Can't get this column to flex

[gwnelson]

I posted this in the general forum the other day & didn't get anywhere so here goes again.

This doesn't want to change height & I've given up trying to diagnose. Seems simple, attach cap sweep to top & stretch the in-between extrusion.

Any ideas?

[dhurtubise]

In what way it doesnt flex ?

[eddy.lermytte]

This way ?

[dhurtubise]

That's assuming he doesnt want to control the base height anymore. And the originial also have a dimension for the middle part, does he need to list that dimension somewehere ?

If no to all those answer then it's the right file :-)
If yes, then post back

[eddy.lermytte]

Daniel
you're right ... I forgot to link the Base parameter in the extrusion constraints for the body of the column.

[gwnelson]

For clarification, I only want to set the column height as a variable.Both sweeps should be locked to the repective top/bottom. And the width doesn't change either.

[Steve_Stafford]

Column capital needs to be assigned to the upper reference plane as its work plane. Then the body of the column can be aligned and locked to the bottom of the capital. Attached...

[gwnelson]

OK, Steve - I tried all that & now see that I can take upper limit & stretch the column up & down just fine. But I want to insert this into a project & make the height parametric. Every time I try to assign a dimension identity to either the overall height or the extrusion to make my little formula I get the overconstrained error message. Still confused.

[Steve_Stafford]

The column is meant to be able to acquire its top constraint by assigning it to a level and/or adding an offset. The changes I made permit it to behave this way. Place the column I made in the project and assign its top constraint to the level above. It should flex automatically if the level changes. Add a positive or negative offset and it should reflect that as well.

Do you want a column that ignores this relationship?

[gwnelson]

I think that might be the key. I've tried to delete the upper level (renamed "column height") but it won't go away, and simply create a formula where the crown sweep & base sweep are fixed at a family parameter "column height" and then the extrusion fills in between. Locking the crown sweep reference plane to the upper level seems to over constrain, too.

I have this unit appearing multiple times in my house, both as a free standing column and as a corner pilaster, so that if I use the column family instead of a generic model it will bury itself into the wall in the case of the pilaster. I suppose that if I start over again as a generic model it might be less fussy.

Thanks for your input here. See you out in LV.

[Mr Spot]

I think that might be the key. I've tried to delete the upper level (renamed "column height") but it won't go away, and simply create a formula where the crown sweep & base sweep are fixed at a family parameter "column height" and then the extrusion fills in between. Locking the crown sweep reference plane to the upper level seems to over constrain, too.

I have this unit appearing multiple times in my house, both as a free standing column and as a corner pilaster, so that if I use the column family instead of a generic model it will bury itself into the wall in the case of the pilaster. I suppose that if I start over again as a generic model it might be less fussy.

Thanks for your input here. See you out in LV.
So now your issue is you don't want it to bury itself in the wall?

Just edit the family, go to settings-->Family Categories & parameters and untick automatically joins geometry...

[gwnelson]

No, Mr Spot, I'm fine with the column integrating into the wall. I guess I just threw in that comment because I couldn't stop typing.

And thanks Steve, for making this work for me. In retrospect I seem to have been complicating what should be a very simple model. See you at the mixer.