Getting Started
Exporting a Revit Model with Tracer
Tracer includes a Revit addin that harvests an open Revit document’s data to a relational SQLite database structure which includes tables and views with element and parameter records.
- Learn how to export a Revit model with the Tracer addin.
- Inspect the contents of the SQLite file using the included Tracer Power BI template.
Connecting Power BI to Revit Data
After exporting a Revit document to a SQLite file, Power Bi can connect to the file as a data source to access the tables and views.
- Set a Power BI data source to the SQLite file using ODBC.
- Review and set table relationships between the document, element, and parameters tables.
- Access a SQLite view containing element data.
Visualizing Revit Rooms with Power BI Visual
Use the Tracer Power BI visual to create an interactive visual that displays a Revit document’s room boundaries with data.
- Set up a Power BI data source to the the RoomElement view.
- Import the Tracer Power BI visual.
- Configure the Power BI visual to display Revit room boundaries contained in the SQLite file.
Styling the Tracer Visual
The Tracer visual for Power BI has numerous options for customizing the look and feel of the visual with your Revit building information model. In this tutorial, we discuss options for styling a series of room objects exported from Revit. This tutorial covers:
- Color code rooms based on categories
- Color code rooms based on a gradient “heat map” of values
- Add information to tooltips
- Toggle outlines and background colors
Updating Revit Data in Power BI
Revit data can be easily updated in Power BI using the Tracer workflow. This tutorial covers how changes to a Revit file can be updated in Power BI quickly and easily to reflect the latest design.
- Make changes to your Revit model.
- Export the updated data.
- Refresh the data connection in Power BI
Exploring Exported SQLite Revit Data
The Tracer adding for Revit exports element records to a SQLite relational database file. SQLite has many advantages for being a self-contained, lightweight, and fast database engine. The resultant SQLite export allows users to access the Revit data in various analysis tools.
- Exporting a Revit model to a SQLite database.
- Using the SQLite database browser to review data.
- Overview of key database tables.
- Querying prepared database views.