TIPS FOR SUBCATEGORIES [SC]

• Don’t overcomplicate sub categories.
• Keep SC’s generic, across Family categories – where appropriate. E.g. Clearances, 3d model, Plan Rep etc
•  Be consistent. Create a spreadsheet of when certain Family Categories & Family Subcategories are to be used.
• Manage and monitor all content
• When you want to change a Family’s category you must first clear any existing subcategories otherwise Revit® will load the Subcategories into the Project file under BOTH family categories in Visibility Graphics. This is almost impossible to remove from a project file once it has happened because you need to know exactly which family caused the problem and… what family category it was before it was changed to current family category. GOOD LUCK with that one. (I imagine a smart API’s…could solve this in future)

 HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND IN THE VISIBILITY  GRAPHICS MENU?

I am still amazed how many people still do highly repetitive tasks manually, over and over again. Use view templates for output views and to speed up documentation processes!!!  If drafters are always switching off the same things to complete a specific task then create a View template for it. Use subcategories to give users control over families and how they appear.

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SUB CATEGORIES/ OBJECT STYLES

• Set the subcategory of ALL geometry in nested and host families.

• Don’t create too many overly complicated subcategories. Keep it simple. Avoid naming that is too specific that forces you to create another subcategory for something that is essentially the same thing. For E.g. “Access Hatch” and a separate category called “Air returns”. Perhaps a subcategory that can be used for both is better suited. E.g. “Mechanical Rep”.

• Make sure when using line styles that you choose the correct subcategories from the Type pull down menu. E.g. Windows [Cut] vs. Windows [Projection].

• Make sure not to make spelling mistakes when using Family Subcategories across a range of families because it will import each variation separately into your Project file or Template. Consider creating an Excel spreadsheet of all approved subcategories and copy and paste text to ensure the name is identical in all families across your library.

Here is an example of what happens when several families are imported into a Project file using similar – but not identical Family Subcategories. This makes editing and creating View Templates a nightmare because it becomes very time consuming to work out which Subcategories belong to which families.

© Copyright Reserved by Michelle Louw (Excerpt from My speaker notes at National Revit Technology Conference 2008.)