PCF Export is an add-in for Autodesk Revit software. The primary objective of the add-in is to facilitate the export of piping data to the PCF file format.

The add-in operates on pipes, pipe fittings (elbows, tees etc.) and pipe accessories (valves, instruments etc.). A number of shared parameters is created for the elements in these categories and piping systems. The user creates a Microsoft EXCEL file which contains all the data that needs to be pushed to the parameters. The data must be PCF compliant (Please see this web page for the specification of the PCF file format). When the setup file is ready, the user populates the parameters of the Revit elements. After configuring the output it is ready to be exported. Finally, the program reads the geometric data from elements and their connectors, the PCF identity data from the populated parameters and then writes to a valid PCF file.

Parameters

The program creates a number of parameters which are used to store PCF compliant data which in turn is used to compose a valid PCF file.

All caps are used in the naming of parameters. The names start with keyword "PCF" to make them easier to discern from other parameters. Second part of name indicates the area of application: "ELEM" is for element data, "PIPL" is for pipeline data, "MAT" is for material data. The last part is a similar sounding albeit made shorter reference to a PCF keyword. See PCF Complinace for details.

The parameters are created as instance parameters for elements: pipes, pipe fittings and accessories. However, they are populated from EXCEL spreadsheet based on family and type of the element, thus behaving as a type parameter. Making the parameters instance based is introducing more flexibility, as you can edit the parameter data manually on instance basis. Please be warned though that reimporting EXCEL data will overwrite all your modifications. *Note: maybe the program should test if PCF_ELEM_TYPE is empty when importing EXCEL data and writing only to whose elements with empty fields. Which means only new elements would be populated. A control could be added to specify to overwrite or to append data. Please let me know if this will be a good addition.

Parameters for pipelines are created as type parameters for Piping Systems.

When exporting, elements with empty PCF_ELEM_TYPE field are ignored.