Layer Mapping

Customize Rhino layers from Revit exports

When exporting from Revit with RAY, Rhino layers are created automatically based on Revit element properties. To customize how elements are organized, you can define your own layer mapping file.

Creating a mapping file

By default, RAY looks for the mapping file at:

C:\ProgramData\Beam\Mapping.txt

The mapping file is a plain text (.txt) file.

The file has two parts:

  1. First line: the pattern used to build layer names.

  2. Following lines: category conversion pairs that replace {Category} with custom text.

The pattern line

The first line of the file defines the layer naming pattern.

A pattern can include:

  • Free text → literal text that will appear as written

  • Keywords → placeholders in {braces} replaced with Revit values

  • :: → creates a new Rhino sublayer

Supported keywords

  • {Project} – the Revit project name

  • {Category} – the Revit category of the element (e.g. Walls, Floors)

  • {Subcategory} – the subcategory of the element

  • {Family} – the family name of the element

  • {FamilyAndType} – the family name combined with the type name

  • {Type} – the type name of the element

  • {Workset} – the workset assigned to the element

  • {Material} – the material assigned to the element

for example

Revit_{Project}::{Category}::{Family}_Type_{Type}::{Material}

After the pattern line, you can override how {Category} prints by adding category conversion lines.

RevitCategory=ReplacementText

fo example

Walls=MKS_WALL

Lines in the mapping file that start with # are treated as comments and ignored during export.

Example Mapping File

# Pattern line: defines the overall structure
Revit_{Project}::{Category}::{Family}_Type_{Type}::{Material}

# Category conversion: override {Category} keyword
Casework=MKS_CASEWORK
Ceilings=MKS_CEILING
Columns=MKS_COLUMN
Doors=MKS_DOOR
Floors=MKS_FLOOR
Furniture=MKS_FURNITURE
#Furniture Systems
Ramps=MKS_RAMPS
Railings=MKS_RAILING
Roofs=MKS_ROOF
Mullions=MKS_MULLION
Windows=MKS_WINDOW
Walls=MKS_WALL
Stairs=MKS_STAIR
Curtain Panels=MKS_CURPANEL
Generic Model=MKS_GENMODEL
#Electrical Equipment
#Electrical Fixtures
Entourage=MKS_ENTOURAGE
Lighting Features=MKS_LIGHTINGFIX
Mass=MKS_MASS
Structural Framing=MKS_STRFRAMING
#Structural Stiffeners
Mechanical Equipment=MKS_MECHANICALEQU
Parking=MKS_PARKING
Planting=MKS_PLANTING
Plumbing Fixtures=MKS_PLUMBINGFIX
Topography=MKS_TOPOGRAPHY
Specialty Equipment=MKS_SPECIALITYEQU

# End of mapping file
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