Generating Preview Images¶

Use Preview Generator to create consistent preview images for supported Revit content.

Preview Generator processes a selected content folder, creates missing preview images and stores each generated PNG alongside its source file.

Open Preview Generator¶

On the Revit ribbon:

Flow → Content → Preview Generator

A folder selection window opens.

Select a Content Folder¶

Select the folder containing the Revit content you want to process.

Preview Generator searches:

• The selected folder.
• All subfolders within the selected folder.

Supported content includes:

• Revit family files (.rfa).
• Extracted drafting-view container files (.rvt).

Select the folder and confirm the selection to begin processing.

Existing Preview Images¶

Before processing each file, Preview Generator checks whether a corresponding PNG preview already exists.

If a preview already exists, the file is skipped.

This allows you to run Preview Generator against an existing content library to create missing previews without regenerating previews that are already present.

Generate the Previews¶

Preview generation starts automatically after the content folder is selected.

A progress window shows:

• The content currently being processed.
• Overall batch progress.
• Progress for the current item.

Preview Generator processes each supported file in turn.

You can cancel the batch from the progress window if required.

Family Previews¶

For Revit family files (.rfa), Preview Generator opens the family and automatically prepares a standardised 3D preview.

Flow manages the preview configuration, visibility and framing automatically before exporting the image.

No preview settings need to be configured manually.

Drafting View Previews¶

Extracted drafting-view container files (.rvt) are processed differently from families.

Preview Generator locates the drafting view within the container and exports it as the preview image.

If the RVT file does not contain a suitable drafting view, that file cannot produce a drafting-view preview and is reported as failed.

Generated Images¶

Each generated preview is saved as a PNG in the same folder as its source Revit file.

The preview uses the same base filename as the source content.

For example:

ADa_Window.rfa
ADa_Window.png

and:

4202_WBD__Beam Penetration.rvt
4202_WBD__Beam Penetration.png

This naming allows other Flow tools, including Content Browser, to associate the preview automatically with its Revit content.

Processing Results¶

Preview Generator continues processing the remaining content if an individual file cannot generate a preview.

When processing finishes, Flow displays a summary showing:

• Processed
• Succeeded
• Skipped
• Failed
• Cancelled

A failed item therefore does not normally prevent other content in the selected folder from being processed.

Related Help¶

• Preview Generator
• Troubleshooting
• Content Browser
• Drafting View Extractor