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Online Help

The error message shown in the Revit plugin supports only a limited subset of Markdown — no images, no embedded tables beyond what Scriban generates, no rich formatting.

When a rule requires more context than a short error message can provide — detailed standard references, step-by-step instructions with screenshots, decision trees — link the rule to an Online Help URL.

What the Help URL does

When a Help URL is configured on a rule, a link appears directly in the DAQS Assist panel next to the validation result. Users can open the linked page from within Revit without leaving the model.

Use this for:

  • Rules based on external standards that require explanation
  • Step-by-step correction workflows with screenshots
  • Rules that are frequently misunderstood
  • Reference tables that are too large for an error message

The URL can point to any publicly accessible page — a knowledge base, a SharePoint page, a documentation site, or a dedicated rule explanation page.

The page should:

  • Explain the requirement in plain language
  • Show what correct data looks like
  • Provide concrete steps to fix the issue

Example

The page you are reading now is part of the course documentation. As an illustration of what online help looks like in practice, a rule in the DAQS Assist test environment links to an example page. That example page happens to be an apple pie recipe — not because pie is relevant to BIM, but because it demonstrates that the linked page can contain rich content, images, and structure that would not fit in a Revit panel message.

The point is: the Help URL can link to anything. The content should match the complexity of the rule it supports.

When not to use a Help URL

If the error message is already clear and the solution is obvious, a Help URL adds noise without value. Reserve it for rules where users genuinely need more context to fix the issue correctly.