Revit Tip: Save Time Converting Revit Families
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In this topic, I will be addressing some amazing functionalities that can be done with the Revit families.
Changing the hosts of Revit families without having to re-create them, and keeping all the parameters working perfectly,
It's like adding super powers to a family!
Now, here's the thing.
When it comes to situations where you need to convert a family from (Wall, Ceiling, Roof) -based into something like Face -based family,
You either re-create that family, OR
You use the Copy/Monitor trick (a bit tedious) and may cause some problems as the following family broke due it’s high complexity and relations with the host:Now, I had this situation with a pretty complex family I created as a Wall based, then I decided to make it a Face based and a Ceiling based family.
Here’s a snapshot from its parameters:Of course, it would take me a long time to recreate that family,
And copy/monitoring didn’t work out as it broke, as shown in the beginning
So, I had to move to another SOLUTION:Here comes the KCONVERT Family: A family I have created that can capture anything, and change it into anything
Examples below show what I mean.
-A Lighting Fixture Family Ceiling-based converted into an Adaptive that contains a Face-based exact lighting fixture Family, while keeping all of its parameters functioning perfectly!
-A complex Lighting Family (Wall based) family converted into a Face based, and a Ceiling based, with multiple directions, and additions, while keeping all the parameters without the need of re-creation!
-Window family that didn’t act correctly to curved surfaces or slanted ones,
Got fixed up and is now working correctly!
Here is the link to my YouTube video where I explain it all with two examples (28 Minutes) : http://bit.ly/2j2DnNI
The KCONVERT Family download (Saved in Revit 2014) : goo.gl/46TMuT *
SUMMARY
- Download the KConvert.rfa file above (with my permission but please cite me as a source whenever possible)
- Open the KConvert.rfa file and load your preferred family inside of it
- Now for example you have loaded a Wall-based family, just place that on the wall, make sure you disable the light source of the loaded family -If it was Lighting Fixture- (See How-To in the video link above)
- Re-center the reference planes to be in the center of the family or any intersection point you'd prefer, then drive the parameters of the nested family.
- Load this into another Generic Model face based family for example.
- Change the category if preferred, enable light source if you had a Lighting Fixture family
- Create Openings, Constrain them, and drive all the parameters you want and you're done
Additional Notes:
- When re-creating Lighting families (You would need to remove the light source ability from the family properties in the original one and enable it inside the Face based one after changing the category to Lighting Fixture
- When re-creating families that do openings to building elements, you would need to re-create the openings and constrain them with the family
- You can additional stuff when changing it from Wall based into Ceiling based or Face based for better productivity
- In the video, regarding the lightning fixture example, there was no need to drive Recessed Can Radius nor Inner radius, they are just extra parameters that are created in the original family that reports the radius due to a change of diameter.
(Driving those parameters can cause troubles; it is a bug in general Family editor of Revit)
ABOUT KARAM BAKI
Karam Baki is an Architect currently studying in the University of Jordan. He started his Revit journey in 2009 at age 16, and recently when he turned 21, he was inducted as an Autodesk Expert Elite member. He's one of the Top StudentExperts at the StudentExpert Network.
Karam is also considered as a leading expert in Jordan for Revit, an instructor at the University of Jordan while still learning as a student at the same time. Karam has created many projects for various clients as well.
Check out Karam's students' work at this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/revitelites
Check his own work on the Autodesk Gallery page: https://gallery.autodesk.com/users/BPT3NVQXP4A2