Window is partially hidden when moved with align tool

[jwallace2T8CK]

Hi All,

I'm having an issue with my windows whereby when I have placed it in the wall and then try to align the window using the align tool, part of the window becomes hidden behind the wall. Has anyone come across this issue before and if so how do I prevent this from happening?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[RDAOU]

@jwallace2T8CK 

It can happen if the elements in the window family are not properly constrained

1. Either Edit the family, and constrain it properly
2. Or use the Move command instead of Align (the family would still need to be fixed if you expect it to be impeccable),

[jwallace2T8CK]

I'm a little stumped as everything would appear to be constrained. I've been trying to make windows specific to use within our practice and I was deleting some parameters to clean them up. All the dimensions and constraints seem to be in place, including the void extrusions. Is there any specific constraint that might lead to this?

[RDAOU]

hard to tell without the family... you asked for the reason so that was my guess and most common.

If you want someone to help you fix it, you need to attach the family

[jwallace2T8CK]

You make a good point....I've never shared or attached a file on the forums to be looked at before. 
I've attached the family here. I'm sure that like everything else in Revit, its likely just one tick of a box away or something like that, but any help with solving this would unlock a whole bunch of windows for me then. Thanks for the help so far 🙂

[barthbradley]

Are you trying to overlap and penetrate through two different Walls with different thicknesses?  Select Window, Press Pick Primary Host button, and pick the thicker of the two Walls.  

[jwallace2T8CK]

Hi @Anonymous, no I am just placing the window on a generic enough wall. When looking at it in the elevation and trying to adjust its position using the align tool the window gets partially hidden. I think it might be the void extrusions that are causing the issue but I just cant see why they are causing the issue.

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

@jwallace2T8CK 

You have too many reference planes and flexible instance parameters...notice all the shape handles?

• For the alignment...if family kept as is..
  1. Use the Tab Key to cycle through the various planes in the window 
  2. Make sure you select the one called Walls: Basic Wall: Generic 200:Reference.  (See Gif below)

• I am not sure why you need all the planes to be references (ie: generate handles)...I would recommend that you change them all to Not a Reference and keep only the ones that control the Width and Height
• if you want to keep the family as is I might be worth locking some of them to disallow value from changing when the ref planes are flexed...ie: size would then change only by inputting value into the parameters but not when aligning

[barthbradley]

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@jwallace2T8CK wrote:
Hi @Anonymous, no I am just placing the window on a generic enough wall. When looking at it in the elevation and trying to adjust its position using the align tool the window gets partially hidden. I think it might be the void extrusions that are causing the issue but I just cant see why they are causing the issue.

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Save the Project with the Window doing that and post it here.  

[jwallace2T8CK]

Hi @RDAOU,

Thank you very much for having a look at that. I see what you mean about the references planes and also I appreciate the workaround you have shown (i.e tabbing until a particular reference plane is chosen). When I look at the family in plan view I see there are 2no. reference planes overlapping. I think I might be missing a trick here as what you have shown in your short video (very much appreciated by the way) would indicate that there is more that 2no. reference planes in that position. I tried deleting on of them and all hell breaks loose.

I've been using revit for a while now and families are still a little bit murky at times for me so I do apologise for not getting this straight from you latest response.

Cheers

[RDAOU]

@jwallace2T8CK 

You do not need to delete anything... Just constrain/lock the planes to which the internal and external voids are locked to.

The other remarks in previous reply are just a recommendation. Practically you shouldn't need so many instance parameters and so much shape handles