Curtain wall panel size and tags (mullions)

[Maximillian]

I am drawing a residential unit for a builder, and he wants the curtain walls called out in the same way you would a normal window or door. For example:

4'-0"
9'-0"
FIXED PNL

---- THE PROBLEM ----
I split the wall, turn it to a curtain wall, add the grid lines and tag the panels..all is well

Then i add the mullions and it subtracts the mullion width from the panels and changes the tag.
----------------------------------

How can i get revit to report the size as drawn with the grid lines instead of the panel sizes? I tried editing the panels to be constrained 2 1/2" outward but there is noting to constrain to in the panel family, and no width parameter to fudge.

I am loosing sleep over this one, so any help appreciated.
BTW..Still using revit 2009

[Alfredo Medina]

What if instead of showing the Height and Width of the panel in the tag, you tag them with a different tag that shows a mark number or letter, and then, you create a specific curtain panel schedule for this, with a new 'width' (notice the initial lower case) calculated parameter of length type, with this formula: Width + x ; (being x the thickness of the mullion). Then you hide the actual Width (capital letter) parameter from the schedule. You can filter this schedule to show only the panels that do have the mark.

[Scott Womack]

How can i get revit to report the size as drawn with the grid lines instead of the panel sizes? I tried editing the panels to be constrained 2 1/2" outward but there is noting to constrain to in the panel family, and no width parameter to fudge.
Still using revit 2009

Your first problem is that you are still using Revit 2009 (Just kidding). 2011 has "Reporting Parameters" that would allow a calculation in the curtainwall panel to do what you want.

In Revit 2009, I don't know for sure how to tackle it. It would have to be in a combination of a schedule, etc. Inside of a 2009 curtainwall panel family, the length/width is not accessible to perform calculations on.

[rkitect]

I believe I accomplished this in the past with Shared Parameters, but the solution wasn't really worth the effort. Info's scheduling idea is probably the best documentation method for this.

The reason the shared parameter idea wasn't worth the effort is because it REQUIRED that you use a specific mullion profile for it to work. This also abused the fact that the panel size is determined by the intersection of the mullion profile and the Front/Back RefPlane:

http://content.screencast.com/users/rkitect/folders/Jing/media/c10aad06-bc1b-48df-aa53-2b705e73078d/panelTrim.png

You may actually be able to use this to your advantage by making mullion profile that does not actually intersect that plane. I have not tried this so I am not certain it will work, but by theory the panel would then be the same size as the grid that the mullion resides in. The con of this is that when you cut the curtain wall in plan, you will see the mullion outboard of the panel (easily fixed with a detail component >_>)

[rkitect]

K, just tested this, it works. I've attached the project containing the curtain wall so you can see what I'm talking about. You can edit the profile for the family from the poject browser. Whether or not it works for you, I'll let you decide:

http://content.screencast.com/users/rkitect/folders/Jing/media/568fb7f6-1dad-4a42-8fed-8f173ef92168/2010-05-07_0940.png

[cliff collins]

Probably too late in the design, but I'll throw it out there:

You could model the glazing as nested window families with shared parameters
instead of using a curtain wall. Then you would get a more "expected" outcome
in Revit, instead of "hacking" the curtainwall tools.

Which brings up a question: is the glazing going to actually be stroefront/curtainwall
product, or windows mulled together?

I always try to model in Revit based on "real-world" conditions/products, and use E-Specs
for Revit to pull Assembly Code info out for the specs.

cheers........

[Maximillian]

Thanks to all who replied. Might be time for an upgrade.

rkitect : Unfortunately I cant open the 2010 file in 2009, but If I understand you correctly, You made a mullion profile with kind of an "H" shape and a zero width in the middle of the "H" so that the panels butt into each other? Or did you manipulate the mullion profile ref. planes to achieve this? Most likely the later. Any elaboration appreciated.

[rkitect]

Nope my profile looks like this:
http://content.screencast.com/users/rkitect/folders/Jing/media/2afa9cfe-6dfd-4402-bdb1-a6f124fa7f48/2010-05-07_1316.png

Because the profile never intersects the center refPlane it allows the panel to extend all the way to the grid lines. You can of course throw a detail component in the profile family so that it appears correctly in the plan.

You can't have a "0" width in a profile or else Revit will fuss at you.

[Maximillian]

That works , but not at the first or last vertical "mullion at wall" condition, because the panel only overlaps 1/2 way. the solution I will have to peruse is to delete all mullions and do an in place family in elevation for all of the mullions. Not a disaster.

Is there any major enhancements to the curtain walls in 2011, such as allowing the curtain wall to close at the core layer of the adjacent wall not the finish layer? So the mullion is flush with the standard wall core and then cuts itself out of the finish material. Like the real world.

How about "show wall core only" in plan, did they get to that yet?

Thanks all