ISSUE #13 / SUMMER 2019

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REVIT PURE PRESENTS

PAMPHLETS

ISSUE #13 / SUMMER 2019

DOORS

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PAMPHLETS

ISSUE #13 / SUMMER 2019 / DOORS

WHAT IS THIS “PAMPHLET” ?

Revit Pure Pamphlets are published 4 times a year by email. Each edition covers a very specific Revit theme. We like to pick themes that are

complex and confusing. Our job is to make these topics simple for you.

WHY DOORS?

This is the most epic pamphlet ever created. We go deep. You are going to learn a lot.

Doors families are among the most puzzling and challenging to create. You will learn the basic principles of a good door family. Then, you will get step-by-step instructions to great a simple steel frame door family. Next, you will learn how to create a custom nested plan swing family. Finally, you will learn how to create different plan swing line style for phasing.

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9 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND DOOR FAMILIES

The previous page illustrate the optimal door family structure. Some elements are included directly in the main family, while some other

elements are used in nested families. The following tips will guide you in the basic door family principles.

1- USE EXTRUSION TO MODEL DOOR PANELS

2- USE SWEEP TO MODEL DOOR FRAMES

Door frames are usually modeled using the Sweep tool. When creating a sweep, you draw a profile that will be extruded following a specific path. Frame profiles are usually aligned and locked to reference planes.

Door panels are modeled using the Extrusion tools. The edge of the panels are locked to reference planes. These reference planes are usually locked to “Height” and “Width” dimension labels. The thickness of the door panel is usually assigned in plan view.

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3- MAKE DOOR 3D GEOMETRY INVISIBLE IN PLAN

VIEW

The door panel and frame visibility should be turned off in a plan view by using the Visibility / Graphics Overrides menu. Instead, use symbolic lines to represent simple geometry that is more appropriate in a plan view. Below, you can see the 3D geometry is turned off in Plan and RCP.

4- CREATE FORMULAS FOR ROUGH DIMENSIONS

By default, door families include “Rough Height” and “Rough Width” parameters. These values are usually assigned to the Opening Cut

that creates a hole in the wall. You can find the exact value for these dimensions by adding the door panel with part of the frame thickness.

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5- CREATE A NESTED PLAN SWING FAMILY

The 2D representation of the door swing in a plan view should be created in a separate, nested door family. This family can be customized to create a swing angle and add different line style depending on phasing. You will learn how to create such a family in page 27.

6- ADD EXTERNAL FAMILIES FOR HARDWARE

To add realism to 3D views and renderings, it can be a smart move to add handles and hinges to your door family. Use external families instead of modeling them directly in the main door family. This way, you can use the same hardware in multiple families.

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7- AVOID DOOR SUPERFAMILIES

If you download door families on random BIM and vendor websites, you are likely to get garbage, over-modeled super-families. A “super-family” means that there is a lot of customization options that can be activated by checking some parameters. The problem is that these families are often very heavy and will slow down your model performance. They also have a ton of parameters that will poison your model.

Instead of using these behemoths, create multiple small and efficient door families. The default Autodesk door families are a good starting point for beginners.

8- CREATE A CUSTOM DOOR FAMILY TEMPLATE

If you are going to create multiple similar door families, it might be a good idea to create a custom family template. Create all the basic common parameters, reference planes and geometry. Then, save the family and

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9- PLAN THE DOOR YOU WANT TO CREATE

Before creating the family, make sure you understand what kind of door family you want to create. Here is the kind of information you need to know:

- Will you be using a steel frame or a wood frame? - Is it a simple door or a double door?

- Do you want a trim around the door opening?

- Are you going to use the door for 3D views and renderings? If so, you will need to think about hardware families for more realism.

- Are you creating a door with a simple solid panel, or with a multiple panels and glazing?

- Are you creating a garage door? A pocket door? A swing door?

- What dimensions to you want to be customizable apart from the width and height of the door?

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16 STEPS TO CREATE A SIMPLE DOOR FAMILY

Now that you’ve learned the basic principles, let’s put them in application. In this tutorial, we will create a simple swing door. The door will have a steel frame and will be adapted mostly for an interior use on dry walls. It will have a simple panel with no glazing.

It will include a simple handle lever hardware on both side of the panel, with a customizable strike distance height. The door swing will be customizable with an angle parameter. It will include a formula to calculate a value

for Rough Height and Rough Width dimensions. The materials will be customizable inside a project for the door frame, door panel and all the hardware.

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1- CREATE NEW FAMILY WITH THE DEFAULT TEMPLATE

Create a new family. Use the Metric - Door or Imperial - Door default Autodesk template.

This door family template is made for a residential wooden door family by default. Since we are building a door with a steel frame, you’ll need to delete a few elements. Go to the plan view. Delete the trim elements.

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2- CREATE ROUGH DIMENSIONS REFERENCE PLANES

Let’s create additional reference planes to adapt for the full door opening that includes the frame. Go to the front elevation view. Create new

reference planes like displayed in red in the image below. Don’t worry about dimensions for now.

The red reference planes are used for more clarity in the tutorial, but it’s ok if you use the standard green ones.

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3- CREATE FRAME THICKNESS PARAMETER

To fully automate the complete door opening, you need to create a new Frame Thickness parameter. Go to the Family Type menu. Click on the small icon to create a new parameter. Use the settings like in the image below.

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4- CREATE ROUGH WIDTH AND HEIGHT FORMULAS

Type in a standard value for the Frame Thickness, like 50mm. Now, type in formulas like in the image below for both the Rough Width and the Rough Height parameter. These values are calculated by adding the frame thickness to the door height and width. Subtract a number to account for the overlap between the frame and the wall. In this case, we use 19mm.

5- ASSIGN ROUGH DIMENSIONS TO REF. PLANES

Now, go back to the family elevation. Add a new dimension between the two red vertical reference planes and the central one. Click on the EQ button.

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Create new dimensions like illustrated below. Assign the “Rough Width” and “Rough Height” labels.

6- LOCK OPENING CUT TO ROUGH WIDTH /HEIGHT

In the elevation, select the Opening Cut. Click on Edit Sketch. Use the Align tool (shortcut: AL) to align each boundary line to the red reference planes. Click on the Lock icon to lock the constraint. The opening cut will now include part of the frame instead of just the door panel.

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7- MODEL DOOR PANEL IN ELEVATION

Stay in the elevation view and select the Extrusion tool. Use the Pick Line tool and click on the green reference lines assigned to the Height and Width. Lock all the boundary lines. Then, use the Trim tool (shortcut: TR) to cut the excess line segments. Click on the green check to complete.

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8- ASSIGN DOOR THICKNESS IN PLAN VIEW

Go back to the plan view. Create a new reference plane below the exterior wall face, like in the image below. Create a dimension between the

reference planes and assign the “Thickness” parameter to it. Make sure to

lock the thickness parameter. Use the Align tool (shortcut: AL) to match the panel to that new reference plane. Click on the lock icon.

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9- DEACTIVATE PANEL VISIBILITY IN PLAN VIEW

The 3D door panel we’ve just created should be visible in 3D views and elections, but not in a plan view. Instead, we’re going to load a plan swing family later on.

Select the door panel. In the instance parameter, click on Visibility / Graphics Overrides.

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10- CREATE A SWEEP FOR THE DOOR FRAME

Go to the elevation view. Select the Sweep tool. Click on Pick Path, then select the 3 edges of the opening cut. Click the green check to complete.

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11- DRAW THE FRAME PROFILE IN PLAN VIEW

Draw the sweep profile in the floor plan view. Draw the boundary lines like in the image below. Make sure to lock all the dimensions. Create a new vertical reference plane with the “Frame Thickness” parameter assigned. Keep a 5mm distance from the door panel to the frame middle section. If you want, you can include the frame thickness (like on the right image). Test the frame by changing the door width and the default wall thickness.

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12- CREATE A COARSE FRAME MASKING REGION

When working in view using the Coarse setting, you might want to see a simple frame instead of the complex sweep we’ve created. Select the frame sweep and click on Visibility/Graphics Settings in the instance properties. Uncheck visibility for coarse setting. Then, use the Masking Region tool with Frame/Mullion [cut] lines and create a rectangle that is locked to the reference planes. Make it visible only in coarse views.

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13- ASSOCIATE A NESTED PLAN SWING FAMILY

Earlier, we deactivated the door panel visibility in plan view. Now, it’s time to load a nested Plan Swing Family. You can use an Autodesk made family, but it would be smart to create your own plan swing family. Be warned: making such family is not an easy task. We describe all the steps on this pamphlet. Check it out on page 27.

When the family is ready, make sure to associate the Thickness, Width and Swing Angle parameters to the main door family. Align and lock the swing family to the reference planes in the main family.

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14- LOAD HARDWARE FAMILIES

Now, we’ll insert an Autodesk Handle Lever Family. Go to the Insert tab and click on Load Family. Go to the Hardware subfolder in the doors category. Place the family in a plan view. Align and lock to reference planes. Set and lock distance from the door panel edge.

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Go to the elevation view. Create a new horizontal reference plane. Create a dimension from the base level. Assign a new parameter called “Strike Distance”. See tip 4 if you don’t remember how to create a new length parameter. Align the center of the handles to this reference plane and lock.

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15- ASSIGN SUBCATEGORY TO ELEMENTS

To properly control the visibility and graphics of each door component, you need to properly assign the correct subcategories. Go to the plan view. Select the door frame sweep. In the instance properties, set it to

Frame/Mullion. Repeat the same steps to place the door panel to the Panel subcategory. Make sure to place any door element to the correct subcategory.

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16- CREATE MATERIAL PARAMETERS

You need to create new material parameters for the door frame, panel and all the hardware components.

Click on the door panel. In the instance properties, click on the small rectangle. Create a new parameter called “Panel Material”. You’ll be able to assign a material once inside a project. Repeat the same step for the frame and create a “Frame Material”.

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17 STEPS TO CREATED A PLAN SWING FAMILY

The 2D representation of a door you see in a plan view should come from a nested Door Swing family, not from the door 3D geometry. In this next tutorial, you are going to learn how to create a plan swing family from scratch.

If you really don’t feel like creating this family, you can use the default one created by Autodesk. Open any door family and scroll down to find the Doors subcategory. Right-click on the Door Swing-Single family and click on “Edit Family”.

Be careful: creating a nested family is actually a little complicated. You will learn a lot about families, including how to use the Reference Line and how to properly use angle dimensions. Let’s get started.

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1 - CREATE A “GENERIC MODEL” FAMILY

Create a new Revit family using the Metric Generic Model family template. Of course, you can use imperial if you prefer.

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2 - SWITCH FAMILY TO DOORS CATEGORY

Go to the Family Category And Parameters menu. Switch the family from the Generic category to the Door category. A couple of new parameters like width and thickness will be created automatically.

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3 - CREATE VERTICAL REFERENCE PLANE

Go to the plan view of the family. Create a new reference plane to the left of the existing vertical reference plane. Create a dimension between the two vertical reference planes and assign the Width parameter.

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4 - CREATE REFERENCE LINE, ALIGN END POINT TO

REFERENCE PLANES

Anytime you want to use an angle parameter inside Revit, you need to create a reference line. Create it along the reference plane on the right, with the first point at the intersection of the reference planes. Then, use the Align tool (shortcut: AL) to align the end point of the reference line to both reference planes. You will have to use tab to toggle among all the options. Click on the lock icon.

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5 - ASSIGN WIDTH AND ANGLE PARAMETERS

Create a dimension to link each endpoint of the reference line. Assign the width parameter to the dimension. Then, create an angle dimension between the horizontal reference plane and the reference line. Create a new instance parameter for the angle value. Call it “Actual Angle” and use the Graphics category for grouping. Lock all dimensions.

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6 - TEST THE ANGLE

Angle values with reference lines can sometimes be buggy. To make sure everything works fine, change the Actual Angle to test a few different values. Make sure to try the important 90, 180 and 270 values along with a few random angles.

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7 - CREATE 3 MORE REFERENCE LINES

Create 3 more reference lines to match the outlines of the door in plan view. Add a “thickness” dimension label. Then, add angle dimensions between each reference line. They should all be 90. Lock them all.

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8 - CREATE MASKING REGION AND ALIGN

Go to the “Annotate” tab and select the “Masking Region” tool. Select the Panel [cut] line style. Use the Pick Lines option and click on each reference line. Then, use the Align tool (shortcut: AL) and align each boundary line to the reference line. Click the green check to complete. Again, you should test multiple angles to make sure the family works.

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9 - CREATE A “DOOR SWING” LINE STYLE

In the Manage tab, click on Object Style. Create a new door model subcategory called “Plan Swing”.

10 - CREATE DOOR SWING ARC LINE

Go to the Annotate tab and select the Symbolic Lines tool. Create an arc line using the new Plan Swing [projection] line style. Use the Center-ends arc draw option. Click once at the intersection of the center reference planes, then again at the left reference plane and finally click on the reference line current position (see next page).

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11 - ALIGN AND LOCK ARC LINE

The arc line is now created. Select the line and activate the Center Mark Visible parameter in the instance properties. Align the center mark of the arc line to both reference planes and lock.

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You need a 3rd and final alignment to the arc line. Align the endpoint of the arc line to the horizontal reference plane and lock. Be careful: never align the arc line to the door panel reference line.

12- ASSIGN PARAMETERS TO ARC LINE

Assign the Width parameter to the radius of the arc line. Then, select the arc line and click on the temporary angle dimension icon to create a permanent dimension. Assign the Actual Angle instance parameter. Lock everything up.

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13- WRITE FORMULA FOR “ACTUAL ANGLE” PARAMETER

If you enter a plan swing angle value of less than 1°, the arc line won’t be able to draw and the family will bug. To avoid this issue, you need to create a formula to make 1° the minimum possible angle value.

Start by creating a new parameter called “Swing Angle”. It is an instance parameter grouped in the Graphics category.

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Go to the family type. In the formula for “Actual Angle”, use the following formula: if(Swing Angle < 1°, 1°, Swing Angle). Basically, it means that if the Swing Angle is below 1°, the Actual Angle value will revert back to 1°. For a value above 1°, nothing will be changed.

Keep in mind: Swing Angle is the value users will manually enter. Actual Angle is the value that actually affects the family components.

Hey can you believe the family is finally done? This is definitely a tricky family to create. But the good new is that once you are done, it can be reused for many more door families.

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14- NEST THE SWING FAMILY INSIDE THE MAIN DOOR

FAMILY

Load the swing family into the main door family you want to use. Place an instance of it in plan view. Then, lock the nested family reference planes to the main family reference planes like described in the image below. Lock the alignments.

15- ASSOCIATE THE NESTED FAMILY PARAMETERS

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You also need to assign the Swing Angle parameter. This one is an instance properties. Leave the type menu and check out the Door Swing family instance properties. Click on the small rectangle next to the Swing Angle value. Create a new parameter with the exact same settings as the original one.

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16- OPTIONAL: MATCH DOOR PANEL TO SWING ANGLE

Are you going to use the door family for 3D views and renderings? If so, it might be an interesting idea to match the actual 3D door panel to the door swing family’s angle. This way, the doors can be opened in the renderings.

To achieve this, align the panel boundary line to the reference line. Assign the thickness parameters and lock the 90° angles.

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17- TEST THE DOOR FAMILY

Everything is supposed to be complete! Time to test it. Don’t insert the door into an ongoing project. Instead, create a dummy “test” project where you can mess around without being scared of ruining important work.

Try many angles and configurations.

Good news: the door swing is the most complicated door family to create. Everything else is much more simple.

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CREATE NEW/EXISTING DOOR SWING STYLE

The graphic convention to distinguish an existing door from a new door is usually to use a straight line instead of the usual arc line. You can integrate this information directly in a door swing family and switch between new and existing by using a yes/no instance parameter like in the image below.

Go to the plan view of the of the door swing family. Go to the Object Style menu in the manage tab. Create a new subcategory called Plan Swing (Existing). Set a grey line color.

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Then, go to the plan view of the swing family and go to the Annotation tab. Select the Symbolic Line tool. Select the Plan Swing (Existing) [projection] line style. Draw a line at the intersection of the reference planes to match the door opening.

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Right now, we have two lines to represent the plan door swing. Obviously, you only want to see one line at a time depending on the phasing. That means you must add a visibility parameter to each line. Select the arc line and click on the small rectangle next to the visibility instance parameter. Click on the small icon to create a new parameter. Call it “New Swing” and select Instance parameter option. Group under Phasing.

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Load the plan swing family back into the main door family and replace the swing. Now, you must now assign the parameters from the nested family into the main door family. This part can be a little confusing... basically, you have to recreate the same swing visibility parameters and link them to the swing nested family.

Select the swing family and find the Phasing section in the instance

properties. Click on the small rectangle and recreate the parameter using the exact same name and the phasing grouping option like you did for the door swing family. Repeat the same process for the Existing Swing.

Go to the main door Family Types menu. You should see both swing yes/ no parameters.

Repeat the same process for the grey

straight line and call it “Existing Swing”. You should have both these parameters included in your family, grouped under Phasing.

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Final step, we’ll add a formula to make sure that you can’t have both lines visible at once. In the formula column for New Swing, enter the following text: not(Existing Swing). That means that the value for New Swing will automatically be the opposite of Existing Swing.

Alright! Load the door family into a project. Create 2 instances of the brand new family. In the instance parameter, check or uncheck the Existing Swing parameter to activate the correct line style.

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THANKS FOR READING !

As always, send your thoughts at [email protected]. I read and answer all emails. Let me know if you loved or hated this pamphlet.

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