Creating a Type Catalog

A type catalog lists all of the types in a family, allowing you to select and load only the types you need for the current project, resulting in a smaller project file size.

To create a type catalog, you create an external text file (TXT) that contains the parameters and parameter values that create the different types in a specific family. You place this file in the same location as the family file so that when you select to load the family, the type catalog displays.

Notes

The easiest way to create a type catalog is to use the Export Family Types tool on an existing family. Using this tool, you create the base type catalog and then modify the text file in a text editor.

Create a type catalog using the Export Family Types tool

  1. Open a family that contains all of the parameters and data for one or more of the base types.
    Note: Only parameters that have values in the family are exported to the type catalog.
  2. Click Export (Family Types).
  3. In the Export As dialog, verify that the type catalog has the same name as the family, but with a .txt extension, and that it will be saved in the same directory as the family file.
  4. Click Save.
  5. Open the .txt file in a text editor.
    The first line in the text file is the parameter declaration. The syntax will be similar to the following:
    ,Length##length##inches,Width##length##inches,Height##length##inches
    Syntax Description
    ,
    The first character of the first line in the file is the delimiter. This character is used to separate each parameter definition.
    Length##length##inches
    Defines a parameter in the family (Parameter Name##Parameter Type##Units).
  6. Define additional parameters as needed, making sure to use the delimiter and syntax specified.
  7. Review the second line in the type catalog. This line defines the first type. For example, the syntax for a type could be similar to the following:
    36x12x36,36,12,36
    Syntax Description
    36x12x36
    Type name.
    ,
    A comma is used to separate the type name from the list of parameter values, and is also a delimiter for each parameter.
    36,12,36
    Length parameter value = 36, Width parameter value = 12, Height parameter value = 36
  8. Duplicate the type syntax, and modify the type name and parameter values to create additional types in the catalog.
    The following table includes a sample of the types of parameters supported in a type catalog.
    Type of Parameter Parameter Declaration Notes
    Text param_name##OTHER##  
    Integer param_name##OTHER##  
    Number param_name##OTHER##  
    Length param_name##LENGTH##FEET  
    Area param_name##AREA##SQUARE_FEET  
    Volume param_name##VOLUME##CUBIC_FEET  
    Angle param_name##ANGLE##DEGREES  
    Slope param_name##SLOPE##SLOPE_DEGREES  
    Currency param_name##CURRENCY##  
    URL param_name##OTHER##  
    Material param_name##OTHER##  
    Yes/No param_name##OTHER## Defined as 1 or 0 with 1 equaling Yes and 0 equaling No.
    <Family Type> param_name##OTHER## Family name:type name with no file extension
    Metadata parameters :
    Keynote Keynote##OTHER##  
    Model Model##OTHER##  
    Manufacturer Manufacturer##OTHER##  
    Type Comments Type Comments##OTHER##  
    URL URL##OTHER##  
    Description Description##OTHER##  
    Assembly Code Assembly Code##OTHER##  
    Cost Cost##CURRENCY##  

Sample text file and type catalog

    Following is a sample type catalog TXT file:
    ,Manufacturer##other##,Length##length##centimeters,Width##length##centimeters,Height##length##centimeters
    MA36x30,Revit,36.5,2.75,30
    MA40x24,Revit,40.5,3.25,24
    When loading the corresponding family in a project, you would see the following type catalog:
    Type Manufacturer Length Width Height
    MA36x30 Revit 36.5cm 2.75cm 30cm
    MA40x24 Revit 40.5cm 3.25cm 24cm