Generic Model Line Based

[cadman6735]

I am banging my head against my desk. I just can't seem to figure it out.

I have created a line based Awning family. I have looked for and found a tutorial for creating a line based Awning family but it stopped short.

As I draw my line based family it will add awning brackets as the line gets longer but I have to specify the bracket spacing. Using a parameter on an array group. Which works fine and is exactly what I need.

But just for grins and giggles. I want the array to add brackets as the line gets longer but divide the spacing of the bracket thru-out the length of the line.

Because if I have brackets on 5ft centers and draw it 32ft for exampel the last bracket is 2ft on center. I want to take that last 2ft and split the difference between all the brackets to make them equal distance apart. So it looks uniform. (I want to do this for other family ideas and only using this family as my training tool)


I have looked at this thing for so long that I have no clue anymore to what the heck I am doing or doing wrong.

Thanks

[twiceroadsfool]

You can do it, you just need a few extra parameters. Constrain the array First > Last, instead of First > Second. Then make the count parameter for the array. You can makea "preferred spacing" parameter, and an "actual spacing" parameter. Then you have to have a statement comparing the two, to come up with a value for actual, based on preffered and the actual length of the family.

It sounds worse than it is...

[jeffh]

There are 2 example awaing types in the 2009 Families guidee. there is one that is line based and one that has specified sizes. Both use arrays to create the braces/brackets. you may want to take a look at tose examples to see if they help you out.

You can download the 2009 families guide from here:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=11091739

The families guide download is about 1/2 way down the page.

[nancy.mcclure]

As noted by others, you can create a conditional formula that will divide up your line length and adjust the bracket # for you, or a slightly simplier method would be to create an instance parameter of "#ofSupports" which you label the First/Last array with to manually input the #.

I tend to use the simplified method most often, as then I decide on a consistant # when the different element lengths might otherwise prompt the mathematical formula to add another where I don't want it, aesthetically.

Hope that helps,

[mthurnauer]

I do something similar, but a little different. I create the array, constrained, and give the distance from first to second. I then dimension between these two and make it the parameter Actual Spacing. I then pick the array and make it Count. In the family types, I then create the parameter like you said for Desired Spacing. So, for the parameter Count=Length/Desired Spacing. The parameter for Actual Spacing is Length/Count.