Bing Bang add Family

[aaronrumple]

I'm always building new families as I work. It would save a bunch of time if I had a "Add Family to Project" option. This would launch the appropriate family editor. Let me build and save the family and then return to the project with the family ready to place with my cursor.

Right now it is a lot of directory navigation. Find and open open Rft. I actually have my own improved "templates" saved so it takes a few extra steps to get to the correct Rfa for me. Make family. Save family. Load family and browse all over the server again. Then run through the drop down list or project browser to find what I just loaded.

[PeterJ]

What is in a new improved template?

[Steve_Stafford]

Nice idea Aaron...

[Wes Macaulay]

Two things I do to get families in faster: folder shortcuts to get me to whatever working directory I'm in, and drag-n-drop.

Once I've created the family, I just drag from Explorer into Revit. I've never used the "load family" menu item.

[aaronrumple]

I've altered the Revit RFT's to include things such as:

My walls have 2 componets and 2 types loaded, The componets have different materials applied so I can see if I'm looking at the from or back in any view. Having 2 thicknesses loaded lets me "exercice" the family to make sure I have the parametrics correct. I have a couple of different basic setups. Doors that wrap walls and doors that inset in walls. I've added basic parameters in like R.O., door undercut, front to back offset, etc.

I've also configured text and dimensions to slightly smaller sizeds to make things more readable on the screen and set up a few more basic views again for testing the final look of the object. In many cases I've also added in more object styles so I have a wider range of display options. Some examples are Door Hardware, Threshold, etc.

Of course I can't save these as Rft, just another Rfa. So when I go to make a new family, I start with these Rfa files.