Railings - Instance Modifications

Railings - Instance Modification

The previous post was intended to familiarize you modifying railings and handrail types at the Type level.  In this post, we will go through how to modify railing components at the instance level.  

• Hover over the railing of which you wish to make instanced based edits.  For this example, we will look at duplicating a support bracket on a wall mounted handrail.  Refer to Fig-1 for an elevation view of a wall mounted handrail with standard spacing as driven by our Handrail Type, prior to instance based editing.

Fig-1:  Elevation View Type Driven Support Spacing

• While hovering over the Railing Type, hit Tab to cycle through your selection options until you can select only the support bracket closest to the bottom of the stair run.  The support bracket will be selected and a pin icon will appear (Fig-2).  This is telling us that the position of this support bracket is driven by the Type Properties of the Handrail Type.  Also note that the properties of the support bracket, including the preview image, are grayed out (Fig-3).

Fig-2:  Support Bracket Selected

Fig-3:  Support Bracket Pinned

• If we wish to move the bracket or modify the support depth, click on the pin to allow instance based editing.  This will change the pin graphics to open as well as remove the grayed out tone from the Properties dialog box.

Fig-4:  Support Bracket Unpinned

• Once the support is unpinned, you are now able to edit the individual support on an instance basis.  Changes made to this support, be-it location, hand clearance, etc. will only apply to this one support bracket.  Brackets can be moved by entering a horizontal distance and the support will automatically move to remain attached to the rail.  If you move a support by mistake, clicking the pin will return the object to its original Type driven location.
• If you wish to copy a support, you do not need to unpin the original object.  Simply use your copy command and add a bracket at the desired location.  The newly copied support will be automatically unpinned because it not driven by the Type Properties of the Handrail Type (Fig-5).

Fig-5:  Copied Support vs Type Driven Support

• It is important to note that only Continuous Rails, top rails as defined by a Top Rail Type and handrails as defined by a Handrail Type, and their sub-elements, supports and terminations, can edited on an instance level.  Non-Continuous rails do not offer this ability.
• To edit that handrail itself, hover over the Railing Type and hit "Tab" until the handrail only is selected. Once selected, the new panel will appear in the Ribbon, labeled "Continuous Rail" (Fig-6).  By clicking on the Edit Rail button, we will be able to edit the handrail at the instance level.

Fig-7:  Continuous Rail Panel

• Within the edit rail command, we are able to edit the profile as well as the path of the railing, by clicking on the Edit Path button (Fig-8).

Fig-8:  Edit Path

• In addition to being able to edit the path of the rail from this dialog box, we also are given the option of editing the rail joins.  Once clicked, we will snap only to intersections of rail segments.  Once selected, the adjacent combo box will become activated and we can modify the join from by type to either Miter or Fillet.  If we chose fillet, we must specify a radius for the join.  A miter and fillet join are indicated below in Fig-9.1 and 9.2.

Fig-9.1:  Mitered Rail Joint

Fig-9.2:  Fillet Rail Joint

• Once you are happy with your edits, click the green check mark twice to complete your edits.
• Feel free to experiment with your railing edits on an instance level.  You always have the ability to go back to the Type driven properties by selecting the Railing Type and hitting the Reset Railing button (Fig-10).

Fig-10:  Reset Railing

Creating Railings

Creating Railings

The previous post was intended to familiarize you with the structure of the railing tool.  In this post, we will go through how to modify existing railings to create new railings specific for your projects.  

Please note that Amenta|Emma Standard guardrail/railing designs are pre-loaded into the large template file.  These standard model elements correspond with our standard railing details and should be used for egress stairs.

Decorative stairs will often necessitate the need for custom stairs and railings.  The following is an overview of how to modify rail structures and other components.  For complicated decorative stairs, please consult your project BIM Coordinator and/or the BIM Manager for assistance/recommendations.

• Select the railing you wish to duplicate and click the Edit Type (Fig-1) and select Duplicate (Fig-2).  This will prompt a Name box - enter the name for your new railing and hit ok.

Fig-1:  Select Edit Type

• Click on the Edit button next to the Rail Structure (Non-Continuous) to edit horizontal railing members, other than the handrail and top rail components (Fig-2).  These will be edited using the Top Rail and Handrail Types.  

Fig-2:  Duplicating Railings and Editing Non-Continuous Rail Structure

• Once inside the Edit Rails (Non-Continuous), insert horizontal railings as per your design intent, using the Insert Button (Fig-3).

Fig-3:  Insert Non-Continuous Horizontal Rails

• Once inserted the rail must be named, given a height and offset and a profile.  The material can be added at this point or later.  Profiles for the railing must be selected from a pull-down list of profiles loaded into the project, so any custom rails must be created before they will become available for selection (Fig-4).

Fig-4:  Completed Non-Continuous Rail

• Once you have created your first rail, you can duplicate the rail, and change the properties as necessary for your rail design.  After all non-continuous rails have been completed, use the OK button to save your updates and exit out of the Edit Rails dialog box.

Next, we will take a look at using the Continuous Rails, whether it be the Top Rail, Handrail 1 or Handrail 2.  Each of these continuous rails are driven by Handrail and Top Rail Types.  These can be found within the family browser under the Railing Heading (Fig-5).

Fig-5:  Handrail and Top Rail Types in Family Browser

• When expanded, all handrail/top rail types currently in the project will be visible.  These handrail/top rails are then able to be loaded into the Railing System Family.  To edit a handrail/top rail type, double-click on the type you wish to edit and the corresponding type properties dialog box will appear (Fig-6).

Fig-6:  Handrail Type  Type Properties Dialog

• Edits done within this dialog box will change all locations in which this handrail type is assigned (unless they have been edited on a instance base) - handrail types can be assigned to multiple railing types.  Individual handrail types can also be editing on an instance level once they are loaded into a railing type by "tabbing" the railing type until the handrail type is selected.
• One item to note is that there is a bug in Revit related to the Support Family.  if you change the support type and hit ok, nothing will happen to the model elements.  To make the changes execute, you must make a change to the position of the handrail type within the railing type it is loaded into.  This will update the support family, but likely put the support on the wrong side of the railing.  Change the side back after the model support has been updated.

• Once you have finished editing your handrail types, it is time to assign them to your railing type.  This is achieved through the Type Properties of the Railing System Family.  
• Select the model representing the railing you wish to modify and hit edit type.  This will bring us back to the Type Properties of the Railing System.
• Find the continuous rail you wish to assign, Top Rail for a top or guardrail and either Handrail 1 or Handrail 2 for a handrail element.
• Once you have found the correct rail, use the pull-down under type to select your crated handrail type.  Once changed, the lateral offset and height will be filled in, but grayed out.  These are grayed out because their values are driven by the type properties of the handrail type.  A position option becomes available to select where the handrail type will be placed relative to the Railing Type host, see Fig-7.

Fig-7:  Assigning Handrail Type to Railing Type

• Once you have assigned your handrail type, click OK and all Railing Types will be updated with your new handrail type.  See Fig-8.

Fig-8:  Updated Railing with Handrail Type

As mentioned above, handrail types as well as supports, can be edited on an instance basis, and allow fine-tuning of specific conditions. 

This will be covered in the next post, "Railings Instance Level".

Railing Overview

Railing Overview

As a follow-up to our recent in-house lunch and learn, the below is meant to document the items reviewed and be a future reference.

An overview of the components/organization of railings.

• Railings are comprised of both continuous and non-continuous horizontal members, vertical balusters, supports and terminations.  The newer system families are the top rail and handrails (see Fig-1 below) and the new user created families are supports and terminations.

Fig-1:  Railing Type Properties Dialog Box

• It is important to note, that there is no family template for the user created supports or terminations.  To create a new support or termination family, the recommended practice is to start with a generic model family (unhosted) and change the family category (Fig-2) to support or termination (Fig-3).

Fig-2:  Family Category

Fig-3:  Railing Categories

A graphical representation for the Railing Typology is included below (See Fig-4).

Fig-4:  Railing Typology

For information on creating/modifying railings, see the next post "Creating Railings"