Families and the Family Editor

Name: Families and the Family Editor
Author: Patrick Porter

An introduction to Revit’s Families and how to use the Family Editor

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Course: On-Demand

Hello, we are going to discuss families and the Family Editor. Before we get started, I'm currently running Revit LT 2022 and I do not have any projects open at the moment. I am just keeping the application active at the moment to discuss Revit Families. Now, Autodesk's definition of a family is there's a group of elements with a common set of properties called parameters and a related graphical representation. And Revit actually has three different types of families. In Revit LT, you only have two types. The two types of families in Revit LT are the system families and loadable families, and then there's a third type that you will have in the full version of Revit, which is called in-place families. For this chapter, we're going to work on loadable families, and what loadable families are, are the families use to create things, such as your building components. Let's say if we created some furniture in our model. Those components that will be purchased, delivered, and installed in and around the building, things such as your windows, your doors, your case work, things of that nature. Some of your annotation elements are also customized and created as symbols in title blocks. And those are loadable families. These are gonna be the families that you most commonly create and modify in Revit. System families, or families that creates the basic elements that you'll use to assemble on a construction site, such as your walls, your roofs, and your floors, these system settings, which affect the project environment and they include types for your grids, your viewports, your drawing sheets, and levels. These are all also system families. These are predefined in Revit, you do not load them into your projects or external files, and you can't export them outside of your Revit projects. They're built into the tool. For this chapter, like I said, we're going to create a loadable family and we're gonna basically devote this chapter to creating a table. The workflow that we're going to take to create this table is to first select from the appropriate Revit family template file. And that's an RFA file, and we'll look at that in the next chapter. Next, we will lay out the boundaries of our family by using reference planes. In the building environment, levels and grids are used to conform the overall boundary and structure of the project. In the Family Editor, we use reference planes. Think of it like we're using grid paper in the Family Editor and this will make more sense to you once we get into the Family Editor. Next, we're gonna lock all of this stuff down with dimensions. The dimensions are gonna define the measurements for the family, which, in this case, is gonna be a table that we're creating. After that, we add parameters and constraints to lock in some of those dimensions and those constraints to make sure that our family is created correctly. After we've defined the boundaries by our parameters and constraints and we've added the dimensions in the reference planes, now we can start to build the geometry that's going to make up our table. So after we've set up the reference planes, added dimensions, created our parameters and constraints, and then we've actually built the geometry, the last thing we need to do is test our family to make sure that it's going to work out in the Revit project when we're done. Revit calls this Flex Mode, that's basically where we try adjusting different sizes and making sure that nothing breaks. And that's pretty much it. It's not as daunting as it may sound. It's actually pretty fun once you get involved with it. Thanks for watching this lesson. Join me in the next lesson, where we will take a look at family creation from a template.

Intermediate Provider : Patrick Porter 6 Lessons · 44m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Urdu, Chinese

Course Description

In this module, we’ll discuss Revit’s Families and the Family Editor. You’ll learn the proper family workflow, how to choose an appropriate template for the type of family you are creating, and how to lay out the framework for the family by creating reference planes to add constraints. You will also learn to create parameters to drive those dimensions, as well as how to add the geometry that will make up your family and how to “flex” your newly created family.

All the elements you add in your Revit projects are organized into some type of family. Whether they are structural members, doors, roofs, or even annotation elements like window tags or section symbols, these are all some type of family in Revit. These lessons will describe the different types of families there are in Revit first, and you will then follow a defined family editor workflow as you create a glass table family from scratch.

What You'll Learn

Create a Revit family from an appropriate template based on the type of family you are building
Lay out the family framework by creating reference planes and adding constraints
Create parameters to drive the family's dimensions
Add the model geometry that makes up your family
Flex your newly created family to verify it behaves correctly
Finish and load the family into your Revit project

Key Takeaways

Every element you add in a Revit project, from structural members, doors, and roofs to annotation elements like window tags and section symbols, is organized into some type of family.
Choosing an appropriate template for the type of family you are creating is part of the proper family workflow.
Reference planes are used to lay out the family framework and to add constraints.
Parameters are created to drive the family's dimensions.
The module follows a defined family editor workflow to build a glass table family from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this module cover?

This module covers Revit's Families and the Family Editor, including the proper family workflow, choosing an appropriate template, creating reference planes to add constraints, creating parameters to drive dimensions, adding model geometry, and flexing the family.

What will I build in this module?

You will follow a defined family editor workflow to create a glass table family from scratch.

Which software and skills does this module focus on?

It focuses on Autodesk Revit and related skills including design software, design tools, schematic editing, template toolkits, and templates.

What topics do the lessons include?

The lessons include Family Editor Workflow, Family Creation from Templates, Creating Reference Planes and Constraints, Creating Parameters, Creating Model Geometry, and Finishing and Loading the Family.

Does the module explain the types of families in Revit?

Yes. The lessons first describe the different types of families there are in Revit before walking through the family editor workflow.