Which Revit Automation Method is Right for You?

If you’re like me, you strive to work smarter, not harder.

One of the best ways to do this is to let your computer do the heavy lifting for you.

Why do the same tedious operation over and over when your computer can do it in a fraction of the time?

When I’m in the middle of some tedious task, it’s like my brain just shuts down. It can’t handle the monotony of doing the same thing again and again and again. More often than not, this leads to errors and time wasted redoing the work. Ugh. . .

This especially true in Revit. Don’t get me wrong, I love working with Revit, but creating sheets, renaming views, or loading linked files can eat up a lot of time. This is time I’d rather spend on higher leverage activities like improving the design or getting home for dinner.

Fortunately, there are a number of options for automating Revit. My two favorites are Dynamo and Revit Macros. Dynamo is a visual programming tool for Revit that uses graphical nodes to create programs or “graphs”. Revit macros, on the other hand, are text-based programs written using a computer language such as C# or VB.Net.

Both methods are great and will save you a lot of time. But what automation method is best for you? Should you learn to code or node?

Code vs Node

Both automation methods have pros and cons depending on what you need to do.The best method depends on your circumstances and end goals. When weighing code vs node, ask yourself the following questions:

1. How quickly do I need the tool? Right away or can you wait a few days (or weeks)?
2. How complex is the operation I need to automate? How many times do you need to run it?
3. What’s the skill level of the users? Are they power users or newbies?
4. Will I need to make on-the-fly changes to the tool? Or is it one-and-done?
5. Who is going to use the tool? Just me? Maybe a few team members? Or the entire office?

The chart below illustrate the comparative strengths and weaknesses of Dynamo and Revit macros. Use it as a guide to figure out what method would work best for you and your project.

Get Started with Revit Automation

Learning either Dynamo or Revit macros takes commitment. There’s a learning curve that can seem overwhelming. It isn’t always easy to make time to learn something new when you have deadlines and projects and other work. Believe me, I know! However, dedicating a half-hour a day to playing around with either method will pay huge dividends in the end.

A well-written graph or macro can complete a tedious task with the click of a button, and save you hours in the process. As your skills grow, so will your ability to do the seemingly impossible. Automation takes time and patience but it’s a rewarding endeavor. Don’t be intimidated. Start small, be systematic, and develop your skills. Soon you’ll be on your way to automation mastery!

Don’t forget: If you’re ready to learn how to automate Revit and want a jump start, click here to learn more about my Code vs Node mini-course on September 15.

In this 90 minute mini-course, you will learn:

• The four different methods for automating repetitive tasks in Revit.
• The differences between visual programming and text-based programming.
• Which programming method works best in specific, real-world situations.
• How to approach learning either programming method in a fast and effective manner.

You’ll also get access to all the sample files and a step-by-step worksheet to get you started.

Sign up for Code vs Node now!