#1 - System Family Categories anyone?

As we all know, you can only create real families (.rfa files) for certain categories in Revit. Users are restricted from creating family files for any of the model system families (Walls, Roofs, Floors, Ceilings, Sweeps, Stairs, Rails, Ramps, etc...) as well as the annotation system families (View Titles, Sections, Levels, Elevations, Callouts, etc...). For some of these, you're able to create what are effectively families to nest into the system families. Profile families for sweeps and View Title annotations are an example of a model and an annotation family where you customize the nested family, load it into the project, and then tell the "real" family to use this one vs. that one using a Family Type parameter cleverly disguised as something else. 


For some families (Walls, Roofs, Floors, Ceilings, etc...), you can create "custom" versions "In-place" which then imposes some serious limitations on re-use of that family inside and outside the project file. For all these families we have "wizards" to allow you to create "customized" versions within a set of predefined rules. Some of these basically let you pick line and text formatting options and a family type to nest in a profile family or an annotation family. Others are more complicated and include graphical previews and tons of options (The stair tool or the Wall Types dialog for instance), The problem with all these is that if you as a designer want to do something the wizards who made the wizard didn't anticipate, you're SOL. 


There is an unsupported pressure valve if you're willing to risk it. Those categories which allow you to make an in-place family can be exported through the save group as file function and renamed to .RFA to create a family file for those categories. Of course, this doesn't even cover 1/2 of the locked categories so it is only so useful.  Did I mention that it is TOTALLY unsupported. How unsupported? Try opening the family categories and parameters dialog in one of the hacked RFA files and watch revit hard crash. It's a neat parlor trick over at the Q/A table at Autodesk, really...  Also, good luck hosting a family with a void or opening to cut the host (author winces in anticipation). But, other than those "minor" downsides...


Having used this workaround on 10+ projects, I can say without a doubt that this is a must-have feature for our designers and contractors. It can make or break an integrated team's ability to provide downstream data in the right category for estimating, coordination, scheduling, etc... 


So, #1 on this list is the ability to create a family of ANY category from the family editors (model and annotation) without exception. We are past the point where wizards can do the work for us, it is time to get our hands dirty!