Reloading FormIt Masses/RFA's

[Kev_D]

I would appreciate some help for the above topic.

Basic Autodesk process across multiple platforms/software:

Create form > load to Revit > make changes in form > reload to Revit and see updated changes.

Why doesn't FormIt enable this simple process like Conceptual Mass Modelling in Revit does?

Am I missing something? Thanks in advance. 

Creating the .axm file with surrounding buildings & a proposed building (basic box). I then imported it into Revit through the add-ins tab for Formit. Loaded it in and set coordinates and rotated True North. 

Then I made changes to the Proposed Building inside FormIt, so I selected only this geometry and exported it where I then loaded it into Revit, but the Family adds a number to the end of it which does not overwrite it.

WHY OH WHY???😁

[lucdoucet_msdl]

Hi Kev,

I agree that the import FormIt to Revit functionality seems counterintuitive when thinking of a one to one relationship between the objects in FormIt and Revit. The same can be said of FormIt groups which can have the same name but have different geometry, revision histories, sub groups, etc.

One feature of the FormIt import function is that both the FormIt and Revit internal origin and coordinate systems are the same irrespective of any changes to the project coordinates / survey point in Revit and any changes to the Set Axes (S Z) in Formit. I find this is an advantage when adding Formit unique elements to an existing Revit project which then will be recreated in Revit. 

Alternately, for what I would call a bidirectional workflow between FormIt and Revit, this causes the problem you have outlined. When re-importing an updated version of the same AXM file to a Revit family, the old family is retained and the new family gets inserted with an incrementally numbered suffixe in the original position and orientation.

My workaround is to import the FormIt geometry into a Revit family. If it is only to be used once (ex. context massing around the site) I will use an in place mass. Once the family is created, you can move and rotate the revit family. When updating, you  edit the family, erase everything in it and re-import from the updated FormIt file. You'll probably want to purge unused families.

If the FormIt geometry is to have multiple instances (ex. furniture/equipement or repetitive buildings on a site), then I repeat the same process but create the Revit family that best suits the object. Just make sure the Fomit Group type is compatible with the Revit Family type. Once the Revit families are placed, updating the family propigates the change to all instances.

Another way to update existing imported FormIt Revit families (those families created directly from a FormIt Import) is to select and replace the Revit instances from the project browser. In this workflow:

1. Initial import of FormIt creates Revit families FAM-A, FAM-B, FAM-C, etc in one area of the projet. You move these to their projected locations and orientations. You can also copy them.

2. Update the FormIt project and re-import to new Revit families FAM-A1, FAM-B1, FAM-C1.

3. Erase the newly imported families but do not purge them.

4. For each Revit familly to update, either select "All instances in the project" in the project browser of FAM-A, switch to the properties window and change the family type to the corresponding new familly type FAM-A1.

All instances of FAM-A will have been substituted with FAM-A1. If you are using the  family type name in schedules or in other ways, you can then:

5. select the FAM-A type in the project browser and right click to delete them then,

6. in the project browser rename FAM-A1 to FAM-A.

Sorry for the long explanation, hope it helps.

Regards,

Luc

[Kev_D]

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@lucdoucet_msdl wrote:

Another way to update existing imported FormIt Revit families (those families created directly from a FormIt Import) is to select and replace the Revit instances from the project browser. In this workflow:

1. Initial import of FormIt creates Revit families FAM-A, FAM-B, FAM-C, etc in one area of the projet. You move these to their projected locations and orientations. You can also copy them.

2. Update the FormIt project and re-import to new Revit families FAM-A1, FAM-B1, FAM-C1.

3. Erase the newly imported families but do not purge them.

4. For each Revit familly to update, either select "All instances in the project" in the project browser of FAM-A, switch to the properties window and change the family type to the corresponding new familly type FAM-A1.

All instances of FAM-A will have been substituted with FAM-A1. If you are using the  family type name in schedules or in other ways, you can then:

5. select the FAM-A type in the project browser and right click to delete them then,

6. in the project browser rename FAM-A1 to FAM-A.

---

Thank you for your time, and no need to apologize. Your explanation makes complete sense. The more I worked with it, I have decided that what you mentioned is the best workaround for us. 

[Kev_D]

After more playing with this, I was able to make changes in FormIt and then reload back into Revit. I then change the type to the new Mass, however, if I have Walls assigned to the original Mass, they do not update to face on the new Mass. In saying that, the Floors do update. 

Always trying to imporve our workflow and utilize as much Autodesk products as possible, but I always hit a Brick Wall 😠

[Kev_D]

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My workaround is to import the FormIt geometry into a Revit family. If it is only to be used once (ex. context massing around the site) I will use an in place mass. Once the family is created, you can move and rotate the revit family. When updating, you  edit the family, erase everything in it and re-import from the updated FormIt file. You'll probably want to purge unused families.

---

Import to which Family Template? When I try to import to Conceptual Mass, a serious error occurs and Revit crashes.

[lucdoucet_msdl]

Kevin,

When importing into Revit family templates, it's important that the FormIt Group Category (FGC) be a compatible type with the Revit Family Category (RFC). So if your FGC is Generic Model and your RFC is Mass, Revit will import it. But not for the inverse. You can't nest a Mass family in a Generic Model family.

Additionally, even though a Generic Model family can be nested in a Mass family, the geometry isn't compatible with levels.

As to the crashing, when in convert a FormIt Group of category Volume in  Revit Family Category of Generic Model, my Revit 2018.3 doesn't crash but also doesn't import the geometry and doesn't give an error message.

Luc

[lucdoucet_msdl]

Kevin,

I concur:

1. floor by face will update manually,

2. wall by face will not and,

3. roof by face won't update manually but allows you to reselect new faces for the roof types to be attached to.

I suspect that the floors update because the floor instances aren't attached to a face of the mass family but a profile generated by the cutting of the mass' geometry.

As to why Revit allows the user to reattach a roof to new faces but not walls, your  guess is as good as mine.

Luc