Video: Use Nested and Shared Families

Control tagging and scheduling of loadable families by using nesting and the Shared parameter.

This video demonstrates the following:

  1. Understand when to use nesting and the Shared parameter with loadable families.
  2. Use nested families to create a new model element.
  3. Understand the effects on tagging and schedules when nesting and the Shared parameter are changed.
Note: This video was recorded using Revit 2016. When using a newer software release, you may notice differences in functionality and user interface.

Transcript

When you create loadable families, you can nest or insert families into each other to create more complex geometry. When families are nested, they can be shared or not shared. The Shared setting of the nested family controls how it is tagged and scheduled when loaded into a project.

In this example, we will use nested families to create a mulled (or ganged) window. The mulled unit will consist of one fixed window in the middle with double-hung windows on each side. In the first example, the double-hung windows will be nested into the fixed window family. Before nesting, notice in the Family Categories and Parameters dialog that the window is not shared.

After creating the mulled window, it is loaded into a project. When tagged and scheduled, the entire mulled window acts as a single window.

We'll change the double-hung window to be shared before nesting it into the fixed window family. Now, when the mulled unit is loaded into a project, the double-hung windows can be individually tagged by pressing the Tab key and placing the tag. The double-hung windows are listed in the schedule, along with the mulled unit. However, you still cannot individually tag or schedule the fixed window.

To tag and schedule the fixed window in the mulled unit, it must also be shared and nested. In this case, we will create a new window family, select Shared for both the double-hung window and the fixed window, and nest these families into the host family. When the family is loaded into a project, you can tag and schedule all of the nested sub-components.

Use nesting to create more complex families, and use the Shared parameter to control the tagging and scheduling behavior of nested families.