Angled Wall Opening

[myBIMhero]

I want to cut an opening in a concrete wall at an angle to follow trajectory of bookcases. Please see attached image. I have tried to alter a door family, opening, and the use of a void - all to no success. Any help appreciated - thanks. RAC 2009.

[twiceroadsfool]

id use a wall hosted family, with a Void Blend drawn on the work plane of the face of the wall... Back sketch offset to the side of the front sketch. You tried that and it didnt work? Can you post the family?

[stellarblue153]

Editing a door family is a good start but the cutting object is the key. If you just try to use the Opening Cut line, then you will not get very far. You must delete the cut Opening Cut line and create a Void element using whatever way you are comfortable with (Extrusion from the floor plan view would work well). Then you must use the Cut Geometry tool to subtract the Void out of the Wall. Until you do this last step, it will not work. Hopefully this helps.

[twiceroadsfool]

I wouldnt use a door family, unless you want it to be a door. Itll schedule as a door, and its visibility and lineweights and styles will mimick your doors, as well.

A wall hosted generic model can be changed to a specific catagory later (casework maybe?) if its part of a bookcase.

Granted, you can change the catagory of a native *door* family too... But i wouldnt get people in the habit of using a "door" to make something other than a door. Unless you dont value your schedules very much...

[myBIMhero]

Thanks for your help!! I posted this before heading out to all day site meeting. I will work on your suggestions today and post results. At least none of you came back and said what i wanted to do was crazy and impossible. Thanks again.

[myBIMhero]

It worked!! I was able to create the angled opening in 15 minutes - no problems. Now the designer wants to be ablt to have 2 differnet angles for each side. But i cannot for the life of me figure out how to make the width adjustable. Ive been looking at this too long. Any help is MUCH appreciated. Thanks.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Give this a try.
The trick when dealing with angles is to use ref lines not ref planes. Keep in mind this will break if you set the angle to anything greater than 89 degrees. (not likely you would, but I thought I'd warn you :lol:)

[twiceroadsfool]

Nicely done, Dimitri. And if you *really* want to go nuts, you can IF parameterize it so that if someone puts in 90 degrees, it defaults to 89 but alters the width of the opening, and eliminates the voids visibility...

But at that point its just a regular opening and were simply idiot proofing the family. No value added in doing that, hehe...

[Dimitri Harvalias]

... were simply idiot proofing the family. No value added in doing that, hehe...
Obviously you work with a different calibre of idiot than I do Aaron :lol:
Thanks

[twiceroadsfool]

LOL, dude, that was great. Im dying over here.

I work with a *special* caliber of idiots... I dont need to make the fmaily idiot proof, they use DRAFTED LINES instead of families, bwahahahahahaa.....

My my...

[myBIMhero]

THANK YOU Dimitri!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I worked on that damm thing for HOURS. I was using reference lines locked onto the ref planes - I even tried arc lengths locked. I am learning that if i cant figure it out in 30 minutes, to post it.

I can't say idiot proof here, cause we are all starting up and everyone is learning at an intense rate. Now if we want to discuss idiot proofing consultants, contractors, and subs................

Thanks again for your help gentlemen.

[lassehaldrupjuul]

Nice work, exactly what I've been searching for!
...But...

I can't see the opening in plan view!?!

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Wow! A blast from the past. This post is nearly five years old when Aaron still thought I was amusing.:mrgreen:
Just on my ipad so I can't open the family but I'd guess that the cut plane of your view doesn't go through the opening.