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Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> How do you align top of beam with top of column?
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Joined: Tue, Sep 30, 2008
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Apologies for what may be stupid questions, but I've drawn columns and beams and now need to change their heights. Their tops should be at the same height. - I thought I could change the column height then align top of beam to top of column in an elevation view, but this doesn't seem to be possible with Align. How do I fix this?
- In an elevation view I see top elevation of beams by selecting them. Is there a way to see the height of columns without opening Element Properties?
- I assume the relationship between top of column and top of beam can be locked but haven't gotten to that point yet in my file. Am I correct?
Thanks in advance for any help.Robert
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Beams and columns are associated with levels. If neccessary, create a new set of levels to alighn the top of your beams and columns to. If you adjust the level, both beam and top of column will move with it.
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I have the columns' top associated with level 1 since their heights are based on their tops' distance from the floor line. The top of each column is at a different height from the floor line, which I set in the Element Properties in the Top Offset field. Am I going about this wrong? Once I realized that to make the columns the correct height I needed to set them by their height measured from level 1, I changed their top association from level 2 to level 1. The beams I created at the top of the columns are now at level 1 also. I don't recall if they moved automatically or if I changed their associated level separately. They don't seem to be attached to the tops of columns anymore. Do I need to delete and redraw them?
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One thing that you could do is to create a new family of levels to use for your beams and columns (duplicate the existing). You can get them to show as a different type of line and hide the heads. As you move these levels the beams and column tops move with the levels. These can be hidden if required.
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Thanks for the advice and your illustration. Are you suggesting the new family of levels in order to lock the column/beam heights? With a quick review of my building I've counted roughly 20 different column heights, all within 24 inches of each other in height (the columns are setting the roof slopes in this warehouse building). I'm new at this and can't imagine efficiently working to 20 level lines within 24 inches across a building 475 feet long - I'm having trouble managing two levels! Do you think my situation is too complicated for your suggestion, or is your suggestion too complicated for my abilities?
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In that case, should the columns not line up with the u/s of beams? You can attach the columns to u/s by clicking on the attach button.
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The top of columns and beams align; the beams hang from the columns in this case. I assume you create the columns first, then you attach the beams (like in the real world). It looks like Revit wants the information in reverse: when I select the beam, I do not get the option to attach but when I select the column, I do get the option to attach. The beam attaches to the column, not the other way around. You can see on the attached image that my beam on the right is at floor level. I want to move it to align with the top of the columns on each side. There must be a simple way to do this.
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In the image I have drawn a reference plane to line up with the top of the beam and attached the column to the reference line.
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I've drawn a reference plane at the height I need the top of beam and top of column at one location. I attached the top of column to this reference plane but don't see how to attach the beam to it. I can type in the heights at the ends of the beam but I see no link between the beam and the reference plane. Once the beam's relationship to the columns is set, how do I lock that relationship (in case the top of column height changes)? And next I need to add the roof assembly, hopefully sitting on the beams that are set by the columns. Does this linking happen automatically or do I need to do something to make it happen?
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In the image I associated a work plane with the reference plane and orientated a view to it. I then created a structural beam system and locked it to the work plane. The columns attach to the plane. If I move the plane then both beam and ctops of columns move with it.
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I've done the exact same thing that Tim123 is mentioning. Worked for me too. Only thing is, when you show a view of that Beam and Column Assembly you may want to hide the diagonal end by using the linework tool and choosing the <invisible> line style and then clean up the gap by using detail lines (drafting).
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