Revit Retriever: Doggone Good BIM
As we progress from lonely BIM to a more mature version, model and code checking is becoming more of an issue in the industry. Until a few years ago, the only solution to perform this kind of activity was a beautiful but rather expensive software with a name that sounds a little like a bird and starts with “S”. Don’t get us wrong—we love that software. Still, it’s good to have different options and nowadays you can even rig your own bike with Dynamo.
One solution we recently tried and would like to talk about is Retriever.
Figure 1
Being dog lovers, we can’t help but appreciate the logo. Anyway, if you go on their website you can ask to join the early access program. Even if you’re a cat lover. I think.
When you do, one of the amazing guys over there will share with you a Google Drive folder with a bunch of stuff and his Google Calendar to schedule a follow-up meeting. We’re in the new millennium, folks. This is how it’s being done.
Figure 2
The Retriever is a plug-in for Revit 2018 and, although Windows will try to make you not install it, it positions itself as a separate “Join” tab in Revit.
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Figure 4
Just click on “More Info”: nobody asked you to protect our PCs, Windows.
When you launch Revit, it will whine that it has unauthorized content, but just hit load. Another thing you need to do is sign up with an account, if you haven’t already. It’s simple. You just need to remember your own name. You can make it.
Figure 5
And now you know my personal email, too...
All done? Okay, let’s rock it.
1. What’s a model checker (and what do we mean by “rules”)?
There’s no such thing as a “good” or a “bad” model. Well, okay, maybe there are models that are objectively bad, but usually the point is if a model is compliant to a set of standards and follows agreed best practice, it’s good. A bad model for us would be a model using groups for residential units. Someone else might disagree. What to do, then? As usual, you need to establish a set of objective and measurable rules.
Model Checking is not an expression born in BIM: it is a concept of Computer Science and it’s performed throughout all industries. You have two levels of checking and validation: one refers to the simple checking of the model with information modelling specifications. In other words, it is checking if a parameter is there and has a value in it. The other level refers to checking the project, through the model, against rules and regulations. The BIM Dictionary considers it a model use. In other words, it’s checking if the value of such parameter is “right.” You can’t have the second without the first.
Figure 6
Rules are what we tell the computer to check and you might have different sets of them. Does a parameter exist? Does the parameter have a value in it? Two very different rules already.
2. Setting up Rules in Retriever
When you start with a fresh canvas you’ll find your Retriever wondering what you want to retrieve. What it wants here is for you to create a physical folder on your computer. Just do it. We’ll see in a minute what goes inside there.
As soon as you’re done, you can click on it and it offers you the different kind of rules mentioned before.
Figure 7
You have to love the “Elevations or Plans with excessive drafting elements,” so let’s try that one. The neat little thing will ask you which kind of views you want to check and a threshold for how many lines and hatches you think it’s reasonable to have in a view.
Figure 8
Retriever is completely Open Source, so if you hit “Show Source” it will show you exactly what it’s doing. If you hit “Run,” it takes its time to check the model and gives you back the results.
For instance, if I pick to check how many roofs I have on a level called “Roof Level,” this is what I get.
Figure 9
I can keep on going and create a set of rules to check roofs for each level. It will look like this:
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3. Categories of Rules
Rules in Retriever are grouped in seven thematic categories, as follows.
- Start from Template, including things such as naming convention for elements, views and sheets, your basic clash detection, worksets compliance, elevations or plans with excessive use of drafting and hidden elements, untagged categories.
- Code Compliance, including checks for ramps that are too steep, daylighting, door fire-ratings and so on.
- Constructability, with an advanced set of rules for clash detection and some MEP checks like unconnected pipes.
- Documentation, with rules concerning dimension rounding, phase filters, texts not in English (love this one), non-imperial units (love this one a little less) and lots of other little gems.
- Model Health, with rules for file sizes, in-place and non-used families, furniture outside of groups (guys, guys, they’re supposed to be that way!), upper or title cases for naming, volumes and warnings.
- Selection Inspector, with the ability to select elements by category, by class, by group, and by host (trust us, you’ll love this one).
- Updating Model, providing specific workflows. For example, to inspect manufacturer and model for curtain walls, update fire doors referring to a single room, and update by view your view templates.
And if you’re out of ideas, you can check out the rules made and shared by the Community on GitHub.
4. Use in combination with other tools
As it always happens in our jobs these days, efficiency is found when you can make different tools work together for your own workflows and purposes. This tool is so flexible and powerful that you might find yourself in need of it even if your regular tools are elsewhere.
For instance, the Selection Inspector is very useful if, for your own coding, you need to know how Revit is calling a specific element.
Figure 11
Oh, who knew Revit was calling it this way?
The tools about documentation are wonderful in the early stages of an implementation if you need to know if someone on your team is cheating or drafting like a cadder. You can also check for other messed up things, like overridden dimensions and such.
Figure 12
If you need to make analytics of your data, the best way you have right now is hitting the three dots at the right of the “re-run” bar and either save it to csv or copy to clipboard. We suggest you save them to csv.
If you manage to save them with a naming convention that makes sense, you can automate your model manager dashboard. And your BIM Coordinator, trust us, will be happy.
Claudio Vittori Antisari and Chiara C. Rizzarda are the founders of Strategie Digitali, a Computational BIM & Project Management consulting firm based in Milan, Italy. They founded the company after spending more than four years working together as the BIM Management of the leading architectural firm in Italy and it represents the merging of their two different working experiences, both based on the aim to use digital tools to improve Architectural Design efficiency, and more in general for the whole building cycle. These days, they spend their time consulting for private and companies in augmenting their performances and workflow efficiencies; teaching in both private and university masters around Italy; working on national and international norms; and speaking at international conferences.
