Revit Platform
Hi,
When creating a family we typically apply parameters to dimensions e.g. in Front Elevation when setting up the verticals. There is a reference plane at the origin 0, which is hidden behind the actual LEVEL line in the family editor.
This creates a choice of two planes to which vertical parameters may apply to.
I would typically put my own reference plane in (say for bench top height) and the family would typically sit at the level but the family would hover above the level because it has a "bench top height" parameter.
Not sure why there is a reference plane behind the level line, or is the ref plane there the one I should be moving to suit ?
I see there is a “defines origin” tickbox for the ref plane, but don’t really understand if I should dimension to the level or the ref plane.
Regards
ND
Hi,
My understanding is that driving dimensions such as a Window sill height or a Sink bench Height, should be from the user secondary Ref.Plane (eg. Top) to the Ref.Plane provided in the Template.
Yes and sometimes that ref.plane has a Ref.Level annotated Datum on top of it (probably added last) so when you pick the plane for the dimension witness attachment, it finds the Datum before the Working (bottom) ref.plane.
Now if you test a number of supplied Family Templates they are not all consistent as to how a formal relationship is set up between the Datum and the Working Ref. Plane behind.
In some there is no visual indication of a preset ‘fixed’ (locked) status. In others there is.
See below Special Equipment template Front view that indicates a Locked alignment when you TAB select the Work Plane.
In some cases the Work Ref.Plane actually has a 0 value Locked Dimension element, formally locking the Work Plane to the Datum or in the case of a Window template placeholder Wall, to lock the Work Plane to the Exterior or Interior faces of the Placement Wall. We have tested the Casework Template with a vertical driving dimension assigned to both the Datum Rel.Level and then the behind Ref.Plane at the Datum Z=0 of the Family, and the ‘In Project’ results are the same. (The Datum Ref. Level controls the Project Offset value.) So we can only assume that there is a ‘hard wired’ implied alignment between the two (but works as if a formal Locked alignment – not shown). Unfortunately there are many conditions (and constraints) built into the various respective supplied Templates that are neither obvious, shown or documented. I would still anchor the vertical dimension to the Work Plane reference in all Templates so as to be consistent.
Regards,
rich