Favorite, Fabulous, Formulas for Families in Revit with Donnia Tabor-Hanson

Kathryn.Christiansen · ‎12-02-2021

Where a piece of equipment has a limited set of Voltages, I add a "Electrical Equipment" sub-family that is blank. Then I add sub-family types named for the voltage options.

I use a "Select Voltage" instance parameter that will allow the end-user to select through the Electrical Equipment.

Then I create parameters under "Other" to drive my Voltage parameter.

Hopefully that picture is large enough to see here.

syman2000 · ‎12-02-2021

Great stuff....however two things I run into these method.

1. These type selection won't work if you using decided to insert all those type into new family. If you want to parametrized those family type selection in the new family, it won't give you that option. This means you have to create a new set of family type. It can be very tedious and can be daunting to get it to work with complex family. Also it is prone to purging if user aren't careful.

2. If you have other family of the same category, it will mix in with these option which may lead to user picking the wrong choice. Often it will break the family if the user choose the wrong family type.

Check out my Revit youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/scourdx

Kathryn.Christiansen · ‎12-02-2021

@syman2000

I also had forgotten, but as long as the Family Type has been used in a parameter then it won't be purged.

I've done a lot of experimenting with using these drop downs for end-user choices, because we have a lot of equipment with limited option sets; check boxes become cumbersome when options are mutually exclusive, and numbered options can require an external reference or explanations that are longer than the text box is wide, so a drop-down of choices is often optimal.

syman2000 · ‎12-02-2021

One thing I usually do is pick a category which no one will use and then make the selection limited. I've use both structural and MEP categories just to get the list of selection down to minimum so user pick those conditions and won't hammer with a huge list. I hope Autodesk expand on these feature and give user ability to narrow down the family list and won't pickup other family type not on the list. It makes a lot of sense when we build doors and windows which allows use to pick and choose the hardware and panel type. Often I see people choose incorrect door family panel and it result in breaking the family.

Check out my Revit youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/scourdx

Kathryn.Christiansen · ‎12-02-2021

Here it is larger:

Kathryn.Christiansen · ‎12-02-2021

1a.) The "Options" sub-types we use are not shared and have no other content, they not used for anything except as sub-families for this explicit purpose, so they will work consistently within a project, and the end-user will not have those sub families nor need them in a project.

1b.) If the end-user purges one of our equipment families then they may lose lots of information necessary to make the family work; as a manufacturer, we cannot support models that have been modified in any way by the end-user.

2) Again, I keep the "Option" sub-types specific to options, so that no other sub-families of those types are inserted. As a "standard" all sub-families of our equipment should be generic; only the top-level family needs the Family Category specified.

donnia.tabor-hanson · ‎12-02-2021

Here are the links I shared.

Examples of conditional statements:

—https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2014/ENU/Revit/f...

Revit Formulas for everyday usage:

https://www.revitforum.org/forum/revit-all-flavors/tutorials-tips-tricks/1126-revit-formulas-for-eve...

Valid Formula Syntax and Abbreviations

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2022/ENU/?guid=GUID-B37EA687-2BDF-4712-9951-2088B2A8E523

Thanks y'all,

Donnia Tabor
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donnia.tabor-hanson · ‎01-25-2022

I am now participating in a new Blog at Autodesk's site. Come check it out!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autodesk-community-voices/revit-hints-amp-hacks-is-your-family-too-hi...

Thanks y'all,

Donnia Tabor
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donnia.tabor-hanson · ‎02-08-2022

We are starting back up in about two weeks. I am taking it a little off just families and moving other Revit topics. Look for the Life of a Shared Parameter first. Follow how a parameter can do more that be scheduled and tagged. The next topic will be on Schedules, all kind of things about schedules. After that I will be showing you how to help take care of that repeat customer. We call them chains, restaurant chains you see. You may do all of one convenience or a big box store. Then don't miss Are You a Member of a Chain Gang.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/community-conversations/revit-hints-amp-hacks-the-life-of-a-shared-pa...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/community-conversations/revit-hints-amp-hacks-schedule-families-with-...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/community-conversations/revit-hints-amp-hacks-are-you-a-member-of-a-c...

Get signed up now and get your questions in early and I will try to work them into the presentation.

Thanks y'all,

Donnia Tabor
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donnia.tabor-hanson · ‎06-23-2022

There is a new blogger that posted a great idea on a formula in Revit. I thought I would add that here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autodesk-community-voices/revit-formula-constraining-text-values-with...

Thanks @kristina.youngblut for that post!

Thanks y'all,

Donnia Tabor
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donnia.tabor-hanson · ‎07-07-2022

Another great post by @kristina.youngblut on formulas. Check her out!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autodesk-community-voices/revit-formula-constraining-text-values-with...

Thanks y'all,

Donnia Tabor
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kristina.youngblut · ‎07-07-2022

Thank you @donnia.tabor-hanson, this is such a great conversation and I am happy that it will be part of my Helpful hints for all the posts related to this topic.

Kristina Youngblut
Product Owner - BIMWorkshop
BIM Manager - CIMA+
30 years Autodesk User
A Tip A Day Project
LinkedIn

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donnia.tabor-hanson · ‎10-22-2022

As an Autodesk Exert Elite, we are asked to rag our post with #AutodeskExpertElite. Catching up now.

Thanks y'all,

Donnia Tabor
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Favorite, Fabulous, Formulas for Families in Revit with Donnia Tabor-Hanson

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