FAQ

Quick answers to common questions. If you're stuck on a specific problem, see Troubleshooting instead.

What is AnansiBuild?

AnansiBuild is a Revit add-in that exports your architectural model to a multi-color 3MF file ready to print on an FDM 3D printer. It does the tedious parts — separating glass from frames, organizing geometry by category, mapping each category to a printer color, scaling to fit your bed — automatically.

It's part of RohoSuite, a small suite of Revit tools developed by Green Stories, LLC.

What's the name about?

Anansi is the spider-trickster from West African folklore — also known as the keeper of all stories. The spider weaves; this tool weaves your Revit model into something printable. Plus the company name is Green Stories. Story → spider → web → 3D print. It tracked.

What file format does it produce?

3MF (3D Manufacturing Format) — an XML-based, multi-body, multi-color-aware format. It's the native project format for Bambu Studio and is well-supported by PrusaSlicer and other modern slicers.

Why 3MF instead of STL?

STL is a single-body, geometry-only format. To do multi-color in STL you'd need a separate file per color and re-assemble them manually in the slicer. 3MF carries:

• Multiple named bodies in a single file (one per print category — Walls, Floors, Glass, etc.)
• Color and material assignments per body
• AMS slot mapping for Bambu Lab printers
• Application metadata

If you slice the model into pieces, you get one .3mf file per piece, each containing the same multi-body structure inside. Pieces are separate files on disk, not separate bodies inside a single 3MF.

An STL exporter is on the roadmap for users who need it (some legacy slicers, some service bureaus). For Bambu Studio and any modern multi-color FDM workflow, 3MF is the right choice.

What printers does it work with?

The 3MF file works on any FDM printer with a slicer that imports 3MF — that's most modern FDM machines.

The multi-color metadata is tuned specifically for Bambu Lab printers with AMS (Automatic Material System). On a Bambu printer, each category maps to a stable AMS slot and prints in the right color automatically. On other printers, the colors come through visually but you'll do the filament assignment manually in your slicer.

The built-in printer database covers 26 models across Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, and Snapmaker. See Printers and scales for the full picture.

Does it cost anything?

AnansiBuild is free during the public beta. No license, no time limit, no feature gates.

If it saves you time and you want to support development, there are three places donation prompts live:

1. Welcome dialog on first launch — a "☕ Buy me a coffee" button alongside Continue.
2. Persistent ☕ button in the bottom-right of the Preview Window viewport — always visible while you're working.
3. Quiet ☕ link in the bottom-left footer of the Export Summary dialog — only appears when an export succeeds (the "you got what you came for" moment).

All three open buymeacoffee.com/tiktokarchitect in your default browser. Donations are appreciated but completely optional.

Long-term plans (subscription, paid pro tier, etc.) haven't been decided. Beta users will be looked after when that conversation happens.

What Revit versions are supported?

Revit 2026 and Revit 2027. Earlier versions aren't supported.

The bundle includes separate builds for each — Revit picks the right one automatically when you launch.

Mac or Linux?

Revit itself is Windows-only, so AnansiBuild is Windows-only. There are no plans for Mac or Linux versions.

Does it work with linked models?

Not yet. Currently AnansiBuild reads geometry from the host model only. If you have linked architectural, structural, or MEP files, their elements aren't included in the export.

Linked model support is on the roadmap. For now, the workaround is to bind the link into the host model temporarily, export, then undo the bind.

Imperial scales only?

The 19 standard scales are imperial (3/16" = 1'-0" through 1" = 400'-0"). If you work in metric, use the Custom scale field — it accepts ratios in any format (100, 1:100, 1/100, 0.01 all work). A native metric scale list is on the to-do list.

Can I do multi-color with a non-Bambu printer?

Yes, but with caveats. The 3MF carries color information that any modern slicer can read, but the AMS-specific metadata is Bambu's. On a Prusa MK4, for example:

• Open the 3MF in PrusaSlicer.
• Each category appears as a separate part with its color visible.
• You manually assign each part to the filament you want.
• Slice and print.

If you're running a single-extruder printer with no automatic filament swap, the 3MF still works as a single-color print — you'd just be printing the whole model in one filament with the categories visible only in the digital file.

Do you support sectional / vertical / angled cuts?

Currently horizontal cuts only. Earlier builds had vertical (X/Y) cuts; that path was removed in v1.0 because of performance and reliability problems.

For vertical splits, the recommended workflow is:

1. Export the whole model from AnansiBuild as a single piece.
2. Open in Bambu Studio.
3. Use Bambu's built-in Cut tool to add vertical cuts. It supports angled planes and includes optional connector geometry (dovetails, pins) for clean assembly.

Vertical-cut support inside AnansiBuild is on the long-term roadmap.

Will it export joints / interlocking connectors?

Not yet. The current horizontal slicer produces clean flat-on-flat cuts with no built-in registration features. For now, use Bambu Studio's Cut tool with connectors, or drill matching holes for steel pins post-print.

Will it import GIS or site context?

Site context import (terrain from USGS, building footprints from OSM, etc.) is a planned feature. For now, model your site context in Revit using Toposolids or a linked terrain mesh, and AnansiBuild will pick it up under the Topography or Site categories.

What happens to my Revit model?

Nothing. AnansiBuild reads geometry from the active 3D view but doesn't modify your project. No transactions are committed back to the model. You can export as many times as you want without changing anything.

What data does AnansiBuild collect?

• Settings file at %AppData%\RohoSuite\AnansiBuild\settings.json — stores four fields: last printer name, last scale name, last save folder, and a "have you seen the welcome dialog" flag. Plain text JSON, only on your machine.
• No telemetry, no analytics, no background network calls. The donate URL fires only when you click the donate button — there's no auto-pinging, no usage stats, nothing phoning home.

The full privacy statement lives on the website.

How long does an export take?

Depends on model size and complexity. Rough numbers from real projects:

| Model | Typical extraction + write time | |---|---| | Single-floor residential | 5–15 seconds | | Whole-house residential | 15–30 seconds | | Mid-size commercial (mid-rise office, school) | 30–60 seconds | | Large project (whole school, multi-building campus) | 1–3 minutes |

The bottleneck is usually geometry extraction (looking at every element in your view) plus the WPF preview build, not the 3MF write itself. If a small model is taking minutes, see Troubleshooting.

Can I run it on a workshared / central model?

Yes. AnansiBuild reads geometry from your active session — it doesn't sync to central, doesn't modify the model, and doesn't require checkout of any elements. It's the same operation you'd do in any read-only workflow. If you're working in a detached local copy, that works too.

Does the export preserve element parameters?

No. Only geometry plus category-level metadata make it into the 3MF. Revit type parameters, instance parameters, shared parameters, schedules, room data — none of that travels. The 3MF is for printing, not for round-tripping BIM data.

Can I script or batch-export?

Not with a public API. AnansiBuild is currently UI-driven — you click Export 3MF, the Preview Window opens, and you confirm interactively. You could in principle invoke the underlying ExportCommand from a Revit Macro, but that path isn't supported and the UI dependencies will probably get in your way. A scripting-friendly headless API is on the long-term roadmap.

What's the maximum model size?

There's no hard limit, but there's a practical comfort zone:

• Up to ~500K triangles: snappy preview, fast export.
• 500K–1M triangles: usable; preview becomes a bit laggy on rotate/zoom.
• 1M+ triangles: WPF starts to struggle. Export still completes, but interactive preview slows. Use a section box or hide categories to bring the count down.

The Model card shows the current triangle count so you can monitor as you toggle categories.

Will it work with Toposolids vs old-style Topography?

Yes — both. Toposolids and the legacy Topography element both route to the Topography category via the same Revit category mapping. From AnansiBuild's perspective, they're the same thing.

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

Email support@rohosuite.com. Include:

• AnansiBuild version
• Revit version
• A clear description of the issue or request
• A small example file if relevant

Feature requests are tracked and prioritized for upcoming releases.

What's coming next?

The current public roadmap (no firm dates):

• STL export for users on slicers that don't accept 3MF
• Linked model support
• Vertical / angled cuts
• Joint and connector generation for sliced pieces
• Base plate generator for displaying models on a custom base
• Site context from GIS sources
• Export presets (save and reload printer + scale + category combinations)
• Undo for category moves
• Scale figures (drop in 5'-9" silhouettes for scale reference)
• Filament color presets
• Metric scale list

If something on the list matters to you, let support know — squeaky-wheel prioritization is real.

Where to next

• New here? → Installation
• Want the workflow walkthrough? → Getting started
• Got a specific problem? → Troubleshooting