How to deal with arch columns

[dpasa]

I don't like how Revit handles arch. columns and struc. members.I usually place filled regions as columns for my floorplans and inplace families for those that are not inside a wall.

However, I want to start using Revit as I have to, I mean doing everything the correct way.
I have seen many complaints about structural members, I hope something will change soon.

Can someone tell me the basics about using columns correctly?
I mean, the pattern disappears when I place the column in a wall, like it joins automatically, however this doesn't happen with inplace families.
Do I have to cut the wall, or is it trimmed automatically? What about scheduling? Can I schedule columns, for example the concrete volume etc?
Is there a nice way to use non-vertical columns, other than using inplace families?
What are the common problems you have?
What about arch columns and beams, do thei co-exist and cooperate without problems?

I know I ask a lot of things but from my tests, I have seen that there are misc issues, I 'm waiting for Revit dev team to improve this part of the program

[sbrown]

The columns actually now work very well. There are a few bugs, but very rare. If you look at a column family now it has the choice for a course scale fill so you can match your walls. If you don't want your arch columns to join with the wall automatically there is a check box in the family editor. So open the col. family, go to family categories and parameters under the setting menu and uncheck the box for automatically joins geometery. There is also a pre-cut setting you can check on or off. Maybe someone else can explain that better than I but I think it lets you show the column cut at the view range of the cut plane in the family vs the view range of the plan view.

So the process is build it like it really is, place struct columns for structure, arch columns for column wraps and wall bumps etc. Note you can place an arch column on top of a struct and they shouldn't join so you'll see both, ie a tube steel/wide flange struct column with a arch wrap around it.

[dpasa]

@SBROWN: Thanks, I 'll try to find those settings, I 'll make some tests.

[patricks]

If you have exposed structural concrete columns, you should probably use the structural concrete column family instead of architectural column families. If there is a steel column inside the concrete, then place both of them as structural families.