Curtain Wall Length Parameter

[tonkata]

Not sure if this is possible.

I'm creating a BiFold Door family (using curtain panels). In order to show the doors in the opened position at a 45 deg angle, I've decided to nest a detail family.

The problem I face (not having a "lengths"parameter), is not being able to equally divide the nested panels.

Any suggestions?

[barthbradley]

I'm not following you. You might want to post the family.  But in order to flex open and close, you are going to need some labeled angle dimensions as well.

[barthbradley]

...here: examine this one. Play with it and see if you can break it. 

[Sahay_R]

Associate the length of the nested panel family with the desired length parameter in the parent family.

[barthbradley]

oops   Reading is obviously a must-have skill on the forum, if you want to participate. Oh well. 

[tonkata]

Any chance you have a R16 version?

[barthbradley]

...didn't read the "Curtain Wall" part of your question. Disregard attachment. It's not a CW. Still might have helped you, but unfortunately I can't redo in 2016. 

[tonkata]

Sorry Rina, I don't follow you?

The 4x panels have been created in a curtain panel family, where as the 45° line are symbolic lines create  as a Detail Item family, then nested within.

I've attached the .rfa for anyone to take a look.

Please keep it as a R16 versions 

[tonkata]

@barthbradley if you think you can get it work, R17 is fine, I just can't open right now.

[barthbradley]

Well then, open the file and look at the Formulas. That's what you need to know: the trigonometry for right angles. 

Didn't know there was math involved, did you? 

[Sahay_R]

The whole purpose of nesting families is to bring in one repeatable unit - and repeat it. In this case, all the panel door family needed was ONE panel.

Delete the umpteen other panels - only keep one. Make it horizontal. Constrain it to reference planes and add a dimension parameter to the reference planes - not the geometry. Test the parameter by changing values - the reference planes should adjust and the geometry should also adjust accordingly. THEN nest the family into the parent family.

[tonkata]

@barthbradley never mind, I worked out the problem, it seems there was something wrong with this particular family, every time I tried adding a overall length dimension, it would tell me it was "over constrained".

Started it from scratch, now it's working just fine.

Thanks again for tuning in to give a helping hand.

[tonkata]

@Sahay_R hmm.. Brilliant suggestion, I'll give that a try too.