Reference from FamilyInstance

[til.shviger]

I try create dimension between family instances

how i must get referenceArray from familyInstances correctly ?

to be able use:

doc.Create.NewDimension(view, Line, referenceArray);

[lucamanzoni]

Hi,
you need first to create an empty ReferenceArray, it works basically like a list.
Then you can get the references with many methods, for example with GetReferenceByName

ref = ReferenceArray()
   
for x in element:
	a = FamilyInstance.GetReferenceByName(x,"Center (Left/Right)")
	ref.Append(a)

Take a look at the RevitAPI to see the available methods:
http://www.revitapidocs.com/2018.1/93405c86-ae71-8675-cd74-1ddc271316b6.htm

[Ewan_Opie]

You must construct the ReferenceArray from extracted DB.References within the Family Instance.

You can do this, ncluding options, as displayed here:

Dimension to wall finished face

@Ewan_Opie @awilliams Sorry but how would I go about amending this so that it takes a list of lines (3 lines one for each dimension) and 3 lists of elements to be dimensioned? I thought I could create a custom node and just change the lacing but that doesn’t work. How does lacing working with Python nodes within a custom node? Is this possible or is it best to modify the Python itself? Thanks import clr clr.AddReference('RevitAPI') from Autodesk.Revit.DB import * clr.AddReference('RevitNode…

To extract the DB.References from a Family Instance, refer here for a similar workflow:

Autodesk.Revit.DB.Reference to Curve

Hello Dynamo people. I want to create Room Boundary Lines at the location of the reference planes from a family. In the family I named the Reference Planes "Front"and “Back”. With Dynamo I can collect these Reference Planes from the family in the project. Last step is to convert these (Autodesk.Revit.DB.Reference) to Curves or Lines, but i downt know how. Can anyone help me? Thanx in advance [Knipsel] import clr clr.AddReference("ProtoGeometry") from Autodesk.DesignScript.Geom…

I will post a full worked example in the morning.

[til.shviger]

@lucamanzoni

for x in element:

element => its list of familyInstances ?

[til.shviger]

@Ewan_Opie

I will post a full worked example in the morning.

[lucamanzoni]

Yes, exactly, usually I call element the input

element = IN[0]

but elements would be more appropriate

[til.shviger]

@lucamanzoni

1.) its not work for me , my be because of current view is ViewSection?

2.)
Where i can see all list of GetReferenceByName
“Center (Left/Right)”
…

[Alban_de_Chasteigner]

A great example in python by @lucamanzoni or @Ewan_Opie will probably be more appropriate if you want to understand how to do it, but if you are in a hurry, there are already custom nodes.

[lucamanzoni]

Yes exactly. The page of the RevitAPI, used by @Alban_de_Chasteigner in his great package, is this one:

FamilyInstanceReferenceType Enumeration

If you absolutely need to do it with Python, here is a very simple example:

ReferencePlane within Element

Hi, you can get the reference planes with the method FamilyInstance.GetReferenceByName and indicate which reference you want, in this case I took “Center (Left/Right)”. Apparently the node you are using takes only model lines as reference, so it’s just easier to use doc.Create.NewDimension in Python, it’s basically working in the same way. [DimensionReference] [ReferenceDimension] import clr clr.AddReference('RevitAPI') from Autodesk.Revit.DB import * from Autodesk.Revit.DB.Structure imp…

We cannot help further if you don’t post your script and see where are the mistakes.

[til.shviger]

@lucamanzoni

We cannot help further if you don’t post your script and see where are the mistakes.

Onto ViewSection:

element = [familyInst1, familyInst2]
ref = ReferenceArray()
   
for x in element:
	a = FamilyInstance.GetReferenceByName(x,"Center (Left/Right)")
	ref.Append(a)

 doc.Create.NewDimension(doc.ActiveView, Line, ref );

And next no result and errors)

[3Pinter]

Please @til.shviger read the apidocs to see what you will have to do in order to achieve what you want.

For example where did you define
“doc”
“Line”

Understanding what you must do helps a lot!

[til.shviger]

doc = DocumentManager.Current.DB.Document

Line => select line exist at model => get start end point => Line = Line.CreateBound(start/end points)

[til.shviger]

Its full code

import System
from System import *
import clr

#-----------
import sys
pyt_path = r'C:\Program Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7\Lib'
sys.path.append(pyt_path)
#-------------------------

clr.AddReference('ProtoGeometry')
from Autodesk.DesignScript.Geometry import *

clr.AddReference("RevitNodes")
import Revit
clr.ImportExtensions(Revit.GeometryConversion)
from Revit.Elements import *
clr.ImportExtensions(Revit.Elements)

clr.AddReference("RevitServices")
import RevitServices
from RevitServices.Persistence import DocumentManager
from RevitServices.Transactions import TransactionManager

clr.AddReference("RevitAPI")
import Autodesk
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *

clr.AddReference('RevitAPIUI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *

doc = DocumentManager.Instance.CurrentDBDocument
uiapp = DocumentManager.Instance.CurrentUIApplication
app = uiapp.Application
uidoc=DocumentManager.Instance.CurrentUIApplication.ActiveUIDocument

t = Transaction(doc, "t");
t.Start();

familyInst1 = IN[0]
familyInst2=IN[1]
line = IN[2]

element = [familyInst1, familyInst2]
ref = ReferenceArray()
for x in element:
a = FamilyInstance.GetReferenceByName(UnwrapElement(x),"Center (Left/Right)")
ref.Append(a)
dimension = doc.Create.NewDimension(doc.ActiveView, Line.CreateBound(line.Curve.ToRevitType().GetEndPoint(0), line.Curve.ToRevitType().GetEndPoint(1)) , ref );
t.Commit();
OUT= dimension

[lucamanzoni]

Ok, now it’s better
So the problems might be:

• Are references Center (Left/Right) existing in the family? If yes, do they have this name or are they in another language?
• Are these references the one you want to use? If yes, are they perpendicular to the Line?

Moreover instead of Line.CreateBound etc… you can simply use as input:

line = UnwrapElement(IN[1]).GeometryCurve

(check the link I previously posted)

[Ewan_Opie]

Your latest error may be the result of incorrect DB.Reference pairing.
Please refer to the example below:

Python 1

import clr
clr.AddReference('RevitAPI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *

clr.AddReference('RevitServices')
import RevitServices
from RevitServices.Persistence import DocumentManager
from RevitServices.Transactions import TransactionManager

def tolist(obj1):
	if hasattr(obj1,'__iter__'): return obj1
	else: return [obj1]
	
FamilyInst = tolist(UnwrapElement(IN[0]))
RefName = IN[1]
FamRefs = []

for f in FamilyInst:
	FamRefName = FamilyInstance.GetReferenceByName(f, RefName)
	FamRefs.append(FamRefName)

OUT = FamRefs

Python 2

import clr

clr.AddReference('RevitServices')
import RevitServices
from RevitServices.Persistence import DocumentManager
from RevitServices.Transactions import TransactionManager
doc =  DocumentManager.Instance.CurrentDBDocument
app = DocumentManager.Instance.CurrentUIApplication.Application

clr.AddReference('RevitNodes')
import Revit
clr.ImportExtensions(Revit.Elements)
clr.ImportExtensions(Revit.GeometryConversion)

clr.AddReference('RevitAPI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *

def tolist(obj1):
    if hasattr(obj1,'__iter__'): return obj1
    else: return [obj1]

view = doc.ActiveView
dimLines = tolist(UnwrapElement(IN[0]))
RefsToDim = tolist(UnwrapElement(IN[1]))

refArrays = []

outList = []

for refList in RefsToDim:
    rArr = ReferenceArray()
    for r in refList:
        rArr.Append(r)
    refArrays.append(rArr)

TransactionManager.Instance.EnsureInTransaction(doc)
for l,r in zip(dimLines,refArrays):
    try:
        outList.append(doc.Create.NewDimension(view,l.GeometryCurve,r))
    except Exception,e:
        outList.append(e.message)
    
TransactionManager.Instance.TransactionTaskDone()

OUT = outList

Hope that helps #share
Multi DB Reference Extraction for Dimension Creation.dyn (11.4 KB)
(Dynamo 1.3.4)

[til.shviger]

@Ewan_Opie Thank you for your support ! I will try it !

What category elements do you used?

[Ewan_Opie]

The elements shown in my example are structural columns. Let me know how you get on.