View Range vs Yes/No shared parameter in visibility + Families + Nested Families

[3dway]

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Skip to the first reply that is not by me. and read the synopsis here.

I made a column family with nested knee braces, one on each side. The knee braces had a visibility parameter. If a knee brace was invisible and if interfered with any other model object it would break the visibility parameters.

I now need a way to keep the knee braces in the column family but make them exist, or not exist, instead of visible, invisible. Is this possible?

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Sorry for the long subject.

I have a timber column family that I've created. It works and flexes nicely.

I put 45 degree knee braces on each side of the timber column. I made these knee braces as a separate generic family with a couple of types for size.

While in the overall column family, I gave the knee braces a shared parameter. I made a category of shared parameter called knee brace visibility, then within that I made Knee Brace Visibility 1, Knee Brace Visibility 2, etc.

I edited the knee brace generic family visibility paramter to look at one of the shared parameters for each knee brace.

I get this column family into my model and I can nicely turn on or off the knee brace as I choose, depending on the beams above.

The problem it has caused is that I can no longer control the visibility of the knee braces by view range. I've tried editing the overall view range and tried putting a plan region around it, and they're always visible unless unchecked in the family properties. This seems odd, because in the column family, the view range still controls whether or not the knee braces show in plan.

Any tips?

Thanks. Yet again.

[3dway]

Ok, so there is some weirdness going on here.

I copied three of these and the above was true. I copies one more and it cut with the view range. I deleted it and copied it again and it didn't cut with the view range. I rotated it and it cut with the view range. I copied the rotate one and it cuts with the view range.

Right now I can't predict how it's going to behave.

[3dway]

The one that cuts with the view range now has the visibility parameters broken. All four knee braces show no matter the state of the check box.

[3dway]

I was able to override the knee brace family visibility on plan/rcp in the column family and that has solved my problem.

Is this a solution or a band-aid for something done in amateur nievety?

[3dway]

The family and these visibility parameters seem to be fragile. I can copy it, but somethimes rotating it breaks the visibility parameters. It goes back to showing the knee braces, despite the fact that they're now set not to show in plan/rcp.

It will break when it's rotated, or aligned to a ref plane.

This may be a candidate for a support request.

[3dway]

Sorry for hitting the thread like it's real time.

I think that the problem is coming from an interference with walls in the project. The knee braces are still there, but not visible. When they interfere with something, it breaks.

Is there a way to make them on off, instead of yes/no visible?

[cdatechguy]

LOL....time to break your blog.....

It might help if you post the family...

Also if your working with multiple knee brace types you might want to look into the family types parameter

[3dway]

I tried a new family type but I deleted the knee brace and it deleted from all. It sounds like I should look for a parameter. Thanks.

[3dway]

Ok, I looked at family type parameter and the only way that I can think of to get this to work would be to make four families. The first with one knee brace, the last with four knee braces and then use the family type parameter to swap these in and out.

If I do this, how to I get the space between the knee braces, where the column goes, to change with the size of the column.

Would you do it another way?

[greg.mcdowell]

I think you could still use a Family Type for just the brace but have one of them a null family without any geometry.

So in the type that needed no brace you'd select this null family and in the others select whichever is appropriate.

[3dway]

The only way I could figure this out was to make four generic families. I made one brace, copied it around four times, then saved. Next delete one, saveas for a family with three... etc.

Could I have loaded four family type parameters in the column family?

I think the key here is the label parameter in the knee brace family when it's in the column family. I'm going to have to figure that out.

Regardless of the fact that I have it working, but it took six hours to figure out, I'd be interested to hear how you would execute something like this. The principles should apply many kinds of families.

[arqt49]

I think you could still use a Family Type for just the brace but have one of them a null family without any geometry.

So in the type that needed no brace you'd select this null family and in the others select whichever is appropriate.

And include those types in the column family also.

Why don't you post the family file, or a sketch?

Someone might help you better.

[greg.mcdowell]

post your family and let's see what others might have done

[3dway]

It turns out that original approach of putting one brace family nested in the column family is the most simple and elegant way to do it.

BUT

You have to have the visibility parameter in the brace family that get nested, then link a parameter in column family to make that work.

Otherwise you get unpredictable behaviour with view range and the visibility parameter stops working.

I'll get permission from the guy who helped me to post his rfa.