Railing - set pattern length to number of treads

[Barry Kelly]

I have been struggling to get this option to work, then I realised that it has to do with the stair option for 'End with riser/tread'
If the stair is set to end with a tread, then this railing option works fine.
But if the stair is set to end with riser, then this option does not work at all.
It is not greyed out as unavailable, nothing is mentioned in the user guide or on-line help (that I could see), and nothing is mentioned in the YouTube video (starting at 8.45) ...





I would rarely end a stair with a tread as I would most often use the top landing (slab) as the last tread.

I just wanted to mention this as it had me stumped for a while.
I have reported it to the Aussie distributors as a possible bug.
Hopefully it is something that can be fixed or a warning added or the option greyed out when not available.
It is not a killer problem as the posts can be positioned by other methods, but it does also affect the balusters on each tread as well.


Barry.

[SeaGeoff]

A couple more observations.

4) When independent segments are created the Ending Node Offset becomes independent too, which is great since the two ends can then have different settings. But like other custom settings in this tool, you have to select the now-custom node in edit mode first. The overall setting found when selecting the entire railing no longer applies.

5) Similarly, the Reference Line offset is now independent for each segment. That makes logical sense, but it exposes a weakness in the UI. Since Reference Line appears in the info box, and since it's unusual to have a different offset one segment to the next, it's natural to try to use the info box to offset the whole railing. There is no indicator there that custom settings are in effect. I thought it was a bug when nothing happened.

So the takeaway is that once the segments are independent you need to go into edit mode to do most everything.

[Barry Kelly]

Geoff wrote:
1) In order to change the segment height of one segment relative to the other you need to first "Create Independent Segments and Nodes (context or Design menu). I missed that fact and was stuck until I figured it out.

I thought this as well, but when I did it in 22 I could select a single segment in 3D edit mode and adjust it separately.
It seems to perform the create independent segments automatically.
When you look at the complete railing settings you will now see a yellow warning triangle next to the segments to say they are independent.
I am not sure if this is the case in 21.

Geoff wrote:
2) It would be great if the tool allowed graphic editing of the segment height in elevation & 3D. My sloped segment was already correct by virtue of being associated to the stair. All I needed to do was raise the flat segment and a simple drag in 3D would be fast and easy.

I agree we could use a stretchy segment height.
22 has brought in hotspots for rail connections and rail ends.
It would be great to have a hotspot for segment heights as well.

Barry.

[Barry Kelly]

Geoff wrote:
4) When independent segments are created the Ending Node Offset becomes independent too, which is great since the two ends can then have different settings. But like other custom settings in this tool, you have to select the now-custom node in edit mode first. The overall setting found when selecting the entire railing no longer applies.

I think the overall settings still does affect one end of the railing, up to the point of the independent segment.

Geoff wrote:
So the takeaway is that once the segments are independent you need to go into edit mode to do most everything.

Basically, yes.

Barry.