eVolve Electrical v5.0.1

Resources

Compatibility

  • Autodesk® Revit® 2020.2.4
  • Autodesk® Revit® 2021.1.3
  • Autodesk® Revit® 2022.1.0

Summary

The latest 5.0.1 release is once again the largest eVolve release in history!

It introduces a bundle of new features including Conduit Optimize Bend Tools. These new features are industry workflow game-changing tools designed to automate the process of optimizing conduit bends, couplings, and racks utilizing eVolve Electrical “Smart Bend Families”.

Major improvements to the Hanger Placement now with Automatic Clash Detection & Hanger avoidance. Along with a collection of Sleeve improvements including Boxouts, an all-new Quick Bend Total & a Take Ownership feature to ensure accurate data between users when editing the Conduit Run Schedule. Even existing features got a brand new update including Conduit Run Schedule will automatically pushing data to elements without loading runs and additional commands for Packaging and expanded Quick Tools.

This release would not be possible with our truly outstanding customers. 

Thank you to everyone for providing feedback and the ideas that continue to build this product!

____

Here is a video going over the key features of eVolve Electrical 5.0

🎉New:

👍Improvements:

  • UI Updates - There have been mass changes to our UI including icon changes and an Element Filter overhaul.
  • Quick Tools v2 
    • Remove Elements - By holding the "shift" key, the option to "Remove Multiple Elements". As an example, this enhancement can be used to remove multiple couplings along a run.
    • Expanded the supported elements for our Quick Tools commands which now allows connections of different sizes.
  • Bend Spacing Length Option – From the Project Bend Settings, users can specify the minimum distance between two(2) bends for Kick ’90s, Offsets, & Saddles.
  • Conduit Run Schedule
    • Automatically push data to elements without having to "loading runs" when editing the Run Schedule.
    • Run Data is now pushed to nested elements.
  • Kitting
  • Status Enhancement - Ability to apply "Status" value from within the following Manager UI's.
    • Spooling Manager
    • Kitting Manager
    • Conduit Run Schedule
    • Point Manager
  • Generate Unique Ids for eVolve Conduit "Smart Bends" & "Hangers".
  • Default view template to 'Assign' for spooling and kitting
  • Gray read-only circuitry columns in Conduit Run Schedule
  • Parameter Sync
    • Remove category-based rules
    • Add grouping columns
  • Bulk Update changes
    • Better handling of Yes/No parameters
    • Exclude LookUpEdit columns
  • Workstation Setting Control - Company roll-outs, or pushing changes to all users has never been easier with our enhancements for settings management. See the section below for details!
    • Default Confriguatrtion Path Support
    • Ability to Export all configurations
  • Content Updates - Mass updates to family browser content as well as the project template have been included. (See expanded section for details)
  • Hide grouping box in Conduit Run Systems grid
  • Prefer loading user-specific configs from the global path if specified
  • Background processes are registered as optional
  • Clean spool on creation
  • Revit Toolbar updates
  • Add Tooltips to Cable Schedule dialog
  • Shorten Dock Panel names
  • Include default configurations within the install folder
  • DevExpress 20.2.7
  • Files are now digitally signed by 'eVolve MEP, LLC'

💪Stability

There are nearly 20 specifically targeted bug fixes in this release and even more addressed indirectly through other enhancements. These improvements not only give our customers the best experience but also allow our development team to move faster in the future. A few are below but be sure to check out the expanded section for a full list! 

  • Update Warning Suppressed - Previously if there were both unlicensed and licensed eVolve Users working in the same project, customers would receive a "Third Party Updater" message. More info here.
  • Sleeve elevation reports correctly - When sleeves are placed, their elevation is now pulled from the correct level.

👷‍♂️Digging Deeper

Below is some additional information on a few of the larger changes in 5.0.

Assign Level 

With Assign Level cleaning up your models has never been easier. Whether you didn't change your level after coming off your riser or even want to copy a standard layout to the next floor, assign level makes it easier with 3 specific options

  1. Move - Move any parts to the floor you choose and change the elevation to match.
  2. Copy - Copies any parts to the floor you choose and changes the elevation to match.
  3. Reassign - Simply changes the level of the parts reference while keeping them in place.

Sleeves Updates

Our comprehensive Sleeve update boasts a plethora of updates. Whether you have a multi-rack system, a complex model, or just needing to place a quick sleeve, the options below make it easy.

  1. Box Outs - Make sleeving your rack systems easy with the ability to now place Box Out sleeves around the entire system. 
  2. Quick Placement - Handle your one-off scenarios faster than ever with the ability to place sleeves without the need for a rule. 
  3. Expanded Rules - For your automatic placement, you can now use Element Filters to create rules for your exact scenarios. Whether it's all walls in a project or only slabs with a certain thickness, you are in control.
  4. Sloped Parts - Supports sloped runs for sleeves
  5. Curved Walls - Support curved or slanted walls for sleeves
  6. Push more info to sleeves - Pushes Run Size, and Element Name as well as the wall/floors Thickness to the sleeve information parameters.

Packaging

Packing has officially been removed from Beta and brings with it many new features.

  1. Create/Modify/Delete - Create, Modify, or Delete packages directly in your model based on your selections.
  2. Versatile Parts - Now include any part in the model into your package. Whether it's spooled or not, fabrication or family, define your packages, your way.

Setting Control 

To get customers up and running quicker, as well as enforce standards, we have introduced three new options for eVolve settings.

  1. Network Default User Settings - Now you can set defaults for User-based settings. 
  2. Worksharing Ownership - Users can now take ownership of settings in a work shared enabled project meaning you can now edit settings in confidence. 
  3. Mass Export - No need to go into each dialogue to export settings, now simply export all settings at once!

Improved Family Browser Control

  • Multi-Selection Filters - The Family Browser now supports multi-selection for the Library, Category, Sub-Category, and Manufacturer drop-down menus
  • Type Catalog Support - The Family Browser now supports loading families that use type catalogs.
  • Disable eVolve Library - Users now can disable the default eVolve library in the Library Settings.

🐜Bugs Addressed

  • Fix hanger placement when a condulet is encountered
  • Fix Parameter Push crash when different runs are joined
  • Fix traversal on an element with no connectors or no connections
  • Canceling out of Place Coupling command generates an error
  • Nested couplings are excluded from the spool after it is modified
  • Fix crash which can occur within sleeves
  • Sleeve placement honors linked models with different origin points
  • Bend Settings data validation
  • Notify user when System Families Reference Project does not exist
  • Update Kit Manager existing sheet prompt message
  • Display error when Multi-Trim elbow cannot be placed
  • Fix error when upgrading model containing bends
  • Use Conduit Size unit in Select Run grid
  • Fix spool creation issue with both eVolve Electrical and eVolve Mechanical installed
  • Parameter Sync PowerShell script can return unintended value
  • Fix error handling when a macro throws an exception
  • Permission error may occur in save dialog

🚀Content Updates

New Families Added for 5.0
  • Redi rail- Vertical bend, Cross, Reducer
  • Single & Two Hole Conduit Strap
  • Offset Nipple
  • 4-Hole Steel Plate
  • Channel Brackets, Single and Back to Back
  • Panel Boards with wireway
  • Panelboards with wireway & frame
  • Concrete Round Manhole
  • Concrete Rectangular Manhole
  • Fiberglass Round Handhole
  • Origin Mark

 

Updated Content Families
  • Redi-Rail - Horizontal Bend, Tee, Straight, completely rebuilt & parametric
  • Rebuilt Faced Based Mini to be parametric, faster & smaller
  • Conduit Bodies C,L, & T rebuilt parametric, faster & smaller
  • Linear Pendant Light Points Repaired
  • Added Version Parameter to All
  • Removed eVolve_QueryId parameter
  • Strut Stand Type 1 Has 7/8" Steel option
  • eVolve_Assembly_Group parameter Added:
    • eE_CT_Redi_Rail_Horizontal_Bend.rfa
    • eE_CT_Redi_Rail_Horizontal_Cross.rfa
    • eE_CT_Redi_Rail_Horizontal_Tee.rfa
    • eE_CT_Redi_Rail_Reducer.rfa
    • eE_CT_Redi_Rail_Straight_Ladder_v2.rfa
    • eE_CT_Redi_Rail_Vertical_Bend.rfa
    • eE_SU_Mini_All_FB.rfa
    • eE_CF_Conduit_Strap.rfa
    • eE_CF_Offset_Nipple.rfa
    • eE_HW_4_Hole_Steel_Plate.rfa
    • eE_SB_B409_Channel_Bracket.rfa
    • eE_ASM_Panelboard_Terminal_Box_RMC_Framed.rfa
    • eE_ASM_Panelboard_Wireway_EMT_Framed.rfa
    • eE_ASM_Panelboard_Wireway_EMT_v2.rfa
    • eE_ASM_Panelboard_Wireway_RMC_Framed.rfa
    • eE_ASM_Panelboard_Wireway_RMC_v2.rfa
    • eE_UG_Fiberglass_Handhole_Rectangle.rfa
    • eE_UG_Concrete_Manhole_Rectangle.rfa
    • eE_UG_Concrete_Handhole_Round.rfa
    • eE_Origin_Marker.rfa
    • eE_CB_Condulet_C.rfa
    • eE_CB_Condulet_L.rfa
    • eE_CB_Condulet_T.rfa
    • eE_LT_Linear_Pendant.rfa
    • eE_ASM_Strut_Stand_Type_1_v2.rfa

🧠Known Technical Issues

Supported alongside the installation of eVolve Mechanical v5.0

Compatibility issue with other addins

Our product uses DevExpress 20.2.7 for it's UI components. Any other Revit addin (regardless of vendor) installed on the client also using DevExpress but on a different version may cause crashes and/or unpredictable behavior with our product and/or the other addin. When this is the case, the user must either uninstall the other addin or contact the vendor to issue a new release with updated DevExpress references.

Unit precision

Content and/or default configurations shipped with the product use measurements of a set precision level. Revit projects must use (at a minimum) this precision level otherwise content and/or configurations may produce errors, incorrect results, or behave unpredictably.

Length units must be set to a precision of at least:

  • 1/16" in imperial
  • 0.001 m in metric
Rounding

Configuration data will be saved against the precision level at the time of save, regardless of the precision level of the previous value.

For example, assume a configuration value is currently set to 2 1/32" and the current precision level is 1/16". When the user opens the configuration form, the value will show as 2 1/16". Upon the user clicking OK or Apply, the value will be saved as 2 1/16" even if the user did not explicitly update this particular value. The value will remain 2 1/16" even after the precision level is changed to 1/32", however, at this point, the user can update and save the configuration value as 2 1/32".

Configuration setting incompatibilities

  • Category-based rules were removed from Parameter Sync, Workset Manager, and Macro Automation. Any existing rules within these tools utilizing this methodology will fail until they are updated.
  • Settings stored within projects are not compatible with the pre-5.0 format. To avoid issues and overwrites, all users should be running the same product version for a given Revit release.
  • If a user is actively using both 5.0 and a version prior on the same machine (across different versions of Revit), the following user machine configuration values will be erased/reset back to default after closing Revit where a previous version was loaded.
    • Assign Level settings
    • Family Browser option to turn off default library
    • Conduit Run Schedule threshold for load runs maximum
    • Selection Filter rule option for case sensitive search

Licensing

When a license is disabled, the following automatic processes will not run which can cause the elements they update to become "stale" and/or lead to data issues:

  • Data protection prompts and integrity enforcement on elements with a Pre-Fab Package (eV_PackageId) assigned
  • Conduit Schedule (Parameter Push) run assignment and updates on modifications during modeling
  • System Families/Content
    • Update of eVolve_Description on modeled content
    • Working with Bends, Offsets, and Kicks may fail or produce incorrect results
    • Working with Family Hangers may fail or produce incorrect results
  • Spool Modeling
    • Deletion: disassociates parts, deletes generated spool sheets
    • Change monitoring: assists in monitoring spools on the document
      • If this is re-enabled in a session where spools have been modified then this must be rebuilt by either closing/reopening the model or by opening Spool Manager.
        Failure to do so can cause incorrect behavior with the execution and/or detection of spooling events.
    • Reset on Copy: when a spool is created via a copy from existing, associations of the "source" spool (packages, status, etc.) are removed from the new spool
  • Kitting parameters syncing from active view to newly added Kit Areas
  • Parameter Sync
  • Workset Manager
  • Macro Automation

Misc

  • Family content, Parameter Sync, Workset Manager, and Macro Automation may not work correctly until a project is saved with a unique RVT file name.
  • If a Revit Workset referenced in a Workset Manager rule is deleted then Workset Manager configuration must be addressed immediately, otherwise, elements may continue to be assigned to the deleted Workset.
  • A licensed version of Microsoft Excel must be installed on the local machine for some import/export functionality to work.
  • If both eVolve Electrical and eVolve Mechanical are installed on the same machine, Workstation Settings must have Enable PowerShell in Parameter Sync enabled within all products.
  • Background processes required for the successful operation of the product are flagged as optional within Revit. If Revit fails to load them for any reason, the user will not be notified.

 

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