Array nested voids in a family

[dzatto]

I'm trying to create a pit cover. It's basically 3'X3', and is covered with expanded metal. I drew the voids in a separate family, nested them in the pit cover family, and arrayed them horizontally. Then I arrayed all of them vertically. It made the cuts as I suspected, but took forever to load into my project.

I scratched that idea and went with a solid with a material applied that has a cutout. I also put a surface hatch on it, so it looks correct in hidden line view.

My question is, was this the correct way to do it? I figured my plans would look correct because of the hatch, and the renderings would look correct because of the material. Any thoughts on the subject?

One more question: I added a model fill pattern to the family and scaled it the way I wanted it. When I created it, I used a unique name that's not in the project. When I loaded the family in the project, the scale is totally different. See the attached image, the family is on top, the project is on bottom. Why is it doing that and how can I fix it? Nothing I've tried works.

[Alfredo Medina]

... but took forever to load into my project. `

Arrays in both directions have to be a chain of nested families, to avoid the performance issue that you have described. See illustration.

One more question: I added a model fill pattern to the family and scaled it the way I wanted it. When I created it, I used a unique name that's not in the project. When I loaded the family in the project, the scale is totally different. See the attached image, the family is on top, the project is on bottom. Why is it doing that and how can I fix it? Nothing I've tried works.

Try this: instead of adding a model fill pattern in the family, create a Material parameter, and paint the surface with "(material : param)". Then, in the project, create a custom material and assign it to that parameter.

[jbenoit44]

dzatto, forget your first idea! The result will be a huge family, for what result?
The second time you did right.
Don't forget: you always should ask yourself what is needed in 3d.
cheers,

PS: Alfredo, again another nice sketch to explain the right way, thanx!

[dzatto]

Arrays in both directions have to be a chain of nested families, to avoid the performance issue that you have described. See illustration.



Try this: instead of adding a model fill pattern in the family, create a Material parameter, and paint the surface with "(material : param)". Then, in the project, create a custom material and assign it to that parameter.

1. I knew I was forgeting a step! I array both ways in one family instead of adding another nested family for the other direction. Doh!

2. Ahh, create a parameter and apply the material in the project, not the family. I'll try that. Thanks Alf. IT worked BTW>

Just so I understand, why would the fill scale not carry over from the family to the project?

[Alfredo Medina]

...Just so I understand, why would the fill scale not carry over from the family to the project?

Was it a drafting or a model pattern? The former is scalable, the latter is not.

[dzatto]

Was it a drafting or a model pattern? The former is scalable, the latter is not.

I tried both! lol

I changed the actual fill pattern sizing to make it look correct. Both looked fine in the family, but didn't look right in the project.

[B Arch]

This is all fine, but there are some recommendations around that nested families bloat files and may slow things down. But in this case, they do the opposite.

Is there any rhyme or reason to the Revit?

[Ye Zaw Lin]

Hi Alfredo, thanks for your illustration and I am new to here.
Here are my questions
I have "Hori Length" Parameter in Horizontal Array Family and "Verti Length" Pararmeter in "Vertical Array" Family. How do I control them from the project ? Should I use "Shared Parameters" or am I missing something out here ?
And the family template has to be "Line Based" or can use "Generic Model" template ?