In our November 2018 Ideate Software application updates, we made improvements to all our Ideate Software add-ins for Revit. The latest version of Ideate ReNumber was modified to support multi-category rules, and now, instead of needing one rule for Lighting Fixtures and another for Lighting Devices, you can use the new "MC-All" rule. The benefit is that you can sequentially number elements that are similar while using the same rule.
Well, Samuel James of McBains in London contacted us about the new multi-category rule. “I am currently finding the renumber tool very useful,” he said. However, he had an additional request. He wanted a multi-category rule for JUST Windows and Doors, and he didn’t see a way to limit or choose the specific categories within the Ideate ReNumber rules interface.
This was a great request, and it was a feature we didn’t expose within the user interface. However, you can easily edit the delivered “MC-All” rule within a text editor to specify the exact categories as shown below:
<nested_categories>
<category_name>OST_Doors</category_name>
<category_name>OST_Windows</category_name>
</nested_categories>
The rules are located here by default for US English: C:\Program Files\Ideate\Ideate Software XXXX\IdeateApps\en-US\ReNumber\Basic Rules
We felt Samuel’s suggestion was so great that we are planning to include a new Doors and Windows rule along with a few other new multi-category rules in our next software release.
Keep those suggestions coming! Thanks again to Samuel James and McBains.
Screen image of some of our planned Multi-Category Rules for our next release.
However, you can create your own today by editing the MC-All Rule.
Visit our website for more information on our applications. Give them a try with a free trial version, or subscribe today.
About the Author
Richard W. Taylor, Associate AIA – Technical Evangelist
Richard has more than 30 years of experience working for companies that develop architectural and engineering software solutions, such as Intergraph, Bentley, and Autodesk. He has over 18 years of Revit experience, and he was part of the original development of Revit while at Revit Technology Corporation. He worked for 12 years at Autodesk, where he presented, taught, and worked to improve features in Revit. Richard holds both a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and Master of Architecture from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. As Technical Evangelist, Richard works with AECO clients worldwide, developing and consulting on BIM solutions. Find Richard on Twitter.