Wall Mounted Handrail Setting

[hliS658H]

I have problems to get the wall mounted handrail right in the model, the support doesn't look right in the model, it is partially in the wall. I  set the clearance between the handrail and the wall  1 1/2" by changing the railing properties: offset from path, change it from original 1" (the stringer width is 2") to -1 3/4" the handrail has diameter of 1 1/2". The distance between the center of the handrail and the wall is 1 1/2"  + (1 1/2")/2 = 2 1/4".  I used a support family which set the distance from the center of the handrail to the wall as 3", it named this distance as hand clearance, so I went ahead to change this distance to 2 1/4" and save the family. However, when I uploaded this family into the project, the support hand clearance was still set as 3", and the supports were partially in the wall. I don't know why the changes in the family didn't change the hand clearance from 3" to 2 1/4" in the project.

[ToanDN]

Check constraints in the support family and flex the hand clearance parameter see if the geometry follows.

[hliS658H]

I did flex the hand clearance parameters.  I am not sure if you could see the images I attached, when I clicked the images, it said error.

[ToanDN]

I saw it and it looks correct. Can you share the support family?

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

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@hliS658H wrote:

I have problems to get the wall mounted handrail right in the model, the support doesn't look right in the model, it is partially in the wall. I  set the clearance between the handrail and the wall  1 1/2" by changing the railing properties: offset from path, (Set this = -ve value of the Stringer Width) change it from original 1" (the stringer width is 2") to -1 3/4" the handrail has diameter of 1 1/2". The distance between the center of the handrail and the wall is 1 1/2"  + (1 1/2")/2 = 2 1/4".  I used a support family which set the distance from the center of the handrail to the wall as 3", (The Hand Clearance of the Support is an instance parameter which is driven by the Hand Clearance of the Top/Handrail pipe; hence, you do not need to change it) it named this distance as hand clearance, so I went ahead to change this distance to 2 1/4" and save the family. However, when I uploaded this family into the project, the support hand clearance was still set as 3", and the supports were partially in the wall. I don't know why the changes in the family didn't change the hand clearance from 3" to 2 1/4" in the project. (Tab select the Handrail Pipe and set the Hand Clearance there)

It is also possible to change the Hand Clearance of the supports independently from the Handrail as follows (useful in when the adjacent wall is a Stacked wall:

1. is you tab select one support
2. right click and select all similar instances
3. From the Panel >> Modify Tab >> Unpin
4. Change Instance Property Hand Clearance

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[hliS658H]

Here is the support family.

[hliS658H]

I got an email notification regarding a post from RDAOU, but it was not displayed here. I tried  RDAOU's method, unpinning the supports,  it helped to change the hand clearance. However, I noticed later that I had to leave them unpinned, because if I pin them again, the hand clearance will be changed back, and without the supports pinned, the supports' spacing won't change even if you change the setting. 

Hi hliS658H,

RDAOU (Mentor) posted a new reply in Revit Architecture Forum on 02-04-2020 01:11 AM .

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Re: Wall Mounted Handrail Setting
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@hliS658Hwrote:
I have problems to get the wall mounted handrail right in the model, the support doesn't look right in the model, it is partially in the wall. I set the clearance between the handrail and the wall 1 1/2" by changing the railing properties: offset from path, (Set this = -ve value of the Stringer Width) change it from original 1" (the stringer width is 2") to -1 3/4" the handrail has diameter of 1 1/2". The distance between the center of the handrail and the wall is 1 1/2" + (1 1/2")/2 = 2 1/4". I used a support family which set the distance from the center of the handrail to the wall as 3", (The Hand Clearance of the Support is an instance parameter which is driven by the Hand Clearance of the Top/Handrail pipe; hence, you do not need to change it) it named this distance as hand clearance, so I went ahead to change this distance to 2 1/4" and save the family. However, when I uploaded this family into the project, the support hand clearance was still set as 3", and the supports were partially in the wall. I don't know why the changes in the family didn't change the hand clearance from 3" to 2 1/4" in the project. (Tab select the Handrail Pipe and set the Hand Clearance there)

It is also possible to change the Hand Clearance of the supports independently from the Handrail as follows (useful in when the adjacent wall is a Stacked wall:
is you tab select one support right click and select all similar instances From the Panel >> Modify Tab >> Unpin Change Instance Property Hand Clearance

Reply | Accept as solution | Like this post

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

@hliS658H 

You do not need to unpin...unpinning is an alternative when working with stacked walls or walls with variable thicknesses...In you case you just need to follow the screencast and the text highlighted in red in your original message

Hopefully the @Discussion_Admin  will restore the post from their bin soon 🙂

Edit: here is the screencast again

[ToanDN]

I got that one too and supposed it was the solution so I didn't open your family.

[ToanDN]

here is how I would address it:

[RDAOU]

😂 @ToanDN that's what in the screencast 

[ToanDN]

@RDAOU Sorry I didn't watch it.  Glad we are on the same page.

@hliS658H In case you wonder why the default Hand Clearance is 2 1/4" and not 1 1/2", that is because it accounts for half the width of the default 1 1/2" guard/top rail if it were there (so that you have 1 1/2" clear between the handrail and the guardrail. 

[hliS658H]

Thank you for the very clear explanation. I noticed your support family is responsive to your change of offset from path or your hand clearance of the hand rail. I think the support family I am using is not smart, when I change offset from path, or hand clearance of handrail,  the hand clearance of the support family is not responsive, it keeps to be 3" therefore, the supports are partially buried in the wall. However, when you open the support family, you can flex the hand clearance, just not in the project model. Can you take a look at the support family? I feel something is wrong there. It was created with 3" hand clearance. 

@ToanDN  Can you take a look at the support family too?

[ToanDN]

The screenshots I show are based on yours. There is nothing wrong with it.

[RDAOU]

@hliS658H

Family is fine...Enable select pinned elements and make sure you are tabbing the right elements

Or reset the handrail and start it over clean

[hliS658H]

I tried the file you attached here that uses the support family I uploaded, if you adjust the hand clearance of the handrail, you can see the support family didn't change as in RDAOU's video. The supports don't touch the wall, means the hand clearance of the support here is not driven by the hand clearance of the handrail as RDAOU mentioned.

[ToanDN]

I just did and it still works.

[hliS658H]

😭Why it didn't work for me? So whenever you changed the hand clearance of the handrail, the support change automatically?  Is it possible that there is some setting I didn't set well?

[ToanDN]

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@hliS658H wrote:

😭Why it didn't work for me? So whenever you changed the hand clearance of the handrail, the support change automatically? 

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Yes as it means to be.  Upload the test file that is not working here and see why.

[hliS658H]

Okay, it worked now. I did something wrong with the "Railing - offset from path" setting, I just tested to make it right, what is the right way to set " offset from path" ?  the path is that magenta line? I don't quite understand the relationship among these numbers.

Sorry, I went through your previous posts, you already explained and answered my questions very clearly. I guess first of all you have to set the " offset from path" correctly, then you can go change the hand clearance of the handrail, and the hand clearance of the support would follow.