Export New and Exist layers from Revit to cad

[jarrad27]

I am playing around with layer mapping in Revit. I can easily modify the layers to export to Autocad. In autocad, we use exist and new layers. (M-Equip-exist, M-Equip-new). Is there a way to associate the layer mapping to the phase in revit? Thank you in advance for any assistance.

Jarrad27

[CoreyDaun · Accepted solution]

There is a small array of additional prefixes/suffixes that can be incorporated as needed. Go to Application Menu ▼ Export » CAD Formats » DWG. Click "Modify Export Setup" (the "" towards the top). Under the Layers tab, scroll down and select the Category(ies) to which you wish to append a prefix/suffix. Click "Add/Edit.." under the 'Layer modifiers' column. In the following dialog, you may choose from the available modifiers and add/arrange them as desired, along with adding separators.

Normally, I would suggest adding "{Phase Status}" (see my comments below), but in your particular case, you may need to add "{Phase Created}" instead (with a dash listed as a separator beside the primary Category name).

Demolition plans should be exported using the modifier "{Phase Status}". A separate Export Setup configuration can be created that is dedicated to demo. See my comments below.

Additional comments:

{Phase Created} will add exactly this to the Layer name in AutoCAD. This makes exporting Demolished elements tricky, since those will be grouped along with the other existing elements.

{Phase Status} will add a designator to the Layer name in AutoCAD based on the Phase settings of the elements. This will return such a suffix as "-EXST" or "-DEMO", with NO designation added for NEW elements, hence the alternate suggestion above. Note that this modifier comes with a built-in separator.

If you would like any more info or help, don't hesitate to ask!

[jarrad27]

Corey,

Thank you for your quick response! I have tried both of your suggestions, and both work exactly as you describe. I am currently working on "tweaking" some export options so we can get the exact result we are looking for. Thanks again!

Jarrad27

[CoreyDaun]

You can customize the Layer Modifiers in the 'Modify DWG/DXF Export Setup' dialog, under the 'Layers' tab. Scroll down towards the bottom of the list to Modifiers. Here, you can define exactly what you wish to be added to the AutoCAD Layer name.

[andrewh]

OK, I am having issues with the layer export and modifyers.

I just cant seem to get the layers to recognise the Phase Created etc when exporting.

I am using "Export all properties BYLAYER, and create new layers for overrides"

I can get the function to show ie interior, exterior but not the Phase Created, Phase Status!!!!

[CoreyDaun]

Hello, and welcome to the Discussion Groups!

There could be a couple causes to this problem, so I have a few questions:

- What are the Phase and Phase Filter settings for your View in Revit?

- In the "Modify DWG/DXF Export Setup", what is "Export layer options" set to?

- For some elements (such as Walls) you have to apply the Modifier to the "Cut" Lines, not the "Projection" Lines.

- Towards the bottom the the Layers tab under Modifiers, expand "Phase Status". Are there values for both "Cut" and "Projection"?

[andrewh]

OK, so i have been doing some testing and have come up with the following results.
Objective:
To export 3 walls, Existing, New and Demolished
New is to be Yellow on Layer A-Wall
Existing is to be Grey (252) on layer A-Wall-E
Demolished is to be White (7) on Layer A-Wall-D

I have added layer modifiers to the walls. (See image Wall Export) to be {Walls}-{Phase Staus}
I have adjusted the "Phase Status" modifiers (see image modifiers) to provide a suffix to the layer name:
D = Demolish
E = Existing
T = Temporary
New is blank

Export category properties BYLAYER and overrides BYENTITY (See image Export 1)
Good:
Line types are good
Layer names look fine
Bad:
The demolished wall hasn’t been exported with the graphic override. It should be white.
The existing wall hatch is white, it needs to be grey as per layer (252)
The outline of the wall is on the correct layer, but has an individual random colour (47)
Text should be Magenta, not white.
Additional layer names with no objects

[andrewh]

Export category properties BYLAYER, but do not export overrides(See image Export 2)
Good:
Layer names look fine
Elements have been exported to correct layers
Bad:
Linetypes have not been exported. Everything is continuous, apart from the demolished wall

Export all properties BYLAYER, and create new layers for overrides(See image Export 3)
Good:
Linetypes have been exported
Bad:
Additional layers have been created with a suffix (-1,-2)
Each new layer has a seemingly random colour assigned, not the required one assigned in the modifiers.

I understand that these exports may be working as expected, new layers for objects etc

This leaves me with the feeling that no matter which option we use, there is going to be a lot of work required to the dwg file in order to tidy it up to the clients standards. This is not too bad when looking at 1 or 2 files but consider this for 50 or 100 files!.

Perhaps i am missing something simple in the settings (quite possible as i have been looping with this on and off for a while now) but i really need to get this sorted asap....

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[CoreyDaun]

Some of the problem stems from how the hatch pattern is applied to the Walls - if the Phase Filter is applying it, then Revit will export the Hatch to a separate Layer which is defined by the Wall's Subcategory "Surface Pattern" ("A-WALL-PATT" by default). Try applying the Modifiers to the Subcategory as well.

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andrewh wrote:
"...This leaves me with the feeling that no matter which option we use, there is going to be a lot of work required to the dwg file in order to tidy it up to the clients standards. This is not too bad when looking at 1 or 2 files but consider this for 50 or 100 files!"

---

This is pretty much the way it is; you can experiment and tweak the setup only so much but perfection is not really attainable. Although AutoCAD and Revit are both AutoDesk product, they are very different programs and have completely different creators, and as such, there is no perfect translation between the two. There will be manual work required if you wish to completely convert Revit exports to your AutoCAD standards.

[smbrennan]

Is there a way to create a custom modifer that references a parameter? I can think of a couple of examples, such as system, reference level, if(reference level < 0') (not really as a formula - but a way to identify below-level items.).

Thanks

[CoreyDaun]

---

smbrennan85 wrote:

"Is there a way to create a custom modifer that references a parameter? I can think of a couple of examples, such as system, reference level, if(reference level < 0') (not really as a formula - but a way to identify below-level items.)."

---

No, but I can see that being useful. That could be a complicated addition, though, as there would have to be some formulaic function to this in order for Revit to determine how to differentiate the Layers according to the referenced Parameter's values.

[smbrennan]

I like to go off of the theory that when it comes to programming, everything's possible, it just needs to be made possible. This would be up to Autodesk - but I can see where they would not invest the time to do this.

[JillMarsano5345]

No matter what I do I cannot seem to get the exported .dwg file to create layers with the phase included.

[CoreyDaun]

Make sure that you are adding the {Phase Status} Modifier to the Walls/Interior and Walls/Exterior Categories, and for both Projection and Cut lines, as well. Note that the {Phase Status} Modifier will be omitted in the export for New elements.

[JillMarsano5345]

I did and it still won't export correctly.

[CoreyDaun]

Can you describe your export settings? Specifically, your "Export Layer Options", the Layer modifiers for the various Wall Categories, and the settings for the {Phase Status} Modifier. A few screen captures might be the easiest way, or you could attach a sample Project file (use Transfer Project Standards to get your settings into a new Project file).

Before you do that, see if you can make the Modifier work for another Category. If it words, you might be applying them to the wrong Wall Category/Subcategory.

[JillMarsano5345]

I am no longer having problems with creating layers for existing and new. I found that using "phase demolished" and "phase created" modifiers worked well. Now I have the problem of families that export as blocks.

Lets use doors as an example.

I need to show existing doors and new doors as different colors in the cad file. I set up the phase modifier in the export settings. These layers are created just fine and the doors are placed in the correct layers in the .dwg file. THe only issue is that the doors are blocks and were drawin in A-DOOR layer ... so even though I was able to seperate the doors intotheir correct layers .... they still appear the same (have the same color). I can't modify all the blocks after every export ....

Any ideas?

Autodesk needs to revisit this function in Revit.

[LyleHardin]

I'm still having the issue of the phase status not being added to the dwg layer names.

I, also, want my existing and proposed to be differentiated in the exported AutoCAD drawings.

It's not happening.

I'm using Revit 2018.

[RobDraw]

Start a new thread. This one is marked as solved and the solution is spot on. You may be missing something that wasn't covered here.

[LyleHardin]

Thanks, I might do that. Also good to know the solution works as it should (at least for some people).

I changed the modifier from Phase Status to Phase Created and the Phase Created shows up fine. So, that part works.

I'm not understanding why the Phase Status does not show up.

Perhaps the Phase Created is what we want, anyway.