PeterJ
2003-06-10, 12:24 PM
I wrote this out because someone was asking for a baluster solution but Steve Stafford asked me to post it here too.....
It is easy enough to set a baluster with an offset such that it starts a set dimension above the host, be that stairs or balcony, you just need to be define this parameter, along with the height in the baluster family and then select the appropriate family type through the railing dialog. If you want to sit these balusters on a bottom rail a second railing can be provided, again this is quite apparent within the railing dialog and should be feasible with some playing around. You will probably want the lower rail to be a thinner section/different material to the handrail, but you can still manage all of that by experimenting within the railing dialog and by making profile families. If you don't see how to work the horizontal rails, look at the 'pipe' railing family that is in the default template, that ought to show how you get parallel horizontals
Where the system becomes weaker is when you then want every nth baluster to descend to the host. That doesn't appear to be feasible using the system I have highlighted above. There are two ways around this:
[list:b9fad7d42f]Do a simple railing with your regular balusters and bottom rail and perhaps your handrail and then with the same location and host run a second railing family that contains the structural baluster segments with a different spacing. The last bit is most easily achieved by copying the first one into the same location and then simply changing the properties of the duplicate.
Make a baluster family that comprises the structural baluster and n number of secondary balusters - I would recommend you give an overall width for this family probably defined by ref planes and then equally space you balusters within the width. Utilise this baluster family in a railing family with a handrail and a bottom rail.
[/list:u:b9fad7d42f]
If you use complex baluster forms expect some problems with spacing if the length of the railing is not a multiple of the width of the baluster family or of the spacing ( I forget which) as Revit will insert an extra at one end in some cases.
If you are using a complex baluster and want it to follow a stair profile then the attached family is a glass fill panel that was designed to drop below the edge of a concrete stair and follow the pitch line. It shows the way to 'lift' the angle from the host. With this one the width is variable so if you want to get really smart you can run the hand rail, then run a railing with just the baluster family and then use an odd size baluster family to fill in the end conditions. Its a little time consuming but it does give the best impression of what you generally want.
Hope this helps
Pete
It is easy enough to set a baluster with an offset such that it starts a set dimension above the host, be that stairs or balcony, you just need to be define this parameter, along with the height in the baluster family and then select the appropriate family type through the railing dialog. If you want to sit these balusters on a bottom rail a second railing can be provided, again this is quite apparent within the railing dialog and should be feasible with some playing around. You will probably want the lower rail to be a thinner section/different material to the handrail, but you can still manage all of that by experimenting within the railing dialog and by making profile families. If you don't see how to work the horizontal rails, look at the 'pipe' railing family that is in the default template, that ought to show how you get parallel horizontals
Where the system becomes weaker is when you then want every nth baluster to descend to the host. That doesn't appear to be feasible using the system I have highlighted above. There are two ways around this:
[list:b9fad7d42f]Do a simple railing with your regular balusters and bottom rail and perhaps your handrail and then with the same location and host run a second railing family that contains the structural baluster segments with a different spacing. The last bit is most easily achieved by copying the first one into the same location and then simply changing the properties of the duplicate.
Make a baluster family that comprises the structural baluster and n number of secondary balusters - I would recommend you give an overall width for this family probably defined by ref planes and then equally space you balusters within the width. Utilise this baluster family in a railing family with a handrail and a bottom rail.
[/list:u:b9fad7d42f]
If you use complex baluster forms expect some problems with spacing if the length of the railing is not a multiple of the width of the baluster family or of the spacing ( I forget which) as Revit will insert an extra at one end in some cases.
If you are using a complex baluster and want it to follow a stair profile then the attached family is a glass fill panel that was designed to drop below the edge of a concrete stair and follow the pitch line. It shows the way to 'lift' the angle from the host. With this one the width is variable so if you want to get really smart you can run the hand rail, then run a railing with just the baluster family and then use an odd size baluster family to fill in the end conditions. Its a little time consuming but it does give the best impression of what you generally want.
Hope this helps
Pete