Saturday 5 February 2011

Create an Angled Wall End - A Method

This outlines a method for creating an angled wall end. This involves creating a wall-based Generic Model family which cuts away the end of the wall. The video is broken down into 3 parts:
  1. Creating the Profile family for the cut-out
  2. Creating the Wall-Based Generic Family
  3. Applying the family to the project
  • Creating the Profile Family for the Cut-Out



  • Go to 'R' Button and select 'New', 'Family' and select 'Metric Profile'
  • Draw a right-angled triangle. align and lock the vertical and horizontal lines to the reference planes
  • Dimension the vertical line and add an angle dimension between the horizontal and the angled line
  • Select the vertical linear dimension. Select 'add parameter' from the options bar and create a new type parameter 'Wall Thickness'
  • Select the angular dimension. Select 'add parameter' from the options bar and create a new type parameter 'Angle'

  • Creating the Wall-Based Generic Family


  • Go to 'R' Button and select 'New', 'Family' and select 'Metric Generic Model Wall Based'
  • Load the Profile family onto the Generic Model family
  • Add a reference plane over the top of the wall. Name the 'Top' and set 'Is Reference' to 'Top'
  • Add a reference plane at the bottom of the wall. Name the 'Bottom' and set 'Is Reference' to 'Bottom'. Align this to the reference level and padlock.
  • Add a reference line from the bottom to the top. Align and padlock the end points
  • Pick the reference line. Select 'Edit Workplane' and set to 'Reference Plane: Back'
  • Select 'Void Sweep'. For the path, select 'Pick Path' and click the reference line. Under 'Select Profile', pick the profile family
  • Run a dimension across the width of the wall. Select 'add parameter' from the options bar and create a new instance parameter 'Wall Thickness'. Set this as a reporting parameter.
  • Go to the profile family in the project browser and select properties. Link the 'Wall Thickness' parameters together.
  • Go to family parameters and create an instance parameter called 'Angle'. Link the 'Angle' parameter from the profile family (note: in the video, this stage is shown at the start of part 3; I'd forgotten it when I was recording)
  • Add a dimension between the 'Top' and 'Bottom' reference planes. From the options bar, select 'add parameter' and create a new instance parameter 'Wall Height'
  • Under the 'Annotate' tab, pick 'Symbolic Line' and select 'Invisible Line' type. Use the pick line command and select the angle line on the void cut and padlock. This is required so the angle can be dimensioned
  • Go to the 'Modify' tab and select 'Cut' and cut the wall to the void sweep

  • Applying the family to the project



  • Load the family into the project
  • Insert a new wall
  • From the project browser, under 'Generic Model', pick the family and drag onto the required face of the wall in a 3D view
  • In a section view, align the top and bottom and padlock. Align the vertical to the end of the wall and padlock. Now when the wall is adjusted, the cut will adjust to suit


8 comments:

Jj Mac said...

Great trick! This is going into our template. Thanks!

Darren Snook said...

No problem at all Jeremy . Glad to be of help

Allan said...

Could you not use a wall reveal, but ensure it's noted as vertical instead of horizontal to get a similar effect? It would remove the step of making it a wall based family?

Darren Snook said...

You're absolutely right Allan, a Wall Reveal is a valid method also and yes, would remove this step. The only issue I can see is that you would need to create profile and wall reveal types for every combination of wall thickness/angle. The generic model approach in the post allows the use of instance and reporting parameters, which you don't get with a wall reveal as it's a system family

suleiman said...

it is ok. could you demonstrate how to creat a tilted wall families in a specific angle

Unknown said...

I am attempting to make a family for an angled wall to enable the use of curtain wall at a slope. Am attempting to follow a blog from waterman.blogspot.com.au. I have created a metric profile and dimensioned a line and set a parameter a type. I have then made a generic wall based model into which I have loaded the profile. I have made a parameter in the host family with the same name as that in the 'child', but as an instance with 'reportable' ticked. Both are of 'length', stored under 'dimensions'; their attributes appear to be correct.

When I attempt to associate them I receive the msg:

A reporting parameter can be associated to Element property only if its dimension references Are all to host elements in the family.
and no association can occur.

I don't understand the error msg and would appreciate assistance.

Darren Snook said...

Hi Miguel
Apologies for the late response; I've only just picked this up. I'm not sure as to why this is the case. If you still need help with this, I'd be happy to take a look. I can't post contact details on an open blog, but if you find me on LinkedIn, connect with me and we can take it from there.

Unknown said...

the msg occurs in the newer versions of revit!
Just use the easy way:
In the wall based generic family add a front ref plane and lock it on the wallface by a padlock 0 dimension. Now in the floorplan draw an angled refplane through the refline made for the sweep, dimension the angle and make it parametric.
Then draw the 3angle profile for the sweep along the refplanes and align its sides with the planes and padlock. Finaly make the cut out. Done. Add also a double flip control vertical and horizontal!