Help with family needed.....

[elaforge]

I have changed the connector flow configuration and added a shared parameter to a hepa filter family that I've created and went to load it into the current project that has that family connected to systems and I get the following error message: "The family is connected in a duct/pipe network and can no longer keep the connectivity. Disconnect the family from the network?" It is coming up with 19 instances where this occurs and I have more than 19 instances where it is used and connected to a system in the project. Can anyone offer any suggestions as I would rather not disconnect them from the system? If I have to it wouldn't be the end of the world but if there is a way around it I would rather go that route.Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

[Michael.c]

I have changed the connector flow configuration and added a shared parameter to a hepa filter family that I've created and went to load it into the current project that has that family connected to systems and I get the following error message: "The family is connected in a duct/pipe network and can no longer keep the connectivity. Disconnect the family from the network?" It is coming up with 19 instances where this occurs and I have more than 19 instances where it is used and connected to a system in the project. Can anyone offer any suggestions as I would rather not disconnect them from the system? If I have to it wouldn't be the end of the world but if there is a way around it I would rather go that route.Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.


Sorry Ela, but as with one of your other posts I don't have the answer but would be interested to know a solution.
I must say this whole business about connectivity is bugging me. Making a piece of duct or a fitting to look like what you want it to look like, rather than using a piece "out-of-the-box" is a job in itself, though having said that, we have had a degree of success. That is only half the battle won, though. Finding a method of combining it into the "system" or giving it connectivity, is proving to be a much harder task.
This applies to situations where the 'source' duct doesn't change size....ie, the branch just 'taps' into the source duct at a designated position. This is as opposed to the 'out-of-the-box' stuff that comes with Revit MEP where, when a branch is introduced, it seems necessary for Revit to incorporate some sort of wierd looking fitting into the main duct, which ends up looking nothing like what we want. It's all a bit hard to explain in text, so if necessary, see the attached sketch for clarification of what I'm trying to describe.

Can anyone offer any advice / help?

Thanks,
Michael

[JoelLondenberg]

..."The family is connected in a duct/pipe network and can no longer keep the connectivity. Disconnect the family from the network?" It is coming up with 19 instances where this occurs and I have more than 19 instances where it is used and connected to a system in the project. Can anyone offer any suggestions as I would rather not disconnect them from the system?...

Ela, your connectivity problem is unavoidable. I've struggled with it a number of times, mostly when I change something related to the physical size or shape of the family or the connector. The easiest way to resolve it is to select the duct to highlight the grip at the end, then drag the grip away and then back on to the family connector. This has to be done manually at each problem spot. The nice thing is that as you build and perfect your office's standard families you won't continue to have this problem because you won't be changing the family mid project.


...This applies to situations where the 'source' duct doesn't change size....ie, the branch just 'taps' into the source duct at a designated position. This is as opposed to the 'out-of-the-box' stuff that comes with Revit MEP where, when a branch is introduced, it seems necessary for Revit to incorporate some sort of wierd looking fitting into the main duct...

Michael, I like your hand sketch. To get that functionality you will need to experiment with the setting in the duct system family. In order to get a full understanding you should set the trunk to taps and the branch to tees and vice versa. Look at how they react and find a work flow. See the attached screen cap's.

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=68220&highlight=das+boot has some added discussion and a couple of shoe families you could incorporate in to your model.

[elaforge]

Thanks Joel. I was hoping not to have to disconnect and reconnect all 19 "instances" where this occurs but as I said its not the end of the world if I have to. As I said in the original post, the error was occurring 19 "instances" and I have more than 19 of these families in the project. Do you have an idea as to why it only occurred to some of them and not all.
I only ask because if its something that is avoidable in the future I'd like to be able to do so. Thanks again.

Michael I believe I have encountered the same type of issues and as Joel stated, making sure that the correct duct family (taps vs.. tees) is selected for the desired connection should eliminate any strange fittings.

[JoelLondenberg]

... the error was occurring 19 "instances" and I have more than 19 of these families in the project...
Hard to tell why only some of the instances have the problem, could be that since Revit seems to need lots of extra space to sort out it's fittings that in some places there is enough space and some not.