Are wall-based families passe?

[Mike Sealander]

I've recently had the sneaking suspicion that a lot of shops are no longer building wall-based or ceiling-based light fixture, casework, and other types of families, in favor of everything being face-based.
True?

[wmullett]

With the problems of linked files, we are using almost all face based families except for doors and windows.

[kmarquis]

My company is in the process of re-creating all of our element hosted families in exchange for generic or face based families. With all of the collaboration now between consultants it's much better to know that regardless of the situation, you're families will work.

[david.kingham]

The only time I use a typical hosted family is if it has to cut the host completely, even if it only partially cuts the host I will use face based, there is just so much more flexibility with face based.

[kmarquis]

We are Lab consultants on a project right now so we don't own the walls. Even families that recess into the wall is generic or face-based and we just build a masking region into the family to obscure the wall in plan.

[Mike Sealander]

Thanks everyone. I thought so. Is there an easy way to convert, say, casework from wall to face-based?

[kmarquis]

Thanks everyone. I thought so. Is there an easy way to convert, say, casework from wall to face-based?

You have to cut and paste the geometry into a new non element hosted type family file. There's no button or option to click. I've just found it easier to recreate it.

[Munkholm]

This is excactly why I build all families as non hosted - Then, when needed I can always nest the non hosted family into a new hosted family... this makes it quick and easy to make something facebased instead of wallbased... or facebased insead of ceilingbased for that matter :-)

But I defenetly agree, in most cases I prefer facebased over wallbased :beer:

[Mike Sealander]

Wow. I just rebuilt all my casework about a month ago. I think I'll leave the base cabs alone, and convert the uppers.