Is it possible that each family types have their own layers when exporting dwg?

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

We often need room elevations include electrical sockets, lighting features, some mechanical panels etc. All these items have their own family that we created. But when we exporting these elevation sheets to dwg file, all the families have individual blocks and same category layers.  But we need each family type in one single layer and one single block. Because of that we have to work with autocad for many hours.

 For example, there is 2 types of sockets such as UPS and Mains socket in electrical fixtures category. In the exported dwg file both families in one layer as elc_fixt.

Is there a way to solve this problem? 

[barthbradley]

Hear that?  Crickets.  

No, you can't even do that in Revit (e.g. create new Categories).  I wish though.  

[ToanDN]

Why not work entirely in Revit, or in AitoCAD, not both?

[Anonymous]

I work at a mechanical company that design clean room, laboratory etc. We, architects and some of our engineers use revit for 3D. But engineers who design the electrical and mechanical system use autocad. And our clients also want the files in autocad. Because of that we have to export it. Designing in 3d is new for our company and our head engineers. 

[Lachlan-JWP]

Each family should export to it's own block automatically. It is then fairly straightforward to have Revit export the layers you want but requires a lot of set-up.

Modify your families, create new object styles for each layer you want control over in AutoCAD and assign each model/symbolic element to the appropriate object style.

When you are ready to export your project you open up the export setup options (#1 below), and modify the layer properties for each category/object style (#2).

The exported dwg will now contain each family in it's own block, with all the layers created from the object styles you made earlier.

You can save these export settings so that they are your office standard.

[barthbradley]

I don't follow. I get the Subcategories, but Export category properties BYLAYER and overrides BYENTITY with no Layer Modifiers does what?

[Lachlan-JWP]

Export category properties BYLAYER and overrides BYENTITY will export any visual overrides that are applied to views, this can be handy if you have to fudge things in the view to make them print correctly, or haven't been able to create the subcategories in each family, apply a linestyle override and that is how it will export. If you wish to ignore visual overrides or have then export in their owen layers, then use a different option.

I haven't had use Layer Modifiers in my projects yet. It's been easier to set this all up in the families. However, you can use them if that suits the standards you need to meet.

[barthbradley]

I just don't understand what you are showing.  I get the Subcategories, but they won't Export with those settings. Add a Layer Modifier and they will.  Sounded like you were saying the Subcategories did Export with those settings.  I was curious how.  

...this:

The only problem is this is not what the OP was asking (e.g. to Export "each family type in one single layer and one single block").

[Anonymous]

I guess the single block thing doesn't possible . But I can make the different layer system with your guides. There is only one problem with this method which is blocks are in category layer when exporting, but the inside of the block is in subcategory layer. But I''l take this solution anyway. Maybe later versions of Revit give us the complete solution. 

Thanks a lot for helping. 

[barthbradley]

Sounds like you are partially describing "Export all properties BYLAYER, and create new layers for overrides". That's what we do along with Layer Modifiers.