RFA import / structural connections

Question regarding RFA import of structural connections.

I'm trying to import rfa files from Peikko, those are fastening plates. The RFA importer assigns them to discipline Architecture. I would like to have them assigned to Structural instead, but that isn't possible.

No idea what kind of implications that has, anyone else with an idea?

Parents
  • Andreas,

    the discipline option only has an effect on Mechanical/Plumbing objects that have connection points in them. The ABD mechanical tools differentiate between objects that are mechanical and objects that are plumbing. We can tell most MEP RFAs from one from the other by what kind of connector they have in them.

    Some RFAs have both types of connectors, so we offer the option to pick one. We also offer an option to make it architectural, which strips off the connectors and places the RFA through Place User Defined.

    Which brings us to structural. Structural RFAs are kind of a weird hybrid in their authoring application, requiring both the RFA and placement information (especially the element length)  from their placement tool (beam, column, truss, etc). As strange as it might sound, the "length" property of the RFA does not directly control the length of the element, nor does it contain any analytical information. The placement tool applies the structural analytical information when the beam/truss/column is placed into the model.

    Between the oddities of how structural RFAs are handled in their authoring application and it differences with way ABD creates structural elements, we couldn't find a way to integrate them into the placement tools as well as we could for Architecture or into a new placement tool like we did for Mechanical/Plumbing.(which is really a key-in generator based on bmech place).

    -Tom.



  • I'm struggling a bit to get it working, would be nice if you could have a look at the attachment.

    It includes a zipped folder with a rfa file and some xml definition files (don't know if they are necessary), and a .xsd and a .xml file which I have created. I would like to map the variables from the rfa file to variables in my definitions.

    Problem now is that the importer hangs after select files - "Waiting for Data Groups initialization to complete..".

    Apparently my .xsd or .xml files are faulty.

    RFA import.zip
  • Ah... now I see. The object does behave parametrically for me when changing the Height or Length properties via the Modify tool, but from DataGroup Explorer those same values seem to be "disconnected". A little more investigation is required...

    Edit: the GM Ladder from the other RFA thread is behaving in a similar fashion, so I'm guessing there's a connection between the two...?



  • The GM Ladder was created several years ago on an older version of revit (possibly revit 2012). The GM_VerticalForm was create last week on Revit 2014. They are both revit generic models (hence the "GM" prefix).

    I have just tested a basic a casework rfa (downloaded from the web) and have exactly the same results -there is a disconnect between the datagroup explorer and the geometry. The xml and datagroup editor show the dimensions of the element in inches instead of mm. At no point have I been working in inches and all revit files have been done using metric units.

    I am pretty sure now that there is nothing wrong with these rfa files. It is the rfa interpreter.
    Are you able to test the properties of other rfa files using a metric dataset? has anyone truly tested if this thing works?

     

    AECOsim SS6 + CONNECT U4, Windows 7 Pro, 64Bit, Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 @ 3.6GHz, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro P1000

  • Hi Joey,

    OK, it looks like the properties are not being mapped:

    If you reimport the RFA and map these properties to valid DataGroup Properties (I used Height and Width) does the cell report correctly for you in DataGroup Explorer?    FWIW, I had to run the keyin TFREBUILD on it after making changes in order for the graphics to update. 

     



  • Apologies for delayed response. (I have been busy trying to document our project).

    I have given this another go and just cannot get it to work. After hours and hours of lost productivity, I still don't know if there is something I am doing wrong or if the RFA interpreter is fundamentally not fit for purpose - at this point it simply cannot be trusted to produce reliable shedules of information.

    I still have no answer as to why the properties are mapped in inches (I guess we in the international community just have to suck it up) Out of the box one would expect that the UK/GB dataset would be in metric units throughout, but we keep finding imperial units popping up in all sorts of places.

    Our office has decided no longer to use RFAs with parametric controls -shame really as there is no other suitable option (maybe GC or PCS... no thanks!!) When is the "new" parametric content tool going to arrive? It has been talked about for years on this website... come on guys (seriously)!!!

     

    AECOsim SS6 + CONNECT U4, Windows 7 Pro, 64Bit, Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 @ 3.6GHz, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro P1000

  • Hi Joey,

    All of my tests were done using the delivered UK dataset.   I've attached a DGN file with both the GM_VerticalForm and GM_Ladder placed, along with the two XML files from the project's DataGroup Catalog\ folder and the Landscape mapping file (I randomly chose Landscape as the Type) XML files from project's Settings\RFA Wizard folder.

    RFA Import Test.dgn

    Project-DataGroup Catalog folder.zip

    Project-Setting-RFA Wizard folder.zip



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