Generic Annotation Rotation

[Anonymous]

I don't think I have posted here much. Revit has advanced greatly in some areas through the years. Here is what I am trying to do. First off I am trying to give our North Arrow a rotation angle. I would either nest the north arrow into a sheet or into a view title. Currently our View Title family has a static north arrow. If it needs to be rotated, the family needs to be opened, the north arrow is rotated and loaded back into the project (but not saved).

I have followed this blog post for rotating objects: http://aectechtalk.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/keys-to-rotating-items-inside-revit-families/ The issue I am having is that the North Arrow is rotating from the bottom of the circle instead of the center so it doesnt rotate properly. The "Is Reference" in the family is grayed out and set to weak reference. The Center of the North Arrow circle is at the intersection of the ref lines, but once the generic annotation family is loaded into a titleblock or the view title, the "grip" is at the bottom of circle.

Thoughts? Is it possible to even change where those rotate from?

[maciejwypych]

Hi,

Yes, it can be done. 

See attched family (2015 format).

The screenshot below shows what I've done. The north arrow is butt ugly, but it's this office standard.

Basically, there is 1 reference line locked to the vertical plane. 2nd ref line connected to the intersection of the ref planes and end of the first ref line is driven by an angle parameter. 

I've also added 3 other ref lines with locked 90 deg angles to the 2nd ref line and a circle to control the size.

Hope this helps,

Maciej

[Anonymous]

I wonder if it has to do with the filled regions we have in our North Arrow. I've now attached it.

[maciejwypych · Accepted solution]

Done

The trick was to use the reference line as a workplane for the annotation.

This allows you to easily control the rotation of elements.

See the attached family for details.

Maciej

[damo3]

This is a good example of using ref lines well to achieve what is difficult with ref planes. Glad you got it sorted.

[Anonymous]

That is what I was doing, with regards to the Ref line. but it was rotating funny. thanks for the fix.

[Anonymous]

Maciej,

One question, what about when I add this to a Titleblock or Viewtitle, the rotation parameter isnt available than. Only when it is a standalone family. What would you do for that? I thought if I shared it, that would work, but it didn't.

[damo3]

Shared parameters are for scheduling nested parameters and other things. You should nest your north point in the titleblock and create the rotation in the titleblock family so it rotates the fsmily. Much cleaner.
BUT if you have done it already, in your north point family, make the rotation parameter an instsnce parsmeter. Load it back into your titleblock then select the north point and in the properties connect the instance parameter with a parameter that you create in the titleblock. It is this parameter you will see to edit. It can be a type or instsnce parameter at the parent level.

[Anonymous]

You know, I think I have done stuff like that on other families. Must be one of those days for me.

[damo3]

Just check the shared part i spoke of.... i had a second thought after i wrote it....

[Anonymous]

Works great in a titleblock, but the option isn't there in a view title.

[maciejwypych]

Hi Jason,

You'll need to add a shared parameter in the View Title family and link it to the North Arrow rotation.
Then go to your project and create a new project parameter - select the shared parameter you've created earlier and select Views as a category.

[Anonymous]

I can only add family parameters. Shared parameters are greyed out.

[Anonymous]

@ Jason - has anyone figured out how to get out of the Revit Rabbit Hole once we are this far in??  I've read all the diff posts / blogs regarding this particular effort and none go on to explain, once the annotation family is created with rotation parameter built it and loaded into the View Title, how to access the shared parameter rotation angle because the only parameters available are Family.  

-Mario