Learn about known issues for Twinmotion and Revit interoperability, with work-arounds.
Automatic Direct Link Connection Fails
Symptom: After using the Open in Twinmotion command, and specifying to create a new Twinomotion project file, the Direct Link connection is not automatically established with the active Revit model.
Issue: This issue can occur for Revit models with a file name that contains certain special characters, a period symbol before .RVT, or specific language strings which cannot be translated by Direct Link.
Work-around: Do a save-as of the Revit model to create a copy, and specify a simplified file name that does not include these types of characters. Afterward, Open in Twinmotion should function as expected.
Twinmotion is installed but not detected by Revit
Symptom: After using the Open in Twinmotion command, Revit reports that a compatible version of Twinmotion is not installed.
Issue: If Twinmotion or Twinmotion for Revit was installed by another user, or included in a machine image created by another user, and never opened by the current user, a required registry value may not yet exist.
Work-around: Have the current user manually open Twinmotion or Twinmotion for Revit once, which will write the necessary values to the registry. Afterward, Open in Twinmotion should function as expected.
Newly created Revit model is not detected by Twinmotion
Symptom: After using the Open in Twinmotion command, or manually creating a new Direct Link connection, it fails with the active Revit model.
Issue: For new Revit models created from a template and not yet saved, a new Revit model created and saved for the first time in the same session and not yet closed, or a Revit model saved with a new file name that has not yet been closed and re-opened, Direct Link will not detect the Revit model.
Work-around: Save and close the Revit model. Then re-open the same Revit model and attempt Open in Twinmotion again, or manually add a new Direct Link connection from Twinmotion to the active Revit model.
Auto Sync and Synchronize commands show enabled in 3D view prior to establishing Direct Link connection
Symptom: The Auto Sync and Synchronize commands are enabled in a 3D view prior to any Direct Link connection being established.Reason: This behavior is currently functioning as-designed, in order to support additional Twinmotion or Unreal Engine workflows, such as manually adding a Direct Link connection in the other application, returning to Revit, and performing a synchronization.
Multiple Revit Models Open in the Same Session with Active Direct Link Connections
Symptom: When multiple Revit models are open in the same Revit session that have active Direct Link connections to other applications, you notice that Auto Sync or Synchronization operations may not perform as expected.Issue: Direct Link is currently optimized for a single Revit model open per Revit session. Multiple Revit models open in the same session that have active Direct Link connections to other applications is not a currently recommended workflow.
Work-around: When working with a direct link connection in Twinmotion to the active Revit model, it is recommended to have one Revit model open per Revit session. If a Twinmotion project file contains two or more direct link connections, it is recommended to either open one Revit model at a time, or to open each model in separate Revit sessions.
Twinmotion commands are enabled but not functional
Symptom: When attempting to use any commands under View
Twinmotion, nothing happens after clicking any of the command buttons.
Issue: This issue can occur when your workstation does not meet the minimum requirements for Twinmotion or Unreal Engine workflows, or the environment is missing a prerequisite.
Reasons: Starting with Revit 2024 the Datasmith Exporter for Revit is integrated and is no longer installed separately. Because Datasmith is required for Twinmotion and Unreal Engine workflows, should it fail to initialize, the commands under Twinmotion will be shown as enabled but will not be functional. Initializiation can fail for any of the following reasons:- A compatible display adapter is not present or enabled on the workstation.
- The registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\EpicGames\Unreal Engine\RevitEngineDir is not present on the workstation.
- The corresponding RevitEngineDir value directory C:\ProgramData\Epic\Exporter\RevitEngine is not present on the workstation, or is missing one of the default Binaries, Content or Shaders sub-folders.
- A DirectX prerequisite, which is included and installed automatically with Revit 2024, is not present on the workstation.
To further confirm a compatible display environment, you can open Revit Options Hardware to verify your hardware configuration status.
If needed, the Revit journal from the session will provide additional information why Datasmith failed to initialize. This is useful to isolate the exact cause from the list above. Review the journal after attempting to use the command for additional details. Please refer to help for additional information About Journal Files.
For information about environment variable customization options, refer to the section Revit.ini and Environment Variable Customization Options in the help topic About Visualization with Twinmotion.
Direct Link connection does not update after Revit is closed or re-opened but Twinmotion remains open
Symptom: With both Revit and Twinmotion open, after closing and re-opening Revit and a model containing a Direct Link connection to Twinmotion, the Synchronize command or Auto Sync does not update the geometry in Twinmotion.Issue: If Revit is closed and re-opened while Twinmotion remains open the entire time, the Direct Link connection will temporarily lose its connection.
Work-around: With Revit and the model containing the Direct Link connection open, close and re-open the same Twinmotion project file; this should update the Direct Link connection and reestablish it for subsequent synchronize operations.