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New CSI Keynotes

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Message 1 of 6
bward
2224 Views, 5 Replies

New CSI Keynotes

AutoCad Architecture 2008 has the new CSI numbering in .mdb format however, Revit Architecture 2008 does not have the new CSI numbering in .txt format. Is there a way to convert the Microsoft Access database in AutoCad into a Text file that Revit can read?
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Message 2 of 6
Anonymous
in reply to: bward

What you asked should be doable if you have both products. So I tried it
out! I tried this experiment:

I just opened both the keynote databases in Excel:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\ACD-A
2008\enu\Details\Details (US)\AecKeynotes (US).mdb
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\RAC
2008\Imperial Library\RevitKeynotes_Imperial.txt

To open the ACA (ADT) one, you first need to open in Access and export the
Keynotes:Table to an XLS file.

The format for the RAC one is: Key, Note, Parent Group. For the ACA one, it
is ID, Parent Group, Key, Note, Modified

Revit does not need the ID or Modified fields, so I deleted those. Next
reorganize the columns so they are in the Revit format of Key, Note, Parent
Group.

Now the real work. The Parent Group in ACA has a number and description. So
you have to get clever in Excel to strip those out. There are 4976 entries
in the ACA keynote database. These are the actual keynotes, since the Parent
Group column lists the parent differently than Revit. In the Revit file,
there are entries in the main list for parent groups as well, which makes
this task tricky. So, I got lazy here and only did a small sample which I
attached. If you wish to follow the process outlined above, I have included
the XLS file exported from ACA up to the point of deleting and moving the
columns.

In the sample file I did just the first 100 or so notes from these groups:

01 53 00 Temporary Construction
02 41 00 Demolition
02 81 00 Transportation and Disposal of Hazardous Materials
03 15 00 Concrete Accessories
03 21 00 Reinforcing Steel
03 22 00 Welded Wire Fabric Reinforcing


Basically, you copy one of each of these items to the top of the list. Then
cut the description out and paste it to column B leaving the key number in
column A. Put nothing in column C for these major groupings. Then do a
search and replace in column C for the descriptions and remove them leaving
just the numbers. If I really wanted to think about this and spend some
time, I am sure there is a way to do this a little more automated and
programatically in Excel. I just used copy and paste for this quicky
demonstration and to be sure it would work.

Finally, save the file as a TXT file, open Revit and test the baby out.
Seemed to work OK for me. I tested really quickly in a new project. Open
Settings > Keynoting and point to the new file. I just drew some basic stuff
and keynoted it from the notes I converted in the sample attached (PNG - the
project file was too big to post) and of
course the notes do not make sense for geometry provided, but it is just an
example. I leave the heavy lifting to you (and anyone else reading this...
:-)

Enjoy!


--
paul

Paul F. Aubin

Paul F. Aubin Consulting Services
paubin@paulaubin.com

Current book editions, available now:
Mastering Autodesk Revit Building - Mastering Revit Architecture coming
soon!
Mastering Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2007 - Mastering AutoCAD
Architecture coming soon!
Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2007: An Advanced Implementation Guide
(Second Edition)
Mastering VIZ Render 2006 - A resource for Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users
Message 3 of 6
tom
in reply to: bward

Paul,

Interesting exercise you performed, but the real question here is why should 100 - 200k users have to go through or attempt to implement what you described.... I know that I for one don't have the time this year or next or next. We're evaluating whether to 'jump' to Revit and last I checked, spec integration / coordination is a BIM advantage over 2d cad, and I'm surprised to learn that Revit is using 1997 spec info when the updates to Masterformat is 2004 and we're currently looking at a Revit 2008 product ... that uses 1997 spec coordination? And, why doesn't one Revit programer do the work for 100k - 200k users instead of each on of those users doing the work?

PS... when is your Revit Architecture 2008 book going to hit the streets, cause I would like to buy it know to help with our implementation!

Thanks,

Tom
Message 4 of 6
Anonymous
in reply to: bward

Hello Tom:

I really can't speak for Autodesk regarding their choice of priorities on
this item. I am simply trying to offer a solution where I can. Like any
release cycle, I suspect it is a matter of priorities. Given the very robust
list of enhancements that were completed in the 2008 edition, I am inclined
to cut them a little slack on the keynote item. Afterall, the CSI 2004
keynotes only just found their way into ADT (ACA) this release.

It is important to realize that having the more up to date keynote database
is only a small part of the complete solution. One still needs to assign the
keynotes to all of the content used in a project (or better, it would be
nice to have it pre-assigned in the items that ship in the library) and then
their needs to be some tool to export the data to. (there are products like
eSpecs and I think Timberline has something) When it comes to
specifications, Revit offers the potential. To realize the potential, there
is still some heavy lifting to do.

I am working on the update to Mastering Revit 2008 and hope to be finished
very soon. The publisher is predicting an early Fall release. I will keep
the group posted. Thanks for asking.


--
paul

Paul F. Aubin

Paul F. Aubin Consulting Services
paubin@paulaubin.com

Current book editions, available now:
Mastering Autodesk Revit Building - Mastering Revit Architecture coming
soon!
Mastering Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2007 - Mastering AutoCAD
Architecture coming soon!
Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2007: An Advanced Implementation Guide
(Second Edition)
Mastering VIZ Render 2006 - A resource for Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users
Message 5 of 6
bward
in reply to: bward

Thanks for the advice. I have gotten it to work, except for the heavy lifting part. It may be easier to start from scratch and wait for Autodesk to get on the ball. If anyone with Autodesk is listening, 2004 CSI KEYNOTES FOR REVIT 2009.
Message 6 of 6
Anonymous
in reply to: bward

Attached is a copy of 2004 CSI Keynote txt file that downloaded a couple of
months back. You will have to probably tweak it. But atleast it is a start.

wrote in message news:5681833@discussion.autodesk.com...
Thanks for the advice. I have gotten it to work, except for the heavy
lifting part. It may be easier to start from scratch and wait for Autodesk
to get on the ball. If anyone with Autodesk is listening, 2004 CSI KEYNOTES
FOR REVIT 2009.

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