Export Custom Profiles as Dynamic Profiles

Learn how you can export custom families without the need of manual profile mapping, using the option in the Settings dialog.

Starting with the 2018 version, the Advance Steel Extension for Revit can export custom (non-standard) profiles as dynamic profiles. The transfer of Standard Structural Steel Families is not affected by this feature.

The option is available in the Settings dialog:



The box is not checked Keeps the same behavior as in the previous versions of the add-in - the custom profiles are transferred based on profile mapping tables. The exported custom profiles are stored in the .smlx file, under CGREXSection:


The box is checked The custom profiles are automatically exported as dynamic profiles; mapping is not necessary. The exported custom profiles are stored in the .smlx file under CGREXSectionType:


- Section shape parameters.

The .smlx file stores the section shape parameters, depending on the section type. The following types are supported:

Type Description
C Channel Cold Formed
CEx Channel with Fold, Cold Formed
F Flat
H Rectangular Hollow Section
I I Shape
IAsym I Shape Asymmetrical
LA Angle Cold Formed
LZ Zed Cold Formed
R Circular Hollow Sections (Pipe)
S Round Bars
T Tees
U Channel
W Angle

Dynamic profile transfer between Revit and Advance Steel

When exporting custom profiles as dynamic profiles to .smlx:

  1. In the Settings dialog, check the Export custom profiles as dynamic box.
  2. If the steel profile is part of a Standard Structural Steel family (it has a Family Name Key and a Section Name Key), the export process will transfer that profile as a standard profile. See Revit Family Based Section Mapping.
  3. If the steel profile is not part of a Standard Structural Steel family, the extension will try to export it as a dynamic profile.
  4. If the profile cannot be exported as a dynamic one (if the section is not sported, for example), the expression rules mapping is used.
  5. If the profile cannot be exported at all, the family and profile names are written inside the .smlx file.
Note:
  • If the Export custom profiles as dynamic option is not checked, step 2 is skipped and the behavior is the same as in the previous versions of the software.
  • If you modify a profile from a Standard Structural Steel family and you export it with the option checked, the profile will be imported using the Standard Structural Steel families mechanism - in this case the modifications made to this element will not be transferred.
  • If the element using a custom family cannot be exported as a dynamic profile, it will be exported using the mapping mechanism, based on the GTCMapping.mdb expression rules - in this case the modifications made to this element will not be transferred.

When importing a .smlx file in Revit:

  1. Standard sections are transferred using the Standard Structural Steel families and then using the expression rules mapping system. If the profile cannot be imported, the manual mapping dialog appears.
  2. Dynamic sections are automatically transferred using the template family, for each section type.
Note: When a dynamic profile is imported in Revit, if a classic custom family and type are loaded in Revit, the dynamic profile will be imported using that family. Only after this step, are the families installed by the Advance Steel Extension for Revit used. These families are installed in C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk Advance Steel 2018 Extension for Autodesk Revit\Family Templates, in the Beams and Columns folders.

When importing a .smlx file in Advance Steel: Dynamic profiles are transferred in Advance Steel and saved inside the model. There are no entries created inside the AstorProfiles.mdf. You cannot modify the section shape of the dynamic profiles or create such a profile from scratch. The only way to have a dynamic section inside Advance Steel is to import it from Revit.

Dynamic profile synchronization

Dynamic profiles are compared only for section type changes. Only these modifications ca be synchronized for dynamic profiles.

Note: The synchronization should be done with the same options inside the Settings dialog. If the .smlx file was created with the Export custom profiles as dynamic option checked, when you synchronize it, make sure this option is checked and vice versa (if the option was not checked, it should remain unchecked during synchronization). If this condition is not respected, a type incompatibility warning message will appear when loading the .smlx file in the Synchronization dialog. A log file will also be created in the same location as the model, containing the GTC IDs that could not be synchronized. Synchronization fails because a comparison between a classic custom profile and a dynamic profile is impossible. If you continue the synchronization process without respecting the condition, additional modified lines may appear in the Synchronization dialog.

The Synchronization dialog will display many Position Modified lines - this is caused by the fact that the dynamic profiles are always imported with the system axis in the center of the shape.

Parent topic: The Advance Steel Extension for Revit