Aligning circles

[brakware]

I am trying to array a tubular extrusion. The problem is that if I try to align the tube while in sketch mode (creating the extrusion), then, when I try to array the tube, it says that the group is constrained to something outside of the group and either I need to remove the constraints or cancel the operation. This means that I have to constrain the first item in the array and the second/last (respectively) item after I array the object. Tricky thing is, though, that I cannot align my tubular extrusion to anything because I cannot align the center to anything after I am out of sketch mode.

My thought on a solution was to make the object a separate family and nest it in the current one, then I could have symbolic lines or reference planes to align to, but for the family that I am building, I need to complete all the pieces of it, and then do a void cut over all of the objects so that it is in a wedge shape. Void cuts will not cut nested families (or at least, when I tried briefly to do it, it wouldn't work).

Does anyone know of a solution for this, or has anyone run into this problem before? I have spent a lot of time on this family, and it will save us tons of time in the future if I can get it right. If anyone has any suggestions, I welcome them. Thanks in advance.

[aaronrumple]

Select said circle. Go to the properties and turn on the "Center Mark Visible" Use align. Have a nice day....

[brakware]

Tried that. Once it is extruded and I am out of sketch mode I cannot align the center of the circle to anything.

[sbrown]

put some ref planes in or make a symbol line with the center marks turned on.

[jamie.casile80054]

aloha,
could you post an image? i'm having a hard time visualizing what you're trying to accomplish.
-jamie

[luigi]

Since it sounds like it is from within an inplace family, have you tried adding 2 ref. place that intersect the circle (Center L/R and Center F/B) defining origin....then the center will be selectable and alignable

Tried that. Once it is extruded and I am out of sketch mode I cannot align the center of the circle to anything.

[aaronrumple]

Tried that. Once it is extruded and I am out of sketch mode I cannot align the center of the circle to anything.

You align the circle while in sketch mode to a ref. plane or other object.

[brakware]

This is not an in-place family, this is a stand-alone "generic model" family.

I cannot constrain the circle while I am in sketch mode, because, as I said in my original post, if I constrain it while in sketch mode I cannot array the extrusion outside of sketch mode. I also cannot array the circle while in sketch mode.

I cannot constrain the resultant extrusion to anything (reference planes, reference lines, symbolic lines) that I can later constrain to something because Revit is not giving me anything in the extrusion to constrain to other objects with. Also, if I could constrain it to something like a reference plane/line/etc., I would not have a problem. Revit will not let me constrain the extrusion to anything that helps me, even to a circle of the exact same size.

Because I need to array the extrusion (so that the number of the array can adjust to spacing and length), I cannot try to constrain any part of my extrusion until after I have arrayed it. At such point I can only constrain the first object in the array, and the second/last (respectively) object in the array.

I will try to put together an image of what I am trying to do to post it.

[aaronrumple]

Like this.... You use old school Revit circles in this case. This technique has a lot of other applications.

[brakware]

I am running 8.1. The family you sent says that it was saved in a later version and cannot be retrieved.