RvtVa3c

A Revit custom exporter add-in generating JSON output for the vA3C three.js AEC viewer.

Setup, Compilation and Installation

RvtVa3c is a Revit add-in implementing an external application and an external command.

It is installed in the standard manner, i.e., by copying two files to the standard Revit Add-Ins folder:

• The .NET assembly DLL RvtVa3c.dll
• The add-in manifest RvtVa3c.addin

In order to generate the DLL, you download and compile the Visual Studio solution:

• Download or clone the RvtVa3c GitHub repository.
• Open the solution file RvtVa3c.sln in Visual Studio; to build it:
• Add references to the Revit API assembly files RevitAPI.dll and RevitAPIUI.dll, located in your Revit installation directory.
• If you wish to debug, set up the path to the Revit executable in the Debug tab, Start External Program; change the path to your system installation, e.g., C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Revit Architecture 2017\Revit.exe.
• Build and optionally debug into Revit.exe.

This will open the Revit installation and install the plugin.

You can then either start up Revit.exe manually or via the Visual Studio debugger.

In Revit, the RvtVa3c add-in external command can be launched from the Revit Add-Ins tab, which causes it to export your Revit model to a JSON file.

For more information on setting up Revit to discover and load the add-in, please refer to the Revit online help > Developers > Revit API Developers Guide > Introduction > Add-In Integration > Add-in Registration.

For more details on programming Revit add-ins in general, please refer to the Revit API Getting Started material, especially the DevTV and My First Revit Plugin tutorials.

Tools and Technologies

• three.js JavaScript 3D Library
• vA3C three.js AEC Viewer

Further Reading

• AEC Hackathon – From the Midst of the Fray
• RvtVa3c – Revit Va3c Generic AEC Viewer JSON Export
• RvtVa3c Assembly Resolver
• Three.js AEC Viewer Progress
• Integrating RvtVa3c into Three.js
• Custom User Settings Storage and RvtVa3c Update
• RvtVa3c Enhancement Filters Parameters

Wishlist

• Texture support
• Improved handling of normals to gracefully display non-planar surfaces

Authors

Implemented by Matt Mason and Jeremy Tammik, The Building Coder, Autodesk Inc., at the New York AEC Hackathon in May 2014.

License

This sample is licensed under the terms of the MIT License. Please see the LICENSE file for full details.