View Detail Title Family

[Tom Weir]

YO,
Instead of the default view title with the circle and line that comes with Revit, I am trying to make a family of boxed view titles so that I can insert a sereis of 25 boxes onto my typical detail sheet (e-size), as we curently do in Autocad. These details are not part of the model, so I intend to use drafting views.
Since we are structural engineering consultants we have to adapt to numerous sheet sizes corresponding to the architect we are working with. Therefore the box sizes are always different. So I want to make a family so that I can adjust the box sizes with instance parameters.
I got the linework set up and it flexes nicely. My problems:

1. When the lines flex the text does not stay positioned correctly. How can I lock the text into the correct position.

2. When I insert the detail onto a sheet I can't snap to the corners of box
in order to assemble it on the sheet.

I have attached the view title file. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and have a great day.

Tom Weir
Los Angeles

[Steve_Stafford]

Tom I think you're attempting what gets brought up in this THREAD (http://www.zoogdesign.com/forums/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=594&highlight=uds)? Read down to JamesVan's question about the detail view titles.

[Tom Weir]

Steve,
Not seeing much there that helps. The basic question is how to lock a label into place so that it can flex as a family member....
There must be a way.....?!??!

Thanks and have a great day.

Tom Weir
Los Angeles

[andrewg]

Tom,

I know of no way of doing that. I think the label will stay in place relative to the view tag's origin (ref. plane).

I took a look at your family & project. How did you manage to add the border linework? I saw nothing when I looked in the family you uploaded.

Would it make sense to set up the border work on your sheet, having a sheet for each scale or box size (or parametric), & then set up & align the view title labels to drop into the slots you show on your example, when a drafting view is placed on the sheet??

[Steve_Stafford]

I agree there is no way to make your view title family automatically adjust to allow for multiple sized views etc. The UDS/NCS grid concept is what I was referring to in the other post. James asked how I did the view titles on the example sheets I posted.

I created annotation symbols that are adjustable in length by grid size and a variable version. Then I place the symbol(s) on a sheet according to my need. Then when views are added the view title only contains text information, no lines etc. Then I move the view title into my grid based view symbol. With 6.0 the view title won't move as the view extents change so managing them is a lot less annoying.

I'd be happy to be proven incorrect but I don't believe I am...

[Tom Weir]

Steve,
Guess I wasn't quite grasping your approach. I'll see if I can make it work for me. I guess my approach should be a wishlist item. It sounds so nice to just assemble boxes on the sheet.....but alas not at this time.
Thanks Steve and have a great day.

Tom Weir
Cad/Lan Manager
Brandow & Johnston Associates
Los Angeles

[Steve_Stafford]

Here's a the variable sized NCS detail name box as an example.

I posted an image of a sheet in THIS (http://www.zoogdesign.com/forums/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1905&highlight=) post before too.

[rgrace]

Hello,

I have a related isssue with an annotation family. I have an Align symbol whose dimensions are parametric as instance parameters. However, when I load it into a project, the blue pull arrows do not show up to allow me to adjust the length. The only way to change it is to open the properties box and enter a value for the length.

Is is possible to get these pull arrows in an annotation family, the way they appear in model familes?

Thank you!