Jump to content
  • 1

Revit file import crashes vwx.


Benson Shaw

Question

My 1st ever attempt to import Revit file causes a vwx to crash completely.  It's a big file at 345MB and probably the most recent version, but I can't tell.

I'm importing into a new blank vwx file set to 1:1 layer scale.

 

Import starts with lengthy Initialization.  Progress bar is blank for 2 or 3 minutes, then fills completely in about 1 second.  The Initialization box vanishes, and the import options dialog appears.  I tried Active View, Model View and the 2d/3d Views.  I disabled texture import and vwx native objects.  I tried mesh and poly groups options. Instant crash each time as soon as I OK the options dialog.

 

File too big for laptop system?  Revit version too new?  Change vwx file to other layer scale?

 

Crash generates a dialog with choice to send report to Apple.  Report pasted into a txt doc and attached here.

 

Any tips or experience welcome.

 

Thanks

-B

CrashReport to Apple.txt

Link to comment

19 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

I haven’t tried importing Revit files since Vw2017, but back then it took 30-45 minutes to import a 14MB Revit RVT file.

 

I’d guess that 345MB is too big, and if it’s the current version, it might be too new. Perhaps in Vw2018 the Revit import has been improved, but in 2017, I got the sense that it was not suited for importing entire Revit projects. 

 

Here’s another older thread about others’ issues with importing Revit files, it might provide some insight:

 

Link to comment
  • 0
1 hour ago, rDesign said:

Perhaps in Vw2018 the Revit import has been improved, but in 2017,

 

Yes, second edition of VW Revit Import is much better !

I just tried the RVT test files which Autodesk provides somewhere on their Site.

 

Supports some PIOs.

(But somehow I think Revit geometry is a bit crappy itself from the source)

 

Link to comment
  • 0

@rDesign - Thanks for comment and the ref to older thread.  I figured the big file would be a slog to import and slow navigation, but I did not expect a crash at start of import. I don’t need the whole model.  My plan was to paste needed elements from the import into my project file.

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men/Gang aft-gley.”
from “To a Mouse”, by Robert Burns

 

@zoomer - Thanks for notice of AutoDesk Sample files!

 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Revit-GetStarted/files/GUID-61EF2F22-3A1F-4317-B925-1E85F138BE88-htm.html

 

I downloaded the Basic (16MB) and the Advanced (14MB) sample files for test import. Get Info/More Info note suggests they are rev2016.rvt so do not address the idea that my problem file is newer version than 2018.vwx can read. Neither one imported. They started to import, a few lines showed up on my screen, but the import "paused" and could not be restarted because "out of application memory".  Revit projects must just be too intense for my little laptop.

 

Disappointed, but hoping for better import function in future vwx updates and versions, and improvements to my personal work computer.

-B

 

Or perhaps time for me to upgrade to High Sierra per experience of @Seth Thomas reported near end of this thread:

 

Edited by Benson Shaw
further research, corrected link
Link to comment
  • 0

Vectorworks is very disappointing in this area.
I had a thread on the very same issue. Import and export times for .rvt and ifc are ridiculously long. And then dont do it right either, if at all!


This is the collaborative area that VW needs to look seriously at, not gimmicky web based model viewers.

IFC Issue

Revit Issue
 

Edited by ptoner
  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 0

@zoomer A websearch about depleted application memory indicated that MacOS pauses other open apps and, if that does not save enough memory, it ultimately pauses the active app, VWX in this case.  The OS does not seem to automatically resume any of the paused apps, leading to force quit and relaunch or even system restarts.  In Terminal, there is a kill/cont command.  I think it kills the pause in the active app and then continues the app function, at least until memory is depleted again. I don't quote it here because I have no experience with what can go wrong.

 

Anyway I think I will do the OS upgrade today and test the rvt files again, tomorrow.

 

-B

Link to comment
  • 0

Thanks Benson.

 

I don't get it. Something must has gone wrong with latest SPs.

I now tried 16 MB "rac_basic_sample_project.rvt"

Same thing, VW eats RAM like no other ... will have to quit that soon as well.

 

But I found my older VW Test File with exactly that RVT Demo Project.

I tested that import Sept 2017, so VW 2018 SP0 and can't remember

having had larger problems at that time.

 

And I see that I have tried the same RVT File from Sept 2017,

so it is not that Autodesk would have changed the Demo File to a newer

RVT Version

Link to comment
  • 0

I tried importing that same 16 MB "rac_basic_sample_project.rvt" (selecting '3D view only') into Vw2018 SP3 and also had to Force-Quit. 

 

When I opened that RVT file with TextEdit, the file header refers to Revit 2016 - so it is NOT a newer Revit version than Vw2018 can handle.

 

rvt_version.thumb.jpg.9789a246f80c8eb2dafcf3f48115fcc6.jpg

 

I imported that same RVT file into Vw2017 SP5 and it imported just fine, it only took 1 to 2 minutes and it created a 66MB .VWX file.

 

rvt-3d.thumb.jpg.b40338f106959c0b004770368dab9db3.jpg

 

Importing Revit files into Vw2018 is definitely broken. 

 

Edited by rDesign
  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 0
9 minutes ago, rDesign said:

I tried importing that same 16 MB "rac_basic_sample_project.rvt" (selecting '3D view only') into Vw2018 SP3 and also had to Force-Quit. 

 

When I opened that RVT file with TextEdit, the file header refers to Revit 2016 - so it is NOT a newer Revit version than Vw2018 can handle.

 

rvt_version.thumb.jpg.9789a246f80c8eb2dafcf3f48115fcc6.jpg

 

I imported that same RVT file into Vw2017 SP5 and it imported just fine, it only took 1 to 2 minutes and it created a 66MB .VWX file.

 

rvt-3d.thumb.jpg.b40338f106959c0b004770368dab9db3.jpg

 

Importing Revit files into Vw2018 is definitely broken. 

 

In 2017 it imports, but it's all without any of the classes, they are all placed into one class. Then of course it's a mesh import with zero vectorworks native objects. So it is really just for looking at. Not ideal for business transfer of information.

 

Try doing it with team shared models on a BIM level 2 project and you end up without any of the vital data.

Edited by ptoner
Link to comment
  • 0
10 minutes ago, ptoner said:

In 2017 it imports, but it's all without any of the classes, they are all placed into one class. Then of course it's a mesh import with zero vectorworks native objects. So it is really just for looking at. Not ideal for business transfer of information.

 

No question, you're exactly right — but at least 2017 imports the file, which 2018 is currently unable to do.

 

FYI - Vectorworks gets the 'Import Revit' function from the Open Design Alliance 'Teigha BIM SDK', so perhaps some of the missing functionality you're looking for might be out of the hands of Vectorworks. 

 

(I'm filing a support request for the broken Revit import in 2018).

Edited by rDesign
  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • 0
15 minutes ago, rDesign said:

 

(I'm filing a support request for the broken Revit import in 2018).

I went through support for this already, they seem to think nothing is wrong. I also think the size of the Revit file is an issue sometimes, regardless if it has been saved in the default 3D view, like support told me it has to be in. 

Apparently if the Revit model is saved in 2D view it won't import. I am still finding issues even though our design partner on a project has done the above (3D views) as a Revit 2017 file, albeit as 207mb one. 

Just won't import. I think something broke in 2018 SP3.

 

PS thanks for sharing the source SDK.

Edited by ptoner
Link to comment
  • 0
34 minutes ago, ptoner said:

Just won't import. I think something broke in 2018 SP3.

 

It can't hurt for multiple users to hit them with Support Requests for this. Perhaps the issue with Vw2018 is that it is less tolerant of large RVT files not being saved in the default 3D view.

 

I managed to successfully import this attached sample RVT file into Vw2018 SP3 (downloaded from Enscape website). The imported geometry is all on one class — but that may be just the way the Import works as Revit doesn't really have a concept equivalent to 'Classes' or 'Layers'. 

 

But it is possible to Import Revit files into Vw2018 SP3.

 

Enscape_MaterialSample.zip

Edited by rDesign
  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • 0

@rDesign - Many Thanks for that rvt file.  I can import it in 2018.vwx SP3, MacOS Sierra. As you say, it is possible to import, but the resulting vwx content is strange.

 

Described here for everyone's entertainment:

The contents in my imported file appears to be a texture sampler with a matrix for a bunch of materials: ceramic, glass, water, fabric, wood, concrete, flooring, stone, tile, etc, etc.  The texture apparently is intended to be applied to spheres, or in the case of the water, to a swimming pool surface. The import process creates a small selection of textures in the file, but not the full range suggested by the matrix (eg, no water, no fabric, no tile, no plaster, etc).  The sample objects and their text labels are all identified in OIP as Revit Entity or as symbols containing Revit Entities.  Editing any Revit Entity shows the contained objects to be meshes with no color fill, no texture assigned.  Although the array of samples is organized as rows of symbols with label text, all of the samples are the same symbol labeled Glass Blue (except Water which has no label). None of the objects have color fill or texture assigned.  The array of samples is presented on a sort of tray consisting of a vwx slab with a perimeter wall.  And, it's BIG.  The spheres are 1m diam, the slab is about 40mx50m.

 

Wasn't that fun?

 

Either the original Revit file is incomplete, or the vwx file lost significant somethings in translation.

 

-B

RVTtestLong.png

RVTtestClose.png

Link to comment
  • 0

@Benson Shaw - the results from that sample Enscape file I posted may not be indicative of a well-formed Revit file properly importing into Vw2018. I don’t have Enscape 3D nor Revit, so I have no idea of what it should look like.

 

Someone would need to open that file in Revit to see whether it is importing into Vw correctly or not, so I’d take the results you discovered with a big grain of salt. 😁

 

But at least it confirms that Vw2018 SP3 will Import Revit files. 

Link to comment
  • 0
2 hours ago, Benson Shaw said:

@rDesign

 

Either the original Revit file is incomplete, or the vwx file lost significant somethings in translation.

 

-B

RVTtestLong.png

RVTtestClose.png

Lost in translation. That's the exactly the issue. It's vectorworks problem, most likely down to the incomplete, translator that they have borrowed.

 

There are many ways to import the file in 2018, I have extensively tried all the various configurations and none of them result in a usable model with all the data and meta data intact.

Link to comment
  • 0

Any others with updated experience / success on this issue?

 

I've been attempting to import a Revit File & one of two things happens; 1) Programme freezes after 5-10 minutes when attempting import as native VW objects or   2) I get a just the consultant's drawing title block no model or details

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...