Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Family With Multiple adjustable elements

dpbittiker

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I'm trying to make a 3-head light fixture family that shows the direction of the light fixtures with 3 in-project adjustable points. I have attached an image showing an autocad block that does what Im talking about. I was able to make a family that has one adjustable head, but I cant figure out how to make more than one in a single family. advice?

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jlights

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I'm not sure what you did with the first head that you can't repeat for the others, but here's what I would do:

If all you want to do is create something that looks like the 2D CAD symbol, just use annotation lines to draw the rectangle and circles. (Be sure to align the circles to reference planes so they don't move.) Then draw a reference LINE from the center of each circle. Add an angle parameter to each reference line and test to make sure they work as expected.

For the arrow, you will need to make a separate annotation family and nest it into the fixture family, otherwise the arrowheads will not move with the line. Align and lock an arrow instance to each ref line and test the parameters again. It may take some tweaking to make it work right- angle parameters can be tricky.

If you want to make the 3D heads move, that is pretty complicated. Again it involves building a separate family for the head, using the Generic Model template (not the one with the face), putting a reference line in that family, nesting it into the housing family, creating angle parameters, etc. It's a LOT of work. If you can use the 2D symbol to get your idea across and just make your 3D model without angle parameters, that's what I would recommend.

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dpbittiker

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For some reason it will not let me make more than one editable reference line in one family. I have attached the family in question (2012 file format). I want to be able to have TWO or more of these adjustable lines that still work once they are loaded into the project. I am really stumped here.

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itsmyalterego

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Another problem I know you'll run into is that a light fixture can only have a single light source. 

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dpbittiker

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At this point I'd be happy with just getting the arrows to work in their own family

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jlights

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I looked at the family you posted but all it contained was a model line with a length parameter in the generic line-based template. Did you attach the wrong family? 

Incidentally, it is possible to have more than one light source in a lighting fixture family. You need to open the generic model template, change its category to Lighting Fixture, and check the Light Source checkbox. then you'll have a family consisting only of a light source, and no 3D elements. You can nest this into your host lighting fixture family (the one that contains the 3D geometry) and place where needed. 

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dpbittiker

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Hi Jlights, thanks for trying to help. I know this thread is a little bit unclear, but I wonder if you could help me answer this question:

I want to try and make three reference lines act as shown in the autocad block above. (Three lines with fixed ends and editable in-project, shape handles at the other ends. The family that I uploaded has the functionality that I am looking for when it is loaded into a project. But for some reason whenever I try to re-create it, I only get one shape handle thats located at the center of the line. How do you get them to show up with a shape handle at each end?

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jlights

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I really can't tell anything from the family you sent. It's just a line, not an adjustable head. I can pivot it around in a project, but if that's all you want to do, just draw symbolic lines as needed. As a lighting designer myself, I'm not sure why you are doing this on your plans, but I'm sure you have a reason). If you want them to be parametrically controlled within the family, try experimenting with the suggestions I posted previously. If you get stuck, send me the family and I'll try to help.

Creating angle parameters with reference lines and locking symbolic lines to them is very tricky but can be done. If you only have a few of these fixtures on your project, I'd just draw symbolic lines showing the aiming angle.  Revit doesn't work like AutoCAD so don't expect the solution to function like it would in AutoCAD.

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