In Place Mass Question

[techsupport.161645]

In some instances we do not have the time to create a familiy to represent an object in 3D.

For example, we want to create a mass that represents a bank of lockers. ( I know there are ones to download which we have and are great ). Once we create the mass we want to detail the face of it with line work so it shows up in section and in 3D.

What is the process to generate this line work? I was able to create the mass, just having a hard time trying to detail the front of the mass to show the locker doors and trim...etc.


Thank You

[sbrown]

You are going down a dangerous path working that way. However if you chose to proceed you would create an in place specialty equipment family, make the extrusion, then in elevation either use symbol lines or model lines on the extrusion as required. Or just use detail lines in the elevation view.

However you really should use families.

[jeffh]

I would agree this is a dangerous road to go down. If you are taking the time to adddetail lines to the front of the inplace lockers, it does not take much (if any) more time to just create a lodable family with all of that stuff. It does not HAVE to be parametric.

[cliff collins]

The word "mass" often gets used incorrectly by Revit users/posters:

To be clear: A Mass is a specific type of family which is really intended to generate
large, exterior building forms--and then, using the "Building Maker" toolset
to "convert" faces of the Mass to Revit objects like floors, walls, roofs, curtain systems, etc.

Families would be a better use for a grouping of lockers and or/ built-in cabinets,
casework, etc. A Mass is really not intended for this purpose.

Just my 2 c worth.

cheers........

[twiceroadsfool]

For things like that, theres no way i would use in-place families. Its too easy and too beneficial to use real content. In 2008 (i think?) we got Line Based Families. Build a single locker (Its just as fast. You make the extrusion,and put the symbolic lines on the face... you just do it in the family editor, and not in place.) Load that in to a Line Based Family, and array. Set up 2 parameters to constrain the array, and load it in your project.

Itll be FASTER than modeling it in place and detailing it in place, to be sure. And youll only EVER have to do it once.

[cliff collins]

Yup.....................

[twiceroadsfool]

Admit it Cliff... you added the extended entasis (...............) because AUGI said that reply was too short....... LOL :)