Revit IFC Exporter App bundle for Autodesk APS Design Automation

Description

This sample demonstrates how to implement Revit exporter that supports IFC export options of Autodesk Revit IFC.

Notice

This sample uses the ported classes IFCExportConfigurationsMap and IFCExportConfiguration from v23.3.1.0 of Autodesk revit-ifc open source addin to support exporting IFC with the export settings created from Revit Desktop.

You can the original source code for these two classes under the path Source /IFCExporterUIOverride of Autodesk revit-ifc open source addin and select Revit version you want by switching the git tags (e.g. IFC_v23.3.1).

Pre-steps for using newer or latest Revit IFC exporter from Autodesk revit-ifc open source addin on DA.

1. Downland the version of Revit IFC Addin including the exporter you want to use from the [releases of Autodesk revit-ifc open source addin](https://github.com/Autodesk/revit-ifc/releases) and install it on your local machine. For example, [Release 23.3.1 for Revit 2023](https://github.com/Autodesk/revit-ifc/releases/tag/IFC_v23.3.1.0). - Or download the IFC addin source code from [Autodesk revit-ifc open source addin](https://github.com/Autodesk/revit-ifc), and compile to DLLs. 2. Copy all files and folders except for `IFCExporterUIOverride.*` from the Revit IFC addin installation location or the `install` folder when compiling from source code of [Autodesk revit-ifc open source addin](https://github.com/Autodesk/revit-ifc). For example, `C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\IFC 2023 bundle\Contents\2023`. 3. Put copied files and folders into `RevitIfcExporter.bundle/Contents`. For example, [RevitIfcExporter2023/RevitIfcExporter.bundle/Contents](RevitIfcExporter2023/RevitIfcExporter.bundle/Contents). 4. Modify the copied `Revit.IFC.addin` under `RevitIfcExporter.bundle/Contents` and replace absolute path with local relative paths. For example, the modified paths between the pair of `` below: ```xml BIM IFC Exporter .\Revit.IFC.Export.dll BIM IFC Importer .\Revit.IFC.Import.dll ``` 5. Modify `RevitIfcExporter.bundle/PackageContents.xml`, and add this line to load Revit.IFC.addin we specified in the `RevitIfcExporter.bundle/Contents`. Here is an example of using Revit IFC addin v23.3.1: ```xml ``` 6. Zip the `RevitIfcExporter.bundle` and upload it to DA.

Development Setup

Prerequisites

APS Account: Learn how to create a APS Account, activate subscription and create an app at this tutorial.
Visual Studio 2019 and later (Windows).
Revit 2021 and later: required to compile changes into the plugin.

Design Automation Setup

AppBundle example

{
    "id": "RevitIfcExporter",
    "engine": "Autodesk.Revit+2022",
    "description": "Revit IFC exporter with Revit IFC export options support"
}

Activity example

{
    "id": "RevitIfcExporterActivity",
    "commandLine": [
        "$(engine.path)\\\\revitcoreconsole.exe /i \"$(args[inputFile].path)\" /al \"$(appbundles[RevitIfcExporter].path)\""
    ],
    "parameters": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "description": "Input Revit File",
            "required": true,
            "localName": "$(inputFile)"
        },
        "userPropertySetsFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "description": "IFC user defined property set definition file",
            "localName": "userDefinedParameterSets.txt"
        },
        "userParameterMappingFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "description": "IFC user defined parameter mapping file",
            "localName": "userDefinedParameterMapping.txt"
        },
        "userExportSettingsFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "description": "JSON-based User-defined IFC export settings(configuration) file exported from Revit IFC addin",
            "localName": "userExportSettings.json"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "verb": "get",
            "description": "Input Json parameters",
            "localName": "params.json"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "zip": true,
            "verb": "put",
            "description": "Exported IFC files",
            "localName": "ifc"
        }
    },
    "engine": "Autodesk.Revit+2022",
    "appbundles": [
        "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporter+dev"
    ],
    "description": "Activity of Revit IFC Exporter with Autodesk IFC export options support"
}

Workitem example

Use userPropertySets filename defined in the IFC export configuration sets and specify addin settings via inline json

{
    "activityId": "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporterActivity+dev",
    "arguments": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US"
        },
        "userPropertySetsFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/97095bbc-1ce3-469f-99ba-0157bbcab73b?region=US"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "url": "data:application/json,{\"exportSettingName\":\"IFC2x3 Coordination View 2.0\"}"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "verb": "put",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US",
            "headers": {
                "Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
            }
        }
    }
}

Note. While providing inputJSON by inline format, DA will save it as param.json after DA starts processing the workitem.

Use userPropertySets and userDefinedParameterMapping filename defined in the IFC export configuration sets, and specify addin settings via concrete JSON file

{
    "activityId": "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporterActivity+dev",
    "arguments": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US"
        },
        "userPropertySetsFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/97095bbc-1ce3-469f-99ba-0157bbcab73b?region=US"
        },
        "userParameterMappingFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/f0ff99e0-75dc-4aa1-acd4-3933657013d6?region=US"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/ab593357-6c6e-44dc-8308-8a7c92b25494?region=US"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "verb": "put",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US",
            "headers": {
                "Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
            }
        }
    }
}

Use userPropertySets filename override and specify addin settings via inline json

{
    "activityId": "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporterActivity+dev",
    "arguments": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US"
        },
        "userPropertySetsFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/97095bbc-1ce3-469f-99ba-0157bbcab73b?region=US",
            "localName": "FmUserDefinedPropSets.txt"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "data:application/json,{\"exportSettingName\":\"My IFC Export Setup\", \"userDefinedPropertySetsFilenameOverride\": \"FmUserDefinedPropSets.txt\"}"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "verb": "put",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US",
            "headers": {
                "Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
            }
        }
    }
}

Export only elements visible in the given view unique id via inline JSON

{
    "activityId": "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporterActivity+dev",
    "arguments": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "data:application/json,{\"exportSettingName\":\"My IFC Export Setup\", \"viewId\": \"44745acb-ebea-4fb9-a091-88d28bd746c7-000ea86d\"}"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "verb": "put",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US",
            "headers": {
                "Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
            }
        }
    }
}

What if the IFC expected setup hasn't checked the "Export only elements visible in view" option? No worry, we just need to specify "onlyExportVisibleElementsInView": true in the inputJson like below to turn it on on the fly.

{
    "activityId": "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporterActivity+dev",
    "arguments": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "data:application/json,{\"exportSettingName\":\"My IFC Export Setup\", \"viewId\": \"44745acb-ebea-4fb9-a091-88d28bd746c7-000ea86d\", \"onlyExportVisibleElementsInView\": \"true\"}"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "verb": "put",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US",
            "headers": {
                "Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
            }
        }
    }
}

Example of params.json

Here is an example of the available options in the params.json. Only exportSettingName is required.

{
    "exportSettingName": "My IFC Export Setup",
    "userDefinedPropertySetsFilenameOverride": "DasUserDefinedPropSets.txt",
    "userDefinedParameterMappingFilenameOverride": "DasUserDefinedParameterMapping.txt",
    "onlyExportVisibleElementsInView": true,
    "viewId": "44745acb-ebea-4fb9-a091-88d28bd746c7-000ea86d"
}

Example of userPropertySetsFile for IFC

#
# User Defined PropertySet Definition File
#
# Format:
#    PropertySet: <Pset Name> I[nstance]/T[ype] <element list separated by ','>
# <Property Name 1> <Data type> <[opt] Revit parameter name, if different from IFC>
# <Property Name 2> <Data type> <[opt] Revit parameter name, if different from IFC>
# ...
#
# Data types supported: Area, Boolean, ClassificationReference, ColorTemperature, Count, Currency, 
# ElectricalCurrent, ElectricalEfficacy, ElectricalVoltage, Force, Frequency, Identifier, 
# Illuminance, Integer, Label, Length, Logical, LuminousFlux, LuminousIntensity, 
# NormalisedRatio, PlaneAngle, PositiveLength, PositivePlaneAngle, PositiveRatio, Power, 
# Pressure, Ratio, Real, Text, ThermalTransmittance, ThermodynamicTemperature, Volume, 
# VolumetricFlowRate
# 
# Example property set definition for COBie:
#
#PropertySet: COBie_Specification T IfcElementType
# NominalLength Real COBie.Type.NominalLength
# NominalWidth Real COBie.Type.NominalWidth
# NominalHeight Real COBie.Type.NominalHeight
# Shape  Text COBie.Type.Shape
# Size  Text COBie.Type.Size
# Color  Text COBie.Type.Color
# Finish  Text COBie.Type.Finish
# Grade  Text COBie.Type.Grade
# Material Text COBie.Type.Material
# Constituents Text COBie.Type.Constituents
# Features Text Cobie.Type.Features
# AccessibilityPerformance Text COBie.Type.AccessibilityPerformance
# CodePerformance Text COBie.Type.CodePerformance
# SustainabilityPerformance Text COBie.Type.SustainabilityPerformance
# 

PropertySet: DAS Parameters I IfcRoof
 FM ID Text

Support specifying IFC export settings on the fly without pre-saved ones in RVT file

No more pre-saved IFC export settings in RVT file. Now it supports importing the JSON-based user-defined IFC export settings (configuration) file exported from Revit Desktop on the fly.

{
    "activityId": "Autodesk.RevitIfcExporterActivity+dev",
    "arguments": {
        "inputFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US"
        },
        "userExportSettingsFile": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/d8dd5822-4441-41ac-a5a2-2f8dd1e64c24?region=US"
        },
        "inputJson": {
            "verb": "get",
            "url": "data:application/json,{\"useExportSettingFile\": true, \"viewId\": \"44745acb-ebea-4fb9-a091-88d28bd746c7-000ea86d\"}"
        },
        "outputIFC": {
            "verb": "put",
            "url": "https://developer.api.autodesk.com/oss/v2/apptestbucket/9d3be632-a4fc-457d-bc5d-9e75cefc54b7?region=US",
            "headers": {
                "Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
            }
        }
    }
}

Example of userExportSettingsFile exported from Revit Desktop

{
  "IFCVersion": 21,
  "ExchangeRequirement": 3,
  "IFCFileType": 0,
  "ActivePhaseId": -1,
  "SpaceBoundaries": 0,
  "SplitWallsAndColumns": false,
  "IncludeSteelElements": true,
  "ProjectAddress": {
    "UpdateProjectInformation": false,
    "AssignAddressToSite": false,
    "AssignAddressToBuilding": true
  },
  "Export2DElements": false,
  "ExportLinkedFiles": false,
  "VisibleElementsOfCurrentView": true,
  "ExportRoomsInView": true,
  "ExportInternalRevitPropertySets": false,
  "ExportIFCCommonPropertySets": true,
  "ExportBaseQuantities": false,
  "ExportMaterialPsets": false,
  "ExportSchedulesAsPsets": false,
  "ExportSpecificSchedules": false,
  "ExportUserDefinedPsets": false,
  "ExportUserDefinedPsetsFileName": "C:\\ProgramData\\Autodesk\\ApplicationPlugins\\IFC 2022.bundle\\Contents\\2022\\IFC 2x3 Coordination View 2.0.txt",
  "ExportUserDefinedParameterMapping": false,
  "ExportUserDefinedParameterMappingFileName": "",
  "ClassificationSettings": {
    "ClassificationName": null,
    "ClassificationEdition": null,
    "ClassificationSource": null,
    "ClassificationEditionDate": "\/Date(-62135596800000)\/",
    "ClassificationLocation": null,
    "ClassificationFieldName": null
  },
  "TessellationLevelOfDetail": 0.5,
  "ExportPartsAsBuildingElements": false,
  "ExportSolidModelRep": false,
  "UseActiveViewGeometry": false,
  "UseFamilyAndTypeNameForReference": false,
  "Use2DRoomBoundaryForVolume": false,
  "IncludeSiteElevation": false,
  "StoreIFCGUID": false,
  "ExportBoundingBox": false,
  "UseOnlyTriangulation": false,
  "UseTypeNameOnlyForIfcType": false,
  "UseVisibleRevitNameAsEntityName": false,
  "SelectedSite": "Internal",
  "SitePlacement": 0,
  "GeoRefCRSName": "",
  "GeoRefCRSDesc": "",
  "GeoRefEPSGCode": "",
  "GeoRefGeodeticDatum": "",
  "GeoRefMapUnit": "",
  "ExcludeFilter": "",
  "COBieCompanyInfo": "",
  "COBieProjectInfo": "",
  "Name": "IFC Configuration - DAS IFC2x3 CV 2.0",
  "ActiveViewId": -1,
  "IsBuiltIn": false,
  "IsInSession": false,
  "FileVersionDescription": "IFC 2x3 Coordination View 2.0"
}

Note. This file can be exported via clicking the Save selected setup button on IFC Export Setup dialog

Todo

[x] Add compile options for supporting multiple Revit versions (e.g. From Revit 2021 to Revit 2024)
[x] Add pre-complied DLLs to repository releases.
[x] Support specifying IFC export settings on the fly without pre-saved ones in RVT file.
[ ] Support exporting IFC from Revit links
[x] Support site placement related options
[x] Support IFCExchangeRequirements
[x] Support IncludeSteelElements
[x] Support exporting only elements visible in specified view

License

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

Written by

Eason Kang @yiskang, Autodesk Developer Advocacy and Support

yiskang / aps-revit-ifc-exporter-appbundle

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