Autodesk Revit MEP

[#1]

Hey, 

I have a project I'm working on that I need some help with.  Basically I want to have 3 different enclosures over an engine but only one at a time.  So I want to be able to click on the enclosure thats currently on the engine and have the drop down menu show the other enclosure options and then replace the current enclosure in the same location around the engine. 

I'm working in and with family files. 

How do I do this?

[#2]

I would recommend building the enclosure into the engine family. You can create a list of possible enclosures by linking an embedded Family Type to an Instance or Type Parameter. (Attached is an example., Revit 2013)

In order to do this, load all of the possible enclosure Families into the engine family, which can be of a single family with multiple type or even multiple families - as long as they are of the same category.

Go to Family Types, and create a new Parameter. Under 'Type of Parameter', select "<Family Type...>" and then from the list, select the Category of the enclosure families. This can be either a Type or Instance Parameter, as necessary.

Place one instance of any enclosure in place over the engine. Select the enclosure and under Properties, there is a "Label" parameter. In the pull-down list there, select the newly created parameter.

Now, this parameter will control the type of enclosure through a pull-down within the Project. If this solution won't work for you, let us know and we can perhaps formulate another plan of attack.

[#3]

I would make 3 yes/no type parameters and 3 different types.  Each type would have 1 of the 3 yes/no parameters as yes and the other 2 as no.  These yes/no parameters would control the visibility of the respective enclosure (1 parameter per enclosure).

[#4]

thanks, I'll try this and let you know if it works.

[#5]

I can get it to work.  When I change the label parameter and hit apply it goes back to none.  and the enclosures still go all over the place everytime I switch one out for another, I also tried pinning them to the same reference point which didn't work.

[#6]

sorry *can't

[#7]

Is it possible for you to make a video of exactly how you made that file you attached? its exactly what I need but I can't get it right.

[#8]

If the enclosure families are too dissimilar, then this problem can occur. Try going with Sandleaz's suggestion and create Yes/No parameters to control the visibility of each embedded enclosure. With this method, each enclosure must be placed in it's intended location overlapping each over.

[#9]

I cannot create a video for you, but if you can post your family and the enclosures here, we can see exactly what you're working with.

[#10]

Ok, I am still working on getting the actual engine completed so I've been going into a new conceptual mass file and making a box thats the size of the standard enclosure and trying to load the enlcosures into that file.