Problems with placing family instance of Windows or Doors

[ColinDayOrg]

Issue by michaelbergin
Friday Feb 14, 2014 at 22:48 GMT
Originally opened as DynamoDS/Dynamo#1120

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Creating a curve-based model, using Wall by Curve to create some walls.
Evaluating those curves to produce an XYZ where I would like to place windows or doors.

Receiving an error with various attempts to make it so :
Family symbol is not valid for this instance. Parameter name: value

Tried moving the point in the Z axis, using Create Family and Create Family by Level, Changing the levels and elevations of levels, rebuilding the entire script...

Version - 0.6.3.22045
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rpojkyrpgkixm5l/dynamo-Outline.dyn

[ColinDayOrg]

Comment by mjkkirschner
Saturday Feb 15, 2014 at 02:01 GMT

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I'm not 100% on this, but I believe you can't create windows without being associated with a wall to place them in, and I don't think there are any built in nodes that deal with window placement, I wrote a python node that will do it a while ago, I can post it on the package manager soon, but I would search there first to see if someone else has posted a window node.
Does creating some other random family at those xyz works?

[ColinDayOrg]

Comment by michaelbergin
Saturday Feb 15, 2014 at 02:55 GMT

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Its the general family instance creation node, generic elements are inserted without problem but windows and doors do not work. There is a wall to place them in at the position indicated. I have checked the package manager and nothing obvious that addresses my issue appears.

On Feb 14, 2014, at 6:01 PM, holyjewsus notifications@github.com wrote:

I'm not 100% on this, but I believe you can't create windows without being associated with a wall to place them in, and I don't think there are any built in nodes that deal with window placement, I wrote a python node that will do it a while ago, I can post it on the package manager soon, but I would search there first to see if someone else has posted a window node.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[ColinDayOrg]

Comment by mjkkirschner
Saturday Feb 15, 2014 at 20:23 GMT

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I am having trouble finding the dyn file, but this might help get you started, you need to supply a window family instance, a list of walls, and the revit document node to a python with variable input nodes.

Python code below

import clr
clr.AddReference('RevitAPI')
clr.AddReference('RevitAPIUI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *
import Autodesk
import sys
import clr
path = r'C:\Autodesk\Dynamo\Core'
exec_path = r'C:\Autodesk\Dynamo\Core\dll'
sys.path.append(path)
sys.path.append(exec_path)
clr.AddReference('LibGNet')
from Autodesk.LibG import *

#The input to this node will be stored in the IN0...INX variable(s).
wall = IN0[0]
windowfamily = IN1
doc = IN2
centerToLeft = 50
bottomToBottom = 5

locCurve = wall.Location

start = locCurve.Curve.get_EndPoint(0)
direction = locCurve.Curve.get_EndPoint(1) - start
location = start + direction.Normalize() * centerToLeft

famInst = doc.Create.NewFamilyInstance(location, windowfamily, wall, wall.Level, Autodesk.Revit.DB.Structure.StructuralType.NonStructural);
famInst.get_Parameter("Sill Height").Set(bottomToBottom);

#Assign your output to the OUT variable
OUT = famInst

[ColinDayOrg]

Comment by michaelbergin
Friday May 02, 2014 at 17:43 GMT

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Finally getting back around to this - thanks very much for the assistance. Noting that this does not remove the window for parametric alterations, Mohammad Asl and I made these modifications.

# Default imports
import clr
clr.AddReference('RevitAPI')
clr.AddReference('RevitAPIUI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *
import Autodesk
import sys
import clr
path = r'C:\Autodesk\Dynamo\Core'
exec_path = r'C:\Autodesk\Dynamo\Core\dll'
sys.path.append(path)
sys.path.append(exec_path)
clr.AddReference('LibGNet')
from Autodesk.LibG import *

#The input to this node will be stored in the IN0...INX variable(s).
wall = IN0[0]
windowfamily = IN1
doc = IN2
uParam = 0.5
bottomToBottom = 3

locCurve = wall.Location
wallLength =  locCurve.Curve.Length

start = locCurve.Curve.get_EndPoint(0)
direction = locCurve.Curve.get_EndPoint(1) - start

location = start + direction.Normalize() * wallLength * uParam

#deletes the existing windows on the wall
elList = wall.FindInserts(True, False, False, False)
for elemId in elList:
    doc.Delete(elemId)

famInst = doc.Create.NewFamilyInstance(location, windowfamily, wall, wall.Level, Autodesk.Revit.DB.Structure.StructuralType.NonStructural);
famInst.get_Parameter("Sill Height").Set(bottomToBottom);

#Assign your output to the OUT variable
OUT = famInst

Still working on a more elegant solution for placing multiple windows and controlling them independently.

[ColinDayOrg]

Comment by jhubers
Thursday Mar 03, 2016 at 08:35 GMT

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Why is there not a solution without scripting to place doors and windows in a wall? Seems to me that this is one of the first things a novice with Dynamo would like to do... In fact one of my students wanted to make a terrace wall with many holes. Dynamo seemed the right tool. But finally had to use the array tool of Revit and do the arithmetic by hand. A missed chance to introduce some students to Dynamo.