Revit 2018--Can't edit bottom riser of assembled stair?

[pdent1]

Hi all.  We just converted to v2018 and one thing that has changed a lot since v2015 is the assembled stair.  In the past we never used it as it was really buggy and difficult to model precisely.  We always used "stair by sketch" (which displays in Properties as just "Stair" rather than "Assembled Stair").  Now the assembled stair tool has gotten easier to use, more like "stair by sketch" used to be, where you draw each run with a single line, while "stair by sketch" is nearly impossible (at least for a conventional stair layout) since you have to draw each line individually.

So we are trying to get used to this "assembled stair" and are running into an issue I can't believe is by design.  Once you have drawn the 2 runs for a switchback stair, you don't have the option of "stretching" the lower run to add risers and shrinking the upper run to delete them.  If you try, you get an error that says "Bottom of run should not be lower than bottom of stairs."  So you basically have to know exactly how many risers need to be each run before you begin.  This is very inflexible and results in a lot of trial and error.  Is this really what others are experiencing or are we missing something?

[barthbradley]

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@pdent1 wrote:

Once you have drawn the 2 runs for a switchback stair, you don't have the option of "stretching" the lower run to add risers and shrinking the upper run to delete them.  If you try, you get an error that says "Bottom of run should not be lower than bottom of stairs."  So you basically have to know exactly how many risers need to be each run before you begin.  This is very inflexible and results in a lot of trial and error.  Is this really what others are experiencing or are we missing something?

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This is not the typical behavior. In sketch mode, you should have shape arrows at each end of the stairs which allow you to extend and lengthen (e.g. add or delete risers). You should also be seeing a count of the risers needed to reach the next level, as well as a count of the actual number of risers you have placed so far. Revit provides and updates that information in real time, so you shouldn't need to do any calculations "before you begin". 

[pdent1]

Hello Barth,

Your response should be correct, but it is not, at least not according to all five installations we have here.  It is only true when you are creating the stair for the first time.  After that, in "edit stairs" mode, you get the behavior I wrote about.  See screenshot--there are no numbers and the error shows up as soon as I try to adjust the lower risers.  I'd be happy to create a video if necessary.  Can you check that this is accurate for you too?  Can someone from Autodesk address this please?  It is really slowing us down as all our buildings tend to have rather complicated stairs.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

@pdent1

You can stretch runs just fine.  You just need to know which grips need to be used.  See screencast on editing an existing component stair.

[pdent1]

Thanks Toan, this is very helpful.  So it appears the key is to delete the landing before editing the runs?  And to use the little triangles and not the dots?

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

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@pdent1 wrote:

Thanks Toan, this is very helpful.  So it appears the key is to delete the landing before editing the runs?

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Yes, sir.

Use the Dot to lengthen/shorten the run, the start/end triangle to move the run, the side triangles to change the run width.

[pdent1]

For anyone who sees this: And to use the little triangles and not the dots to stretch the runs.

[ToanDN]

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@pdent1 wrote:
For anyone who sees this: And to use the little triangles and not the dots to stretch the runs.

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Nope.  See above.

[barthbradley]

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@pdent1 wrote:

Hello Barth,

Your response should be correct, but it is not, at least not according to all five installations we have here.  It is only true when you are creating the stair for the first time.  After that, in "edit stairs" mode, you get the behavior I wrote about.  See screenshot--there are no numbers and the error shows up as soon as I try to adjust the lower risers.  I'd be happy to create a video if necessary.  Can you check that this is accurate for you too?  Can someone from Autodesk address this please?  It is really slowing us down as all our buildings tend to have rather complicated stairs.

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I don't know that you understood me - or, perhaps I didn't understand you. I'm pointing out that Revit displays the count of "Desired Number of Risers" as well as "Actual Number of Risers" - no matter which stair method your using create or edit them.  Check your Stair's Properties while in sketch or edit mode and this information is shown there listed under "Dimensions". 

[pdent1]

Thanks for writing Barth.  Toan's post solved the problem for us.

[barthbradley]

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@pdent1 wrote:

Thanks Toan, this is very helpful.  So it appears the key is to delete the landing before editing the runs?  And to use the little triangles and not the dots?

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It's not necessary to delete the landing. 

[barthbradley]

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@pdent1 wrote:

Thanks for writing Barth.  Toan's post solved the problem for us.

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I realize that. But there some misinformation and misunderstanding conveyed here. Others read these threads as well. 

[pdent1]

OK then Barth, since you insist, to your point, the issue was never that the Desired and Actual risers was not displayed in the Properties palette.  It was that they weren't displaying in sketch mode during Edit Stairs, as shown in my screenshot.  Perhaps if you had explained it as clearly as Toan I would have been able to close the thread then.  For those who read this, read Toan's post.  It contains the incorrect information.  I already asked the moderator to delete post 7 as it is the one that contains "misinformation and misunderstanding", but that hasn't happened yet. Perhaps it will in the future.

[barthbradley]

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PDSF wrote:

OK then Barth, since you insist, to your point, the issue was never that the Desired and Actual risers was not displayed in the Properties palette.  It was that they weren't displaying in sketch mode during Edit Stairs, as shown in my screenshot.  Perhaps if you had explained it as clearly as Toan I would have been able to close the thread then.  For those who read this, read Toan's post.  It contains the incorrect information.  I already asked the moderator to delete post 7 as it is the one that contains "misinformation and misunderstanding", but that hasn't happened yet. Perhaps it will in the future.

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@pdent1: Some professional decorum, please. This is not a pissing contest. 

Your assertion that "Desired" and "Actual" Risers not being displayed in sketch mode; that statement is flatly wrong, Sir. They do. That information is shown in the Instance Properties for the Stairs, as I have explained above. Your screenshot doesn't show this, because your screenshot doesn't show the Instance Properties. 

Regarding Screencast that @ToanDN made for you; I am curious to know why you think it "contains the incorrect information", and yet you posted it as the solution? 

As you can see, there is some inconsistencies going on here. 

...here, this link may help you to understand what @ToanDN meant when he said "you just need to know which grips need to be used": 

 https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/EN...

[pdent1]

Oh for heavens sake.  I am done.  Thank you again Toan.  Barth, get a life.

[ToanDN]

LOL guys.  I think you both misunderstood each other. 

@barthbradley meant this, which is correct for the entire stair.

What @pdent1 wanted is changing the number of steps for each runs, which can be done by dragging the grips like what I show in the screencast, or by entering the value for Top (for lower run) and Base (for upper run) as below  (you don;t have to enter the exact value, for example I entered 6' and Revit calculates the actual height based the best of its intelligence.

[barthbradley]

@ToanDN: I'm not laughing out loud, but I appreciate, as always, your professional decorum. 

@pdent1: Don't tell members to "get a life". It's rude and dismissive. Remember that this is a public forum. Be respectful. 

[pdent1]

I regret saying that. I see now the source of the confusion. I typed "incorrect" when I meant to say "correct" in post 13, and it's apparently too late to fix it now. To confirm, Toan's posts are 100% correct and Barth's may have contributed also. Thank you both for helping with this.