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Basic Stair question


domer1322

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I'm, embarrassed to ask this simple question .....  how do I get a single stair object to show up on both the first floor plan and the second floor plan ?   If the stair is on the layer for the first floor, it won't show up on the second floor layer and vice versa.  I could put two stairs, one for each layer, but that makes a mess of 3D views.  

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There are two ways that I use: 1) duplicate the stair and paste in place on the other layer, making sure to move up (or down) so that the stairs are exactly aligned in all views. 2) Place the stair on the lower of the two layers, then use a Floor (or slab) on the upper layer, with a portion cut out to show the stair below. The second method is closer to being anatomically correct but requires that the lower layer be "on" in the VP of the upper layer. Depending on what is on the lower layer this can be difficult. Sometimes the first method is just quicker and easier.

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With @CipesDesignmethod 1 if the stair is a symbol then any changes to the stairs would update both coincident stairs automatically. 
 

It gets a bit trickier if part of the stairs is concealed in plan view by the floor above.

 

i sometimes just drawn the upper floor stairs in 2d for plans views with the actual 3 d stair just on the lower floor. 

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Guest Wes Gardner

@domer1322, This is the way I've done it...I build the stair on the first floor's Slab Layer (that's just a personal preference that I use in my model set-up), then in the Stair dialog, under the 2D Graphics tab, place a CHECK MARK on Upper Floor and choose which layer you want the stair to appear on...that should do it...  I think the stair in this particular project is linked to to the upper slab via the use of stories but I think it should work stories or not...

 

Wes

Screen Shot 2020-02-11 at 2.28.24 PM.png

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Wes:

thank you very much ... that was the simple solution I was looking for.  It now shows up on the second floor 2D plan view.  Sorry I didn't notice that little check box.

 

I can't help but notice, however, that it isn't perfect.  If I try to view the second floor only in a 3D isometric view with OpenGL, then the stairway does not appear.   I guess it can't possibly work the way I hoped, because if I had both layers turned on, then I'd see a duplicate of the same stair ... unless it was smart enough to know that I only wanted to see one stairway in any view I designated.   I need a software program that monitors my brain waves and acts accordingly.  (well .. maybe not .. that might crash my computer)

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Thanks Wes. Yes the stair tool has been through many many versions none of which can actually do everything that everyone wants. That's the main reason that I developed my own very simple solution(s). Additionally I really dislike the UP and DOWN arrow graphics and text in the Plug In and prefer to use my own . Graphics snob? Who me??

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1 hour ago, CipesDesign said:

Thanks Wes. Yes the stair tool has been through many many versions none of which can actually do everything that everyone wants. That's the main reason that I developed my own very simple solution(s). Additionally I really dislike the UP and DOWN arrow graphics and text in the Plug In and prefer to use my own . Graphics snob? Who me??

 

How do you change those up/down graphics.  I was looking to do that the other day and completely gave up!

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Guest Wes Gardner

@cberg, under the Graphic Attributes tab in the Stair tool...I typically leave these at the defaults for demo models (which this file happens to be) but you do have a few options here...and yes the stair is...ummm...

 

 

Screen Shot 2020-02-12 at 11.16.58 AM.png

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  • 1 month later...

@Wes Gardner - thanks for lending us this stair. I borrowed your stair, studied the set up, but found that when the offset between the two landings is a small dimension, the railing cannot seem to resolve itself. I posted comments in another thread.

 

Also, I stack two stairs in a stair tower as one set goes from 1-2 and the next from 2-3. Both need to be seen on the Second Floor, so I'm not sure I understood the graphics for your stair. I have a building where the floor to floor height vary and the number of risers varies. I also don't understand why the stairs only show up in 3D when the lowest story that it's connected to has its layer active.

 

I'll just keep going...

stair tower.png

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@Hans-Olav Agreed - that's how I set it up too. Stacking stairs can be tricky to get the 2D graphics to appear properly.

 

What frustrates me is trying to look at a stair in 3D on a layer where the stair starts on the floor below. For instance, if I am on my Second Floor layer looking at the stair, it shows up in plan, but in 3D, it does not appear unless I turn on the First Floor layer. I understand the stair is linked to the lower floor and extends to the floor above when using stories. That among many things is why all of us are so frustrated at this tool.

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