Enabling / Disabling Joins - Structural Framing

I have been using Rhino Inside Revit as a mechanism for converting finite element structural models into Revit models. So this post is with regards to modelling structural steel framing (beams, columns, braces).

In release 1.5.8082, a change was made that automatically enables joins if the element family is ‘structural framing’ - previously my experience was that all beams and columns brought into revit by rhino inside had joins disabled by default.

Enabling/disabling joins seems to have an impact on what element parameters are allowed and not allowed to be modified. For example, previously i had setup a routine to set member end length offsets, insertion points, and member rotations based on parameters contained in a finite element model using the Element Parameter component.

Since the update, this routine has broken because joined elements cannot have their z Justification parameter modified.
It would be extremely useful for modelling of structural framing to be able to specify whether generated beams and columns should have joins enabled or disabled by default upon the element creation - instead of leaving this entirely up to the component to interpret.

I would like to be able to first import the framing with joins disabled, modify parameters of interest, and enable the join functionality as a last step.

Currently overcoming this with an api component, but performance is quite slow and this could be avoided by simply being able to specify the behavior of joins on the Add Beam component.

Hi M9alexan, Thanks for reporting.

That was a bug in 1.4 that was fixed.

1.6 will have create beams unjoined by default and a component for Enable/Disable joins. I’ll post back here when its in the daily build.

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Hi @m9alexan,

There is a fix for this on the Daily build.

Do you mind testing it and tell us if it works to you now?

‘Structural Framing Joins’ component is still missing but ‘Add Beam’ and ‘Add Brace’ components should create same kind of unjoined structural frame now.

Sorry not familiar, where can i download the latest daily build?

Wanted to follow up on this; will a 1.6 official be posted soon?

Hi @m9alexan,

You can download the RC from here.

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I have a request to access the justification of beams. I think typically Structural modelers use top of flange justification. Currently the curves you feed the beam tool can only be used as axis lines which makes each top flange a different height.
Does Revit API allow Justification parameter to be accessed?

Hi @jmarsh,

You can always adjust the ‘z Justification’ using parameters.

RiR-Beam-z Justification.gh (9.8 KB)

I like the suggestion, thanks.
Sorry, but I’ve dropped a bunch of nodes on my canvas and I still can’t figure out which one is the long gray one with the pink icon. Could you tell me the name, please?

That’s the Inspect Element component. When first hooked up it has no outputs, use Shift+Click to expand to the parameters available, then use Ctrl+Click on the components icon to collapse, leaving only parameters you’ve hooked something up to (a text panel in this case )

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Hi,

Just checking if this enable/disable join component ever made its way to the latest build? Still couldn’t find this anywhere and couldn’t find a better way to join the beams created with RiR efficiently…

You can try the below for joining beam ends…

SJ: Beam Start Join
EJ: Beam End join

RiR_Beam End Joins.gh (8.2 KB)

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great, this is helpful - thank you! :slight_smile: