Raccordo — How to Use

Last Updated: January 1, 2025

h2>The Three Buttons at a Glance
Button Label What it does
Load Knowledge Base Load KB View and reload the active OmniClass/MasterFormat knowledge base
Suggest Parameters Suggest Browse element types, get AI-suggested classification codes, and write them to the model in batch
Audit Coverage Audit Generate a compliance report showing which element types have complete, partial, or missing classification data

What Raccordo classifies

Raccordo works on element types (WallType, FamilySymbol, FloorType, etc.) — not on individual instances. It writes to two type parameters:

Parameter Standard Example value
Keynote OmniClass Table 23 23-13 11 11
Assembly Code CSI MasterFormat 2020 03 30 00

These are type-level parameters in Revit. Once written to a type, every instance of that type in the model inherits the value.

Step 1 — Load Knowledge Base

  1. Click Load KB on the Raccordo panel.
  2. The knowledge base viewer opens, showing all entries in the active raccordo-kb.json file.
  3. Each entry maps a category and element name pattern to suggested Keynote and Assembly Code values.
  4. Review the entries. If the KB file path is incorrect or the file has not been configured, you are prompted to browse for the JSON file.
  5. The KB reloads automatically whenever the DLL is reloaded in the Add-In Manager. You do not need to re-run Load KB after a Revit session restart — the last KB path is remembered.

Step 2 — Suggest Parameter Values

This is the main workflow command.

  1. Click Suggest on the Raccordo panel.

  2. The element browser opens, listing all classifiable element types found in the active model, grouped by category. Categories include:

    • Walls (WallType)
    • Floors (FloorType)
    • Roofs (RoofType)
    • Ceilings (CeilingType)
    • Columns (FamilySymbol — structural columns)
    • Framing (FamilySymbol — structural framing)
    • Doors (FamilySymbol)
    • Windows (FamilySymbol)
    • Mechanical equipment
    • Plumbing fixtures
    • Electrical equipment
    • And more — all 21 classifiable categories

  3. Select one or more element types to classify. Use Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click to select multiple.

  4. Click Get Suggestions.

  5. Raccordo sends the selected type names and categories to the Claude API (via the Anthropic API key configured in settings). The RAG pipeline first retrieves the closest knowledge base matches, then sends those matches with the type name to Claude for a final suggestion.

  6. The results form opens, showing the AI-suggested Keynote and Assembly Code for each selected type:

    Element type Suggested Keynote Suggested Assembly Code Current value
    Basic Wall - 200mm Concrete 23-13 11 11 03 30 00 (empty)
    Generic Floor - 150mm 23-13 33 11 03 30 53 (empty)

  7. Review each suggestion. Edit any value directly in the results grid if the suggestion needs adjustment.

  8. Select the rows you want to apply. Deselect any you want to skip.

  9. Click Apply Selected. Raccordo writes the Keynote and Assembly Code values to each selected element type in a single transaction.

Step 3 — Audit Parameter Coverage

Use the audit command to check the current state of classification data across all element types in the model.

  1. Click Audit on the Raccordo panel.

  2. The audit form opens, showing a compliance report with three states for each element type:

    Status Meaning
    Complete Both Keynote and Assembly Code are populated
    Partial One of the two parameters is populated, the other is empty
    Missing Both parameters are empty

  3. Use the filter buttons to show only Complete, Partial, or Missing types.

  4. Use the audit report to prioritise which types to run through the Suggest workflow.

Configuration — API key

Raccordo requires an Anthropic API key to call the Claude API for AI suggestions.

  1. On first use, you are prompted to enter your API key.
  2. The key is stored in the RaccordoSettings file next to the DLL.
  3. To update the key: open the settings dialog (accessible from the Raccordo panel or from the audit form menu).

Note: Your API key is stored on your local machine only. It is never transmitted to AvantLeap.

Knowledge base

The knowledge base is a JSON file (raccordo-kb.json) containing entries that map Revit element names and categories to OmniClass and MasterFormat values. Raccordo ships with a starter KB. For production use, expand the KB to cover the full OmniClass Table 23 taxonomy (2,000+ entries) for best suggestion accuracy.

KB file path: configured at runtime — stored in RaccordoSettings.

Supported Revit versions

Revit version Framework
Revit 2026 .NET 8.0

Multi-version support (2023–2027) is planned for Phase 3.

Important notes

  • Raccordo writes to element types, not instances. Writing a Keynote to Basic Wall - 200mm Concrete affects every wall of that type in the model.
  • Internet access is required for the Suggest command. The Claude API call is made from your machine directly to Anthropic's servers.
  • Suggestion accuracy depends on the knowledge base coverage. Expand the KB for higher accuracy on specialist categories.
  • The Suggest command is currently synchronous — Revit UI is unresponsive during the API call. For large batches, select types in smaller groups. Async operation with a progress indicator is planned for Phase 3.