Divide a surface- now want to convert to a curtain wall -

[Anonymous]

divided a surface by using the parts function- and divided the surface into sections- now when l attempt to select the section it only allows me to select it in elevation or plan but not 3D- and then when l do attempt to covert into a curtain wall- it does not allow me to convert - structural engineer here attempting to put into plan what l imagined a building could be....

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous 

1. What do you mean by Surface? A surface of a mass or a Surface of an element (Such as a wall)
   1. You cannot divide a Surface using Parts tool
   2. You can divide Parts into several sections using the divide part tool
2. Are you trying to create a Curtain System or are you trying to replace a section of a wall with a curtain wall?
   1. If you are trying to create a curtain system you need a Mass/Surface
   2. If you want to place a curtain wall, you neither need parts nor a mass/surface. Simply use Wall tool >> select a Curtain Wall type >>Edit type and make sure Embed Automatically is checked >> Place the Curtain wall and it should cut out the Basic wall to embed itself

[ToanDN]

If I read you correctly, you create parts from a wall and trying to convert parts to curtain wall panels?  You can't.  Below are a couple of suggested workflows:

Curtain walls:  Draw them from scratch or select walls and change them to curtain walls.  Play with divisions, mullion types and materials, panels types and materials.  

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/EN...

Mass/divided surface:  if your need complex/free forms for your designs.  Strat from here:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/EN...

[Anonymous]

Hi- and thanks for the replies- will attempt both and get back to you..

[Anonymous]

Hi:

I have done a few of the online courses win revit- both the lynda and the BIM and the free online courses- but this being able to divide a curved wall and then place a curtain wall within the curved section of the wall eludes me...

[RDAOU]

How about you show us roughly what you are trying to do ? Post a screenshot or a rvt file of what you are doing

[Anonymous]

Hi Dr DR.

it is still the same design project- just unable to add the curtain walls where l want to place them. Yea... stumps me too.... used a two splines to generate a surface- then used the pick face - and tried to do what was in the video- but it doesn't want to work for me....revit  just doesn't like me.... and l don't know why 😞

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

It will work maybe you are just missing a step...After picking the Surface...So you did the following:

1. Started an in-place mass
2. Placed 2 curves or splines
3. Selected both and created a Form
4. You finished the mass in-place by clicking "Finish Mass"
5. You went to Architecture Tab >> Curtain System
6. Started the tool and from the Ribbon with Select Multiple (highlighted by default)
7. You picked the Face 
8. Then back on the Ribbon you clicked Create?

Right? that's what you did? 

[Anonymous]

Hey DR.RD

thank you for taking the time- i think the difficulty in this is that l do not want the whole face of the structure to be a curtain wall only the sections at the thinnest x-section- and then only a certain distance from the centre point of the structure.

Here are the screen shots - you can see the reference plane l added at the distance from the centre- l did the steps that you listed - but it converted the complete wall into a curtain wall.

So, what l attempted to do seeing that l didn't want the entire face of the wall as a curtain wall- not practical and also the cooling cost would be astronomical- structure is not on the small size- was to divied the wall into sections- then select that section at the centre and convert just it to a curtain wall. then repeat for the other side, as a beginning-

if you can help- that would be excellent

[RDAOU]

@Anonymous 

You need to cut the first mass with a Void then nest a single surface to replace the cut...ie: you will have 2 Massed Surfaces...Watch the video again and take it slow (It is in the first 50 seconds of the video...

The problem of surfaces generated from a spline is that you cannot add edges to them

[Anonymous]

@RDAOU:

that is what exactly l did at the beginning- even before posting- and no go.. l'll try another method and see if that works.. thanks

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Dr.RD - my bad- let out a the most crucial step when cutting a void - OK so don't laugh too loud- the cut -

So- l now have the two walls with curtain walls- thanks for the patience and help