Chapter 5: Adding – Modifying Families
Families are typically small-scale elements where most files are set with given parameters. Parameters are used to define the extent of an element. For example, a family of windows may have parameters that define the sizes available per a manufacturer’s catalog such as 2ft X 2ft, 2ft X 4ft, 3ft X 4ft, and 3ft X 5ft.
Revit provides several generic families of doors, windows, casework, furniture, and more. A user can easily create custom families or downloaded files from the internet.
A custom family file uses templates to define an elements category. Once a template is chosen it cannot be changed later. The file will have to be recreated in a new template because the copy-paste function does not work between families.
Element-based – A family created using an element-based template such as “floor-based” or “wall-based” can only be placed on that element within a project.
Adaptive – A family created where the parameters are much more flexible and can conform to any project’s unique geometries, however, the 2D annotation options are disabled (Text, symbols, detail components, etc).
5.1 PLACE FAMILY ELEMENTS
Through the Project Browser
Refer to Chapter 1, section 1.4 on Project Browser, Place family elements
Through the Ribbon
- Click the Architecture ta
- Click the Component icon
- Click Place a Component
- On the ribbon, click the Load Family icon
- The Load Family window will appear, open the Furniture folder
- Open the Seating folder
- Choose the Sofa-Corbu
- Click Open
- Click the canvas to place the sofa
- Explore the folders and place a few more elements
- Use the Type Selector to choose a different element such as the Desk.
- Save and close this project
TIP
5.2 CREATE A FAMILY FROM TEMPLATE
Create a Profile file
- Click the File tab
- Click the side arrow to access the New sub-menu
- Choose to begin a new Family
- In the New Family – Template File, choose the Profile.RFT file
- Click the File tab
- Click the Save As option
- Choose to save as a Family
- Save in a folder that is memorable
- Name the family “Elaborate Table Leg Profile”
- In the Draw panel, use the Line tool and Start-End-Radius arc tool to draw the profile shown in Figure 5.1
Figure 5.1 Profile shape and dimensions in 2D
Open a Family Template
- Click the File tab
- Click the side arrow to access the New sub-menu
- Choose to begin a new Family
- In the New Family – Template File, choose the Furniture.RFT file
- Click the File tab
- Click the Save As option
- Choose to save as a Family
- Save in a folder that is memorable
- Name the family “Elaborate Dining Table”
5.3 ADD REFERENCE PLANES AND SET PARAMETERS
Reference planes have two uses: one is used as guidelines or constructions to align elements to a specific position and the second use is to control the form or position of geometries. Constraints are used on geometries to bound them to reference planes, selected dimensions, or alignments.
In this example the tables’ geometries will be