Revit 2012 - Script Routine for Batch Plotting?

[arb]

I think this may be an API question (which I unfortunately know very little about), but we need to start creating separate PDF files for every sheet in our projects in order to allow the owner, contractor, and design team to utilize certain "PDF linking" capabilities of a construction web-portal. I know that we can batch plot PDFs as individual files, but as far as I know the user still has to press enter to save each file and Revit automatically includes the project and sheet name in the default PDF file name so we'd have to manually edit every file name before saving. Is there a way to use a script routine or does anyone know of an extension that would allow me to have Revit plus Adobe Acrobat or Bluebeam save out individual PDFs of selected sheets and save each one using the sheet numbers? We're talking about several thousands of sheets of documents that will need to be initially created and periodically updated throughout construction.

I've looked into the Batch Plot tool under Add-Ins, but it's pretty useless unless your printing hard copies.

Thanks.

- Alex

[jsteinhauer]

If you use the single sheet file setting in the print dialog, it will take the name/number of the sheets and name the pdf's accordingly. Someone is going to have to go through those pdf's and add the hyperlinks to the document. This is a pain if you ask me.

I would print as a DWF, because the elevation, section & call out tags are all live. You can setup different print sets, and send them as DWF's.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[DaveP]

We use PDF Creator for our Batch PDF making, which can save the PDFs by Sheet Name.
If you need to batch-rename files, check out Advanced Renamer

[arb]

If you use the single sheet file setting in the print dialog, it will take the name/number of the sheets and name the pdf's accordingly. Someone is going to have to go through those pdf's and add the hyperlinks to the document. This is a pain if you ask me.

I would print as a DWF, because the elevation, section & call out tags are all live. You can setup different print sets, and send them as DWF's.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

Thanks. I believe the PDF format is required by the web-portable software the Owner has purchased, so I don't think DWFs will work out (although your point about the advantages of DWFs is noted.) We actually don't have to create hyperlinks; we have to create a simple Excel spreadsheet with the referencing sheet number (file name) in one cell and any referenced sheets listed in the adjacent cell (again using the sheet number as the PDF file name). It's definitely a painful manual process, but once the spreadsheet is set up, then we can upload and replace PDFs and the web-portal will keep the generated list of "referenced" documents beside the displayed sheet. Soon the contractor will be responsible for filling out the spreadsheet so that pertinent RFI's and submittals are also listed. I just need help quickly and easily making many, many PDFs of our individual sheets.

- Alex

[arb]

We use PDF Creator for our Batch PDF making, which can save the PDFs by Sheet Name.
If you need to batch-rename files, check out Advanced Renamer

Thanks Dave. I'll try out the Advanced Renamer tomorrow since it looks like it might allow us to use the automatically Revit generated PDF file name and simply remove the unwanted pre- and suffixes. Do you have a way of batch plotting individual PDFs WITHOUT having to babysit the computer and press Enter for each file save? That's the last piece I'm missing to make this thing work out.

- Alex

[damon.sidel]

This may sound flippant, but I'm quite serious: what about a heavy object placed on the Enter key? It isn't a real solution, but it may serve you until you find a real solution.

As for the renaming, Advanced Renamer, I've never used that one so it may be exactly what you need. If it isn't, you could also try the free Bulk Rename Utility. I like it because it has a Windows Explorer extension so you can right-click to bring it up for files in any folder. Just another option.

[DaveP]

we have to create a simple Excel spreadsheet with the referencing sheet number (file name) in one cell and any referenced sheets listed in the adjacent cell (again using the sheet number as the PDF file name).

Would a View List Schedule help with this? A View List can tell you which Views are on which Sheet. You could set up one View List in Revit to sort by Sheet (showing Views), and another to sort by View (showing Sheets). You might need to work some Excel magic to cross-reference, but I'll bet those two schedules would get you a long way there. Even if you don't actually make Excel do the heavy-lifting, at least you could have a list in Revit to QA your spreadsheet.

Do you have a way of batch plotting individual PDFs WITHOUT having to babysit the computer and press Enter for each file save? That's the last piece I'm missing to make this thing work out.

That's why I mentioned PDFCreator. batch plotting without hitting the Enter key is precisely what it does. WE use Cute PDF for the onsie-twosies and PDFCreator for all of our (unattended!) Batch plotting.

[jsteinhauer]

This may sound flippant, but I'm quite serious: what about a heavy object placed on the Enter key? It isn't a real solution, but it may serve you until you find a real solution.

This is my million dollar idea, so anyone that develops this device should give me royalties. I'd live with 2%.
I'm thinking a USB powered motor with a lever arm that hits the 'Enter' button ever two seconds or so. A user interface could be setup to adjust the rotation speed of the motor. A weighted base with a swing arm would allow for exact placement of any repetitive keystroke.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[DaveP]

Old School technique

[damon.sidel]

I'm thinking a USB powered motor with a lever arm that hits the 'Enter' button ever two seconds or so.

Would this work?
drinking-bird-toy.jpg