Add-in flipping multiple light fixtures as the same time on a work plane?

[Anonymous]

Let's preface this.... I know how to take a sectional view and click on the flipping icon  to make one fixture/family change at a time. A lot of the fixture's that our company uses are custom. I don't know if this is normal or not, but when you have multiple fixtures selected and press spacebar, they will all rotate 90 degrees (from a top down ReflectedCeilingPlan view type of rotation) if you are on a RCP or in a section view. Does the same no matter the view.

I just fixed it with a workaround, but my workaround won't work in all cases. For me , EVERY fixture of the same type/family needed flipping. So I edited the family, flipped the fixture in the family, moved it down to the work plane, loaded it in. BAM fixed!!

I feel like there isn't another way to do this....... am I wrong? If I am wrong.... I don't fell like it would be that hard to create an add-in that would do this...... Anyone want to make an add-in?

[L.Maas]

The family should be Ok to begin with. Modifying a family to flip the light is not a good workflow.

When placing light they should behave consistently.

Are you aware that things like reference planes have a direction?

For example both light fixtures inserted in the same way. As you can see one light dixture is 'flipped'

This is because the (face based) light on the left is attached to a reference plane that was drawn from left to right. The light on the right is placed on a reference plane that was drawn from right to left.

Best is when placing (many) elements that upon placement they come in on the right position and behave as expected.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response! I do understand that reference planes can have a different effect depending on left to right and visa versa, but I want to know if there is a solution to flipping multiple fixtures at the same time.

Let's say a new intern, or someone who just forgot to check the first few lights to see if it's placement was correct whet and placed a lot of lights that were upside down. Is there a quick fix for this? If not, can an add-in be created to help out?

It would be awesome if this happened: When picking a new work plane, you could choose to re-attach the selected items to attach to the work plane the way they would if they were initially placed instead of just moving them down. Does this make sence? This may be more of a futurisic feature/Add-in than a quick fix.

[L.Maas · Accepted solution]

I see few possbilities.

-Rotate the work plane (however will probably change the postiion of the light fixtures).

-Create a rotational parameter in your light fixtures.

-Training. Get the people in the right workflow

I think the flip work plane is exposed to the Revit API. So I assume it should be possible to create something for this.

Maybe head over to the Revit API forum and ask this question there.

[thomas.mitchell4QCV5]

Draw a section that shows the workplane they are attached to. Then, right click one of the elements you'd like to flip and "select all instances" so that everything you want to flip is selected. Now, mirror them about that workplane  in your section view (be sure to uncheck the copy button).  I just did this to flip 95 diffusers instantaneously. 

[s.borello]

I would want to fix the cause of fixtures being hosted upside down.  Check families and realize that ref planes have a positive and negative direction... keep this in mind when you are modeling, and you can avoid flipping your fixtures. 

[fabiosato]

Hello,

Another way is to flip the reference plane by dragging one end of the plane past the other end, the big problem of doing that is that the fixture will move, but if you do this after the first one, you will get all others in the proper position.

If you create the reference plane in a section or elevation, draw it from right to left to have it properly oriented.

[Scott_D_]

If you put your lights into the model using an RCP they won't be upside down in the first place.

if you are using a Plan View you are putting them on top of the ceiling?