Autodesk 256B1-05A761-1301 - AutoCAD Revit Structure Suite 2010, User Manual

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Different Kinds of Families
There are 3 kinds of families in Revit Architecture:
■ system families
■ loadable families
■ in-place families
Most elements that you create in your projects are system families or loadable families. Loadable families
can be combined to create nested and shared families. Non-standard or custom elements are created using
in-place families.
System Families
System families create basic building elements such as walls, roofs, ceilings, floors, and other elements that
you would assemble on a construction site. System settings, which affect the project environment and
include types for levels, grids, drawing sheets, and viewports, are also system families.
System families are predefined in Revit Architecture. You do not load them into your projects from external
files, nor do you save them in locations external to the project.
Loadable Families
Loadable families are families used to create both building components and some annotation elements.
Loadable families create the building components that would usually be purchased, delivered, and installed
in and around a building, such as windows, doors, casework, fixtures, furniture, and planting. They also
include some annotation elements that are routinely customized, such as symbols and title blocks.
Because of their highly customizable nature, loadable families are the families that you most commonly
create and modify in Revit Architecture. Unlike system families, loadable families are created in external
RFA files and imported, or loaded, in your projects. For loadable families that contain many types, you can
create and use type catalogs, which allow you load only the types that you need for a project.
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. When you create an in-place element,
Revit Architecture creates a family for the in-place element, which contains a single family type.
Creating an in-place element involves many of the same Family Editor tools as creating a loadable family.
For detailed information about Revit Architecture families, see
The Families Guide on page 418.
Family Editor
The Family Editor is a graphical editing mode in Revit Architecture that allows you to create and modify
families to include in your project. When you start creating a family, you open a template to use in the
editor. The template can include multiple views, such as plans and elevations. The Family Editor has the
same look and feel as the project environment in Revit Architecture, but it features different tools. The
availability of tools depends on the type of family you are editing.
416 | Chapter 9 Revit Families