Base Sketch for extrusion is invalid

[lorissa]

I am trying to create some truss families for my project, and am running in to some problems.  First of all, the Structural Trusses in Revit don't work for me, the shapes are all wrong, and even when I try to customize them, they don't adequately represent the trusses I need.  So I decided to just create my own,  using a simple extrusion (all I need is a good outline for my sections!).  I was able to create one type, which inserted fine.  The second one I made will not insert.  I get the message "Base Sketch for extrusion is invalid" and it deletes it from the model.  It is a simple single excruded element, and I don't have it set up for any real parametric flexing, so I don't know why I'm getting this message, and why it's not working.  Help! 

[barthbradley]

I'm not following. The Truss Family hosts the Structural Framing Components in the Project.  

...you can't find a Structural Framing Family in the OOTB Library that works for you?  

...BTW: On placement in the Project, the Truss automatically uses the last used Structural Framing Family placed in the Project. 

[ToanDN]

Why don't you modify a structural truss family, or start from the structural truss family template and sketch chords and webs to whatever shape you want?

Truss family:

Truss in project:

[barthbradley]

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@lorissa wrote:

 So I decided to just create my own,  using a simple extrusion 

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There's no extrusions in a Truss Family.  Maybe you didn't mean "Truss" the way Revit means "Truss".  

Creating a Truss Family | Revit | Autodesk Knowledge Network

...BTW: the error message that's being thrown on you is likely due to overlapping lines in your profile family. Edit Profile family and remove overlapping/duplicate linework.  

[lorissa]

I did not find one in the Library that I could use, and/or I don't know how to customize any of them to fit my needs.  It's not so much the general shape that is elluding me, it's the details at the bearing ends, that I can't get looking the way I want.  Also, I can't seem to manipulate the justification on the top and bottom chords.  I want to justify the top of the upper chord and the bottom of the bottom chord.  In other words, I know precisely what the shape of the perimeter of the truss should be, and how it bears on the structure below, but can't seem to manipulate the truss families to fit that outline.

[lorissa]

I was just creating an extruded object that looks like a truss, under the Structural Framing category, instead of using one of the truss families.   The only way I know how to create the precise shape I want, but clearly that's not working either.

[ToanDN]

If you want to model the family then don't use a truss template, but a structural framing template.

[barthbradley]

So, you're just creating the truss geometry via extrusion method? If so, the sketch profile that your extruding is flawed somehow.  Did you check for double lines?  

...post a screenshot of what you're doing.  Are you in a Family or Project environment?  If Project, are you modeling the truss via In-Place Component or In-Place Mass?