Plan Symbol Masking

[sfaust]

There are a lot of fixtures and things out there that are great models in 3d, but would look rediculous in plan because of all the faceting. So you use symbolic lines to draw the symbol in plan, cool. The only problem is that if you put it over something (i.e. a faucet above a sink or a toilet above a tile floor) it is transparent. You can't draw a symbolic filled region in a family so you're stuck. You can do an extrusion in the shape of the outline, but then it shows up in 3d.

Solution: You can't draw a filled region in the family, but you can nest a detail component into it. So copy the linework, create a new detail component family, paste the linework in place, then make a solid white filled region. Then nest the detail component into the family and properly align, etc. The family will look correct in 3D and will mask objects beneath it correctly

[m_cahoon14336]

sfoust, could you post an example of this? Thanks, Colquhoun

[beegee]

There are some families posted in this thread, that may help.

sfoust, could you post an example of this? Thanks, Colquhoun

[Phil Palmer]

Why cant we just have the ability to use filled regions directly within the family editor ? ? ?
It can be a management overhead to have a detail component linked into the family.

[aaronrumple]

Speed and flexibility. These hybrid familes I make are fast. They don't slow the project down at all. You can also nest details for fine/med/coarse detail with little effort. If your had to do this with filled regions within the main family it would be a blur of ref planes and parameters. This technique is clean and simple.

[sfaust]

doo... guess I should have searched before posting. I didn't know that you could do that.

[sbrown]

I just turn the visibility on of on main solid, For example a table or counter top just the top will be visible in plan. With a toilet I just make a "toilet seat" that is visible and a tank top.

But I do believe the nested detail component will be faster in regen times.