topic Re: Balustrade w/ Externally Fixed Screen in Modeling

Balustrade w/ Externally Fixed Screen

Lingwisyer — Wed, 24 May 2023 06:24:28 GMT

Hi all,

Is it possible to create a screen that sits on the outside edge of a railing with the Railing Tool and wraps around corners? In other words, the screen would extend beyond the pattern length.

I have create the one shown by dividing the pattern segments with balusters that have been offset to the outside and extended beyond the top and bottom edges for the railing. This leaves a hole at the corner as shown...

Previous to this I was modelling the screen as an independent continuous wall that was used as an Alpha surface, but that has the shortfall of appearing flat when viewed up closer and having an incorrect floor plan view. The floor plan view could probably have been solved with a custom hatch, but there would still be the issue with the closer 3D views.

Ling.

Re: Balustrade w/ Externally Fixed Screen

Barry Kelly — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 06:39:58 GMT

Interesting.
Rails, balusters and panels can all have a side offset from the reference line.
Of course rails will connect if you want them to.
Panels can have a negative end offset in the rail settings but not when you 'Edit' the railing and select the panel.
Balusters can have a negative end offset in the stair settings and when you edit the railing and select them separately, but nothing shows beyond the the post node.

Barry.

Re: Balustrade w/ Externally Fixed Screen

Barry Kelly — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 07:30:05 GMT

That is not to say it can't be done.
Use separate balustrades for each edge.
Offset you balustrade as you have done - say 200mm
Off set the support rails as well (I have not done that in this image).
Use the double end (corner) post option so that the very corner post is not there and set the distance to the same as your offset (200mm).
In plan position the rails so the offset posts overlap.

The only problem you might have (depending on what you need) is the rails.
It seems they can't be separate lengths.
So the support rails for the balusters will be correct but if you want more rails back on the post you won't get these to work (at least I couldn't).

You do have the top rail which you will have to reduce the end by 200mm and you could also use a handrail and play with its position and length.

Barry.

Re: Balustrade w/ Externally Fixed Screen

Lingwisyer — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 09:11:45 GMT

While offsetting the ends of separate Railings does make it visually correct, the plan of it ends up showing clipping lines unless a solid fill without an outline is used for the railings and handrails. I also have the issue of different angled corners, and since you can't offset the different ends of a single railing separately the issue just been shifted.

I am currently using a complex profile on a column to create the missing corners. While a different profile will need to be made for each different type of external corner, as far as I can tell so far, it is represented correctly in both plan and 3D.
Ling.