Goal

This tutorial will give you a quick introduction to Octo. It will show you how to assign multiple Octo points to Revit elements, and then how to use ParaLink to copy parameters between elements, based on the Octo points.

In the tutorial we have a simple Revit model. The model consists of some rooms, and some devices which are operating these rooms, without being inside them. Also, the devices are operating more than one room. We want to copy the room numbers into parameters in the devices, so we can use the room numbers in schedules and tags. We will use Octo and ParaLink to do this.

Starting Octo

To start Octo, locate the Toolbox tab and find Octo in the Automation panel. Click on the arrow to the right of the icon to open the drop-down menu, and then click on Octo to open the Octo user interface.

The Octo panel will now be visible on the lower right corner of Revit.

<aside> ☝ You can only see and edit Octo points when the Octo panel is visible

</aside>

Create Octo points

There are 5 rooms, and 2 devices in this model. First step is to create Octo points for the devices. The devices operate 3 rooms each. Two small rooms, and they both operate the larger central room together. So, we will create 3 Octo points for each device. One for each room per device.

Let's start by renaming the first named storage. It should be called Default now, but we will rename it to Room 1.

• Just click inside the text box and type Room 1. Then press Enter.
• Now you have a named storage called Room 1.

Next is to create Octo points!

• Click on the Device on the left side, and
• Then click on Instance in the Octo panel. This will create an Octo point for the device. By default, this point is located at project origin.
• To give it more sensible location, click the button Pick Point, and the click inside the room next to it. Now you will have a yellow Instance point inside the room, with a yellow line between the device and the room.

Now, do the same for the other device.

• Click on the Device on the left side, and then click on Instance in the Octo panel.