SPACE GASS VERSION 12.

6
AUTODESK REVIT 2017/2018 INTERFACE
This interface provides a process where users of SPACE GASS and Revit can transfer data from one
program to another. It will allow Revit users to create a model in Revit including member geometry,
loads and boundary conditions and export this data to SPACE GASS for structural analysis and
design. Any changes to the section sizes made in SPACE GASS during the analysis and design
phase are updated in Revit by importing the changed sections back into the Revit model.

1. Complying Versions
SPACE GASS Version 12.60 or greater
Revit 2017 64bit Version
Revit 2018 64bit Version
Microsoft NET Framework 4.6

2. Linking SPACE GASS to Revit

To add SPACE GASS export and import menu items to the Revit AddIns > External Tools menu you
will need to first run a file called RevitSpaceGassLink.exe located by the Start Button > All Programs >
SPACE GASS 12.6 > Tools > Revit SPACE GASS Link. This program will add an addin file into
Revits All Users Program Data folder.

This is what the form looks like on a 64 Bit machine

The files that must be located are:

Revit17SG.dll
Revit18SG.dll
RevitSGExport.ico
RevitSGImport.ico
WFLinkCOMServer.exe (64 bit only)
These are by default located in the C:\Program Files (x86)\SPACE GASS 12.6 directory.

Note: A backup copy of any existing SPACE GASS addin file called spacegass126.addin.bak is made
before adding a new addin file for the SPACE GASS menus. To restore the original
spacegass126.addin file, delete the current spacegass126.addin file and rename the
spacegass126.addin.bak file to spacegass126.addin Note that these files are located in a hidden
folder and you will need to enable viewing of hidden folders to locate them.

If you receive an error message indicating RevitSGLink COM Server failed to register, this may be
due to you not having sufficient computer access rights to perform this action or a third party virus
protection program is restricting the link tool from registering the component with the operating system.
As an alternative, open the operating systems command prompt dialog (cmd.exe) with the Run As
Administrator option (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc947813(v=ws.10).aspx) Type in the
following (including the double quotation marks)
C:\Program Files (x86)\SPACE GASS 12.6\RevitSpaceGassLink.exe
Press the enter key and proceed as above.

SPACE GASS/AUTODESK REVIT INTERFACE 1

When you first run Revit you will get two security messages regarding the SPACE GASS add-ins, you
just need to select the Always Load option to stop these messages from opening whenever you use
Revit.

After successfully adding the Revit addin file, the next time you run Revit the two SPACE GASS menu
items will now have been added to the Revit Add-Ins > External Tools ribbon.

3. Importing and Exporting Models

The typical design sequence would be:

1. The model is created in Revit then exported into SPACE GASS for analysis and design and then
the changed sections are updated in Revit by importing the sections back into the Revit model.
2. Any other changes to the model other than section changes should be done in Revit and not in
SPACE GASS. At this stage SPACE GASS will only update the sections in Revit when importing
data.
3. The steel member design data created in SPACE GASS can be optionally saved with the Revit
model so that the design data can be exported back into SPACE GASS without having to recreate
the design groups again. Note that any changes made to the Revit model will not be made to the
exported steel member design data. It will be exactly the same as when it was imported. If any
Revit member type elements have been modified then the steel member design data exported
should always be checked. The file should only be reused if the only changes are related to loads
or section names.

SPACE GASS/AUTODESK REVIT INTERFACE 2

4. Export Revit model to SPACE GASS

Select from Revit menu > Add-Ins >External Tools >Send Model to SPACE GASS 12.6

The SPACE GASS Export dialog will be displayed. A SPACE GASS file will be created based on the
options selected.

1. SPACE GASS filename the default for this is the last used SPACE GASS job.
2. SPACE GASS section library the SPACE GASS library that SPACE GASS uses to translate
Revit section names into equivalent SPACE GASS section names. Not all Revit section names
have an equivalent SPACE GASS section name and vice versa. Clicking the button adjacent to
the SPACE GASS library name will create a text file of the name translations available for the
selected library. A custom section name map file should be used if you require specific name
translations. SPACE GASS will also automatically try to find a match in any of the standard
libraries if no direct name translations are available.
3. Export selected elements only only selected Revit elements will be exported

SPACE GASS/AUTODESK REVIT INTERFACE 3

4. Connect supported beams and columns if Revit has identified that a beam or column is
supported by another beam or column and this intersection is within the specified tolerance the
beams or columns will be connected by a common SPACE GASS node. Note Brace to Brace type
elements are not connected together at the cross over point. Ensure support settings are selected
in Revit Structural Settings dialog.
5. Include point and line loads- any point and line loads that are within the specified tolerance of the
analytical line of the element will be exported. Point loads aligned to the Revit project axis that
occur where a SPACE GASS node would be created will become a SPACE GASS node load.
Only the parts of a line load that are on an element will be exported. Area loads are not
considered.
6. Add master slave constraints for analytical links SPACE GASS master slave constraints
(FFFFFF) will be added where Revit nodes are connected with Revit analytical links. Note that
users will need to be licensed for the Master Slave module to analyse the model with Master Slave
constraints added. When creating analytical links in Revit, care must be taken that master and
slave nodes do not become daisy chained. A slave node can only have one master and a master
cannot be a slave.
7. Add member offsets for rigid links SPACE GASS member offsets will be created for any Revit
rigid links
8. Add member offsets for section justifications SPACE GASS member offsets will be created to
allow for Revit element section justifications. The offsets created will adjust the section neutral axis
(not centre) to the specified justification edge of the section shape. This is not always the
equivalent of what Revit does with certain section shapes.
9. Use the actual position of the Revit physical member by using offsets from the analytical model.
The positions of the Revit members in an analytical and physical model can be different. Also the
physical model in Revit is based on the coarse detail view in Revit and therefore some physical
member length and positions will not be as expected.
10. Export braces as tension only members any element that has a structural type as a brace will be
exported as a SPACE GASS tension only member. For Revit 2017, if the Revit structural usage is
set to Brace, Horizontal Brace or Kicker Brace, the member will be exported as a SPACE GASS
tension only member
11. Export existing steel member design group data if any steel member design group data was
imported from SPACE GASS for this model, the data can be exported back into SPACE GASS.
Note that no adjustments are made to this file and any changes made to the Revit member
elements may affect the member numbering and grouping. It should only be reused if there are
only changes to Revit loads or section names.
12. Use a custom section map file refer to separate section later in this document. Use a text file
that contains a section name translation mapping which specifies a Revit section name to a
SPACE GASS section name in a specific SPACE GASS library. This will take precedence over
any standard SPACE GASS library section name translations.
13. Create warning and error log file create a text file of the export process results, warnings and
errors.
14. Add SPACE GASS member numbers to Revit element properties will add an additional
parameter to Revit beam, column and brace elements, specifying the SPACE GASS member
numbers that correlate to the exported SPACE GASS member numbers.
15. Launch SPACE GASS if SPACE GASS is not currently open, after the Revit data is exported,
SPACE GASS will open with the exported SPACE GASS file.

Assumptions, Notes and Restrictions when exporting data:

1. The Revit vertical project axis is the Z axis. The export process will automatically transpose the
model so that the vertical axis in SPACE GASS is the default global Y axis.
2. Only family elements that belong to the Analytical Model of AnalyticalModelFrame and have a
structural type of beam, brace or column are added as a SPACE GASS member.
3. Revit project name becomes SPACE GASS project heading.
4. Revit project number plus the Revit project status becomes the SPACE GASS job heading.
5. SPACE GASS designer name users first three letters of the user or computer name.
6. To create a self weight load case in SPACE GASS, you will need to have a Revit load case name
called Self Weight.
7. A gap of at least 2 load cases will always be inserted between primary and combination load case
numbers.
8. Sections not in a SPACE GASS library are not exported eg rectangular concrete beams. A section
number is always reserved for these and can be added in SPACE GASS after exporting.
9. Members are only connected at junctions if the Revit element has a point support type property
set. This is an internal Revit property.

SPACE GASS/AUTODESK REVIT INTERFACE 4

10. Only point type boundary conditions are exported.
11. SPACE GASS node loads are created if the Revit point load is on end of a member and is
orientated to the project axes.
12. If Revit loads are orientated to the workplane axes then these will be converted to the equivalent
member local axes loads in SPACE GASS.
13. If Revit loads are orientated to the project axes then these will be converted to equivalent member
global projected axes loads in SPACE GASS.
14. Distributed loads on rigid links are ignored.
15. Only Revit line loads orientated to the workplane axes with a local x axis moment line load will be
converted into a SPACE GASS torsional distributed load.
16. The section neutral axis is assumed if there is no section justifications not the centre of the
section.
17. Load case titles the Revit nature and categories in Revit load case titles are ignored. All load
cases exported.
18. Revit area loads are ignored.
19. Revit loads orientated to the workplane are assumed SPACE GASS member local axis. The
direction of the workplane is ignored.
20. Revit distributed moments (other than torsion orientated to the workplane) are ignored.
21. Users should check section orientations in SPACE GASS to ensure the sections are orientated
correctly.
22. Users can export Revit data and create a SPACE GASS model file without having a commercial
licence. The user will need to install the commercial version of SPACE GASS 12.6 and attempt to
run it at least once. SPACE GASS will not open if you do not have a license, but in the initialization
process when SPACE GASS first starts, SPACE GASS will have setup some folders and files that
are required for the interface to create SPACE GASS model files. Note that the user will not be
able to open or view the SPACE GASS model files without a commercial SPACE GASS license.

5. Import SPACE GASS data to Revit Model

Select from Revit menu > Add-Ins > External Tools >Update Model from SPACE GASS 12.6

SPACE GASS/AUTODESK REVIT INTERFACE 5

The SPACE GASS Import dialog will be displayed. Currently only sections are updated from SPACE
GASS.

1. SPACE GASS filename the default for this is the last used SPACE GASS job.
2 Update selected elements only only selected elements will be updated.
3 Update sections currently only Revit sections are updated. The Revit families and sections
MUST be loaded in the Revit model before the elements can be updated.
4 Add steel member group data this will allow the exact steel member group data to be imported
into the same folder as the Revit model to allow this data to be exported back into SPACE GASS.
This alleviates having to keep recreating SPACE GASS design groups. Note that no allowance is
made for any member changes made in Revit when re-exporting this file.
5 Use a custom section map file refer to separate section later in this paper. Use a file that
contains a section name translation from a SPACE GASS section name to a Revit family section
name. The Revit section family section MUST be loaded before importing. This will take
precedence over any standard SPACE GASS library section name translations.
6 Create warning and error log file create a text file of the export process results, warnings and
errors.

6. Custom Section Name Translation Map File

This mapping file allows the user to create a special translation file to convert Revit section names into
equivalent SPACE GASS section names.

The SPACE GASS standard libraries have most standard Revit section names however the user may
wish to create their own translation or use their own SPACE GASS custom library and therefore will
need to create a custom translation map file. This file is a text file and can be created in any text editor
such as NotePad.

The file is a comma deliminated text file with each translation on a separate line:
SPACE GASS section name, SPACE GASS library name, Revit section name

A copy of the SPACE GASS standard section library name translations can be created from the
SPACE GASS Export dialog in Revit by clicking on the button next to the SPACE GASS section library
box.

Autodesk and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other
brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product
offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may
appear in this document. 2017 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

May 2017

SPACE GASS/AUTODESK REVIT INTERFACE 6