external reference versus importinstance

[phildebrandt]

if(sel.Elements.Size == 1)
                {
                    System.Collections.IEnumerator es = sel.Elements.GetEnumerator();
                    es.MoveNext();
                    ImportInstance imp = es.Current as ImportInstance;
                    ExternalFileReference el = imp.GetExternalFileReference(); // errors here!!!
                    if (el != null)
                    {
                        directory = ModelPathUtils.ConvertModelPathToUserVisiblePath(el.GetAbsolutePath());
                    }
                }

I've been trying to get the file path of a DWG file that is linked into a Revit project. The code above always errors that the  ImportInstance is not an external reference but I know the file is linked not imported.

Does anyone know what the difference between an Importinstance and an externalfilereference is?

[jeremy_tammik · Accepted solution]

hi paul,

here is the answer that you provided yourself:

I managed to find a solution:

ImportInstance imp = es.Current as ImportInstance;

if (imp.IsLinked)

{

  ExternalFileReference el = ExternalFileUtils.GetExternalFileReference(actdoc, imp.GetTypeId());

  if (el != null)

    directory = ModelPathUtils.ConvertModelPathToUserVisiblePath(el.GetAbsolutePath());

}

I guess the GetExternalFileReference() isn’t supposed to be exposed in the ImportInstance class like I had tried previously.

cheers,

jeremy

--
Jeremy Tammik
Autodesk Developer Network
http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com