BIM Skills: How Challenging Is Revit API Development and What Can It Achieve?

Currently, the C# language is commonly used for Revit secondary development within the .NET environment. The general process is outlined below:

First, create a new project in Visual Studio 2015 and add a C# class library file, giving it a suitable name.

Next, add references to the Revit API and Windows interface libraries. This involves including Windows Forms controls such as System.Linq and System.Windows.Forms. Additionally, you must reference two key DLLs from the Revit installation folder: RevitAPI.dll and RevitAPIUI.dll. These libraries allow access to Revit’s classes and functions.

After adding the references, include the necessary namespaces in your program with using directives, such as:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB;
using Autodesk.Revit.UI;

Then, implement transaction and update modes to control commands within your program.

Finally, create a class that implements the IExternalCommand interface. Write the required secondary development code inside the Execute method. After completing the code, compile the project to generate a DLL file.

Once the DLL is ready, launch Revit and use the External Tool Add-in Manager to load the DLL. This will enable your custom program to run inside Revit.

In summary, the steps are:

• Create a new C# class library in Visual Studio.
• Reference the Revit API libraries: RevitAPI.dll and RevitAPIUI.dll.
• Include the necessary namespaces, such as Autodesk.Revit and Autodesk.Revit.DB.
• Set API transaction and regeneration modes (e.g., TransactionMode.Manual, RegenerationOption.Manual).
• Create a new class implementing IExternalCommand.
• Override the Execute() method to define your command logic.
• Build and run your program.

In fact, Revit secondary development is not difficult. With the right course, mastering it takes just minutes. The Revit native secondary development course series is designed to help students fully extend Revit’s functionality without plugins. Interested learners are welcome to explore more at http://www.tuituisoft.com/series/52.html.

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