A-Families are comprised into 3 types:

-System Families

-Loadable Families

-In-place Families

A-1-System Families: Families that are embedded in the Revit Internal memory, they cannot be saved as
or loaded into a project. They can be customized in the template. Example of System
Families:Walls,Ceilings,Ducts,Pipes,CableTray,Conduit…

A-2-Loadable Families: Families that can be customized and created from a specific template,they can
be saved into .rfa file and can be loaded in any project.

A-3-In-place Families: In-place elements are unique elements that you create when you need to create a unique
component that is specific to the current project. You can create in-place geometry so that it references other project geometry,
resizing or adjusting accordingly if the referenced geometry changes. Examples of in-place elements are:
-unique or unusual geometry, such as a non-standard duct fitting

A non-standard duct fitting created as an in-place family

a custom component that you do not plan to reuse

■ geometry that must reference other geometry in your project
■ a family that does not require multiple family types

B-Face-based Template
Use the face-based template to create work plane-based families that can modify their hosts. Families
created from the template can make complex cuts in hosts. Instances of these families can be placed on
any surface, regardless of its orientation
C-Creating a Type Catalog:
A type catalog is an external text file (TXT) that contains the parameters and their values that create the
different types in a specific family.
Following is a sample type catalog TXT file:
,Manufacturer##other##,Length##length##centimeters,Width##length##centimeters,Height##length##ce
ntimeters
MA36x30,Revit,36.5,2.75,30
MA40x24,Revit,40.5,3.25,24

When loading the corresponding family, you would see the following type catalog:

There are several ways to create a comma-delimited .txt file. You can type it in a text editor such as
Notepad, or you can use database or spreadsheet software to automate the process.

As you create the type catalog, follow these rules:

■ Save the type catalog file name with a .txt extension; the file must have the same name and same
directory path as the Revit MEP family (for example, Sprinklers/Sprinkler-Dry-Hosted.rfa and
Sprinklers/Sprinkler-Dry-Hosted.txt).
■ Use the left column to list types.
■ Use the top row of the file for parameter declaration. Format is columnname##type##unit.
■ Use decimals.
■ Parameter names are case sensitive.
■ You can use single or double quotes. If you are using double quotes, you need to enter "" for Revit
MEP to understand it as double quotes.
■ Valid unit types are length, area, volume, angle, force, and linear force.
■ Valid units: Valid units and suffixes:
■ For length: feet, feet, inches, inches, meters, centimeters, millimeters, meters
■ For hvac_duct_size: feet, feet, inches, inches, meters, centimeters, millimeters, meters
■ For hvac_roughness: feet, feet, inches, inches, meters, centimeters, millimeters, meters
■ For pipe_size: feet, feet, inches, inches, meters, centimeters, millimeters, meters
■ For piping_roughness: feet, feet, inches, inches, meters, centimeters, millimeters, meters
■ For area: square_feet, square_inches, square_meters, square_centimeters, square_millimeters, acres,
hectares
For hvac_cross_section: square_feet, square_inches, square_meters, square_centimeters,
square_millimeters, acres, hectares
■ For volume: cubic_yards, cubic_feet, cubic_inches, cubic_meters,
cubic_centimeters,cubic_millimeters,
liters, gallons
■ For piping_volume: cubic_yards, cubic_feet, cubic_inches, cubic_meters,
cubic_centimeters,cubic_millimeters, liters, gallons
■ For angle: degrees, degrees
■ For force: newtons, decanewtons, kilonewtons, meganewtons, kips, kilograms_force,tonnes_force,
 ■ For linear_moment: newton_meters_per_meter, decanewton_meters_per_meter,
kilonewton_meters_per_meter, meganewton_meters_per_meter, kip_feet_per_foot,
kilogram_force_meters_per_meter, tonne_force_meters_per_meter, pound_force_feet_per_foot
■ For linear_force: newtons_per_meter, decanewtons_per_meter, kilonewtons_per_meter,
meganewtons_per_meter, kips_per_foot, kilograms_force_per_meter, tonnes_force_per_meter,
pounds_force_per_foot, kips_per_inch
■ For pont_spring_coefficient: newtons_per_meter, decanewtons_per_meter, kilonewtons_per_meter,
meganewtons_per_meter, kips_per_foot, kilograms_force_per_meter, tonnes_force_per_meter,
pounds_force_per_foot, kips_per_inch
■ For hvac_pressure: inches_of_water, pascals, kilopascals, megapascals, pounds_force_per_square_inch,
inches_of_mercury, millimeters_of_mercury, atmospheres, bars
■ For area_force: newtons_per_square_meter, decanewtons_per_square_meter,
kilonewtons_per_square_meter, meganewtons_per_square_meter, kips_per_square_foot,
kilograms_force_per_square_meter, tonnes_force_per_square_meter, pounds_force_per_square_foot
■ For piping_pressure: pascals, kilopascals, megapascals, pounds_force_per_square_inch,
inches_of_mercury, millimeters_of_mercury, atmospheres, bars, feet_of_water
■ For stress: pascals, kilopascals, megapascals, pounds_force_per_square_inch, bars,
newtons_per_square_meter, decanewtons_per_square_meter, kilonewtons_per_square_meter,
meganewtons_per_square_meter, kips_per_square_foot, kilograms_force_per_square_meter,
tonnes_force_per_square_meter, pounds_force_per_square_foot, kips_per_square_inch
■ For linear_spring_coefficient: inches_of_water, pascals, kilopascals, megapascals,
pounds_force_per_square_inch, inches_of_mercury, millimeters_of_mercury, atmospheres, bars,
newtons_per_square_meter, decanewtons_per_square_meter, kilonewtons_per_square_meter,
meganewtons_per_square_meter, kips_per_square_foot, kilograms_force_per_square_meter,
tonnes_force_per_square_meter, pounds_force_per_square_foot, feet_of_water, kips_per_square_inch
■ For hvac_energy: british_thermal_units, calories, kilocalories, joules, kilowatt_hours, therms
■ For moment: newton_meters, decanewton_meters, kilonewton_meters, meganewton_meters, kip_feet,
kilogram_force_meters, tonne_force_meters, pound_force_feet
■ For hvac_friction: inches_of_water_per_100ft, pascals_per_meter
■ For piping_friction: pascals_per_meter, feet_of_water_per_100ft
■ For unit_weight: pounds_force_per_cubic_foot, kips_per_cubic_inch, kilonewtons_per_cubic_meter
■ For area_spring_coefficient: inches_of_water_per_100ft, pascals_per_meter, feet_of_water_per_100ft,
pounds_force_per_cubic_foot, kips_per_cubic_inch, kilonewtons_per_cubic_meter, kips_per_cubic_foot
■ For thermal_expansion_coefficient: inverse_degrees_fahrenheit, inverse_degrees_celsius
For rotational_pont_spring_coefficient: kips_per_degree, kilonewtons_per_degree
■ For rotational_linear_spring_coefficient: kips_per_degree_per_foot,
kilonewtons_per_degree_per_meter
■ For hvac_density: kilograms_per_cubic_meter, pounds_mass_per_cubic_foot,
pounds_mass_per_cubic_inch
■ For piping_density: kilograms_per_cubic_meter, pounds_mass_per_cubic_foot,
pounds_mass_per_cubic_inch
■ For hvac_power: watts, kilowatts, british_thermal_units_per_second, british_thermal_units_per_hour,
calories_per_second, kilocalories_per_second
■ For hvac_heat_gain: watts, kilowatts, british_thermal_units_per_second,
british_thermal_units_per_hour, calories_per_second, kilocalories_per_second
■ For electrical_power: watts, kilowatts, british_thermal_units_per_second,
british_thermal_units_per_hour, calories_per_second, kilocalories_per_second, volt_amperes,
kilovolt_amperes, horsepower
■ For electrical_apparent_power: watts, kilowatts, british_thermal_units_per_second,
british_thermal_units_per_hour, calories_per_second, kilocalories_per_second, volt_amperes,
kilovolt_amperes, horsepower
■ For hvac_power_density: watts_per_square_foot, watts_per_square_meter
■ For electrical_power_density: watts_per_square_foot, watts_per_square_meter
■ For hvac_temperature: fahrenheit, celsius, kelvin, rankine
■ For piping_temperature: fahrenheit, celsius, kelvin, rankine
■ For hvac_velocity: feet_per_minute, meters_per_second, centimeters_per_minute
■ For piping_velocity: meters_per_second, feet_per_second
■ For hvac_air_flow: cubic_feet_per_minute, liters_per_second, cubic_meters_per_second,
cubic_meters_per_hour, gallons_us_per_minute, gallons_us_per_hour
■ For piping_flow: liters_per_second, cubic_meters_per_second, cubic_meters_per_hour,
gallons_us_per_minute, gallons_us_per_hour
■ For piping_viscosity: pascal_seconds, pounds_mass_per_foot_second, centipoises,
pounds_mass_per_foot_hour
■ For hvac_viscosity: pascal_seconds, pounds_mass_per_foot_second, centipoises,
pounds_mass_per_foot_hour
■ For electrical_current: amperes, kiloamperes, milliamperes
■ For electrical_potential: volts, kilovolts, millivolts
■ For electrical_frequency: hertz, cycles_per_second
■ For electrical_illuminance: lux, footcandles, footlamberts, candelas_per_square_meter
■ For electrical_luminous_intensity: candelas, lumens
■ For electrical_luminous_flux: lumens

D-Valid Formula Syntax and Abbreviations

Formulas support the following arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division,
exponentiation, logarithms, and square roots. Formulas also support the following trigonometric
functions: sine, cosine, tangent, arcsine, arccosine, and arctangent.
The valid formula abbreviations for arithmetic operations and trigonometric functions are

■ Addition— +
■ Subtraction— -
■ Multiplication—*
■ Division—/
■ Exponentiation—^: x^y, x raised to the power of y
■ Logarithm—log
■ Square root—sqrt: sqrt(16)
■ Sine—sin
■ Cosine—cos
■ Tangent—tan
■ Arcsine—asin
■ Arccosine—acos
■ Arctangent—atan
■ e raised to an x power—exp
■ Absolute Value—abs

You can enter integers, decimals, and fractional values in formulas, using normal mathematical syntax, as
shown in the examples below:
■ Length = Height + Width + sqrt(Height*Width)
■ Length = Wall 1 (11000mm)+ Wall 2 (15000mm)
■ Area = Length (500mm) * Width (300mm)
■ Volume = Length (500mm) * Width (300mm) * Height (800 mm)
■ Width = 100m * cos(angle)
■ x = 2*abs(a) + abs(b/2)
■ ArrayNum = Length/Spacing
Parameter names in formulas are case sensitive. For example, if a parameter name begins with a capital
letter,such as Width, you must enter it in the formula with an initial capital letter. If you enter it in a
formula using lower-case letters instead, for example, width * 2, the software will not recognize the
formula.

E-Conditional Statements in Formulas

You can use conditional statements in formulas to define actions in a family that depend on the state of
other parameters. With conditional statements, the software enters values for a parameter based on
whether a specified condition is satisfied. Conditional statements are useful in certain circumstances;
however, they make families more complex and should be used only when necessary.
For most type parameters, conditional statements are unnecessary because the type parameter itself is like
a conditional statement: If this is the type, then set this parameter to a specified value. Instance parameters
are a more productive place to use conditional statements, particularly when they are used to set a
parameter that does not vary continuously.

The following are sample formulas that use conditional statements.

Simple IF: =IF (Length < 3000mm, 200mm, 300mm)
IF with a text parameter: =IF (Length > 35', “String1”, “String2”)
IF with logical AND: =IF ( AND (x = 1 , y = 2), 8 , 3 )
IF with logical OR: =IF ( OR ( A = 1 , B = 3 ) , 8 , 3 )
Embedded IF statements: =IF ( Length < 35' , 2' 6" , IF ( Length < 45' , 3' , IF ( Length < 55' , 5' , 8' ) ) )
IF with Yes/No condition: =Length > 40 (Note that both the condition and the results are implied.)
Building Information Management-Middle East
Tel : +961-1-499998
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Done by: Mahmoud Ziedan
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Email: [email protected]