Showing Columns in Plan

[Merlin]

Problem :
I've put in some 100x100 timber columns onto a deck, (base level of columns = level of deck), however they do not show in plan.
Their outline shows when not placed over the deck but even then I had made them with a solid fill in the cut pattern under "Materials"

They show up OK in eleveations etc......any ideas what I'm doing wrong.

[beegee]

John,

Not really sure why you have a problem. It could be possible because columns insert from the top down. ( Think Engineers - but that logic has been debated in the forum ) Check in 3D to see what is going on.
The attached graphic shows a standard column on a deck and below that, one with a solid fill detail component nested.

I have posted the second column for you to look at. Deconstruct it and you will see it's basically simple to make. The detail component consists of solid fill and that is nested into the column family and the width / depth parameters passed across. ( Why is it so, that a filled region is required for a column family that is cut, you may ask - well , it has always been so. Search the forums and you will find a number of threads addressing this issue )

[Tom Weir]

If your cut plane is at the floor level try lifitng it up 1' to cut through the column.

Tom Weir
Los Angeles

[Tobie]

also check the cut level of the column family and set it to 1200mm, or your office standard.
Cheers,

[Merlin]

OK...thanks for the tips, gang!.....
I've been trying to fiddle with it and still toying around at my own families...

BeeGee.
Thanks heaps, mate for your family...in the dictionary you will find
"BeeGee (n):...see legend!"

Tom..
unfortunately, I had looked into that and it didn't fix it....thanks anyway!

Tobie...
I'll try that and keep you posted

thanks again gang!

[Tobie]

Try this column in your project. You can adjust the size and make new types.

[Tobie]

had an interesting problem this morning. doing a 2 storey river "shack". steel columns go from ground to first floor roof. the roof is curved so i used join to get a neat line between roof and column.
whether i join column to roof or roof to column, the column on ground floor plan disappears because roof of turned off in visibility. with roof turned on the line thickness is used from roof category.
structural columns are not my favourite. as beegee said, why do we have to draw from the top down.
will have another look and see if there is a way out. did you join your columns to the floor or roof above?

[Tobie]

this seems to work, don't know why........
joined the column to the floor above and then joined the column to the roof and now they are visible and have the cleaned up line between column and roof.
cheers,