Surface pattern not visible

[markpnet]

I have created a soldier course above a window via extrusion in the family editor. Set a new material for the extrusion to be 200 mm soldier course and set surface pattern to 'vertical'. However, in elevation and 3D medium level views , neither the surface pattern nor the material display...

TIA

[PeterJ]

Is it a drafting pattern or a model pattern? If it's a drafting pattern, the repeat may be bigger than the width of your window in those views.

Post an image, if you can, that would help.

[markpnet]

It's a model pattern - jpg attached
Brick is 200 mm on Y; extrusion is 200 mm high. Have also tried 180 mm brick but no luck.


Cheers

[SkiSouth]

try a pattern furnished with Revit. Lets see if its your pattern or the family that's causing the problem. Also - is the extrusion flush with the wall? Did you remove the wall under the extrusion?

[PeterJ]

Does the soldier course sit into a pocket that you have cut out of the wall using a void or is it just a thin skin on the surface giving the impression of a soldier course? If it's the former, check the visibility of the soldier course item itself to see if it is set to show in medium views.

[markpnet]

The extrusion is a thin skin which protrudes about 100 mm from the wall surface and uses a standard brick 200 mm pattern which I picked from the render materials already supplied with Revit...

[SkiSouth]

Sorry for the 20 questions, but without the family wer're gonna interrogate you. When you created the family you assigned a material. Window families also have categories such as frames, glass,mullions etc. Be sure your extrusion is not under one of these categories. In other words, go to your family and create an object style in the family and call it brick header. Be sure your extrusion is under that category. That way you should be able to control it under the object styles. Sounds kinda like the extrusion might be under a different category. Maybe not - let us know...

[markpnet]

Almost there I think. The window displays OK in the family editor ( having followed your advice - see jpg ). But, when I reload the family none of the instances are updated in the model.

TIA

[SkiSouth]

Okay - you must reload the family - (just to state the obvious) - Also, can't remember the rule exactly, but depending on how the family is established sometimes a reload doesn't work to update the existing defined entities. You can individually update the windows though. Reload the family, select a window and repoint Revit to the window family you just loaded.

If that doesn't seem clear enough, rename your family and reload it. Select all the windows you need changed and point it to the new family name.

Where was the problem - in the categories?

[markpnet]

Yes, just like you said...I created a new object style and put the extrusion under its heading...

Thanks

[SkiSouth]

I take then that you got your existing windows to change and all is good?

[markpnet]

Unfortunately not! Appreciate the concern but I have deleted all the families in the model; renamed my family; checked it looked OK in family editor ( it does ); reloaded into the model and still not displaying properly...

[SkiSouth]

In your project, go to the object styles. Look under windows category for the brick object style you set up. Set the material there to be the same as in the family and see if that fixes it..

[markpnet]

Nope, still displaying as blank field ( no linework; no material )...

[SkiSouth]

post the family, lets see whats happening.

[markpnet]

Here's the family:

[Allen Lacy]

I think the problem is that your surface pattern is a drafting pattern and not a model pattern. Try changing it in the family an re-load into project.

[markpnet]

So if ( as I have done ) select materials>surface pattern>pattern>vertical - this is incorrect?

[SkiSouth]

Allen was correct. You had everything right except you had by accident used a drafting view pattern instead of a model view. I changed that and all is well.

I also took your model a little further for your studying. I added a material category to your family and changed the extrusion to take advanage of this. You can now vary the material over each window as required. (It also lets you play with the look of the header without having to go back to the family).

The three windows are the same file, I just change the material of the extrusion over each.

[PeterJ]

It looks to me like Allen is right. If you play around with the scale views in the family editor you will see the surface pattern that you are sure is there disappear as you run through the scales. Change it to a model pattern as previously suggested and you should be away.

In fact I have done it and it seems to work in my model - see attached.

Just out of interest, where are you? I ask because you are using a UK window as the base of your model but it seems to be being treated in an un-UK way with the projecting soldier course above it. Won't you face a weathering problem?

[Allen Lacy]

So if ( as I have done ) select materials>surface pattern>pattern>vertical - this is incorrect?
Correct to a point. Revit has two types of surface patterns, drafting and model. Model is used for surfaces and is "adjustable", i.e., can be moved or rotated. Check this thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=4736&highlight=model) out for more info

[markpnet]

Thanks for pointing this out, Peter. I'm in the UK but trying to learn Revit so this is just a test model...