Family embedded into Curtain Wall panel family to read panel height on placement

[tolga.isikyildiz]

Hello all,

I have a curtain wall panel family, which used for exterior stone wall cladding/fenestration shell of the project I am currently working on. The cladding is supported by box profiles and there are (1) vertical box profile members all the way as curtain wall panel height and (2) some horizontal ones to connect those vertical ones together. At the end I would like to get material take off of this box profile in length. Therefore I have embedded a box profile family (Generic Model, Work Plane-Based, not always vertical)  into CW family and tried -hard- to connect its shared length parameter to CW panel's Instance Reporting parameters. 

The core of my (1) problem is, indeed, how to report CW panels actual height value when placed on project? I have an instance reporting parameter connected to referance planes defining upper limits of panel, but it is not changing in accordance with the actual project, i.e. whereas the CW panel is adjusted to CW height, those box profiles keep their height as in family. 

For the other (2) problem as well, I introduce another instance (reporting) parameter to calculate the distance in between two vertical profiles, but I cannot link this parameter to the length value of embedded family. 

problems (1) and (2) on project

I know I could have done easier if I would keep the profile as in place solid in the host family and calculate length with a calculation in schedule. But (a) I wanna know how to do it, i feel it can be done (b) the calculation will give me the total length, not optimum number in relation with limited box profile lengths.  

instance length parameter in Gen. Model family, WP based, not always verticalparameter connected to host familycw panel height adjusted but profiles are not adjusting

horizontal profile embedding error

Thank you in advance!

[ToanDN]

You cannot use associated parameters to drive the dimensions of the nested family in a curtain panel family. Use reference planes to constrain them instead.

[tolga.isikyildiz]

Hi ToanDN and thank you for your reply

Reference planes are there actually but I cannot attach the embedded family to them. It is because grips are not apparent, even though the parameter coming with the family is an instance parameter. Is there a way to make grips show in hosted family?

[ToanDN]

Go to an elevation and use align command.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Fixed it for ya.  Open the file and reverse engineer the nested family.

[tolga.isikyildiz]

Hi again ToanDN,

That was really helpful. 

Comparing two embedded families, the only difference seems to be on this "Default elevation" Built-in parameter, right?

Making a quick search on "Default elevation" ends up with a journey to abyss. Before getting deeper, maybe you could tell me if I am on the right track and maybe kindly share a quick tip to how to put that parameter back on my future families?

[tolga.isikyildiz]

Hi again ToanDN,

That was really helpful. 

Comparing two embedded families, the only difference seems to be on this "Default elevation" Built-in parameter, right?

Making a quick search on "Default elevation" ends up with a journey to abyss. Before getting deeper, maybe you could tell me if I am on the right track and maybe kindly share a quick tip to how to put that parameter back on my future families?

[ToanDN]

No that is not it. What I did was using a reference line to constrain the extrusion in the nested family so that it shows the grip in the host family. Reload it to the curtain panel family and remove the associated height parameter. Then I drag each of the instance of the nested family and lock them to the top reference plane of the curtain panel. Again, associated dimension parameters work for most other cases, but not curtain panel families.