EVOLVE Mechanical 10.4.0

Updated 1 week ago by Jason Earl

Resources

• Downloads
• Feedback and Ideas
• Support
• Licensing
• Known Limitations/Bugs
• EVOLVE User Forum

Compatibility

• Autodesk® Revit® 2024.3.6
• Autodesk® Revit® 2025.4.5
• Autodesk® Revit® 2026.5
• Autodesk® Revit® 2027.3

Summary

EVOLVE Mechanical 10.4.0 .... SUMMARY

Update Training Course

To learn all about the new update complete the training course below on EVOLVE University:

🎉New

• Expand Configuration Exchange / Global Configuration support
  • Annotation Settings, ITM Hanger Settings (hangers and rod embeds), Duct Gauge Manager, Sleeve Settings, Strap Settings, eVolve Properties Configuration
• Add support for using selection enhancements externally
• Add link to Selection Configuration in Connect Offset window
• Include Hangers in Point Load Estimates
• Add improved tooltip discovery on text hover
• Add tooltip for Location Calculation Exclusion Filter
• Select placed straps after using Auto Place Straps
• Redesign all windows and dock panes to use new layout mechanism
• Add ability to source a Selection Filter from a PowerShell script
• Make commands accessible to external applications
• Add support for custom UI theme
• Add variables for Licensing information to PowerShell

• 👍Improvements

• Global/Signed/System/Protected columns are hidden by default
• Redesign grid standard across user interface
• Reorganize Resources section of ribbon panel
• Redesign Customize Ribbon Tabs experience
• Enable Press Enter to Finish by default
• Update text on Clash Detection dialog to be more clear
• Remove macro that deleted product parameters
• Move top right info icons into title bar on all dialogs
• Hide Dock Panes other than Toolbox by default
• Update contents of Resources\Licenses folder
• Rename Tag Arrangement Settings to Arrange Tag Settings

💪Fixes

• Attempt to reconnect taps after Move Along Run executes
• Fix Connect Offset not placing when connectors slightly misaligned
• Fix error when canceling selection prompted by data profile
• Fix RFA hangers not extending all the way to structure
• Show a more friendly error message from eVolve Properties after changing Data Profile name
• Fix empty type description causing Quick Dimension to fail silently
• Fix spelling mistake in Hanger Placement settings
• Fix centerline length parameter value written to hangers
• Fix Spool Dimensioning not applying to valves
• Fix Spool Dimensioning ignoring taps after the first element
• Prevent multiple Tags and Shortcuts panel creation
• Fix licensing from marking product as offline in some scenarios
• Fix Seismic Supports failing to attach to linked model structures
• Fix connector type error when placing hangers on duct
• Fix error when importing Customize Ribbon Tabs configuration
• Fix CSV source in External Data Tables showing sheet selection
• Fix spool sheet update prompt not firing when a spool is modified
• Fix zero length error when regenerating spool sheets
• Fix freeze and crash when regenerating spool sheets
• Fix Insert Offset crashing Revit when overlay is enabled
• Fix Add to Spool ignoring selection configuration
• Fix Place RFA Stiffeners skipping ducts with taps
• Fix Spool Auto-Tag not treating pipe slope tags as obstacles
• Fix Auto Arrange Tags not supporting all Revit tags

Deprecated

• Add deprecation notice for Auto Route on Pathway

🔦 Highlights

⤴️ Family Version Changes

• eM_ASM_HS_Clevis_Hanger_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_Clevis_Hanger_v5.rfa
• eM_ASM_HS_Clevis_Roller_Hanger_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_Clevis_Roller_Hanger_v5.rfa
• eM_ASM_HS_J_Hanger_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_J_Hanger_v5.rfa
• eM_ASM_HS_Saddle_Duct_Hanger_Rod_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_Saddle_Duct_Hanger_Rod_Hanger_v5.rfa
• eM_ASM_HS_Saddle_Duct_Hanger_Cable_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_Saddle_Duct_Hanger_Rod_Cable_v5.rfa
• eM_ASM_HS_Swivel_Ring_Hanger_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_Swivel_Ring_Hanger_v5.rfa
• eM_ASM_HS_Trapeze_Roller_Hanger_v4.rfa → eM_ASM_HS_Trapeze_Roller_Hanger_v5.rfa

🎉New

• Added a parameter sync rule, "Single Element Hanger - Supported Sizes". This rule reads from a lookup table in a given single element hanger family (i.e. Clevis Hanger) and writes all supported sizes to a new parameter, Supported_Sizes. This is intended to help users quickly identify which sizes are officially supported by each hanger.
• Added a PowerShell function, RunNestedRule, for Parameter Sync scripts that forces a separate rule to run against an element's nested elements. This is useful when a rule should update nested elements as a result of changes to their host, since nested elements are not automatically re-evaluated when the host changes.
  • Note: Multiple Parameter Processing must be enabled in the host rule where this function is called for the function to run properly.
• Added a new Round Straights report based on the existing Rectangular Straights report.
  • Both reports and their data profiles properly identify and report lined, wrapped, and double-wall insulation.
  • The column headers display insulation type, thickness, double-wall material, and gauge information, and enable insulation sorting by default.
• Added new rod and strut cut list reports for ITM Hangers.
• Separated label creation from the base ITM Hanger report into a new, dedicated report.

👍Improvements

• In Default Spool Options, enabled "Renumber spools when created/modified" and set Renumber Mode to "Renumber Elements by Spool".
• Within the ITM Hangers report, replaced the legacy single-field configuration hash with customizable calculated fields for prefix, length, product size, elevation, and configuration-body logic.
• Updated all reports to prompt for scope selection.
• Refined data table queries for various reports including gauge and material.
• Improved the grouping and sorting logic for the following reports:
  • eM_DuctFittingOrderDetails
  • eM_ITM_Hangers (and associated reports)
  • eM_Piping_BOM
  • eM_RecStraights
• Updated the eM_DuctFittingOrderDetails report to properly support the current Origin database, now supporting all included rectangular and round manufactured items.

💪Stability

• Fixed an issue where Nominal_Diameter_Modeled was incorrectly associated with the Diameter property of the connector in various single element hanger families (i.e. Clevis Hanger). Nominal_Diameter is now correctly associated with the Diameter property.
• Fixed various issues in the ITM Hangers report related to sorting and grouping.
• Fixed an issue with the eV_Metal Stock Part Description Parameter Sync rule, causing it to not properly generate part descriptions for associated families.

🧠Technical Notes

Upgrade Notices

The following configurations require migration updates to their format. Updates should be performed in order to ensure configurations will continue to work as expected in future releases.

Unless otherwise noted, the required migration can be performed simply by opening the respective configuration dialog and clicking OK/Apply. After updating, these changes should be checked in via Worksharing Sync.

• Annotation Settings (per project)
• Duct Gauge Manager (per project)
• ITM Hanger Settings (per project)
• Sleeve Settings (per project)
• Strap Settings (per project)

Configuration setting incompatibilities

Some feature's project configurations may not be compatible with previous versions. To prevent compatibility issues, all project members should be on the same version.

API Notices

• New API methods
  • eVolve.Core.Revit.Framework.FrameworkAPI.ReportUsage
  • eVolve.Core.Revit.ProductInfo.ProductInfoAPI.EvaluateEulaAcceptance
  • eVolve.Core.Revit.Reporting.ReportingAPI.GetReportDataSet
  • eVolve.Core.Revit.Reporting.ReportingAPI.GetReportNames
  • eVolve.Core.Revit.Reporting.ReportingAPI.RunReport

Each API class was renamed after its feature (e.g. Integration.API is now Integration.IntegrationAPI). Most methods only moved to the new class, but ExecutePowerShell, OpenPowerShellEditorDialog, GetData, ViewData, WriteData, GetTable, SaveTable, SetSpoolStatus, PublishToExporter, and TryExportToMaj now use request/response objects in place of their previous parameters or return types.

Known Technical Issues

Compatibility issue with other addins

Our product uses DevExpress 25.2.5 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.

External communication

Access to the following must be allowed and unfiltered on all client machines:

• api.evolvemep.com

Revit Project Units

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:

• 1/32" in imperial
• 0.0001 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".

Duplicate Custom Properties

When multiple custom properties with the same name are present, only the first one will be editable in the eVolve Properties grid. Additionally, the respective eM_ property with the same name will have the data type of this first entry.

In the event there is a duplicate name with a different data type this can cause issues if it is not fixed across all models (where the first property by the name is the same data type for all). These situations will need to be addressed manually.

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
• Spool Modeling
  • Modification: updates association of parts merged into/added to/removed from a spool
    • Prompt to add parts cut into or added on to the end of an existing spool
    • Prompt to update sheets when a spool is modified
    • Prompt to renumber when a spool is modified
  • 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 Prefab 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
  • Assignment to Locations based on part assignments
• Properties
  • Fabrication Part properties sync with Revit parameters
  • Carry over values
• Working with Family Hangers may fail or produce incorrect results
• Automatic control of product specific View Template parameters
• Parameter Sync
• Workset Manager
• Macro Automation
• Gauge Manager
• Colorizer
• Part Encoder
• Automatic Point Status updating
• Automatic Renumber

Default Configurations

Default feature configurations (what is applied when a feature is first used within a model) is applied in the following order (first match wins):

1. Configuration exists within the model (i.e. the project template the model was created with contains configuration information)
2. Default configuration is defined within Network Default Configuration of Workstation Settings
3. Default configuration exists in the local machine's user profile folder for the product the feature was opened under
4. Factory defaults are used

Localization

On startup, our product will set the Revit process' localization/culture according to the language settings configured. If the auto detect setting (which is the default) is used the culture will be set to the language which Revit was launched in.

Examples:

• Auto detect is set and Revit is launched in English. The culture will be set to "en-US".
• Auto detect is set and Revit is launched in French. The culture will be set to "fr-FR".
• French is set as the language and Revit is launched in English. The culture will be set "en-US".

When the environment is in a hybrid setup where all of the following localizations are not consistent: Windows, Revit, and eVolve - the following inconsistencies can occur:

• Some dialog messages may display in a different language
• Numeric formatting may be inconsistent
  • For example, if Revit Project Units define numbers using the #,###.## format and the culture is set to use French, some numeric values may appear as # ###,##
  • Certain input fields may require for data to be entered in the format of either the Project Units or the culture

Number Formatting

The following are supported number formats for decimal values. If the settings below are not used, some features may not work as expected.

• 123,456,789.00 when running in the English language
• 123.456.789,00 when running in the French language

Revit Limitations

In Revit versions prior to 2023, eVolve Properties, Mechanical Properties, and Compare Data may not update when selecting similar elements. To refresh the data displayed in this situation, click on a empty space within the view to clear the grid and then select the target element.

Misc

• Some features which utilize background processes and data caches 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.
• Background processes required for 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.
• The PowerShell version used for the execution of scripts depends upon the host Revit version:
  • Revit 2025+ uses 7.4.2
  • Prior versions use 5.1
• Some file operations may not work as expected when using either a network path, mapped folder location, or a directory which utilizes Windows symbolic or junction links. When this is encountered, it is recommended to use a local user path (such as the user's desktop) to perform the operation.
• Due to Revit's internal workings, Revit should be set to open on your primary monitor. When Revit is initially opened on a monitor other than the system's primary, unexpected/unpredictable behavior can occur with the initialization methods.

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