Window using voids cannot cut wall

[Anonymous]

I have three family objects attached. All work find in the family editor but don't work in a project.

MP-Window_Sgl_Plain works OK if there is only a single instance of it cutting into a wall, but the moment I try and insert a second into a wall it throws up an error "Can't cut instance of Fixed Pane Window out of Wall."

With this one I have 3 voids cutting, one for the inside reveal, another for the window frame, a final one for the external reveal. These were created by extruding in elevation.

Mp-Window_Sgl_Plain-Void test.rfs I changed things so I had only 2 extrusions, done in plan. I cannot insert this into my project at all.

Mp-Window_Sgl_Plain-Void test2.rfa I changed it again so there was only 1 extrusion, again in plan. Again I cannot insert this into my project.

I can get a void to cut a wall if it is just on the one side, but running all the way through fails, even a single cubic void object doesn't work.

Any suggestions?

I should add that my windows (at least the last 2) work as objects right up to turning the extrusion I've created into a void, it seems it fails only once the void is set to cut the generic wall, it is only then it won't load into a project.

[Alfredo_Medina]

Have you considered breaking this task into separate families?  You are putting already nine types and a long list of parameters into the same family, and now all these voids and options are causing trouble. If this is difficult for you, imagine how it is for an observer trying to figure out a problem. These "all in one" families end up being difficult to use, and difficult to edit. Would be simpler for you and for the final user if there was a set of different families to choose from.

[Anonymous]

Alfredo,

I don't really see the amount of objects in this family as a problem, I'm working in an office where if I don't have it pretty much all built in there will just be complaint, usually based around some 'Gotcha' moment, following which will be the whine 'its all too hard'.

I'm trying to avoid that though expect it will come anyway, my experience of setting up an ACA implementation was the biggest moron in the office will fail to understand the simplest thing, demonstrating conclusively that a) the software is rubbish, not the user and b) it's all too hard so let's go back to Autocad.

Any idea on the problem itself?

I've got a week to sort things like this out before I leave for a better paid job doing what I want to do rather than CAD Operator stuff, but I'd still like to get it right....

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Alfredo,

Wouldn't you know it, simplifying things is actually the solution.

Delete the window lintol and delete the cill (both with cutting voids) and suddenly the window works fine as it was.

Funny, we had a trainer in who was suggesting we actually do this, I never thought this would be the problem, but then he was probably using an opening object to cut the hole, not voids.

Solution found.

Thanks for your suggestion.