Revit eStorage - time to add some external file data to your model!

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What does Revit eStorage do?
Stores and Restores the data of an external file into Revit extensible storage on a selected element.

Download Revit e-Storage link

How to install (from the readme):
Copy the following files to the appropriate Revit Addins folder,
either "%AppData%\Autodesk\REVIT\Addins\2013"
or "%AppData%\Autodesk\REVIT\Addins\2012":

- ADNPlugin-eStorage.addin: add-in manifest
- ADNPlugin-eStorage.bundle: bundle folder which contains all
other supporting materials

In this 30 second video example, I take a PDF file and save it in the extensible storage of a Raster Image in Revit, then I Restore the contents back out of the image into a PDF file again!



Using the 'List' button shows all of the file data stored in extensible storage in the current RVT project.

This actually reminds me a little bit of VEO Archive (a model linked document library) ... the concept of attaching documents and file data to elements in a Building Information Model is actually VERY powerful!

EDIT: Guess what - you can also store this file data in family RFA files!  Yay.  For example, I opened a Door family and then attached a PDF to a Text Note.  I then loaded this into a project, closed the source family, and opened it again FROM the project - and the extensible data stays with the Family. 

 

EDIT 2: Jeremy Tammik actually describes how this works on page 8 of this PDF:
http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/files/cp6760-l_tammik_estorage.pdf

EDIT 3: How about this for an idea - set up a File Browser drafting view with Text Notes.  Then, attach project related documents to these notes using eStorage.

• This could be very handy in a Worksharing scenario as a way to push out Meeting Minutes / Agendas / Deadline documents inside the Revit model
• You could even scale this idea up to Revit Server as a way to track, update and distribute project related documents throughout the globe!

EDIT 4: What about embedding your Project Standards as a RVT file in eStorage?  Whenever you want to Transfer Project Standards, just save the file out, open it and go for it.

A few other links:
ADN Plugin of the Month main page

Autodesk Labs Utilities Plugin of the Month Updates


Heads up about eStorage from Revit Add-ons
http://revitaddons.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/estorage-for-revit-adn-plugin-of-month.html