Concepts, workflows and how-to for creating Revit Content

1. A+Revit Families Jay B Zallan BIM Director Perkowitz+Ruth Architects & Studio111

2. A+Revit Families Jay B Zallan BIM Director Perkowitz+Ruth Architects & Studio111

3. Family Goals Family: a group of things related by common characteristics: a closely related series of elements or compounds Improve project workflows Ease user frustration Standardize output and quantifications Create Revit families that break perceived limitations Plan future families and library upgrades …

4. Planning For Family Assess (Conceptualization | Standardization | Optimization) to determine the importance, size, or value of… <assess a problem> Devise to form in the mind by new combinations or applications of ideas or principles : invent Generate to bring into existence to be the cause of to define or originate by the application of one or more rules or operations Validate to grant official sanction to by marking to confirm the *validity of; also : to declare Validity: logically correct; appropriate to the end in view

5. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create

6. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Consider What you and others want Balance with need(s) Mix-in conversations with others... this always helps prove or disprove perceived concepts and usually saves overall project time Plan the parametric needs, detail levels, flexibility, look/feel, etc. Think about what is needed NOW... Remember you can always make the family progressively more complex Re… Reconsider Replan Rethink Create the best families you can

7. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Consider Plan The parametric needs detail levels Flexibility look/feel etc. Think Re… Create

8. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Consider what you and others want, balanced with need(s) Mix-in conversations with others... this always helps prove or disprove perceived concepts and usually saves overall project time Plan The parametric needs, detail levels, flexibility, look/feel, etc. Think about what is needed NOW... Remember you can always make the family progressively more complex… Still keep in mind the “Later” Re… Reconsider Replan Rethink Create the best families you can

9. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Consider what you and others want, balanced with need(s) Mix-in conversations with others... this always helps prove or disprove perceived concepts and usually saves overall project time Plan The parametric needs, detail levels, flexibility, look/feel, etc. Think about what is needed NOW... Remember you can always make the family progressively more complex Re… Reconsider Re(vise) the plan Rethink Create the best families you can

10. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Consider what you and others want, balanced with need(s) Mix-in conversations with others... this always helps prove or disprove perceived concepts and usually saves overall project time Plan The parametric needs, detail levels, flexibility, look/feel, etc. Think about what is needed NOW... Remember you can always make the family progressively more complex Re… Reconsider Replan Rethink Create (Whew, Finally!!!) the best families you can

11. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Consider Using Autodesk Revit Model Style Guides http://seek.autodesk.com/revit.htm

12. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Whatyou want Whatyou need Mix-in conversations with others... this always helps prove or disprove perceived concepts and usually saves overall time and rework Who will do the family creation work Builders Testers Who will usethe work Communication Best (usage) Practices Etc…

13. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Parametrics Simple vs. Complex you want You need Users want Users need Good time to use those survey results (again) Detail Level(s) 3D 2D Course Medium Fine Communication Best (usage) Practices Etc…

14. Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create Content Aggregation Visual Catalogues https://www.box.net/shared/kcbiqbihcvm9p36f1l7q Review content, Use Multi-Category Tags, Distribute content (???) Family Planning Forms https://www.box.net/shared/txpelny83l

15. Consider| Plan | Think |Re… |Create ThinkAbout PresentConsiderations Project Client Practice Firm Region ThinkAbout FutureConsiderations Modification Growth/Constriction Interoperability Communication Best (usage) Practices Etc… Unknown to Known Rise & Slope are known: Run=Rise/tan(Slope) Rise & Run are known: Slope=atan(Rise/Run) Slope & Run are known: Rise=Run*sin(Slope)

16. Consider| Plan | Think |Re… |Create Re… Reconsider the plan, solution, etc. Revise as or if necessary Set a timetable and you’re off to… …Create!!!

17. Consider| Plan | Think |Re… |Create Create Parameters Shared Project Framework REF Planes built into Family template(?) Nestable sub-components Constituent parts that Can be used in many use-cases Communication Best (usage) Practices Etc…

18. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Create a new 'Generic Model Line Based' family. Change the "Length" parameter to 8'-0" by using the the "Family Types..." button... (yeah I know I said no fundamentals but that’s how it is…I just want to be clear )

19. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Create a new 'Generic Model Line Based' family. Change the "Length" parameter to 8'-0" by using the the "Family Types..." button... (yeah I know I said no fundamentals but that’s how it is…I just want to be clear )

20. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Good so far... Now we need a component (in this case a cabinet)... "But when I try to use the component tool there are none loaded“ (yet)... Load a Cabinet (…this is what is called a nested family).

21. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family I am using the Double Door & 2 Drawer, as you can see below. Note how this cabinet comes in at its default size... that's OK, we'll be associating and locking that parameter to another parameter later but since we haven't created that new parameter yet we'll do other necessary work first...

22. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family …Such as Locking the Cabinet to the Ref Planes. (Note: To get this line based family to work this time I did have to re-do this locking after I constrained the objects to the upcoming parameters, (last time I showed a colleague this it worked fine, without re-locking...It's all about process and order of steps) so be ready for the family to potentially fight you as you go...Flex every step of the way so it's not too painful.)

23. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Align & Lock Align & Lock to the insertion point (Yes, the intersection of these Ref Planes is the insertion point, so if you need an offset insertion please be aware of that): Such as if the length wants to incorporate a countertop side overhang, etc… we are not including such overhangs herein to maintain a bit of intended clarity.

24. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Array the cabinet 3 times; constrained, grouped & associated Then select one of the array group members and select the Array Control Line, (the odd part is the Array Control Line disappears when you're able to select it) add the parameter "NUMBER OF CABINETS" (similar to the one that follows the next image) and it will then be associated to the array. Here is an image of the Control Line selected...The oddity is that the Control Line seems to disappear or at least go invisible when hovering over it, so if you want to select it (and we do) and that control line disappears then click there, you are sure to select it since it looks like you can't. Yes that IS what I said.

25. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Here is the "NUMBER OF CABINETS" parameter setup: Via clicking the "Family Types..." button we can and must set up the following additional, necessary Parameters "CABINET SPACING" and "MAX CABINET SPACING"

26. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family "CABINET SPACING" and "MAX CABINET SPACING“ Setups. The parameter (MAX CABINET SPACING) we will associate to the dimension below:

27. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family MAX CABINET SPACING Association. Now, you should know that when I entered the formulas, per the following image (which you can and really must consider as being the next step!!!) the dimension (shown right) needed to be deleted. I let that happen and didn't question it later on since the family works without it (as long as you don't set the overall length below 6'-0"... yes we could place more constraints via a conditional statement to allow for that but for this particular family I didn't find it necessary to have a multiple, double cabinet be so small...I say let it break in that case, it's just too illogical.

28. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family So now make the parameters be the following formulas and values, making sure to hit APPLY (not OK) after inputting each formula. (Remember formulas ARE case sensitive!!!) This time while I was creating this line based cabinet family (and after letting the dimension be deleted during the error/warning stage) the middle cabinet disappears... RELAX!!! There is actually a good reason for that and I alluded to it earlier, way back in step (whatever)... Even if you don't care to go back and look; The following is the 'fix'...

29. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Edit one of the Array Groups and select the cabinet and click the Properties button: Wow, It’s fun to see images from Revit 2009 Damn, that interface looks so funny now!!! When you get down into its Type Parameters look for the Width parameter and click the tiny little = (equal) button... FWIW: I think Autodesk loves hiding big things in tiny packages!!!

30. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Setting that ‘equivalence’ association of the component's Widthparameter to CABINET SPACING. Now everything seems to work brilliantly!!! Right???

32. Chose to edit the group

33. go to the properties window and associate all Material Parameters to new material association ParametersThat way they can be changed at the project level. WOW I am glad we didn't forget that... I call this :associating” of parameters making a parameter exposed. The associated parameters will be exposed and editable at the next downstream level: In this case the Project.

34. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family One (sort of) Final Note Don’t forget the Category!!! we must use to the FC&P button again... Hey, that 2012 image surfaced again… sweet!!! Set your new Line Based Families' Category to be: Casework…. Now load the new Line Based family into a project...

35. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Now make a hundred more nested, line based families and enjoy!!! Oh wait!!! Can we use a "Family Types" parameter association to the cabinet families… Then load a bunch of individual cabinet families in and then have the ability to swap out one kind of cabinet for others (in this Line Based Conglomerate)??? YES!!! (Keep reading)…

36. Step-By-Step Line Based (Nesting) Family Adding one of the Family Types parameters we can have one single line based family take on the job of many!!! Including (most) every possible cabinet choice… These become flexible for additions in the future; simply by loading those cabinets to the family (or even project) environment!!! That said: would this be smart to load a bunch of cabinets into a family of this sort or shall we just add them at the project level later? That answer is gleaned from your wants/needs and your prior plans!!! My 2₵: I think it best to load the different cabinets at the project level since the resulting family could become too large... OK, OK; maybe just a few!!! So to recap: Consider | Plan | Think |Re… |Create

37. Questions? A+Revit Families Jay B Zallan BIM Director Perkowitz+Ruth Architects & Studio111 My greatful Appretiotion goes out to: Mirriam Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/) Everyone I have ever learned from Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com/) & YOU!!!

38. Assorted Assets Used Here If the links don’t work simply “Internet-Search” the Bulleted Text CAD v BIM Sloped http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2007/10/slanted-volumesi-guess-ramp-tool-isnt.html CAD v BIM Kitchen http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2007/08/line-based-families-1-kitchen-cabinets.html CAD v BIM Jetway http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html CAD v BIM Cost http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2009/04/this-is-mainly-to-help-me-but-i-am-sure.html CAD v BIM Make Details http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2010/07/make-them-detail-components-how-to.html CAD v BIM Make Families http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2011/04/future-is-finally-present-make-families.html