C# .NET Revit API add-in implementing an external application to calculate and display signal attenuation using the analysis visualisation framework AVF and ReferenceIntersector ray tracing.

You might also be interested in comparing this add-in with the ForgeFader app implementing similar functionality using the Autodesk Forge platform.

This application works in a Revit model with a floor plan containing walls.

It calculates the signal attenuation caused by distance and obstacles.

In the first iteration, the only obstacles taken into account are walls.

Two signal attenuation values in decibels are defined in the application settings:

• Attenuation per metre in air
• Attenuation by a wall

Given a source point, calculate the attenuation in a widening circle around it and display that as a heat map.

We use the Revit API ReferenceIntersector ray tracing functionality to detect walls and the analysis visualisation framework AVF to display the heat map.

To achieve this task, RvtFader implements the following:

• Implement an external application with custom ribbon tab, panel, split button, main and settings commands

• Manage settings to be edited and stored (signal loss in dB).
• Enable user to pick a source point on a floor.
• Determine the floor boundaries.
• Shoot rays from the picked point to an array of other target points covering the floor.
• Determine the obstacles encountered by the ray, specifically wall elements.
• Display a 'heat map', i.e. colour gradient, representing the signal loss caused by the distance and number of walls between the source and the target points.

Summary of the steps towards achieving this:

• Skeleton add-in using the Visual Studio Revit Add-In Wizards.
• External command for the settings user interface displaying a Windows form and storing data in JSON as developed for the HoloLens escape path waypoint JSON exporter:
  • Display modal Windows form.
  • Implement form validation using ErrorProvider class, Validating and Validated events.
  • Store add-in option settings in JSON using the JavaScriptSerializer class.
• AVF heat map, initially simply based on distance from the selected source point:
  
• Graphical debugging displaying model lines representing the ReferenceIntersector rays traced using ReferenceIntersector, conditionally compiled based on the pragma definition DEBUG_GRAPHICAL:
  
• AttenuationCalculator taking walls and door openings into account:
  

For more details on the implementation steps, please refer to the list of releases and commits.

Two sample models are provided in the test subdirectory; the same are also provided and used with the ForgeFader app app:

• The Analysis Visualisation Framework AVF:
  • An introduction to AVF programming basics is provided by Matt Mason's Autodesk University class CP5229 Seeing Data and More – The Analysis Visualization Framework (^)
  • Discussion of AVF by The Building Coder
• ReferenceIntersector ray tracing:
  • The ReferenceIntersector was previously named FindReferencesByDirection
  • Dimension walls using FindReferencesByDirection
  • Intersect Solid Filter, AVF vs DirectShape Debugging
  • Using ReferenceIntersector in linked files
• Signal attenuation:
  • Attenuation
  • Modeling Signal Attenuation in IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs - Vol. 1
  • The Basics of Signal Attenuation
  • RF Basics - Part 1 says "the free-space loss for 2.4 GHz at 100 meters from the transmitter is about 80 dB".

Jeremy Tammik, The Building Coder, ADN Open, Autodesk Inc.

This sample is licensed under the terms of the MIT License. Please see the LICENSE file for full details.