How do I make custom items snap to truss?

[Peter Telleman]

Hi everyone,

 

Let me start by wishing all a great 2024!

 

My question today is:

 

I have a couple of custom parts, one of them is the attached trussbar. This bar is used as an outrigger for lights, by attaching the clamps to one side of the truss (topside). Is there a way for me to have custom parts like this snap attach to a truss, and then select which way it faces (similar to how lights snap attach to trusses).

 

Obviously I have a follow up question, how do I then snap attach a light fixture to my custom symbol?

 

@markdd maybe right up your alley??

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Peter Telleman

custom trussbar.vwx

[Peter Telleman]

To give a little more info on the above questions. I've also tried adding it to the truss with the Lighting Device Tool, that makes it attach to the truss, so technically, that answers my first question, but unfortunately not my second. When I try it with the Hanging Position Tool, it doesn't connect to the truss, but it does attach lights to my symbol. I do hate you have to give it a number when using hanging position. So I'm looking for a third option that combines the good parts of the first two options 🙂

[ckimble]

No solutions for this? I also would love to learn how to solve this challenge.

[Peter Telleman]

unfortunately, no one has picked this up yet

[Stefan B.]

Can you make it in a hanging position? would that give you the options you wish?

Or can you make your symbol as a fixture, although I don't think a fixture can attach to a fixture? So your trussbar/outrigger should/must be a truss, pipe, or a hanging position.

[Peter Telleman]

Hi Stefan,

 

I've tried to make it a hanging position, that makes me give it numers and what not. It does give me the option to attach a fixture to it. But my question is, why wouldn't there be a category named rigging accessoires or something, to put things like clamps and such in?

[jcogdell]

Easiest way to do this is to set the outrigger up as a single chord truss object.
This will enable it to connect correctly to a truss, allow lights to be hung from it and enable it to be part of a braceworks calculation.

There are 2 way to convert the geometry into a truss object,

1. add the truss record to it
2. use the convert to truss Braceworks command

In both cases the first time you insert the truss you will be prompted to fill its properties in the truss properties dialogue. Afterwords you'll need to adjust the 3D geometry of the new truss symbol to have it correctly align with the internal origin.
I've done a very quick a dirty conversion for you so you have an example of a finished version.
One thing the clamp and truss symbols you are using look to be direct DWG imports and have a much higher level of detail than you really need for Spotlight (bolt threads, hollow geometry and so on), if possible you should try to simplfy the geometry as this level of detail can have a performance impct when a lot of it is in a file.

custom trussbar.vwx