Create a 3D view in Revit to prepare for a data exchange

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In ACC Docs, you can create a Data Exchange from a published 3D view of your Revit model.

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This enables you to share a predefined subset of data across the apps and teams you work with daily.

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To prepare your Revit model for a Data Exchange,

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the first step is to create one or more 3D views that include the specific subsets of data to be shared.

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In this example, the Snowdon Towers sample project is being used to create a Data Exchange for an aluminum door manufacturer,

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so you need to create a single 3D view with only the aluminum door data.

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With the Revit homepage open, under Recent Files, select the Snowdon Towers sample model to open it.

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To create the 3D view, you can duplicate an existing view.

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On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Default 3D View.

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In the Project Browser, expand 3D views, then right-click Default 3D View and select Duplicate View > Duplicate.

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The new 3D view opens.

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In the Project Browser, right-click the duplicated 3D view, then select Rename.

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In this case, enter the name “Data Exchange Doors".

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It can be helpful to create a specific 3D view type, to quickly distinguish the views for Data Exchange within the Project Browser.

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First, in the Properties palette, click Edit Type.

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Then, in the Type Properties dialog, adjacent to Type, click Duplicate.

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In the Name dialog, name the duplicate 3D view type "Data Exchange," then click OK.

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This 3D view type has a specific View Template applied to it.

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It is best practice to create and apply specific view templates aligned with intended work package delivery throughout your project.

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However, for now, you can simply remove it.

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Click on the name of the template, and in the Assign View Template dialog, from the Names group, select None.

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Click OK.

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Next, modify the visibility and graphics properties to create the desired view.

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From the Properties palette, next to Visibility/Graphics Overrides, click Edit.

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In the Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog, first, turn off all links for this specific view.

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Open the Revit Links tab, deselect each of the links, then click OK.

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Next, filter the view so that only the doors are visible.

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Open the Model Categories tab and select All to deselect all categories.

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Select Doors, and then click Apply to confirm that all doors are visible in the drawing area now.

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If your results are satisfactory, as they are here, click OK to close the dialog,

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then zoom in to see the doors.

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This view could be suitable for a Data Exchange.

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However, keeping in mind that Data Exchanges are designed to share only the relevant subset of elements,

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you can filter this view even further.

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Again, for this example, only the aluminum doors in the model need to be shared with the aluminum door manufacturer.

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First, identify a parameter that is common to all aluminum doors.

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Here, one of the aluminum doors is selected, and in the Properties palette, Materials and Finishes group,

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the Frame Material is set to Aluminum.

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You can use this parameter to filter the doors.

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To create the filter, next to Visibility/Graphics Overrides, click Edit.

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The Visibility Graphics Overrides for 3D View dialog opens.

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Open the Filters tab and select Edit/New.

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In the Filters dialog, in the Filters group, click New.

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Then, in the Filter Name dialog, enter a Name for the filter, such as "Doors ALUM", and click OK.

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Back in the Filters dialog, Categories group, select Doors.

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Under Filter Rules, set the drop-down next to Doors to Frame Material,

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set the conditions drop-down to Does not contain, and enter "ALUM" in the adjacent field.

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This filter excludes doors that do not have aluminum in the Frame Material parameter.

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Click OK.

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Now, you need to add and apply the new filter to the view.

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Back in the Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog, click Add.

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From the Add Filters dialog, select the newly created Doors ALUM filter, then click OK.

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To apply the filter, in the Visibility column, deselect Doors ALUM.

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This hides all doors that do not have a Frame Material of aluminum.

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Click Apply, then click OK.

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The 3D view updates to show only the aluminum doors.

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Now that you have successfully prepared a Revit 3D view for Data Exchange, the next step is to publish it to the cloud.