Object Style Standards

[guitarchitect7]

I've looked many places and have not gotten a lot of feedback or information on this subject.

I'm just wondering what the best practice is for creating and maintaining object styles. The tough part about creating a base standard in the project template is it's not used in the family templates unless I decided to import and save down as my own library of family templates. Of course the struggle is you want consistency between all family components and what object styles (sub-categories) are used.

I'm sure I'm making this way harder than it needs to be, but with having custom line weights, line styles, object styles just seem to be the next logical step.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

I'm sure everyone has their own approach to this and all of us think our way is the best way ;)
Revit's ability to impose standards at any point make sit pretty versatile in how you choose to manage standards.
My template file is very lean and contains only very basic styles required to begin a project at various stages. Programming/space planning, massing, DD etc. Dimension, text and other annotation styles common to all projects are kept in the template along with placeholder assemblies.
I store and maintain most other 'standards' in a single 'warehouse' file. Standard line weights, line styles, materials, hatch patterns and assemblies are kept in this file. In addition view templates, color fill schemes, schedule formats etc..
Using a combination of copy/paste (to load only the assembly types required for a specific project type) and transfer project standards I can quickly create a custom template on the fly that is suitable for the project.
I would suggest that sub-categories be maintained in your families not in your project template. You will notice that when you import a family into a project it will bring with it any sub-categories, along with their settings, as well as project parameters.

This is an abbreviated explanation but the general approach is keep it one place and you only need to maintain it in one place. Don't stock the shelves with everything you might need, just go shopping in one place for everything you do need.:beer:

[guitarchitect7]

Thanks for the reply. I was definately aware that object styles were brought it - that's also were my thought process got hung up. My next question would be then, How do you manage/standardize object styles in the family? Have you created all new family templates for everything that provides the necessary object styles, line styles, and line weights needed.

I'm just thinking that if a user decides to create a new family, how could I controll the linestyles and subcatagories they use - especially to reduce duplicates or "very similars" that when loaded in the project you don't end up with various OS that are all referring the same thing.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Standards are irrelevant unless they are documented, distributed and discussed with those who will use them. A central location for this information that is accessible to all is important. Whether it's a wiki, intranet or even a spreadsheet on a network drive. Consistent, logical naming conventions also helps to eliminate duplication and 'very similars'.

You could create one family template for each category and use the same 'transfer project standards' approach to create subsequent families of the same category. I probably wouldn't create these template files until you needed to. Consider how many out of the ordinary or custom line styles and things you really need before going nuts pre-defining them all.

If you outline procedures for everyone to follow and stress the importance of consistency of naming conventions you shouldn't have too many problems. (does that sound too optimistic:lol:)

[guitarchitect7]

If you outline procedures for everyone to follow and stress the importance of consistency of naming conventions you shouldn't have too many problems. (does that sound too optimistic:lol:)

:p Not in our perfect world...;)

But that is exactly my thought. To me I understand the process and the importance of that process, while others may not. I've found it to be very difficult to "have faith" they'll do it right unless I give them exactly what's needed and ONLY what's needed. That way they can't do it any other way. Controlling, probably.

I definately use a central file to "transfer" standards in. It holds and is appropriately named Line Weights - containing line weights, line styles, and object styles. Maybe my standard needs not to be recreating these in each family template, but instead standardizing the steps to create the families - including one of the first steps which is to just transfer these settings in from a central file, like you said.

Now we just need to identify the most important Object Styles to have readily available on a consistent basis - outside the vanilla Revit. Any suggestions?

[Munkholm]

Have you seen the "Revit Family Style Guide" ? Steve posted a link to it Here (http://revitoped.blogspot.com/2009/10/revit-family-style-guide.html)

The zip contains suggestions for extra subcategories from Autodesk, so that family builders use the same "standards" (Aimed at Seek Content)

I´ve chosen to use these new "standards", but also have the need to add a few of my own. I keep track of it in a simple spreadsheet....

[guitarchitect7]

Have you seen the "Revit Family Style Guide" ? Steve posted a link to it Here (http://revitoped.blogspot.com/2009/10/revit-family-style-guide.html)

The zip contains suggestions for extra subcategories from Autodesk, so that family builders use the same "standards" (Aimed at Seek Content)

I´ve chosen to use these new "standards", but also have the need to add a few of my own. I keep track of it in a simple spreadsheet....

No I haven't and this is awesome. Thank you!

This is a good point. We talked about this at last night User Group meeting - Autodesk trying to standardize and certifiy the Seek content, along with the usage of the E202 document. Stuff like this document, these websites, and people openly sharing their files can really bring this industry together so there is finally some kind of uniformity.

[Munkholm]

Someone said "uniformity" ?
I´ve been trying to stress that term for quite a while here in Denmark. But at the various usergroup meetings, it always ends up with a lot of disagreements... Maybe (and just MAYBE) the fact, that Autodesk have published some "uniformity" it´s gonna help a little.. but honestly I doubt it.

But mayby an AUGI "Uniformity/Standard" was worth fighting for.... ? :beer: