Mexican jumping columns!!!

[Steve C.]

I am using millworks columns, placing them on a slab porch that I have set 4" below the interior floor. I control drag the column over the railing to give the appearance that the railing connects to the column (this is probably where my problem happens). I get all the columns placed and when I go to 3D view they jump up or down. Crazy thing is, they don't all jump. I've even gone in to the DBX and changed the column base to 0 from -4 (and vice versa) and that will solve it for a minute until I go to 3D and they jump again. What's even stranger is I have solved the dilemma for a while and I actually have some columns set at different heights in their DBX???? Of course eventually they start "jumping" again.

Is there a way to connect the rails to the columns without losing the room definition? Would this even help?

[Steve C.]

Well, I found the answer to railing connecting to the columns. I have the base version, and custom newels are not available for me. So I guess I'm stuck until I upgrade, probably in a couple of months.

Any suggestions would be appreciated (and no, don't suggest upgrading now )

[Maureen Giattino]

Open the symbol and uncheck follow terrain. I'm not sure if that will help. Or, once you get them into position (tile windows) you could try blocking them--then they'll all move together! Or block them to the slab? Just thinking...

[WendyWelton]

Another option:

Make your newels into columns. To make this work:

1 - Select Railings - open dbx - Newels/Balusters tab - select your column as the newel. Make the newel spacing (________ oc) either equal to your desired column spacing, or longer.
2 - General tab - make the width equal to your column width. This will keep the column from overhang the porch floor.
3 - Railings tab - check either "post to ceiling" or "Post to beam". This will make the "newels" full height - they become a column.
4 - Exist the dbx. In the plan, place short invisible wall segments perpendicular to your railing wherever you want a column. Place a wall break in your railing at that joint.

The invisible wall helps it keep the break, and not "heal" the railing every time you touch it. It also gives you something you can dimension, to get them spaced exactly as you want. (You'll need to uncheck "no locate")

This method makes the column a part of the railing - no vertical jumping, and also eliminate that tendency of a column to "know" that it can't occupy the same space as a railing and jump horizontally.

I also prefer to make the opening an invisible segment instead of using a "door" to make an opening in the railing. I just get cleaner and more stable results.

[WendyWelton]

Oops - sorry - "custom newels not available". Sorry for teasing you.

[George Godwin]

Wendy, - Excellent step by step description of the process.

[Allen42acj]

Why not use a doorway?You can select different newels..

[spencerdesign]

Hipity Hopity. Known behavior and by design. I have been complaining a long time and loudly about not having an option to override this sometimes very silly and annoying behavior. Definitely uncheck follows terrain which should not be the default!

Moving items to their own layers and then locking those layers after the material and correct position are attained seems to alleviate this.

HTH,

Sam

[Steve C.]

Thanks Wendy, but I got about 1 minute into the training vid before I realized I was out of luck.

Allen, not sure what you mean about doorways.

Sam, I'll give that a shot.

Here's the "before"

[Steve C.]

BTW, I have already tried un-checking "follows terrain"

[Allen42acj]

Steve
Instead of using the invisible walls that Wendy has..

[Allen42acj]

If you save the picture as a jpg it should load here..
You can select those columns to use in your railing wall..

[Steve C.]

Now I see what you meant Allen. Also, thanks for the attachment lesson

So far Sam's method is working fine. Set all the columns to a seperate layer and locked it after I got them where I wanted them. Thanks Sam!

[Steve C.]

Spoke too soon, they are jumping again

Guess I'll try Wendy's invisible wall trick. I tried the doorway trick once Allen but the openings would not stay that small.

[lbuttery]

Steve:

The nice thing about banging your head against a brick wall ....

It feels so good when you stop

Lew