Window family constraints and errors

[KarenLBR]

Hello

I'm in Full Revit 2020 now.

Can anyone tell me if there is a way of listing or identifying constraints and errors in window families? 

I'm having trouble creating a new window type - based on a Revit standard - that doesn't go insane when I insert it into the model. I've got mullions that won't stretch when I increase the window height, and central glazing to a fixed casement that sits behind the frame on plan because it isn't constraining itself to the window.

Images will follow if needed.

[L.Maas]

You should check your family by flexing it. Do this first in the family editor and see if everything behaves as desired. So change the parameters and see if it keeps working. In the case of windows also change the thickness of the wall. This is often overlooked and a cause for constraint errors.

Besides screenshots, also consider uploading your family so we can have a look what might be causing the issues

[KarenLBR]

Many thanks @L.Maas . Flexing in family is far too obvious an idea for me to have tried! Thanks for recommending it.

I've attached a .pdf of the comparative problems, and the family model.

I freely admit that I haven't got my head around the constraints and parameters in families, so I've probably missed an obvious one, or created things in the wrong order. (I may have made the model first and then decided where the parameters needed to be....)

My remaining problems seem to be that the mullions that I have joined to the frame are of a fixed length, and I can't figure out how to set their paramteters - and as such when I make the window taller, I get a hole where they were. I'm also struggling to get my glazing (I've drawn both panes of double glass plus a space... perhaps this is overly complex) and bead to remain within the line of the fixed casement frames....

You'll see what my problems are from the attached no doubt...

All help, advice (and corrections) welcome!

[barthbradley]

Your sweep path is not constrained to anything. You just sketched a path. Redo the Sweep and "Pick 3D Path" (NOT "Sketch Path").  

...there is a lot more. Much of the line work in the family is unconstrained (e.g.  Aligned and Locked to something).  

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/EN...

[KarenLBR]

Many thanks @Anonymous

This link is useful. 

I was aware that I hadn't got many constraints etc. in place. But my queries are:

1) One of the items I am having problems with (mullions) is an extrusion, not a sweep. 

2) How can I check what constraints I have got, before I create more? (Or do I have to look at each line and reference plane/ line etc. individually?)

I shall continue to check my way through 🙂

Karen

[ToanDN]

You can change a dimension parameter temporarily within the family and see if the geometry/linework flex to match. If they stay static then there you are - a constraint problem.

[KarenLBR]

Ok, thank you all. I think I'm being dense. 

I am fully aware that my model is under constrained. What I am struggling with is setting the constraints and finding out what constraints I already have.

If the only way of doing this is my adjusting dimensions as @ToanDN  notes, thank you for this clarification. I have, however, just found a Help video confirming that there is a 'reveal constraints' button on the view control bar which is what I was hoping for.

However.

I'm not clear how I can constrain the extrusions. 

And I'm now setting up another attempt from scratch so that I can track my constraints, and even without adding elements I am getting the message that the 'reference planes are over constrained' (see attached). I can't delete the two way EQ dimension (and constraints). I have created this in elevation and plan with the same results (in elevation it appeared ok and then I changed the height parameter dimension and got the same message). I have only got (to the best of my knowledge) 6 sets of constraints. 

Have I got a glitch in the system somewhere?!

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

To constrain an extrusion:

- set a workplane where the profile will be sketched on

- constrain the profile sketch

- constrain the height via locking to a ref plane or via the extrusion start/end value

Regarding the over constrained error you got, use two strings instead of one, see below:

[KarenLBR]

Thank you @ToanDN, you get through to me in the end. The pictures really helped 🙂