Export to DWG setup .txt file

[cjn01]

How do you extract an Export to DWG setup .txt file from a Revit project model?

[LisaDrago]

Well - I found here you can export it... Look under Export>Options>Export Setups DWG/DXF. I have attached an image for reference.

The problem is... I don't have a clue where it puts it! I have been searching but cannot find it...

So I think I may have solved half your problem...

LD

[lanl · Accepted solution]

Hi cjn01,

Now in Revit, you can't export the DWG Layer export setting to a txt file. The setting is stored in the project file.

If you want to use the export setup of a project in other projects, you have to use "Transfer Project Standards", check "DWG/DXF Export Setup Settings" category to transfer the settings from one project to another.

Thanks.

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If my post answers your question, please click the "Accept as Solution" button. This helps everyone find answers more quickly!

[David_W_Koch]

They removed the ability to export the settings to a text file, although you can still import from a previously exported text file.  You may want to create a new project, purge everything you can from it, and then use that file to hold your different export set ups (using Transfer Project Standards to get them into that file and back out into other files), assuming you have more than one set up and that you do not want to keep them all in the template file.

[bscott58D]

The export .txt is can be found on your computer under: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 2013.  I didnt realize your couldnt export the settings to a .txt file anymore.  As soon as I change the settings and then reopen the default layers are back.  Maybe Im missing sometin but if not WTH Autodesk?!  

I hate editing stuff for Revit/ CAD in .txt files with the biggest example being key notes.  Sure you can go buy a plugin and things are snap, but if a company spends 80k a year on Autodesk products you would think simple functionality would be at the core of the program.  Dont even get me started on legend components!!!!  Sometimes I wonder what the developers at Autodesk are thinking and if their CAD and Revit development teams talk to each other?  Dealing with Autodesk is such a love hate relationship!

[nedmcknight]

So I've tried using the 'Transfer Project Standards' method, but it says that there are "no open projects" even though I'm in the project with the export settings that I would like to move to another Revit project. I have been searching high and low for answers, but so far have found nothing that works.

The export dialogue attachment method shown earlier in a previous post works right up until the end. At that point the actual export from Revit is either not made or it is sent off into the abyss, lost forever in a sea of folders buried deep in your 'C' Drive. What kind of file is made? Where does it live? If I knew what I was looking for, I could find it.

Can anyone help here? Or is this another example of glitchy Revit software?

Thanks.

[bscott58D]

My suggestion is to bring the settings back out of Revit (avoid transfer project standards) by way of modifing the .txt file.  Instead of dealing with a work around and having to keep a seperate .rvt for each clients .dwg settings, you should understand HOW Revit functions IMHO.

I basically used the export settings dialog as a road map as a guide for what to add to the .txt.  It took a little practice to ensure the .txt was set up correctly but once you get the hang of it, its very intuative.  Too bad Autodesk doesnt all you to just export the settings from Revit striaght to a custom .txt as was previously an option (prior to R12 I think) HINT HINT Autodesk!

Keep in mind that you'll likely want to have an image of the CAD color settings handy too so that you can set those when you add the lines of text in the .txt.  I hope that makes sense?  If not here are some screen shots.

I tend to ramble with writing so Ive included a PDF of the process to help.  Let me know if you still have questions.

[Zhanhao]

post to a wrong position soory.

[A00807790]

Thanks! This worked flawlessly!

AE

[Josh.Bennett82]

Hey...I know this post is almost a year old, however I am in the process of trying to do this for our company, but your method seems to not be working for me 😞 

For a quick test, I tried taking the default AIA standard export TXT file and loading that directly, and it still had the same problem that I will show you in screen shots here.

AIA Standards loaded.png

Instead of loading the AIA standards in the normal method, I found the TXT file from my system that this is supposedly using and loaded that in to see what it would do. As you can see, instead of creating the layer names I would expect to see such as A-CLNG, A-COLS, etc... I'm seeing simply Ceilings, Columns.. basically just the category name being set as the layer name. Also loading this made the number for Color ID disappear, which obviously is a problem 🙂

Also attached is the AIA standard TXT that I loaded so that you have a reference for how it was formatted, and it appears to match the format of your PDF that you posted.

Please help! If the default layer export profile TXT doesn't work, how can I expect one that I laboriously edit to match our standards to work? Thanks!

For Reference, I am working currently in Revit MEP 2014 and Revit MEP 2015. I have tried it in both versions. I will try now in 2013.

[bscott58D]

give me a call monday and Ill help. 619-972-7382

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[tony.crawford]

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@bscott58D wrote:

My suggestion is to bring the settings back out of Revit (avoid transfer project standards) by way of modifing the .txt file.  Instead of dealing with a work around and having to keep a seperate .rvt for each clients .dwg settings, you should understand HOW Revit functions IMHO.

I basically used the export settings dialog as a road map as a guide for what to add to the .txt.  It took a little practice to ensure the .txt was set up correctly but once you get the hang of it, its very intuative.  Too bad Autodesk doesnt all you to just export the settings from Revit striaght to a custom .txt as was previously an option (prior to R12 I think) HINT HINT Autodesk!

Keep in mind that you'll likely want to have an image of the CAD color settings handy too so that you can set those when you add the lines of text in the .txt.  I hope that makes sense?  If not here are some screen shots.

I tend to ramble with writing so Ive included a PDF of the process to help.  Let me know if you still have questions.

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Hi B. Scott:

Thanks for posting the info on this! I've been trying to modify and export/import layer settings for exporting from Revit to ACAD.

I'm looking at the PDF you posted with steps.  At step #3 you have "Create your new .dwg export settings file and save it to your network",.. and step #4 is to open the "...txt file you just created."

Where is the option to save the settings as a text file?  I havn't been able to find that option since Revit 2011.

I would Love, love to do that,.. but I simply cannot find it.  I can locate the autodesk-supplied text files (at least through Revit 2013/2014 they are here C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 2014) but I can't find a way to save a NEW text file with MY layer mappings.

If you could point me to where I can save the settings as a text file I would be most grateful.

Thanks!

[Josh.Bennett82]

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Hi B. Scott:

Thanks for posting the info on this! I've been trying to modify and export/import layer settings for exporting from Revit to ACAD.

I'm looking at the PDF you posted with steps.  At step #3 you have "Create your new .dwg export settings file and save it to your network",.. and step #4 is to open the "...txt file you just created."

Where is the option to save the settings as a text file?  I havn't been able to find that option since Revit 2011.

I would Love, love to do that,.. but I simply cannot find it.  I can locate the autodesk-supplied text files (at least through Revit 2013/2014 they are here C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 2014) but I can't find a way to save a NEW text file with MY layer mappings.

If you could point me to where I can save the settings as a text file I would be most grateful.

Thanks!

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Hi Tony, I have been playing around with our DWG export setups as well as speaking with bscott on the side, so I may have some insight for you as well. In my investigations, Revit 2011 was the last release in which they allowed for exporting this setup to a TXT file. I believe that I may have discovered the reason for this: In Revit 2012 and beyond, there is additional settings on each line which allow you to add modifiers to the exported layer names.  The 2 attached images show what I am talking about.

When I was diving into my system to see if I could manage to find the TXT files that Revit was using for the default export profiles, I discovered that the Modifier settings (the ones that determine what your modifiers are going to add to the layer name) are not included in the TXT file, and I was unable to find any way for these areas to be populated by any imported TXT file, since these are looking at actual revit object status.

If you see the TXT file that I have attached, this is the default AIA export profile that was located in my program files for Revit. As you can see when you compare the editable fields in the TXT to what fields you can edit within the Revit menu interface, they are clearly not the same. The only fields that can be edited by TXT import are object categories, any modifiers or modifier settings that you wish to add must be done within the Revit interface.

If bscott has found something different than me, I would also love to see if he has come up with a solution 🙂 For now, I will continue to edit all my DWG Export profiles within client standard revit templates.

Long story short: If you wish to edit at least the Layer mappings using a TXT file, you can take the one you found in your system and save as to another location, but the modifier settings will still have to be done within Revit.

Hope this helps!

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

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jbennett wrote:

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 In my investigations, Revit 2011 was the last release in which they allowed for exporting this setup to a TXT file. I believe that I may have discovered the reason for this: In Revit 2012 and beyond, there is additional settings on each line which allow you to add modifiers to the exported layer names.  The 2 attached images show what I am talking about.

This is correct, the addition of the layer modifiers is when/why the method of exporting layer setups as TXT files was no longer supported.

The workflow now would be to create multiple setups in a template file OR create multiple template files with the individual setups.  If one setup from one template is needed in another template or project the transfer project standards tool allows you to transfer export setups from one file to another.

[Josh.Bennett82]

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@loboarch wrote:

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@jbennett wrote:

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 In my investigations, Revit 2011 was the last release in which they allowed for exporting this setup to a TXT file. I believe that I may have discovered the reason for this: In Revit 2012 and beyond, there is additional settings on each line which allow you to add modifiers to the exported layer names.  The 2 attached images show what I am talking about.

This is correct, the addition of the layer modifiers is when/why the method of exporting layer setups as TXT files was no longer supported.

The workflow now would be to create multiple setups in a template file OR create multiple template files with the individual setups.  If one setup from one template is needed in another template or project the transfer project standards tool allows you to transfer export setups from one file to another.

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Thanks for responding and confirming this discovery loboarch! I have an additional question for you: We currently use nested annotation families on our Electrical family content for plan representation. When I am trying to produce a DWG export profile that uses Phase Status as a Layer modifier tacked onto the end of the new layer name, it works for regular Model categories...however because a majority of our content is using Annotation nested families, these are unable to use Phase Status as a modifier... so the result is that all of these objects do not successfully export with Demo or Existing as a layer modifier. Is there a workaround for this? Or do I need to request from Autodesk the ability to use phase status as a modifier on annotation categories? See attached screen shots for more detail on what I am talking about 🙂

Thanks for your help.

[loboarch]

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@jbennett wrote:

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@loboarch wrote:

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@jbennett wrote:

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Thanks for responding and confirming this discovery loboarch! I have an additional question for you: We currently use nested annotation families on our Electrical family content for plan representation. When I am trying to produce a DWG export profile that uses Phase Status as a Layer modifier tacked onto the end of the new layer name, it works for regular Model categories...however because a majority of our content is using Annotation nested families, these are unable to use Phase Status as a modifier... so the result is that all of these objects do not successfully export with Demo or Existing as a layer modifier. Is there a workaround for this? Or do I need to request from Autodesk the ability to use phase status as a modifier on annotation categories? See attached screen shots for more detail on what I am talking about 🙂

Thanks for your help.

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Yeah the problem you are describing is not so easy to solve.  Those phases status things can only be applied to "model" objects.  Things that can be touched in the real world.  Your text is an "annotation" object so it is not eligible for the phase status.  What you are looking to do is a functionality request.

The best you could really do is use VG controls to turn things on and off and then export the view multiple times  with different layer export settings and then re-combine in AutoCAD.

[scout2004]

How did you get from step 3 to step 4?

When I create the new settings it doesn't save it to my network; it saves it to the rvt model.

[loboarch]

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@scout2004 wrote:

How did you get from step 3 to step 4?

When I create the new settings it doesn't save it to my network; it saves it to the rvt model.

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Revit has not had the ability to export the setup to a text file for over 7+ releases now. The export DWG setup is saved with the RVT file.

[jaboone]

Hello Jeff.  Of course the final result is what the lines look like when they are exported to Acad.  I must say that there is a mess there that is difficult but not impossible to distinguish.  It just takes many hours to convert these things when we are asked to export from a revit model.  It has taken me many years to fine tune and adapt to what the results should be, Especially when it comes to phasing objects in a model.  For instance, on demo, new and existing walls and doors.  It is very difficult to delineate between those linetypes when they are placed on an unrepresentative layer.

[ovidiu_paunescu]

Hello James,

You can use the layer modifiers to get the lines of the demolished elements on the correct layer (and give the layers proper names).

For example, I used the Phase Status layer modifier. It shows Demolished (the phase status is also customizable from the same menu) for walls that were created in the Existing phase and demolished in New Construction or Temporary for walls created in New construction and demolished in New Construction.

Let me know if this works for you.