in-place truss interacting with stick symbols

[ck.107547]

I want to show my in-place family truss in coarse plan with a dash dot line instead of a solid line. I know this is a simple procedure, but I can't figure out how to load and draw a dash dot line. Anyone know why Line Styles is not available in sketch mode?

Thanks!

[kmarsh]

If you've created an in place family of type "structural framing" (for instance) you can add a subcategory to "Structural Framing" called (for instance) "Ken's Truss Members", Do this in Settings->Object styles and then the linetype will be available as a model line in the family editor when createing families of type "structural Framing"
See screenshots.

[ck.107547]

Thanks. That's exactly what I needed to know. Related to this, I have beams framing to this in-place truss. These beams frame exactly to one of its analytical lines, but they do not cut back...well actually they do on one of the other trusses, but not this one. I can't figure out what causes Revit to recognize a connection so that it will cut back the beams' symbolic lines...

Any insight?

[kmarsh]

Hi CK,

Could you post a couple of screenshots of what you're trying to do? I t hink that might help me or others have a clearer picture of what you're looking at.

(pardon the preposition at the end of that sentence.)
-ken

[ck.107547]

Well let me back up a little. I have a story deep truss (actually eight custom long span trusses) that will be displayed on the plans as a dash-dot line. We will call out the member sizes, dimensions, and orientations in an elevation. What is the best approach to draw something like this? I thought making an in-place family would be the way to go, but now I'm not so sure. I have to make sweeps of all the members, and that means it's very time consuming to change their sizes. Also, framing tags don't work for sweeps...or do they? I'd rather use the beam/column/brace families because they seem simpler, but they don't display right in the plans.

thanks

[Paul Andersen]

I'd rather use the beam/column/brace families because they seem simpler, but they don't display right in the plans.

Here's an approach that may help.

1. Copy and Rename one of the delivered structural framing families and its type catalog.

2. Edit the new family and go to Settings -> Object Styles dialog. Add a subcategory for the plan representation of your truss.

3. Draw a symbolic line of the line type you just created (Custom Truss Member [projection] for example) in the plan view. Constrain (Align Lock) the ends of the symbolic line to the Member Left and Right Reference Plans and set the lines visibility to Coarse view only.

4. Go to Settings -> Family Categories and Parameters... dialog. Change the Symbolic Representation Parameter Value to "From Family" instead of "From Project Settings".

5. Load this family into your project and use it for your truss top/bottom chords and diagonal members.

Some care needs to be taken with beam justification and placement. As you can see my example has some issues (top chord / diagonals intersection). I cleaned up the intersections with reference planes and the cut geometry tool. The coping tool may also work in some instances.