Tools for managing family types and parameters?

[MuirEng]

Hi,

I am working on developing my library of lighting fixtures. I've realized (as most of you know) that the manufacturer libraries leave a lot to be desired, in terms of accuracy, completeness, and most of all interchangeability, so at least for now I will build up my own content.

As a first step I would like to find a better tool for editing type catalogs. Loading them into Excel is pretty cumbersome. 

There is a tool called "Type Catalog Generator" I downloaded from the app store but it is generating error messages when I open a file. I've put in a tech support request and I am hopeful that this tool will be useful, but if anyone has suggestions for other tools that would be great. 

I did track down some software called Content Studio but it looks much more complex and expensive. But if it could help me exploit manufacturer files then it might be worth a look... Does anyone have any experience with this? This is for use at a one man shop by the way.

thanks

[MuirEng]

just to continue, the tool I mentioned earlier doesn't seem to support copy of a value into multiple types at once, which is a feature I need. The Content Studio tool isn't sold in bundles of less than 10 seats (but apparently they will release a free version for less than 10 seats). Guess I am working in Excel for now...

[Alaaeldin_Alsahli]

I did use Family as keyword in the search, 

There is some addin in the apps exchange, but you need to test them and see which one is the right one. There are others than the one below as well

https://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/RVT/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3actcbimman...

https://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/RVT/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3afamilyman...

https://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/RVT/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3afamilybro...

[MuirEng]

Thanks. I appreciate the links, but I think marking this as a solved problem is premature.

One tool is buggy and doesn't work. Another has no version for Revit 2015. The Kiwi Family Browser does look useful, but I need to test it.

As I wrote in my response to the survey about the support offered on this issue, really all of this is incidental. Why do we need tools like this? Because the family libraries avaiable online are inconsistent, and because Revit needs some clumsy workarounds to expose parameters that should be exposed! (electrical connectors). AutoDesk can take some ownership of both problems, the former by driving parametric standards for third party (and internal!) content, and the latter with some software changes.

[Alaaeldin_Alsahli]

 I marked this accepted as solution, Since Revit doesn’t have this feature and may not have it in future since Autodesk gives the opportunities to these third part application to develop them since they have started already this feature before everyone else.

If none of this addin answered your question then You have 2 choices

Contact Autodesk development team to log an enhancement request http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=1109794

OR

Contact these third party applications by mentioning what enhancement you would like to see.

This page is mainly for support and when comes to wishlist or enhancement request then you need to do the steps I mentioned above.

[chrisplyler]

I thought only the creator of the thread could select a post as a solution. You can just select your own answer post as a solution? Bad form.

[MuirEng]

Yes, I agree. And note the complete lack of response to the core issue as I explained it.

[Alaaeldin_Alsahli]

Sorry for this, I just though it is a general question and i though i answered the question since I had no direct reply. 

[chrisplyler]

Why does your signature say, "Please mark Accept as Solution if your question is answered. Kudos gladly accepted. ⇘" ???

If you can just mark all your own answer as solutions whenever you want, you don't need that signature.

[Alaaeldin_Alsahli]

Well the only time I do it is when I am 200% sure there no other alternative solution, Can you find me a better alternative solution than these 3 addins that i linked.

If nothing works out then the second alternative solution is to contact the development team for an enhacement case. I already sent the user a private email about it before accepting it. I am doing my job as support person to help other to find solutions

[chrisplyler]

Oh I get it. There is no better solution. Your post was as helpful as possible.

I'm just left with a bad taste in my mouth about posters being able to select their own post as a solution. I had not realized that is the case.

[MuirEng]

Hi Allaaeldin,

I thought about this, and I now understand what has been bugging me about this conversation and process.

This forum, as I understand it, is not a mechanism for logging a trouble ticket. I believe there are mechanisms for doing that, but the forum has been a great resource for me so I haven't needed to do that.

The post was not intended as to log an issue for tech support. Your reply was most welcome, and helpful, but the problem is that when you log your own reply to an open ended question as the solution, especially because there is no more action for only a few more days, then this has the effect of SHUTTING DOWN THE CONVERSATION!

Suppose another user has some good ideas for other tools? Will they add those ideas now the solution is marked as solved? I doubt it.

And what if we want to continue the dialog about the fundamental problems that I wrote about that increases the need for family management tools? When the post is marked solved, are members going to open it up and continue the dialog? I don't think so!

The other thing that is bugging me, is you state that the forum is not the place for discussions about feature requests, and that those should be submitted via a different mechanism. This is crazy. This is a key element of the forum and AutoDesk needs to welcome this. Sometimes we (the users) need to have a conversation which then gels into a feature request. Let us have that conversation. We all win.

See the tag line for the community:  Find answers, share expertise, and connect with your peers

I'll give you an example. See the thread about formula power (lack of such really) and and see how that led to a (hopefully!) productive conversation with Sasha, who is a Revit Product manager. If, as I hope, there will be a future release addressing this problem then it is a victory for everyone.

So, please, keep monitoring the forum and help us out when you can, but try not to shut down conversations.

Clearly there is a bias against open posts, but sometimes things need time to flourish.

thanks.