Tips and Tricks

Tips & Tricks: Spline Length in Revit

Posted by Bianca Rodriguez on

Hello again! We hope you are staying safe as we continue through these quarantine times.

Our office continues to work remote and we were recently asked to create a fire access plan with paths that were fluid, not linear, and calculate their lengths to show they meet code.

The first thing I thought was “easy-peasy” I’ll just create a schedule for the lengths of the splines! Sounds great until I created a spline as a Model In-Place Component and the length was grayed out and could not be reported in a schedule (figures). So obviously my next step was to find a workaround! I found this helpful tip on a forum that I am going to share with you today with more images and hopefully it is helpful to you. Let’s get started!

Here are the splines already created. They are made by creating them as a mass.
You can see I was able to make a schedule with the lengths of each spline or path.

So let’s see how this works!!

Step 1: We are going to start by creating an In-Place Mass.
Step 2: Then name your path.
Step 3: Then you are going to create “spline through points” (NOT “spline”).
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
Step 4: Because this is going to be a 2D element I like to pick a plane that is above most levels so it doesn’t get lost in different levels.
Step 5: Create your spline path and as you can see the length is grayed out and can’t be reported, but don’t you worry we got a work-around for you!
Step 6: Now click on the Divide Paths button in the top ribbon.
Step 7: You’re going to change the properties in this order-
1. Number: 2 (click apply)
2. Measurement Type: Segment Length (click apply)
3. Layout: Minimum Distance (click apply)
Step 8: Create an instance parameter for the Minimum Distance and call it “Delete” (since it will be deleted later) and notice how it can’t be a reporting parameter BUT don’t you worry we got a work-around for that!
Step 9: Create two points and a length instance parameter between them called “Length_Report” and check the “Reporting Parameter” box.
Step 10: Now change the distance label between the points to “Delete” so that the length matches the spline length. Then change the label back to “Length_Report”. This is important because the Length_Report should equal the spline length.
Are you lost yet? If not, don’t worry.. it gets worse!
Step 11: Almost there! …ish..
Select the Spline.
In the Properties Panel on the left of the screen, change the association of the Minimum Distance Parameter to “Length_Report”.
Then, also in the Properties Panel, change the Layout to Maximum Distance and associate the length with “Length_Report”.
Then change Layout to Fixed Number and BOOM!
Easy-peasy right!?
Step 12: You thought that was it didn’t you… HAHA!
We need to create a shared parameter so the length appears in a schedule, I named mine “Length_01”. Because of my OCD I delete the “Delete” parameter so it isn’t visible anymore since it is no longer associated to anything. Confused yet?
Step 13: Now that we have our parameters, enter “Length_Report” in the formula box for Length_01 so they equal the same length. Make sure the spelling is exact and it is case sensitive.
Step 14: After you click “Finish Mass” you will have your spline and reporting length!
What a beauty!
Step 15: Now I can place the schedule on my Fire Access Plan and show the lengths with path names!
YAY!
And, yes when you update the path nodes the length will update! Trust me, I’ve tried it!

See just a few whole bunch of steps and you got it! Next time, we can show you the LONG way to do this… just kidding!

I know this process is a bit lengthy, but it gets the job done and works! We here@HAYNE LOVE things that work accurately. With a little practice this does become easier and faster. I hope this helps you and let us know if you have another work around you would like to share!

Stay safe and WASH THOSE HANDS!!

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