ARCH689 Project_2_Julian

This project is about using a function of API plug-in (RDB link) in Autodesk Revit incorperating the parametric design of Project_1(http://tamu-arch689-julian.blogspot.com/2009/10/arch689-project-1julian.html) for exporting a database. The specific aim is a table with a collection of data that are interesting to my research of sustainable kinetic buildings. In my project_1’s model, the parameter information about family can not be exported by using RDB link directly. In paticular, the dimention parameters of roof’s panels are centrals to my model which is designed for enabling the kinetic responses to climates and indoor thermal comforts.

In the envelope of my building, each panel’s height and area should be differente according to the solar raditions distribution or the indoor thermal gains distribution. Thus, I wish the database exported from RDB link can show the information in a new table with those parameters including panel height, area, construction, materials and etc.

The sollution for this aim are the following steps:

1. Through checking the CurtainPanels table in the database exported from RDB link, the basic information of panels have already included, such as construction and area of each panel. However, some useless information like width, height and design option.
2. Editing the codes of Datainitialization in the RDB link can reorganize the data collection of curtain panels into a new table named PanelProperties.
3. Because the parameter of panel’s height is not in the list of BuildingInParameter in RDB link, I need to add this user defined parameter into the objects of model. Firstly, I added a new shared parameter named Panel_height in the project’s panel family and then load into the project model.Secondly, in the “Project Settings” menu, I added that shared parameter of Panel_height into selected categories. After this command, the Panel_height will be displayed in the panel’s instance parameter dialog box like the following figure in the project level rather than the family level.

4. Adding the new column of Panel_height in the table of PanelProperties.

So far, each panel’s height information may be revised but there are problems shown in the importlog when the database was imported into the model. In the further works, we will focus on the user defined parameters and how to find and use it in API.