topic Family shape handle stretch in Revit Architecture Forum

Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 11:39:01 GMT

I have created a duckboard family with a nested arrayed void family that cuts out the notches. Because of the array, I can't find out how to modify the family in such a way that it allows me to stretch both ends using shape handles. For one, the board won't move to the specified size of the handles and two, I can't resize the void (due to the way I constrained the array?).

What am I missing here?

The forum won't allow me to post the family, so I've made a quick screencast and attached a screenshot.

The void's file structure is as follows: generic model face based nested into another generic model face based in which the void is arrayed. The whole is loaded into a new generic model.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

mehrdad.rahimi.en65 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 15:14:16 GMT

hi my friend, You can do two things,
in First you have to draw your original shape and void in two different lengths (You don't have to draw them in the original size in first) then individually lock into the work plan you have drawn to adjust the size.
In the second method you can lock each one individually into a separate work plan and depend on the size of one work plan to another.
The first solution, of course, is better and more principled.
If you find this helpful, please press the Accept Solution button.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 15:28:31 GMT

Both the void and the solid extrusion are constrained to the same workplane in the host family. They nevertheless do not behave correspondingly.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

mehrdad.rahimi.en65 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 17:10:04 GMT

1. First, redraw this drawing in a new file again, if you have the problem again, use the second method and connect each one to a separate workpalne and Make one workplane equal to another.

2. But if you want to use an array, you can completely customize one of the solid shapes and attach it to the workplanes, and then run the array on it, so you can define the number and spaces as a parameter.

3.Alternatively, you can only draw one extrusion in the drawing, and in the front view, draw the cross-section of all the pieces and attach them to the workplanes you have drawn.

see the attachment.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

barthbradley — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 17:59:23 GMT

Are any of your Ref. Planes PINNED? This could be what is constraining the nested geometry and causing it to flex improperly in the Host.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:15:24 GMT

None of the reference planes are pinned. I am also struggling with another family with the same concept. Here's another screencast.

E: I would also like to be able to post family files to the forum, could someone please look into this? I used to be able to do so before.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

bin — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 21:48:05 GMT

You can Upload a zipper family.

For your family, maybe delete the EQ dimensions.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 07:45:30 GMT

Good idea about the Zip file!

The equal dimensions were added afterwards to have a look at the outcome.

There was another forumpost about this in which equal dimensions were used in a screenshot.

Unfortunately there weren't any files for me to have a look at.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 09:51:01 GMT

Try this one.

You might also want to include a parameter that forces length to be a multiple of the length.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

bin — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:04:17 GMT

Had a look at your file, after deleting all the EQ dimensions, and some alignment of the group, it works now.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 11:21:09 GMT

So what I see in both of your files is that you've basicly removed all aligned constraints both within the group and array. For the cladding: creating the spacing using constrained reference planes within the array is a smart technique. This has given me some great ideas on how I can improve upon my family! Thanks!

The stretch however, was meant in the length direction of the cladding:

Is it possible to achieve this?

Concerning the Duckboard family, if I use the align command on either of the edges, the result is that the handles are displaced. Is this just a limitation of Revit? Other than that it works exactly the way it was supposed to, thank you too!

Still, I'm not sure I grasp the idea on how to work with an stretchable array. What is key to making it work? Do I align the array result, or the elements within the group (reference planes)? Or do I just align the array without a lock in order for the direction to be set?

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 11:39:14 GMT

For that you will need another parameter that defines the overall length (distance between top and bottom board). Lock the right side of the array to the reference plane defined by that parameter.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 12:29:00 GMT

Oops, with the length I mean the length of each of the wooden boards. I did not mean to stagger them.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 12:33:52 GMT

Your board family has a length. Associate the length with a parameter in the parent family, such as length.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:00:33 GMT

I am sorry, I've been modifying the file over and over, but can't get it to pick up the length parameter.

Revit is prompting the "Constraints are not satisfied" window regardless, when I unconstrain the sketch, the array moves stagerred as shown before.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:11:36 GMT

It's because you're constraining it with Rebate Length = 800. Delete that and create a new parameter called Length and associate length from your family with it.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:13:51 GMT

See attached.

Re: Family shape handle stretch

Intuos5 — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:23:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It's because you're constraining it with Rebate Length = 800. Delete that and create a new parameter called Length and associate length from your family with it.

That's it! I forgot to constrain the Length, indeed. Glad it's working now, thanks a lot!