Wall Tag Family Help

[amjones]

All,

Please see my attached PDFs. I have a wall tag (from ACAD for better or worse) I would like to replicate in Revit. The OOTB tag seems very close and I am wondering how one does certain things.

Here are my hopes and dreams:

1. I would like to make the 'diamond' always be oriented perpendicular to the wall, be it orthogonal or 'other'. Is there a way to extract data when I select a wall for tagging and have that data influence the orientation of the symbol? (I actually like the way Revit handles the text so I have no problem there)

2. I would like to keep the "fattened end" of my ACAD tag, I can do this in the Revit tag, but would need Item #1 above to work, and be able to build some "smarts" into the length of the "fat bit"...again, extracted from the wall itself upon selection.

3. I would also like to be able to stretch the 'diamond' away from the wall after placement if need be.

All of this would preclude the "leader option" and I am fine with that should I (with some help) work out a solution.

I am really hoping for #1 (it seems logical to me anyway) and I believe #2 and #3 are going to be reference plane issues, though I am not entirely up to snuff on the topic. I am not looking for a solution, but pointers in the right direction would be very helpful. Also, If I am barking up a tree that has no solution I'd like to know that too ;)

Thanks,
Drew Jones

[twiceroadsfool]

I dont believe bumber 2 its going to work, but i could be wrong.


Number 1: Just go in to your tag family, and under Settings > family catagory and parameters, check the box at the bottom that says "Rotate with component."

The issue with number 2 is that "fattened end" is part of the leader, not the family. I dont think we have control over leaders, aside from going in the tag type properties and putting an arrowhead on them... And we cant make our own arrow heads, that i know of.

Number 3 you can do already, with leaders enabled...

[twiceroadsfool]

To expand on that, you can try to circumvent the leader limitations by building the "leader" in to the annotation tag, and then disabling leaders, but here is why i wouldnt do it:

The tag will work very awkwardly, and you will basilly then need two tags: One for "Top" and "Right" of the wall, and one for "Bottom" and "Left" of the wall. We fought this war for al ong time, as some people in our office wanted a triangle instead of a diamond. The triangle (not being symmetrical) meant we had to have two types of tags, and the point of the triangle wouldnt always *point* to the wall.

Its soooooo not worth it. Then you cant Tag All Not Tagged (Half the walls use the wrong tag),and its just more manual selection to appease an old graphic standard that doesnt help constructability.

[amjones]

Well, I jumped in and started with my "fat end" and low and behold I have run into the reasonable (but none the less vexing) limitation: No line shorter than 1/32". Makes sense in the model but to have that limitation on the annotation symbols too is (in my humble opinion) a pain, as most of these symbols are scaled up when placed...unless I am doing a full size drawing...which almost never happens. I can even understand the limitation in families that represent real objects...but in annotation...not so much.

See the "fat end" is 1/64" wide and I can't make a filled region without a closed sketch. Oops. Also, I am unable to have other thickness of line it would seem in this tag...any ideas? Why do I not have other lines available like when I did my title block?

Thanks,
Drew Jones

[greg.gebert978266]

To expand on that, you can try to circumvent the leader limitations by building the "leader" in to the annotation tag, and then disabling leaders, but here is why i wouldnt do it:

The tag will work very awkwardly, and you will basilly then need two tags: One for "Top" and "Right" of the wall, and one for "Bottom" and "Left" of the wall. We fought this war for al ong time, as some people in our office wanted a triangle instead of a diamond. The triangle (not being symmetrical) meant we had to have two types of tags, and the point of the triangle wouldnt always *point* to the wall.

Its soooooo not worth it. Then you cant Tag All Not Tagged (Half the walls use the wrong tag),and its just more manual selection to appease an old graphic standard that doesnt help constructability.



We have just started to use Revit in my office and from the get-go I warned them that Revit doesn't have as much freedom as AutoCAD. I am already saying "NO, it can't be done". Easy example - elevation symbols. There comes a point where you are not benefiting from the Revit time savings because you are back to double work on simple stuff. It is very difficult for some to step out of their comfort zone and accept what the software can and can't do.

[amjones]

Twice,

OK...got the rotate with component part. Now If i could just make my own leader...I think you are right...they might eb "off limits"

Thanks,
Drew

[Andre Carvalho]

The closest you can from automatically having the fat end using the leader line is going to the tag properties > Edit/New > change leader arrowhead to Heavy End 1/8".

See attached.

Andre Carvalho

[amjones]

We have just started to use Revit in my office and from the get-go I warned them that Revit doesn't have as much freedom as AutoCAD. I am already saying "NO, it can't be done". Easy example - elevation symbols. There comes a point where you are not benefiting from the Revit time savings because you are back to double work on simple stuff. It is very difficult for some to step out of their comfort zone and accept what the software can and can't do.

I would agree whole-heartedly. The only trouble I have is that I thought I had taken into account all the "You Can't Do That"'s when I remade our AutoCAD standards. ;) Oh well. the discussion thus far has gotten me far enough...adn the "Fattened End" leader is so very close to my ideal I will use that.

The only question I now have is how to make the "Fattened End" leader be the default for my wall tag?

Thanks again...I love this discussion group,
Drew Jones

[amjones]

That will do it then. Thanks again for all your help...and so quick too ;)

Drew