Has anyone been able to successfully use the updated solar analysis tool in revit 2024 or 2023?
The 1.14 version is installed since the 1.13 version has timed out.
In Dynamo, after restarting revit and dynamo multiple ways, it shows no nodes available in search or the side panel. When opening an existing graph built and ran successfully with solar analysis 1.13 the nodes cannot be resolved
Any ideas would be helpful. I have tried in
RVT 2023 Dynamo 2.16
RVT 2024 Dynamo 2.19
Formit 2024.1.0 Dynamo 2.18
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Curious to know what you are using the package for. Might be that there are more robust/efficient options, specifically if you are in a generative design context. One such use case was outlined at the AU session I helped to deliver this year.
Thanks Jacob,
Looking through your class material it seems you were using the solar analysis package that I found in the great graph you made available on dropbox. That solar analysis package timed out on 12/31/2023 so the dependencies with your files also do not load the package.
I am trying to get some real values (Peak and average insulation) caused by simple horizontal louvers and the affect on the building and pathways. I have done this successfully before in generative design, but the solar analysis package is now not working (1.13 and 1.14 both have been tested on multiple machines in RVT 23 and RVT 24). For now with a deadline I have taken the dynamo forma beta plugin and added 6 options currently to a new campus with 12 different locations of horizontal shading.
This looks okay but I really need specific values to rank the design options, and I want way more than 6 options using generative design. We are studying depth, spacing, width, and rotation angle for 12 different locations.
Have you found a better solution. I was thinking of trying topologic if the solar analysis package does not get updated.
Thanks
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I have 2 alternative methods here, one in dynamo with no packages and the other using rhino inside and grasshopper if they help:
Better is a relative term - I have other solutions which might work out for you.
The important thing to note here is that you don’t actually need the “specific” values, but rather relative.
All the analysis toos I have seen use some fairly large assumptions - we’re working with solar data which means that a cloudy day will perform differently than a sunny one. And with climate change having pretty significant impact on things of late weather predictions are very hit or miss. There is still value in saying ‘this design performs better than that one by X%’, or “this design is shaded better by X%”, where X is the ‘exposed’ area divided by the unexposed area, but in all cases we have a good bit of abstraction to do.
And so we can utilize VASA to identify a ‘relative degree of solar exposure’ for a few times of day (say 3 hours before, at, and 3 hours after solar noon) at a few points of the year (say the summer and winter solstice, and the equinox). With that data you can optimize for better performing solutions in Generative Design, shift a few options up to Forma/Insight/Another full analysis tool and get real values. Well ‘more real looking’ values anyway.
There are a few posts on this within the forum, worth reviewing. I have also tagged the Dynamo team so hopefully they can address the latest build to get it working again shortly (I’m guessing it’s a Dynamo 2 vs Dynamo 3 issue).
Thanks. I did notice VASA in your handout material. I will check it out.
I am still using Dynamo 2.19 and 2.16 but I assume you are saying the Solar Analysis Package 1.14 is built for Dynamo 3. Hopefully the Dynamo Team can update us.
That is my guess. The team is looking into it though, hopefully we’ll get something good from them soon. 
Thanks Gavin,
I may test the first one in generative design with denser spacing and remove the panel portion of the graph. It is frustrating something that worked perfectly a few weeks ago is now broken, but trying some new methods is also enjoyable. I have seen some of your videos on topologic before and I have been impressed with the speed in my own wayfinding studies. I will see if their energy performance analysis could work for this study. Thanks for putting out the great content.
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Hi @acheilman version 1.15 has been published, locally it corrects the issue you reported. Please give it a shot, it should be findable on the package manager in 15 minutes.
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Thank you Michael. It is working great in revit 2023 and dynamo 2.16
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