Circular Reference in formulas, work around?

[scottwadd345906]

We're creating a 'program mass box' family as others have done (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=30038&referrerid=104138) and am wondering if there is a work around yet for the circular reference problem that prevents us from having both the length and width stretchable, yet related to the fixed area via formula. You stretch the box length one way, it grow/shrinks the opposite way, and same for the width.

Any way to have a parameter both stretchable and controlled with a formula?

[DoTheBIM]

Nope, probably the best you could do is provide a "check" paramenter to let you know something is not whithin bounds and needs updated. Or be satisfied with only stretching one side. Why would you need to stretch both sides if one updates as the other is stretched?

[scottwadd345906]

Yeah, our old family had a kind of check parameter--I think we'd rather have the fixed area and only one stretchable side.

The reason we want both to be stretchable is...well, doing program layouts is pretty much about lining boxes up, right? So it's important to be able to line up any side of the room to some other reference, rather than squishing the room in the opposite direction until it approximately fits. We could measure and type in the dimensions, but we're trying to make this a fast tool.

[DoTheBIM]

If it's just a box, can't you just hit the space bar as you placing then you can fit your stretchy side 90 deg. from others? I really don't have a clue what your work flow is and what you need to do as we don't do program layouts whatever they may be.

[patricks]

I'm guessing you have the box centered about the origin/CL reference planes right? Try making it offset so that the origin is on one corner of the box. That way you'll have 2 edges that you can align to other things and only the opposite 2 sides will stretch.