How to Load a Revit Family With a Revit Catalog

How do I load a Revit Family that has a Revit Catalog?

When a Revit family exceeds 7 family types in the family file (*.rfa); Bradley creates a Revit family catalog file to store the Revit family types. The base Revit family file uses the Revit family catalog file to create the family types (product variations) when it is loaded into the Revit project.

For example, in the article "Revit Pedestal Bench Family Features Nested Array-Family Catalog"; I mentioned that the Revit base file uses a Revit family catalog file to create the numerous variations of the Pedestal Bench.

When a Revit Bradley Pedestal Bench family (RFA) is downloaded, there is another important file that is downloaded with the family file (*.rfa).

This file, is the Pedestal Bench Revit family catalog file. It has the exact same file name as as the RFA file; however it is has a TXT extension.

Family: Locker_Room_Bench-Pedestal-Bradley_Corp-Lenox_Pedestal.RFA
Catalog: Locker_Room_Bench-Pedestal-Bradley_Corp-Lenox_Pedestal.TXT
The catalog file resides in the ZIP file that you download and "unzip" into a folder on your computer.

The Pedestal Bench family catalog file has all 24 of the product options (family types) for the base family file.

>> Results of Locker_Room_Bench-Pedestal-Bradley_Corp-Lenox_Pedestal.TXT <<

Recommended Practices / Guidelines for using Revit Family Files with their Family Catalog file.

Revit Family Library Folder

1) The Revit family catalog file (*.txt) MUST be saved and remain in the same file folder as its corresponding RFA file.

2) This type of "catalog-based" family MUST be loaded into the project using the project's "Load Family" command.

This will force a Revit dialogue box to pop up and display the product models (family types) that are listed in the family catalog file for the RFA file.

Stop - Avoid

3) Please do NOT load the family into a Revit project from the Family Editor.

This will create an error "model was not imported correctly".

4) Please do NOT "drag and drop" the family file (*.rfa) into a Revit project file (*.rvt).

This will create an error "model was not imported correctly".

Edit | Remove/Delete/Purge Revit Family

5) If a catalog-based family file was accidentally loaded using #3 or #4, please Delete/Purge this family using the project browser.

Go to the project browser, scroll down past the "Sheets" category, find and open (+) the "Family" Category.
In our example, the Pedestal Bench resides under "Specialty Equipment", open (+) that category.
Hover your cursor over the family name, Right Click and select Delete the family.

Add / Load Revit Family

6) Now, reload the family (Pedestal Bench) using the process described in #2 above.

When the family catalog dialog box is displayed,select the product (family type) you wish to load.

If you want to load more than one family type, hold down the CTRL key and select the multiple family types for loading into the project.

Bradley has hundreds of Revit Family files that create their family types by using a Revit Family Catalog file.

Review Contents of Revit Download ZIP File

Please review the contents of the ZIP file you download for potential catalog files (*.txt); that must be saved and remain with the Revit Family file.

Email / Documentation of Recommended Practice

Please provide a copy of this document to your staff, to assist them with the method to properly load these types of catalog-based Revit family files.