5: Adding - Modifying Families

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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

Use the Space bar to rotate the position of the element

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 aligned to placed reference planes then constraints are set to lock the table’s dimensions to set sizes.

Placing Reference Planes

First, set up the user interface to view all 4 windows, In the View tab, click the Tile Views icon
In the Ref. Level view, go to the Create tab on the Ribbon then click on the Reference Plane icon
Draw a vertical line on one side of the center reference plane and use the Mirror icon to create another
Select each reference plane and rename them Left and Right respectively
Use the witness lines to change the distance to the center reference plane to 3’0” as shown in Figure
5.2

Figure 5.2 Vertical reference planes created and labeled
Create one horizontal line on the left side of the center reference plane then use the Mirror icon to create another
Label them Top and Bottom respectively
Use the witness lines to change the distance to the center reference plane to 1’6” as shown in Figure 5.3

Figure 5.3 Horizontal reference planes created and labeled
Setting Constraints
Under the Modify tab, use the Aligned Dimension icon to place dimension strings connecting the Left-Center-Right and another connecting Left-Right as shown in Figure 5.4 (left). Do the same for Top-Center-Bottom and Top-Bottom as shown in Figure 5.4 (left)
Select the 3’ 0” dimension string and enable equal dimensions by clicking on the EQ as shown in Figure 5.4 (right). Do the same for the 1’ 6” dimension string.

Figure 5.4 (left) Dimension strings placed and (right) enabled EQ for 3’0” and 1’6” dimension strings
Select the 6’0″ dimension string
On the Ribbon under the Architecture tab, click the Create Parameter icon
In the Parameter Properties window change the following information
- Name the parameter Length
- Select the Type option
- Click on the Edit Tooltip and add a description
- Click OK
Complete the same instructions for the 3-foot dimension
Flexing Constraints

“Flexing” constraints are used to test if the dimension strings act accordingly to the applied changes. To flex a model, the Family Type icon is used. For this example, assume the manufacturer of the dining table wants to offer three lengths for different household sizes. The 6-foot table sits 4 people, the 7-ft table sits 6 people, and the 8-ft table sits 8 people.
On the ribbon, click the Family Type icon to flex the model.
Change the Length to 7 feet and click Apply. If the reference planes are set correctly the model will reflect the changed length in the Ref. Level view.
Change the Length back to 6 feet
Creating New Parameters

The New Parameter icon is used to create the available lengths of tables offered by the manufacturer. The table geometries will respond to the new parameters. When a Revit user uploads this table family into a project, they can choose which length of the table is appropriate for their client.
In the Family Type window click the New Parameter icon
Name the type 6-foot table and click OK
Click Apply
Use the New Type icon to create a 7-foot and click OK
Change the length to 7’0”
Click Apply
Click the New Type icon and create an 8-foot table
Change the Type to 6 feet and click OK to close to the Family Type window
In the Front view, create the following reference planes that will determine the top and bottom of the tabletop height then rename them accordingly
- Top of Table at 3’ 0”
- Bottom of Table at 2’ 9”
Lock both lines using the Pin Tool

Figure 5.5 Reference planes drawn in the Front view

5.4 CREATE A SOLID FORM

In the Front view under the Create tab, click the Set icon on the Ribbon
Select the Name option
In the drop-down menu choose Reference Plane: Bottom of Table and select OK
Under the Create tab, click the Extrusion icon
In the Properties Palette, change the following parameters
- Extrusion End: 0’ 3”
- Extrusion Start: 0’ 0”
Use the Rectangle tool to draw a 3’X6’ extrusion along the reference planes
Click the green checkmark to complete the extrusion
To lock the rectangle geometry to the reference plane go to the Modify tab and select the Align tool
- In the Ref. Level view, select the top edge of the table
- Then select the reference plane that the edge lies on.
- An open lock will appear, click on it to lock the edge of the table to that reference plane.
- Do this to each edge of the tabletop rectangle.
In View 1, on the View Control Bar, use the Visual Style icon to choose the Shaded selection

Figure 5.6 Tabletop solid extrusion

Create a Sweep Form by Load Profile

Create a second set of reference lines following Figure 5.7
Label the line like the following respectively
- Top 1, Top 2, Bottom 1, Bottom 2, Left 1, Left 2, Right 1, and Right 2.
Under the Modify tab, use the Aligned Dimensions icon to add dimensions as shown in Figure 5.7
Select each of the highlighted dimensions individually (as shown in Figure 5.7) and click the unlock symbol to Lock it

Figure 5.7 Highlighted dimensions shown are locked
Under the Create tab, click the Sweep icon
Click the Sketch Path icon
Use the circle tool to create a circle with a 1/4” radius in between the two 5″ reference lines in the top right corner of the tabletop
Click the green checkmark to complete the path
On the Ribbon under the Modify tab, click Load Profile
Navigate to select the Table Leg Profile created previously
Click Open
On the Ribbon in the Sweep panel, use the drop-down menu by Profile to choose the Table Leg Profile.
Click the green checkmark to complete the Profile

TIP

If the profile will not complete due to an error, use trim/extend tool to connect the lines so geometries do not fold in on itself

Edit Work Plane if the leg is not in the right place
Select the Leg
Use the Mirror – Pick Axis tool to create a second leg
Select the two first legs
Use the Mirror – Pick Axis tool to create the last two legs
Check the Flex using the Family Types icon

Figure 5.8 Table leg profile sweep applied and mirrored

Create a Sweep Form by Sketch

Under the Create tab, click the Set icon on the Ribbon
Select the Name option
Choose Reference Plane: Top of Table then select OK
Under the Create tab, click the Sweep icon
Click the Sketch Path icon
In the Ref. Level view, use the rectangle tool to outline the table
Click the green checkmark to complete the path
On the ribbon, click the Select Profile
Click the Edit Profile icon
In the Right view, draw the profile like the one shown in Figure 5.9

Figure 5.9 Table edge sketch sweep

5.5 CREATE A VOID FORM EXTRUSION

Use the Set icon to choose the Reference Plane: Top of Table
In the Reference Level view, go to the Create tab
Click the Void forms drop-down menu then click the Void Extrusion icon
On the Options Bar, change the depth to 1″ and the offset to 2”
Select the Pick Line tool from the Draw panel
Hover the cursor over the reference lines at the edge of the tabletop until the light blue dashed line appears facing towards the tabletop’s interior. Use Figure 5.10 as a reference. Do this for all 4 edges.

Figure 5.10 Reveal created using a void extrusion
Use the Trim/Extend tool to trim the rectangle
Use the Offset tool at 1” to create a second rectangle within the first
Use the Trim/Extend tool to trim the second rectangle
Click the green checkmark to complete the void extrusion
Select the void
In the Properties Palette, change the Extrusion Start to -0’ 1”
Click Apply

TIP

Follow the below steps if the void does not automatically cut into the tabletop. – Under the modify tab select the Cut icon. Select the void extrusion then select the tabletop.

5.6 MATERIALS

Create a new Material using the Asset Library

In the 3D view, select the first tabletop extrusion
In the Properties Palette, next to Material, click the 3 dots button
Select the Default material
Click the Materials Icon
Click the Duplicate Selected Material
Change the name to Wooden Finish
With the Wooden Finish selected, click the Asset Library icon
In the Asset Browser, expand Appearance Library
Click Wood
Use the search bar or scroll down to find Mahogany – Stained Dark Polished
Use the Replace Asset icon to apply the material
Click the Asset Library icon again to close the Asset Browser window

Figure 5.11 Material and Asset Browser window
Click the Image box
In the Texture Editor, change the Rotation to 90 degrees
Click Done to accept the changes
Click Apply and OK in the Material Browser window

Figure 5.12 Material Browser and Texture Editor windows
In the 3D view, use the Visual Style icon to change the appearance to Realistic
Follow the same steps to apply the Mahogany – Stained Dark Polished material to the rest of the table elements

Figure 5.13 Mahogany material applied to the tabletop extrusion

Figure 5.14 Completed table with Mahogany material applied to all elements

5.7 Nested Family

Start a New Family using the Generic Model template
Follow Figure 5.11 to create an 8” X 16” oval plate and an apple using the spline tool

Figure 5.15 Solid extrusion with an applied marble material
Change the Material to a Stone Marble finish
Follow Figure 5.16 to create an apple on top of the marble Plate
Use the Red Paint from the Asset Library

Figure 5.16 Sweep extrusion – apple
Go to File and Save As a family
Label the project Table Decoration

TIP

It is easiest to have the Project, Elaborate Dining Table, and Table Decoration file open at the same time
In the Table Decoration project, click the Load into Project icon under the Create tab
Deselect the Project file and select the Dining Table file
Click OK
Close the Table Decoration windows
In the Ref. View of the Dining Table project, click the Create tab
Click the Component icon
Use the Type Selector to choose the Table Decoration
In the Properties Palette change the Offset to 3’0”
Click to place the decoration on the table

Figure 5.17 Table Decoration is Nested within the Dining Table file
Load Family into a Project
In the Dining Table project, click the View tab
Click the Load into Project icon
Place an 8-foot, 7-foot, and 6-foot table on the second floor of the building

Figure 5.18 Placed Elaborate table families