to use the batch indexer inside AutoCAD 2013.

I second that notion. However the PCG files that AutoCAD 2013 creats are larger than the PCG files that Revit creates. No mater what the settings are in the AutoCAD 2013 dialog box, the result is still the same... incompatible PCGs for Revit.

It would be great to have a batch converter for raw scan files that works for Revit.

Thanks!

Philip

[Lance.Coffey]

The point cloud indexer for AutoCAD was updated in the 2013 version, and as a result point clouds indexed by the 2013 version of AutoCAD are not compatible with Revit.

The following forum thread has information on getting lower level access to the Revit point cloud indexer. You might be able to use this to automate some of the indexing:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Revit-Architecture/Batch-PCG-Creation-using-Autodesk-Point-Cl...

You can also use the following link to submit a feature request to our developers regarding an option to batch index point clouds within Revit:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=1109794

[cchammer]

Boy Autodesk, you guys have to inform us of these types of changes so we don't end up wasting time trying something we always have, only to find out you've taken the function away.....

[philip-ecs]

FYI - 2014 changes everything again! New file format for point files and a new tool to use to create them:

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2014/Help/0000-New_in_R0

"[Revit 2014] Point cloud enhancements: A new point cloud engine allows you to link RCP and RCS format point clouds into a project. The Point cloud tool can also be used to index raw format point clouds to the RCP/RCS formats. New visibility and graphics override options allow you to control the color mode for the point cloud display. See Inserting a Point Cloud File and Changing the Color Mode for a Point Cloud. For pre-2014 models that include linked PCG format point cloud files, see this important upgrade procedure: Upgrading a Revit Model with Linked Point Clouds."

New software to process points: ReCap

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=21350337&siteID=123112