Adding rotation parameter to an imported dwg in a family

[edgars_miskins]

Hi.

I need to add a rotation parameter to rotate imported dwg model within a revit family. How would I do that?

I tried:
1) imported the dwg model
2) exploded it and grouped it together with a reference line.
3) locked the group center to reference planes

4) added angular dimension between ref line (grouped) and one of the ref planes.
5) added angular parameter

In the end I am unable to change the parameter value.. But when I try to rotate the group manually, it rotates just fine.

What did I do wrong?

[nathan.chapman · Accepted solution]

Dwgs can be tricky.  What you should do is import the dwg into a family and then nest that family into another.  When you add your rotation parameter remember to snap the angular dimension to the reference plane in the nested family NOT geometry or it wont work.

[edgars_miskins]

I tried to nest another family.
But then I run into the problem where the nested family cannot be rotated the way I need it.

[edgars_miskins · Accepted solution]

Found a solution.

The nested family idea was the correct approach. Thanks!

However this needed few more things. Here is what I did:

1) Started with empty generic model. Created a single ref line with one end locked to both origin ref planes.

2) Created an angular dimension with a parameter between the ref line and one of the origin ref planes.
3) Made the family containing the dwg into a workplane based and turned off "Always vertical"
4) Inserted the dwg-containing-family into the empty family choosing "Place on Work Plane"

5) Edited the workplane of the nested family and set it to the ref line.

And it works!