Collaboration with other software
About model and data exchange with 3rd party solutions: Revit, Solibri, dRofus, Bluebeam, structural analysis solutions, and IFC, BCF and DXF/DWG-based exchange, etc.

Archicad 24 - RVT Import of Part Modells and Central Modells

JSN
Enthusiast
Hey,

I have got some revit files from a consultant and let me briefly explain how they have set it up

Central Model = Main File and containing
- Part Model Building A
- Part Model Building B
- Part Model Building C

Well, all of them are (like with AC Hotlinks) indepent files and we have got them all. Afaik when you open the Central Model in Revit the Part Models automatically are loaded if they are found and of course they are put on the correct position.

Fact 1: In AC24 when you hotlink now the Cental Model.rvt you of course only get what's in there and not the Part Models so you have to load all four files as seperate hotlinks.

Well, this would not be a problem, if the part modells would have the same Origin ... which is not the case, don't ask me why but it seems like they just started to draw anywhere and put them in the right position in the Central Model. At least that's my impression as the Part models are imported in totally different locations in AC24 than the Central Model (which is also rotated a bit).

Question 1: So it seems like that I have to manually place them individually in AC based on a Origin/Placement Marker ... or do you have any other suggestions?

Fact 2: Using IFC is not an option at the moment as the consultants do not get it right either - especially when it comes to property export. Moreover, (again) afaik, they cannot export one IFC model from their Central Model with the loaded Part Models but only four seperate files. At least that was the case the last time I had to deal with it.

Question 2: This is kind of a Revit question but I will give it a try - If there is a possibility to export it from Revit, will the IFCs be also all shifted based on their local origin points or are they at least matching in position.

I am just elaborating the way with the least resistance. I know setting up the project right in the beginning would solve so many issues and I am always preaching it but in this case it's a complicated contract situation and it is very unlikely that they are going to fix this on their side.

So please, correct me if I wrote something wrong and spread your wisdom and suggestions on how to proceed here the smartest way as it is indeed giving me headaches. Thx!
6 REPLIES 6
deivarch
Participant
Related, I'll share my experience. Yesterday, my electrical engineer and I exchanged Revit files, me exporting my AC24 into Revit and he sending his Revit 2020 file. For his import, the file came in mostly perfectly, but was missing grids, levels, and zones (I'm thinking I may have forgotten to turn those on in the 3D view settings). For my import of his file into AC24, everything came in perfectly and shows in my model exactly where it is supposed to.

My Mechanical Engineer refuses to use Revit 2020 and is using Revit 2021. As a result, I'm having to send him the IFC and he is getting a 'crappy' version of the export as the plugin for Revit 2021 is not available yet on Graphisoft's website. His exports to me are equally crappy due to the lack of good translation.

So, ultimately, version 24 is a HUGE improvement for my workflows, but I need to be able to export the grids, levels, and zones, and I need support in AC24 for Revit 2021 format. If we get that, then I'm most of the way there on a much more seamless workflow.
deivarch
Participant
Question 1: So it seems like that I have to manually place them individually in AC based on a Origin/Placement Marker ... or do you have any other suggestions?

- Yes, if the engineer didn't use the origin point created by the export from AC, then their model will be offset when brought back to AC. You could place an object in your model that you have them "copy monitor" in Revit so it shows up in their Revit file and that way you can orient to it when reimporting.

Question 2: This is kind of a Revit question but I will give it a try - If there is a possibility to export it from Revit, will the IFCs be also all shifted based on their local origin points or are they at least matching in position.

- In my experience the shifting is far less likely if they are using the Archicad plugin for Revit.
JSN
Enthusiast
deivarch wrote:
Question 1: So it seems like that I have to manually place them individually in AC based on a Origin/Placement Marker ... or do you have any other suggestions?

- Yes, if the engineer didn't use the origin point created by the export from AC, then their model will be offset when brought back to AC. You could place an object in your model that you have them "copy monitor" in Revit so it shows up in their Revit file and that way you can orient to it when reimporting.
Update: Ok, it turned out that the constellation is a bit trickier.

Central Model = Main File and containing
- Part Model Building A
-- Another nested Linked Model to Building A
- Part Model Building B
-- Another nested Linked Model to Building B
- Part Model Building C

The part modells also have linked models attached to them and this means that i would have to extra load and of course re-position or "assemble" them too when importing the .rvt files into AC. So now the above constellation is just a schematic example and in reallity there are much more modells which would lead to lots of delicate positioning and importing and therefore the status quo seems to be:

- When we retrieve the Revit Files we have to open the Central Model and bind everything to it - this takes quite a while but at least then we only have to deal with one .rvt where everything is loacted where it should be. It is far away from an optimized workflow but at least it seems to be the fastest solution for now.

Wish and advice for future projects, to my colleagues and project partners: They correctly coordinate the project origins of all models in advance so that this mess is not even going to happen.

Wish for Graphisoft and Dev Partners: Of course also support for Rvt 2021 as already discussed in another thread, but also the possibility to auto-detect and load such (nested) linked models from a central model or an addon for revit to batch process this step with a "send .rvt to archicad" where this is done automatically.

If anyone knows if there is maybe a script or another workaround available which already does this I would be glad to hear more about it!
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
JSN wrote:
Wish for Graphisoft and Dev Partners: Of course also support for Rvt 2021 as already discussed in another thread, but also the possibility to auto-detect and load such (nested) linked models from a central model or an addon for Revit to batch process this step with a "send .rvt to Archicad" where this is done automatically.


Could you post this in a separate thread? That way, we can vote on it and if it gets enough support, we can submit it to GRAPHISOFT for consideration. If you just keep it here, it may be lost and overlooked.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
JSN
Enthusiast
LaszloNagy wrote:
Could you post this in a separate thread? That way, we can vote on it and if it gets enough support, we can submit it to GRAPHISOFT for consideration. If you just keep it here, it may be lost and overlooked.
Sure, in the "Cooperation Archicad Wish Section" or anywhere else?
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Yes, the Cooperation Wishes forum will be fine:

https://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewforum.php?f=29
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27