Parametric Drawer Front with array (problems controling array)

[robert.manna]

Hi all,

The uploaded family is a "front" for a casework family. My goal is to make the apparent number of drawers parametric, so that essentially this front could be used to represent anything from a 4 drawer filing cabinet to an 8 drawer flat file and anything in between. I've been using model lines on the face of a simple extrusion to reduce model load and complexity for all our cabinet fronts. However I'm having trouble properly controlling the extents of the arrayed model lines in this case. With no geometrical contraints I can properly control the number of and spacing of the model lines, the issue is with the model line extents. The version I've uploaded represents my latest attempt where I've litterally created a "model" line family to array, however I'm still running into problems controlling the nested family's location. I started with attempting to just array a simple model line, but had problems there. Maybe I'm making this too complicated (I'm not a big fan of trusting to Revit's sketch dimensions to properly guess at my intent). Anyone got a solution or suggustion?

Thank you,
-Robert

[dbaldacchino]

Here you go. What I did was to change your model line with a face-based family. The reason I did this was so that I can set the drawer height in this family instead. Arrays don't like being shoved around that much and you have to take this approach unless you want to end up with more than one nested family!

In the face-based family I set the "Draw height" parameter, which I then connected to the "Draw height" in the host. I locked the bottom ref plane of the nested line to the base ref. plane/level of the host family. Then after arraying and setting the array parameter, I placed a dimension from the bottom ref. plane of the host to the bottom ref. plane of the nested line and set it to "Draw Height". I removed all centerlines and EQ dimensions as they weren't achieving anything.

[robert.manna]

David,

When you created the array in your sample family did you do a "to second"? I'm assuming that is the case based on looking at the family. I've had success previoulsy with what I was trying to do with the family I posted... What gets me is I was able to lock to the reference plane that was in the center of my line based family.

Thanks for the assistance,
-Robert

[robert.manna]

David,

Still having some trouble here. I agree that your family works great, however I had to rebuild the array, as the models lines were placed on the wrong face, and therefore not visible on the "front" of the cabinet front (which would defeat the whole purpose of this exercise). However, in following your instructions as closely as I could, I can not replicate what you did. When I try to I get errors when I attempt to change the number of draws and or the total height of the unit.

Please see the attached file.

Thanks for your help,
-Robert

[dbaldacchino]

Yep, I made the array "to second" and then set a labeled dim to it.

I'm sorry I messed up the side....should have been more careful I've found it troublesome to make arrays behave properly when you try to move the first member of the array, and also when the family grows sideways (you end up with an array going sideways instead of staying in a straight line). Sometimes to do what you want, you almost have to create an array and then nest it to prevent that from happening. I'm not saying you cannot do it as I'm sure you were successful beforex`; in fact I'd like to see such an example if you come across it as I know that arrays can be really finniky.

Here's your family back. I made a little video clip to retrace my steps (had to zip...cannot upload wmv). I locked to the ref plane and not the level...that might have had something to do with it.