Create surface in family

[amitQFEU3]

Hi,

Is there a way to create a 2d surface in family (we use extrusion now with a 0.5 width, but we would rather have just a surface)?

Thanks!

[syman2000]

You can create surface with Adaptive and not traditional family.

[barthbradley]

A 2D Surface in a Family???  Do you mean like a Filled Region?  

[amitQFEU3]

No, because I want it to be visible in 3D

[amitQFEU3]

can you elaborate?

[barthbradley]

Tell us what it is for and we will tell you how to get there.  

[amitQFEU3]

Create a surface visible in 3d without thickness  that I can see in sections as a line, and in plans also as a line. 

[syman2000 · Accepted solution]

Use the adaptive template

Create 2d and then create form. You should have the option to have surface.

[barthbradley]

But, what is it for?   

...you can create a Mass Surface. 

...Create an In-Place Mass. Inside the Mass editing session, draw a Line, select the Line and press Create Form. Finish and close out of  In-Place Mass session.  

[barthbradley]

Have you considered Line Weight (w/ Thin Lines OFF) and View Scale?  I mean, there's not much difference between two  lines spaced 5mm apart and one line.   So, maybe your extrusion is the way to go.   Six of one; half dozen of another - if you know what I mean.  

[ToanDN]

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@amitQFEU3 wrote:

Hi,

Is there a way to create a 2d surface in family (we use extrusion now with a 0.5 width, but we would rather have just a surface)?

Thanks!

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What does the surface represent?  There are several options depends on your answer.

1. If you want an actual surface without thickness then you need to model it using the adaptive generic model family template.

2. If you want a thin extrusion to present as a line in project then you can turn off the extrusion on plan/rcp, and/or elevations, and add a symbolic line to present it in those view.  The extrusion will only shows in 3d views.  An example of this approach is you want to show a door as a single line on plan but with a proper 3d panel in 3d.

3. Most of the time, just show the surface with actual thickness will do just fine, as @barthbradley suggested.

[amitQFEU3]

Thank you! worked like a charm.

[amitQFEU3]

We use it as a 3d property line, so we need it without line thickness. the problem is that generic adaptive family can't load annotations...

[RDAOU]

@amitQFEU3 

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@amitQFEU3 wrote:

We use it as a 3d property line, so we need it without line thickness. the problem is that generic adaptive family can't load annotations...

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Yes you can have generic annotations in adaptive families.

1. Use your original Family which you modeled...
2. Set this family as shared
3. Nest the generic annotations to the family in step one an associate parameters as or if necessary 
4. Save and load/nest into a generic model adaptive
5. map parameters
6. Model the Surface you need herein
7. Load into the project

PS: You do not need adaptive placement points 

Result as shown in below GIF (Family also attached)

[ToanDN]

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@amitQFEU3 wrote:

We use it as a 3d property line, so we need it without line thickness. the problem is that generic adaptive family can't load annotations...

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3D property lines?

I would create an in-place mass.