Family Preview Image

Anonymous · ‎07-21-2010

I've racked my brain trying to figure this out enough - it's time to ask you experts.

I have created many custom casework families, and they all (except for wall based) seem to show the preview image at the type selector image rotated 180 from what I expected to see (i.e. you see the back of a cabinet for a casework family) when you select the element in the project environment.

However, the preview image of the file in the "Open" dialoag box shows it rotated so I see the front of the cabinet (what I want), which is obviously based on the regenerated 3D view I specified under "Options".

Call it picky, but I really want the Revit User to see the front of the cabinet in both preview image locations before I create too many families and have to go back through them all - please help!

Please tell me that I don't have retrain my thinking so that the front of the cabinet is "above" the Center (Front/Back) reference plane in the ref. level of the template and re-do my families modeled to that orientation. If that is the case, Revit has it backwards!

Again, thanks for your knowledge and time!

Scott

Anonymous · ‎12-13-2014

I certainly was not intending to "whatever" you... I continue to agree with what you say. I think we all just want Revit to be as logical as possible, which currently, it can still (and will always be able to) be refined further.

If I could contribute to updating the coding of the program myself, I certainly would help with that. Unfortunately I haven't added customization in the API or delving into the inner workings of the program to my skill set, yet. If it was an easy fix, I'd like to think it would be done by now. So I continue to wait as patiently as possible, hoping the experts will rectify this strange circumstance.

If they have to revise the placement process in the Project Environment to solve an issue stemming from the Family Editor (even if the issue isn't a functionality problem), then wouldn't it make sense to work on that? I would say "Yes". While some Revit users may see the Project Environment and Family Editor as two entirely separate entities, they are all part of the whole program and should work in perfect unison with each other. The orientation should be able to be adjusted in the Family Editor and still have it "work" as expected when placing objects in the Project Environment. And yes, the functionality of placing objects, regardless of the Family orientation, currently does work well.

It's just weird that we have to learn to think about developing these types of families a bit backwards. Or modify the templates on our own to accomplish the desired result that should be provided as stock and standardized.

SteveKStafford · ‎12-13-2014

No worries, I forgot to put a smiley at the end of that line.

My other older self here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/46056

Alexandre.luypaert.deltalight · ‎10-20-2016

Or draw your ref. plane from left to right , or right to left

spike14me · ‎05-04-2017

So why is this still not resolved in 2018? I desperately need to reorient the thumbnail (that appears in the properties box in the project.rvt). I can make the thumbnail an explorer window orient however I want but not the thumbnail in the file??? Eight (8) years and $8,000 dollars later? At least I can do sketchy lines

How can I get this to rotate?

Anonymous · ‎06-04-2017

Hi,

Can this be fixed it is annoying the hell out of everyone that notices it? Further it has cost us a lot of money as we have had to fix families and then we get a new model manager who doesn't know how revit families work and they invariably get it wrong. It also makes our FFE schedules fail and the whole BIM BS just gets thrown out the door.

wtfigo?

Anonymous · ‎07-26-2017

This thread started eight years ago!!! Still no fix??? Come on AutoDesk! No competition breeds complacency. Please don't say Bentley is the competition. I'd fall off my chair laughing if someone did.

Anonymous · ‎07-26-2017

Eight years and still no fix?? Come on AutoDesk. Lack of competition breeds complacency. Please don't say Bentley is competition. I don't want to fall off my chair laughing.

damian · ‎08-07-2017

If Autodesk are reading this, I'd like to add my request that this is solved too. With all the wonderful things that Revit can do, is this little thing really that difficult?

Sahay_R · ‎08-07-2017

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/share-your-favorite-tips-tricks-and-workflow...

Rina Sahay
Autodesk Expert Elite
Revit Architecture Certified Professional

If you find my post interesting, feel free to give a Kudo.
If it solves your problem, please click Accept to enhance the Forum.

Anonymous · ‎08-07-2017

For everyone still frustrated with this: consider adding your vote to this idea: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/revit-family-preview/idi-p/6273964

damian · ‎08-08-2017

Hi Rhia,

Have you tried this? This probably works OK for the Windows OS Explorer folder thumbnail view, but not the Project Browser view within Revit, which is what I'm looking for.

Thanks.

Anonymous · ‎09-14-2017

Still no solution to this problem ?

Why don't Autodesk do anything about this "small" problem.

I've created about 5000 Revit families and don't want to rotate ref. planes in every single family...

Autodesk come on and do something...

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2018

I get that this ancient post deals mostly with the preview created INSIDE of your Revit project, but I thought I'd share that the Preview Image Generator (P.I.G.) is now available - which will batch process through your entire library, creating category specific, consistent thumbnail images on the .rfa file.

Check it out:http://bit.ly/2gQXYVy

lmlederer · ‎04-25-2018

I am having the same issue. The family preview image in the properties window of a column I created captured an image of an early version of this family. I have since modified and updated the family but the preview shows the old version. There doesn't seem to be any way to update it. It would be nice if the preview image would update to reflect the latest version of the family. It would also be nice to be able to right click on the image and select the view you want displayed (ie: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, 3D).

ToanDN · ‎04-25-2018

@lmlederer wrote:

I am having the same issue. The family preview image in the properties window of a column I created captured an image of an early version of this family. I have since modified and updated the family but the preview shows the old version. There doesn't seem to be any way to update it. It would be nice if the preview image would update to reflect the latest version of the family. It would also be nice to be able to right click on the image and select the view you want displayed (ie: Left, Right, Top, Bottom, 3D).

Use Save As, pick a View and tick Update box. Works every time.

lmlederer · ‎04-30-2018

ToanDN,

Anonymous · ‎10-25-2018

I tried this fix and it didn't actually work. I'm working in Revit 2018 and I've tried rotating the reference planes in the family as well as in the family template. The family still comes in backward. Could you explain exactly what you're doing?

Anonymous · ‎10-25-2018

Parley I correct me if I'm wrong but I think (P.I.G.) only updates the preview for the windows thumbnail not the type selector preview. If it fixes the type selector preview as well please let me know.

michael_coffey · ‎10-29-2018

Can you upload your family?

Anonymous · ‎10-29-2018

Sure, but this isn't affecting one single family. Pick any family in your library and you'll see the problem.

Family Preview Image

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