Perpendicular Array

[BillB_UH92]

Revit will not create an array of my rafter:
I made a rafter with "bird's mouth" cuts by Model in Place, 1-1/2" deep Extrusion.

Revit will create an array of these rafters in the vertical direction (up into the sky - not helpful!), but not horizontaly along the ridge line. (It creates the array, but they are all in the same exact place, so it looks like one rafter until you try erasing it). I have tried both Move to Last, Move to 2nd with same results.

Is there a reason/solution for this? Thanks

[Dimitri Harvalias]

The reason for this is that you created your rafter as an in-place family. Every in-place family is related to a work plane. You probably drew the rafter in elevation relative to a grid or directly in an elevation. Revit will associate the geometry with that work plane and will only allow you to copy or array the elements along that workplane. You will be restricted to 'vertical' arrays from a vertical (elevation) workplane and horizontally from a horizontal (plan) workplane.
The only solution is to create individual in place rafters each associated to their own workplane (not a solution at all, really) or create the same rafter configuration in the family editor and save it as a family. Place the family and it will array properly.

[BillB_UH92]

Thanks very much!

Making the rafter in the Family Editor sounds like the best solution.
Would there be a recommended template to start with? (I was thinking of using the Casework template from the Imperial Library)
Is there any way to export an in-place family into an RFA file, or else is there a way bring views from the model into the family editor? (Creating the rafter is much easier if there is either a building section or a similar rafter to trace from.)

I was about to ask a separate question that might have same answer; Revit will not cut my other model-in-place extrusion with a void shape although it cuts walls with void shape easily. Would this cutting have to be done in family editor also? Thanks

[Dimitri Harvalias]

The template you choose should be based on how you want to control these elements graphically (visibility and graphics for the view and object styles globally) and how you want them scheduled.
Templates will also contain pre-defined reference planes and parameters that you may not want.
I'd suggest starting with the generic model template and then changing the category to structural framing or something similar.
You can't export the in=place family but you can open the sketch for the in-place family then copy the lines to the clipboard (CTRL+C) and then paste those lines into the family editor sketch.

As to your other question, an in-place void will only cut objects of a similar object category so a casework void will not cut a wall. If you are going to create the family there's not much point in cutting it in-place so include the voids and other stuff you need to create the configuration in the family editor.

[BillB_UH92]

Dimitri
Thanks very much
The family editor worked well and I was able to array the joists and I was also able to cut the other shape.
I was not able to paste the joist outline from the Clipboard into the family editor, although I was able to paste the outline from the clipboard into other views within the Revit model so I know I am at least copying to clipboard in the model, but the Family Editor said "Can't paste elements into sketch". (I resorted to saving the section view in AutoCAD and importing to FE to trace over).
Are there any steps I might have missed on pasting from clipboard into FE? Thanks again for your help.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Glad it worked for you.
The steps you need to follow to paste the outline are;
In the project where the original in place family is found
Select the family in a view parallel to the sketch
Edit the family
Edit extrusion so you are looking at the sketch lines
Copy to clipboard (CTRL+C)

Flip to the family editor
from the ribbon Home > Extrusion
Paste from clipboard (CTRL+V)
Finish the paste
(move the pasted lines if you need to)
Finish the extrusion.