Ideate AutomationHow to...
  • Automate DIR

    • Automate DIR (Document Issuance Record)

    Ideate Automation can be used with Ideate BIMLink to automatically create and publish weekly Document Issuance Records. This process of merging the sheet and revision/issuance dates into a single matrix can be extremely error prone and time consuming when done manually. Using the script called IBL-Document_Issuance can completely automate this task to provide accurate data back to your team.

    Document Issues Properties

    Ideate BIMLink subscribers may request the macro template referenced in the scripts below from our support team. 

    Before launching this script it is useful to place the macro excel file in the specified folder location so that it can be updated with the new data.

    To create an Document Issuance Record for one or more Revit files, follow the instructions below.

    1. Close all open sessions of Revit.
    2. Launch Ideate Automation and select Create
    3. From the Ideate Software Scripts folder, select the folder called 05 Revision Management, then pick the script at the right called IBL-Document_Issuance.
    4. Review the description of this task below, then pick Next.

    Task Script Variables

    1. Revit Files: Browse to pick one or more Revit files.
    2. Use File List: Leave unchecked for now.
    3. Include Linked Files: This is checked by default.
    4. DIR Template: Browse to select the Excel file template. Subscribers should use the requested macro template noted at the top of this help page.
    5. Export Folder: Browse to select a folder location for the data exports.*
    6. Export Files Name: Review the name of the exported file. If you are using this file with Ideate Sticky on your Revit Home Page, you may want to remove the date field ${today.yyyMMdd}_$ so that the resulting filename is just ${revit_file:Revit.Filename.NoExtension}_Ideate_DIR.xlsm
    7. Subfolder: Review the location of the revision links needed. If your Ideate BIMLink content is customized, you may need to browse to that location.
    8. Select Next. and then confirm the task selection just prior to clicking on Save and Run.

    This script will launch the correct version of Revit based on your Revit file selection, then open that Revit file, launch Ideate BIMLink, load the link definitions found within the 05 Revision Management folder, and then use the Export function to create or update an Excel file matching the name specified. When done it will close out Revit. 

    *TIP: BIM 360/ACC users can use this type of folder syntax to export the data to the respective BIM 360/ACC projects: %userprofile%\ACCDocs\${${revit_file}~Hub Name:OrEmpty}\${${revit_file}~Project Name:OrEmpty}\Project Files\DIR

    Learn more on this Help Topic: Basic Scripting with Ideate Automation

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