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

• Create type catalogs for families that contain 6 or more types.
• Parameter names are case sensitive.
• For system parameters, the parameter within the family must have a value previously defined for the type to load the value from the catalog properly.
• To have inch marks display in the type name, you must include 2 double quote symbols in the type catalog (see table).

  To display the type name...	In the type catalog, enter...
  48" x 60"	48"" x 60""
  3' - 6"	3' - 6""

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.
   NoteOnly 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.

Sample text file and type catalog

,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