HOW TO OFFSET RAILS AND POSTS

[robdyck]

Just now, Katy_DDR said:

Is there another easier way to achieve this?  Preferably a setting within the stair tool itself that I haven't found yet?

NO. I also manually build parts on plenty of stair types. It is terrible, but the more you do, the quicker you get at it. I've have submitted requests that all the components for stairs be editable like an architectural block, but to no avail. Placing newel posts manually is currently the only way to properly control their location.

[Katy_DDR]

7 minutes ago, robdyck said:

NO. I also manually build parts on plenty of stair types. It is terrible, but the more you do, the quicker you get at it. I've have submitted requests that all the components for stairs be editable like an architectural block, but to no avail. Placing newel posts manually is currently the only way to properly control their location.

 

Thank you Robert!  That actually makes me feel better, that I'm not alone in this frustration and that I'm not missing something. 

Cheers,

[Alaskan_Son]

@Katy_DDR,

 

Depending on the specifics of the situation, you can also turn off the railing entirely and use a manually placed railing wall set to Follow Stairs...

...this has challenges of its own but can serve as a very good way to refine newel placement for many situations.

 

Don't have time to elaborate on all of them, but here are a few more tips as well:

• You can use Invisible walls to define your decks, rooms, or platforms and No Room Definition railing walls for your rails
• You can place wall breaks to force a newel to generate at that location.  Stop wall from rejoining by either alternating wall types or flipping the new wall section.
• You can refine wall break locations by using a small perpendicular Room Divider wall.  Place a break at that room divider and then drag the Room Divider to control the break location.
• You can use molding polylines for railing components
• You can use Polyline Distribution Paths for railing components
• You don't have to approximate locations.  Create a CAD Detail From View of your Plan View and then Cut/Copy snaps from that view and Paste Hold Position back into your Plan View.  This way you can place objects with precision.

[Katy_DDR]

@Alaskan_Son

Thank you for the additional tips!  I'm printing them for future reference.  It didn't even cross my mind that I could place a Rail Wall *on* the stairs.

 

Happy Friday,

Kt