This tutorial will guide you through the basic Revit plugin workflow from setting up your Revit model to using the web platform for Daylight, Energy, Load, and Carbon analysis. It highlights the new features of our latest Revit plugin (v.3.0.0).
Revit plugin version 3.0.0 Updates!
1. Export Geometry from Linked Files
2. Enhanced Error Reporting
3. Refresh geometry
4. Create and export Rooms data
5. Combined 3D Preview
Video Tutorial for v2.4.0 - Export process remains the same.
WRITTEN GUIDE
GETTING STARTED
Download the latest version of the Revit Plugin
Locate the latest Revit Plugin (v.3.0.0 or later) from the cove.tool App Store. Select the appropriate version (year) for you Revit and install.Create a new project in cove.tool
Before starting the export process, create a project in cove.tool. If you have not started a project, then the Revit Plugin will not have a project location to reference for your geometry export. Start a project, complete the project-details page, then click 'save and continue'. The next step will be the Geometry Page, this is where the new Revit Plugin will come in handy.
Back in Revit, proceed to the plugin workflow
In Revit, open a default 3D View. Once open, launch the cove.tool Revit Plugin which will be located in the Add-ins tab.Sign in to your cove.tool account by selecting the Update Login button, use the same login credentials you use to log into cove.tool.
Next, choose your project via the Select Project button. This will open a window with your project list. Scroll to find your cove.tool project. Note that the list is in alphabetical order and can be searched by typing.
Also within this window, you can choose your preferred project origin to be the Internal Origin, Project Base Point or Revit Survey Point. We recommend using the Project Base point to locate your model, in case it needs to be later edited. The location of your project in relation to the origin point determines how your building is sited in the 3D Environment page.
If you have a mixed-use project, then try to follow the display order of building type templates for your export procedure. Once you have selected a project, that selection will be the receiver of all the geometry information. If your project list does not have the project you are looking for, check that you have the project in your cove.tool account in a web browser, or that you have click save and continue and are now on a geometry page in your cove.tool project.
Create cove.tool Views
Once you have connected your file to your cove.tool account and the project, it is time to generate the cove.tool 3D views. The cove.tool views will appear in your Project Browser, as 13 new 3D Views.The 11 geometry categories are Roofs, Floors, Exterior Walls, Interior Walls, Windows, Skylights, Shading Devices, Spandrels, Furniture, Below Grade Walls and Outdoor Floors.
Additionally, the 3D - cove.tool combined view displays geometry that is visible from the 11 geometry covetool 3D views to help visualize the entire building prior to the export.
The 3D - covetool linked geometry view will detect models that are linked and display linked geometry that is relevant for the export and therefore will need to be reassigned into the respective cove.tool views prior to the export. Check out this article for more information.
Some 3D views might appear as empty and that may be because the plugin did not identify any geometry with the correct property tag.
Note: cove.tool only requires geometry from Ext Walls, Floors, Roofs and Windows. All other categories are optional.
Create cove.tool Rooms
This feature will automatically place rooms in all spaces of the model that are enclosed by room-bounding objects. This does not change the rooms already placed in the model. The rooms export is beneficial for all models importing into drawing.tool for geometry translation. More details on the how to utilize the room import provided here.
Update each view to reflect the correct geometry category
After creating all the new views, enter into each view and hide all geometry elements that do not belong to the thermal zone of the titled use-type. If you have geometry missing in the view, then you will need to manage the visibility settings, to make geometry appear in the correct 3D View category. Once this step is complete for all the views, you are ready to begin your geometry export.Commands that will be useful during this spot-check step will be the Visibility and Graphics Setting, the Filter Tool, the Select-Similar - in View command, the Hide - In View command, and the Show Temporarily Hidden Tool. Check out this article for why geometry might be missing in your 3D View. Note that users will have to hide interior glass partitions, as they will not impact your Daylight maps, but if included could disrupt the energy analysis.
Start your geometry export
After updating all the views, users can begin the export process. In the Add-Ins tab select the Export All button to export your Revit geometry from all the categories.
Note: The "Export All" will not export geometry from the "3D - cove.tool linked geometry" and "3D -cove.tool combined" views.
Next, a height export pop-up will appear, with your building height which uses elevation markers to calculate the height of your building and does not require a 3D View. If you got the wrong building height export, check out this article for troubleshooting, you can also manually overwrite your building height here and select OK.
After confirming the height, the export will prompt all views are that empty
prior to export. Make the relevant changes to the views if needed.Back in cove.tool, refresh your geometry page
After starting the export process, make sure to return to cove.tool every now-and-then to see that your geometry is exporting correctly. To check, just refresh the browser page which should cause export geometry categories to auto-complete in the manual input page. Complete these steps for the rest of the categories, and you should be ready to go to the Daylight/ 3D Mode. If you still see an error that states, *Missing Required Areas*, return to Revit and make sure you have exported all the necessary categories. Note that the only required fields are Roofs, Floors, Exterior Walls, Windows, and Building Height. The other categories will not be required in order to run the simulation and daylight model. Also if you have a mixed use export you should attempt to follow the export procedure as displayed in the left-displayed icons (for example, Mixed-use icons, display Office-type at top, Education in the middle, and Retail at the bottom of the stack, then complete your geometry exports in this order.)
Get the results for full-floor daylight analysis
Once all categories are complete, then go to the Daylight Page. Check out your sDA% scores and continue with the project.
FAQ
Q: I see a 'Command Failure for External Command' message when creating cove.tool views?
A: This occurs when the Revit model is setup to auto assign a View Template to new 3D views. To disable this behavior go to the 3D View, select Edit Type and in the Properties panel uncheck the New Views are Dependent on Template. In some rare cases the View Template must also be assigned to None.
