Access to line-based elements?

[i_am_fail]

Does the API in Revit provide a way to access line-based elements, such as imported autocad elements?

I want to be able to select all Lines that have a certain length, for example.

Just getting a feel for what is possible in Revit API and what is not, thanks!

[jeremytammik]

Yes, the Revit API provides access to line-based elements such as walls and ducts etc., for instance via the location line property.

AutoCAD and other CAD import does not count as line-based elements, though.

The Revit API does not provide access to all the imported CAD data.

If you are new to the Revit API, I suggest the following:

If you are new to the Revit API, I would strongly suggest that you work through the Revit API getting started material first of all, especially the DevTV and My First Revit Plugin video tutorials:

http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/about-the-author.html#2

If you want to dive in deeper, go through the ADN Revit API Training Labs after that.

Then start implementing your own add-ins.

Before looking at the Revit API at all, you definitely need some understanding of Revit from an end user point of view.

It provides a huge amount of complex functionality right out of the box.

If you start programming Revit with insufficient understanding of the basic Revit end user functionality and the optimal workflows and best practices to make use of it efficiently is doomed for disaster.

Take heed, have fun, and good luck!

Cheers,

Jeremy

[i_am_fail]

Thank you so much for your reply, Jeremy

Here is the problem I anticipate users having:

User imports autocad 2D backgrounds, with everything on one layer (converted from a pdf to dwg)
The dwg background has millions of elements, he just needs to keep the ceiling HVAC diffusers.

User identifies the diffusers have a certain line length, so instead of painstakingly manually selecting them for multiple days, it could be accomplished by selecting elements with line length property greater than a certain tolerance, and lesser than a certain tolerance, then remove any artifacts, taking maybe 15 minutes instead of something like 12 work hours.

However, Revit appears to only allow selecting by category, without selecting by properties within these categories. This seems lacking considering Revit is supposedly a database of data, the data of the element properties should be accessible by now, Revit has been out a while.. What am I missing if this is not even available in the API?