Friday, January 20, 2012

Slingshot!... for Revit?


Now that I am done being all 'protest-y'...(for now)

...I thought it would be good to reward my readers with an update on something many have been excited to know more about. I am in the process of prototyping some functionality and work flows for a new tool.... Slingshot! for Revit.

Generally, the tool will provide different means of connecting Revit (and Vasari) to relational database management systems, including MySQL. More importantly, I am interested in establishing common database schema that will allow for a more fluid workflow between Revit and external design tools like Rhino and Grasshopper. This includes sharing parameters and geometry.

I had developed several proofs-of-concept in late 2010 and previewed a few demos at ACADIA in New York... but finally I am finding time (and motivation) to give this the push it needs.

The images below show me prototyping some functionality via the RevitPythonShell plug-in in Vasari. Python is giving me a more fluid workflow than the usual Revit development process. Eventually, the tools will become true add-ins...

A point cloud in Vasari being created using a MySQL database...

The RevitPythonShell console printing a bunch of data from MySQL...

The source of all the trouble...Slingshot! for Grasshopper building a point cloud database...

Slingshot! is Copyright (c) Nathan Miller 2012