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126 Family Info

Chris McKeown / January 22, 2026

Power

~7 min read1,409 words
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Overview

The 126 Family Info tool allows you to extract detailed information from Revit family files (.rfa) and family template files (.rft). You can process entire folders of families, extract metadata, save families to new locations organized by category, extract nested families, save family icons, and export all collected data to Excel.

Family Info Interface

Table of Contents

Key Features

  • Extract comprehensive family metadata (file info, Revit build, worksharing status, etc.)
  • Reorganize families by category or existing folder structure
  • Extract and save nested families separately
  • Save family thumbnail icons as JPG images
  • Extract family data as XML files
  • Remove backup files automatically
  • Export detailed data to Excel with multiple worksheets
  • Extract advanced family information including:
    • Subcategories and their properties
    • Dimension types
    • Text and label styles
    • Line patterns and fill patterns
    • Family parameters
    • Materials
    • Unit settings

Interface Guide

Source Section

Source Folder

  • Click the ... button to browse and select the folder containing your Revit families
  • This is the location where the tool will search for .rfa and .rft files

Include Nested Folders

  • Check this option to search for families in all subfolders within the source directory
  • Uncheck to only process families in the top-level source folder

Include Nested Families

  • Check this option to extract nested families from within parent families
  • When enabled, additional options appear for organizing nested families (see below)

Save Families Section

Save Families (checkbox)

  • Enable this section to save/copy families to a new location
  • When unchecked, the tool will only extract information without moving files

Destination Options

  1. Current Location

    • Families remain in their original location
    • Useful when you only want to extract data without reorganizing

  2. New Destination

    • Families are copied to a new location
    • Additional organization options become available:

    Organization Methods:

    • By Category: Families are organized into folders named by their category (e.g., "Doors", "Windows", "Furniture")
    • Existing Structure: Maintains the original folder structure, just in the new destination

Destination Folder

  • Specify where families should be saved when using "New Destination"
  • Click ... to browse for the destination folder

Nested Families Organization

When "Include Nested Families" is checked, choose how to organize extracted nested families:

  1. In Current Folder

    • Nested families are saved in the same folder as their parent family

  2. In Folder Named Nested

    • Creates "Shared" and "Nested" subfolders within each parent family's folder
    • Shared families go to the "Shared" subfolder
    • Non-shared nested families go to the "Nested" subfolder

  3. In Folder Named By Family

    • Creates a subfolder named after the parent family
    • All nested families from that parent are saved in this subfolder

Extract Section

Save Icon

  • Extracts and saves the family thumbnail preview as a JPG image
  • Images are saved with the same name as the family file
  • Scaled 2x for better quality

Extract Family Data as XML

  • Extracts the family's part atom data to an XML file
  • Useful for advanced family analysis and comparison

Remove Backup Files

  • Automatically deletes Revit backup files (e.g., Family.0001.rfa, Family.0002.rfa)
  • Helps clean up unnecessary backup files in the processed directories
  • Works on backup files numbered 1-9999

Advanced Settings

  • Enables extraction of detailed family information to Excel
  • Extracts data about subcategories, parameters, materials, patterns, and more
  • Results are saved in an "Export.xlsx" file in the destination folder

Workflow Examples

Basic Family Information Extraction

  1. Select your source folder containing families
  2. Leave "Save Families" unchecked if you don't want to move files
  3. Check "Advanced Settings" to extract data
  4. Click Start
  5. Review the generated "Export.xlsx" file with family information

Reorganizing Families by Category

  1. Select your source folder
  2. Check "Save Families"
  3. Select "New Destination" and specify destination folder
  4. Choose "By Category"
  5. Optionally check "Include Nested Folders" to process subfolders
  6. Click Start
  7. Families will be copied and organized into category-based folders

Complete Family Archive with Nested Families

  1. Select source folder
  2. Check "Save Families" and set destination
  3. Choose "By Category" organization
  4. Check "Include Nested Families"
  5. Select nested family organization method (e.g., "In Folder Named Nested")
  6. Check "Save Icon" to extract thumbnails
  7. Check "Extract Family Data as XML"
  8. Check "Advanced Settings" for comprehensive data extraction
  9. Check "Remove Backup Files" to clean up
  10. Click Start
  11. Review the organized families, icons, XML files, and Excel data

Excel Export Data

When "Advanced Settings" is enabled, the tool creates an Excel file with multiple worksheets:

Families Worksheet

Contains file-level information:

  • Error messages (if any occurred during processing)
  • File name, path, size, extension
  • File creation and modification dates
  • Document type
  • Worksharing status
  • Central file information
  • Revit build and version details
  • Last saved path

Subcategories Worksheet

Lists all subcategories with:

  • Parent category
  • Line weights (projection and cut)
  • Line colors (RGB values)
  • Line patterns
  • Materials

Dimensions Worksheet

Dimension type information and their parameters

Text Worksheet

Text note type information and parameters

Labels Worksheet

Label style information and parameters

LinePatterns Worksheet

Custom line patterns with:

  • Pattern name
  • Segment types and lengths

FillPatterns Worksheet

Fill patterns with:

  • Pattern name
  • Target (model or drafting)
  • Host orientation
  • Grid rotation and spacing

Parameters Worksheet

All family parameters including:

  • Parameter name and ID
  • GUID (for shared parameters)
  • Whether it's shared or family parameter
  • Parameter group
  • Parameter type
  • Instance vs Type
  • Formula (if any)
  • Reporting status

Materials Worksheet

Material information and properties

Other Worksheet

Unit settings for:

  • Length
  • Area
  • Volume
  • Angle
  • Slope
  • Currency

Progress Tracking

During processing, a progress bar window displays:

  • Current status (number of files processed)
  • Total number of files to process
  • A cancel button to stop processing if needed

Tips and Best Practices

  1. Backup First: Always work on a copy of your families, especially when reorganizing

  2. Test Small Batches: Process a small folder first to verify settings before running on large family libraries

  3. Advanced Settings: Only enable when you need detailed data extraction, as it increases processing time

  4. Nested Families: Use "In Folder Named Nested" to clearly separate shared vs. non-shared nested families

  5. Cleanup: Use "Remove Backup Files" to keep your family library clean

  6. Excel Analysis: Use the exported Excel file to:

    • Audit parameter consistency across families
    • Identify families using specific subcategories or materials
    • Track Revit versions of families
    • Find families with formulas or specific unit settings

  7. File Size: The tool displays file sizes in human-readable format (B, KB, MB, GB)

  8. Error Tracking: Any errors during processing are logged in the "Error" column of the Families worksheet

Common Use Cases

  • Family Library Audit: Extract all family information to Excel for analysis
  • Version Upgrade: Identify which families need upgrading based on Revit build
  • Library Organization: Reorganize scattered families into category-based structure
  • Nested Family Extraction: Extract all nested families for review and standardization
  • Documentation: Create visual documentation with family icons
  • Parameter Standardization: Identify parameter inconsistencies across families
  • Quality Control: Find families with errors or missing information

Troubleshooting

Families not processing

  • Verify the source path is correct and contains .rfa or .rft files
  • Check that Revit can open the families (they may be corrupt)
  • Review the Excel export for error messages

Excel file not created

  • Ensure "Advanced Settings" is checked
  • Verify you have write permissions to the destination folder
  • Check that the destination folder exists

Nested families not extracting

  • Ensure "Include Nested Families" is checked
  • Verify nested families are editable (not reference files)
  • Some system families cannot be extracted

Progress bar stuck

  • Large families or many nested families take time to process
  • Use the cancel button if processing seems hung
  • Check Revit background processes

Need Help? Contact support or refer to additional Bonus Tools documentation.

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