Add Depth to Shading Surface from gbXML

[enerGwizz]

I have a project that I've imported into the VE as a gbXML from Revit. In Revit, I created a shading structure over a courtyard space that consists of 6" wide by 24" high pieces of wood stretching across the courtyard in varying lengths. In Revit, I tried modeling them both as exterior wall and roof families with the appropriate dimensions. However, when I import into the VE, both types come through as surfaces with no depth.

I'd like to edit the geometries to add the correct depth of the material, as it impacts the shading properties of the structure quite a bit. Is there a way to do that to the existing shading surfaces without recreating them as extruded volumes in the VE?

Thanks in advance.

[PCully]

VE will only import the geometry as it is exported in the gbXML so that's why they come in a single plane surfaces (not really a normal shape in VE).

I can't think of any way you would modify the surface to make it an extruded shape other than redrawing them I'm afraid.

If they are flat in a plane then perhaps a quick copy up so you had the upper and lower surfaces would suffice and be a fairly quick change to make in the VE model?

Phil

[enerGwizz]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunate not to be able to edit the geometries, but since I tried modeling as both roof and walls in Revit, I had the vertical members AND horizontal members in the VE and they work quite nicely to define the actual thickness of the wooden members together. In the future I will probably take your advice and copy them up once or multiple times to add depth.

[ZapBran]

Quite often I trace over the imported shading surfaces to create tidier objects. It sounds counter intuitive in many ways because we all want to believe that the linking will be faultless... it's not... the IES considers bound volumes and drafting packages don't handle that well at all. Be aware of the limitations (that over time will be reduced but will always be there) and deal with them. Most times I get excellent results just by snapping to end point with the intersection switch off.
Set up your room groups and use them to delete the traced over shading surfaces.