Multiple handbasins, one family

[laura.johanssonPN37Y]

Hi, 

I am trying to create a nested family where I have a couple of handbasins HB-A: Left hand and right hand and HB-B: Left hand, Right hand. The family will have 2 different Types, one Normal with HB-A and one Custom with HB-B in it . I also need to be able to flip it so that it mirrors itself so that I can have a Left hand access to it and right hand access to it.

What is the best way of doing this?

I have added in the 2 basins, mirrored them and given them visibility parameters, then I added in a Label for the plumbing fixtures so that I can chose the different types of basins but that doesn't work instead it comes up with an error See snippet, but only when I apply it to one of the basins. One seems to be working well while the other one doesn't. And sometimes they swop so that the one that was working, stops working and gets the error message if I select None then try to Label it again.

It might be worth mentioning that the Nested Handbasin families are Hosted Plumbing families, not sure if this is the issue. 

Thanks in advance!

[ralphdenhaan]

Hi,

Before you add the label to the family, make sure the same type is already placed in your family:

[laura.johanssonPN37Y]

The I have both hands basins in the nested family and I added them to the ref plane view, positioned them by when adding label 1 of them breaks 😕

[ralphdenhaan]

Can you attach the family?:)

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Load all nested families in but only place one and use Lebel to change to a different type.  DO NOT place or change to different type in your main family via type properties..

The nested family should be using the same constraints elements (center, left, right, top, bottom ref planes etc) so that when you choose a different type using the Label, the constraints do not break.  It is ideal to create nested families by duplicating from one family, or even nest them into one 'bridge' family so that they are all sharing the same constraints.

[SteveKStafford]

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@ToanDN wrote:

Load all nested families in but only place one and use Label to change to a different type.  DO NOT place or change to different type in your main family via type properties..

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@laura.johanssonPN37Y That's the key, let your host family types (Family Type dialog) define which nested family is selected/shown once you have associated the nested family's category with the Family Type parameter. His other advice regarding building the nested families in the same way is very important too otherwise, worst case the family will break or at least not work properly.

You can test the family by toggling on the Preview Visibility, to show the family as if it were loaded in a project.

[laura.johanssonPN37Y]

Do you mean that I have to add the "Family Type Label" parameter to the handbasin family itself? Or into the nested Family where I select what type of Basin type I want?

[SteveKStafford]

You create a "Family Type" parameter in the host family to "choose" which family to select. I usually call such a parameter "Choose X" and then each type of the hosting family has this "Choose X" assigned to one of the available nested families.

[laura.johanssonPN37Y]

Ok, so I think your tip actually worked....a bit. I can change between the different sinks, but they keep changing their host and breaking the reference planes. I assume this is because they're built as hosted families and somehow they're different. So I will try to Build a handbasin family with the 2 types and load that into the bigger nested family. Wish me luck.

[ralphdenhaan]

In the host family as @SteveKStafford mentioned.

[laura.johanssonPN37Y]

I think whoever worked on this family before me skipped that step. The hand basin families used are the ones with extrusions for the sink and tapware loaded in. So If I create a "Family Type" Parameter I only get to chose between the different Plumbing fixture accessories like Taps and Shruds and so on. I also noticed that the 2 different basins get loaded in hosted differently so that keeps breaking the family. So I am now rebuilding the hand basin family to contain the 2 different hand basins and then I'll add that Family type Parameter to that family that I will load into the bigger nested family. Hopefully that will do it and I can move on from this family and live happily ever after 😉

[laura.johanssonPN37Y]

I think I already know the answer to this, but I am hoping for a different answer: Can I link Type Parameters in nested families or do they have to be Instance in the child family?  I have things like Material that is a type parameter that I'd like to remain as a type, but I don't have the toggle to link when I am trying to link the childs parameter into the new nested family that I am creating: