Revit 2016 - Linking to a Database using DB Link

By James Philip

Connecting to Revit DB Link

Click Add-Ins tab Revit DB Link panel Revit DB Link. The Link Revit Model with Database dialog displays.

This dialog is used to create database connections, and move Revit data in and out of the database.

Creating the ODBC Connection

Before exporting and importing data between a Revit project and an ODBC database, Revit DB Link requires you to set up the database.

1. From the Control Panel, click Administrative Tools Data Sources (ODBC).
2. On the ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog, select either User DSN or System DSN to create a new data source name for the database to use with Revit DB Link.
3. On the ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog, click Add.
4. Select SQL Server, or SQL Native Client you want to work with an SQL Server 2008 (either a full installation or the Express version).
5. Click Finish.
6. Fill out the information appropriate to your instance of SQL Server on the ODBC Text Setup dialog.

Exporting data using MS Access

1. On the Link Revit Model with Database dialog, select MS Access.
2. Select a recently used connection, or click Select a new connection to create a new connection.

If you selected “Select a new connection”, the Select database dialog displays. Browse to the desired location.

Note: When you export a new drawing to an existing database, the “Continue ?” dialogue box displays.

1. Click Export.

During subsequent data export to the same database, only the data from the project is affected so that new fields or tables added to the database remain next to the newly exported data.