The Revit MEP API

Jeremy Tammik
Principal Developer Consultant

© 2012 Autodesk
About the Presenter

Jeremy Tammik
Principal Developer Consultant
Developer Technical Services
EMEA, Autodesk SARL
Jeremy is a member of the AEC workgroup of the Autodesk Developer Network ADN
team, providing developer support, training, conference presentations, and blogging on
the Revit API.
He joined Autodesk in 1988 as the technology evangelist responsible for European
developer support to lecture, consult, and support AutoCAD application developers in
Europe, the U.S., Australia, and Africa. He was a co-founder of ADGE, the AutoCAD
Developer Group Europe, and a prolific author on AutoCAD application development.
He left Autodesk in 1994 to work as an HVAC application developer, and then rejoined
the company in 2005.
Jeremy graduated in mathematics and physics in Germany, worked as a teacher and
translator, then as a C++ programmer on early GUI and multitasking projects. He is
fluent in six European languages, vegetarian, has four kids, plays the flute, likes
reading, travelling, theatre improvisation, yoga, carpentry, loves mountains, oceans,
sports, dancing, and especially climbing.
© 2012 Autodesk
Class Summary
 Overview of the Revit MEP API
 MEP API enhancements in Revit 2013
 Working programmatically with Revit MEP models
 Overview of available Revit MEP API samples
 Prerequisites: we assume prior knowledge of
 How to program in .NET
 The basics of the generic Revit API
 Revit MEP product usage

© 2012 Autodesk
Learning Objectives
 At the end of this class, you will be able to:
 Understand and use the Revit MEP 2013 API enhancements
 Analyze, create, manage and modify electrical, HVAC and
plumbing models, systems, and components programmatically
 Understand and reuse functionality provided by the standard
Revit MEP SDK and custom ADN samples

© 2012 Autodesk
Agenda
 Introduction
 Analysis
 Hierarchical systems and connectors
 Electrical
 HVAC and plumbing
 The Revit MEP 2013 API
 Sample applications
 Learning more

© 2012 Autodesk
Introduction

© 2012 Autodesk
Acronyms
 ADN Autodesk Developer Network
 AEC Architecture, Engineering, Construction
 API Application Programming Interface
 BIM Building Information Model
 GUI Graphical User Interface
 HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
 MEP Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing
 RAC Revit Architecture
 RME Revit MEP
 RST Revit Structure
 SDK Software Development Kit
 UI User Interface

© 2012 Autodesk
MEP Application Requirements
 Mechanical, electrical and plumbing domains
 M is for HVAC, i.e. heating, ventilation and air conditioning
 Model analysis tools
 Physical, thermal, environmental etc.
 Building codes and regulations
 Geometrical relationships
 MEP project information
 Green Building XML, gbXML
 Spaces and zones
 BIM component and data access
 Systems, components, properties and parameters
 Creation and modification
 Traversal and analysis

© 2012 Autodesk
The Generic Revit API
 Basic Revit API is generic
 All flavours use the same Revit API .NET assemblies
 Specific additional features exist for each flavour, e.g.
 Room-related functionality in Revit Architecture
 Access to the analytical model in Revit Structure
 Access to the MEP model in Revit MEP
 Onebox supports all in one box
 Runtime discipline switching
 ProductType Architecture, Structure, MEP, Revit

© 2012 Autodesk
Revit MEP API Evolution
 Generic element and parameter access can always be used
 Revit 2008 provided no MEP-specific API
 Revit 2009 introduced MEP-specific API support
 MEP model property, space and zone, electrical and mechanical
equipment, lighting device and fixture, connector, electrical system
 Revit MEP 2010 – mechanical
 MEP namespace, support for HVAC and piping systems
 Revit MEP 2011 – electrical
 Conduit, cable tray, panel schedule
 Revit MEP 2012 – mechanical
 Pipe settings and sizes, placeholder elements, insulation and lining
 Revit MEP 2013 – mechanical and analysis
 Routing preferences, analysis and calculation enhancements, new and
updated APIs

© 2012 Autodesk
Analysis

© 2012 Autodesk
MEP Project Info and EnergyDataSettings
 EnergyDataSettings object represents gbXML project info
 Manage > Project Settings > Project Information > Energy Data
 Access via EnergyDataSettings.GetFromDocument method
 Define settings for gbXML export, heating and cooling load
calculations, conceptual energy analysis
 For project location use Document.ActiveProjectLocation
 Green Building XML export
Document.Export(
string folder,
string name,
GBXMLExportOptions );

© 2012 Autodesk
Spaces and Zones
 Architectural rooms are unsuitable for MEP analysis
 Wrong height, often too large for analysed region
 MEP uses space instead of room, and zone to manage spaces
 Rooms can be subdivided into exterior and interior subspaces
 AddSpaceAndZone SDK sample
 Programmatic creation and management of spaces and zones
 FamilyInstance class has Room and Space properties
FamilyInstance fi; // get a family instance
Space space = fi.Space; // query space containing it
Space space2 = fi.get_Space( phase ); // space in a specific phase

© 2012 Autodesk
Model Inspection Utilities

 Determine component location, space adjacency analysis, etc.

 Volumes, rooms and spaces
 FamilyInstance.Space determines space containing family instance
 Room.IsPointInRoom determines if a point is in a room volume
 Space.IsPointInSpace determines if a point is in a space volume
 GetRoomAtPoint and GetSpaceAtPoint return room or space containing point
 Element filters by intersection, Boolean operations, etc.
 BoundingBoxIntersectsFilter, BoundingBoxIsInsideFilter,
BoundingBoxContainsPointFilter, ElementIntersectsElementFilter,
ElementIntersectsSolidFilter
 Ray intersection
 ReferenceIntersector class, ex FindReferencesWithContextByDirection method
 Shoot a ray through the model, given a starting point and direction vector
 Return an array of references of intersected elements and faces
 AvoidObstruction, FindColumns, MeasureHeight, RayTraceBounce SDK samples

© 2012 Autodesk
Revit 2013 ReferenceIntersector Class
 Constructor specifies target elements, target type and 3D view
 Elements specified by ElementId, ElementIdSet , ElementFilter
 Target type can be elements, meshes, edges, curves, faces
ReferenceIntersector( <elements>, FindReferenceTarget, View3d )

 Call Find or FindNearest to cast a ray given origin and direction

 Returns references intersecting ray, or closest to origin
Find( XYZ origin, XYZ direction )
FindNearest( XYZ origin, XYZ direction )

© 2012 Autodesk
Conceptual Energy Analysis API
 Energy analysis on conceptual design models
 New overload of Document.Export method taking
MassGBXMLExportOptions argument
 Create a gbXML file containing energy analysis elements
generated from conceptual mass family instances

© 2012 Autodesk
Detailed Energy Analysis Model API
 Produce analytical thermal model from physical building model
 Retrieve energy analysis detail model and present as tree view
 Access Export to gbXML, Heating and Cooling Loads data
 Analytical thermal model
 Composed of volumetric elements: spaces, zones, planar surfaces
 Created and initialised by calling EnergyAnalysisDetailModel.Create()
 Methods GetAnalyticalSpaces, Surfaces, Openings, ShadingSurfaces

 SDK sample Analysis > EnergyAnalysisModel

© 2012 Autodesk
Hierarchical Systems
and Connectors

© 2012 Autodesk
Hierarchical System Structure and MEP Model
 MEP systems consist of hierarchically connected components
 Many components are represented using family instances
 Connectors can link neighbouring components and transfer info
 Top level node is MEP system
 Represented by MEPSystem class, with derived classes
ElectricalSystem, MechanicalSystem, PipingSystem
 Family instance provides MEPModel property
 MEPModel has ConnectorManager and ElectricalSystems properties
 Derived classes include ElectricalEquipment, LightingDevice,
LightingFixture, MechanicalEquipment, MechanicalFitting

© 2012 Autodesk
Connectors

 Connector class
 Used to represent connections
in the Revit BIM project context
 Part of MEP component, not independent Revit database element
 Logical connectors
 Used in electrical domain
 Cables and wires are possibly not specified
 Enables traversal of connected electrical system hierarchies
 Physical connectors
 Connect neighbouring components physically
 Transmit sizing dimensions and flow information
 Family editor connection elements
 Independent elements for defining connectors
 Used to model library parts in family context
 Specialised derived classes for duct, pipe and electrical connectors

© 2012 Autodesk
Electrical

© 2012 Autodesk
Electrical System Hierarchy
 Three-tier recursive hierarchy, cf. electrical system browser
 Panel > systems or circuits > circuit elements, may be panels
 Logical connections between components
 Wires are annotation elements
 System can be traversed through connectors
 Connectivity information also available in element parameters
 Electrical samples
 PowerCircuit SDK sample shows creation and editing power circuits
 PanelSchedule SDK demonstrates use of the electrical panel schedule API
 AdnRme electrical sample demonstrates traversal using both MEP connectors and
generic parameters (much harder)

© 2012 Autodesk
HVAC and Plumbing

© 2012 Autodesk
HVAC and Piping Hierarchy
 Systems manage the top level system properties
 Ducts and pipes define the main flow elements
 Fittings implement bends and branches in the system
 Connectors hook up the ducts, pipes and fittings

© 2012 Autodesk
Systems
 MechanicalSystem and PipingSystem classes
 Access to equipment, connectors and system type
 Access to system properties such as flow and static pressure
 DuctNetwork and PipeNetwork properties access system
contents
 Ducts and fitting elements in no particular order
 Does not include terminals or equipments
 Query connector managers for traversal in flow direction
 TraverseSystem SDK sample

© 2012 Autodesk
Duct and Pipes
 Represented by Duct, FlexDuct, Pipe and FlexPipe classes
 Derived from MEPCurve
 Provide read access to duct properties, types, and geometry
 Change duct or pipe type
 Move duct or pipe
 Use Move method rather than Location
 Layout duct or pipe
 Driven by two points, point and connector, or two connectors

© 2012 Autodesk
Fittings
 Represented by standard RFA family instances
 Created using dedicated creation doc New*Fitting methods
 Elbow, Tee, Cross, Takeoff, Transition, and Union
 Access fitting properties, shape and dimensions through the
FamilyInstance.MEPModel property

© 2012 Autodesk
Connectors
 Read duct, pipe, and fitting connector properties
 Flow, Coefficient, Demand
 Access physical connector properties
 Origin, Angle, Height, Width, Radius
 Read and write assigned connector properties
 The fitting connectors define the properties
 Flow, Flow Configuration, Coefficients, Loss Method
 Change connector size and location
 Connect and disconnect

© 2012 Autodesk
Element Creation
 Methods on Autodesk.Revit.Creation.Document
 Create New Systems
 NewMechanicalSystem, NewPipingSystem
 Create New Elements
 NewDuct, NewFlexDuct, NewPipe, NewFlexPipe
 Create New Fittings
 New...Fitting for Cross, Elbow, TakeOff, TeeFitting, Transition, Union
 New classes Conduit, CableTray provide static Create methods
 Connector elements
 Created in the family context using methods on FamilyItemFactory
 Accessed through the Document.FamilyCreate property
 NewDuctConnector, NewPipeConnector, NewElectricalConnector

© 2012 Autodesk
The Revit MEP 2013 API
and the past few releases as well...

© 2012 Autodesk
Revit MEP 2011 API Enhancements
 New classes for cable tray and conduit
 Pipe to conduit converter sample
 Panel schedules
 API access and PanelSchedule SDK sample
 Other Enhancements
 EnergyDataSettings
 Validation in ElectricalSystem Properties
 WireMaterialType, InsulationType, TemperatureRatingType
 DuctConnector, PipeConnector, ElectricalConnector
 Demand Factor and Load Classifications

© 2012 Autodesk
Revit MEP 2012 API Enhancements
 Pipe settings and sizes
 Placeholder ducts and pipes
 Duct and pipe insulation and lining
 Small Enhancements and Changes
 MEP related APIs
 Detailed Energy Analysis
 Conceptual Energy Analysis

© 2012 Autodesk
Revit MEP 2013 Product Features
 Routing preferences
 MEP centrelines
 MEP properties
 Calculation functionality
 Enhanced analysis and simulation functionality

© 2012 Autodesk
Revit MEP 2013 API Enhancements
 Routing preferences
 RoutingPreferenceTools SDK sample
 Analysis enhancements
 MEPSection class
 Viscosity and density
 Spare circuit values
 Display strings
 Thermal properties, material assets, and gbXML export
 External Services framework
 Wrap external service functionality, enable encapsulation, replacement
 Basis for future MEP calculations and structural code checking
 In place and fully functional, but not yet used, so no examples

© 2012 Autodesk
Analysis, Simulation and Revit MEP API News
 Routing preferences: pipe sizes, materials, fitting types
 RoutingPreferenceTools SDK sample
 Pipe and duct friction factors
 MEPSection base class for duct and pipe sections
 Viscosity and density, FluidType and FluidTemperature classes
 Access to panel schedule spare circuit values
 More LabelUtils access to localized user-visible display strings
 ConnectorProfileType and PartType enumeration changes
 ConnectorElement changes and new static creation methods
 ThermalProperties, thermal material assets, gbXML thermal information
 AVF support for deformed shapes
 New external services framework
 New Light and Light Group API
 ReferenceIntersector class

© 2012 Autodesk
Sample Applications

© 2012 Autodesk
Sample Overview

 Revit SDK Samples  AdnRme

 AddSpaceAndZone  Electrical System Hierarchy
 AutoRoute  HVAC Air Terminal Sizing
 AvoidObstruction  Blog
 CreateAirHandler  Pipe to Conduit Converter
 EnergyAnalysisModel  Cable Tray Creation and Layout
 PanelSchedule  Loose Connector Navigator
 PowerCircuit  MEP Placeholders
 RoutingPreferenceTools
 TraverseSystem

© 2012 Autodesk 44
The Revit MEP API
AddSpaceAndZone

 Retrieve and list existing

spaces and zones
 Demonstrates use of an element filter
 Create new spaces
 For each closed wall loop or space
separation
 Demonstrates use of the NewSpaces
method
 Create a new zone element
 Specified level and phase
 Add and remove spaces in a zone
 Use the AddSpaces and Remove
methods

© 2012 Autodesk
AutoRoute

 Automatically create and route a set of ducts and fittings

 Source is the air supply equipment
 Sink is two air outlet terminals
 Positions can be freely moved
 Create a new mechanical system, ducts, fittings and connections
 NewMechanicalSystem, NewDuct, NewElbowFitting,
NewTeeFitting and Connector.ConnectTo
 Determine the bounding box of all the three elements
 Use the middle line or quarter lines on the X and Y axes
 Uses.NET framework Trace class to create a log file

© 2012 Autodesk
AvoidObstruction

 Detect and resolve obstructions between

ducts, pipes, and beams
 FindReferencesWithContextByDirection
ray casting intersection analysis
 Split pipe into segments and insert elbows
to reroute detour
 Resolve collisions between pipes and
beams, ducts, and other pipes

© 2012 Autodesk
CreateAirHandler

 Create an air handler with pipe and duct connectors

 Check family category to verify valid mechanical equipment
starting point
 Use FamilyItemFactory class methods
 NewExtrusion, NewPipeConnector, NewDuctConnector
 Set proper connector parameters
 Use Document.CombineElements to join the extrusions
 Geometric shape creation is generic
 Addition of the connectors is MEP specific
 Runs in all flavours of Revit

© 2012 Autodesk
EnergyAnalysisModel
 Retrieve energy analysis detail model and present as tree view
 Analytical thermal model generated from physical building model
 Similar to Export to gbXML and Heating and Cooling Loads
 Analytical thermal model is composed of spaces, zones, planar surfaces
 Volumetric elements
 Created and initialised by calling EnergyAnalysisDetailModel.Create()
 Methods GetAnalyticalSpaces, Surfaces, Openings, ShadingSurfaces

© 2012 Autodesk
PanelSchedule

 Data exchange sample showing use of the Panel Schedule API

 PanelScheduleExport read + export panel schedule CSV or HTML
 InstanceViewCreation create panel schedule view instance
 SheetImport place all panel schedule views on a sheet

© 2012 Autodesk
PowerCircuit
 Operate power circuits, similar to legacy RME Circuit Editor toolbar
 Show use of MEPModel and ElectricalSystem classes
 Demonstrate handling interactive element selection
 Implement toolbar user interface for external command
 Use .NET ResourceManager class for image and string resources
 Create a new power circuit with selected elements
 Edit circuit and add and remove circuit elements
 Select or disconnect a circuit panel

© 2012 Autodesk
RoutingPreferenceTools

 Routing preference analysis and reporting

 Analyse routing preferences of a given pipe type
 Check for common problems
 Look at all rules and criteria for a given pipe type
 Routing preference builder XML import and export
 CommandReadPreferences and CommandWritePreferences
 Set pipe type, fitting, and routing preferences in a project
 Export for archival, documentation, and collaboration purposes
 Enable users to work with RP data in a shareable XML format
 Suitable for reuse in a wide variety of BIM management environments

© 2012 Autodesk
TraverseSystem
 Traverse a mechanical or piping system in the direction of flow
 Check MechanicalSystem IsWellConnected property
 Dump the traversal results into an XML file
 Determine system
 Query base equipment as starting point
 Query connector manager for connected neighbour elements
 Similar approach works for electrical as well, cf. AdnRme
sample

© 2012 Autodesk
AdnRme Sample
 Non-SDK sample, included in presentation material
 HVAC air terminal analysis and sizing
 Hierarchical display of an electrical system
 Implements a ribbon panel, about box, and progress bar

© 2012 Autodesk
AdnRme Electrical Sample

 Traverse the electrical system

 Reproduce the system browser
data structure in a tree view
 Display the complete connection
hierarchy in a tree view
 CmdElectricalConnectors is
similar to TraverseSystem SDK
sample for ducts
 Traversal is also possible using
parameter data instead of
connector manager, but harder

© 2012 Autodesk
AdnRme HVAC Sample
 HVAC Task
 Place and size air ducts and terminals
 Analysis and verification of results
 Commands aligned with HVAC
engineering workflow
 Assign flow to terminals
 Change air terminal size
 Verify design by air flow per surface area
 Reset demo
 All modification uses generic parameter and type access
 Changes are reflected by schedules and colour fill

© 2012 Autodesk
Pipe to Conduit Converter

 Two hundred lines of code

 My First Revit 2011 Add-in
 Illustrates all major Revit 2011 API renovations
 Revit API assembly split
 Namespace reorganisation
 Command registration manifest
 External command Execute method and attributes
 Transaction mode
 Regeneration option
 Task dialogues for user messages
 Interactive filtered element selection
 Redesigned element filtering
 New element creation paradigm
 Access to pipe and conduit sizes
© 2012 Autodesk
Cable Tray Fitting Creation and Layout
 Inserting a cable tray is as easy as a conduit, cf. p2c
 Inserting fittings requires exact alignment, i.e. proper orientation

© 2012 Autodesk
Modeless Loose Connector Navigator

 Filter for all MEP connectors in project

 Combine all relevant classes and family instance categories
 Check IsConnected property on each connector
 Unable to determine whether a wire is intended to be
homerun
 Log results to file and display it to user
 Interactively navigate through results from a modeless
dialogue
 Ensure that modeless dialogue remains on top of Revit
 Modeless navigation interacts with Idling event

© 2012 Autodesk
MEP Placeholder Sample
 Placeholder ducts and pipes
 CreatePlaceholders and ConvertPlaceholders commands
 Duct and pipe insulation and lining
 InsulateDuctwork command
 Read and write access to MEP pipe settings and sizes
 GetPipeSettings command

© 2012 Autodesk
Summary and
Further Reading

© 2012 Autodesk
Class Summary
 Overview of the Revit MEP API
 MEP API enhancements in Revit 2013
 Working programmatically with Revit MEP models
 Overview of available Revit MEP API samples

© 2012 Autodesk
Materials
 Blog posts
 http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/mep

 Autodesk University 2011 hand-out and sample code

 CP4453_tammik_rme_api.pdf
 CP4453_tammik_rme_api.zip
 MEP placeholder sample – MepPlaceholders.zip
 HVAC and electrical MEP sample code – AdnRme.zip
 Modeless loose connector navigator – loose_connectors_11.zip
 Cable tray sample – CableTray.zip

© 2012 Autodesk
Learning More
 Revit Developer Center: DevTV introduction, SDK, Samples, API Help
 http://www.autodesk.com/developrevit
 Developer Guide and Online Help
 http://www.autodesk.com/revitapi-wikihelp
 Public ADN Revit and Revit MEP API Webcasts, Trainings and Archives
 http://www.adskconsulting.com/adn/cs/api_course_sched.php > Revit API
 http://www.adskconsulting.com/adn/cs/api_course_webcast_archive.php > Revit API
 Discussion Group
 http://discussion.autodesk.com > Revit Architecture > Revit API
 API Training Classes
 http://www.autodesk.com/apitraining
 ADN AEC DevBlog and The Building Coder Revit API Blog
 http://adndevblog.typepad.com/AEC
 http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com
 ADN, The Autodesk Developer Network
 http://www.autodesk.com/joinadn
 DevHelp Online for ADN members
 http://adn.autodesk.com
 Learning Autodesk Revit MEP 2012 video training
 http://cad-notes.com/2011/12/learning-autodesk-revit-mep-2012-training-video-is-available
© 2012 Autodesk
 Autodesk, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, DWG, Green Building Studio, Navisworks, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names,
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2012Autodesk
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