Adding an object to a bolted rule controlled element

[Anonymous]

Is there anyway to add the bolts of a rule controlled element to a secondary beam or object that just happens to coincide with the bolts of a rule controlled element?

For example i have a set of stair stringers that have the treads bolted into the sides of the stringers. I am attaching a beam to the stringers that just happens to cross the bolt set that connects a tread to the stringer. If i use the add 'add connection object' tool, it won't let me connect the beam to the stringer using the tread bolts because its a 'rule controlled element'.

Is there any way around this?

[múinteoir]

Delete the joint box, thus removing the rule controlled element. Be careful as this will remove the intelligent macro to adjust the stairs so ideally do this once you have the stairs modelled.

[Anonymous]

Hi Jonathan,

I've tried deleting the joint box for the whole stair macro (that which controls the bolts through the stringers), then tried 'add connection objects', but it still won't add the bolts to the beam i want to connect - saying it's still a rule controlled element?

[Kirk_bailey]

What's the connection situation could you post pictures or a screencast showing what your facing and explain what you want to happen?

There are workarounds i might be able to help with.

Also, if it's a grating type tread situation, the stair actually has two joints(a joint within a joint) upon deletion of the stair joint box, each tread has a joint box that can will need to be deleted in order to modify.

[Anonymous]

Hi Kirk,

The  horizontal channel at the front is connected to the flat bar stringer of the stairs with 2 No. M16 bolts.

Slightly above are 2No. M12 bolts that connect the plate tread pans to the stringer. Those bolts are obviously controlled by rules from within the stair macro, so my question is -  how can i add those corresponding M12 bolt holes to the horizontal channel?

[Anonymous]

Treads are controlled as an intelligent item even after you remove intelligence from the stair, so you'd have to remove the intelligence from that tread as well.  I would keep the stair intelligence and change your stair treads inside the macro to just not have bolts, and add them manually to each tread after.  Then you will still have an intelligent stair item and less headaches in the future for any changes.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Thanks for all your suggestions.

In this particular case, as it's only one one area/2 No. bolts that need to be added, I've found the best option is to add holes manually to the beam in question by isolating the relevant elements and snapping to the nodes of the bolts where i want to add the holes in the beam.

On a separate note, i'm finding that producing DXF's of the plate tread pans, yields an blank DXF file!?!?

I've also found previously  on other stair projects, that tread pan DXF's are blank or at best incomplete, with only partial profiles shown and no bend lines.

Any ideas  on that one anyone?