?️-3D PDF’s data extraction via Excel macro for analysis & bidding
Having the 3D PDF gives you a geometric understanding of an asset, in the case of a building the relationship of rooms and the overall building.
This is an easy way to share complex forms and relationships, but its only half the story. The other part is the data that is embodied in the file.
How to access this information so that it’s in a structure that is useful to manage, manipulate and analyse?
We can export it from the 3D PDF to a CSV file.
This video shows the process from the import of the CSV file from the 3D PDF:
3D PDF export to CSV procedure
This is then opened in Excel.
The data can then be mapped by a specific category. In the image below it is by Room Information. This has been structured carefully so the data is in an ordered structure that is ideal for filtering, for other categories it is not as clear, this is because the filtering data is mainly by families (Revit Blocks) which may be from varying sources so the data is not consistently structured.
The image below shows data from Windows category. Although the same fields have been populated in all the windows (Rows) they are not in a consistent order due to the way the different window families have been built. This is common across all categories that are using families. 
There are different strategies that can be used to help order this information consistently:
- Build all families so that parameters are structured in the same manner. (Not really practical with families for different categories from different projects/designers)
- Remap the data to a consistent format based on name, creating a macro to reorder the information. This will need to be tested with a library of specific attributes that need to be ordered based on a specific category.
This process works with parameter data that has come from the Revit model. If there is minimal information in the model then there is minimal output.
The workflow is to have consistent data put into the Revit Model (eg Wall Finishes, wall areas, Floor finishes (carpet manufacturer and model etc) and floor area ) so that this information will be passed into the 3D PDF which can then be used as a method of sharing that information with anyone you choose who has an Adobe PDF reader and Excel.
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