How do you name your families?

[janunson]

Just curious - How are you naming families in your libraries? Anyone using a 'Naming System'?

Already looked at these threads... been thinking, but still wondering what others are doing these days.

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=26505
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=1161
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=37

I like that the imperial library out of the box categorizes in folders by family category. I think this is helpful.. but beyond that, i see no naming structure implied... I'm trying to find a way to name all my files so that similar families, or families for the same purpose can be found near each other or in logical order in the component menu when it drops down. Also since this menu sufferers from the same un-resizable restrictions that the AutoCAD layer drop down did... I'm trying to keep names short....

Other than that, still looking for the magic system that makes everything easier to use...

Anyone else have a magic system? Maybe a good one? How about a 'don't do it this way' example?

Thanks.

[janunson]

Ok, since the crickets are chirping out there... what about this -

I'm trying to group my families by their category first, then naming groups them into functional groups, so that similar items are found near each other in the component list. After that i name by the item description, and include the type of host at the end (so i know if i should be looking to stick this thing to a wall, floor, or freestanding, etc.)

Ideally, i'd like to rename my entire library to fit a pattern like this so that my list is clean and orderly, and i always know where to start looking for a particular item.


like Equip-Restroom-Itemname-HostType.rfa.

Door-Curtainwall-DoubleGlass-Panel.rfa
Door-HollowMetal-Double-Wall.rfa
Equip-Restroom-Partition,Floor,TopBrace-Free.rfa
etc...
make sense? any one else trying to do this?

[Lashers]

WIsh I could help, but mine are all over the place at the moment! Some work needed there as well, I was trying to come up with an alpha numeric system but it gets too complex.

The main problem with your file naming system is that the file names can get long . . . I have had issues with my backup chopping the filename . ..

[janunson]

. . . I have had issues with my backup chopping the filename . ..
Is there a specific limit? Factory?

[SCShell]

Hey there,

In my case, I use the name as I like to see it in a schedule. I have most schedules set up as "type" schedules and the name of the family is the "description" in my schedule.
ex: 3068 SC - Wood Veneer Flush Door

Just a thought for one method.
Good Luck
Steve

[zanzibarbob7]

I like Steven's thought on using the name you will use in schedule. The military system of nomenclature (that's their word for naming things) is to use names of decreasing importance. Such as Door-Single-Interior-Paneled-Decorative, or Table-Wood-Round-Victorian-Model xxx.

Some might seem a bit long winded but there is not much confusions as to what you are getting.

[Wes Macaulay]

Is there a specific limit? Factory?No, but some backup systems follow Joliet naming conventions, so it can be a real problem when the path and filename are long...

[hand471037]

Here's my little system I came up with for this. It's a nodal thing, along the lines of the AIA layer naming guidelines. Works for me:

Origin - Application - Identity or Model - Dims/Values - Finish/Options

Some examples:
Autodesk_Exterior_Single Flush Door_36" x 86"_Painted
FirmName_Office Seating_Task Chair_Large_Brown
NewHouse_Interior Fixture_Ikea Flop_50 Watt_Wall-mounted

Origin is where the Family came from. Who made it, in other words. This way I can keep them separate from each other. If it's a project-specific family, this would be where the project name would go too.

Application is where or how the Family is commonly used. Exterior, Interior, Exiting, etc...

Identity is where you just call out what the Family is. If it's something specific, like a actual product, this is where I put the model name or number.

Dims is pretty obvious, this is where I put any values about the Family that are important.

Finishes too. Pretty obvious what goes there.

Now, the only tricky part here is where the dividing line falls for what goes in the File Name vs. what goes in the Type.

I wrote out a much more complex and complete version of this when I was working for Tectonic Network, a company that does Revit content and software and stuff. If you want a copy, you should try to contact them, I think they are still working on it, have extended it farther than my little start, and are looking for input from users, so I bet you can get a copy for free if you want.

[aaronrumple]

What? No one uses a GUID? ;-)

[janunson]

What? No one uses a GUID? ;-)
HAHA.. ya i have a bunch of 00192272839498534705980590340392929817171s in my drawing.. i think those were chairs.. can't remember now...

hehehe.

[nicholas_baum]

Here's my little system I came up with for this. It's a nodal thing, along the lines of the AIA layer naming guidelines. Works for me:

Origin - Application - Identity or Model - Dims/Values - Finish/Options

Some examples:
Autodesk_Exterior_Single Flush Door_36" x 86"_Painted
FirmName_Office Seating_Task Chair_Large_Brown
NewHouse_Interior Fixture_Ikea Flop_50 Watt_Wall-mounted



I like Jeff McGrew's method but I just wonder if it would be better if the "Origin" should go at the end or after "Identity or Model" so when selecting from pull down list in Revit they would show in application order.

Has anyone looking at this issue (naming families issue) lately?

Nick
----------------
Chaleff & Rogers, Architects

[david.kingham]

I like to keep it simple and categorized.

The prefix is always the category then the name. That's it.

Examples:
Casework - Base
Casework - Upper
Light - Emergency Light
Light - Exit Light

This makes it much less confusing to find something in the drop down when your placing a component

[nicholas_baum]

David (and others),

How do you track where the family components come from?
Weather they are downloaded, original Autodesk content or something created by your company.

Or is it just not important?

Currently we have three different libraries (original content, downloaded & modified content and project specific content). I would like to change this and combine them all into one library. Or maybe two is better because the original content gets overwritten by Autodesk during software updates.

What are others doing?

Thanks,
Nick
----------------------------------------
Chaleff & Rogers, Architects

[david.kingham]

Almost all of our content I have created or modified, most of the autodesk content is ****, I have a seperate directory for autodesk content incase it's needed. I discourage any downloading of content also, most of what out there is pretty bad too and I want it to comply with our standards to avoid any future problems

[DoTheBIM]

I've been doing a lot of thinking and reading on this subject (family naming). At first I thought I could come up with a system that applied across all categories... only to be thrown in my face that it don't apply like that. So I started on a system that was category specific... but this just didn't sit well with me and seem to add an additional level of complexity that I really didn't want. So I played around a little more and did a lot of reading on AUGI and got back to the system that works across categories... this is what I got so far. It's really preliminary, but seems to be working thus far... and I'm asking for opinions and thoughts.


Family Name = Category Location Type Function_(or type modifier) Style
Type Name = Dimensions/Specs
Family Name Rules


-A space shall indicate seperation of next part of description
-Use underscores where spaces are needed with in one part of description
-A dash with spaces on both sides shall mean the omission of a part of the description (If style is ommitted, no space after dash)
Type Name Rules

-Use front slashes for feet and inch seperation. Use dash between Inch and fraction. Use front slash for fraction representation. Use quote to show inches when no feet are shown.
Examples 3/0x6/8....3/2-9/16.....2-9/16"
Examples as they would be shown in Revit list:

Door Exterior Entry Single CS210 : 3/0_2_Sidelights
Door Exterior Patio Gliding - : 5/0
Door Exterior Patio Gliding - : 6/0
Door Exterior Patio Swing - : 5/0
Door Exterior Patio Swing - : 6/0
Door Garage - - - : 9/0 x 7/0
Door Interior Bifold 2_Panel - : 3/0x6/8
Door Interior Bifold 4_Panel - : 5/0x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 2/0x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 2/6x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 2/8x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 3/0x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 6-9/16"_2/6x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 6-9/16"_2/8x6/8
Door Interior Swing - - : 6-9/16"_3/0x6/8
Electrical - Light Bedroom - : SL123
Electrical - Light Dining - : M2205-1
Electrical - Light Exterior - : SL9183-1
Electrical - Light Hall - : SL8494
Electrical - Light Kitchen - : SL8763-1
Electrical - Light Kitchen_Sink - : DY6491
Electrical - Light Laundry - : SL8436-1
Electrical - Light Nook - : SL8260-1
Electrical - Outlet - - : 20_Amp
Electrical - Outlet - - : Dryer
Electrical - Outlet - - : GFI
Electrical - Outlet - - : GFI WaterProof
Electrical - Outlet - - : Range
Electrical - Outlet - - : Washer
Electrical - Switch Double - : 1_Way
Electrical - Switch Double - : 3_Way
Electrical - Switch Single - : 1_Way
Electrical - Switch Single - : 3_Way
Electrical - Switch Single - : 4_Way
Electrical - Switch Triple - : 1_Way
Electrical - Switch Triple - : 3_Way
Window - Double_Hung Single - : 2641
Window - Double_Hung Single - : 3049
Window - Double_Hung Single - : 3857
Window - Double_Hung Single with_Shutters : 2641
Window - Double_Hung Single with_Shutters : 3857
Window - Double_Hung Single with_Shutters : 3865
Window - Double_Hung Twin - : 3857-2
Window - Shutter Louver - : 39"
Window - Shutter Louver - : 55"
Window - Shutter Louver - : 63"
Window - Sliding 2-Lite - : 6060
Window - Sliding 3-Lite - : 9660



I've got one more large thread that I want to read yet, but I think I'm going say this naming system is what we'll use.

A question I still have (from reading threads) is.... Some people mention using Author, Source, and Revision in the naming convention (and/or in the family parameters). I fail to see the value in this additional maintenance. What reward is reaped from this practice that makes it worth the trouble to add this info? This is also assuming everyone works honestly and changes the Author to their own name (as well as updating the other two parameters/name fields)... correct? I'm also undecided at this point on whether to include Revit family hosting style/base as well. For us I don't think this makes sense but for others it may.

[DoTheBIM]

I should have finished reading that last thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=37) before posting. I had to add Manufacture for window grouping as well (windows are the only product we offer as option for different Manufacturers). My revised system is now:


Family Name = Category Location Type Function_(or type modifier) Manufacturer Style
Type Name = Dimensions_[widthxheightxdepth]_(or_Sub-Type) Sub-Type_Modifier

I can see the potential for this to change. but hopefully till then I'll be deep enough into it that I can create a quick program/tool to go in rename/swap families as needed since there should be structure to the names.

[nicholas_baum]

Thanks for mentioning the previous thread. I did not see that one. Its seemed like it they were actually getting close to a standard but then the thread died. That was over 3 years ago and still no standard.

Is there a reason you did not use the commas in your naming convention?

Thanks,
Nick

[DoTheBIM]

Is there a reason you did not use the commas in your naming convention?If your reffering to using commas, rather than spaces... It's simply for readability for users. Other than that I haven't seen a use for commas.

[3dway]

I'm going to dig this up because I'm looking into family naming. Mine are a mess and it's hard to tell what's what; especially with the family type always there.

While starting to develop our own standards and learning Revit, I see value in the author feild. I can see it happening that time is pressed and we have to "just throw that family in for now". I'd like to be able to separate our content from anything else which is not to be trusted.

I find the "dash" "space" "dash" difficult to read and the feet inches system as well. What is the value in indicating the missing feild? I don't see it sorting anything.

Did you link the research threads you mention? That would be a big help.

Thanks. Good Work.

[3dway]

Is mid march your office maintenance time? Anually? curious from dates on posts.

[schrodingerscat]

EG: M_Power-Double-Outlet-AR or M_Lighting-Standard-Downlight-AR

Seems fine for us to give units (M or I), type (power, lighting, comms, etc), brief description or brand+model, and then who made the family.

[ford347]

I too need to go back through my families and take the giant task on of renaming them to something that not only makes sense, but you can remember and find quickly. Here are a few of my thoughts and previous practices.

I attended the AU in Florida and a suggestion made there was to first off, if you've downloaded or created the family yourself, give it a prefix and an underscore, something to do with your own company name. In my case, Tri Mission Company, my families from previous years started with Mis_. I got sick of that, so I started naming things with my company's initials, TMC_. After doing this for many years, I would like to be the first to kick myself in my own bum! I personally have got nothing from this, mainly because even though I have 100's, if not thousands of families, I can tell if it came from me or not. I do not employ anyone to help me draw, so I think the fist thing I will do is to dump this part of my nomenclature.

One of the biggest reasons I don't like the prefix is because I want to be able to pull the component up quickly, and since I am a keyboard user, I like to click the pull down menu and start typing to quickly jump to the item in the list or give me a good head start anyway, and with everything having the same prefix, this isn't possible.

After using Revit for 5 or 6 years now, my main concern is remembering what the he!! everything was called find it quickly. My thought is to prefix the component with what IT IS first, i.e., window. Beyond that, I think some of the suggestions made here are great. But my biggest problem has been that I can't even remember half the time what the family name begins with because it probably had a lot to do with what my mood was or what grand idea I had at the time.:|

Have any of you started your family naming out that simple and has it proved to be more productive when trying to locate the family during your drawing?

[twiceroadsfool]

Its undergone minor revisions over time, and is constantly evolving, but this is the system i use. It does several things:

1. Sorts families by catagories in the type selector since it doesnt now, even though the stupid Legend Component selector does.

2. Works in increasing level of specificity, so broad linked items "Single Doors" are all together.

3. Delineates what specification (or lack thereof) the item is modeled too.

4. Delineates how many types (if any) are present, or if there is a level of expectaction that the family will flex, or that its a fixed unit at one size (and users should be prepared to save as and make others).

5. What type of REVIT host the item has. (If you dont know, how can you use it?)


Every user thats had to start using it, has complained. File names are too long. Its a chore, they dont like it. BUT: 95% of them have grown to like the output it results in: You can always find everything, because its all the same on all jobs.

Ive never had a user tell me they didnt know how a particular piece of content worked, when it was named the right way. :)

[m20roxxers]

Hi Aaron nice work, I use a similar format however I find my original fields are actually set as follows.

Instead of field 1 we use:

M=Massing
G=Groups
A=Arch
I=Interiors
S=Structural
etc..

This is then comprised with the Object Styles catagories of Revit.

EE=Electrical Equipment
CO=Column
FR=Framing

so in context a structural member would look like this.

SFR_UC250_MANF

We include other acronyms to specify hosted and parametric capabilities but the idea is essentially the same. in the beams case there is no need as the standard beam has standard functionality.

[3dway]

Keep it coming guys.
We're still reading this thread. No sarcasm.
I'm still at a loss as to how to keep a library of families sorted.

As a relatively new user, doing small projects, I'm keeping a family folder for each project. They seem to be getting refined as I go. Once I'm sure I know enough to know if they're any good, I'll need to put them into a common library.

[twiceroadsfool]

We use the convention above (it evolves, obviously), and we keep a library that is completely seperated from the Autodesk Library, but has folders for the same catagories, plus or minus one or too.

They all get mapped Via Places in Revits options.

We keep Project Content libraries, and a "Beta Content" folder at the Revit Content Directory level. Beta Content is the only folder the users can write to, except for the BIM Managers. They can write/edit the library. Thats the only safe way to keep it, since families in the template remember their path (unless you load them from a different location intentially to kill it.)

If the users have something good they think should go in the library, it goes in to Beta Content until the BIM managers can QC/QA it, then it gets moved to the right location.