COBie Toolkit for Revit 2014

[KathleenMcLeod]

I’m having difficulties using COBie within Revit 2014. I have the toolkit installed and showing in the add-in toolbar and I can get it to export the default schedules that it sets up. However I need to create and export custom parameters as defined by the client, which I can’t seem to get to work.

Do I need to add each parameter into every family in my models or can I add it as a shared project parameter? How can I get the toolkit to export fields that aren’t standard? The data is being added well into the project so a large majority of the services are already modelled. The project is split into four different models so I’ll need to recreate this across all four.

I’ve struggled to find anything through Google or the forums on setting up and using custom fields, I’ve been trialling different things for a couple months now with no real progress. Can anyone help me with how I would set this up?

[craigjonnson]

Hi Kathleen,

I had the same issue and decided to make a COBie group within our shared parameters file. Within here i added in all of the clients requests, which as you say were missing from the COBie toolkit. Once these had been populated within the SP, I then added these as project paramaters but using the SP to bring these in.

Once all of the necessary categories have been selected within the project paramaters for each COBie requirement. You should be able to use the transfer project standards, and select the paramaters only. There should be an option to select new only, rather than overwrite.

If you need any help with shared paramaters or project parameters, you can easily find this information on google or the autodesk wiki page. If you are still having issues, i'm happy to help.

Craig

[KathleenMcLeod]

Hi Craig,

Right I've managed to get the fields to appear and I've filled in some test fields and run the export through the COBie toolkit.  But the results are coming out in rows rather than columns. I've been in touch with the FM guys and without the data appearing in columns they can't import it into their software so the rows aren't going to work.

I've attached a screenshot of my export.  I'm not sure what I need to change. How did you achieve this?

Kathleen

[craigjonnson]

Hi Kathleen,

The exported format was OK for our needs, or at least no-one has come back and asked for anything to change.

I'm pretty knowledgable within Excel too. So if you require your columns & rows to be swapped over, there is a function within Excel called transpose.

Copy all of your row data, then from the home tab select paste special. At the bottom right tick the transpose box and click OK. Best practice to paste into new cells (Blank cells) and then delete the previous existing data above.

Craig