Linking columns together floor to floor

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am working on developing a new 4 story building. The column locations are constantly changing and I'm finding it difficult to constantly change column locations on all the floor levels. Is there a way when I move a column on on floor the corresponding columns on other floors adjust with it? I appreciate your help!

Cheers,

Alan

[Thomas Holm]

If you don't mind the modeling reality problem that real columns don't penetrate floor slabs just like that, you might set the lowest columnt to the combined height of them all, and then it's floor plan display to Cut or Projected. It will show on all floors that have their FCPs within its height. And you can access it and move it on any of these floors and it will move on all.
Please don't hold me responsible for the consequences though!

[Dwight]

Place all columns on one dedicated layer.
View in 3D just that layer- see all columns.
Group in 3D, either as vertical groups or whatever....

When you move a column on one storey, the grouped ones on other storeys will also move.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hotlinked module.

[Anonymous]

Thomas Holm has given you the 'best' tip -
when you use columns and walls this way it almost becomes Revit like!

Seriously though it works OK but be warned - if you share this file with teamwork the first person to reserve these elements gets them on all stories (...which is acceptable for columns, but if you are using walls in this manner it can be a real pain especially as that first person gets not only the walls but ALL doors and windows in those walls!)

[Dwight]

It is interesting how this is a larger topic than it seemed initially.

The cutplane method is great if you only have a plain shape ascending through your structure.

The module method seems ideal for large projects with absolute repeatability and overall editing power. Wise me up. Am i correct that the module would be made of one lateral column array, and then placed at each level above? How would this method accommodate different floor heights that a four storey building would undoubtedly have?

Most of my experience with stacked columns in residential projects [say] is that they require individual adjustment and modifications, so the grouping method links elements vertically allowing quick unlink/relink possibilities for local changes. You'd use this method if your building had lots of variety in floor heights [and the columns will stop where you want them instead of penetrating floors.] It is not limited to columns: any group of elements that must maintain their relationship can be grouped in 3D with this method.

[Anonymous]

Why not just group them?

[Dwight]

Like in 3D? Maybe make the columns on a dedicated layer and show them alone in 3D and group individual column stacks?

[TomWaltz]

Dwight wrote:
The module method seems ideal for large projects with absolute repeatability and overall editing power. Wise me up. Am i correct that the module would be made of one lateral column array, and then placed at each level above? How would this method accommodate different floor heights that a four storey building would undoubtedly have?

If the floor to floor height is the only difference, you could make the columns the tallest height them SEO them as needed on each floor.

[Anonymous]

Dwight wrote:
Like in 3D? Maybe make the columns on a dedicated layer and show them alone in 3D and group individual column stacks?

Yup.

Columns are usually on the A-COLS, S-COLS or such anyway. It's easy, but it's not a trick 😉 (New to 11 though.)

The module approach seems too tedious unless the extra security is important. BTW, the floor to floor height problems (and SEO workarounds) go away if you use multi-story modules.