Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Is Revit snazzy enough to even do this?!

muffles

active

Joined: Fri, Apr 3, 2009
18 Posts
No Rating

Ok, I am building a family for a hanging decorative canopy.  So far I can flex it to be different sizes no problem, but I need to be able to have the option of it being both rightside up and upsidedown in the project.  Besides that, I need it to have the option of having one end higher than the other with different lenght cables).  How would I go about that, since I can't seem to rotate my canopy (it's a curved sweep)?

The other thing I'm having trouble with, and this just might be me, is I loaded in a component I made (an attachment piece for when you want to show two canopies together) but it won't rotate on to its side.  What do I need to do in that family to make it able to rotate?  (I already tried unchecking the box under Settings-Family Parameters that says Always Vertical)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

This user is offline

Mr Spot

site moderator|||

Joined: Mon, Jan 12, 2004
2889 Posts

-----------------------------------

Regards,

Chris.

Co-Founder | BIM Consultant | Software Designer  B. Arch)

Xrev Revit API Addins | Revit Rants

This user is offline

View Website

muffles

active

Joined: Fri, Apr 3, 2009
18 Posts
No Rating

Here is the family I'm working on.  Right now I'm looking at being able to make the ends hang at different heights.  Also, there's a little end piece on the right that I want to align and lock with the end of the canopy.  When the canopy changes sizes, the end piece needs to stay aligned, but right now it won't even rotate.

I'd like to be able to make the whole thing have the option of flipping over to hang upsidedown, but if that's not possible then I can get around that problem, although not as elegantly as I'd like.

Good to know about the 'Always Vertical' box.  Thanks. 

This user is offline

Mr Spot

site moderator|||

Joined: Mon, Jan 12, 2004
2889 Posts

Okay that all sounds quite doable looking at your family.

To have the two ends hang at different heights you are going to need to be using reference lines.  I'd setup a reference line framework first and then start adding geometry later.

Regarding the end piece, you've gone the right way with the nested family, however you haven't set it up with a relevant origin point reference so you can constrain it appropriately. 

You need to ensure your "defines origin" reference planes for the 3 axes are all set to be a reference so you can constain them in the nested family. 

You'd also need to setup an angular control in that family and then use some formulas to control that parameter based on the various end heights and arc height.

Regarding the flipping, also achievable but rather than try and make the family flex that much I'd probably be lazy and just create two models on top of each other with a visibility (yes/no) parameter to switch between them.  For example I'd have a parameter called "invert" and another for "normal".  Invert would then have a formula that said NOT(normal).  That way they can both never exist at the same time...

It is a quite tricky little family to begin with and I'm not really sure what your family creation skills are like...  I hope this helps, but short of doing it for you its going to be difficult to help.  Probably best if you get stuck to just post what you have so far and I'll guide you if you are on the right track or straying...

HTH.

-----------------------------------

Regards,

Chris.

Co-Founder | BIM Consultant | Software Designer  B. Arch)

Xrev Revit API Addins | Revit Rants

This user is offline

View Website

muffles

active

Joined: Fri, Apr 3, 2009
18 Posts
No Rating

Ok, that definitely helps.  I think I'm going in the right direction, but I know I'm missing some important steps to get there!

I did end up having two canopies in there, an inverted and a righsideup, instead of trying to flex the one to be upsidedown also.  

I'm still having problems getting the canopy to hang at different heights on each end.  I can get reference planes set up, but once I put in the extrusion and try to move up and down, it will not stay constrained.  You said something about an angular control (for the nested family), would that maybe solve this problem also?  I'm not familiar with how to set that up.  It needs to be able to rotate to any angle.  Right now I have a reference plane with an angle parameter, but that stops working once you go to 0° then try to change it again.

Thanks for the help!  By the way, you guys have a great site here.  I've lurked on here for quite a while now, and used lots of downloads.  It's been really helpful!  Keep up the great work!

This user is offline

muffles

active

Joined: Fri, Apr 3, 2009
18 Posts
No Rating

This user is offline

Snazzy Pile Cap Family

0

Creating a custom Revit 2010 UI

1

Aligning IES with light fixture

2

Precast 'Lid' Panel.

0

Splitting a wall with a Reveal

0