Associate visibility parameter to a component with different void geometry types

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

             I am creating a Channel family in Revit. There are many types of grating for the channel. The dimensions of all types of the grating are the same, the differences among the types of the grating are the geometry & spacing of the voids in the grating. Some types of the grating have slotted  voids, some have perforated voids & so on . I also need to associate each type of grating(with unique void types) with a visibility parameter. In order to represent these gratings with different voids , I don't wish to create the geometry of the voids as this makes the family complex as well as increases the file size. Is there any better way of representing various types of grating ?

             I have attached a PNG file roughly showing the top views of two types of grating.

[L.Maas]

Depending on the accuracy needed. You could create different materials with images and/or cutouts (only visible in realistic view)

If the gratings are all the same size you also could create different extrusions, not use voids, but make the holes part of the extrusion

Or use simple model lines on top of the grating to indicate the holes

You could just symbolize the holes with a pattern and use detail drawings to indicate exact position and dimensions of the holes

[constantin.stroescu]

In such a case I use materials with my own patterns ( created in Photoshop) 

Black is transparent , white is opaque....

The maped texture appears in Realistic, Ray Trace and Render ( in computer or Autodesk Cloud Render)

[Anonymous]

I thank you for your answers.

I need to create 10 types of grating & associate each one with a visibilty parameter.I have tried adding image of the grating as a material & associating that with visibilty parameter. In that case, there would be 10 images & 10 extrusions for gratings(File size is also increased).These images will be available in our database & once I send the family to the end user,he/she will not be able to view the images of the grating after checking the required visibility parameter. How to overcome this?

[Anonymous]

I thank you for your answers.

I need to create 10 types of grating & associate each one with a visibilty parameter.I have tried adding image of the grating as a material & associating that with visibilty parameter. In that case, there would be 10 images & 10 extrusions for gratings(File size is also increased).These images will be available in our database & once I send the family to the end user,he/she will not be able to view the images of the grating after checking the required visibility parameter. How to overcome this?

[constantin.stroescu]

If you want to send your material information to collaborators then follow the steps:

• Material Browser > Create New Library -create your own Lybrary of materials (.adsklib)
• use e- Transmit to make an archive that has to contain beside the main file and the links your Lybrary and all the Texture Files that are different from Autodesk's - here will be the file containing white and black masks ( for bumps- relief patterns, cutouts..)
• the collaborator will bring the entire archive and he/she will adjust the path files from Options > File Locations - Add Path .....then , he/she will be able to use your settings

[Anonymous]

Hello,

         I thank you for the reply.I shared the family file & the material library file with the user.After opening the family file, the user loaded the material library containing custom materials(Materials created using the image file), the image which was not seen. I have attached a picture of what the user saw after loading the material library.

         Please suggest me a solution.

[constantin.stroescu]

Did he/she configured the file path?

He/she has to add the path to the texture files...

[constantin.stroescu]

if, from some reason that does not work , you can just click on the name on the bottom, go to the location and reload the file.

Anyway, it is preferable to configure the path as indicated in my prevoius post because otherwise , if you render in cloud , the server will be not able to find the texture to apply it...

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply.

When the user tried to configure the path to the library file, the path to the  .adsklib file containing the materials was not configured & a message appeared on screen showing it as an invalid directory.

[constantin.stroescu]

I've made a rough screencast that shows where you have to make settings.Lybrary and Maps database..

I hope that it will be usefull...

[constantin.stroescu]

normaly the Material Library comes with the Project , but if you want material configuration to use from one project to another you can make your Custom Library as I shown in my previous screencast. You can use also Transfer Standards to import materials from one file to another.

It is important to configure the path for the mapping texture so that the Material Browser will be able to find them....

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply.

In the video you shared, i noticed that you have done the embedding image task for the project, but not in family. I wanted to do the same in the family area.

I want to embed the images of the gratings in the family & I will be sending only the family files to the customer. Once, the customer loads the family into a project, he/she should be able to see the custom image associated with that particular grating type as they check the tick-boxes..As you suggested, I created a material adsklib file and try to create a new path for it, but instead of the path an error message "invalid directry" pops up when i try to create the path.

Does it mean that, the method that you suggested cannot be used in the case of family?

Please share your thoughts

Thanks in advance.

[constantin.stroescu]

Apply material in Famly Editor and if you want the material to be editable into the Project , then create a Material Parameter that can be edited in Project ..

I add a rough screencast on this subject...