Voids in families

[RafeRedmond]

Is it possible to put a void into a sink family, and have it automatically cut out the countertop when you place it into the project? I am having trouble with this, because it is as if there is no void at all. The void will not cut the counter for me. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Thanks!!!

[lhanyok]

The void has to be part of the countertop family, not the sink family. The void needs a host to cut within the family it was created.

[aaronrumple]

This is my solution...

I make my counter tops as a generic family with a subcategory of Casework. Why? Join geometry works on generic models, but not casework models. This allows me to build up a counter out of only a few stock parts and then join it all together for no seams. Subsequent changes are very fast.

For the sink hole - I nest the sink in a generic family and build a counter around it with the hole.This is only a short run of counter that I can then place and join with the other runs one either side. If I move the sink, the hole and counter follow along. If the adjacent counters are locked to this sink - they move as well.

With all that said - I only do this when I need a 3D rendeing. And even then I sometimes just fix things up in 3D Studio. For CD's I just use 2D details nested in the sink that sits on top of the counter. No 3D geometry.

[RafeRedmond]

Thanks...that is definitely some good input. I just figured out another way to make that work - I created my sink and void to cut the counter in a generic, face-based family template. This way the void can cut any countertop I drop it into because the face-based family becomes its host. Then with a simple parameter for countertop thickness, it can accomodate various types of tops.

[dbaldacchino]

To take your solution a little further, make the nested sink family a shared family (plumbing). Now you have not compromised scheduling in any way and if you build a plumbing schedule, it will count the fixtures for you.

[bskripac]

Great post! I just started thinking about how to set this up in our standards, and now I know how to set these up efficiently.

Thanks for the info