Adaptive point snapping

[jseck]

In the project environment, Is there a way to drag an adaptive point of a family and snap it to a grid intersection, or wall intersection, or anything for that matter? They don't appear to snap to anything.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

They should be able to snap to all those things. Basic question but are you sure you created the family with adaptive points? Just because it's saved as an adaptive component family doesn't mean it will 'adapt'!

[jseck]

I can't access the family right now, but here is what I did. I created a new conceptual mass family, added 4 adaptive points in random locations (somewhat of a square shape), drew model lines (using 3D snapping) between the points, and created a solid form from those lines. I then loaded that into my project. I can click on any of the 4 points and drag them, but they won't snap to anything. Is there more to it? This is my first real exposure to adaptive components, so bear with me.

[damon.sidel]

I just did some quick tests and here's what I found:

1. As you place the adaptive component, you can snap each point to whatever you'd normally expect to be "snap-able".
2. Once placed, you can select an adaptive point and use the move command and it will snap to "snap-able" things.
3. If you select an adaptive point and try to drag it or use the gimball (colored arrows), it will not snap to anything.

Hope that helps!

[jseck]

Excellent! Dragging a point and snapping would be nice, but moving the points will work. Thanks!

[Scott D Davis]

I can't access the family right now, but here is what I did. I created a new conceptual mass family, added 4 adaptive points in random locations (somewhat of a square shape), drew model lines (using 3D snapping) between the points, and created a solid form from those lines. I then loaded that into my project. I can click on any of the 4 points and drag them, but they won't snap to anything. Is there more to it? This is my first real exposure to adaptive components, so bear with me.

Once you place points in the family editor environment, you must select the points and choose "make adaptable" from the contextual ribbon menu. Numbers should appear next to the points in the order that you would pick to place them in a project...1, 2, 3...and you can pick on any point's number and change it to another pick-order number. So for instance, it makes sense to place a square by picking four points in a clockwise direction. You can make this counter-clockwise by renumbering the points.

To me, it sounds like you missed the step of making the points adaptive. When you load this family into a project, you should literally have to pick four points to place it, and each pick can snap to geometry.

[jseck]

The points were adaptive, I just failed to click the 3 remaining points when placed in the project. I think I just hit enter a few times to place it and then tried to drag the points.

Another question: I know I can schedule the area of an adaptive component, but is there any way to show it in a tag? My component is currently categorized as a curtain panel.

[damon.sidel]

My quick look shows no area parameter available when you create a curtain panel tag. You may be able to create a shared parameter, but at that point you'd either need to manually enter the area in the new parameter for each instance or have a script to copy the area from the area parameter to you new shared parameter. Case Inc. has something like the latter for railings. Maybe they have one for any component.