A couple of us here at our office have been using e-SPECS for some time and have been itching to really utilize the connection between it and Revit. We tend to hit several walls when trying to link models to the specs. The main issue I see is with the UniformatClassification.txt file.
A) The file as supplied by Revit or e-SPECS does not seem to include a proper depth of assemblies. In other words, it doesn't seem to drill down far enough for many common elements that we model. It will have Exterior CMU wall but not a Brick Veneer wall with CMU backup. It will have an EPDM roof membrane but not EPDM membrane on tapered insulation on metal deck. In my opinion, it seems to have more individual building elements as opposed to building assemblies which is what I would think is what it should have.
So, I'm wondering if there is a source for a more complete and in depth break down of these codes. It just seems to be missing a lot of key components. (EX: Where would I find a Column Cover? Aluminum or GRFC or GRFG?)
Now, I know I could go in and edit the text file and add assemblies as I find the need for them. However:
B) The file resides on the local machines where Revit seems to find it. This creates a management nightmare. If I would decide to rely on the file as a descriptive link and trust any other Revit modeler, I would need a consistent file to refer to. It would be a million times easier to do this if I could maintain one file in a single network location like we do with the sharedparameters file.
Is there any way to point Revit to a different location for the uniformatclassifications?