Windows in 'created' wall extrusion

[Alex Page]

Im modelling an existing Victorian building and have done all the exteior walls using the 'create' wall command. But when I go to put a door or a window in the wall, I can only do it in 3d or elevation, whereas I want to do it in plan. Is this a bug?

[sbrown]

why did you use the create wall command for all the walls? That is only to be used for special walls that can't be created with the normal wall tool.

As for inserting, I believe this is just how it works witht he inplace wall families you have created.

[Alex Page]

Im creating in place because the exterior walls all vary in width (refer jpeg). Unless you know a way simplier way of doing it. Note Im not changing any of the existing exterior conditions, so just need to place doors and windows in them. Five stories of them in slightly different places...alot easier to do in plan off my existing site survey

[sbrown]

I would only make the "fat pieces" as inplace walls do to all the limitiations on inplace families. You can also create a column family with instance based width and hieght that when placed by your wall will join with it, this is a great way to go too.

[Martin P]

I have done this also, we had an existing building where the walls were very,very easy to do as in place families, where I would have had to create many silly wall types to use Revit walls - ie they were all different thicknesess and had cut outs etc etc.

This is a bug, I have reported it and had it confirmed as a bug. You will also find that some walls just will not accept wall based elements.....

My solution - I used the curtain walling tool to create the windows and doors and just cut the holes out myself with in place voids. Sounds like a pain but it was worth the small effort on the project I did this with. Especially with regards to demo work where I wanted holes to remain or be infilled - it works fine and doesnt take too long.

Wall based electrical and plumbing families I had to re-do as non wall based (copy and pasted into new families)


One other tip - any demo work you will have to do as a separate familiy...

[Alex Page]

Thanks Martin, Ill do as you suggest

[Steve_Stafford]

One thick wall and an in-place void cutting material away would work too...fwiw...

[Martin P]

I think the main reason for me doing them in place is that it was an option - it wasnt clear that there was a problem with them to me before I started. But the main reason I use walls like these is that I am drawing up a survey of an existing building and drawing lines in an in place family simply is much easier than using lots of walls - the fact that there is a bug with it is the only reason there is a problem with the method. I have been led to believe that this is a bug that will be looked into too. - But becuase of the bug I found that having non wall based families made my life a lot easier too with things like removing a door but keeping the opening, replacing windows etc etc when used with phasing.

I also put all the existing walls to demo into one familiy, and the existing walls to keep into another - this works very well.

So for an existing building I would definitely use this method again, even with the bug included, it really helped me with my phasing in the end and I dont see it is a bug so much! - it makes drawing up the existing plans so much easier when dealing with survey information (ie drawing lines the same as you have surveyed), there is also the bonus that the existing walls are one big object and existing walls cant be edited or moved by mistake..... once you make some families that arent wall based, its no problem at all - infact its much better when dealing with existing buildings with lots of fiddly bits on the walls...

Next time I use this method though I will do more families for the walls - I just did 2 - existing and demo, but If you break it up into more families it becomes easier to place wall based objects.

[Alex Page]

Martin, I agree completely, and will take your suggestions on creating 'more' families instead of just the one I created...next project thou!

[Alex Page]

After finishing the existing building, I realise what Sbrown was getting at...Unfortunately Revit doesnt seem to treat these inplace walls as walls when you do anything with areas/ color fills/ room tags etc etc...keeps on telling me Rooms are not enclosed..... Tried tracing one room abutting exterior with room seperation lines, but for some reason, it still wont work....is my logic wrong? Therefore I have a biog dilemma!
Any help much appreciated

[Martin P]

Could you just do area plans? I didnt get into room tags etc with the project I worked on so I wasnt aware of that issue.

[Alex Page]

Area plans dont work automatically either, I have to trace over all my in-place walls. Time consuming and a pain, but at least I can get them working

With Room Tags, when I did hit the 'Show Bounding Elements', the following message came up

Warning: Room Bounding elements are highlighted. Reminder: Columns, Roofs and in-place Families are not Room Bounding. To modify Room boundaries to account for these elements, set the View Cut Plane Offset to the height specified in Area Calculation Settings and create Room Separation Lines to achieve the desired boundaries.

So not a bug, just a fact. Interesting that columns dont work either :confused:

Found out why my rooms didnt work even thou' I traced over in-place walls. Revit doesnt seem to like my wall 'run-ons'. Made up some examples....'Room works' is exactly the same as 'room doesnt work' - only differences is the combination of wall run-ons ...Whats up with that?...tried to work out when it does/doesnt work, have a look at examples

This will be a major bug! The implications arent just on areas etc etc, this means my room tags will not automatically name/ number themselfs in different views...arghhhhhhhhhh :banghead:

[Alex Page]

Does this happen to anyone else?