Can I align and lock a circle to reference planes?

[mr6jam]

Is there a way to align and lock a circle (drawn with symbolic lines) to a reference plane?

See attached image.
I am building a 2-D Furniture Family, and need the circle (opening in table) to move when the length of the table growa.

[Steven Campbell]

If you go to the element properties of the circle you can turn on the center mark and constrain to that.

Steve

[ben.228889]

Did this end up working? I am having the same issue but dont seem to be able to solve it. I am sure it is a simple thing that I am not doing but could I get some advice?

I am drawing the circular extrusion, making the center mark visible and adding a dimension within the extrusion editor between the reference plane and the center mark. When i go to change the associated parameter i get an error.

[swalton240189]

I usually do 2 semi-circles. for some reason this works better for me.

[Gadget Man]

Turning ON the visibility of circle's center in its properties and than aligning it and locking to TWO ref planes (vertical and horizontal) always works for me. You can even turn off the centre later if you want too - it's still locked.

I use it quite a lot for doors families and their plan swing lines - all my doors are fully parametric (of course) including the angle of swing. It never fails...

I often wander why these centres are turned off by default anyway? Much more often than not I end up initially turning them on for this purpose then turning them off at the end. One unnecessary step every time I use circles...

[bulletproofdesign]

Turning ON the visibility of circle's center in its properties and than aligning it and locking to TWO ref planes (vertical and horizontal) always works for me. You can even turn off the centre later if you want too - it's still locked.
........
I often wander why these centres are turned off by default anyway? Much more often than not I end up initially turning them on for this purpose then turning them off at the end. One unnecessary step every time I use circles...

I agree and I agree. The main issues I have run into with curves is keeping other lines tangential to curves.

1. Draw reference planes for center.
2. Add dimensions to reference planes.
3. Flex model to make sure the dimensions work.
4. Make extrusion with lines.
5. Draw curve by center, from intersection of reference planes.
6. in 'instance properties' of the curve turn on 'center mark visible'.
7. Use the 'Align' tool to align the center to the reference planes, and lock (both hori and vert)
8. Finish extrusion, and voila...

If you need to make the radius of the circle parametric, use a radial dimension, select and choose a parameter as usual (do this in 'edit' mode)

Peace.

[ben.228889]

I have drawn a circlular extrusion and aligned it to both the vertical and horizontal planes (locking it each time). When i adjust the dimension the circle moves which is great. However when i add a radial dimension to the circular extrusion so that i can adjust the height of the center of the circle and the radius i get errors. If i remove the the radial dimension the height works again and vice versa if i remove the height dimension the radial dimension works.

Is there a problem with this scenario? Surly you can control both the radius and height of the center of circle with parameters?

[Gadget Man]

... Is there a problem with this scenario?..

Make sure that you don't have any of your ref. planes (or other references) unnecessarily pinned. Maybe that's what is causing all the trouble? Something is overconstrained and confuses Revit...

[ben.228889]

The reference plane to which the extrusion is locked is not pinned. The default front/back and left/right planes are pinned. Still got the same issue, extrusion will move providing radial dimension does not exist and vice versa.

Test file attached in which the height and radius parameters are set, if either is changed an error occurs, if the problem constraint is removed the remaining parameter works.

Stumped!

[Gadget Man]

... Test file attached in which the height and radius parameters are set, if either is changed an error occurs, if the problem constraint is removed the remaining parameter works...

Now it works. What I did was I simply deleted your original ref. plane and created new. I also created another ref. plane - this one inside your extrusion, so you must enter the EDIT MODE to see it. I also aligned and locked the centre of the circle to this second ref. plane. I don't know if this has done the trick, but now it works...

[ben.228889]

The previous now works perfectly thanks to jetistart however when i try and recreate this exact configuration from scratch it doesnt work despite the ref plane within the extrusion editor and so on. There must be something i am doing wrong or is this a gremlin in the system.

I am doing the following steps in this order

1. setup parameters for radius and height
2. draw reference plane that will control the height
3. create and lock dimension to the height ref plane and assign to the height parameter
4. draw circular extrusion
5. draw vertical ref plane within extrusion editor
6. turn on center mark
7. align and lock circular extrusion using center mark to vertical ref plane in extrusion editor
8. align and lock circular extrusion using center mark to horizontal ref plane (visible outside of extrusion editor).
9. assign radial dimension to parameter
10. exit extrusion editor and test.

Still receiving errors

Attached take 2 which does not work but I am sure is has been setup exactly the same as jetistarts working version.

Any thoughts?

[Gadget Man]

... There must be something i am doing wrong or is this a gremlin in the system.

I am doing the following steps in this order

1. setup parameters for radius and height
2. draw reference plane that will control the height
3. create and lock dimension to the height ref plane and assign to the height parameter
4. draw circular extrusion
5. draw vertical ref plane within extrusion editor
6. turn on center mark
7. align and lock circular extrusion using center mark to vertical ref plane in extrusion editor
8. align and lock circular extrusion using center mark to horizontal ref plane (visible outside of extrusion editor).
9. assign radial dimension to parameter
10. exit extrusion editor and test.

Still receiving errors (...) Any thoughts?

I think I know what your problem is.

It is best NOT to define your parameters first. Just do them as you go - first dimension your ref. planes / radius, etc. then create labels. Simply click on the dimension and go to "Labels" window and "Add Parameter". It should work then.

I don't thing that having a hidden ref. plane inside extrusion has anything to do with it - I just did it while creating your extrusion and explained my steps. You don't have to do it (have this ref. plane hidden) Just create your labels after you create your dimensions...

[ben.228889]

Success at last!!

Strange that it was to do with parameter creation. From now on I will create parameters as I go.

Thankyou so much for your assistance, much appreciated.

Cheers

[Ning Zhou]

I think I know what your problem is.

It is best NOT to define your parameters first. Just do them as you go - first dimension your ref. planes / radius, etc. then create labels. Simply click on the dimension and go to "Labels" window and "Add Parameter". It should work then.

I don't thing that having a hidden ref. plane inside extrusion has anything to do with it - I just did it while creating your extrusion and explained my steps. You don't have to do it (have this ref. plane hidden) Just create your labels after you create your dimensions...

this is good tip -> should move to Revit Architecture - Tips & Tricks