product focus
Revit Platform
2012
such as Pivot tables, queries, and forms can also be created in a template. When the model is exported into the template database, these tools will auto-populate or can be run immediately. We can create database templates for Revit because when Revit exports to a database, it only writes its data to the database. This even applies to fields within a Revit table. For example, Revit will write out a Wall table. If we add a field to this table in Access, Revit will ignore it when importing the model back to Revit and when exporting it out. This is important because it means we can load data into a project that may not need to exist within the Revit model. For example, a table with wall assemblies and costs could be loaded into the Access database and joined with the Walls table from Revit. We could then create a report of all assemblies and their costs. When large amounts of data are added to components in Revit, performance takes a hit. By splitting the model—adding only the necessary information in Revit and joining the rest within Access—we can keep our file sizes down and work more efficiently. Access allows for the creation of forms. A form is a portal to the database. The creator of the form can select what the user has the ability to query or modify. This gives others in the office the ability to query and modify a model without using Revit. This could be valuable if an employee from marketing needed certain information from models. They could pull this information through the form in the database. We can take the form concept even further. Databases serve as the back-end to many websites. Through the use of the commonly used programming language PHP, a website can be built and connected to a Revit model which has been exported to a database.
One of the most obvious benefits of having a Revit model in a database is the ability to generate reports and schedules that are much more advanced than those created natively in Revit. 48 www.augi.com
This would allow queries or modifications of the model from anywhere in the world. Finally, by separating the modeling from the data entry we can allow the architect and drafters to work on the physical model while another employee updates the database with attributes. After the architect places rooms, he or she can export the model to a database. A coworker can then open the Rooms table and enter the department, room number, and occupancy attributes. Because Revit asks us to select which tables are imported back to the model, we can make sure that only the Rooms table is uploaded. Any changes to other tables that may have occurred by mistake are ignored. Furthermore, because Revit generates an HTML report of the changes made, we have a document trail to show us if any mistakes have occurred and when.
Conclusion Once a Revit model has been exported to a database, the things that can now be done with it are limited only by your imagination. Build web-based or stand-alone front ends to access and modify your model—without knowledge of the Revit API. Bring existing data into a database and join it with the Revit model. The importance of the “I” in BIM should not be overlooked. Hopefully, I have shown you a way that makes it easier and less costly to add and maintain the data associated with your project. The greatest benefit of the Revit DB Link is the ability to load the data back in to the model, making sure it is always up to date. Paul Crickard is an educational facility planner in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is one of the first planners to adopt Revit and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the preparation of master plans for the state. Currently, he has been working on the integration of Revit and BIM in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). With a Masters degree in Political Science and a background in Community, Regional, and Educational Facility Planning, Paul combines rigorous social science theory and techniques with practical planning and architectural projects. He has presented papers at the United States Naval Academy’s Foreign Affairs Conference and the American Journalism Historians Association Regional Conference in Salt Lake City. He has given demonstrations on the use of Revit, BIM, and GIS to the Public School Facility Authority in New Mexico and the Albuquerque BIM505 Users Group. He can be reached at paulcrickard@ educationalfacilityplanning.com
Special Edition 2011