pyRevit Challenge - Day 18 (3D Cutter)

PLAN

✂️Cut them in half!

IF you want to split anything beyond the line in Revit - it's a hassle. Find good view, edit boundary, draw new shape, accept, then copy-paste and do the same for second half…

So, the Goal for Today:

Create a 3D Cutter tool that asks the user to pick floors and a detail/model line, then slices each floor in two using a Boolean cut and recreates them as fresh floors with the same type, level, and parameters.

RESEARCH

Coding CheatSheet

Here's everything you might need for today's challenge.

Coding Blocks

WarningBar (with custom color)

Convert Line to plane

Get Solid's Top Face

Cut Solid with Plane (CutWithHalfSpace)

Read Parameter Value (universal)

Capture Original Error Message

Select With WarningBar

Extract 3D Geometry

Mirror Plane

Re-Create New Floor

Delete an Element

Copy All Parameters

WarningBar (with custom color)

Select With WarningBar

Convert Line to plane

Extract 3D Geometry

Get Solid's Top Face

Mirror Plane

Cut Solid with Plane (CutWithHalfSpace)

Re-Create New Floor

Read Parameter Value (universal)

Delete an Element

Capture Original Error Message

Copy All Parameters

Revit API Docs

BooleanOperationsUtils Class
- CutWithHalfSpace Method

Element.get_Geometry() Method
Options Class (geometry extraction options)
Solid Class
- Solid.Faces Property
PlanarFace Class
- .FaceNormal Property
- .GetEdgesAsCurveLoops Method

Plane Class
- Plane.CreateByThreePoints
- Plane.CreateByNormalAndOrigin

Floor Class
- Floor.Create Method (RVT 22+)
- CurveLoop Class
- ModelLine / DetailLine

pyRevit Dev Docs

pyRevit - Effective Inputs
pyRevit - Effective Output
Docs - pyrevit.revit.pick_elements_by_category()
Docs - pyrevit.revit.pick_element_by_category()
Docs - forms.WarningBar

Other Resources

Cut Filled Regions With Detail Line - exact same pattern, just for Filled Regions.

EF-Notes:

🔸Extracting 3D Geometry

When you extract geometry it will return multiple objects. Always filter for isinstance(geo, Solid) and geo.Volume >0 if you want a real geometry.

🔸CutWithHalfSpace

When cutting geometry you'll use Solid and Plane objects. But keep in mind this will only return you one half of the original shape. To get the second half, you need to create 'mirrored plane' by reversing it's normal. (SO create a new plane based on original one)

Plane.CreateByNormalAndOrigin(-plane.Normal, plane.Origin)

🔸Different Faces

Keep in mind that only PlanarFace has FaceNormal property to determine it's orientation. If your shape has rounded outlines, these bent faces won't have that.

🔸Create Floor in 2021

If you're still work in the past, then you need to use doc.Create.NewFloor(…) instead of Floor.Create method.

RESEARCH

Coding CheatSheet

Here's everything you might need for today's challenge.

Coding Blocks

WarningBar (with custom color)

Select With WarningBar

Convert Line to plane

Extract 3D Geometry

Get Solid's Top Face

Mirror Plane

Cut Solid with Plane (CutWithHalfSpace)

Re-Create New Floor

Read Parameter Value (universal)

Delete an Element

Capture Original Error Message

Copy All Parameters

Revit API Docs

BooleanOperationsUtils Class
- CutWithHalfSpace Method

Element.get_Geometry() Method
Options Class (geometry extraction options)
Solid Class
- Solid.Faces Property
PlanarFace Class
- .FaceNormal Property
- .GetEdgesAsCurveLoops Method

Plane Class
- Plane.CreateByThreePoints
- Plane.CreateByNormalAndOrigin

Floor Class
- Floor.Create Method (RVT 22+)
- CurveLoop Class
- ModelLine / DetailLine

pyRevit Dev Docs

pyRevit - Effective Inputs
pyRevit - Effective Output
Docs - pyrevit.revit.pick_elements_by_category()
Docs - pyrevit.revit.pick_element_by_category()
Docs - forms.WarningBar

Other Resources

Cut Filled Regions With Detail Line - exact same pattern, just for Filled Regions.

EF-Notes:

🔸Extracting 3D Geometry

When you extract geometry it will return multiple objects. Always filter for isinstance(geo, Solid) and geo.Volume >0 if you want a real geometry.

🔸CutWithHalfSpace

Plane.CreateByNormalAndOrigin(-plane.Normal, plane.Origin)

🔸Different Faces

Keep in mind that only PlanarFace has FaceNormal property to determine it's orientation. If your shape has rounded outlines, these bent faces won't have that.

🔸Create Floor in 2021

If you're still work in the past, then you need to use doc.Create.NewFloor(…) instead of Floor.Create method.

OUTLINE

Step-by-Step Plan

Break down logic of the tool idea into smaller chunks so it's easier to brainstorm, find hidden steps and code.

Pick Floors

to Cut

Get New
Floor Outlines

Pick Model/Detail
Line To Cut With

Create New
Floors

Prepare Cut Geo.
(Solid, Plane)

Copy Parameters
(Original -> New)

Cut Solid
With Plane

Delete Original
Floor

OUTLINE

Step-by-Step Plan

Break down logic of the tool idea into smaller chunks so it's easier to brainstorm, find hidden steps and code.

Pick Floors

to Cut

Get New
Floor Outlines

Pick Model/Detail
Line To Cut With

Create New
Floors

Prepare Cut Geo.
(Solid, Plane)

Copy Parameters
(Original -> New)

Cut Solid
With Plane

Delete Original
Floor

NB!

TRY BUILDING
THIS TOOL YOURSELF
DON'T RUSH TO SOLUTION

Unless… You're a Beginner

According to GENERATION EFFECT

The Harder You Work, The Deeper It'll be Wired in Your Brain

NB!

TRY BUILDING
THIS TOOL YOURSELF
DON'T RUSH TO SOLUTION

Unless… You're a Beginner

According to GENERATION EFFECT

The Harder You Work, The Deeper
It'll be Wired in Your Brain

CODE

Code Quick-n-Dirty.

The Goal is to create a proof of concept. Don't try to make it perfect. Skip steps if necessary. Keep it ugly. Keep it slow. JUST. MAKE. IT. WORK…

Proof Of Concept

SCRIPT: PROOF OF CONCEPT

CODE

Code Quick-n-Dirty

The Goal is to create a proof of concept. Don't try to make it perfect. Skip steps if necessary. Keep it ugly. Keep it slow. JUST. MAKE. IT. WORK…