Video: Upgrade Steel Framing Families in Legacy Projects

Update a steel detailing family in a legacy project that contains both new and obsolete parameters.

This video demonstrates the following:

1. Opening the family from the project in Floor Plan Reference View to verify the Material.
2. Accessing the Family Type dialog to verify the conditions for updating the family.
3. Removing the unnamed reference planes to the left and right of the sweep.
4. Editing the constraints of a beam in the Medium detail level of the profile and aligning and locking each end of the sweep path to the appropriate reference plane.
5. Deleting the reference planes to the far left and right in the reference level view and saving the family.
6. Loading the family back into the project to see the results of the upgrade.

Note: This video was recorded using Revit 2014. When using a newer software release, you may notice differences in functionality and user interface.

Transcript

Autodesk Revit 2014 introduced new Geometric Position parameters for precise control over steel beam and brace geometry. Several onsolete parameters were removed. Projects designed in previous releases of Revit will retain four of these parameters. This video describes how to upgrade steel beam families to remove the obsolete parameters.

In this model, a beam family contains both new and obsolete parameters. The new Geometric Position parameters are here - the old Construction extension parameters are here - And the old extension calculation parameters are here. Also notice the shape handles on the beam. When you remove the obsolete parameters, the shape handles are no longer available. Open the family from the project and open the Floor Plan Reference View. Verify that the Material for the Model Behavior parameter is Steel, Wood, Light Gauge Steel, or Precast Concrete. If it is Concrete, do not update the family.

In the Family Type dialog, notice the four obsolete parameters. Start and End Extensions. And Start and End Extension Calculations. Also notice that the Start and End Extensions are part of the formulas for the Start and End Extension Calculation parameters. If any of these conditions are not met, do not update the family. Otherwise, remove each of the four parameters. In the reference plane view, at either end of the beam, there are two reference planes that are collinear, delete the short unnamed reference planes to the left and right of the sweep. Be sure not to delete the longer reference planes. Select the sweep geometry. Notice it is the Medium detail level profile in the Properties palette. Then, click Edit Sweep and Sketch Path to edit the constraints of the beam. Next, select the path. Align and lock each end of the path to the appropriate reference plane. Use the same procedure to align the constraints of the Fine and Symbolic representations of the beam family. Remember to lock all constraints. The last step is to delete two reference planes to the far left and right in the reference level view and then save the family. Load the family back into the project to see the results of the upgrade. Notice the shape handles are gone – as are the obsolete parameters.