Create Commands From Dynamo — BIMO Documentation

BIMO Toolbar can add your Dynamo graph (.dyn) as a user-created command on the Revit toolbar. This is not a separate BIMO Library command; it is a core Toolbar mechanism for creating commands from your own .dyn files.

This is useful for repeatable workflows such as checks, exports, data preparation, or other tasks that the team runs often.

Warning: a Dynamo graph can change the Revit model. Test a new or changed graph on a copy of the project or in a safe test file first.

When To Use It

You regularly run the same .dyn.
You want to launch the graph from the BIMO toolbar instead of browsing for the file.
The graph has input values that are useful to save as presets.
You want to launch common modes through variants or Revit keyboard shortcuts.

Requirements

Revit 2023 or newer.
Use alpha features must be enabled in General Settings.
The .dyn file must stay available at the configured path.
The graph should run correctly in Dynamo before you add it to BIMO.

Add a `.dyn` As a Command

Open Settings in BIMO Toolbar.
Go to General Settings.
Enable Use alpha features.
In Dynamo command sources, add a new source.
Set:
- Name - the command name on the toolbar;
- Path - the path to the .dyn file.
Save the settings.
Restart Revit so BIMO can create and register the command.

If Name is empty, BIMO uses the .dyn file name as the command name. If the settings show a GUID field, you do not need to change it.

Run the Command

After restarting Revit, the command appears on the BIMO Toolbar. When you run it, BIMO executes the selected .dyn and shows the result or error after execution.

If the file was moved, deleted, or its dependencies are unavailable, the command may fail. Check the .dyn path, Dynamo packages, external files, and graph compatibility with the current Revit/Dynamo version.

Inputs, Presets And Variants

If BIMO recognizes input parameters in the .dyn, the command gets settings. You can save those settings as presets and assign them to Variant #1, Variant #2, or Variant #3.

Practical example:

Preset	Variant	Example
`Quick Check`	`Variant #1`	Fast model check.
`Full Check`	`Variant #2`	Full check before delivery.
`Export XLSX`	`Variant #3`	Export data to the selected folder.

After assigning a preset to a variant, you can launch the required mode from the command dropdown. Variant items are shown as separate command items, so they can be used together with Revit keyboard shortcuts.

Warning: a variant runs the saved preset faster than the normal settings-window flow. For graphs that change the model, make sure the correct preset is assigned and the correct Revit document is active.

Recognized Inputs

BIMO uses input parameters saved in the .dyn as inputs. In user workflows, these are usually:

numbers, integers, text, and Yes/No values;
files and folders;
dates and colors;
categories, levels, views, sheets, and element types;
selecting one or more elements;
selecting faces, edges, points, or references in the model;
dropdown lists, if they are saved in the graph.

Some selection inputs ask you to pick objects in Revit while the command is running.

If the graph has no recognized inputs, the command can still run the .dyn, but BIMO will not automatically create presets and variants for input values.

Recommendations For `.dyn`

Use clear names for the graph and input nodes.
Run the graph manually in Dynamo before adding it to BIMO.
Store the graph in a stable folder, not a temporary directory.
Check that all Dynamo packages are installed on users' workstations.
For model-changing graphs, create a separate test preset and verify it before assigning it to a variant.

If the Command Does Not Appear

Check:

whether Use alpha features is enabled;
whether you are using Revit 2023 or newer;
whether the source is saved in Dynamo command sources;
whether the path points to an existing .dyn file;
whether Revit was restarted after changing the sources.

If Inputs Do Not Appear In Settings