Understanding Revit Family Conversion
Saving a Revit project as a family requires a conscientious approach to ensure that the elements and components are correctly grouped and converted. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this, along with some background information for better comprehension.
Step-by-Step Guide to Save a Project as a Family
1. Edit the In-Place Family
Begin by identifying the elements in your Revit project that you want to save as a family. For the best results, navigate to the Model in Place environment. From there, select Edit in Place for the component you wish to modify.
2. Group Your Components
Once you are in the Edit mode, select all the subcomponents involved. This is crucial because grouping these elements together will allow you to save them as a single unit. After selection, locate the Group command—under the Modify tab—and create a group with these selected elements.
3. Save the Group
After creating the group, it’s time to save it. Access the Application Menu (notated by the Revit logo), then go to Save As. From the dropdown menu, choose Library, then navigate to Group. You will be prompted with an option to save.
At this stage, ensure that you specify the appropriate file type. You should adjust the save dialogue to indicate that you want to save it as a family file, which is denoted by the .RFA extension.
4. Naming Your Family
When prompted, give your newly created family a descriptive name. This will make it easier to locate later on. It’s advisable to choose a name that reflects the function or use of the elements in the group you just created.
5. Complete the Saving Process
Once you have selected your preferred name and file type, click Save to finalize the process. It will now be stored in the designated Revit families directory. Congratulations, you have successfully saved your project as a family.
Additional Considerations for Revit Families
Attachments: If your project utilizes additional detail groups or views that you intend to include, ensure to select the options to save those as well during the saving process.
- File Management: Keep an organized file structure for your Revit libraries. This simplifies locating and loading families in future projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I convert any project element into a family?
Not all elements can be converted into families. Only those created as in-place or model elements can be grouped and saved.
2. How do I find my saved families in Revit?
Saved families are typically located in the default library path, commonly found in the folder structure of C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\
3. What file type will my saved family be?
When you save a project as a family in Revit, it will be stored in the Revit Family (.RFA) format, allowing for easy loading into other projects or the same project at a later date.
