This Node “Etabs Excel to Revit” from package “Parachence” maps an Exported Excel file from Etabs to a new formatted Excel file. The new formatted Excel file is translated in Dynamo to generate points and curve lines which a user can use to generate Revit model elements or update elements.
Please let me know if this is helpful I’m still learning to make nodes so everything is a test. Would love feed back if you get a chance.
Hi @Danny_Bentley, I tried to do the procedure mentioned on your website but still get the “dll” error. Can you help me?
I see that this script is for beams and columns only. Have you tried this on shells (walls or slabs)? Do you know how to match the pier number of the element with a parameter in the revit element created? Thanks.
I’ve been using the CSIxREVIT for a while, and this plug-in import the “Pier” number and also a “ETABS GUID”.
Hi Jorge,
Just from looking at the node error of unresolved my first in instinct is to check if the package is installed. I would also check the folder to make sure the dll files have been downloaded. I have an image of the files that should be in this folder. I can upload them to you if they are missing. C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Roaming\Dynamo\Dynamo Revit\1.2\packages\Etabs Excel to Revit\bin
I build Dynamo/Add-ins here at Skidmore Owing and Merrill (SOM) for project specific reasons and then if I find them useful I publish them. I haven’t had the chance to build shell items or pier elements. One beautiful part Etabs is that everything you need to build Revit elements is available.
The bad part of Etabs is that the geometry isn’t always 100% accurate or the way which an engineer models consistant. Engineers will destroy geometry in Etabs killing our connection between Etabs ID and Revit ID. I started using XYZ point with a tolerance and matching start and end points of items to update and change Revit elements types and load new types. Unfortunately, that part of the project is built in an add-in which is project specific. All the source code is online on my git if you want to take a look at it.
I think one thing we are looking at is post tension and concrete in my next project, therefore, if something useful is made I will publish it.
Hi @Danny_Bentley I still have the problem of the unresolved node although I made sure that the .dll file exists in the destination folder as you mentioned above.
fady,
Could you send me a screenshot of your warning? I think it might be a bug with Dynamo and the external dll packages. I’m having a similar issue with another node.
I submitted a ticket for another node I built and they didn’t get back to me. I will send your screenshot as a separate ticket and see if I can get them to help me.
Dynamo isn’t serializing my .dll with a relative path. It is instead hard pathing it with my original folder where I develop it. I’ve been talking with them on Git and I may try rebuilding it using Zerotouch node.
I’ve made a dynamo def. Which does the same thing as my C# code. My hope was to reduce the number of nodes to and allow the users to do some more cool stuff like map the shapes and update framing and columns. Which I have been working on too.
my dyn was too big to upload, therefore, I added it to my drop box.
I have added they Dyn file onto my Github. https://github.com/dannysbentley/pyDynamo Here is a video example without verbal instruction just visual on my Youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4TVTGPXLVA&list=PLlyMZ5IcKcciQwUdE9H1m_sjdoTtXvcGY&index=3
I might mention that I haven’t worked on this node for some time. The issue I had is that Etabs model is built without the same accuracy as a Revit model. The engineer who is building it will also destroy geometry when they model (unable to hold and element ID from Etabs). I was able to generate model elements quickly but I had to go back and fix location of some steel in the project.
I have started thinking that updating the Revit model by using the Revit API to compare Etabs and Revit XYZ points with a range of 3 to 4 feet plus or minus might be a little better. if the start and end points match than I can compare the size or member from Etabs to Revit. If they don’t match the API can change the steel size or load in from the catalog. Something like this might be more useful. This project can also be found on my Github https://github.com/dannysbentley/EtabsToRevit/tree/master/EtabsToRevit
The sad part is I started working on this when I was doing a steel building in SF. We’ve finished it but I didn’t get a chance to complete my code. My thought was I would use it for a new project and get it working better. Sadly I got put on a concrete project. You’re welcome to use any part of the code or dynamo script. When I get a new steel building I will continue to work on this project.
Hi Danny,
it might be interesting for you to have a look at Konstru. We are translating bi-directional Revit/ETABS/SAP and came across the issues you mentioned with different accuracy in analysis. Therefore we implemented a filtering system that allows you to only update certain element properties like geometry, profile section or even analysis results: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy2QVHYhB-U
And there is a feature to repair connectivity from poorly connected Revit models so you end up with a clean analysis model in Etabs. Try it out and let me know what you think: https://konstru.com
Max
