Orchid update feed

[erfajo]

To whom it might concern. I have started to expand my nodes for compound structures (system family)…

[erfajo]

To whom it might concern…
I have made a new set of Print nodes, incl. a new node for the “ActiveView” that handles any kind of view incl. sheet view, which the OOTB node do not handle!

Postedit
I had to rename all dropdown nodes! In my continues work I wanted to add more dropdown classes, and while doing this I discovered that I would end up in a mess if I didn’t name all UI classes with “special” names. Therefore I had to rename the these classes as fast as I could, and since the print nodes were released yesterday, I have not made migration for this!

[erfajo]

Just some words about why I dont use the Package Manager…

Parameter Properties Dialog Box

I will not return using the Package Manager before it can handle external repositories (like Github) as the source for packages, and it can handle parallels for different Dynamo versions. I have automized all processes for keeping my repository up to date. That’s why the PM must be able to fetch whatever is needed automatically from repositories. Besides is it too cumbersome to handle my package manually as would be the case if I used the PM. My package holds now far beyond 100 nodes in 5 asse…

Package Manager --> one more has left

Today came this message at LinkedIn This is not one of the smaller players who is leaving, this is the package that has been holding a position in the top five for all times. [image]

[erfajo]

I have just updated to 132.3.7 / 201.3.7 versions. They both support the newly released 2.0.2 and 1.3.4 version of Dynamo as well. – > https://github.com/erfajo/OrchidForDynamo/tree/master/Builds

One major change is that the two versions are now split into individual installers. I have evaluated that the time is up for this since the 2.0 version has been around for some time and that many new users don’t use the old 1.3 series anymore. However, there is still a world out there that need to be compatible with the 1.3 series. I will in the future develop against the 2.0 series but maintain the 1.3 series as long as it is possible without doing anything extra. Over time will the development of the 1.3 series stop.

By this version, I have also removed the last Custom Nodes meaning all nodes in the package is now Zero Touch nodes (The last four CN nodes for FEM-design).

This update also adds some new nodes and some updated nodes as well.
Among these is the node there can tell the user if an update of the package exists!

new…

updated…

[erfajo]

more new nodes for getting families, familytypes, and nodes for subcategories.
-released in the 201.3.8 / 132.3.8 version of Orchid

[erfajo]

Yet another update (132.3.9 / 201.3.9)… new nodes created for Shared Parameters.

The idea with the “SetFile” node is to be able to set a temporary SP file while doing stuff, and in the end, return to the original SP file. If you want to test it without any “Stuff”, then use the Circut node, set it to false and then you can verify that the SP file changes. Then test it with the Circuit set to true and you should end up with the file you had in your file (remember to reset between the two tests!).

The two “query” nodes get all the parameters in the SP file and group them either by type or by group name.

Adding shared Parametrs from text file to RFA

I have now finilized the nodes… they ended a bit different than the beta builds. First they got their own “class” named “SharedParameter” and I ended creating all in all three nodes. In the last run I ended creating two “query” nodes getting all the parameters in the SP file and group them either by type or by group name. Therefore does the updated graph look like this… Add Share Parameter to RFA.dyn (52.5 KB) [Add%20Share%20Parameter%20to%20RFA]

This update included also four updated nodes for printing (options there are rarely set)

[erfajo]

I have made some supplemental nodes for Element and ElementType to get FamilyName and Name for ElementType!

The new FamilyName nodes might come handy when it is needed to figure if a wall is a Curtain Wall or a Basic Wall

[erfajo]

Orchid version 134.3.10 / 202.3.10 has been released.

The largest change in this version is that the package has been refactored to comply with naming conventions.

The next largest change is all FamilyDocument nodes don’t pass the document as an output, likewise, other nodes there passed project documents. I have made this rather large change to be able to support ”ListLevel” better, I have noticed many users have problems understanding that the output changes dramatically for passing the opened document when list level is used. Therefore do all now need to use the DataStream.Await to let documents being passed.

Example…

There are also some new nodes made for Parameters…

One of the new nodes is AddIfcParameters, this one adds the four most important IFC parameters.
Parameters are found in the IFC Shared Parameters.txt that works together with the Revit IFC exporter!
http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2019/ENU/?guid=GUID-7119A8C3-A0EE-4568-8C35-750410D867C9

PARAM	f53d1285-ae3d-4992-a3f1-2e7978be529a	IfcExportAs	TEXT
PARAM	8296d5c9-f935-41f5-8247-48a26d1c85a4	IFC CAD Layer	TEXT
PARAM	99793364-7511-4937-80d1-4a6427f2c720	IfcDescription	TEXT
PARAM	765c61bc-7588-4846-bfef-befb28681767	IfcExportType	TEXT

I have also changed the icon layout for all nodes. All large icons are now 128x128 px, and I have started to use a green and yellow color in icons. Family document icons have got a new border to show they are only for Family documents. I am still trying to keep the general layout used by the Dynamo team.

…please see my sample collection for further documentation

erfajo/OrchidForDynamo

[erfajo]

New release there includes some new nodes…
Check if family parameter has associated element (…in upper right corner).

Node there converts shared parameters to family parameters.

After the last update of all family document nodes, is all nodes also updated changing the output to the most suited instead of document as output.
all changes can be seen at my sample collection at Github.

[erfajo]

It is increasingly becoming more and more problematic to maintain what happens with my package. I know this is not a blog but on the other side, if it was doable for me to edit the posts (especially in this post), then I could update and maintain the individual post I make. The oldest posts are deprecated, meaning the nodes look different by now. However, posts are being locked over time and I have no options for keeping it up to date. The only option is to delete a post, and then is the remaining thread looking odd. Mostly would it be images and names for nodes which need to be updated…

This is why I have started to blog about information, updates, tips and tricks for Orchid. However, I don’t expect that this is something users want to follow day by day. What I do is not that important at all So in the future will I post whenever a new blog is out, so followers this way can read whenever there is news… and I have the option to edit whatever I do to keep everything updated.

 the Orchid project

[john_pierson]

However, I don’t expect that this is something users want to follow day by day. What I do is not that important at all

I think this statement is unfair. You will be surprised how many people will use this resource as their “go to” for information regarding your nodes. I primarily announce updates to Rhythm via my blog and twitter and it seems to have worked fine for the last 4 years. Several other node authors do the same as well.

Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing what is to come!
-john

[erfajo]

Thanks, @john_pierson, but I am myself being one of those who have cut back on all those social media sites you "need" to follow… I drowned in all those important and need-to pages I had to follow.

If I have it as so, then I would believe others also have it this way… that’s why I made the statement, that it is not that important whatever I do, but I will try to bring some kind of announcement whenever something new happens

[erfajo]

New nodes released:
The latest update includes a larger extension of nodes for association and nodes for categories.

Associate and Category

[duthoitan]

Thanks for the update

[bim-support]

hey there. thanks for these awesome nodes.
i have a problem though, as it seems that my list of print settings is being ignored by the print.by view node in RVT 2018.3, dynamo 2.0.1.5055. it only uses the first print setting for all the views. this problem was the same using archi-labs.

any ideas why that might be?

[erfajo]

I have updated the paper size node so it takes the selected printer as input. If there should be other issues then please report issues at GitHub so I can put them in my “tasks”. Besides an issue without an image of the graph that’s like finding the needle in the haystack.

The update works as the OOTB node “Get Family Parameter”, which has some issues normal dropdown nodes don’t have… however, it solves the issue that the paper sizes are combined/set to the selected printer and not to the windows default printer!

[erfajo]

To make it possible to get historic version of my executable installers have I renamed my executable installers to:
OrchidForDynamo_130.exe
OrchidForDynamo_200.exe

Previously did I include the major and minor number in the filename, but that meant that for every major/minor change came a new file name. Therefore, did I not have a history to roll back available at Github. This change should over time mean that historic executable should be available to get.

I have also made migration solutions for my deprecated DanEDU package.

Migrate Custom Nodes to Zero Touch nodes

I have now made migration solutions for my deprecated DanEDU package. The solution includes migration for both dynamo 1.3.x and dynamo 2.0.x The solutions lookup values in an excel file, so it only migrates nodes from the deprecated DanEDU package, and leave all other nodes unchanged/untouched. To be able to build these solutions I needed to make two new nodes for my Orchid package. Therefore, please update to the newest version of Orchid. Excel file with needed conversion input Convert.xlsx …

[erfajo]

Concerning the current internally dynamo 2.0.x migration problem is here a proof of concept solving this issue!

DynamoCore

Here is proof of concept for building an internal migration for Dynamo 2.0.x versions. However, this is build using an excel file holding the conversion data. to build such a file is cumbersome… InternallyMigration.xlsx (8.8 KB) InternallyMigration.dyn (64.5 KB) [InternallyMigration] Test files DynamoGraph.dyn (19.0 KB) [before] DynamoGraph_MIGRATED.dyn (19.1 KB) [after]

[erfajo]

IFC export and some other new nodes

As mentioned in the blog, is the major update this time the IFC Export nodes. I would be happy if someone would test these nodes in an environment I don’t have any more myself. I am especially interested in test based on Revit 2017 and Revit 2018 and IFC Exporter 18.4.0 or lower. I don’t have either Revit or IFC exporter versions below 2019 and 19.1.0 installed anymore!

Please write me PM if you have test results or at the issue page at GitHub!

Test files can be found using my sample collection
https://github.com/erfajo/OrchidForDynamo/tree/master/Builds
https://github.com/erfajo/OrchidForDynamo/tree/master/Samples

[erfajo]

Material and assets update.
I have published a release which includes more than 100 new nodes!

New nodes for materials