Copy/Monitor Wall Openings

[jbrazier]

There's an issue when using Copy/Monitor for walls.  When copying window/door openings the opening in the Revit Structure model is larger than the opening in the Architectural model.  Revit is not copying the "opening cut" from the window family, it is making the opening the size of the entire family, i.e., the extents of window trim and even reference planes.  So for a window opening of 3'-0"x6'-0" I'm getting an opening of 3'-11 1/2"x6'-8" in my model!  Can this be corrected without me having to recreate all of the architect's window families?

[Orsolya.Balazs]

Hi,

In order to check the behavior and if there is a workaround through the family, please write the exact name of the family that you have used at copy/ monitor. The best would be if you could send a small sample file (just the link with this family) to do some tests with the exact settings.

What surely work as workaround to create the openings as wall openings (through the command: Home/ Opening/ Wall opening).

Kind regards,

[Orsolya.Balazs]

Dear jbrazier ,

although I have sent you recently a private message about this theme, let me publish some information here as well, considering other users may have similar questions . 

The behavior, that you have faced seems to be a known issue.
The background of this phenomenon is that the opening size generated by the Copy/Monitor routine is determined by the overall bounding box of the window or door family. So if these elements have additional geometry added to them, the openings may be larger after Copy/Monitoring. This is currently the designed way of working of the Copy/Monitor tool.  

It can be that the bounding box being expanded due to some reference planes in the family. In that case you may try to fix the family in the family editor by resetting the properties of the reference planes (that are considered as boundary at the copy/ monitor) from "Weak reference" to "Not a reference".

Currently we have a registered wish on our wishlist to reconsider the current way of working.

Kind regards,

[jbrazier]

Thanks for your reply. I've already heard from Autodesk QA personnel, they verified it is a known issue.  Since the window family is in a client's model I would have to edit their families, save them and reload them every time they sent us an updated model.  It is our policy to not edit the architect's model due to liability issues.  If only there was a way to copy/monitor the opening cut within the family and not the bounding box of the entire family.  This issue makes the copy/monitor for walls practically unusable.

[iamian33]

Has this issue been resolved in RAC 2013, or is there a best practice for this?  We are having a similar but opposite issue. 

My structural engineer is cutting his own openings in the core walls - when we copy monitor his walls, I can no longer place my doors, as there are holes in the walls where my doors need to be. 

I am open to suggestions ...

Ian

[Anonymous]

As a workaround that keeps things a bit happier for future use, you can adjust the opening in your model to match the actual opening size in the monitored model, then run coordination review and accept the difference. Keeps your opening associated to the door or window in case it moves and locks in the difference between the 2, but doesn't help much if it changes type.

[Struct_Production]

Its been 9 years.  I'm using Revit 2020.  Why is this still an issue?

[alex2QG4D]

2021 and issue still exists.

[kjagielska]

Agreed! so frustrating..its been over 9 years!?

[jbrazier]

10 years to be exact.

[chris_curley2]

I was considering posting similar difficulties I experience, but opted to add to this post.

As a structural tech I find recreating linked architectural openings most tedious and time consuming.
Linked Arch (opening families) models can be extremely disorganised and unreliable

• I use the wall opening tool in preference to recreating an unmanageable amount of family based openings.
• After creation I select all openings and set the head and cill levels, after that I have to address the ones that differ and apply new cill and head heights.
• Then for all iterations of the linked model I have to review and apply changes (far from efficient)

I too have tried the copy monitor option (again same difficulties as above posts) but since the linked families are not in my control, its not worth the effort. In addition the architectural walls include inner cavity and external leafs, whereas we as structural engineers only show the loadbearing leaf, so that creates realignment issues for walls.

Admittingly things would improve with better collaboration with the Architects modeler (not going to happen). 
So I was just wondering is there a proven more efficient method to address this common workflow problem, how do you address it?

Chris

[pellemeholm]

Hello @jbrazier

Hi @chris_curley2 

Maybe our Plug-in conVoid can help you to solve the problem. With conVoid, you can create, transfer, update and coordinate any kind of opening.

In your case, conVoid would analyze the door and window elements of the architectural model and calculate the structural opening in the exact dimensions. If there are any changes in the architectural model, conVoid will automatically update all openings in your model.

Here I a demonstration:

https://youtu.be/BGF_i4DoACs

You can find more Information about conVoid here:

https://www.conclass.tech/convoid

Best Regards

Pelle

[chris_curley2]

Thank you for that. It looks like does a whole lot more that I require (not to be knocked). Downloaded the trial and for whatever reasons I am not getting the desired results. I have consulted the documentation to no avail. Might contact support. Sad that I need to purchase addons to complete this task efficiently.

Thanks again.