Revit Families: Creating a simple Window

Example of the Window Family built in this tutorial

If you need a quick fresh up for the Revit Interface, please refer to Getting started with Revit: Interface.

Introduction

In this tutorial you'll create a simple Revit Window Family. The tutorial has two main parts:

• Creating the base family with few Family Parameters
• Modifying the Family to be more flexible, using Family Parameters

This will be a simplified window, with low detail in the profiles of the windows frame. The aim is to have a sketch-level window that can be used in the early stages of the design process. Of course you can always add more detail later.

Family Basics

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To create a new Family, you can use one of the templates that are shipped with Revit. This makes sure the required references and properties are present in your Family.

• Click the Application Button, New, Family
• The 'New Family - Select Template File' Windows opens:
  
• Find and select the Metric Window.rft file (In C:\Program Data\Autodesk\RAC 20##\Family Templates\English)
• Click Open.

This template already has some predefined Parameters, or 'Types Properties'. These are used to configure the Family, in this case our Window, so you don't have to create a new Family for different types of the same Window. You can imagine that there's really little difference between a window that's 1000mm in width and one that's 1200mm.

The Metric Window Family Template already has width and height parameters. In the Plan view you can see the dimension line for the width. There's also a dimension with Equality (EQ) enabled that makes sure that no matter which width you choose, the window is always centered.

And in Elevation (exterior in this case), you can see the Height, as well as the Sill height dimension:

• Save your Family in your Documents folder.

Sketching the opening

There is already an opening from the Family Template that is linked to the width and height properties, but it creates a straight cut into the wall. For our family we want an opening that is a little more detailed, so we can accommodate a Sill ('dorpel' in Dutch).

At the left below you see the default opening as is in the Family Template, at the right the opening we want.

We're going to remove the default opening cut:

• Go to the Plan view (Ref. Level)
• Move your mouse to the interior side of the wall where the opening is and select the Opening Cut
  
• Press Delete. The opening is removed; the cross hatch from the wall will appear.

To create the new opening, we're creating a Void Sweep. By drawing a cross-section and the path (rail) along which this profile will be swept, you can create more intricate openings. Let's see how that works:

• First we make sure our Reference Plane is set properly. On the Create tab, in the Work Plane panel, click (Set Work Plane). Select 'reference Plane : Exterior'.
• Revit may prompt you to go to another View. Select 'Elevation: Exterior'.
• In the Create tab, Forms Panel, click (Void Forms), choose (Void Sweep).
• In the Sweep Panel, click (Sketch Path)
• Draw the path along which the sweep will be created. In this case a single straight line along the lower horizontal reference line (green dashed line). Click Modify twice or press Esc twice to end drawing lines.
  

This path is suited for the current width of the window. But what would happen if we changed the width? Our path would be too long or too short. To fix this, we'll constrain the path to the Left and Right reference planes (dashed green lines).

• In the Modify panel, click (Align)
• Click the Right reference plane
• Click the end point on the line of the path you sketched; a blue dot appears at the end when you're close.
• An open lock icon appears, indicating this alignment is unconstrained. Click the lock icon, so it closes and becomes a constraint:
  
• Repeat for the other side.
• We also want to constrain it to the lower horizontal reference plane. Click the lower horizontal reference plane, then click the line of our path and click the lock icon constrain the alignment.
• When you select the line, it should look like this:
  
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

That is part one: Revit now knows along which line the profile (cross section) should be swept and this path is constrained to the proper reference planes. Next you need to draw the profile. When you Finish drawing the path, the Profile Option Menu appears:

Example of a profile (cross-section) for our opening Void Sweep

• Click Edit in the Profile Option Menu.
• Revit will ask you to change view to be able to draw the profile (which is perpendicular to the path). Choose Elevation: Left.
• From the Draw panel, make sure the (Line) tool is selected.
• Draw the cross section for the opening. Use the image at the right as a reference. Make sure the line is neatly closed. For now extend the opening at the exterior side (which accommodates the Sill) 70 mm beyond the reference line.

Just as we did with the path, we need to constrain our profile as well:

• Align and lock the top line to the top horizontal reference plane,
• ...the left line to the exterior reference plane,
• ...the right line to the interior reference plane,
• ...the bottom line at the height of the lower horizontal reference plane to that plane.
• To constrain the line that is below the lower reference plane, we need to create a dimension. Go to the Annotation tab. In the Dimension panel, click (Aligned Dimension)
• Click the lower horizontal reference plane, then click the lower line of our profile (that sits 70mm below the reference plane). Position the dimension at the left side and lock it:
  

• In the Edit Profile tab, click (Finish Edit Mode)

Our Profile is now ready. Finish the Void Sweep and make sure it creates an opening.

Our finished opening in 3D

• In the Modify | Sweep tab, click (Finish Edit Mode)
• Go to the Plan view (Ref. Level)
• In the Geometry panel (Sketch Tab), click (Cut Geometry)
• First click the Wall
• Then click the Void Sweep
• The wall is now cut and has a neat opening. Go to a 3D view to confirm.

Save your Family.

Creating the Window Frame

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Next we're going to create the Window Frame. This is done using Sweeps. But before we're going to create them, we're first setting up a Reference Plane that will determine the depth at which the frame sits in the opening (dag or negge in Dutch), measured from the outside of the wall to the outside of the frame.

Example of the Reference Plane in place

• Go to the Plan view (Ref. Level)
• On the Create tab, Datum panel, click (Reference Plane)
• Draw a horizontal line between the exterior side and the wall's center to indicate the position of the Reference Plane. Position it about 60mm from the exterior side of the wall. Click Modify twice when finished.
• Select the Reference Plane you drew and make sure to give it a name in the Properties Panel, eg 'Outside Frame' or 'Negge' (Dutch).
• Create an Aligned Dimension (Annotate Tab). In the Option Menu, select 'Wall Faces' for Place Dimensions. Select the exterior face, the click the Reference Plane and position the Dimension. Don't forget to lock it.
• The result should look something like the example at the right.

Next we're going to create the left, right and top Window frame parts.

End result when the path is selected after the steps in this section

• Make sure our Reference Plane is set properly. On the Create tab, in the Work Plane panel, click (Set Work Plane). Select 'reference Plane : name you specified in the previous steps'.
• Revit may prompt you to go to another View. Select 'Elevation: Exterior'.
• In the Create tab, Forms Panel, click (Sweep)
• In the Sweep Panel, click (Sketch Path)
• Draw the path along which the sweep will be created. Start at the lower left end. Click Modify twice or press Esc twice to end drawing lines.
  
• Align and lock the three line segments to the corresponding reference planes.
• The end result, when you select the path, should look something like the example at the right.
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

Now it's time to draw the profile (cross-section) of the Window Frame.

End result of the profile

• Click Edit in the Option Menu to edit the profile
  
• You'll be prompted to switch view. Go to the Ref. Level Plan view.
• In the Draw Panel, click (Rectangle).
• Draw a rectangle starting at the red dot. Make it 80mm high, and 70mm wide. Click Modify twice when finished. If you didn't get the dimensions right straight away, you can click any line and change the dimension numerically.
• Align and lock the two sides that run at the position of reference planes to the reference planes.
• Create Aligned Dimensions for the width and depth, and lock them.
• The end result should be something like the example shown at the right.
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

Finish the Sweep and check the result

The result in 3D

• Click (Finish Edit Mode) to finish the Sweep.
• Save your Family.
• Go to a 3D view and check the result.

The next to do is to draw the bottom part of the Window Frame. Most Window Frames have a slightly different profile for the bottom part.

End result, when path is selected, after the steps in this section

• Make sure the Reference Plane is set properly. On the Create tab, in the Work Plane panel, click (Set Work Plane). Select 'reference Plane : name you specified in the previous steps'.
• Revit may prompt you to go to another View. Go to the 'Elevation: Exterior' view.
• In the Create tab, Forms Panel, click (Sweep)
• In the Sweep Panel, click (Sketch Path)
• Draw the path along which the sweep will be created. Click Modify twice or press Esc twice to end drawing lines.
  
• Align and lock the line to the three corresponding reference planes, just as you did with the path for the opening.
• The end result, when you select the path, should look something like the example at the right.
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

Draw the profile (cross-section) of the Bottom Window Frame.

End result of the bottom profile

• Click Edit in the Option Menu to edit the profile
  
• You'll be prompted to switch view. Go to the 'Elevation: Left' view.
• Draw a line starting at the red dot, going clockwise. First segment goes up. We want to create a profile with a slight slope (for the water to run of). The total height will be 70, so draw the first line (front of the frame) up 50mm. Click Modify once to finish this single line segment.
• Next draw a new line for the back end of the frame. Use the lines of the existing frames as a reference for the horizontal position. Make this line 70mm high. Now finish the rest of the shape to your own preference. Use the example at the right as a guide. Be sure to create a neatly closed line. Click Modify twice when finished.
• If you didn't get the dimensions / shape right straight away, you can click any line and change it.
• Align and lock the two sides that run at the position of reference planes (front and bottom) to the reference planes.
• Create Aligned Dimensions for the width and depth, front height and glass depth, and lock them.
  Note that you may have to use the TAB key to select the object you want and that sometimes the lock icons apear outside your screen, so you may have to zoom and pan to find them.
• The end result should be something like the example shown at the right.
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

Finish the Sweep and check the result

The result in 3D

• Click (Finish Edit Mode) to finish the Sweep.
• Go to a 3D view and check the result.
• On the Geometry Panel, click (Join geometry) to make a nice join between the bottom frame and the rest of the frame.
• Click the bottom frame sweep
• Click the left/top/right frame sweep
• The result should be something like the example at the right.
• Save your Family.

Last thing that needs to be done, is adding the glass panel.

End result, when path is selected, after the steps in this section

• Make sure the Reference Plane is set properly. On the Create tab, in the Work Plane panel, click (Set Work Plane). Select 'reference Plane : name you specified in the previous steps'.
• Revit may prompt you to go to another View. Go to the 'Elevation: Exterior' view.
• In the Create tab, Forms Panel, click (Sweep)
• In the Sweep Panel, click (Sketch Path)
• Draw the path along which the sweep will be created. In this case it's a horizontal line at the top of the bottom frame and between the left and right frame. Click Modify twice or press Esc twice to end drawing lines.
  
• Align and lock the line to the top of the bottom frame and the inner sides of the left and right frame. Use TAB to make sure you select the 'Joined Solid Geometry : Reference' (top of the bottom frame).
• The end result, when you select the path, should look something like the example at the right.
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

Draw the profile (cross-section) of the Glass Panel.

End result of the glass panel profile

• Click Edit in the Option Menu to edit the profile
  
• You'll be prompted to switch view. Go to the 'Elevation: Left' view.
• Draw a rectangle starting at the edge of the sloped edge of the frame. Make the rectangle 10mm wide and go up to the bottom edge of the top frame.
  
  Click Modify twice when finished.
• If you didn't get the dimensions or position right straight away, you can click any line and change it.
• Align and lock the top and bottom edge to the top and bottom window frames. Use TAB to change selections where needed.
• Create Aligned Dimensions for the thickness of the glass and the horizontal position within the frame, and lock them.
• The end result should be something like the example shown at the right.
• Click (Finish Edit Mode)

Finish the Sweep and check the result

The result in 3D

• Click (Finish Edit Mode) to finish the Sweep.
• Go to a 3D view
• Select the sweep of the glass panel
• In the Properties Panel, change the Material to Glass by clicking the small button after '<By Category>'
  

In the Associate Family Parameter window you can add a Parameter to your Family to set the material for this object. This allows you to easily set the material through the Window's type Properties in your Revit Project when you use this Family.

• Click on 'Add parameter...'
• Specify a Name, eg: 'Frame Panel Material'
  
• Click OK
• Click OK

• To set a default for this Parameter, on the Properties panel, click (Family Types)
• For the Frame Panel Material, use the small button in the Value field to set a default value. Choose Glass.
• Click OK.
• You may repeat these steps for the Window Frame. For now a Default Material is fine.
• Save your Family.

Note that by setting a default value for the Family Parameters that, in this case, control the material of the frame and panel, does not mean is cannot be changed within a project. On the contrary. By using a Family Parameter, it becomes something you can control from 'outside' the Family when you apply the family in a Revit Project.

Adding the Sill

Finished Sill in 3D

Adding the Sill ('dorpel' in Dutch) is similar to the Windows Frame and Glass Panel. You should be able to create one yourself, using the example below as a reference. Use the Exterior Reference Plane and don't forget to constrain your path and profile.

Family Parameters

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So now you have your Window Family. Let's see what it can and what it cannot (yet) do:

Different types of our Window Family: variations in size

Because we've used the Metric Window template, there are already a few parameters in our family that can change the window when using it in a project, without having to load a different version of the family. These are:

• Width
• Height
• Default Sill Height (vertical position)

If you completed all steps, you've already added a few parameters yourself: the material for the components of your window (frame, frame panel and sill)

These Parameters are Type Parameters that can be specified when you've loaded the family in your project and click Edit Type.

So that's nice: you don't have to modify your Family file, save it in another name just to change the width or height of the window. But remember the distance between the outside of the wall and the window frame ('negge' in Dutch)? You've created a reference plane with a locked dimension for that in the first steps of Creating the Window Frame. It would be nice if you could change that directly as well (make it a Parameter). Let's do that:

• On the Create or Modify Tab, click (Family Types)
  
• On the right side, under Parameters, click Add...
• Enter a name: 'Frame Depth', or 'Negge' (dutch). As this is a distance, the type 'Length' is fine.
  
• Click OK
• It's recommended to give it a sensible default value (60 in this case)
• Click OK to close the Family Types window.

But we're not there yet. You have to let Revit know that this Parameter should control the dimension you created that positions the Outside Frame (or however you named it) reference Plane from the outside of the wall. You do this by Labeling the dimension.

• Go to your Plan view Ref. Level.
• You should find the dimension there. Click to select it.
• In the Options Bar, you should see the options for the dimension:
  
• Open the Label Pull-down. You should find 'Frame Depth' (or however you named the parameter) there:
  
• Select it.
• The result should look something like this:
  

Now, the distance of the Reference Plane to the outside of the wall is controlled by the 'Frame Depth' Parameter and you can change this in the Type Properties of your Window when you apply it in your project. This makes the Family even more flexible.

There's only a small problem: when you change the Frame Depth (or: 'negge') parameter: the opening in the wall won't change accordingly. In the example below the Frame Depth has been changed to 30 (change this in the (Family Types) window) and you can see the opening in the wall hasn't updated, resulting in a gap behind the sill:

You have to change the constraints on the Void Sweep that created the opening:

• In the Left Elevation, select the Void Sweep that creates the opening (you may have to use the TAB key)
• In the Modify | Void Sweep Tab, Click (Edit Sweep)
• Select the profile of the sweep. Or hit the select profile button in the ribbon
• In the Options Bar, click Edit
• Align the profile, so the Opening is correct
• Create a Dimension so you can lock the position of the recess of the opening to the reference Plane that controls the horizontal position of the Window Frame. Lock it.
  
• On the Modify | Sweep > Edit Profile Tab, click Finish (Finish Edit Mode) to finish editing the profile
• On the Modify | Sweep Tab, click Finish (Finish Edit Mode) to finish editing the sweep

Now you should be able to change the Frame Depth in the wall, and end up with a logical result.

Some problems may still occur: If the front of the Window Sill sticks out too much or too little, you didn't constrain the front edge of the sill (horizontally) properly to the outside of the wall. Change the Sweep Profile of the sill to fix this.

Other problems are probably of the same nature. When you make your Family more flexible by using Parameters, you need to get your constraints just right. You might call it an art (maybe)...

The way to get this right is to change ('Flex') your family by changing Parameters and see what happens. Analyze the problem and with a little logic you should be able to fix it.

You can improve your family further by adding more parameters as needed. In this case you might consider adding a parameter for the distance the Sill sticks out beyond the edge of the wall. Or...

... but don't overdo it!