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Understanding StruXML Guid

Last modified by Iwona Budny Bjergø on 2023/07/03 09:46

Guid stands for 'Globally Unique Identifier'. It is a 128-bit integer number used to identify objects. StruXML Guid is a global unique identifier of each object in struxml.

Each object exported from Revit has to have a Guid. Each object imported to Revit from FEM-Design also has a Guid.

When a model is exported from Revit (to struxml), the Guids are created randomly for each element upon exporting the model. Now, with the StruXML Guid tool, it is also possible to first add the StruXML Guid parameters and then export the model (in such case, the Guids are created before the model is exported).

When importing a FEM-Design (struxml) model to Revit, all the objects already have Guids (they are assigned to them while the model is saved to struxml). It is, of course, possible to add the StruXML Guid parameter to imported elements in Revit.

It is important to understand that adding StruXML Guid parameters to your Revit elements is not required for successful import or export - it is only an additional feature, for those who are interested in more advanced data exchange (e.g. using Dynamo).

Guid types

Almost all of the structural element types in struxml actually have two different guids. For example a beam object in struxml has:

  • bar guid
  • bar_part guid

Using the StruXML Guid tool, one can now apply the guids into Revit elements. The rule is following:

  • StruXML Guid of a physical element corresponds to the struxml main guid (using beam example that would be bar guid)
  • StruXML Guid of an analytical element corresponds to the struxml part guid (using beam example that would be bar_part guid)

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Exceptions

Both guids can be used to locate the same element in FEM-Design using the Guid Search tool. There are however, few exceptions where it is impossible to directly connect a Revit object with an object in struxml (FEM-Design) using the Guid.

  1. If more than one floor element is created within one floor boundary, it will be divided into number of separate elements when exported to struxml, each with its own Guid.
  2. Curved walls drawn in Revit will be divided into a number of straight walls while being exported to struXML file. This is the way curved walls are represented in FEM-Design. So a curved wall in Revit will have one Guid, but in struxml the walls will be divided into several elements, each with its own Guid.  

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