Revit 2018 - Crane Parameter Issues - **Please Help**

[JacobDSimpson]

Hello guys, 

I am having a nightmare with trying to create this paramatable crane family in RVT2018! I have been trying for over 2 days now to create a family that is adjustable in tower crane height, boom extension and rotation of the cranes swing area. I can seem to get 2 out of 3 of these parameters to function but when I try to incorporate the final parameter I get errors relating to constrains not being satisfied and I am unsure as to why. If anyone has any experience with complex family creation, perhaps you may know where I am going wrong? 

Also, my family file size has kept on increasing with each save, I have saved as a new name, purged and compacted the file, however it is currently sitting at almost 350mb, any help with this would also be appreciated.

https://tcco-ny-vdc.box.com/s/0qw9tt32m5hohokiyl5tagflb6voujt5

Many thanks,

Jacob

[barthbradley]

Yes, I agree: the family is heavy,  unwieldy -- and unresponsive.   And, by and large it, it is improperly constructed.

1. Too much unnecessary Model Grouping.

2. Nested Model Groups.

3. Nested Components are not "Work Plane-Based"

4. Nested Components are "Always Vertical"

5. Nested Components are not hosted to Ref. Line Work Planes.  

6. Etc. 

You need to first build a parametric skeleton made up of just Ref. Lines in the Host Family. No components.  Just Ref. Lines.  Once this Ref. Line Skeleton is flexing properly, then you can then start bringing into the Host Family the Components by will be hosted to and driven by the Ref. Lines.  Nested Components need to have "Always Vertical" unchecked and "Work Plane Based" checked.  Also, you don't need to Group elements in the Nested Component Families before loading into the Host Family. It unnecessary. They are already Groups by virtue of being a Family.  

Hope this helpful.  

[barthbradley]

See attached Revit Family showing crane "skeleton".  

Hope it helps.  

[JacobDSimpson]

Hi there,

Thanks for your help, I have got the crane family a bit less chaotic now, however I'm having issues getting an array within the model to follow the rotation of the crane. Do you have any suggestions? I've been trying to follow the reference planes / lines instead but I keep getting constraint errors. 

I've attached the new file here if you are able to take a quick look.

https://tcco-ny-vdc.box.com/s/0qw9tt32m5hohokiyl5tagflb6voujt5

Many thanks,

Jacob

[barthbradley]

I don't know what specifically I am looking for, but do notice that model components are hosted to Ref. Level -- not Ref. Lines as they should be.  I would suspect this is at the core of your issue.  Two word solution: PICK NEW.  That is, re-host your components to the skeletal Ref. Line Work Planes.   

[JacobDSimpson]

Hi, 

I have managed to get the family to work as best I can but the file is still quite heavy, I have tried to simplify how it is built to reduce the size and have removed everything I believe to be possible.

https://tcco-ny-vdc.box.com/s/p9s1y9yasdrgdtdldhbawezv631rwu5x

[ToanDN]

Wow, 300 MB a piece? You could create one crane for each condition separately using structural trusses and still end up with a smaller file.

[FAIR59]

purge all your (nested) families. There are several "skp-files"that can be purged!!

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

There's something more going on besides shear size. It's near unresponsive. Revit is thinking way too hard for something that is only 300 mb.  Drill down to each nested, nested family and Ungroup Model Groups, Resolve Warnings, Purge All , and then reload each one back up to the host.  

...you might even try Auditing throughout.  

[JacobDSimpson]

Hi, I'm looking through the families now, so far I have not found any sketchup links of any kind in them but am removing everything possible and am ungrouping

[JacobDSimpson]

Got it down to 3.4mb, thank you! 

https://tcco-ny-vdc.box.com/s/9jpywex6cgeoaz6ard07kdpnchmdmr70