Set Names

Set Names allows to set and update the SOFiSTiK Name of many elements at once according to category-specific naming rules. This approach helps in maintaining consistency and clarity in naming conventions within your structural model, making it easier to manage and analyze.

1. Click SOFiSTiK Analysis Tab ‣ Utilities ‣ Set Names.

2. Select one or multiple elements to set or update their names.

3. Click Finish to validate the selection and open the Set Names dialog box.

4. Using the dialog’s browser:

   • Uncheck the categories and elements to ignore.

   • Click Show to highlight related elements in the Revit model.

   • Control the changes of names with the preview.

5. (Optional) Sort the elements in the browser’s list (important if sequential numbering is used in the naming rule):

   • In the browser, enter the context menu via right click on the category.

   • Selecting one of the options under Sort Sequence.

6. For each category of elements:

   • Click to adjust the naming rule for a specific category of elements.

   • Click to access the rules history and use again a previous naming rule of this category.

   • Click to delete the current naming rule.

7. (Optional) Click Naming Rules to export your user-defined naming rules in a .json file or to import naming rules from an already existing file (default naming rules are not exported/imported).

8. Validate Set Names with Apply to assign the new names to the elements.

9. Selecting an element, its SOFiSTiK name is accessible in the Structural Properties panel as well as in the Shared Parameter SOFiSTiK_Name (if active in the project, see Project Parameters).

Note

Names are not being kept updated automatically. To update the names of the elements with new values, run again the Set Names command.

In Set Names’s browser, use CTRL and SHIFT keys of the keyboards to highlight several elements at once. Then, press and maintain the CTRL key pressed, to bulk selected/deselect all highlighted elements.

Supported Element Categories

Set Names assigns SOFiSTiK Names and provides naming rules for the following elements:

Revit Category	SOFiSTiK (Sub)-Category
Analytical Nodes	Points
Analytical Members	Attribute Lines
	Beams
	Columns
Analytical Panels	Attribute Areas
	Slabs
	Walls
Generic Models (specific families)	Design Elements (Slab Strips or Wall Strips )
	Building Cores
Boundary Conditions	Support Conditions

Managing Naming Rules

For each category of element, naming rules define the constitution of the elements’ names. The naming rule history allows to re-use a previous rule. Rules can contain a multitude of properties associated to the elements but the name must not exceed 32 characters.

The following items are available to create the naming rules:

• Static Text

• All Revit Parameters

• Sequential Number (more information below)

• Host Name (only for support conditions, see more information below)

• SOFiSTiK Properties (see full list below)

Sequential Number

Important

Sequential Number is available for the naming rule of many sub-categories. With SOFiSTiK Analysis + Design Service Pack 4 and above, it has been extended to sub-category Boundary Conditions too.

Sequential Number* allows to place an incrementing number in the name of all selected elements. After adding the Sequential Number to the Naming Rule, select:

• The minimal number of digits filled up with ‘0’. (e.g., choosing 3 digits will result in 001, 002, etc.).

• The starting number.

• The increment between numbers.

The sequence for counting is defined by the order in which the elements are listed in the dialog’s browser. In the browser, click right on the name of the category to access the command Sort Sequence. With it, you can control the order in which elements are numbered. Once the counter is used in the naming rule, a refresh button appears. It allows refreshing the numbering after changes in the order of the elements or after deselecting some elements. Sequential Numbers are available for analytical elements with structural role: points, attribute lines, beams, columns, slab and walls.

Host Name

Important

Host Name is available for the naming rule of Support Conditions from SOFiSTiK Analysis + Design Service Pack 5 and above.

The Host Name option allows you to re-use the already existing SOFiSTiK name of an analytical element (panel or member) as the name for the support condition associated with it. For more clarity, we recommend a two steps naming:

• Start Set Names:

  • Select the necessary analytical panels and members.

  • Define a naming rule for them.

  • Click OK to set the names of these hosting elements.

• Start Set Names again:

  • Select the support conditions.

  • Define a naming rule which includes option Host Name for the sub-category Support Conditions.

  • Click OK to set the names to the supports.

Note

SOFiSTiK name of analytical nodes are not accessible with the option Host Name.

SOFiSTiK Properties

For each category of element supported by Set Names, the following SOFiSTiK properties can be used in naming rules:

SOFiSTiK (Sub)-Category	SOFiSTiK Properties
Points	Number Base Level[1], Grid location[2]
Attribute Areas	Number, Group, Base Level[1], Top Level[1], Thickness
Attribute Lines	Number, Group, Type[3], Base Level[1], Top Level[1], Grid Location (also at End)[2],
Beams	Number, Group, Type[3], Base Level[1], Top Level[1], Grid Location (also at End)[2],
Columns	Number, Group, Type[3], Base Level[1], Top Level[1], Grid Location (at End)[2],
Slabs	Number, Group, Base Level[1], Top Level[1], Thickness
Walls	Number, Group Base Level[1], Top Level[1], Thickness, (Design Element) Type[4]
Design Elements (Slab Strips or Wall Strips)	(Member) Type[5]
Building Cores	(Member) Type[5], Base Level[1]
Support Conditions	Group

[1] (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14)

Base Level and Top Level return the highest resp. lowest Revit level associated with the analytical element.

Starting with SOFiSTiK Analysis + Design Service Pack 5, if a SOFiSTiK Name is assigned to this Revit level, it will be used.

[2] (1,2,3,4)

Grid Location (at End) returns the intersection of the two Revit grids closest to the start/end of the element.

If the element is less than 25 cm from the grid, the grid’s name is unchanged and the distance omitted.

If the element is between 25 cm and 50 cm away from the grid, the grid’s name is complemented by the symbol *.

If the element is more than 50 cm away from the grid, the grid’s name is complemented by the two symbol **.

[3] (1,2,3)

The SOFiSTiK Type returns the exact type of SOFiSTiK element generated for this analytical member (attribute line, beam, column, truss or cable).

[4]

The SOFiSTiK Design Type returns if a design element is generated (otherwise value says Wall) or the type of design element generated (Beam, Column, Shear wall).

[5] (1,2)

The SOFiSTiK Member Type returns the type of design element generated (Beam, Column, Shear wall).