To find a loadable Revit family in your firm's library, use the search bar and filters on the Families page. Pirros searches across family names, parameter data, categories, and even visual appearance -- so you can locate the right family even if you do not know its exact name.
This video walks through searching for families using the search bar, filters, and category browsing. It also shows how to preview a family and explore its types and parameters. The full steps are written out below.
1. Search by Keyword
Navigate to the Families page from the top navigation bar.
Type a keyword into the Search bar -- for example: "chair," "casework," "ceiling," or a specific family name.
Press Enter or wait for results to appear.
The Families page with a keyword typed into the search bar and results displayed below.
Pirros search goes beyond text matching. It searches across:
Family titles
Parameter data
Family category information
Computer-vision-based visually recognized elements
This means that even if a family's name does not include the search term, Pirros can surface it if the preview image visually matches the item you are looking for.
For example, searching "chair" returns all seating families even if the title does not contain the word "chair" -- because Pirros detects the object type from the 3D preview.
Search results for "chair" showing seating families returned by visual recognition, even when the title does not contain "chair."
2. Narrow Results with Filters
Filters appear on the left side of the Families page. You can combine them with the search bar for precise results.
Available filters include:
Family Tags
Family Category
Revit Version
Project Name / Number
Client
Project Type
Location
...and more.
The left filter panel on the Families page showing available filter categories.
Family Category Filter
Family Category mirrors the organizational structure inside Revit. Browse families by their Revit category:
Casework
Ceilings
Generic Models
Furniture / Seating
Detail Items
...and all other Revit categories your firm uses.
The Family Category filter expanded, showing Revit categories like Casework, Ceilings, and Furniture.
Select a category, and only families belonging to that classification display. This is useful when you want to browse visually rather than search by keyword.
Combining Filters + Search
Use both together for best results. For example:
Filter: Furniture + Search: "school" = school-related furniture families, with no noise from other categories.
Results showing school-related furniture families after applying the Furniture category filter and searching "school."
3. Preview a Family
Click a family card to open the 3D preview.
Rotate and zoom the 3D model to inspect geometry.
If the family has multiple types, click the dropdown arrow in the top-left of the preview to switch between types.
The 3D preview window for a family, with the type dropdown in the top-left corner.
4. Open the Full Family Page
To view detailed technical information, click Open Full Family on the family card. The full family page includes:
3D Preview -- Full-size isometric preview generated from your firm's thumbnail settings.
Family Types -- Switch between types. Type catalog families show all types listed and switchable.
Parameter Values -- Click Parameters on the left side to see all type and instance parameters pulled from the RFA during upload.
Type Parameters are stored in the RFA and appear populated in Pirros.
Instance Parameters only apply after placement in a Revit project and appear empty in Pirros (they are not stored in the RFA).
Nested Families -- Shared nested families appear in a dedicated section. The nested family must have the Shared toggle enabled in Revit to appear here.
Related Detail Items -- For 2D families, Pirros shows relationships between the family and detail items that reference it.
History & Metadata -- Upload history, update history, file location, tags, notes, last modified date, and whether it is a loadable or system family.
Download History -- Who downloaded the family, when, and which types were downloaded.
Flags & Feedback -- View existing flags, see who created each flag and when, add new flags with comments or markups, and @mention users.
Associations -- See how a family is grouped with other related items (details or families). Typical families can only be associated with other typical families; project-specific families can only be associated with items from the same project.
The full family page showing the 3D preview, type selector, and left-hand navigation for Parameters, History, and Flags.
After finding the right family, use Insert, Open in Revit, or Stage for Download to bring it into your project. See "How to Download Families with Different Types" for the full download workflow.
FAQ
Q: Why does searching "chair" return families that do not have "chair" in the name?
A: Pirros uses computer vision to detect objects in family preview images. A family that looks like a chair will appear in "chair" search results even if its file name is different.
Q: What is the difference between Family Category and Tags?
A: Family Category is the Revit classification (e.g., Casework, Furniture). Tags are labels your admin applies for additional organization (e.g., "Healthcare," "Typical"). You can filter by both.
Q: Can I search by parameter values -- for example, a specific dimension?
A: Pirros searches parameter data, so dimension values included in type parameters may surface relevant results. For best results, use the Parameters section on the full family page to verify dimensions after searching.
Q: Why are instance parameters empty in Pirros?
A: Instance parameters only have values after a family is placed in a Revit project. Since Pirros reads the RFA file (before placement), instance parameters are blank. This is expected behavior.
Q: How do I find families uploaded from a specific project?
A: Use the Project Name / Number filter on the left panel to narrow results to families from that project.