window trim

[lost again again]

I'm trying to add trim around a pair of windows. I added the trim in the family but when I place two together I want a single board at the top and bottom and a single board between the windows. Seems simple enough but I have no idea how to accomplish this efficiently. Please help! What I have and what I want are attached as an image.

[lost again again]

My attachment is here.

[lost again again]

No, my attachment is here. It's been that kind of day.

[gtarch]

1) The hard way is to build a new double window family, with all of the elements modeled properly in the family.

2) The easy way it to model a post piece that will sit in between the two windows. You can use the linework tool to make the butted lines that you don't want invisible in the elevations. But you have to override those lines in every view, over and over.

The easy way can be done pretty fast if you know what you are doing, but will not be very fun to work with. So if you need to have more than a few of these double windows, you should go with the first approach and build the new double window family.

[lost again again]

And when I have three windows I start all over again? I have two sets of windows like this in the project and other windows and doors as well. I thought there would be some way to add 1x4 (or whatever size) boards around the windows and doors, similar to how it would be done in the field. Not elegant, but achievable.

The way I got to my "what I want" example was unfortunately by creating an in-place family. That way I'm not futzing with linework. I don't know what kind of file size bloating this is going to cause since I am new.

Thanks for your answer.

[cliff collins]

Another method:

Build a Family that is only the Trim. Then "nest" the window families into it, (or vice-versa )
and set up parameters with dimensions from Reference Planes from the Trim to each window
face, so it will "flex" when sizes are changed. Then make sure the nested window families are Shared,
so they will each tag properly from inside the project.

Also, set up Material Parameters in each family, so that you can change them once loaded into the Project.

cheers

[Revitaoist]

and another method:

Give the trim in your existing windows a visibility instance parameter, so you can turn it off. Then in-place mass the trim.

[cliff collins]

With all due respect, I would not recommend the In-place ( Family, not Mass???)

This is OK for a few windows, but not on large projects--
where you have more than 10-20 windows; it becomes a major performance hit and a bit difficult to manage
as the design changes rapidly.

Getting the trim and windows into a family and/or nested family is not that tough, and it will have a good outcome in the project.

cheers

[lost again again]

What about my situation with a series of individual windows? The actual trim will be different depending on the number of windows and the distance between them. I have two in a series now, but that could change to 3 or 4 or potentially any number.

For this project which has only a few windows and doors, I think I'll add a visibility parameter to the trim already added to my window family (instead of pulling it out and nesting it back into the window family, unless there is an obvious benefit to that of which I am not aware), then turn the trim off and recreate it as an in-place family when the windows are in series.

Cliff: I agree that this is not recommended for a project larger than this one (for the reasons you state and because it's just so convoluted!). I was hoping the solution was going to be much simpler and more consistent for use in a project of any size. I'm new to Revit but want any solution to be not for today but for from this point on.

Thank you all for your answers.

[mmiles]

Make one or more face based trim (casework, or window) families.
The trim family can be nested into the window family, or placed independently within the project environment. The face base family will include a void the same size as the trim (height and width) with a depth that cuts into the wall. The depth is essentially whatever dimension is needed to cut the wall back to the sheathing and can be parametric to meet various finish thickness of the wall definition. A solid extrusion will sit within the depth, and include in extra depth needed to meet your design intentions. The various widths and heights can be instance parameters to allow for dynamically stretching to fit around the windows when placed within the project environment.
Making the trim an independent family you have more flexibility to reuse the family in other situations, but you may have to put more thought into the design (i.e parameters) beforehand. If the trim is part of the window family you have a little less coordination to make, as you can parameterize it, or leave it to the specific dimensions needed in this particular situation.