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Revit Structure Interface

Revit Structure Interface

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© Copyright 2015 SCIA. All rights reserved.

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 Table of contents

Table of contents
Introduction and requirements.................................................... 1
Requirements for Scia Engineer side ...................................................................................................................... 1
Requirements for the Revit Structure side ........................................................................................................... 2
Analytical versus structural model ............................................................................................................................. 4
Example 1: First use Revit link .................................................... 5
Creating the model in Revit Structure ..................................................................................................................... 5
Using the Revit link ............................................................................................................................................................. 8
Importing in Scia Engineer .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Exporting from Scia Engineer .................................................................................................................................... 16
Importing in Revit Structure ........................................................................................................................................ 16
Example 2: Modification of cross-section in Scia Engineer ..... 20
Example 3: Adding elements in Scia Engineer ......................... 21
Customer example 4: Generic (analytical) families .................. 22
The Revit model ................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Export in Revit ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Importing in Scia Engineer .......................................................................................................................................... 26
Appendix 1: Mapping materials and cross-sections ................ 27
Preferred tables.................................................................................................................................................................. 27
Mapping rules ...................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Source and target rules ........................................................................................................................... 28
Revit family mapping ................................................................................................................................ 30
Revit family path ....................................................................................................................................... 30
Mapping tables ................................................................................................................................................................... 31
APPENDIX 2: Options (CADS Revit - Scia Engineer Link) ........ 34
APPENDIX 3: FAQ’s ................................................................... 37
Where are the mapping databases stored? ......................................................................................... 37
Problems due to user rights or files ....................................................................................................................... 37
Access “C:\Program Data\CADS\Revit to Scia\Revit 2013\Databases” is denied ......................... 37
Unable to replace REVIT.TDX file.......................................................................................................... 37
Microsoft .NET Framework error ............................................................................................................ 38
Problems during export in Revit Structure ......................................................................................................... 38
Export Revit: “Exception from HRESULT: 0x80010105” .................................................................... 38
Export Revit: “Material is null, hence not set.” ...................................................................................... 38
Export Revit: How do I find an element mentioned in the log file? .................................................... 39
Export Revit: “Ignored by user” ............................................................................................................... 40
Export Revit: the object is not supported by the Revit link ................................................................. 40
Export Revit: the object is not supported by Scia Engineer ............................................................... 41
Could not find file ‘C:\ProgramData\CADS\Revit to Scia Engineer\Revit
2015\Templates\Unnamed.EC – EN.esa’ ............................................................................................. 42
Problems during import in Revit Structure ......................................................................................................... 42
Problems with importing in Scia Engineer ......................................................................................................... 42

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Revit Structure Interface

Appendix 4: Installation of Revit Structure ............................... 44

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Introduction and requirements
The Revit Structure Interface is a tool that is used to transfer projects between Autodesk
Revit Structure and Scia Engineer. The projects are transferred with the help of a free plug-in
for Revit Structure that can be freely downloaded on the Nemetschek Scia website.
 http://nemetschek-scia.com/en/support/downloads/plugin-revit-structure-scia-engineer

The Revit Structure Interface is also called the Revit link and will be referred to as such. The
file format which is used between Revit and Scia Engineer is R2S (Revit to Scia).
This guide will describe the basics to use the Revit link. For more information, we refer to the
‘Getting started’ & ‘Best Practices’ from CADS (which you find in the help of the plug-in in
Revit)

Requirements for Scia Engineer side

To be able to import and export .r2s –files in Scia Engineer, you need a licensed version of
Scia Engineer or at least the module described below.

Here follows an overview of the required Scia Engineer modules / editions:

- Revit Structure interface
esa.21 Not part of any edition

The link does not work with the following editions:

- Student license
- Try-out license (except for the special ‘try-out Revit link’)
There is no additional software required in Scia Engineer. If the module is activated, you will
see the following option in Scia Engineer:

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Revit Structure Interface

Requirements for the Revit Structure side

- First install Revit Structure to the computer where you are going to import and export
data. The next step is to install Scia Engineer. Choose the type of installation as ‘custom’
and in the next dialog window, switch on the box ‘Revit Structure plug-in’ and click on
the button ‘next’. If Revit Structure is not installed on the computer, then the plug-in
won’t be linked to it.

Figure 1: Normal installation of Revit plug-in

 Note: Since Scia Engineer 15 and later, the Revit link is activated by default as component in
the installation of Scia Engineer.

Once the link is implemented into Revit structure, you will be able to find the tab Add-ins in Revit
Structure. There you find buttons and dialogues which are used in the link between Revit Structure
and Scia Engineer.

Figure 2: Add-in tab in Revit Structure after installing the plug-in

To use the plug-in in Revit Structure, there are no additional licenses required for Revit Structure.
The special license in Scia Engineer is only required on the pc where you want to import the model
in Scia Engineer. The installation of Scia Engineer serves only as source for material and cross-
section mapping (and licenses are not necessary if this installation is only to support the Revit
link).

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If the setup of the Revit Structure plug-in goes wrong, you could also use the following step:
- The Revit link plug-in can also be installed independently. But it will still be necessary to
also install a version of Scia Engineer on the same pc as Revit Structure. This setup file can
be found on the DVD or on our website (www.nemetschek-scia.com Support 
Downloads).

Figure 3: Revit Structure plug-in found on Nemetschek Scia site

Also make sure that the folder containing the Revit families (including the standard families) is
fully accessible for the Revit link. This folder can also NOT be set to “Read-only”.

 Note

 If there are more Revit structure versions on the computer user have to choose the one
for the plug-in.

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Revit Structure Interface

Analytical versus structural model

The Revit link comes down to exchanging the analytical model between Scia Engineer and Revit
Structure.

In Revit Structure as well as in Scia Engineer, there are 2 different representations of the
model in each project. These are the analytic model and the structural model.
The analytical model is used for calculations. It is a model in which a beam or column is
represented by a single line. The cross-section that belongs to that beam or column is
assigned to that line, and thus the properties of that beam or column are assigned to that
line as well. A plate or wall in the analytical model is represented with a plane with no
thickness, but the material and the thickness of the plate or wall are also assigned to that
plane. For analysis of the structure (forces and stability), this analytical model is used.
The structural model is used for drawings and shows the volumes. For example in Scia
Engineer, you must activate the structural model to see a volumetric representation of the
entire model. In Revit Structure the emphasis lies on this volumetric representation, but this
does not ensure a good underlying analytical model at all! In the end, a modeller will use this
structural model to see how the realisation of the project will look like and to create
drawings etc.
Now the problem occurs: when you are using the Revit link between Revit Structure and Scia
Engineer, you are actually exchanging the analytical model. The structural (volumetrical)
model gets neglected and therefore it is important that the analytical model in Revit
Structure is correctly constructed. So the modeller has to understand the importance of a
correct analytical model of the project.

As one can see in Figure 4, a good looking structural model can contain a very bad underlying
analytical model. The beam is clearly not connected to the columns in the analytical model.

Figure 4: From structural model to analytical model

 Note: The reason that the link between Revit and Scia Engineer only works with Revit
Structure is because Revit Structure contains an analytical model while Revit Architecture
does not contain an analytical model.

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Example 1: First use Revit link
To prevent errors that can occur, make sure that all users have full read & write rights on the
following folders (go to properties -> security), and make sure they are not ‘read-only’:
- C:\Program Data\CADS\Revit to Scia\*
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Scia\*

Creating the model in Revit Structure

Start a new project in Revit Structure.

Start with inputting 2 column (standard Revit families; cross section H-Wide Flange Column:
HEA300 and material Steel, 45-345) of 3 meters height at a distance of 4 meters. Then add a
beam (same cross-section and material) between the upper ends of the columns.

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Revit Structure Interface

Now change the view towards the analytical model.

This is the model that will be transferred by the Revit link. If there is nothing here, then you are
not using the correct families. Also if the lines of the columns and the beam do not connect, then
you must manually change the analytical model to correct this.
However, Revit structure is designed to optimally use both analytical models and volumetric
models at once (when creating this example, it was also not necessary to correct the analytical
model). This can also be seen in the properties of the beams and columns if we look at their
‘analytical’ properties.

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Also make sure that each element which you want to transfer, has ‘Enable Analytical Model’
activated, and that there is a ‘Structural Material’ indicated for that element. Revit Structure does
not require a material for each element, but the Revit link does require that each element that you
want to transfer has a material.

It can be possible that you must still indicate a material. To do this, click on the three dots in the
same line as ‘Structural Material’, and choose the desired material.

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Revit Structure Interface

Using the Revit link

In Revit Structure, there should be a tab ‘CADS’. This tab is installed by the Revit Structure plug-in
(as described in the part ‘Introduction & requirements’). If this tab is not available, then please
check if the Revit link is installed (Under control panel  ‘Revit To Scia Engineer’).

If you are searching for extra documentation/help, then the options ‘Getting Started’, ‘Best
Practices’, ‘Help’ and ‘Check list’ can be of great help to you. Also the option ‘About’ will give you
the version of the Revit link, but also the release notes (improvements in the last patch of the
Revit link in comparison with the previous one).

Open ‘About’ to see if the installed version of the Revit link will be sufficient to link it to the
version of Scia Engineer installed on this pc.

Once you have confirmed the version, go to ‘Options’. There are several functions which affect the
exported and imported models that run through the Revit link. These functions can be found in
the Options dialogue.

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Upon opening the ‘Options’ for the first time, it might say this (this links the Revit link to the
installed Scia Engineer files):

Click yes and browse to the folder which contains esa.exe. This is for example:
C:/Program Files (x86)/Scia/Engineer15.

These options give the Revit link the information it needs to execute the transfer. If the previous
window did not occur, and if this is the first time the Revit link is used, the ‘National Code’ as well
as ‘Scia Engineer Version’ will be blank.

Click on the box after Scia Engineer version and choose browse. Now the Revit Link wants you to
add the different version of Scia Engineer which you have installed on the pc. This is why a version
of Scia Engineer also has to be installed on the same pc as Revit Structure. The Revit link uses the
installed files to make the link between Revit Structure and Scia Engineer.

Just browse to the folder which contains esa.exe. This is for example:
C:/Program Files (x86)/Scia/Engineer15.

 Note: If you are using Revit link 3.1.269 to exchange with Scia Engineer 15, then you will have to
copy the files from “C:/ProgramData/CADS/Revit to Scia Engineer/Revit 2015/Templates/Sen/2014”
to the folder “C:/ProgramData/CADS/Revit to Scia Engineer/Revit 2015/Templates/”.
(fixed in next version of the link)

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Revit Structure Interface

Choose ‘Add’ and browse to the folder where Scia Engineer is installed (the Revit link will search
for esa.exe in this folder). For 64-bit pc’s, the default location is
C:\Program Files (x86)\Scia\Engineer 2013.0\.
After indicating the path, you will see the version of Scia Engineer in the window. After closing this
window, you will also see that ‘National Code’ now has multiple choices available.

In between the two options, there is ‘Launch Scia Engineer’. If you chose ‘yes’, then the Revit link
assumes that you wish to import and export from Scia Engineer on this pc. If you chose ‘no’, it will
create an .r2s (Revit to Scia) file, which can be imported on the other pc later on in Scia Engineer
(regardless of this option, the transfer will always happen by means of a .R2S file).
Let us chose ‘no’ for this option (this makes it easier to find the (user) error during tests).
Explanation for the other options can be found in the ‘Help’ of the Revit Link (which has been
mentioned on the previous page). To completion of this tutorial, I have copied the explanation of
the different options to appendix 1.

Before you are going to export the Revit Structure project to Scia Engineer, you must save the
project first. Then choose the ‘export’ option. Note that the ‘Export’ button under the tab ‘CADS’,
or the ‘Export to Scia Engineer’ button in the options of the tab ‘CADS’ do the exact same thing:
create an .R2S file that can be imported in Scia Engineer.

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You will see the ‘CADS Revit Scia Engineer link’ progress window appear. Here you can see which
items (beams, columns, plates, load cases ...) are recognised by the link. It will also ask where to
save the .R2S file (which is the file you must import in Scia Engineer). Save the ‘Scia Engineer r2s
file’ as ‘Project1’ and choose ‘Save’.

Once the transfer has started, the link will give a message when it does not recognise a certain
item. The link is based on names. In this example, the Revit material ‘Steel, 45-345’ cannot
automatically be linked to Scia Engineer. This link is called ‘mapping’, and must be added manually
if the link cannot do the mapping automatically.

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Revit Structure Interface

Click ‘Yes’ and choose the correct ‘Scia Engineer Material Name’ (for example S355).
Note: There is also an option ‘Use as Unknown’. We strongly advise to NOT use this option. This will
generate problems when you are importing the file in Scia Engineer later on.

Once the export is completed, you will be able to see the total number of items recognised for
each category, and the amount which has been successfully exported. Not that the separate
elements (structural columns and structural framings) must have analytical lines to be recognised.
On the right side of the window, you will be able to see the log file. This explains how the mapping
has been done for the different materials and cross sections.
- Revit Material “Steel, 45-345” is mapped as “S 355” based on user mapping
- “HEA300” is mapped as “HE300A”
This log file can also be saved by using the option ‘Save Log’ (in the bottom right corner of the
window).

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If we would not have mapped this material (by clicking ‘no’ for the question to add this material),
then all elements that used this material, would not have been exported (see image below).

The log can be saved to the text-file when the export is finished. Scia Engineer is opened
automatically if it is set in the option dialogue and the newly exported structure will be
displayed in the model window. If you are doing tests with the Revit link, we advise to keep
this option off, and to open Scia Engineer manually later. The reason for this is to easily
identify if the problem is on the the Revit side or on the Scia Engineer side if there would be a
problem configuring the link.
Now open your Windows explorer, and go to the .R2S file which has been generated by the Revit
link. Copy this file to the pc where you wish to import the file in to Scia Engineer.

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Revit Structure Interface

Importing in Scia Engineer

Open Scia Engineer, and import the .R2S file:

Scia Engineer will ask for a code. The .R2S file is mapped to the Scia Engineer materials for the
code that was configured in the Revit Link options (in this case the EC-EN). We will use the EC-EN
in Scia Engineer as well (if necessary, ‘Add’ the correct code). Click ‘close’ if you have the correct
code.

Now you will see the imported items in Scia Engineer.

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Under ‘load cases’, you will also find the load cases which have been transferred from Revit
Structure to Scia Engineer. These are the same 9 load cases that you could see being exported by
the Revit link (2 pages back). The ‘Load Natures’ from Revit Structure are imported as ‘Load
Groups’ in Scia Engineer.
Scia Engineer:

Revit structure:

Now we will change the project

in Scia Engineer, and then export
it back to Scia Engineer. Copy 1
beam and 1 column, and change
1 cross-section to HEA600.

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Revit Structure Interface

Exporting from Scia Engineer

The file will be saved as an .r2s file again. This time we’ll name it ‘Project1s.r2s’. Be sure to
unselect everything in Scia Engineer first, otherwise only the selection will be exported.

Importing in Revit Structure

Copy the ‘Project1s.r2s’ file that has just been created to the computer with Revit Structure.
Open Revit Structure (with an empty project) and go to the ‘CADS’ tab. Choose ‘Import’ (which you
can find both in the CADS-tab as in the options dialogue) and select the ‘Project1s.r2s’ file.

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You will see that the ‘HE300A’ from Scia Engineer is not imported into Revit Structure. It is mapped
correctly, because it recognises that the HE300A profile is linked to the ‘H-Wide Flange-Column’
family, but the problem is that the Revit link itself cannot find this family.

So the problem can be solved by telling the Revit link where it can find the necessary families. To
do this, follow the next steps:

In the next window you will be able to add paths where Revit family files are located. The default
families are located in the following folder: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RST 2014\Libraries\.
If it is preferred to use a different folder, you must make sure that the Revit link has full access to
the folder containing the family files. It is also possible to use server based folders (but the
location must be addressed by giving the network location a drive name, for example ‘F:’).

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Revit Structure Interface

If the import went successfully, you will see the same structure as you had in Scia Engineer:

The functionality has its limitations. If you wish to check the possibilities (and impossibilities of the
link, we refer to the help of the Revit Plugin. We refer to the plug-in instead of placing the
information here, because a newer version of the plug-in will allow more, and these options will
also be updated in its help file.

In the next image you can see that the help file has been used to check the possibilities concerning
load combinations.

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  Note

 The Revit link was originally implemented to send files/models from Revit Structure to Scia
Engineer. It is also possible to send files back from Scia Engineer to Revit Structure, but it can also
still be possible to transfer these changes verbally to the architect using Revit Structure so that he
is fully aware of the changes. But as you will see in examples 2 and 3, changed, added and deleted
items can be perfectly exchanged from Scia Engineer to Revit Structure

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Revit Structure Interface

Example 2: Modification of cross-section in Scia Engineer

Take the project which we ended with in example 1. We are now going to adapt the column
cross-section in Scia Engineer and import it back in the same existing Revit Structure project.
In Scia Engineer, we are going to add the default rectangular concrete cross-section and
change the property of one column to this cross-section.

As you can see, the new rectangular cross-section is applied to one of the columns. The next step
is to export the Scia Engineer project to an .r2s file, and to import this file into Revit Structure. Be
sure to deselect everything in Scia Engineer first, otherwise only the selection will be exported.

As you can see, only the changed element will be imported. The log mentions that the family
symbol has changed. Only the imported elements cause changes in the model, so the imported
column is the on we changed, and the message refers to exactly that column.

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Example 3: Adding elements in Scia Engineer
For this example, we will continue with the modified Scia Engineer project from the end of
example 2. We are going to add a column and a wall and import the entire project in Revit
Structure.
In the image below, the concrete column has been copied, and a (steel) wall has been placed
between the two concrete columns. An opening has also been added to the wall (it is
important that vertical 2D elements have the type ‘wall’ and horizontal the type ‘plate’).

Next step is importing the project in to the Revit project which we acquired at the end of
example 2. The import log will look like this:

The new elements are the one imported, the already existent (and not changed) have not been
imported again. One column and one wall were imported. Also the opening has been imported
(this opening could also be imported later on).

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Revit Structure Interface

Customer example 4: Generic (analytical) families

The Revit model
This is the Revit Structure model which we want to
transfer to Scia Engineer.

The first step is to look at the analytical model:

The diagonals are not elements with analytical properties, since they do not have an analytical
representation. So it can already be foreseen that they will not be transferred by the Revit link. A
solution would be to replace these elements with new elements that come from a family with
analytical properties. In the explanation of this example, the diagonals are ignored for the rest of
the solution.

 Note: Since the diagonals are not in the analytical model, they will be completely ignored by
the Revit link.

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Export in Revit
In the next step, we will try to export immediately:

In the preview you can see the elements that will be exported:

The link also tells us that there are some issues in the analytical model consistency check. But we
click on ‘Yes’ to continue.

The link will start with converting the data to the exchange file which can be read by Scia Engineer.
If it encounters parts which it cannot convert to a Scia Engineer section or material, it will ask you
to indicate to which section or material it must be converted.

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Revit Structure Interface

For example:

So you indicate to which cross section it should correspond:

And in a similar way, the next cross sections will also be linked.

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You can see the corresponding log file here:

Start Time : 03/24/2015 10:03:09

Revit: Autodesk Revit Structure 2015
CADS Revit Scia Engineer Link Version: 3.1.269.0
Scia Engineer Version: 15.0.45
National Code: EC - EN
Selection Type: Full Model
Create new: Enabled

Options:
Ignore Load Combinations: No
Ignore Walls: No
Ignore Slabs: No
Ignore Member Release: No
Ignore Load: No
Ignore Support: No
Revit Isolated Foundation as: Foundation Block
Revit Foundation Slab as: Slab
Material as Unknown: No
Internal Edges with Beams: No

Exporting...
Creating new Scia Engineer model...
Analytical model consistency check errors / warnings are not yet resolved.

Revit Section :"Dynamische-staander-incl-voetspindel" is mapped as "CHS168.3/5.0#153792" based on user mapping.

Revit Section :"Analytisch-LAYH-allr-HulpSchakels-2072-TCA" is mapped as "CHS193.7/10.0#163447" based on user
mapping.
Revit Section :"Analytisch-LAYH-allr-HulpSchakels-TCA" is mapped as "CHS168.3/10.0#162725" based on user
mapping.
Revit Section :"Analytisch-LAYH-allr-HulpSchakels-1088-TCA" is mapped as "CHS168.3/12.5#161787" based on user
mapping.
Revit Section :"Variabele-lengte" is mapped as "CHS193.7/8.0" based on user mapping.

Mapped Cross Section(s):

Summary:
6 out of 6 Structural Columns exported
22 out of 22 Structural Framing exported
8 out of 8 Load Case exported
8 out of 8 Load Nature exported
Total items exported 44 out of 44

End Time : 03/24/2015 10:11:38

Total Time : 00:08:29.6671513

Depending on the configuration of your options in the Revit link (in Revit Structure), the link will
either open Scia Engineer and import the model directly, or it will create an intermediary .r2s
(Revit To Scia) file which can be imported in Scia Engineer.

 Note: The mapped cross-section and materials are remembered by the Revit link and they
are stored in the mapping database. You can access the mapping databases by going to the
options of the Revit link in Revit Structure.

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Revit Structure Interface

Importing in Scia Engineer

The model will be opened immediately in Scia Engineer, or the model can be imported by
importing the .r2s file through ‘File -> Import -> Revit’ in Scia Engineer (requires ‘Revit’ license in
Scia Engineer). Wether the model is imported automatically or you have to do it manually, is
determined by the ‘Options’ setting in the Revit link (in Revit Structure).

The model will look like this in Scia Engineer:

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Appendix 1: Mapping materials and cross-sections
The mapping between the Revit and the Scia Engineer is based on tables. There are three types of
mapping tables – user-defined table, tables based on national codes and mapping rules.

For most standard materials and cross-sections from Revit families, the tables between Scia
Engineer and Revit Structure are implemented. If you are using different families then the
standard Revit Structure families, then manual mapping becomes much more necessary. Also
families provided by separate Revit Structure dealers are considered as personal families (and not
standard families). The upside is that mapping must be done just once for each material and cross-
section that must be mapped (since the link stores the mapping in a file).

This example is about configuring the mapping and can be used on a simple example with a non-
standard analytical family. This mapping is always based on the names of materials and cross-
sections.

Preferred tables
This dialogue defines which predefined tables should be used. There are mapping tables
based on national codes and also user defined table in the list.

The top tables in the list have the higher priority. The mapping is done preferably by them.
The checkbox can deactivate tables for mapping. The buttons Up and Down is used for
moving the selected table in the list (and thus changing their priority).

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Revit Structure Interface

Mapping rules
The mapping rules can be used when mapping by tables is not sufficient anymore. These
mapping rules were the original (old) way to configure the mapping.

Source and target rules

The mapping rules become necessary when:
1) There are too many items for mapping
2) There is no sufficient table and the mapping has to be done manually – some specific
project or a national code.

The box with choices can set the mapping rule when the mapping tables become insufficient.
There are three options:
1. “Do not Use”: if the mapping tables are insufficient, the mapping rules will NOT be used.
2. “Use If not found”: if the mapping tables are insufficient, the mapping rules will be used.
3. “Use mapping rules only”: the mapping tables are ignored, and ONLY the mapping rules
will be used.

What do the mapping rules do exactly?

- The mapping rules define mapping between parts from Revit Structure and parts of Scia
Engineer. Each rule defines the name in the Revit (Source table) and the name for the
Scia Engineer (Target table). This is not based on libraries from the Revit or the Scia
Engineer but on exact naming.

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 - For example, if I open the “Source Mapping Rule” (or “Mapping Rule For Source
Configuration”), I can select a line in the table, see the Revit Structure name of the
section in the preview, and the parts of the name will be explained in the selected line.
E.g.: L200X100X150 has ‘Type Name’ L, it is an L(AISC)-section in Scia Engineer, and its
name can be decomposed (with Delimiter ‘X’):
o TypeName : L200
o Depth = 100
o Width = 150

- For a section from Scia Engineer, the same thing can be done. You will see that the
mapping will look wether the Target Type Name and Type Name from the Scia Engineer
and the Revit Structure cross sections match.

The explanation of the name composition:

 Note

 The star symbol can be used to map the section as a particular family in the Scia
Engineer. This can define the section which is not in the Revit actual model but should
be adapted later in Scia engineer.

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Revit Structure Interface

Revit family mapping

The Revit family mapping dialog specifies the mapping of the section types to the Revit family
names. This will result in the following procedure:
- An imported (or exported) cross-section will be recognised as a certain section type by
the ‘Mapping Rules for Source or Target Configuration’.
- The ‘Revit family mapping’ will link this section type to a family.

Revit family path

The Revit family path dialogue allows the user to define the path of another Revit family
which is saved on the computer. The family mapping configuration (mentioned above) will be
able to also look in the folders defined in this setting.

IMPORTANT: The Revit link needs full read & write rights on this folder, and thus it can also
not be set to ‘read-only’.

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Mapping tables
It is possible to look at the tables (mentioned in the preferred tables) in detail. This is done in
a dialog which shows the whole database of mapping. These tables are based on the libraries
taken from the Revit and Scia Engineer.

To access them, you can use “User Table” in the options window.

This will result in the following table, where the different tables can be chosen. For each
table you will be able to see how different cross-sections (or materials) are mapped.

The user table is clearly user defined. New mapping rules can be added in the user table by
using the dialogue button “Add”. Then the user can select the section name in Revit Structure
and the corresponding name in Scia Engineer.

A window ‘Add Cross Section To User Table’ will appear, and you must follow the next steps
(to map for example HE300A from Scia Engineer with HEA300 from Revit Structure)
1. Supporting Mapping Database: choose ‘Belgium Columns’ (or ‘Europe Specific Sections’
or ‘Netherland Columns’)
2. Family Role = Column
3. Family Name = H-Wide Flange-Column
4. Section Name = HEA300 (you can start typing, instead of scrolling)

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Revit Structure Interface

Then for the options under ‘Scia Engineer’: Catalog Name = Rolled, and search the section
HE300A. You should have the following options:

Afterwards, click on ‘OK’.

You will see that there is a new line in the mapping table. Now click on ‘Save’ to keep this new
mapping. This will now always be used if you use the Revit Link.

You can see how the ‘Add Cross Section To User Table’ is translated to a single line in the ‘User
Table’:

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 If you look at other tables (by choosing different ‘Databases’), then you can see that entire
series of mappings are predefined by the system.

 Note

 If the user table contains rules with the higher priority then it must be moved in the list
to the top. If different tables contain the same mapping, then the table that is highest in
the list will be used in advance to execute the mapping.

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Revit Structure Interface

APPENDIX 2: Options (CADS Revit - Scia Engineer Link)

The following dialog is displayed when the “Options” command has been selected, either from the
menu or from the toolbar.

Actions:
Selecting “Export to Scia Engineer” button exports the Revit model into Scia Engineer. Selecting
the “Import from Scia Engineer” updates the Revit model from Scia Engineer.

National Code:
The national code option specifies which national code is to be used in Scia Engineer.
The following National codes are supported:

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Note:
The link program does not validate when the national code used in the Revit template and the
national code in the link software are not the same. For example if the user has modeled using the
Canadian template and tries to export using the EC-EN national code, the program may not work
as expected.

Selection:
The options as shown here allow the user to export only the selected members from Revit and to
control the behavior of the import / export.

If this option is selected, the program will expect a partial selection from the user.

Preferences:
The following preferences can be set in this dialog.

These options work differently depending on the context in which they are used.
If the model is exported from Revit, the option “Launch Scia Engineer = Yes” launches Scia
Engineer and exports the model into it.
The option “Launch Scia Engineer = No” writes the FEM data as a Scia Engineer Revit file (e.g.
model.R2S) which can be opened into Scia Engineer using the command “Import à Revit File.”

Note:
This option does not require Scia Engineer to be installed in the computer and allows sending this
file to other users who have installed Scia Engineer.
If the model is updated from Revit, the option “Launch Scia Engineer” reads the active Scia
Engineer job and updates the current Revit model.

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Revit Structure Interface

Overwrite:
By default the “Export to Scia Engineer” will overwrite if any existing Scia Engineer file with the
same name is available in the folder.
If you select “Create New”, then the existing Scia Engineer file with the same name in the folder is
deleted and a new Scia Engineer file is created.

Filters:
Filtering options allow the user to ignore certain items so they are not exported from Revit.

- If the “Ignore Load” is set to “Yes”, the loads are not considered for both export and
import.
- If the “Ignore Load Combinations” is set to “Yes”, the loads combinations are not
considered for both export and import.
- If the “Ignore Revit Member Releases” is set to “Yes”, member end releases set in Revit are
not exported to Scia Engineer.
- If the “Ignore Slabs” option is set to “Yes”, structural slabs are not considered for both
export and import.
- If the “Ignore Walls” option is set to “Yes”, structural walls are not considered for both
export and import.
- The above two options can be used when you want to analyse the frame excluding the
slabs and walls.
- If the “Ignore Support” option is set to “Yes”, the Boundary conditions defined in Revit is
not exported.

User mapping:
Following user mapping options makes the export option easier when suitable cross section or
material is not found for majority of members, but the export is needed without any prompts for
mapping with an automatic mapping as unknown sections or materials.

If the ‘Material as Unknown’ is set to Yes, the program will not prompt the user for mapping a
material whenever a material is not found in the map database.

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APPENDIX 3: FAQ’s

Where are the mapping databases stored?

Question: The Revit link uses mapping between materials and cross-sections of Revit
Structure and Scia Engineer. This mapping can be edited in the user table. Can I create my
own mapping table? Or copy these mapping tables to another computer?
Solution: The mapping tables are stored in the following folder:
C:\ProgramData\CADS\Revit To Scia Engineer\Revit 2013\Databases.
You can create your own mapping tables by creating your own xml file and placing it in this
folder. You will see your own mapping table in the Revit link if there are no errors in it. It is
also possible to modify these files by opening them in Excel.
 Error: if you use the same mapping twice in the same file.
 Error: if you refer to a material that is not in the Scia Engineer templates (placed in
C:\ProgramData\CADS\Revit To Scia Engineer\Revit 2013\Templates\Sen).

Problems due to user rights or files

Access “C:\Program Data\CADS\Revit to Scia\Revit 2013\Databases” is denied

Description: When you want to indicating Scia Engineer materials or when you open the
options of the CADS plug-in, access is denied.
Solution: Go to C:\Program Data\CADS\Revit to Scia\Revit 2013\Databases and add the
current user under the properties -> security. Also make sure that the folder isn’t ‘read-only’.

Unable to replace REVIT.TDX file

Description: When you want to add a Scia Engineer version, and after browsing to the
esa.exe file, you receive the message:
“Unable to replace the “C:\Program Files (x86)\Scia\Engineer2013.0\REVIT.TDX”. Please
delete the file manually and run the Revit in Administrator mode.”

Solution 1: Delete the mentioned Revit.TDX file and run Revit in Administrator mode (by
clicking right on it and chose ‘run as administator’)
Solution 2: Go to the folder “C:\Program Files (x86)\Scia\Engineer 201x”, click right mouse
button and go to properties. Make sure ‘read only’ is ticked off, and that all users have all
rights under the tab ‘security’. You should be able to repeat the action with no problems.

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Revit Structure Interface

Microsoft .NET Framework error

Description: When you want to open the ‘options’ in the Revit link (in Revit Structure), a
‘Microsoft .NET Framework’ message appears. After this, you can continue, but the options
window is empty.

Solution: Go to the folder "C:\Users\<User name>\AppData\Roaming\CADS\Revit To Scia

Engineer" and make sure:
1. The folder exists
2. It has no content

Problems during export in Revit Structure

Export Revit: “Exception from HRESULT: 0x80010105”

Description: An the end of exporting in Revit Structure, the next error appears:
“De server heeft een uitzondering geretourneerd. / The server has returned an exception.
(Exception from HRESULT: 0x80010105 (RPC_E_SERVERFAULT))”

Solution: If you set ‘launch Scia Engineer’ = no, then you can use the link again without this
message appearing.

Export Revit: “Material is null, hence not set.”

Description: When exporting in Revit Structure, several elements are not exported, and in the
log file, you will see the following message:

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 Solution: The material is null when you have selected an element to be an ‘analytical
element’, but you do not have given it a material in Revit Structure:

Export Revit: How do I find an element mentioned in the log file?

Questions: During export, there is a problem with a certain element. If I know how to fix it,
then how can I find this element?

Solution:
1. Not exported items can be selected and showed by the tool Filter, but this will only display
object with a bad geometry.

2. The element ID can also be inputted directly. If you go to ‘Manage -> Select by ID’ in Revit
Structure, you will be able to input the ID number (in this example 135276) and the element
in question will be highlighted in the model.

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Revit Structure Interface

Export Revit: “Ignored by user”

Description: An element is not exported, and the log file indicates that the element was “ignored
by user”:

Solution: There is a possibility to ignore 2D member during the export. When this functionality is
used the 2D member is not exported to the Scia Engineer. So make sure this filter is not activated
when it should be deactivated

Export Revit: the object is not supported by the Revit link

Description: The model is not exported at all.
Solution: Only analytical elements can be exported. If the model contains any architectural
entities, then they won’t be exported to Scia Engineer. This also applies for elements for

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 which ‘Enable analytical model’ has not been ticked on (we refer again to the introduction in
the first pages of this document).
If the model is created in the Revit architecture then the model must be edited in Revit
Structure in such a way that the objects are switched to the analytical objects.

Export Revit: the object is not supported by Scia Engineer

Description: Some elements can get the message that they are not supported in Scia
Engineer. Or the Revit link says (in the log file) it does not support them.
Solution: Some objects are specific so they don’t have any corresponding entities in Scia
engineer. Some of those are not yet implemented. It is possible to check in the help file of
the Revit plug-in (in Revit Structure) what is and what is not supported.

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Revit Structure Interface

Could not find file ‘C:\ProgramData\CADS\Revit to Scia Engineer\Revit

2015\Templates\Unnamed.EC – EN.esa’
Description: During import or export, the message appears explaining that certain
‘templates’ cannot be found.
Solution: Copy the files from this folder
“C:\ProgramData\CADS\Revit to Scia Engineer\Revit 2015\Templates\Sen\2014
to the folder “C:\ProgramData\CADS\Revit to Scia Engineer\Revit 2015\Templates\”.
This issue can appear between Revit link v3.1.269 and Scia Engineer 2015 and will be solved
in the next release of the Revit link.

Problems during import in Revit Structure

Question: What are the requirements in Scia Engineer to be able to transfer the project to
Revit Structure?
Solution:
- It is necessary to use ‘General XYZ’ in Scia Engineer to be able to import the project in Revit
Structure later on.
- Rigid links cannot be transferred to Revit Structure.
- Horizontal 2D elements must have the type ‘plate’ and vertical 2D elements the type ‘wall’.

Problems with importing in Scia Engineer

Descripton: You have created an .r2s file by using the export option in Revit Structure, but
during the import of this file (in Scia), Scia Engineer crashes.
Solution: The crash is caused by components in the r2s file that cannot be computed by Scia
Engineer. So actually the Revit file which was used to create the r2s file has caused the
inconsistencies in the r2s file. For example:

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o If you have a parametric cross section from Revit Structure, then there might be
invalid parameters in the family in Revit, like for example ‘0’ cross section data.

o If the ”Material For Model Behaviour” property is set to “Other” in some families,
then you have chosen a property which is not supported. Only steel, concrete and
timber families are supported.

o It can be possible that the Revit link cannot get the profile geometry from some of
the families (but this will be fixed in the next release after build 244).

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Revit Structure Interface

Appendix 4: Installation of Revit Structure

Make sure you install sufficient libraries!

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