FAMILY CREATION GUIDE - DOORS

CREATING DOORS

The quickest way to create new doors is to use an existing one as a template.

Doors in the Approved Library have been created using nested door panels and nested handles.

To create a new door you simply replace the door panel(s) with new panel(s), and handle if you want different handles.

[Revit, being American, calls a door leaf a door panel. Panel is used here to avoid confusion if you refer to Revit documentation].

For further information on how standard door Panels, Handles and Doors are set up refer to next section on this page.

1. Create a new door panel and/or handle

Look in S:\Revit Libraries\Approved Library\Parts for a door panel similar to what you want to create.

Door panels start with +DO_Panel . . .

Handles start with +DO_Handle . . .

Copy and rename it following the same naming convention, but with you intials or project number instead of company or project initials.

Open in Revit and make changes. Where possible edit existing geometry rather than delete and remake it.

[In Revit the External side of the door is Front, internal side is Back]

Try and use existing parameters where possible (and it makes sense), otherwise create new ones.

Save.

2. Create new door family file

Look in S:\Revit Libraries\Approved Library\Doors for a door similar to what you want to create.

Choose a hinged (DO_Hinge ...), pivot (DO_Pivot...) or sliding door (DO_Slide...), double (e.g. DO_Hinge-Dbl...) or single (e.g. DO_Hinge-Flush...).

Always choose a door type MORE complicated than you need. It is much easier to delete what you don't need rather than create it.

Copy and rename it following the same naming convention, but with you intials or project number instead of company or project initials.

Open in Revit.

3. Reload door panel(s) and/or handle(s)

Find the door panel in the project browser under Families.

Right click over the door panel name and select Reload.

Browse to the door panel you made and select it.

Make sure you select Overwrite the existing version. (overwriting parameter values will break parameter associations).

If there are two different door panels (i.e. different families) do the same for the 2nd panel.

If you want a different door handle reload the door handle using the same procedure.

If you want to change the door swing representation reload a different door swing family using the same procedure above.

4. Check Parameters associations.

Parameters of the door panel need to be associated with parameters in the family file.

Grayed out parameters are already matched and can be ignored. If you selected an appropriate family to start from all parameters should be gray.

Select the door panel, make sure instance parameters match family parameters (typically materials).

Then select the Edit type button.

Make sure parameters match the appropriate family parameters. You may need to create new family type parameters if they don't already exist.

5. Test Parameters

Check parameters by changing their values and see if changes are as expected.

Add formulas to parameters if appropriate.

Make sure you return parameters to sensible figures after testing.

Also make sure there are no types with zero values for parameters that drive geometry (this can happen if you add new parameters).

Delete unused shared parameters (ending in .DO) so their values are not reported in schedules.

6. Purge and Save.

If the door is project specific save it in the relevant folder in S:\Revit Libraries\Project Specific Libraries.

Other wise save it in the Unapproved Library: S:\Revit Libraries\UnApproved Library\Doors

STANDARD DOOR, PANEL, HANDLE & PLAN SWING FAMILIES

DOORS

NESTED FAMILIES

Standard doors contain 3 nested family types:

- Door Panel

- Door Handle

- Door Plan Swing

Sometimes there will be more than one of each in a family. For example a double door may have a glazed panel and a flush panel.

If a nested family appears more than once in a family and each instance is not identical there may be different Types. For example a double door may have a Main Door type and a 2nd Leaf type.

MODELED ELEMENTS

The only elements modeled in standard doors are the door frame and architraves.

If changes are required edit these elements rather than delete and recreate. This is so parameters, sub-categories, visibility etc. are more likely to be retained.

Both are modeled as simple rectangular sweeps. Although the sweep profile can be edited, it is not recommended to create more complicated shapes as generally they won't be distinguishable in the model or printed output, and just add weight to the family.

Elevation swings are drawn as symbolic lines in the door family on sub-category Elevation Swing. They are hosted on reference plane Panel Internal and drawn from reference plane intersections, not modeled geometry (hide modeled elements when drawing elevation swing lines).

Model lines may be used but 2 sets will be required, one on reference plane Panel Internal, the other on Panel External. Make sure model lines are only visible Front/Back in family element visibility settings.

DIRECTION

In Revit door families, when looking in plan, the top of the screen is called Exterior, the bottom Interior.

In Revit schedules the Exterior side of a door family is used as the side that the door opens into.

This is the opposite of general use in Australia. We assume a door opens into, that is the interior of, a room.

We have to follow Revit's convention to get schedules to work, but to avoid confusion standard doors use the following terminology:

- Door Internal for Revit Exterior

- Door External for Revit Interior

Therefore parameters that include Int. in their name refer to the swing side of a door, parameters with Ext. refer to the non-swing side of a door.

(e.g. ShowHandleInt., ShowHandleExt.).

On Kat & Kitten doors smaller panel (Width = Leaf 2nd Width) should be on Left (looking in plan).

FLIP CONTROLS

Generally do NOT add an up-down control that flips a door about the wall it is in. After such a flip control is used Revit will NOT change the room it reports the door opens in to.

The exception is when a door may open into a space without a room number (e.g. outward opening external door), or where you want the reported room a door opens in to be opposite to the way the door swings (e.g. service cupboards). In these situations the procedure is to insert the door with the door swing into the room, then use the flip to put the door swing on the other side of the wall. Typically bi-fold doors and operable walls may have up-down controls.

PANELS

CATEGORY & HOSTING

New door panels must always be started from an existing standard one, or from a door panel template (Metric Door Panel.ANT), or from a non-hosted template (Metric Generic Model).

If using Metric Generic Model make sure you change the category to Door, and add sub-category Panel. This ensures all sub-categories used in a door family list under Doors (instead of some under Generic Models).

DIRECTION

In plan view standard door panels (+DO_Panel...) have a small circle representing the hinge point. In the panel family file this on the top right corner. This circle doesn't appear when a door is inserted into a project.

To flip a door panel in your door family file so the hinge point is on the left side (i.e. for 2nd door) use the flip control of the panel.

For doors with glazing the StileHinge parameter refers to the stile on the side this circle appears. StileLatch refers to the opposite side. StileHinge should be matched with StileHingeSide, StileSide with StileLatch, or if both are the same (as in a fully glazed door) match both with StileSides.

When looking in plan, the top of the screen is called Back, the bottom Front.

For consistency always assume:

- Panel Internal side is Revit Back

- Panel External side is Revit Front

GLAZED, PARTIALLY GLAZED, VISION PANELS

The standard glazed panel (+DO_Panel-Glass Framed.ANT.rfa) contains parameters that provides control over each stile separately:

- StileTop

- StileBottom

- StileHinge

- StileLatch

Therefore the same panel family can be used for fully glazed doors, half glazed doors, and doors with vision panels.

In fact a single door family can be used by creating different Types for each.

You only need to create a new panel family if the glazed area is not a rectangular shape.

HANDLES

CATEGORY & HOSTING

Standard Handles are Face Based families. That is they are hosted on a face or reference plane, NOT on a level or floor.

This means when constructing a handle it is modeled so the side that will be hosted is always the ref level.

New handles must always be started from an existing standard one, from a door handle template (Metric Door Handle.ANT), or from a face based template (Metric Generic Model face based).

If using Metric Generic Model face based make sure you change the category to Door, and add sub-category Handles. This ensures all sub-categories used in a door family list under Doors (instead of some under Generic Models).

PLAN SWINGS

Plan swing families are 2D families only containing symbolic lines. They are used to represent doors in plan.

CATEGORY & HOSTING

New plan swing families must always be started from an existing standard one, or from a plan swing template (Metric Door Plan Swing.ANT), or from a non-hosted template (Metric Generic Model).

If using Metric Generic Model make sure you change the category to Door, and add sub-categories Plan Swing and Clearances. This ensures all sub-categories used in a door family list under Doors (instead of some under Generic Models).

DIRECTION

Direction follows the same convention of Doors, but is not as critical as flipping the door swing plan representation won't effect which room Revit reports.