curtain panel pattern based - unable to constrain the pattern

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I'm working on a simple skin. Something like: 

Here is the result of ten hours of misguided work: 

Here is what the panel is supposed to look like: 

I believe I setup the constraints correctly (to the best of my knowledge), using the align tool and aligning reference lines to the normal planes on the adaptive points. I think I am missing some key understanding. Using Revit 2015. 

I attached the files, and I was wondering if anyone would be kind to give me a few pointers to get me on the right track. Thank you so much! 

[barthbradley]

Have you thought about using a curtain panel system? Working with grids would be a heck of a lot easier than the way you're going about it. IMHO. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the suggestion, I have thought about it.. the blog here goes over the different ways to tackle the same technical challenge (curtain wall vs. curtain pattern vs. adaptive component):

https://revitswat.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/curtain-wall-vs-curtain-pattern-vs-adaptive-component/

I need it to work on mass surfaces in the end however, so divide surface + curtain panel pattern would work best in terms of workflow... it looks like it should be possible though.

[barthbradley]

I understand the process very well. What I don't understand is why there is no geometry. The "skin" shown in the top photograph is a series of vertical louvers. I don't get what you're doing. I see no louvers. 

[Anonymous]

I tried the vertical louvers, and that came out even worse (had a terrible time constraining them in the z-axis):

For now I just wanted to have a series of 2d surfaces I could use as the base for the louvers later, and for if I wanted the louvers not to stick out but be just flat panels. I thought that would be a problem I would be better equipped to solve. 

I've used generic family templates where I would setup my own, much more complicated constraints (no adaptive points), and it seemed much easier than this, I don't know why though. 

[Anonymous]

Getting the hang of it; it was essential to read the attached pdf (AU BON PANEL: BAKING YOUR OWN ADAPTIVE COMPONENTS AND PANELS WITH REVIT): 

I found it through http://bimtroublemaker.blogspot.com/2011/03/family-abuse-curtain-panel-by-patterns.html

[Anonymous]

The PDF linked in the previous post made all the difference.