Stair Openings

[DJC4]

OK, there is probably a really simple explanation to this so I'm sorry if I'm not seeing the obvious.

We do residential work, both new and remodeling. In the project browser I have existing drawings (Phase Filter: Show Complete, Phase: Existing) where all the original building is displayed. We also use a demo plan (Phase Filter: Show Previous & Demo, Phase: New Construction) and a Proposed Plan (Phase Filter: Show Complete, Phase: New Construction). We often move stairs around (delete the old one and put it in a new portion of the existing house or new addition) and the problem I run into is with placing a new stair opening in the existing floor. Any opening I put into the existing floor system (even during the new construction phase) shows back up on the existing floor plans regardless of what phase I actually performed the work.

For example: In my Proposed Plan I create a new stair going from the 1st to 2nd floor in the existing section/floor slab of the model. In order to show the stair I put an opening in the existing floor. In my experience, that opening will show up in my existing plans even though it was created in the new construction phase of the model. I obviously don't want the existing model to show the new work and the only work-around I've come up with is to copy (duplicate) the entire second floor and delete the entire existing. I then make any changes to the "new" (i.e. copied) floor system. This works OK but it the entire floor system then shows up as demolished in the Demo plans............

So I have a feeling I'm missing something really simple here (use of filters, opening method, etc....). Any help/suggestions would be welcome.

Dean

[Munkholm]

Dean, the problem is that Revit openings are not phase aware... I´d recommend that you create a floor- or facebased family, with nothing but a void in it, and use that to cut the stair opening. Something like the attached would work... though I would make it facebased if I were to redo it :beer:

[mdradvies]

Dean, the problem is that Revit openings are not phase aware... I´d recommend that you create a floor- or facebased family, with nothing but a void in it, and use that to cut the stair opening. Something like the attached would work... though I would make it facebased if I were to redo it :beer:

To be more specific: openings take on the phase settings of their hosts. Which is kind of a weird exception because these are the only kind of hosted elements that do so without the possibility to override. I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that this is a System Family.
The best workaround is what Munkholm used: a face based generic model family with only a void in it.
As for showing up on the Demo plans: create an extra Phase AFTER demo (call it "stupid openings" or something) in which you demo the old floor and replace it for a new one.

There are more reasons to be careful with openings: try creating one and have it alligned with a T-section of walls. It will totally freak out and stretch all kinds of ways you don't want it to go...
The only thing I use openings for is the Dormer Opening, and that's just because I haven't come around to creating a GM Family with this specific cutting of the host (roof). So Munkholm, could you squeeze that in too? :thumbsup:

[DJC4]

Thanks for the help guys........... I thought it might be something to phase settings and their hosts but I was hoping that was not the case. I will certainly try the workaround that Munkholm suggests as that is probably the best way to get the "existing" conditions to stay "existing" and not reflect future actions/conditions.

Thanks again

Dean