Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Parametric Circular Column...Offset issues

ArchiN00B

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Joined: Sat, Apr 3, 2010
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I am trying to model a circular column so that it has a type-driven thickness, but instance-driven radius. For example, the type would be a 1" thick column, but I would want to change it so that at diameters of 4", 6", 12", etc. it would always be 1" thick. The trouble I'm running into, is that I can't figure out how to constrain the dimension of the thickness. The only way I can think of is setting the radius of the outer circle in the extrusion to the inner one + 1", but it won't let me do that since the radius of the inner is an instance parameter and the thickness is a type...any ideas?

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alfmedina

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Joined: Wed, Sep 26, 2007
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The thickness and the radius are two different dimensions. Why should there be a conflict between one of them being instance and the other one being type? Unless you're making formulas, this should not be any issue. And why do you have two circles? Is it a circular hollow column?

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AbsoluteBIM

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Joined: Fri, Jun 17, 2011
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what if you did it as a revolve? set two vertical reference planes off a bit from the main centre line, then measure one from the centrelinei with your radius paramater, then measure the other one on the inside from the outside line with your thickness type parameter. Now you can just lock your revolve boundary to these lines.

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ArchiN00B

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Joined: Sat, Apr 3, 2010
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The revolve is a good suggestion; I will look into that.  And alfmedina, yes it is a circular hollow column, and yes I was trying to use formulas...mainly (Column Diameter) + 1"

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alfmedina

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To control circles by diameter, do the circles as 2 arcs (with the center-end-arc tool). Make one instance parameter to control the outer diameter, and make one type parameter that controls the thickness, as shown in this image. No need to do any formulas, in my opinion. Set the different thickness values in different types. In the project, the diameter would be instance, and the thickness would be controlled by type.

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itsmyalterego

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Joined: Thu, May 28, 2009
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Locking the inner circle to the outer parametric profile with a 1" dimension should work. 

These two parameters should not need to reference a shared radius via formulas. 

Just dimension out from the center to your column exterior, and then dimension in from the column exterior to your column interior face.

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erland73

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Joined: Fri, Sep 7, 2007
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Another simple way to do it (using a solid extrusion and a formula)......

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alfmedina

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In my previous message, just the parameters on the top are required, not the ones on the left. I tried to replace the image, but something in the forum's settings did not let me replace it; it would keep on showing the old image.

This solution allows pull handles to control the diameter of the outer diameter, and a type parameter to control the thickness, as requested in the original post. Anyway, this is the new image that I wanted to post:

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ArchiN00B

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Thanks for all the good ideas. I used AbsoluteBIM's revolve idea and it works well for now. I'm still a bit confused on how to dimension the distance between two circles since aligned won't work, but I'll look more into it.

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jlights

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Joined: Tue, Dec 18, 2007
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I'm wondering why you are modeling the inside of the column to begin with, as it will never be seen. It's just more work that Revit has to do and it will slow your project down. If you need to show the thickness of the columns in plan view, draw a plan view masking region in the family to show the outside of the column and a symbolic line to show the inside of the column; make these visible in plan view, and make the column geometry INvisible in plan view (a good practice in general with families, so that Revit doesn't have to calculate the entire 3D object when you are creating and moving around in plan views). You can dimension the masking region and symbolic line as described below or use a formula for the inner circle such as Inner Radius = Outer Radius -1", and your symbolic elements will flex together.

You can't use a type parameter to drive an instance parameter though formulas. Both have of the same type. If you will have columns of varying thicknesses, you need to create different types in the family with a different thickness dimension. You might want types for each combination of diameter and thickness you'll need (e.g. 6" diam, 1" thick, 6" diam, 1.5" thick, etc.). There are various ways to get where you want to go; this could also  be achieved with the right parameters to drive diameter as well as thickness, but the formulas can get complex (again more work for Revit), so I'd recommend types based on diameter/thickness combos, or else types based on diameter with thickness as an instance property.

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