topic Re: Sensor detection area 3D in Revit API Forum

Sensor detection area 3D

MatthiasWyss — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 12:32:56 GMT

Hi all

I'm trying to display the detection area of motion and presence sensors in a 3D view.

So far the only possibility I found was to use DirectShapes to do so but then I end up with a "physical" geometry.

Is there another way to do this with some kind of "virtual" geometry?

The attached image shows one example of such a sensor. Even though this one is rotationally symmetric not all of them are. They can have very complex forms.

Best

Matthias

Re: Sensor detection area 3D

jeremytammik — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 15:39:20 GMT

Dear Matthias,

You can display analysis results such as those you describe using the AVF, the analysis visualisation framework:

https://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/avf

For instance, I used it in my RvtFader add-in to display signal attenuation in a building as a heatmap on the floor:

https://github.com/jeremytammik/RvtFader

https://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/2017/03/rvtfader-avf-ray-tracing-and-signal-attenuation.html

Cheers,

Jeremy

Re: Sensor detection area 3D

MatthiasWyss — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:52:36 GMT

Dear Jeremy,

thanks a lot for your reply and the hint with the analysis framework.

I tried the AVF to display the detection are but I could manage to make it look as expected.

So I tried to create a transient DirectShape but this didn't show up in the view.

Finally I found your post in this forum that this function shouldn't be used.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-api-forum/document-maketransientelements/td-p/7774471

Is there another possibility to create transient DirectShapes? Basically I just don't want the DirectShape to be stored in the project.

Best

Matthias

Re: Sensor detection area 3D

jeremytammik — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 19:17:39 GMT

Dear Matthias,

Thank you for your appreciation.

Nope, sorry, the direct shape is a database element and needs to be stored in the database.

The simplest approach to achieve what you are asking for that I can think of is to create direct shapes, tag them, and subscribe to the DocumentSaving event to remove them again before the document is saved.

I hope this helps.

Cheers,

Jeremy

Re: Sensor detection area 3D

MatthiasWyss — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 06:19:19 GMT

Ah, great idea, thanks Jeremy!

I didn't think of that!

Best

Matthias