How to Unhost a Hosted Family in Revit?

Understanding Hosted Families in Revit

Hosted families in Revit are components that require a specific host element, such as walls, ceilings, or roofs, for placement in a project. These families are dependent on the host for their functionality and placement in the model. Understanding the dynamics of hosted families is essential for users who seek flexibility in their design process.

Steps to Unhost a Hosted Family

Unhosting a family involves detaching it from its host and potentially converting it to a different family type. Follow these steps to successfully unhost a hosted family in Revit:

Step 1: Prepare the Family for Editing

1. Open your Revit project where the hosted family is located.
2. Navigate to the drawing area and select the instance of the hosted family you wish to modify.
3. Access the Modify tab and click on the Edit Family option. This will open the Family Editor.

Step 2: Remove Host Constraints

1. Once in the Family Editor, identify any constraints that bind the family to its host. Look for dimensions or constraints in the drawing area.
2. To remove these constraints, click on the dimension line that represents the hosting relationship.
3. You can either delete the dimension or unlock it by clicking on the lock icon next to it. If there’s an EQ (equality) symbol associated with the dimension, you can click it to disable the equality constraint.

Step 3: Adjust Reference Planes

1. After removing constraints, ensure that the family is no longer connected to the host by creating reference planes.
2. Click on the Reference Plane tool and place new reference planes where you want the family to reside independently.
3. Align your family elements to these new reference planes. This step is crucial to ensure that the family maintains its position in the project once unhosted.

Step 4: Convert to a Generic Family

1. To facilitate the unhosting process, consider creating a new generic family. This allows you to nest the unhosted family without the constraints of the original host.
2. In the Family Editor, navigate to File > New and select the appropriate generic family template.
3. After creating the new family, you can load the modified family into this new generic family, thereby detaching it from its original hosting constraints.

Step 5: Load and Place the Unhosted Family

1. After making the necessary adjustments, save your family file.
2. Return to your original project and load the new unhosted family.
3. Place the unhosted family wherever needed in the model. It is now independent of any host elements.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens to the hosted family when I unhost it?
   Unhosting a family will detach it from its host element, allowing for greater flexibility in placement. The family will no longer depend on host constraints for location.

2. Can I unhost a family without using the Family Editor?
   No, you must access the Family Editor to remove host constraints and make necessary adjustments to the family configuration to ensure it can operate independently.

3. What are the implications of unhosting a family on its dimensions and functionalities?
   After unhosting, the dimensions that originally constrained the family may no longer be applicable. This may require you to redefine dimensions and parameters according to the new settings and intended usage of the family.