Contraints are not satisfied when dimensioning

[gromit9007]

I get an "Equality constraints are not satisfied. The action either violates a locked constraint or tries to modify a sketch based object outside of the sketch mode." error when I try to dimension a wall and it's openings with the pick wall command.

The wall has a couple of windows and I want them to be placed equally according to their opening widths. How does it work? Thanks for your help!

[Scott D Davis]

You have to dimension to the centers of the windows, or just one side, to use the equality contraints. You probably have dimensioned both sides of the window, and when you click EQ its trying to make the window width match the dimensions between the windows. Can't do that.

[gromit9007]

But the pick walls command only lets me select a wall? I just tried it with a single wall that has a few windows in it and want to place them so that the the end of the wall to the first window measures the same distance as the between each window. That's how I understood the command.

[Brian Myers]

You can't...at least not without some math involved. The EQ works in terms on the dimension being equal and not the objects being equal. As a result, it won't equal out the distance between the edge of the wall to edge of window because the window itself is a fixed size.

[aaronrumple]

...you can't do it with EQ. But you can easily do it with math in the dimension strings.

Just enter a formula in the dimension string:

=(Wall Lenght - (Window Width x Number of Windows)) / Number of Spaces between Windows
(Or Number of Windows + 1)

Once Revit has calculated the value, just copy/paste it to other like dimension strings to get the correct spacing.

[gromit9007]

Aaron entering formulas is completely new to me (I've just started to learn Revit). Where can I do this? I've searched the manual and it's rather sparse on the matter. Thanks alot for your help!

[aaronrumple]

Aaron entering formulas is completely new to me (I've just started to learn Revit). Where can I do this? I've searched the manual and it's rather sparse on the matter. Thanks alot for your help!

Where can't you do it?

Anywhere you see a dimension or a number, you can enter a formula.

Select a object with an associated dimension. Edit the dimension. Type the formula. Just start with =

Use it in dimension string, dialog boxes, etc.

A quick look in the help file with a search on formula will show you the different math you can do. Pretty much high school algebra.

[gromit9007]

Thanks alot, now I got the hang of it. I find it easier to just use a calculator for that task however.

[Scott D Davis]

But the pick walls command only lets me select a wall? I just tried it with a single wall that has a few windows in it and want to place them so that the the end of the wall to the first window measures the same distance as the between each window. That's how I understood the command.

When using Pick Wall to place an entire dimension string, you can change the options of how Revit dimensions. Look in the options bar when you are dimensioning...pick options, and set the option to dimension windows to centers instead of widths.