Updating/Multiple FormIt model imports in same project

[lucdoucet_msdl]

I'm looking for workflows that address multiple FormIt to Revit imports and the creation of materials and levels.

At the conceptual design stage, I use FormIt models to quickly explore the geometry, materials and levels for building volumes as well as in the developpement stage when studying variations of complexe geometry. At both stages, Revit is being used as the rendering and presentation software.

Has anyone adressed the following issues in their workflows:

1. Replacing the same imported FormIt model family instances with new geometry;
2. Purging previous materials from imported FormIt models;
3. Purging previous levels from imported FormIt models (Hosting floors, level annotations and dimensions);

Thanks,

-luc

[L.Maas]

When you talk multiple I immediately start to think about Dynamo. This would be the (visual scripting) tool to help you automate your processes.

And when you talk about rendering and visualisation should 3DS Max not be a better tool for that?

[lucdoucet_msdl]

@L.Maas 

When you talk multiple I immediately start to think about Dynamo. This would be the (visual scripting) tool to help you automate your processes.

Yes, I've written some dynamo graphs to deal with past projects to help with a "clean-up" of depricated data associated with "replaced" families. Ideally, the workflow I'm looking for could also be used by work collegues that are not technically versed in adapting Dynamo graphs on demand and are not used to standardizing their filenames, group names and material names sufficiently to ensure that a standard Dynamo graph will work everytime.

For workflow 2 purging materials: I wonder if there is a way to identify all materials in Dynamo that have been created from a FormIt import and if it doesn't purge materials used by other FormIt imports?

For workflow 3 purging levels: Same question above regarding materials except that geometry and annotations may have been hosted to the levels to be purged.

When considering early design stage volumetric studies that contain variations of level information (ie different floor to floor heights), I suspect that creating a new linked Revit Project file for each instance of a FormIt Imported model would be best.

In late stage studies, levels would typically not vary enough to require automation and could be deleted/ajusted manually. But material duplication would remain an issue.

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And when you talk about rendering and visualisation should 3DS Max not be a better tool for that?

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I agree that sole rendering would be better handled by a FormIt -> 3ds Max workflow but that does not take into account the creation of annotated 2d illustrations and schedules that Revit provides. The limited rendering capabilities of Revit for hidden line and basic volumetric study and quick visualisation renders are sufficient. Also, keeping the workflow limited to 2 applications is preferable.

Thanks for the input.

-luc

[L.Maas]

Of course I can not foresee what the differences between you and your colleagues are. You can build Dynamo script where the user can input/select filenames. So you could make, besides filenames,  several things variable. This in combination with the Dynamo player might still be an option. And maybe if your colleagues see that you can process things much faster they are willing to modify their workflow slightly so that they wil be able to use your scripts 🙂

And with the data-shapes package you could even make more elaborate forms.

I would also need to try things to see what will be possible with Dynamo. But I could imagine that it would be possible to read the materials from the imported Formit files. Possibly even store it in a file for later reference.

I agree, if you need to do more and rendering is not that important Revit is the better solution and using another piece of software is not needed.

[lucdoucet_msdl]

@L.Maas 

I think I will fork this discussion of using Dynamo to assist in a FormIt -> Revit workflow with respect to purging materials into either:

- FormIt Forum @josh.goldstein 

- Revit Architecture Forum or

- https://forum.dynamobim.com/

Which forum would help the most in understanding how the FormIt importer works within Revit and the possibilty of using Dynamo to selectively ?

-luc

[L.Maas]

Dynamo related questions I would put it in the Dynamo forums. You will find there people which are well versed in everything related to Dynamo. Some of the developers and package writers can be found there regularly.

If you get good feedback it would be nice to create a link from this thread to there so people can follow.