Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Set roof or soffit on work plane?

leothelionator

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Can you set a roof or soffit on a work plane (that is not a level)?  My intent is to create a roof plane sloping in two directions, but I cannot simply place a slope arrow on more than one plane.  My thought is that I could create a sloping reference plane on which to tie the roof, then use the roof slope command. I can't get it to work.  This is the message I receive:

"The work plane of this view cannot be used for this operation... The work plane of this view should be se set to a level by using the work plane command."

Sounds like you can only place a roof on a flat level, not a sloping work plane/reference plane?  Correct?

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WWHub

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You can create a roof by extrusion using a work plane.

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LIZARD2806

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can you attach a sketch of the roof you are trying to create?  There may be a better way.

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leothelionator

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See attachments below.  It doesn't matter whether I use the roof, soffit, or generic massing command; I get the same response either way.  You cannot rotate an object that is set on a reference plane.  You cannot slope a roof or soffit that is on a non-level reference plane.  I think the only method that is going to work is the roof by extrusion that was mentioned earlier.  The trick is trying to draw that plane in the first place.  You have to create some temporary sections in specific views to be able to draw that plane in the first place. 

I just want to be able to rotate that plane slightly upward so that it closes with the roof fascia above.  The first view appears to be a flat horizontal roof plane, but you'll see in the second view that it is slightly sloping at 1/4"/foot.

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LIZARD2806

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So, I think what you are trying to do is this (I explain this, in the event I am not yet understanding it):

1. You have a roof that slopes along its length at 1/4" per foot, is a uniform thickness and no slope in its depth.

2. You are trying to create a soffit that slopes along its length at 1/4" per foot, but also slopes UP as it moves away from the base of the building, in essence making the roof "thickness" (post construction) thicker at the building and thinner at the roof edge.

Assuming that assumption is correct, I am not sure you can have a roof or ceiling that does that via the traditional way. So your options would be to use a mass element and use its surface that has been modified to match what you want, or you can "fake it" and make a new floor element.  The advatage of the floor is that you can modify the sub points (ie the corners) and give them each their own elevation.

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WWHub

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Easy...Look at this roof soffit sketch!!

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leothelionator

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WWHUB, did you use the warped floor command that Lizard mentioned or did you use the soffit command?  If you did happen to use the soffit command, I'm assuming you drew it in plan, but how were you able to draw that slope arrow shown in the third image?  I thought you could only indicate slope by clicking on the edge of a roof and selecting the checkbox for slope.

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LIZARD2806

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he drew a slope arrow from one corner to the opposite one. I thought about that, but didn;t like the math.  Now that I think about it, though if you know all four points (for the floor option I mentioned), then you'd know the two point for this.  A better solution.

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WWHub

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It is a soffit and it assumes it is a flat plane.  As such, you only need to know the head and tail height of the slope arrow.

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leothelionator

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WWHUB, I tried your method with optimism but it is easier said than done.  The head and tail height are defined, but as you know it takes 3 points to define a plane, while a head and tail are only 2 points in reality.  Therefore, the head and tail match up exactly where I need them, but the third and fourth planes remain essentially flat (since it was never defined), almost parallel to the ground.  There is a graphical workaround that involves dragging out the arrow head many feet away from the actual corner of the soffit object, but it is extremely tricky and does not work well.

LIZARD, I tried using the floor command but I don't see where you can enter in the four corner points.  Is this in the standard floor command?  Or do I create a generic mass, then turn it into a floor somehow?

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LIZARD2806

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For the floor, you make the floor and "finish" the floor.  Once it is done and you are back in regular working mode, left click the floor.  In the ribbon, you will see "Modify Sub Elements" in the ribbon.  Click on that.  The floor will turn green and be dotted, select a corner and below the ribbon a text box will appear that says "Elevation".  Change the elevation. Repeat for the rest of the points.

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WWHub

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Not true.  If the other corners were relatively the same, the plane would be warped and you can't do that. 

The plane is defined flat across a line perpindicular to your slope arrow.  You can determine the angle your slope arrow needs to be to achieve what you want.

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leothelionator

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Fantastic!  Works like a charm!

Thanks both of you for your help.

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LIZARD2806

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WWHUB, You are correct, but if you are dealing with defined points, your method would take a lot of math to figure out where to place that slope arrow.  And my method could result in a surface that is warped if you don't define the points exactly.  I think it's a difficult situation from the standpoint as neither method is perfect(or at least perfectly easy) for what he is trying to do..

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scancwarc

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You could also do an "In-Place Mass" and then choose "Roof by Face"

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