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June, 2001
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction 1
Fundamentals of Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3 2
Complete Project Work Flow Management 2
Integration with AutoCAD 2002 3
Multiple Document Environment (MDE) 3
Shortcut Menus 4
Object Properties Window 6
Quick Select 7
3D Orbit Viewing 8
Layout Tabs 9
Partial Open and Partial Load 11
In-Place Reference Editing 11
Tracking Objects 12
AutoCAD DesignCenter 12
Managing Autodesk Architectural Desktop Content in AutoCAD
DesignCenter 15
Where to Begin 17
Beginning Users 17
Experienced Users 17
Finding Help 18
Online Documentation 18
Training Courseware 19
Contacting Autodesk 19
Sales Information 19
Customer Satisfaction 20
Technical Support 20
Feedback 20
Contents
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Templates 51
Using Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3 Templates 52
Opening the Template 53
Starting a Drawing with an Architectural Desktop Template 58
Whats in the Templates 59
Using the Layout Tabs 60
Conceptual Design Layout Tabs 61
Work Layout Tabs 62
Plot Layout Tabs 63
Model Tab 65
Customizing Templates 66
Chapter 4
New Features 67
New Features in Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3 68
Expanding the Building Model 69
Curtain Walls 69
Window Assemblies 71
Roof and Floor Slabs 72
Structural Members 75
AEC Polygon 76
Enhanced Building Model Objects 77
Stairs 77
Contents
Railings 79
Walls 80
Windows 82
Section and Elevation Objects 83
Elevation Labels 84
Spaces 85
Layer Keying 86
Scheduling 86
Chases, Ducts and Floor Openings 87
User Interface Improvements 87
Style Manager 87
Display Manager 88
Other Enhancements 89
Pushpin Dialog Boxes 89
Add Selected (Draw By Example) and Insert Object Feature 90
Explode AEC Objects 92
Publish to Autodesk Architectural Studio 92
International Features 93
Area Calculation 93
AEC Dimensions 95
Live Sections 96
Chapter 5
Display System 99
Understanding the Display System 100
Display Representations 100
Display Sets 103
Display Configurations 104
How It All Works Together 107
Changing the Display of an AEC Object in a Viewport 108
Getting Started with the Display Manager 110
Displaying the Display Manager 111
Moving and Resizing the Display Manager 111
Viewing Display Systems in the Display Manager 112
Viewing Drawing Information in the Display Manager 113
Viewing the Display Representations 113
Viewing the Display Sets 115
Viewing the Display Configurations 117
Previewing an AEC Object Types Representation 119
Previewing an AEC Object Types Representation within a Display Set
120
Previewing an AEC Object Types Default Properties 120
Creating and Editing Display Systems 121
Working with Display Representations 121
Working with Display Sets 125
Contents
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Contents
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Contents
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Contents
Chapter 14
Walls 305
Creating Walls 306
Creating Straight Walls 307
Creating Curved Walls 309
Creating a Combination of Straight and Curved Walls 311
Modifying Walls 312
Changing Style of an Existing Wall 312
Changing the Wall Base Height 313
Changing the Wall Width 313
Changing the Wall Justification 313
Matching the Characteristics of an Existing Wall 314
Contents
10
Contents
Chapter 15
Contents
11
12
Contents
Chapter 16
Slabs 581
Creating Slabs 582
Creating a Slab 583
Creating Slabs Based on Walls 584
Creating a Slab Based on Multiple Walls 585
Creating a Slab from a Polyline 587
Modifying a Slab 588
Editing Slabs 589
Editing a Slab Edge 589
Trimming a Slab 590
Extending a Slab 591
Mitering Slabs by Intersection 593
Mitering Slabs Using Edges 593
Cutting a Slab 594
Adding a Vertex to a Slab 594
Deleting a Vertex from a Slab 595
Adding Holes to a Slab 595
Removing Holes from a Slab 597
Adding Objects to a Slab (Boolean) 598
Subtracting Objects from a Slab (Boolean) 598
Removing Objects from a Slab (Boolean) 599
Grip Editing Slabs 599
Object Snap (Osnap) Behavior for Slabs 600
Slab Properties 600
Attaching Notes and Files to a Slab 600
Changing the Slab Style or Applying a New Slab Style 601
Changing the Slab Dimensions 601
Changing the Slab Edge Properties 603
Contents
13
Chapter 17
Openings 623
Creating Openings 624
Creating an Opening in a Wall 624
Creating an Opening in a Space Boundary 626
Creating a Freestanding Opening 627
Changing an Existing Opening 628
Repositioning an Opening 628
Changing Opening Properties 629
Attaching Notes and Files to an Opening 629
Changing Opening Dimension Properties 630
Changing the Position of an Opening Along a Wall or Space Boundary
630
Changing the Position of an Opening Vertically in a Wall or Space
Boundary 631
Changing the Position of an Opening Within a Wall or Space Boundary
631
Changing the Orientation of an Opening to a Wall or Space Boundary
632
Changing an Opening Endcap Properties 632
Changing an Opening Location Properties 633
Changing an Opening Entity Display 634
Changing the Display of Openings 634
Adding Components to the Display of Openings 635
14
Contents
Chapter 18
Doors 641
Creating Doors 642
Creating a Door in a Wall 643
Creating a Door in a Space Boundary 644
Creating a Freestanding Door 645
Editing Doors 645
Changing the Style of an Existing Door 645
Changing the Door Size 646
Changing the Door Width 646
Changing the Door Height 646
Changing the Door Rise 647
Changing the Door Leaf 647
Changing the Door Opening Percentage 647
Moving a Door Along a Wall 647
Moving a Door Within a Wall 648
Flipping the Hinge of a Door 649
Flipping the Swing of a Door 649
Changing the Door Swing Opening 649
Changing Door Styles 650
Creating a Door Style 650
Creating a Door Style from an Existing Style 651
Editing a Door Style 651
Purging a Door Style 652
Importing Door Styles 652
Exporting Door Styles to a New Drawing 653
Exporting Door Styles to an Existing Drawing 654
Door Style Properties 655
Attaching Notes and Files to a Door Style 655
Changing the Door Style Dimensions Properties 656
Changing the Door Style Design Rules Properties 657
Changing the Standard Sizes of Door Styles 658
Changing the Door Style Display Properties 659
Changing the Entity Display of Doors 660
Changing the Display of Doors 660
Adding Components to the Display of Doors 660
Editing Components in the Display of Doors 662
Removing Components in the Display of Doors 663
Disabling the Display of Components in the Display of Doors 664
Displaying the Door Swing as Straight 664
Overriding the Opening Percentage for a Door 665
Contents
15
Chapter 19
Windows 675
Creating Windows 676
Creating a Window in a Wall 678
Creating a Window in a Space Boundary 679
Creating a Freestanding Window 680
Editing Windows 680
Changing the Style of an Existing Window 680
Changing Window Size 681
Changing Window Width 681
Changing Window Height 681
Changing Window Vertical Alignment 682
Moving a Window Along a Wall 682
Moving a Window Within a Wall 682
Flipping the Hinge of a Window 683
Flipping the Swing of a Window 683
Changing the Window Swing Opening 683
Changing Window Properties 684
Attaching Notes and Files to a Window 684
Changing Window Style Properties 685
Changing Window Dimension Properties 685
Changing the Position of a Window Along a Wall or Space Boundary
686
Changing the Position of a Window Vertically in a Wall or Space
Boundary 686
Changing the Position of a Window Within a Wall or Space Boundary
687
Changing the Orientation of a Window to a Wall or Space Boundary
688
16
Contents
Chapter 20
Contents
17
Chapter 21
18
Contents
Chapter 22
Roofs 863
Creating Roofs 864
Creating a Single Slope Roof 864
Creating a Double Slope Roof 865
Creating a Gable Roof 865
Creating a Roof from a Polyline 866
Creating a Roof from Walls 867
Modifying Roofs 868
Contents
19
20
Contents
Chapter 23
Stairs 927
Creating Stairs 928
Creating Straight Stairs 928
Creating U-shaped Stairs 929
Creating Multi-landing Stairs 931
Creating Spiral Stairs 934
Modifying Stairs 936
Changing an Existing Stair 936
Changing an Existing Stair Using Grips 937
Changing the Side of a Stair 937
Changing the Shape of a Flight 942
Changing the Shape of a Landing 944
Changing the Shape of a Spiral Stair to a Circle Using Grips 944
Changing the Shape of a Spiral Stair to an Arc Using Grips 945
Changing Stair Properties 946
Attaching Notes and Files to a Stair 946
Changing Stair Style Properties 946
Changing Stair Dimension Properties 947
Changing Stair Floor Setting Properties 948
Changing Flight Length Limits 949
Changing Stair Interference Properties 950
Changing U-shaped Stair Properties 951
Changing Spiral Shape Stair Properties 952
Changing Flight Dimension Properties 953
Changing Landing Dimension Properties 954
Changing Landing Extension Properties 955
Changing Stair Location Properties 956
Changing Stair Styles 957
Creating New Stair Styles 958
Contents
21
Chapter 24
Railings 973
Creating Railings 974
Creating a Railing Attached to a Stair 974
Creating a Railing Attached to a Stair Flight 975
Creating a Freestanding Railing 976
Converting a Polyline to a Railing 977
Modifying Railings 978
Changing an Existing Railing 978
Adding a Post to a Railing 979
Removing a Post from a Railing 979
Redistributing Posts on a Railing 980
Hiding Posts 981
Showing Hidden Posts 981
Reversing the Direction of the Railing 982
Anchoring an Existing Railing to a Stair 982
Custom Railing Blocks and Profiles 983
Adding Custom Blocks to Railings 984
Editing Custom Blocks in a Railing Display 986
Removing Custom Blocks in the Display of Railings 988
Disabling Custom Blocks in the Display of Railings 989
Adding Custom Profiles to Railings 989
Editing Custom Profiles in a Railing Display 992
Removing Custom Profiles in the Display of Railings 994
Turning Off Custom Profiles in the Display of Railings 994
Changing Railing Properties 995
Attaching Notes and Files to a Railing 995
Changing the Style of a Railing 996
Changing Upper Rail Location Properties 996
Changing Bottom Rail Properties 998
Changing Post Location Properties 999
Changing the Properties of Railing Extensions at Floor Levels 1000
Changing the Properties of Railing Extensions at Landings 1001
Changing Railing Anchor Properties 1001
Changing Railing Location Properties 1002
Changing Railing Styles 1003
Creating a Railing Style 1003
Editing a Railing Style 1004
22
Contents
Chapter 25
Grids 1019
Column Grids 1020
Creating a Rectangular Column Grid 1020
Creating a Radial Column Grid 1021
Creating a Rectangular Column Grid Dynamically 1022
Creating a Radial Column Grid Dynamically 1023
Labeling a Column Grid 1023
Extending Column Grid Lines beyond the Grid Boundary or Limits
1025
Dimensioning Column Grids 1025
Modifying Column Grids 1026
Changing Existing Rectangular Column Grids 1026
Changing Existing Radial Column Grids 1026
Attaching a Clipping Boundary to a Column Grid 1026
Adding a Hole to a Column Grid 1027
Removing a Hole from a Column Grid 1027
Changing the Column Grid Properties 1027
Attaching Notes and Files to a Column Grid 1028
Changing the Overall Size of a Column Grid 1028
Changing the Width of a Column Grid 1029
Changing the Depth of a Column Grid 1029
Changing the Column Grid X-Spacing Properties 1030
Changing the Column Grid Y-Spacing Properties 1030
Changing the Radial Column Grid Angle Dimension Properties 1031
Changing the Radial Column Grid Angle Properties 1031
Changing the Column Grid Location Properties 1032
Ceiling Grids 1033
Creating a Ceiling Grid with a Clipping Boundary 1033
Creating a Freestanding Ceiling Grid 1034
Creating a Ceiling Grid by Specifying the Size Dynamically 1035
Contents
23
Chapter 26
Annotation 1045
Changing the Drawing Scale 1046
Setting the Drawing Scale 1046
Documentation Symbols 1047
Revision Clouds 1047
Chases, Ducts and Floor Openings 1048
Break Marks 1049
Detail Marks 1050
Elevation Marks 1053
Leaders 1057
Miscellaneous Symbols 1059
Section Marks 1060
Title Marks 1061
Chapter 27
24
Contents
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Contents
25
Chapter 30
Areas 1145
Working with Areas 1146
Work Order 1147
Creating Areas 1149
Creating New Areas 1149
Creating Areas from Objects 1153
Examples for Creating Areas 1157
Creating User-Defined Area Tags 1160
Editing Areas 1164
Grip Editing Areas 1165
Changing Area Properties 1165
Area Operations 1169
Joining Areas Together 1170
Creating Holes in Areas 1171
Creating Areas from the Intersection of Other Areas 1172
Vertices 1173
Trimming Areas 1174
Dividing Areas 1175
Removing Rings from Areas 1175
Reversing Area Rings 1176
Reversing Area Profiles 1177
Creating Polylines from Areas 1177
Attaching Areas to Area Groups 1178
Detaching Areas from Area Groups 1180
Area Styles 1181
Creating New Area Styles 1182
Purging Area Styles 1184
Importing Area Styles 1184
Exporting Area Styles to a New Drawing 1185
Exporting Area Styles to an Existing Drawing 1186
Changing Area Style Properties 1187
Attaching Notes and Files to an Area Style 1187
Changing the Area Style Layer/Color/Linetype Properties 1188
Changing the Area Style Hatching Properties 1189
Calculation Modifier Styles 1190
Creating New Calculation Modifier Styles 1190
Editing Calculation Modifier Styles 1192
Importing Calculation Modifier Styles 1196
26
Contents
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Contents
27
Chapter 33
Schedules 1273
Creating Schedules in Autodesk Architectural Desktop 1274
Adding Schedule Tags 1278
Displaying Schedule Data When You Insert a Tag 1279
Adding Door and Window Tags 1280
Adding Object Tags 1280
Adding Room and Finish Tags 1281
Adding Wall Tags 1282
Anchoring a Tag to an Object 1283
Releasing an Anchored Tag 1283
Viewing the Relationship Between Schedule Tags and Objects 1284
Creating Custom Tags 1284
Using Schedule Data 1287
Attaching Schedule Data 1288
Editing Schedule Data 1288
Attaching Schedule Data to Object Styles and Definitions 1289
Browsing Existing Property Data 1290
Browsing Existing Property Set Definition Data 1291
Renumbering Existing Schedule Data 1292
Property Set Definitions 1292
Creating a New Property Set Definition 1293
Creating a Property Set Definition from an Existing Property Set Definition 1293
Defining What the Property Set Definition Applies To 1294
Editing a Property Set Definition 1295
Adding an Automatic Property 1297
Removing Property Set Definitions 1298
Merging Property Set Definitions 1299
Understanding Some Automatic Properties 1299
Attaching Notes or Files to a Property Set 1303
Purging Property Set Definitions 1304
Importing Property Set Definitions 1305
Exporting Property Set Definitions to an Existing Drawing 1306
Exporting Property Set Definitions to a New Drawing 1307
Data Format Styles 1308
Creating a Data Format Style 1308
28
Contents
Creating a Data Format Style from an Existing Data Format Style 1309
Attaching Notes or Files to a Data Format Style 1309
Editing a Data Format Style 1310
Purging Data Format Styles 1313
Importing Data Format Styles 1313
Exporting Data Format Styles to an Existing Drawing 1315
Exporting Data Format Styles to a New Drawing 1316
Schedule Tables 1316
Adding a Schedule Table 1317
Updating a Schedule Table 1318
Exporting Schedule Table Information 1319
Exporting Schedule Tables 1319
Schedule Table Styles 1320
Creating a Schedule Table Style 1320
Creating a Schedule Table Style from an Existing Schedule Table Style
1320
Attaching Notes and Files to a Schedule Table Style 1321
Changing the Schedule Table Style Default Format 1322
Defining What the Schedule Table Applies to 1323
Adding Schedule Table Style Columns 1324
Adding a Heading to a Schedule Table 1326
Editing Schedule Table Style Columns 1327
Deleting Schedule Table Style Columns 1328
Setting the Schedule Table Style Sorting 1328
Overriding Schedule Table Title Formats 1329
Editing the Schedule Table Style Display Properties 1330
Purging Schedule Table Styles 1331
Importing Schedule Table Styles 1332
Exporting Schedule Table Styles to an Existing Drawing 1333
Exporting Schedule Table Styles to a New Drawing 1334
Editing Table Cells 1335
Editing Schedule Tables 1335
Schedule Table Properties 1336
Attaching Notes and Files to a Schedule Table 1336
Changing the Style of the Schedule Table 1337
Changing the Schedule Table Settings 1337
Changing the Location of a Schedule Table 1337
Schedule Table Selection 1338
Adding Objects to a Schedule Table 1338
Removing Objects from a Schedule Table 1338
Reselecting the Objects to Be Included in a Schedule Table 1339
Showing Objects that are in a Schedule Table 1339
Contents
29
Chapter 34
Elevations 1343
Creating 2D and 3D Elevations 1344
Drawing and Changing Elevation Lines 1344
Drawing an Elevation Line and Mark 1346
Changing Elevation Line Properties 1347
Changing the Elevation Mark Attributes 1351
Creating and Changing 2D Elevations 1351
Creating a New 2D Elevation 1352
Changing the Display of Graphic Subdivisions 1354
Updating an Existing 2D Elevation 1354
Changing the 2D Elevation Properties 1356
Working with 2D Elevation Styles 1358
Creating New 2D Elevation Styles 1358
Purging a 2D Elevation Style 1360
Importing a 2D Elevation Style 1361
Exporting a 2D Elevation Style to a New Drawing 1362
Exporting 2D Elevation Styles to an Existing Drawing 1362
Changing 2D Elevation Style Properties 1363
Changing the 2D Elevation Style Notes, Descriptions, or Reference Files
1364
Changing the 2D Elevation Style Display Components 1365
Changing the 2D Elevation Style Design Rule Properties 1366
Changing the 2D Elevation Style Display Properties 1368
Editing and Merging Linework in 2D Elevations 1369
Editing Linework in 2D Elevations 1370
Merging Linework into 2D Elevations 1371
Saving Linework Changes to a 2D Elevation 1371
Creating and Changing 3D Elevations 1372
Creating a New 3D Elevation 1373
Updating an Existing 3D Elevation 1374
Changing the 3D Elevation Properties 1375
Changing the Display of Graphic Subdivisions in a 3D Elevation 1377
Chapter 35
Sections 1379
Creating 2D and 3D Sections 1380
Drawing and Changing Section Lines 1380
Drawing a Section Line and Mark 1382
Changing Section Line Properties 1384
Changing the Section Mark Attributes 1388
Creating and Changing 2D Sections 1389
Creating a New 2D Section 1389
Changing the Display of Graphic Subdivisions in a 2D Section 1391
Updating an Existing 2D Section 1392
Reversing an Existing Section 1393
30
Contents
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Cameras 1433
Working with Cameras 1434
Contents
31
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
32
Contents
Chapter 41
Contents
33
Chapter 42
34
Contents
Chapter 43
Anchors 1589
Working with Anchors 1590
Working with Curve Anchors 1591
Working with Leader Anchors 1594
Working with Node Anchors 1597
Working with Cell Anchors 1600
Working with Volume Anchors 1603
Releasing and Positioning Anchored Objects 1605
Releasing Anchored Objects 1606
Positioning Anchored Objects 1606
Chapter 44
Contents
35
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
36
Contents
Chapter 47
Profiles 1655
Working with Profiles 1656
Inserting a Profile as a Polyline 1657
Creating Profiles 1657
Creating a Profile from a Polyline 1657
Redefining an Existing Profile from an AEC Profile in the Drawing 1658
Create a Profile from an Existing Profile 1659
Attaching Notes or Files to a Profile 1659
Purging Profiles 1660
Importing Profiles 1661
Exporting a Profile to a New Drawing 1662
Exporting a Profile to an Existing Drawing 1662
Chapter 48
Contents
37
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
IFC 1707
Industry Foundation Class 1708
IFC Command List 1710
Chapter 51
Glossary 1715
Index 1723
38
Contents
Introduction
In this chapter
Fundamentals of Autodesk
Architectural Desktop
Integration with
AutoCAD 2002
Where to begin
Finding help
Contacting Autodesk
Conceptual Design
In the initial design phase, you can assemble Architectural Desktop mass
elements as simple architectural shapes to form an exterior model of your
building project. You can also lay out interior areas by arranging general
spaces as you would in a bubble diagram. You can manipulate and consolidate three-dimensional mass elements into massing studies.
Later in this phase, you can create building footprints from the massing
study by slicing floorplates, and you can begin defining the structure by converting space boundaries into walls. At the completion of the conceptual
design phase, you have developed a workable schematic floor plan.
Design Development
As you refine the building project, you can add more detailed information to
the schematic design. Use the features in Architectural Desktop to continue
developing the design of the building project by organizing, defining, and
Chapter 1
Introduction
Construction Documents
After you have fully developed the building design, you can annotate your
drawings with reference marks, notes, and dimensions. You can also add tags
or labels associated with objects. Information from the objects and tags can
be extracted, sorted, and compiled into schedules, reports, tables, and inventories for comprehensive and accurate construction documentation.
For more information, see Working with Multiple Drawings in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
Shortcut Menus
Autodesk Architectural Desktop has integrated a number of commands into
standard AutoCAD shortcut menus. Shortcut menus are displayed at the
cursor location after you right-click the pointing device.
Shortcut menus are context sensitive; they provide you with the most common command options used in the given situation. You can display the
shortcut menu by right-clicking anywhere in the drawing area. The shortcut
menu options depend on the cursor location and other conditions, such as
whether an object is selected or a command is in progress. The menu is
organized with general editing commands at the top, object-specific editing
commands in the middle, and filtering and object property commands at the
bottom. For example, when you select a wall and right-click, the following
shortcut menu is displayed with wall editing commands.
Chapter 1
Introduction
When you work with AEC objects, you can display a default shortcut menu
with Design options. The following illustration shows the menu that is displayed by right-clicking in the drawing area.
For more information, see Using Shortcut Menus in the online AutoCAD
2002 Users Guide.
TIP To open and close the Properties window quickly, press CTRL+1.
The Properties window lists the current settings for all object properties, and
you can view them alphabetically or by category. To change a property, select
it from the list and make changes by selecting or entering a new value. You
Chapter 1
Introduction
can change general properties, such as color, layer, linetype, or you can
change AEC-specific properties, such as a wall style, wall dimensions, and
location in the drawing.
Additionally, the Properties window contains the Quick Select option, a set
of filtering criteria, that helps you to sort through properties in the selected
object or the entire drawing based on settings such as layer, color, linetype,
or style. For more information, see Quick Select on page 7.
For more information about the Properties window, see Using the Properties
Window in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
Quick Select
Autodesk Architectural Desktop shares the editing functions of the Quick
Select option in AutoCAD 2002. Quick Select is a sorting filter that you can
use to separate selected objects or all objects in a drawing by a property (such
as layer) or by object type. For example, you can select all the objects on a
particular layer in a drawing without selecting any other objects, or you can
select all objects except those on the particular layer.
To access the Quick Select dialog box, click Quick Select
window or right-click selected objects.
in the Properties
For more information, see Filtering Selection Sets in the online AutoCAD
2002 Users Guide.
3D Orbit Viewing
Autodesk Architectural Desktop integrates the 3D orbit navigation capabilities in AutoCAD 2002 into the Object Viewer, Floating Viewer, and Model
Explorer. When you use these viewing windows, you can use the dynamic
features of the 3DORBIT command to manipulate the viewpoint for an
object or an entire model by clicking and dragging the pointing device to
different points around a circular perimeter. In the viewing windows, you
can also right-click to display a shortcut menu with various viewing options.
For more information about the viewing windows, see Using Model
Explorer in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Chapter 1
Introduction
3D orbit view displays an arcball, which is a circle divided into four quadrants by smaller circles. When 3DORBIT is active, the point, or target, that
you are viewing in the window remains stationary. The center of the arcball
serves as the target point. The point from which you are viewing, or the camera location, moves around the target. For more information, see Interactive
Viewing in 3D in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
The following illustration is an example of using 3D orbit view in Object
Viewer.
Layout Tabs
Autodesk Architectural Desktop incorporates the layout tab options in
AutoCAD 2002. You can switch easily between model space, where you
spend most of your time creating and editing drawings, and other layout tabs
that contain pre-configured layouts of various page setups. You can use layout tabs for constructing your building as well as for plotting.
vided with the program. For more information, see Using Architectural Desktop
Templates on page 23.
When you choose a layout tab for the first time, you see a rectangular outline
of a sheet of paper that replicates the paper size configured for printing or
plotting. The margins displayed within the paper indicate the printable area,
as shown in the following illustration. To fill the screen with the paper, you
can double click to one side of the sheet to change to paper space and do a
zoom extents.
NOTE You can control the page display; for example, whether you want
margins and either a paper or shadow background. Access the Options dialog
box by choosing Options from the Tools menu. Specify the changes in the
Layout Elements section on the Display tab.
Using layout tabs is an advantage when you have more than one named
layout in your project. After you right-click a layout tab, you can do the
following:
10
Chapter 1
Introduction
11
ences in place rather than having to open the original drawing to make your
changes.
You can edit part of an external reference by selecting the objects you want
to change. They are then extracted and inserted into the current drawing.
After you have modified the objects, you can save them back to update the
external reference.
Within the current drawing, you can edit a block definition by displaying
and changing it. You no longer have to explode the block first. You can then
save the changes back to the block definition. For more information, see
Editing References in Place in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
Tracking Objects
AutoTrack helps you draw objects at specific angles (polar tracking) or in
specific relationships to other objects (object snap tracking). Temporary
alignment paths help you create objects at precise positions and angles.
You can turn AutoTrack on and off by clicking Polar and Otrack on the status
bar. Object-snap tracking works in conjunction with object snaps. You must
specify settings for object snaps before you can track from an object snap
point; the AutoSnap aperture settings control how close you must be to the
alignment path before the path is displayed. For more information, see
Using AutoTrack in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
AutoCAD DesignCenter
With AutoCAD DesignCenter, you can reuse information such as drawings,
blocks, or external references without having to leave the current drawing to
access them. You can now transfer information, including layer definitions,
linetypes, layouts, text and dimension styles, or custom drawing content, by
dragging it into an open drawing from files, network drives, or Internet locations. You can also use right-click shortcut menus for managing, inserting,
copying, and opening drawings.
12
Chapter 1
Introduction
There are three viewing structures for displaying sources of drawing content
in the AutoCAD DesignCenter tree view: Desktop, Open Drawings, and Custom.
Desktop
When you click
on the AutoCAD DesignCenter toolbar, the Desktop tree
view lists your local directory and network drives. If you click the plus sign
next to a drawing name, you can view drawing contents by category:
blocks, layers, linetypes, and so on. Also included in the drawing content are
styles for AEC objects, such as walls, doors, windows, stairs, and spaces,
unique to Architectural Desktop.
You can open a drawing by right-clicking the drawing name on the palette
and choosing Open in Window, or you can insert content from the drawing
by dragging it from the palette directly into the open drawing displayed in
the drawing area. For example, you can drag a layer definition or a wall style
from one drawing to another. No longer do you have to import styles; you
can insert, attach, or copy and paste the definitions into the current drawing.
Open Drawings
If you click
on the AutoCAD DesignCenter toolbar, the Open Drawings
tree view lists only the drawings that are currently open. You can view the
categories of content in an open drawing by clicking the plus sign next to
the drawing name. You can copy the content on the palette from one open
drawing to another. Content displayed in Open Drawings view includes
Autodesk Architectural Desktop styles such as those for walls, doors, windows, stairs, and spaces.
13
Custom
If you click
on the AutoCAD DesignCenter toolbar, the Custom tree view
displays folders containing custom content files that are unique to Autodesk
Architectural Desktop.
Click the plus sign
AutoCAD DesignCenter
14
Chapter 1
Introduction
To display text that explains the selected AEC content in more detail, open
the Description pane by clicking
15
NOTE When you double-click or right-click content, it inserts only Design content into your drawing. To insert other types of content, double-click or rightclick the content and enter commands on the command line.
You can also insert content from the palette by clicking the object and dragging it into the drawing area. When you release the button on the pointing
device, the object is inserted at the cursor location. For more information, see
Using Design Content in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
TIP Do not release the button until you see the image of the symbol.
You can access Autodesk Architectural Desktop content quickly from the
Design and Documentation menus. The availability of specific categories
depends on whether you selected Imperial or Metric as your default unit type
during installation. If you selected Imperial, either Autodesk Architectural
Desktop or CSI MasterFormatTM can be used as the organization tool. For
more information about CSI MasterFormat, see Adding CSI Imperial Content and Adding Imperial Content in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
If the AutoCAD DesignCenter window takes up too much room in the
drawing area, you can do one of the following:
16
Chapter 1
Introduction
Close the window before inserting the object into the drawing (press
CTRL+2.)
Where to Begin
After you have installed Autodesk Architectural Desktop, you can begin
drawing according to your level of experience, whether you are a skilled user
who is upgrading from a previous version or a user who is new to Autodesk
products.
Beginning Users
If you are a new user of Autodesk Architectural Desktop you can begin by
reading Working with Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3 on page
22 to help you start using Architectural Desktop. The section takes you stepby-step through a simple design so that you become comfortable working
with basic AEC building objects, and you can experience the exciting
Architectural Desktop tools.
For additional training, you can complete some of the procedures in the tutorials. Tutorials are exercises designed to take you through practical applications. They are located on the Autodesk Learning Assistance CD. If you are new
to AutoCAD 2002, it is important to begin with AutoCAD tutorials or
AutoCAD Learning Assistance and to refer often to the online AutoCAD
2002 Users Guide.
Experienced Users
If you are upgrading from a previous version of Architectural Desktop, see
New Features on page 67 to read about the new features and improvements. Additionally, refer to the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide to find
out about important innovations in AutoCAD drawing tools.
Where to Begin
17
Finding Help
There are various available resources to help you learn about Autodesk
Architectural Desktop, Release 3 and AutoCAD 2002.
Online Documentation
The following online manuals help you learn more about both Autodesk
Architectural Desktop, Release 3 and AutoCAD 2002.
Documentation
Description
18
Chapter 1
Introduction
Training Courseware
AutodeskArchitectural Desktop Official Training Courseware (AOTC) is the
Autodesk-endorsed courseware for instructor-led training. To register for a
training course using this courseware, contact an Authorized Autodesk
Training Center (ATC), an Authorized Autodesk reseller, or Autodesk System
Center (ASC). You can find a list of these organizations on the Autodesk
Technical Assistance Web site, http://www.autodesk.com/support.
Contacting Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc.
11 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903 USA
Phone: 415-507-5000
Web site: http://www.autodesk.com
Sales Information
To purchase additional Autodesk software, contact your local reseller. For the
name of the authorized reseller nearest you, call 1-800-964-6432 or access the
Contacting Autodesk
19
Customer Satisfaction
Phone: 1-800-538-6401
FAX: 603-621-3387
Web Site: http://www.autodesk.com/feedback/
Technical Support
If you have technical questions about the products, you should contact your
local reseller or check the frequently asked questions (Technical Solutions &
FAQS) section and Discussion Groups on the web site for Architectural
Desktop at http://www.autodesk.com/archdesktop. News groups are another
good source of information. You can look through the questions that have
already been posted, or you can post your own questions.
Feedback
Let us know what you think! If you have a suggestion for product enhancement or a compliment, or a complaint, or if you think you have found a bug,
then wed like to know about it.
To make comments and find additional information, visit our Web site at
http://www.autodesk.com/archdesktop.
20
Chapter 1
Introduction
In this chapter
Desktop
schedules
Plotting
21
22
Chapter 2
23
For the sake of simplicity, we present these steps using a very basic design.
After creating walls, doors, and windows and adding design content, you can
look at your building in different views as represented by the display configurations in the layout tabs.
After an introduction to layer keys, this section guides you through the
special editing abilities available to you in Architectural Desktop. You can
learn how to make quick changes to your door and window objects using
grips.
Annotations to a drawing are essential to producing clear, well-organized
information in your construction documents. Dimensioning walls, adding
door and window tags, section lines, and leaders can be done simply and
cleanly. Generating a section from the section line is one of the truly exciting
features. Adding these annotations in your simple design acquaints you with
some of the many annotation options.
You can add and edit schedule tables in Architectural Desktop in a fraction
of the time that schedules have taken in the past. Following the steps of compiling a door or window schedule gives you a sense of the powerful schedule
table commands.
The following illustration shows the design you are creating.
24
Chapter 2
Completed design
Creating a Drawing
NOTE The following example project is meant as a general introduction into
the capabilities of the latest release of Architectural Desktop. It does not contain
any country-specific content or settings.
If you are a new user of Autodesk Architectural Desktop, use a template when
you want to create drawings. After you are more familiar with the program,
you can use the other templates available from the template list or the Start
from Scratch option.
1 Start Autodesk Architectural Desktop.
2 In the Autodesk Architectural Desktop 3.0 Today window, select the Create Drawings tab under My Drawings.
3 From the select how to begin list, choose Template.
4 Select one of the country-specific templates, for example, Aec Arch
(metric d a ch).dwt.
25
When the template opens, your drawing contains a series of named layout
tabs at the bottom of your drawing.
Layout tabs
26
Chapter 2
Creating Walls
You can create walls in a plan or isometric view. The wall object contains all
the geometry necessary to represent a wall in 2D and 3D views, including
edges and surfaces. For more information, see Creating Walls in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
To create walls
1 In your drawing file, click the Plan 1-100 DIN A1 layout tab.
2 From the Design menu, choose Walls Add Wall.
3 In the Add Walls dialog box, select the wall type from the Style list.
4 Click Straight to set the wall to a straight segment, or click Curved to set
the wall to a curved segment.
5 Specify a start point for the wall.
NOTE You cannot undo the first point when creating a wall. If you started
the wall at the wrong point, either finish at least one segment or click Cancel
to close the dialog box and then start the wall again.
6 Specify another point to end this segment of the wall.
27
A marker shows on one side of the wall and indicates the direction the
wall is being drawn. It points from the starting point of the wall toward
the endpoint.
7 Continue placing wall segments to create an exterior shell.
When you select the beginning and ending points of the wall, notice how
the walls behave. For example, if you draw your walls continuously with
a left justification, the directional marker consistently remains to the left
of the wall from the insertion point. If you draw walls individually by
pressing ENTER between wall segments, then make sure you draw them in
the same direction to maintain the same justification.
8 Type C (Close) to close the series of walls by creating a wall segment from
the last point specified of the walls to the first point specified.
You can use the Ortho Close or Polyline Close options to finish the creation of an enclosed space. The following explains the options.
28
Chapter 2
Ortho Close: Closes the space by drawing two walls or space boundaries based on the direction you specify. The direction is extended until
it meets a line perpendicular to the initial edge of either the wall or
space boundary.
Polyline Close: Closes the wall by creating a wall segment from the
last point specified for the walls to the first point specified in this group
of walls.
29
Creating Doors
Doors created with Autodesk Architectural Desktop are AEC objects that
interact with walls and space boundaries. For example, if a wall is moved, the
door moves with it. If the door is moved, it stays within a wall.
You can change any value in the Add Doors dialog box while creating doors,
so you can place one type of door in one wall and then select a different door
style to place in another wall. You can also create custom doors, doors in
space boundaries, and freestanding doors. For more information, see Creating Doors in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
To create a door in a wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Doors Add Door.
2 In the Add Doors dialog box, select the door style from the Style list.
3 To specify the door size and vertical placement in the wall, do any of the
following:
30
Chapter 2
If you set the working point to the door head, the Vertical Alignment
value to 2.26 m and the door height to 2.26 m, the height in the wall
where the top of the door is placed is 2.26 m. If you modify the height of
this door to 2.10 m, the door head remains at 2.26 m and the door sill
becomes 0.16 m. The head working point is maintained.
4 Select a wall.
5 Specify an insertion point along the wall.
31
32
Chapter 2
TIP You can also place doors in a wall by selecting the wall, right-clicking to
get the shortcut menu, choosing Insert Doors, and specifying the options in
the Add Door dialog box.
Creating Windows
Windows created with Autodesk Architectural Desktop are AEC objects that
interact with walls and space boundaries. After a window is placed in a wall,
the window is constrained to the wall and cannot move outside it. Windows
can also be anchored to specific locations in walls, so that when the wall
moves or changes size, the location of the window stays constant.
You can change any value in the Add Windows dialog box while creating
windows. You can place one type of window in one wall and then select a
different window style to place in another wall. You can also create a window
at any elevation or as a freestanding window having no affiliation with a wall
or space boundary. For more information, see Creating Windows. in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3 Users Guide.
To create a window in a wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Windows Add Window.
2 In the Add Windows dialog box, select the window style from the Style
list.
3 To specify the window size and vertical placement in the wall, do any of
the following:
33
Alignment value determines the location of the working point vertically in the wall.
Modifications to the window height respects the working point. For
example, if you set the working point of the window to sill, the vertical
alignment to 1 m and the window height to 1.01 m, the height in the
wall where the top of the window is placed is 2.01 m. If you modify the
height of the window to 0.8 m, the window sill remains at 1 m and the
top of the window becomes 1.81 m. The sill working point is maintained.
If you set the working point to the window head, the Vertical Alignment
value to 2.01 m and the window height to 1 m, the height in the wall
where the top of the window is placed is 2.01 m. If you modify the height
of this window to 0.8 m, the window head remains at 2.01 m and the windowsill becomes 1.21 m. The head working point is maintained.
4 Select the front wall.
5 Specify an insertion point near the left side of the wall, and then add
another window near the right side of the wall.
34
Chapter 2
TIP You can also place windows in a wall by selecting the wall, right-clicking
to get the shortcut menu, choosing Insert Windows, and specifying the
options in the Add Window dialog box.
35
36
Chapter 2
TIP You can view the symbol in 2D and 3D, as well as in a shaded perspective view by right-clicking in the preview pane.
4 Drag the furniture symbol into your drawing from the palette, and then
release the button at the location for the block. The block is placed in your
drawing using the current display configuration.
37
If the button is released before the item is displayed in your drawing, the
block may not be placed correctly. If the block is displayed at the cursor,
it is placed at the point of release.
Adding a chair
38
Chapter 2
Each layout tab is represented by different display configurations. These display configurations are view-dependent and act as a filtering device to allow
you to clearly see specific views of your building as you work on your model.
There is a display configuration attached to every viewport. For more information about working with display configurations, see Understanding the
Display System in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Using the drawing you have completed, select the different layout tabs at
the bottom of the drawing to see how your building is represented by different display configurations.
You can use layer standards to establish individual, project, or office layering conventions. A layer standard contains predefined layer names and
a set of rules that determine the names of new layers created within that
39
particular layer standard. For more information, see Working with Layer
Standards in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
NOTE The Enable Grips option in the Options dialog box must be selected.
From the Tools menu, choose Options. It is recommended that you specify different colors for selected grips and unselected grips.
40
Chapter 2
4 To flip the door hinge, move the cursor to the opposite side, and click.
5 Press ESC to clear the grips.
6 Select the door to edit, and then click the grip that occurs along the door
leaf.
7 To flip the swing of the door, move your cursor to the opposite side of the
wall, and click.
8 Press ESC to clear the grips.
41
42
Chapter 2
43
TIP You can insert a leader with your door or window tag by typing le
(Leader) on the command line before selecting the object to tag. You can
center the tag on the object by typing c (Center) on the command line, and
pressing ENTER after selecting the object to tag and before specifying the
location of the tag.
3 Select the object to tag.
4 Specify the location of the tag.
5 The Edit Schedule Data dialog box is displayed, and the appropriate property sets are automatically added to the object.
You can view and edit information associated with the door or window
you selected.
6 Click OK to exit the Edit Schedule Data dialog box.
7 Place another tag, or press ENTER to exit the command.
44
Chapter 2
NOTE Only objects with property sets added to them display schedule data
in schedule tables.
45
5 Click Pick Point under Placement and select the insertion point to designate where the section is placed.
This insertion point is the center point of the resulting section.
6 Click OK to exit the Generate Section/Elevation dialog box and end the
command.
Adding a Leader
A leader is a line that visually connects annotations to a drawing object. From
any point or object in a drawing you can create a leader composed of straight
lines or smooth spline curves. When a straight leader is used, and the last
leader segment is at an angle greater than 15 degrees from horizontal, a small
hook line connects the annotation to the leader.
To add a leader
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Documentation Content Leaders.
2 Select the leader from the AutoCAD DesignCenter palette.
3 Specify the first point of the leader.
4 Continue specifying points for the leader.
5 Press ENTER when the leader is finished.
6 Type the identification for the leader in the Edit Attributes dialog box.
NOTE There are Straight and Spline leaders designated for multiple lines of
text.
7 Click OK to exit the Edit Attributes dialog box and end the command.
46
Chapter 2
47
48
Chapter 2
2 On the Columns tab, select the column of information to delete, and then
click Delete.
3 Click OK to exit the Edit Schedule Table dialog box and exit the command.
3 On the Plot Device tab in the Plot dialog box, choose the name of the plotter or printer configured to plot your drawing.
4 On the Plot Settings tab, verify the settings for paper size, drawing orientation, plot scale, and plot area.
5 Click OK to plot your drawing and exit the Plot dialog box.
Summary
You have now worked your way through a simple building design using some
of the fundamental features of Autodesk Architectural Desktop. This process
gives you a snapshot of the capabilities in Architectural Desktop.
At this point, you can complete some of the exercises in the tutorials for additional experience. Exercises designed to take you through practical applications are located on the Autodesk Architectural Desktop Tutorials CD. You can
access the exercises through Autodesk Learning Assistance.
If you want to explore some of the more complex features, here are some
additional tasks you can complete that will show you the streamlined functionality and power of Architectural Desktop:
49
Whether you are working on a stair design or curtain walls, massing studies
or facilities management, the latest release of Architectural Desktop provides
an integrated collection of tools to get the work done. For a comprehensive
guide to all the features, see the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
50
Chapter 2
Templates
In this chapter
templates
51
Use AEC Arch (Imperial).dwt to start drawings with imperial units, and use
AEC Arch (Metric).dwt to start drawings with metric units. Both of these templates include the fundamental settings and layout tabs to get you started.
If you are an experienced user of Architectural Desktop, you may want to
explore the other templates or create your own. In addition to the two basic
templates, the following templates are available in both imperial and metric
units:
52
Chapter 3
Templates
Space Planning
Massing
Building Model
Plot Floor Plan
Plot Reflected
Plot Sections
Plot Small Project
NOTE You may want to select a template based on the Architectural Program
Options that you selected when you installed Architectural Desktop. For
example, if you installed imperial architectural content and the 1998 AIA Layer
Guidelines, then you will probably want to start with a template using imperial
units.
53
The following sections are descriptions of each template with tables that
show the layout tabs, their recommended use, and the display configurations
that they contain:
Layout tabs and display configurations for the AEC Arch template
54
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
WORK
Mass-Group
CONCEPT_MASS
and
CONCEPT_GROUP
Space
Space planning
CONCEPT_SPACE
Work-3D
WORK
Work-FLR
WORK
Work-RCP
WORK_REFLECTED
Work-SEC
WORK
Plot-FLR
PLOT
Plot-RCP
PLOT_REFLECTED
Plot-SEC
PLOT
Template
Overview
Chapter 3
Templates
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Space Planning template
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
WORK
Space
Space planning
CONCEPT_SPACE
Template Overview
Massing Template
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
WORK
Mass-Group
CONCEPT_MASS
and
CONCEPT_GROUP
Template Overview
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Building Model template
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
WORK
Work-3D
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
55
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Building Model template
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Work-FLR
WORK
Work-RCP
WORK_REFLECTED
Plot-FLR
CONTRACT
DOCUMENTS
SMALL SCALE
Template
Overview
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Plot Floor Plan template
56
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
PLOT
Plot-FLR-Small
CONTRACT
DOCUMENTS
SMALL SCALE
Plot-FLR-Large
CONTRACT
DOCUMENTS
LARGE SCALE
Plot-FLR-Screened
PLOT SCREENED
Plot-FLR-Poche
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
POCHE
Plot-FLR-Design
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
Template
Overview
Chapter 3
Templates
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Plot Sections template
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
PLOT
Plot-SEC
PLOT
Template
Overview
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Plot Reflected template
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
PLOT_REFLECTED
Plot-RCP
PLOT_REFLECTED
Plot-RCPScreened
PLOT_REFLECTED
SCREENED
Template
Overview
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Plot Small Project
template
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Model
(Not recommended)
PLOT
57
Layout tabs and display configurations for the Plot Small Project
template (continued)
Tab
Use for
Display
configuration
Plot-FLR
PLOT
Plot-FLRScreened
PLOT SCREENED
Plot-FLRPoche
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
POCHE
Plot-SEC
PLOT
Plot-RCP
PLOT_REFLECTED
Plot-RCPScreened
PLOT_REFLECTED
SCREENED
Template
Overview
NOTE The template settings are not necessarily the same as selecting Start
from Scratch when you start a new drawing, which would include the AutoCAD
default settings.
58
AEC Arch
Building Model
Massing
Space Planning
Chapter 3
Templates
NOTE All Architectural Desktop templates are installed in the following folder:
\Program Files\Autodesk Architectural Desktop 3\Template
Additional AutoCAD 2000i templates are installed in the following folder:
\Program Files\Autodesk Architectural Desktop\Template\AutoCAD
To start a drawing with an Architectural Desktop template from the Today
window
1 Start Autodesk Architectural Desktop.
2 In the Autodesk Architectural Desktop 3.0 Today window, select the Create Drawings tab under My Drawings.
3 From the Select How to Begin list, choose Template.
4 Select one of the following templates in either imperial or metric units:
AEC Arch
Building Model
Massing
Space Planning
NOTE You may want to select a template based on the Architectural Program Options that you selected when you installed Architectural Desktop. For
example, if you installed imperial architectural content and the 1998 AIA
Layer Guidelines, then you will probably want to start with a template using
imperial units.
5 Save the drawing.
NOTE The template settings are not necessarily the same as selecting Start
from Scratch when you start a new drawing which include the AutoCAD default
settings.
59
Display Settings
Each layout tab in a template contains one or more viewports, each assigned
a display configuration. A display configuration contains a collection of
display sets that determines how AEC objects are displayed. A display set has
specific view directions. The display configuration ensures that the objects in
the viewport are displayed with properties assigned to the display set for a
given view direction.
For example, if you view a door in a wall from the top, the wall is displayed
as parallel lines with hatching between the lines, and the door contains its
door swing. If you view the same objects in an isometric view, the wall is
displayed as faces representing interior and exterior surfaces, but the wall
hatching and door swing are not displayed. For more information, see Display Configurations in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Object Styles
The templates also contain basic, or starter, sets of sample object styles that
you can use in your project. For example, when you add a wall to the model,
you can choose from a list of styles that include brick cavity, gypsum board,
or shaft wall, in addition to the standard wall style. Use the Style Manager to
access other predefined wall styles. You can access the Style Manager directly
by choosing it from the Desktop menu. Likewise, you can easily purge any
styles that you do not want in the template. You can use the sample styles as
a basis for creating additional styles. For more information, see Managing
Styles in Autodesk Architectural Desktop in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
60
Chapter 3
Templates
The Template Overview tab is in each of the templates. This tab displays general information about the other tabs that are contained on that particular
template like viewport settings, scale, and display information.
Mass-Group Tab
The Mass-Group layout tab is available in the following templates:
AEC Arch
Massing
Use the Mass-Group layout tab to work on massing studies. The drawing area
is separated into two viewports with mutually exclusive display sets specifically designed for mass modeling. The display configuration in the left viewport is preset for working with mass elements. The display configuration in
the right viewport is preset for showing mass groups and does not display the
individual mass elements. The view direction in both viewports is isometric.
For more information about mass elements and mass groups, see Editing
Mass Elements and Mass Groups in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
Space Tab
The Space layout tab is available in the following templates:
AEC Arch
Space Planning
Use the Space layout tab to work with spaces and space boundaries. The
drawing area is separated into two viewports, each preset with the same
display configuration. This display configuration does not show mass
elements and groups but does show the same space objects displayed in
three-dimensional and plan view simultaneously. The view direction in the
left viewport is preset to an isometric view, and the right viewport is preset
to a plan view. For more information, see Interior Space Planning in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
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Work-3D Tab
The Work-3D layout tab is available in the following template:
AEC Arch
Building Model
Use the Work-3D layout tab to work on everything in the model except
ceiling objects. The drawing area is separated into two viewports: the left
viewport is preset to an isometric view, and the right viewport is preset to a
plan view. Both viewports contain the WORK display configuration.
Work-FLR Tab
The Work-FLR layout tab is available in the following templates:
AEC Arch
Building Model
Use the Work-FLR layout tab to work in one viewport (full screen display) in
the drawing area. The viewport is preset to plan view, but it can be used in
any view. The display configuration is WORK.
Work-RCP Tab
The Work-RCP layout tab is available in the following template:
AEC Arch
Building Model
Use the Work-RCP layout tab to work on ceiling designs. The drawing area
contains one viewport. The display configuration for the single viewport is
Work_Reflected. This configuration will display objects that usually display
on a reflected ceiling plan and may not display on a floor plan. For more
information about plan and reflected display representations, see Display
Representations in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Work-SEC Tab
The Work-SEC layout tab is available in the following template:
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AEC Arch
Chapter 3
Templates
Use the Work-SEC layout tab to work on sections and elevations. The drawing area is separated into three viewports, all of which are configured to the
same Work display configuration. The left viewport is set to an isometric
view; the two right viewports are set to the front and the right side views. For
more information about sections and elevations, see Creating 2D and 3D
Sections and Creating 2D and 3D Elevations in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Plot-FLR
Plot-FLR-Small
Plot-FLR-Large
Plot FLR-Screened
Plot-FLR-Poche
Plot-FLR-Design
Plot-RCP
Plot-SEC
On small projects, you can use the same drawing file for working and plotting, but on larger projects you will probably construct your model in different drawing files for each floor. You can then insert each file as an external
reference into separate sheet files for plotting. You can delete any layout
tabs that are not needed for a particular drawing.
Plot-FLR Tab
The Plot-FLR layout tab is available in the following templates:
AEC Arch
Building Model
Plot Small Project
Use the Plot-FLR layout tab to arrange floor plan drawings in plan view. The
wall components, but not the hatching, is visible on the plotted sheet. The
scale of the preset viewport is 1/8'' or 1:100.
Plot-FLR-Small Tab
The Plot-FLR-Small layout tab is available in the following template:
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Use the Plot-FLR-Small layout tab to arrange floor plan drawings in plan
view. The wall components, but not the hatching, is visible on the plotted
sheet. The scale of the preset viewport is 1/8 or 1:100.
Plot-FLR-Large Tab
The Plot-FLR-Large layout tab is available in the following template:
Use the Plot-FLR-Large layout tab to arrange floor plan drawings in plan view.
Both the wall components and hatching are visible on the plotted sheet. The
scale of the preset viewport is 1/4 or 1:50.
Plot-FLR-Screened Tab
The Plot-FLR-Screened layout tab is available in the following template:
Use the Plot-FLR-Screened layout tab to arrange floor plan drawings in plan
view. Both the wall components and hatching are visibly dimmer than other
objects on the plotted sheet. The scale of the preset viewport is 1/8 or 1:100.
Plot-FLR-Poche
The Plot-FLR-Poche layout tab is available in the following template:
Use the Plot-FLR-Poche layout tab to arrange floor plan drawings in plan
view. The walls are shaded and no wall components are visible on the plotted
sheet. The scale of the preset viewport is 1/8 or 1:100.
Plot-FLR-Design Tab
The Plot-FLR-Design layout tab is available in the following template:
Use the Plot-FLR-Design layout tab to arrange floor plan drawings in plan
view with walls displayed only by the shrink-wrap. The scale of the preset
viewport is 1/8 or 1:100.
Plot-RCP Tab
The Plot-RCP layout tab is available in the following templates:
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AEC Arch
Plot Reflected
Plot Small Project
Chapter 3
Templates
Use the Plot-RCP layout tab to arrange reflected ceiling drawings on a sheet
for plotting. Arrange viewports of designs you created on the Work-RCP tab.
The scale of the preset viewport is 1/8 or 1:100.
Plot-RCP-Screened Tab
The Plot-RCP-Screened layout tab is available in the following templates:
Plot Reflected
Plot Small Project
Plot-SEC Tab
The Plot-SEC layout tab is available in the following template:
AEC Arch
Plot Sections
Plot Small Project
Use the Plot-SEC layout tab to arrange section and elevation drawings on a
sheet for plotting. Arrange viewports of designs you created on the Work-SEC
tab. The scale of the preset viewports is 1/8 or 1:100.
NOTE The Plot layout tabs contain schematic layouts of sheets. You can insert
your own title block (as a block or as an external reference), as well as configure
the viewports to meet your requirements.
For more information about using floating viewports and setting up pages for
plotting, see Create Layouts and Plot Drawings, in the online AutoCAD
2002 Users Guide.
Model Tab
The Model tab can only be set to TILEMODE 1. That means you can divide,
or tile, the drawing area into multiple viewports. You cannot use floating
viewports. Each tiled viewport can display a different view of the model, for
example, a plan view in one viewport or a front or side elevation in another.
However, the same display configuration is used in all tiled viewports.
Display controls in manage object visibility, but it is still necessary to use
layer management in some working and plotting operations. When you
65
work on the Model tab, you cannot freeze different layers in different tiled
viewports. However, if you work on other layout tabs, you can specify layer
visibility individually for each viewport.
In this layout, when you have set linetypes to be displayed similarly in all
viewports (PSLTSCALE=1), then the overall linetype scale (LTSCALE) should
be set to 1. In this case (which is generally preferred for architectural drawings), when you switch to the Model tab, the linetype scale is not displayed
properly. For more information about model space, see Work in Paper Space
and Model Space in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide. For more information about tiled viewports, see Set Model Tab Viewports in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
Customizing Templates
It may be necessary for you to establish drawing standards that are unique to
a client, an industry, or your office. After you become familiar with the settings and configurations in the Architectural Desktop templates, you may
want to use certain settings from the templates and customize the rest. You
can make changes to a template to meet your requirements and then save it
as a new template.
You can also create templates by importing settings from a template into the
current drawing, and then saving the current drawing as a template. For
example, you can import the display configurations and representation sets
from the Architectural Desktop template into any other file. For more information about creating your own template, see Use a Template File in the
online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide. For more information about importing
display settings to a custom template, see Importing Display Sets and
Importing Display Configurations in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
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Chapter 3
Templates
New Features
In this chapter
Architectural Desktop,
Release 3.3
New international features in
Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, Release 3.3
Enhanced features in Autodesk
Architectural Desktop,
Release 3.3
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New Features
Curtain Walls
A curtain wall is a wall-like object that supports the creation of curtain walls
or storefront windows commonly used in commercial construction. Curtain
walls allow for easy and accurate production of curtain wall styles and, when
modified, exhibit true object behavior.
Create curtain walls by specifying parameters, such as length, height, radius,
and starting and ending miter angles. Divide curtain walls vertically and horizontally to suit your design requirements. Specify the width and depth for
frames and mullions, and then specify the type of infill to use for each segment of the curtain wall. You can add custom graphics to a curtain wall as a
display component when you need a detailed three-dimensional truss as
mullions or a decorative light fixture applied to an infill.
To create curtain walls quickly and easily, convert existing walls and
2D layout grids to curtain walls. You can modify a curtain wall with the new
edit-in-place technology so that the curtain wall is 100 percent correct, and
then you can transfer these settings to all curtain walls with the same style.
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Doors
Windows
Curtain wall units
AEC Polygons
Panels
Chapter 4
New Features
Window Assemblies
A window assembly is similar to a parametric window that contains
anchored windows and doors. Window assemblies are usually inserted into a
wall. You can group doors and windows as one object and save it as a style
for future use and modification. This increases productivity by eliminating
the need to recreate and modify door and window groupings.
You can create window assemblies and specify parameters, including length,
height, rise, and starting and ending miter angles. Specify the width and
depth for frames and mullions, and then specify the type of infill to use for
each segment of the window assembly. You can add custom graphics as a display component of a window assembly when you need a highly detailed
three-dimensional truss as mullions or a decorative light fixture applied to an
infill.
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Style-based
Similar behavior of openings
Nested custom grid layouts
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With a palette of slab tools, you can trim, extend, and miter slabs, add or
remove vertices from slabs, and add or remove holes. You can add or subtract
AEC objects to or from slabs, and use Boolean add, subtract, and intersect
commands when working with two or more slabs.
Dormer creation
Boolean operations
Roof-to-roof slab conversion
Hole creation
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Floor Slabs
Similar to the roof slab object, the new floor slab object supports the creation
of floors. Floors can be flat or sloped. This object also supports custom edges.
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Structural Members
Using the new structural members in Autodesk Architectural Desktop, you
can create intelligent columns, beams and braces in 2D and 3D. The
structural members help to provide a complete, integrated building model
solution.
Structural members allow you to judge the size of structural elements in relation to architectural features, and they carry forward structural information
for detailed analysis and design of structures. Add structural members to column grids in your structural plans. Use the members to visually check for
interferences in your designs.
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Catalog-Driven Environment
All of the structural information in Autodesk Architectural Desktop is kept in
a catalog. This catalog serves as the interface for the creation of any structural
member. Easy to use, the catalog has Windows Explorer-like navigation
making structural member creation easy. Browse the catalog and select the
member by double-clicking. The member is then created. Structural members
are available in both imperial and metric forms.
AEC Polygon
The primary use of an AEC Polygon is to provide true color fills for producing
2D graphic renderings/elevations of curtain walls. AEC Polygons can also be
anchored to layout grids or layout curves, so that when the layout grid or
curve moves or changes size, the location and/or size of the AEC Polygon
changes with it. Create different AEC Polygon styles to represent a wide range
of different types of AEC Polygons for controlling the edge widths, color and
fill characteristics of groups of polygons.
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New Features
Stairs
Improved stair objects are more flexible in supporting shapes. They have
been modified to show more detail in components as well as to show better
interaction with other objects.
You can now modify stair runs and landings separately. You can create
nonrectangular stairs with tapered edges or with a curved shape. Landings
can have nonrectangular shapes. You can use near-arbitrary profiles for the
edges of flights and landings. In addition, railings and stringers can be
anchored to stairs and can follow the edges of flights and landings.
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Stairs can now easily be edited and re-shaped by using grips. Stairs also support customized edges based on projection to objects such as walls and
AutoCAD entities such as polylines. Stairs can also support sloping risers.
Stairs support:
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New Features
Railings
In previous releases of Architectural Desktop, railing components supported
only extrusions of round, square, or user-defined profiles. Rather than make
an expansion of these shapes, you can now specify custom blocks that can
replace individual railing components.
The railing object is style-based; it supports vertical and horizontal railing
styles, and it can be automatically anchored to a stair object after creation.
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Customizes components:
Balusters
Main posts
Dynamic posts
Guardrail
Handrail
Bottom rail
Walls
In this latest release of Architectural Desktop, the wall object has undergone
significant changes that can improve your productivity. The following is an
outline of the changes and improved function of walls that are present in this
release.
Walls have the following new features:
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New Features
Profile sweeps
Shrinkwrap hatching
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Windows
Windows have been enhanced to support the creation of parametric
muntins. In previous releases, muntins were displayed by creating a custom
block and attaching it to a window. Though useful for visualization, this
method of creation had limitations, and it was difficult to create complex
muntins layout patterns. This latest release of Architectural Desktop provides
an easy way to create muntins with different layout patterns.
Parametric muntins types include:
Rectangular
Diamond
Sunburst
Starburst
Gothic
Parametric muntins
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New Features
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Elevation Labels
Elevation labels are interactive multi-view blocks used for dimensioning
heights in a drawing. They are anchored to either the world coordinate
system (WCS) or a named user coordinate system (UCS). Elevation labels are
primarily used for measuring the height of building elements such as walls
or windows, but they can be used to measure every point in your drawing.
Elevation labels can be added in plan and section views. Autodesk
Architectural Desktop, Release 3 offers you a number of predefined blocks for
commonly used elevation labels. You can also create custom elevation labels.
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New Features
Spaces
Spaces have been enhanced in this latest release of Architectural Desktop.
You can quickly generate spaces based on walls, lines, arcs, polylines, and
circles. Similar to the way that AutoCAD hatch patterns are created, you can
generate spaces by defining a space boundary to create a selection set, and
then select an internal point.
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Layer Keying
You can now put an AEC object on a new layer with one easy command.
Select the object and choose a new layer key. You can change the layer key
style and remap the entire drawing to the new layer key style.
Scheduling
In Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3, you can attach property set
definitions directly to object styles. It is an easy way to attach property sets
in a single step to all objects with the same style. It simplifies the creation of
schedule tables and reduces file size. Attach a property set to a style but not
to each object individually. When you want to modify a property set definition, you can do it once, and all objects connected to the style update
automatically.
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New Features
Style Manager
The Style Manager is a central location in Autodesk Architectural Desktop
where you can view and work with styles in drawings or from Internet and
intranet sites. The Style Manager has Windows Explorer-like navigation
capabilities.
Every object style can now be accessed through this central interface for style
creation, editing, and importing. A filter dialog box allows you to focus on
only the styles that are relevant to the current design. Internet-driven
features such as the Download Styles From Web allow you to quickly
download custom content from the Web.
In addition to styles, you can work with schedule data formats and definitions for clean up groups, masking blocks, multi-view blocks, profiles, and
property sets.
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Multiple drawings
Download objects from a Web site
Filter styles by type
Display Manager
The new Display Manager in Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3
brings together all display system features into a central location. You can use
the Display Manager to access all drawing display configurations, display
sets, display representations, and display properties for all available AEC
objects.
With new streamlined WindowsExplorer-like features, you can quickly navigate through object representations, sets, and display configurations as well
as see and understand their relationships.
The Display Manager allows you to copy object representations for greater
visual control. You can now take an object plan representation, copy it, and
create different architectural layouts including Demolition, Structural, and
MEP plans.
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Chapter 4
New Features
Other Enhancements
Autodesk Architectural Desktop includes additional product enhancements
designed to facilitate your work process. Product enhancements include
pushpin Add and Modify object dialog boxes, streamlined Add and Insert
Object commands for quicker drafting, an AEC Object Explode command,
and new customized templates.
Other Enhancements
89
Select the Pushpin icon in the dialog box title bar. As you move your cursor
away from the dialog box, it is minimized to the title bar, freeing up more
space in your drawing area. To display the dialog box again, move your cursor
over the title bar.
If you do not want to minimize your Add and Modify Object dialog boxes,
deactivate the feature by clicking the Pushpin icon again to turn off the
Pushpin option.
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Other Enhancements
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International Features
When you install Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3, you have the
option of installing International Extensions. The Extensions contain extra
features that are needed in, for example, European or Asian architecture. If
you would like to know more about these features, see the following sections.
NOTE To use the following features, you must install the International
Extensions of Autodesk Architectural Desktop. For information about installing
International Extensions, see the Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3
Installation Guide.
Area Calculation
This new documentation feature in Autodesk Architectural Desktop,
Release 3 allows you to calculate the areas in your floor plan. You can create
areas from scratch, from AEC objects such as stairs or columns, or from wall
boundaries. For example, you can assign calculation modifier styles to areas
to create, for example, an automatic plaster thickness deduction from walls,
or to calculate balcony areas at only 50 percent. Areas can be combined in
area groups to calculate construction or traffic areas.
You can export area calculations to spreadsheet (XLS) and text (TXT) formats,
with document templates that ensure professional layout and conformity to
company standards.
International Features
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Special area decomposition views can separate your floor plan into areas, as
shown in the following illustration, according to various decomposition
norms.
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New Features
AEC Dimensions
The AEC Dimensions feature has been optimized and expanded in this latest
release of Autodesk Architectural Desktop. You can now automatically
dimension all AEC objects and create intelligent AEC dimensions from logical points of building objects. You can also create manual AEC dimensions
that dimension the points you define in the drawing. As you work with manual AEC dimensions, you can now choose between static dimension points
and transformable dimension points. You can also convert AutoCAD dimensions easily into AEC dimensions. The new AEC Dimension Style wizard
makes modifying dimension styles quick and easy.
International Features
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Live Sections
The Live Sections feature of Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3.3
retains sectioned objects after sectioning, and it is also appropriate for
3D sections of building objects. You can assign different display properties to
components of sectioned objects, such as cut hatch patterns to object parts
inside and outside of a section, and to objects completely inside or outside
the section line.
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New Features
International Features
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New Features
Display System
In this chapter
system
Manager
Viewing the display system in
systems
Purging display systems
Setting display systems in a
drawing
Copying display systems
between drawings
Working with display systems
on the Web
Sending display systems by
email
Troubleshooting the display
system
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NOTE Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3 includes templates with predefined display systems applied to viewports. You can use the display systems
and viewports supplied by the templates, or you can modify the display system
settings to suit your own office standards. If you want to create your own display
systems, you can start a drawing from scratch or from a template that does not
contain pre-defined display systems.
Display Representations
At the first level of display control are display representations. In
Architectural Desktop, a display representation defines how a set of components for an AEC object are drawn. In traditional CAD and manual drafting,
a single object, such as a door, is typically drawn multiple times in different
drawings, each using separate collections of entities such as lines and arcs.
Display representations allow you to create only one object of multiple entities that can change the way it draws itself depending on the display representation definitions of that AEC object.
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representations for the same AEC object by copying existing display representations and modifying the graphical properties of the components.
The display representations that are available for each AEC object and the
names of those display representations, are based on the ways that you might
need to view the AEC object in your drawings. Different display representations of an AEC object might include different components of the AEC object
or additional display options.
The previous illustration shows that a single AEC object can be drawn in different ways, depending on the individual needs of different drawing types.
For example, the plan representation draws the door panel, frame, stop, and
swing components and the nominal representation draws the door panel,
frame, and swing components. Although both representations draw the door
panel, each representation draws it differently. The plan representation
draws a door panel as a rectangle, while the nominal representation draws it
as a single line.
In traditional CAD, each representation of the door is drawn separately as a
collection of entities, such as lines and arcs. Display representations allow
you to create only one object of multiple components that can change the
way it draws itself depending on the display representation you define for
that object.
To better understand the different display representations available for the
different AEC objects, the following procedure shows you how to view
display representations for sample AEC object types in the Display Manager.
For further information about the Display Manager see Getting Started with
the Display Manager on page 110.
To preview the display representation of an AEC object type
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Display Manager.
2 Click Floating Viewer.
3 Resize and reposition the Floating Viewer and Display Manager in the
drawing area so that both are visible.
4 Expand the Representations by Object folder in the tree view in the left
pane.
5 Select one of the object types, such as Door.
The right pane displays the detailed information associated with the
selected object type.
6 Under Display Representations in the right pane, select one of the representations, such as Model.
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Display Sets
At the second level of display control are display sets, which are collections
of display representations of AEC objects. A display set controls how a group
of AEC objects, such as a wall assembly consisting of a door and a window, is
displayed.
After you specify a drawing type such as a floor plan or elevation, all the
AEC objects in the drawing are usually drawn with similar representations.
A set of representations is not dependent on view direction, although it is
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usually designed with a specific view in mind. The plan view in the previous
illustration shows the plan representation of the AEC objects even though
the view direction is isometric.
In Autodesk Architectural Desktop, a display set is a collection of display
representations. It is organized based on drawing type. For example, a Plan
display set might contain the Plan display representations for a number of
AEC object types, while a 3D model display set might contain the Model
display representation for a number of AEC object types. It is possible for a
display set to contain zero or more display representations for a single
AEC object type. If a display set contains no display representations for an
AEC object type, the display set never draws those AEC objects. You can
define any number of display sets as you need them for the different types of
drawings you produce.
Display Configurations
At the final level of display control are display configurations. To understand
display configurations you must know how view direction relates to the display system. The previous two sections discussed how both display representations and display sets are not dependent on a view direction, although they
are usually defined with a view direction in mind. At the final level of display
control however, a specific view direction comes into play.
For example, the following illustration shows a viewport assigned the Plot
display configuration and the Top view direction. In this illustration, the
AEC objects are drawn with a plan representation.
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This viewport is also assigned the Plot display configuration and the Front
view direction. In this illustration the same AEC objects are drawn with an
elevation representation.
105
ration is used. If you are viewing your model in model space or in a tiled
viewport (the TILEMODE system variable is set to 1), then the default display
configuration is used. You can change the default display configuration
through the Display Manager. For further information about the Display
Manager see Getting Started with the Display Manager on page 110.
The display configuration also maps display sets to specific view directions.
A display configuration contains one or more display sets that control the
representation of AEC objects in your drawing when viewed from different
directions.
In the Display Manager, the active viewport in the drawing has been assigned
the Plot display configuration, and is highlighted on the tree structure in the
left pane. The Plot display configuration has multiple display sets mapped to
specific view directions in the drawing. The Configuration tab in the right
pane shows the display sets mapped to the view directions. In this example,
the current view direction in the drawing (in bold type) is Top, to which the
Plan display set has been mapped, so the AEC objects in the active viewport
are drawn with the display representations in the Plan display set.
In the previous illustration of the Display Manager, when the view direction
in the active viewport is changed to Front, the AEC objects are drawn with
the display representations in the Section_Elev display set. This is also true
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when the view direction in the active viewport is changed to Right, Left, or
Back.
There are no non-orthogonal 3D view directions listed, but there is a Default
view direction. If the view direction is changed to one that is not currently
listed in the Configuration tab, such as a non-orthogonal 3D view,
AEC objects are drawn with whatever display set has been mapped to the
Default view direction. In this case, the AEC objects are drawn with the
Model display set.
The Default view direction is used when a view direction is selected that has
not been mapped with a specific display set, as in the case of the Bottom view
direction in this example. If the view direction of the active viewport is
changed to Bottom, AEC objects are drawn with the display set assigned to
the Default view direction, the Model display set. To learn more about how
to use the Display Manager, see Getting Started with the Display Manager
on page 110.
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The active viewport has a current view direction and a display configuration assigned to it.
The display configuration has one or more display sets assigned to it and
selects the one that is mapped to the current view direction.
The display set has a group of display representations associated to it and
finds the one associated with the AEC object that needs to be drawn.
The AEC object is drawn in the active viewport using the appropriate display representations for the AEC object type and using the display properties for the individual AEC object.
NOTE If you change the view direction in the active viewport, the AEC object
may be redrawn using a different display representation, or it may not display
when it does not have a display representation in the active display set.
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AEC object in your model, and in one viewport the window is showing
incorrectly for your drawing, you must change the window representation in
that viewport.
If you do not have time to set up display configurations for your drawing, or
if this drawing is one that someone else set up and you are confused by the
current display system, then you must know how to change a specific
AEC object in a specific viewport.
The following procedure shows you how you can change the display representations of a specific AEC object in a specific viewport on the fly.
To change the display representation of an AEC object in a viewport
1 Set the viewport as current in which you want to make display changes.
2 Make sure that the current viewport is set to the desired view direction
with the appropriate display configuration.
3 Open the Display Manager, and expand the Sets folder in the tree view on
the left pane of the dialog box. The current display set is in bold text.
4 Click the current display set.
5 Click the Display Control tab on the right pane. This tab shows all the display representations that are active for the current display set.
6 Confirm that the display representations you want to display in your
viewport are selected for the current display set. If not, select the appropriate check box(es).
7 Click Apply for the Display Manager to accept your changes.
8 Click OK to close the Display Manager.
The current viewport and all viewports that have the same display configuration assigned to it are drawn with the new display representations.
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NOTE In the Display Manager dialog box, you can view the current drawing information by clicking the drawing name in the tree view of the left
pane. The right pane automatically updates to show the detailed drawing
information.
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NOTE To view the display representations in the tree view only, you can
expand the Representations by Object folder.
3 Expand the Representations by Object folder in the tree view in the left
pane.
4 Select one of the object types, such as Wall.
The right pane displays the detailed information associated with the
selected object type.
5 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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NOTE To view the display sets in the tree view only, you can expand the
Sets folder.
3 Expand the Sets folder in the tree view in the left pane.
4 Select one of the Sets, such as Model.
The right pane displays the detailed information associated with the
selected display set.
5 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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NOTE To view the display configurations in the tree view only, you can
expand the Configuration folder.
3 Expand the Configurations folder in the tree view in the left pane.
4 Select one of the Configurations, such as Standard.
The right pane displays the detailed information associated with the
selected display configuration.
5 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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The Entity Properties dialog box displays showing the default properties
of the selected AEC object type.
5 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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4 In the right pane of the Display Manager, right-click the display representation you want to duplicate, and choose Duplicate from the shortcut
menu.
The duplicated display representation is displayed as the last item in the
display representation list.
5 Type the new name for the display representation in the highlighted box.
6 Press ENTER.
7 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
NOTE By default, the new display representation has the same name followed by the number 2.
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You can change the default display representations for the display configurations in your drawing by changing the display representations are assigned
to the display sets.
To edit a display representation of an AEC object type
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Display Manager.
2 In the tree view of the Display Manager, expand the Representation by
Object folder.
The right pane displays the detailed display representation information.
3 In the tree view under Representation by Object, select the AEC object
type you want to edit.
4 You can do the following options to edit the display representation.
NOTE To set the same display representation for all display sets, or to set
the same display set for all the display representations, right-click the display
representation or the display set respectively in the right pane of the Display
Manager, and choose Select All or Clear All from the shortcut menu.
NOTE By default, the layer of AEC object components is set to layer 0 and
the color and linetype are set to ByBlock. With these defaults, the AEC object
components inherit the color and linetype properties of the parent AEC
object. AEC object components cannot exist as AEC objects outside their
parent AEC object, as typical AutoCAD block AEC objects can. AEC object
components with these ByBlock defaults always inherit the layer, color, and
linetype properties of their parent AEC object.
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nents in the Component list. Hold down CTRL to select several nonconsecutive components.
If applicable, click tabs, such as Hatching or Other, to change additional AEC object specific properties.
NOTE The tabs in this dialog box depend on the AEC object type and
display representation that you select. For example, a wall AEC object in a
Model display representation displays only the Layer/Color/Linetype tab; a
wall AEC object in a plan display representation displays two additional tabs
to set display properties for hatching and cut-plane components.
5 When you finish changing the display representation of the AEC object
type, you can edit another display representation of the AEC object by
selecting another display representation from the list.
NOTE If you edit the display properties of the AEC object type in a display
representation, you can view the changes only in viewports where that display representation is current.
6 Click Apply.
7 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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NOTE By default, the new display set has the name, New Display Set.
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4 Type the new name for the display set in the highlighted box.
5 Press ENTER.
6 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
NOTE By default, the new display set has the name, New Display Set.
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NOTE To set the same display representation for all display sets, or to set
the same display set for all the display representations, right-click the display
representation or the display set respectively in the right pane of the Display
Manager, and choose Select All or Clear All from the shortcut menu.
5 Click Apply.
6 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 Click Apply.
10 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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NOTE By default, the new display set has the name, New Display
Configuration.
NOTE By default, the new display configuration has the name, New Display Configuration.
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3 In the right pane of the Display Manager, right-click the display configuration you want to rename, and choose Rename from the shortcut menu.
4 Type the new name for the display configuration in the highlighted box.
5 Press ENTER.
6 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 Click Apply.
10 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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NOTE The Purge Display Representations dialog box lists all the currently
unused display representations. By default, all unused display representations
are selected with check marks in their boxes. If all display representations are
currently used in the drawing, a warning message is displayed telling you
nothing can be purged and you cannot access the Purge Display Sets dialog
box. If you want to view and purge only display representations for a specific
AEC object type, right-click the AEC object type in the tree view of the Display
Manager, and choose Purge from the shortcut menu. The Purge Display Representations dialog box lists only the unused display representations for the
selected AEC object type, not the entire drawing.
4 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
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NOTE The Purge Display Sets dialog box lists currently unused display sets.
By default, all unused display sets are selected with check marks in their
boxes. If all display sets are currently used in the drawing, the message,
Nothing is Purgable, is displayed and you are unable to access the Purge
Display Sets dialog box.
4 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
NOTE The Purge Display Configurations dialog box lists currently unused
display configurations. By default, all unused display configurations are
selected with check marks in their boxes. If all display configurations are currently used in the drawing, the message, Nothing is Purgable, is displayed
and you are unable to access the Purge Configurations dialog box.
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From the Object Type list, select an AEC object. The available display
representations for the selected AEC object are listed under Display
Representations.
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NOTE If the display representation you select does not apply to the
selected AEC object, then the Edit option is unavailable and the message
Does Not Use Display Properties is displayed under the Object Type list.
4 In the Entity Properties dialog box, edit the display properties to determine how the AEC object (entity) is displayed in the display representation. To set the same display properties for multiple or all AEC object components in the Entity Properties dialog box, use standard MicrosoftWindows-based selection methods. For example, hold down SHIFT to select
several consecutive AEC object components in the Component list. Hold
down CTRL to select several nonconsecutive components.
NOTE By default, the layer of AEC object components is set to 0 and the
color and linetype are set to ByBlock. With these defaults, the AEC object
components inherit the color and linetype properties of the parent
AEC object. AEC object components cannot exist as AEC objects outside their
parent AEC object as typical Autodesk AEC objects can. AEC object
components with these ByBlock defaults always inherit the layer, color, and
linetype properties of their parent AEC object.
NOTE The tabs in this dialog box depend on the AEC object type and
display representation that you select. For example, a wall AEC object in a
Model display representation displays only the Layer/Color/Linetype tab; a
wall AEC object in a Plan display representation displays two additional tabs
to set display properties for hatching and cut-plane components.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have set all the default display representations that you want to set.
6 Click OK.
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NOTE You can set the default display configuration through the Display
Manager. Right-click the display configuration in the tree view of the Display
Manager, and choose Set as Drawing Default from the shortcut menu.
2 In the Drawing Setup dialog box, click the Display tab.
3 In the Drawing Default Display Configuration list box, select the display
configuration that you want to apply to new viewports or when the
TILEMODE system variable is set to 1.
4 Click OK.
NOTE When you access the Viewport Display Configuration dialog box to
apply a display configuration for a viewport in your drawing, the system
default display configuration is listed in the dialog box as System Default.
NOTE You can set the display configuration for the current viewport
through the Display Manager. Right-click the display configuration in the tree
view of the Display Manager, and choose Set To Current Viewport from the
shortcut menu.
2 From the Desktop menu, choose Select Display.
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3 In the Viewport Display Configuration dialog box, select the viewport display configuration that you want to use.
4 Click OK.
NOTE The viewport display configuration that you selected is now applied
to the current viewport. When you choose Select Display again from the
Desktop menu while that viewport is current, then the new display configuration is highlighted in the Set Display Configuration for Current Viewport list.
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NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
when you select the additional items.
If you use a display set name that already exists in the target drawing, the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box is displayed. This dialog
box lists the duplicate names. You can choose to leave the existing display set
in the drawing, overwrite the existing display set with the new one, or
rename the display set to a unique name.
6 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
NOTE Importing a display configuration also imports the display sets that
make up the display configuration.
5 In the Import/Export dialog box under External File, select one or more
display configurations that you want to import, and then click Import.
The display configurations are now in your current drawing.
NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
while you select the additional items.
If you use a display configuration name that already exists in the target drawing, the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box is displayed. This
dialog box lists the duplicate names. You can choose to leave the existing dis-
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play configuration in the drawing, overwrite the existing display configuration with the new one, or rename the display configuration to a unique name.
6 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
Click Open, in the File to Import From dialog box, select a drawing file
to export the display configurations to, and click Open.
Click New, in the New Drawing File dialog box, type a name for the
new drawing file, and click Save.
4 In the Import/Export dialog box, select one or more display sets to export,
and click Export.
The display sets are now in the new or existing drawing.
NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
while you select the additional items.
If you use a display set name that already exists in the target drawing, the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box is displayed. This dialog
box lists the duplicate names. You can choose to leave the existing display set
in the drawing, overwrite the existing display set with the new one, or
rename the display set to a unique name.
5 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
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Click Open, in the File to Import From dialog box, select a drawing file
to export the display configurations to, and click Open.
Click New, in the New Drawing File dialog box, type a name for the
new drawing file, and click Save.
4 In the Import/Export dialog box, select one or more display configurations to export, and click Export.
The display configurations are now in the new or existing drawing.
NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
while you select the additional items.
If you use a display configuration name that already exists in the target drawing, the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box is displayed. This
dialog box lists the duplicate names. You can choose to leave the existing display configuration in the drawing, overwrite the existing display configuration with the new one, or rename the display configuration to a unique name.
5 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
NOTE This feature of the Display Manager is available only when you have
Internet access available on your system. If you do not have access to the Internet
available on your system, the Web option is not available on the Display
Manager menu and shortcut menus.
When accessing the Web through the Display Manager, the right pane acts
as your Web browser and displays the Web page containing available display
configurations and other display system components. You can select what
you want to download and use standard Microsoft Windows-based naviga-
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tion methods to add the selected display system components into your
current drawing.
NOTE Drop the image into the correct location in the tree view according
to what display component you have selected. For example, if you dragged
a display set into the tree view, add it into the Sets folder.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have set all the display system components
that you want to download into your current drawing.
6 Click OK to exit the Display Manager.
NOTE This feature of the Display Manager is available only when you have
email available on your system. If you do not have email available on your
141
system, the Send option is not available from the Display Manager menu and
shortcut menus.
You can send the entire display system in your drawing to another user of
Architectural Desktop. The Display Manager copies the display system
information to a new drawing file (.dwg), and attaches it to a new email
message, created with the email program on your system. Users of Autodesk
Architectural Desktop who receive your display system by email can import
your display system in their drawings, open the attached drawing file and
export your display system to their drawings, or use the attached drawing file
as a template for new drawings. For further information about importing and
exporting display systems, see Copying Display Systems Between Drawings
on page 137.
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Menu command
Command line
Select Display...
SelectDisplay
Right-click
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Display Manager...
144
Menu command
Command line
Display Manager....
DisplayManager
Chapter 5
Display System
Right-click
In this chapter
nents and features that are necessary for different planning stages of the project.
145
NOTE When you have selected Imperial content during installation, new
drawings are opened in Plan view.
To access the European plan views
1 On the Desktop menu, select Display Manager.
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Chapter 6
If you want to change the entity display for the Plan 1-100 display representation, choose Plan 1-100 from the list.
If you want to change the entity display for the Plan 1-50 display representation, choose Plan 1-50 from the list.
147
If you want to change the entity display for any additional display representations associated with the Plan 1-100 and Plan 1-50 views,
choose that display representation from the list. If you want, for example, to add a door threshold symbol, choose the Threshold Symbol Plan
display representation from the list.
If you want to change the entity display for all objects of that type in
the drawing, select System Default from the Property Source column.
If you want to change the entity display for all objects associated with
this style, select <Object> Style from the Property Source column. If you
want, for example, to change the entity display for a door style, select
Door Style from the list.
If you want to change the entity display for one individual object,
select <Object> from the Property Source column. If you want, for
example, to change the entity display for a door, select Door from the
list.
Plan 1-100
The Plan 1-100 view is designed specifically for creating design view plans.
The architectural objects contain all components and settings necessary for
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working with the design view, but none of the additional details you would
need for a working plan.
Doors
The following sections list the display components of a door in Plan 1-100
view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a door threshold
symbol to doors.
Components
The door in Plan 1-100 has the following display components:
Door Components in Plan 1-100
Name
Description
Panel
Swing
Direction
Plan 1-100
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Windows
The following section lists the display components of a window in
Plan 1-100 view.
Components
The window in Plan 1-100 consists of only one window component, because
Plan 1-100 offers a simplified view for the design plan. Therefore, the window is drawn in only one color and linetype.
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Openings
The following sections list the display components of an opening in
Plan 1-100 view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a
symbol to openings.
Components
The opening in Plan 1-100 has the following display components:
Opening Components in Plan 1-100
Name
Description
Length Lines
Width Lines
Cross Line A
Cross Line B
Hatch
Plan 1-100
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Opening Symbol
When you have created an opening, you can add an opening symbol to it.
You have a number of different opening symbols to choose from.
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Stairs
The following sections list the display components of a stair in Plan 1-100
view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add European standard stairline settings to stairs.
Components
The stair in Plan 1-100 has the following display components:
Stair Components in Plan 1-100
Name
Description
Plan 1-100
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Description
Stairline Settings
For European architecture, you need a number of settings to define the stairline correctly.
To edit stairline settings
1 Open the Entity Display dialog box as described in Changing the Plan
1-100 and Plan 1-50 Display of Objects on page 147, and click the Display
Props tab.
2 Select Plan 1-100 from the list.
3 Select the property source you want to edit. For information about property sources, see Changing the Plan 1-100 and Plan 1-50 Display of
Objects on page 147.
4 Click Attach Override if necessary.
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Choose whether you want to draw only one stair line or separate stair
lines for reach flight.
Choose whether you want to apply the stair line to the whole stair or
separately to the parts above and below the cut plane.
Plan 1-100
155
Stairline for whole stair and for parts above and below cutline
Mass Elements
The following sections list the display components of a mass element in
Plan 1-100 view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a cut
plane height to a mass element.
Components
The mass element in Plan 1-100 has the following display components:
Mass Element Components in Plan 1-100
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Name
Description
Entity Boundary
Hatch Component
Cut Boundary
Chapter 6
Mass Group
The following sections list the display components of a mass group in
Plan 1-100 view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a cut
plane height to a mass group.
Plan 1-100
157
Components
The mass group in Plan 1-100 has the following display components:
Description
Entity
Marker
Hatch Component
Cut Boundary
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Plan 1-50
The Plan 1-50 view is designed specifically for creating working plans. The
architectural objects contain all components and settings necessary for working with the working plan. It is a very detailed view that is best suited for the
later stages of the floor plan development.
Doors
The following sections list the display components of a door in Plan 1-50
view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a door threshold
symbol and change the door frame display.
Components
The door in Plan 1-50 has the following display components:
Door Components in Plan 1-50
Name
Description
Panel
Swing
Plan 1-50
159
Description
Direction
Frame
Door Frame
In Plan 1-50, the door display representation includes a component for the
door frame. You can choose with which shape the door frame is displayed
and set vertical and horizontal extensions for the door frame.
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Plan 1-50
161
Windows
The following sections list the display components of a window in Plan 1-50
view. Additionally you can find a description of how to change the window
frame display.
Components
The window in Plan 1-50 has the following display components:
Window Components in Plan 1-50
162
Name
Description
Frame
Sash
Glass
Chapter 6
Window Frame
In Plan 1-50, the window display representation includes a component for
the window frame. You can choose if you want the window frame displayed
straight or with an offset to the window stock.
Plan 1-50
163
Openings
The following sections list the display components of an opening in
Plan 1-50 view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add an
opening symbol.
Components
The opening in Plan 1-50 has the following display components:
Opening Components in Plan 1-50
Name
Description
Length Lines
Width Lines
Cross Line A
Cross Line B
Hatch
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Opening Symbol
When you have created an opening, you can add an opening symbol to it.
You have a number of different opening symbols to choose from.
Plan 1-50
165
Stairs
The following sections list the display components of a stair in Plan 1-50
view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a European standard stairline.
Components
The stair in Plan 1-50 has the following display components:
Stair Components in Plan 1-50
Name
Description
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3 Select the property source you want to edit. For information about property sources, see Changing the Plan 1-100 and Plan 1-50 Display of
Objects on page 147.
4 Click Attach Override if necessary.
5 Click Edit Display Props.
6 Click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
7 Edit your components as desired. You can, for example, switch visibility
on and off, change colors or lineweights.
8 Click OK twice to exit the dialog boxes.
Stairline Settings
For European Architecture, you need a number of settings to define the stairline correctly.
To edit stairline settings
1 Open the Entity Display dialog box as described in Changing the Plan
1-100 and Plan 1-50 Display of Objects on page 147, and click the Display
Props tab.
2 Select Plan 1-50 from the list.
3 Select the property source you want to edit. For information about property sources, see Changing the Plan 1-100 and Plan 1-50 Display of
Objects on page 147.
4 Click Attach Override if necessary.
5 Click Edit Display Props.
6 Click the Other tab.
7 To edit the stairline, do any of the following:
Choose whether you want to draw only one stair line or separate stair
lines for each flight.
Plan 1-50
167
Choose whether you want to apply the stair line to the whole stair or
separately to the parts above and below the cut plane.
Stairline for whole stair and parts below and above cutline
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Mass Element
The following sections list the display components of a mass element in
Plan 1-50 view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a cut
plane height to a mass element.
Components
The mass element in Plan 1-50 has the following display components:
Description
Entity Boundary
Hatch Component
Cut Boundary
Plan 1-50
169
7 Edit your components as desired. You can, for example, switch visibility
on and off, change colors or lineweights.
8 Click OK twice to exit the dialog boxes.
Mass Group
The following sections list the display components of a mass group in
Plan 1-50 view. Additionally you can find a description of how to add a cut
plane height to a mass group.
Components
The mass group in Plan 1-50 has the following display components:
Mass Group Components in Plan 1-50
170
Name
Description
Entity
Marker
Hatch Component
Cut Boundary
Chapter 6
Plan 1-50
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In this chapter
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The command area contains menus and toolbars related to the Model
Explorer.
The graphics area displays the mass elements or groups that are selected
in the tree view.
The tree view lists mass groups and attached objects and displays icons
that indicate the operation property of the objectsadditive, subtractive,
and intersectionas follows:
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The order of the objects and mass elements in the tree view dictates the outcome of the group when mass elements are combined. The Model Explorer
is the only viewer where the order of objects and elements can be set.
NOTE To return to the Model Explorer, click an object within the tree view.
Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, Back: Sets the current view to the
selected view.
SW Isometric, SE Isometric, NE Isometric, NW Isometric: Sets the
current view to the selected isometric view.
You can also select any saved view from this list.
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NOTE Hold down SHIFT and click to pan in the graphics area of the Model
Explorer. Hold down CTRL and click to zoom in the graphics area of the Model
Explorer.
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3 In the Add Mass Element dialog box under Shape, select Arch, Barrel
Vault, Box, Doric, Cone, Cylinder, Dome, Gable, Pyramid, Isosceles Triangle, Right Triangle, or Sphere.
4 Enter width, depth, and height.
5 Click the drawing, place the element, and choose the rotation.
6 Press ENTER to end the command.
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Object Viewer
The Object Viewer is displayed objects you select in your drawing, based on
the current display configuration in the drawing. You can manipulate the
viewing angle and then set the drawing view equal to the view in the Object
Viewer.
Object Viewer
181
To display objects from your drawing in the Object Viewer, select the objects,
right-click, and choose Object Viewer from the shortcut menu.
The view in the Object Viewer is the same as the drawing view. If the drawing
is in plan view, the objects in the Object Viewer are in 2D plan view. If you
are viewing your drawing in 3D, then the objects are displayed in 3D.
Wireframe Displays objects in the current viewport with all lines present,
including those hidden by other objects.
Hide Regenerates three-dimensional objects with hidden lines
suppressed.
Shade Displays flat-shaded objects in the current viewport.
Render Creates realistically shaded images of three-dimensional
wireframe or solid objects. Displays better in a perspective view.
Pan Moves the current view without changing its size.
Zoom Increases or decreases the apparent size of objects in the current
viewport.
Orbit Sets the display window to 3D orbit view.
Move Displaces objects a specified distance in a specified direction.
From the list at the right side of the Object Viewer, you can select the
following.
Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, or Back: Sets the current view to
the selected view.
SW Isometric, SE Isometric, NE Isometric, or NW Isometric: Sets
the current view to the selected isometric view.
Named views are also available from this list.
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Lens Length Stores the length of the lens used in perspective viewing
for the current viewport.
Set View Sets the view in the drawing equal to the view in the Object
Viewer.
NOTE Hold down SHIFT and click to pan in the Object Viewer. Hold down
CTRL and click to zoom in the Object Viewer.
Floating Viewer
You can view the object you are currently drawing by using the Floating
Viewer. In the Add and Modify dialog boxes when you are creating objects,
click
Floating Viewer
183
Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, or Back: Sets the current view to
the selected view.
SW Isometric, SE Isometric, NE Isometric, or NW Isometric: Sets
the current view to the selected isometric view.
Display Configuration: Sets which display configuration is shown in
the viewer.
Named views are also available from this list as shown in the following
illustration.
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scale of the object and overriding the default display properties for a selected
object.
185
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
System Default is the default display representation. When a display configuration is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden are displayed in
the list.
186
Menu Command
Command Line
Show Model
Explorer...
ModelExplorer
Chapter 7
Right-click
Mass Elements
In this chapter
After you create the mass elements you need, you can
change their size as necessary to reflect the building
properties
design.
187
Mass element: A single object that has behaviors based on its shape.
For example, you can set the width, depth, and height of a box mass
element, and the radius and height of a cylinder mass element.
Mass elements are parametric, which allows each of the shapes to have
very specific behavior when it comes to the manipulation of each mass
elements shape. For example, if the corner grip point of a box is
selected and dragged, then the width and depth are modified. It is easy
to change the shape to another form by right-clicking on the element
and selecting a new shape from the list.
Mass group: Takes the shape of the mass elements and is placed on a
separate layer from the mass elements.
Mass model: A virtual mass object, shaped from mass elements, that
defines the basic structure and proportion of your building. A marker
appears as a small box in your drawing to which you attach mass
elements.
As you continue developing your mass model, you can combine mass
elements into mass groups and create complex building shapes through
addition, subtraction, or intersection of mass elements. You can still edit
individual mass elements attached to a mass group to further refine the
building model.
To study alternative design schemes, you can create a number of mass
element references. When you change the original of the referenced mass
element, all the instances of the mass element references are updated.
The mass model that you create with mass elements and mass groups is a
refinement of your original idea that you carry forward into the next phase
of the project, in which you change the mass study into floorplates and then
into walls. The walls are used to start the design phase.
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3 Change the width, depth, and height as necessary to match your buildings basic size, or select Specify on Screen to use the pointing device to
change the size of the element.
4 Use the pointing device to specify the insertion point in your drawing.
The insertion point is at the centroid of the bottom face of the box mass
element.
5 Specify a rotation angle or press ENTER for a rotation angle of zero degrees.
6 Click Close or press ENTER to end the command.
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The insertion point is at the centroid of the bottom face of the dome mass
element.
5 Specify a rotation angle or press ENTER for a rotation angle of zero degrees.
6 Click Close or press ENTER to end the command.
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5 Specify a rotation angle or press ENTER for a rotation angle of zero degrees.
6 Click Close or press ENTER to end the command.
NOTE The Extrusion option is available only when an AEC Profile is defined.
3 From the Profile list, select the profile to use when creating the mass element.
4 Use the pointing device to specify the insertion point in your drawing.
The insertion point is at the centroid of the bottom face of the extrusion
mass element.
5 Specify the height of the extrusion mass element.
The width and depth of the extrusion mass element are based on the original width and depth of the defined profile. You can specify different
width and depth values if necessary
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6 Specify a rotation angle or press ENTER for a rotation angle of zero degrees.
7 Click Close or press ENTER to end the command.
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NOTE When you convert objects to Free Form mass elements, your drawing
size will increase, potentially slowing drawing performance.
To convert an AutoCAD ACIS solid to a Free Form mass element
1 On the command line, type masselement.
2 Type c (convert), and press ENTER.
3 Select the AutoCAD ACIS solid or solids that you want to convert to a Free
Form mass element.
4 Type a name that will display in the Model Explorer and press ENTER.
5 Type y (Yes) to erase the existing geometry, and press ENTER twice to end
the command.
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201
The height of the mass element changes as you move the pointing device.
5 Click to set the new height of the mass element.
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NOTE When you change the size of a mass element, the center point
remains constant and the change is applied to both sides of the element.
From the Concept menu, choose Mass Elements Modify Mass Element.
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4 In the Mass Elements Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
5 To add a description to the mass element, type in the Description field.
6 To add a note to the mass element, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
4 In the Mass Elements Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 Change the type of mass element by selecting a basic shape from the Type
box.
6 Type values in the Size section, and then click OK.
NOTE In the Size section, the boxes available depend upon the mass element selected in the Type box.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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4 In the Mass Element Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
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the mass element on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type 0 in
the X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the mass element, type a new value for Rotation Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the mass element without leaving the Mass Element Properties dialog
box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Select a mass element from the property source and click Attach Override to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport in
the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is only available when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
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Hatching tab is displayed only in some display representations, including Plan and Sketch.
5 Click OK to set the display for the mass element.
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, click Double Hatch on or
off.
7 Click OK.
8 Click the Scale/Spacing list to change the value for the selected
component.
9 Click the Angle list to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
10 Click the Orientation field to change from making the change global or
for the selected object.
11 Click OK to save the changes and exit each dialog box.
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Menu Command
Command Line
MassElement
Add Mass Element...
MassElementAdd
MassGroupAddElem
Modify Mass
Element...
MassElementModify
Element Modify...
MassElementProps
Element Properties...
Right-click (with mass
element selected and
attached to a mass
group)
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MassElementOpAdd
Operation Additive
MassElementOpSubtract
Operation Subtractive
MassElementOpIntersect
Operation Intersect
Mass Elements
Mass Groups
In this chapter
mass group
Attaching and detaching mass
elements
Making mass elements additive
and subtractive
Creating an intersection from
mass elements
Changing mass group
properties
211
Mass Groups
After you have created basic mass elements, you can combine them into
mass groups to create more complex shapes. A mass group is a collection of
mass elements whose shapes the mass group combine according to a certain
order and according to Boolean operations (additive, subtractive, or intersection) you assign to the mass elements.
To create the mass group, you attach mass elements, other AEC objects, or
AutoCAD objects to a mass marker that you place in a convenient area of
your drawing.
You can attach anything to a mass group marker, but the mass group combines only closed, solid shapes. For example, a line has no solid properties
and therefore does not contribute anything to the shape of the mass group;
however, an AutoCAD 3D solid does contribute to the final shape.
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213
4 From the Operation list, select Add, Subtract, or Intersect for the mass element. To make mass elements additive or subtractive, or to create a intersection, see later topics in this section.
5 Specify an insertion point in your drawing.
6 Specify a rotation angle.
7 Press ENTER to end the command.
The newly created mass element is now part of the selected mass group.
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You can change the operation of a mass element as it is being added to a mass
group or after it has been attached to a mass group.
To make a mass element subtractive
1 From the Concept menu, choose Mass Groups Make Subtractive.
2 Select the mass element you want to make subtractive.
NOTE When you select the mass element, make sure you select the mass
element, not the view of the mass group. When a mass element becomes part
of a mass group, it gets placed in that display set, which is usually displayed
with a different layer and color. To select a single element, you need to turn
off the mass group layer.
3 Press ENTER to end the command.
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You can change the operation of a mass element as it is being added to a mass
group or after it has been attached to a mass group.
To create a mass element from the intersection of two elements
1 From the Concept menu, choose Mass Groups Make Intersection.
2 Select the mass element to make intersecting.
NOTE When you select the mass element, make sure you select the mass
element, not the view of the mass group. When a mass element becomes part
of a mass group, it gets placed in that display set, which is usually displayed
with a different layer and color. To select a single element, you need to turn
off the mass group layer.
3 Press ENTER to end the command.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
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the Z axis. You can change the orientation of the mass group by aligning its
normal with another axis.
You can also rotate the mass group on its plane by changing the rotation
angle.
NOTE You can change the location of objects attached to a group by selecting
the objects and using grips. You can also use the MOVE command. For more
information, see Move Objects in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of a mass group
1 From the Concept menu, choose Mass Groups Mass Group Properties.
2 Select the mass group and press ENTER.
3 In the Mass Group Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
4 Do any of the following:
To relocate the mass group, change the coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the mass group, change the axis to which the normal is parallel. To locate the mass group on the XY plane, make the normal of the
space parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the Z box, and
type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the mass group on the YZ plane,
type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To locate the mass
group on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type 0 in the X and Z
boxes.
To change the rotation of the mass group, type a new value for Rotation
Angle.
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Menu Command
Command Line
MassGroup
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MassGroupAdd
Menu Command
Command Line
Mass Group
Properties...
MassGroupProps
Group Properties...
Make Additive
MassElementOpAdd
Make Subtractive
MassElementOpSubtract
Make Intersection
MassElementOpIntersect
Attach Elements
MassGroupAttach
Attach Elements
Detach Elements
MassGroupDetach
Detach Elements
ModelExplorer
MassGroupAddElem
Mass Groups
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Space Planning
10
In this chapter
Creating spaces
Editing spaces
Changing the properties of
a space
Creating space styles
Editing space styles
221
Creating Spaces
Often, the controlling factor in the design of a building is not the overall
form, but the size, proportion, and required relationships of the necessary
spaces. You can use space objects to study these variables.
A space is an object with volume that includes visual representations of a
floor and ceiling. Its primary variables are area, length, width, and room
height (measured from top of floor to bottom of ceiling). Additional variables
are floor thickness, space height (measured from bottom of floor to top of
ceiling), ceiling thickness, and distance above the ceiling to the top of the
volume (this area is not normally visible but is reserved by the space object
for use in conjunction with space boundaries). Spaces are used as placeholders for future rooms in the interior of a building.
You can create space styles that set target, minimum, and maximum dimensions for different types of spaces, such as an office space or a cafeteria space.
When you use space styles, the set sizes help you create spaces that are appropriate for your design.
You can convert closed polylines into spaces. You can also generate spaces
from walls and linework in your drawing, assigning tags and property set
information automatically.
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Creating a Space
To create a space
1 From the Concept menu, choose Spaces Add Space.
2 In the Add Space dialog box, select a style from the Style list. The parameters in the Add Space dialog box change when you select a new style.
3 Change the area, length, or width values to define the space object before
inserting it in the drawing.
4 Specify a location for the space object.
5 Specify a rotation angle.
6 Press ENTER to end the command.
Creating a space
NOTE To remove a ceiling boundary, simply set the thickness of the ceiling
boundary to zero.
To create a space with a ceiling boundary
1 From the Concept menu, choose Spaces Add Space.
2 In the Add Space dialog box, select Ceiling Boundary.
The thickness of the ceiling boundary is determined by the space style
being used. You can change the ceiling thickness as you create spaces by
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223
changing the dimensions of the space. For more information, see Changing the Dimension Properties of a Space on page 236.
3 Specify a location for the space object.
4 Specify a rotation angle.
5 Press ENTER to end the command.
NOTE To remove a floor boundary, simply set the thickness of the floor
boundary to zero.
To create a space with a floor boundary
1 From the Concept menu, choose Spaces Add Space.
2 In the Add Space dialog box, select Floor Boundary.
The thickness of the floor boundary is determined by the space style being
used. You can change the floor thickness as you create spaces by changing
the dimensions of the space. For more information, see Changing the
Dimension Properties of a Space on page 236.
3 Specify a location for the space object.
4 Specify a rotation angle.
5 Press ENTER to end the command.
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to turn it on.
NOTE The initial value in the Area box is set by the style selected in the
Style list.
3 Select Specify on Screen to use the pointing device to change the size of
the space.
4 Click to place the insertion point of the space at the drag point.
As you move the pointing device, the shape of the space changes, but its
area stays the same. The space is constrained by the area value in the dialog box.
5 Specify a second point to establish the length of one side of the space.
The width of the space is calculated from the locked area.
6 Specify a rotation angle.
7 Click Close to end the command.
to turn it on.
NOTE The initial value in the Length box is set by the style selected in the
Style list.
3 Select Specify on Screen to use the pointing device to change the size of
the space.
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225
4 Click to place the insertion point of the space at the drag, or corner, point.
For more information, see Changing the Drag Point of a Space on page
226.
As you move the pointing device, the width of the space and its area
change, but the length stays the same. The space is constrained by the
length value in the dialog box.
5 Specify a second point to establish the width of the space.
6 Specify a rotation angle.
7 Click Close to end the command.
to turn it on.
NOTE The initial value in the Width box is set by the style selected in the
Style list.
3 Select Specify on Screen to use the pointing device to change the size of
the element.
4 Click to place the insertion point of the space at the drag point. For more
information, see Changing the Drag Point of a Space on page 226.
As you move the pointing device, the length of the space and its area
change, but the width stays the same. The space is constrained by the
width value in the dialog box.
5 Specify a second point to establish the length of the space.
6 Specify a rotation angle.
7 Click Close to end the command.
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NOTE You can use object snaps to locate the insertion point precisely.
4 Specify a rotation angle.
5 Click Close to end the command.
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Creating Spaces
229
6 Click Add Tag to New Spaces on and select a tag definition from the list to
add the tag to the new spaces.
7 Click Add Property Set to New Spaces on and select a property set and
properties from the list to add the property set to the new spaces.
8 Click Auto-Increment Numeric Properties on to automatically increment
the number associated with the space tag. Set the increment amount, then
click OK to return to the Generate Spaces dialog box.
9 Click within an area enclosed by the selected lines. A space is created in
that area with the selected tag and property set, if selected.
10 You can click Viewing Information About Spaces to view information
about spaces in the drawing.
11 You can click Modify Boundary Set to select a different Select Filter for creating spaces.
12 Click Close to end the command.
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Modifying Spaces
After you place space objects in your drawing, you can move them, resize
them, create interference conditions, and change their properties to fit your
design needs.
Editing Spaces
You can change the style of a space. You can change the size of a space by
specifying dimensions in a dialog box or by using grips.
NOTE The height displayed in the Modify Space dialog box is the space
between the upper surface of the floor slab and the lower surface of the ceiling
plane, which is referred to as the room height, not the overall height of the space
object.
To change the size of an existing space
1 From the Concept menu, choose Spaces Modify Space.
2 Select the space you want to change.
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even if the two original spaces did not touch. The characteristics of the first
space selected override those of the second space selected.
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233
NOTE The start point and endpoint of the divide line establish an line that
extends, dividing all parts of the selected space that lie on opposite sides of
the line.
The space is divided into smaller spaces at the divide line.
NOTE Make sure that your display shows the interference object, so you can
select it in step 4 in the following task.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
Modifying Spaces
235
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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Modifying Spaces
237
To change the rotation of the space, type a new value for Rotation
Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the space object without leaving the Space Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Space Styles
A space style is a collection of settings for variables associated with a space
object. Depending on the scope of the drawing, you could create different
space styles to represent a wide range of different types of spaces, from separate zoning areas in a master plan to different room types in a residential
project.
The current space style determines the properties of new spaces you create in
the drawing. The space style controls the target width, length, and area of a
space. When you are creating a new space, the minimum and maximum
area, length, and width set by the current space style cannot be exceeded.
The description field in the General space style properties stores the information you specify. This information is used when you perform a space inquiry
as one of the basic divisions in its queries. For more information, see Viewing Information About Spaces on page 247.
It makes sense to create space styles that represent the basic divisions of the
drawing that you need to keep track of separately, whether these are departmental or functional divisions.
When you edit the display properties of a space style, those changes are
applied to existing spaces of that style throughout the current drawing.
When you create, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager.
The Style Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and templates. For more information about using the Style Manager, see Getting
Started with the Style Manager on page 1527.
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cally grouped and can generate reports based on the first part of the space
style name.
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239
5 To edit the style properties of your new space style, select the style, rightclick, and choose Edit.
The Space Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to
the style, change the dimensions of the space, and change the display
properties of the new style. For more information about changing each
style property, see Editing Space Styles on page 240.
6 When you finish changing the space style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the space style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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241
NOTE The target area must fall between the set minimum and maximum
values.
5 To set a different length for the space style, type a new target length, minimum length, or maximum length for the space style.
NOTE The target length must fall between the set minimum and maximum values.
6 To set a different width for the space style, type a new target width, minimum width, or maximum width for the space style.
NOTE The target width must fall between the set minimum and maximum
values.
7 To set a different Net to Gross Offset for a space style, type a new value.
8 When you finish changing the space style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The space style type is selected within the current drawing, and
all other style types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Under the space style type, select the space style that you want to change,
right-click, and choose Edit.
3 In the Space Style Properties dialog box, click the Display Props tab.
4 Select the display set for the space style from the list.
The current viewport display is the default representation display. The
default has an asterisk next to it in the list.
5 Do one of the following:
To change how spaces of the selected style are displayed only in the current viewport in the drawing, select the style from the property source
list and click Attach Override.
To attach an override, you can either select Attach Override or click in
the Attached column. Attach Override is available only when you
select a property source that is attached to the display representation.
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243
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, click Double Hatch on or
off.
8 Click the Scale/Spacing list to change the value for the selected
component.
9 Click the Angle list to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
10 Click the Orientation field to change from making the hatching change
global or for only the selected space style.
11 When you finish changing the space style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
244
To purge a single unused space style in your current drawing, select the
style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge.
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To purge all the unused space styles in your current drawing, with the
Space Style type selected, right-click, and choose Purge.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
NOTE You can manage space styles efficiently by creating them all in one
drawing you reserve for this purpose and importing them into other drawings as
needed.
To import a space style
1 From the Concept menu, choose Spaces Space Styles,.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The space styles in the current drawing are displayed under the
space style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the
tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to your current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the space style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Space Styles to display the space styles in
the drawing.
5 Select the space style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
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245
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Space style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the
tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the style to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Space style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the second
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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247
Menu Command
Command Line
Space
248
Add Space...
SpaceAdd
Modify Space...
SpaceModify
Convert to Spaces...
SpaceConvert
Generate Spaces...
SpaceAutoGenerate
Space Styles...
SpaceStyle
Space Inquiry...
SpaceQuery
Join Spaces
SpaceJoin
Join
Divide Spaces
SpaceDivide
Divide
Interference
Condition
SpaceInterference
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Space Modify...
Menu Command
Command Line
SpaceSwap
Swap
SpaceProps
Space Properties...
SpaceStyleEdit
Space Styles
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Space Boundaries
11
In this chapter
boundaries
properties
Converting objects to
boundaries
251
Space Boundaries
A space boundary is a division between spaces that may exist as a solid form
boundary or as an area separation boundary. You can create space boundary
objects with or without included space objects. If spaces are created with
space boundary objects, then the boundaries are dependent on those space
objects. If you delete such a space, the boundary edges are removed as well.
Spaces and boundaries combine to create the complete representation of the
space, the interior space and the surrounding boundaries. You can attach
spaces to boundaries after both have been created.
There are two types of space boundaries, solid form and area separation. Solid
form boundaries equate to walls with a specified thickness. Solid form
boundaries can be later converted to a wall between two spaces. This boundary shares all the characteristics of a wall, including:
Justification
Base height
Thickness
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The Height option sets the height of a solid form boundary. This option
is available when Solid Form is selected. The height is the distance from
the top of the floor elevation to the top of the space boundary. When
you convert the space boundary to a wall, the wall uses the height
parameters of the space boundary.
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253
The Offset option sets the offset distance from the start and end points
of the space boundary segment to the space boundary baseline as you
draw the space boundary.
The Width option sets the width of a solid form boundary. This option
is available when Solid Form selected. When you convert the space
boundary to a wall, the wall uses the width parameters of the space
boundary.
5 If you are creating a solid form boundary, in the Justify list, set the justification of the space boundary as you draw it.
This option controls how the boundary is drawn with respect to the
selected points. If the Right option is selected, the space boundary is
drawn on the inside of the selected point; that is, the selected points fall
on the exterior face of the boundary. If the Center option is selected, the
boundary uses the selected points as the centerline. If the Left option is
selected, the selected points are used for the location of the inner surface
of the space boundary.
NOTE After you specify the third point for the space boundary, the Ortho
Close and Polyline Close options become available.
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Ortho Close closes the space by drawing two walls or space boundaries based
on the direction you specify. The direction is extended until it meets a line
perpendicular to the initial edge of either the wall or space boundary.
Polyline Close closes the wall by creating a wall segment from the last point
specified for the walls to the first point specified in this group of walls.
8 Press ENTER to end the command.
When a closed shape is created, it is designated by a hatched space contained within the space boundary in plan view.
255
NOTE The slice you select must have objects attached to it.
3 Press ENTER.
NOTE The interior floor line of the bounded space is set at the elevation of
the slice; the thickness of the floor may extend below the slice.
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2 Type e (edges), and then select the polyline, line, arc or circle to convert.
3 Type y to erase the original polylines, lines, arcs, and circles, or type n to
keep them in the drawing.
Change the properties for the new space boundary edges. See Editing
Boundary Edges on page 259.
4 Press ENTER.
NOTE The space boundary must have the Manage Contained Spaces option
selected before spaces are attached to it. See Creating a Space Boundary on
page 253.
To attach existing spaces to a boundary
1 From the Concept menu, choose Space Boundaries Attach Spaces to
Boundary.
2 Select the space boundary.
3 Select the spaces to attach to the selected boundary.
4 Press ENTER.
The spaces have boundaries created around each one, and they are added
to the existing space boundary.
257
Merging Boundaries
You can combine two or more boundaries to make one space boundary.
To merge existing boundaries
1 From the Concept menu, choose Space Boundaries Merge Boundaries.
2 Select the gaining space boundary.
3 Select a second boundary to merge with the first boundary.
The two boundaries become one boundary.
5 Specify a start point and an endpoint for the new space boundary edge.
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NOTE The start point and endpoint must touch the spaces inside the existing boundaries, in order to form a new space within the added edges.
259
The center of the bottom face of the object is anchored to the insertion point
on the space boundarys bottom face and at a point midway of the boundary
width.
For more information about anchors, see Working with Curve Anchors on
page 1591.
To anchor an object to a space boundary
1 From the Concept menu, choose Space Boundaries Anchor to Boundary.
2 Type a to anchor an object to the space boundary.
3 Select the object to anchor to the boundary.
4 Select the space boundary to anchor the object to.
The object is placed on the space boundary and is anchored to that location on the space boundary.
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Space Boundaries
NOTE When walls are generated from a space boundary, any segments that
are adjoining and collinear will become a single wall. In order to prevent segments from joining automatically, make them different widths. This is useful, for
example, when the walls must be different styles.
After you convert the space boundaries to walls, you can use the Modify Wall
command to change the style of the walls. For more information, see Editing Walls on page 362.
To convert space boundaries to walls
1 From the Concept menu, select Space Boundaries Generate Walls.
2 Select one or more space boundaries to convert to walls.
The space boundary is converted to a standard wall.
NOTE The space boundary and any spaces that it is managing stay in the
drawing, but there is no link between the space boundary and the created
wall object. If you need to edit the boundaries, delete the walls, change the
boundaries, and then convert the space boundaries to walls again.
261
Change the height of the space boundary, if the height is not controlled by the managed spaces.
Change whether the space boundary manages the contained spaces.
Manage Contained Spaces: Creates a space within the space
boundary. Any changes to the space boundary also affect the space
managed by the boundary. If the Manage Contained Spaces option is
cleared when a space boundary is edited, any changes to the space
boundary do not change the spaces within it.
For solid form boundaries, change the width and justification of the
space boundary.
4 Click Apply to change the selected space boundary and remain in the dialog box to continue modifying the boundary, or click OK to exit the dialog
box.
4 In the Space Boundary Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
5 To add a description to the space boundary, type in the Description field.
6 To add a note to the space boundary, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
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Space Boundaries
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
4 In the Space Boundary Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
Select either Solid Form or Area Separation to change the segment type.
263
NOTE If the Manage Contained Spaces option is selected, space areas are
updated when you change the thickness or location of boundary edges. See
Creating a Space Boundary on page 253.
4 In the Space Boundary Properties dialog box, click the Design Rules tab.
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Chapter 11
Space Boundaries
6 Change the Base Height of the boundary. This option sets the height of
the space boundary from the top of the floor to the bottom of the ceiling.
7 Change the Upper Extension value. This option sets the height of the
space boundary above the ceiling.
8 If you want the wall to stop at the bottom of the ceiling, select Wall Stops
at Ceiling.
9 In the Floor section, clear Automatically Determine from Spaces if you
want to change the boundary conditions at the floor. Otherwise, the conditions are automatically set from the contained spaces.
265
10 Change the Lower Extension value. This option sets the thickness of the
floor below the space boundary.
11 If you want the wall to stop at the top of the floor, select Wall Stops at
Floor.
12 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
4 In the Space Boundary Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
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Chapter 11
Space Boundaries
mal of the space parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the Z
box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the space boundary on
the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To
locate the space boundary on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and
type 0 in the X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the space boundary, type a new value for
Rotation Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the space boundary object without leaving the Space Boundary Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Menu Command
Command Line
Space Boundary
Add Boundary...
SpaceBoundaryAdd
Modify Boundary...
SpaceBoundaryModify
Convert to
Boundaries...
SpaceBoundaryConvert
Attach Spaces to
Boundary
SpaceBoundaryMergeSpace
Attach Spaces to
Boundaries
Merge Boundaries
SpaceBoundaryMerge
Merge Boundaries
Split Boundary
SpaceBoundarySplit
Split Boundary
SpaceBoundaryAddEdges
Add Edges
SpaceBoundaryEdge
Edit Edges...
Remove Boundary
Edges
SpaceBoundaryRemoveEdge
s
Remove Edges
Anchor to Boundary
SpaceBoundaryAnchor
Boundary Modify...
267
Menu Command
Command Line
Generate Walls
SpaceBoundaryGenerateWal
ls
Generate Walls
SpaceBoundaryProps
Boundary Properties...
SpaceBoundaryInsertJoint
Insert Joint
SpaceBoundaryAnchorSetBn
d
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Chapter 11
Space Boundaries
Slice Floorplates
12
In this chapter
Generating a slice
to a slice
Converting space boundaries to
walls
updated.
269
Creating Floorplates
A slice can be thought of as a representation of a theoretical floor level. Like
mass groups, slices are chosen and manipulated by an associated marker, the
slice marker. When you attach mass groups to the slice marker, the slice
marker creates the perimeter geometry of the building, known as a floorplate.
Anytime you change the mass groups attached to the slice marker, the floorplate is updated.
If you attach mass elements instead of mass groups to the slice, the operational aspects (additive, subtractive, and intersection) of the mass elements
are not recognized by the slice. To have these aspects recorded by the slice,
attach the mass group. For more information about additive, subtractive, and
intersection operations, see Mass Groups on page 212.
After the floorplates have been created, you can convert slices to space
boundaries or polylines and then generate walls. You cannot create walls
directly from the slice itself.
Generating a Slice
The slice object is defined by a small crossed box. Like the mass group marker,
the slice marker can be located in a convenient place in your drawing. For
more information about the mass group marker, see Adding a Mass Group
Marker on page 212.
The Generate Slice command can create multiple slices at regular height
intervals. A slice marker is created for each slice.
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Chapter 12
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To generate a slice
1 From the Concept menu, choose Slice Floorplates Generate Slice.
2 Specify the number of slices you want to create.
3 Specify the lower-left and upper-right corners for the slice marker.
NOTE Keep the slice marker small so as not to clutter your drawing.
4 Specify a rotation for the slice marker.
5 Type the starting height of the slice.
6 Type the distance between the slices.
7 Press ENTER to end the command.
Creating Floorplates
271
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Chapter 12
Slice Floorplates
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
7 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
273
4 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the slice object without leaving the Mass Group Properties dialog box.
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Menu Commands
Command Line
Right-click
Generate Slice
AecSliceCreate
AecSliceElevation
Set Elevation
Convert to Polyline
AecSliceToPline
Convert to Polyline
Attach Objects
AecSliceAttach
Attach Objects
Detach Objects
AecSliceDetach
Detach Objects
AecSlice
AecSliceProps
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Chapter 12
Slice Floorplates
Slice Properties...
Design Content
13
In this chapter
menu
Adding content
Adding fixture layouts
your drawings.
275
There are four different Design Content submenus that can display in the
menu: Architectural Desktop Metric Content, Architectural Desktop Metric
D A CH Content (designed specifically for Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Architectural Desktop Imperial Content and CSI Master Format Imperial Content.
For information about AutoCAD DesignCenter, see chapter 14, Managing
Content in AutoCAD DesignCenter in the AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
276
Drawings that represent AEC content are not displayed in the tree view as
containers. Drawings are shown only in the palette.
The Preview window displays a user-controllable higher-resolution image
of the content. This can be a different image from the Large Icons image.
The Large Icons image is a bitmap stored with the drawing file. The
preview is the last saved view of the content drawing zoomed to the
extents of the drawing.
Special icons indicate shortcuts.
The root of Custom view is named Architectural Desktop.
277
NOTE To access Custom view, you must have loaded AutoCAD DesignCenter
in the current drawing session.
To change the display of the AutoCAD DesignCenter menu
1 From the Tools menu, choose Options.
2 In the Options dialog box, select the AEC Content tab.
3 In the Content Menu section, select the content menu you would like to
use.
4 Click OK.
The Design Content menu now reflects the change that you made in the
Options dialog box.
278
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
279
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
280
4 Holding down the button on your pointing device, drag the block into
your drawing and then release the button at the location for the block.
The block is placed in your drawing using the current display configuration.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
281
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
282
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
283
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
284
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
285
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
286
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
287
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
288
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
289
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
290
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
291
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
292
4 Holding down the button on your pointing device, drag the block into
your drawing and then release the button at the location for the block.
The block is placed in your drawing using the current display configuration.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
293
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
294
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
5 Specify a rotation angle for the symbol.
295
4 Holding down the button on your pointing device, drag the block into
your drawing and then release the button at the location for the block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
296
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
297
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
298
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
299
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
NOTE If you release the left button before the item is displayed in the main
window, the block is placed at the origin. When the item is displayed at the
cursor, the block is placed at the point of release.
NOTE If you use the right button on your pointing device to place the
block, then an Insert option is displayed. The appropriate Add Multi-View
Block dialog box, or Add Mask Blocks dialog box is displayed to place the
block.
300
See Fixture Layout Notes and Hints for more information about fixture layout content.
DISCLAIMER: The intent of the fixture layouts is to provide samples from
which to create your own office standards for restroom design. All of the
components can be modified, as required, to meet project and code requirements, then added to the DesignCenter for access. The samples provided do
not necessarily meet jurisdictional regulations or ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act) requirements.
The layout files are custom content set to Content Type: Drawing.
They have no layer key, because all objects have hard-coded layers within
the file. You can change the layers, as required.
They are not set to Explode on Insert, because you can place them at only
one rotation and orientation (not mirrored), and it is easier to reposition
them as unexploded blocks.
To set rotation and mirroring before insertion, double-click the icon
instead of dragging the content to display the standard AutoCAD Insert
dialog box.
The rotation angle and scale (for mirroring) can be set in the Insert dialog
box or on the command line. If you use the command line, you can see
the result of each option before actually inserting the content. You can
apply multiple settings on the command line, even though the prompt
says Specify insertion point: after the first one. You can still type
another X, Y, or R.
Use X = -1 or Y = -1 to mirror the content.
We recommend that you do not use the Explode (on Insert) option in this
dialog box. The drag jig is not displayed and you can not mirror about one
axis.
Use the NODe object snap to position individual stall and urinal layouts
next to each other. The toilet partitions and screens are inserted with centered baselines, so the node snap places them correctly.
After insertion, the stall layouts can be exploded in order to have the partition objects clean up with each other. The layout can also be adjusted to
extend partitions, or move doors, fixtures, or grab bars.
Stall partitions are wall objects placed in the wall group Toilet_Ptn. They
do not clean up with other walls. Urinal screens are in the Standard
group, but set to Do Not Cleanup.
Each lavatory layout consists of a counter, made of a wall object with the
cleanup group Toilet_Counter with lavatory MV Blocks anchored as
follows:
Lavs (1) Wall anchor; centered along curve
301
Lavs (2) - (4) Layout Curve (on counter); even spacing (1-6 start & end
offset)
Lavs (5) Layout Curve (on counter); repeat @ 3-0 (1-6 start & end offset)
Use the ENDpoint object snap to position a counter against a stall or urinal screen.
After exploding, the lav counters can be trimmed or extended to the rest
room walls. The lavs adjust appropriately, depending on the anchoring
mode.
The rest room files are preconfigured assemblies of individual layouts,
arranged as typical Mens and Womens rooms.
NOTE After you create your custom fixture layout, save the layout as Custom
Design Content for easy placement in future drawings.
See Fixture Layout Notes and Hints for more information about fixture layout content.
To place fixture layout content
1 From the Design menu, choose Design Content Fixture Layout.
2 In AutoCAD DesignCenter, select the type of layout to be placed in your
drawing.
3 With the layout selected, double-click.
4 Use the Insert dialog box to control the placement of the layout. Click OK
when finished.
5 Specify the location for the fixture layout.
6 To modify the components of the layout, type explode.
7 Select the fixture layout, and press ENTER.
302
303
304
Walls
14
In this chapter
and surfaces.
styles
Changing wall properties and
305
Creating Walls
Objects are representations of real-world architectural features. The wall
object contains all the geometry necessary to represent a wall in 2D and 3D
views, including edges and surfaces.
The display of a wall object depends on the direction from which you view
the wall. In plan view, the wall object is displayed as parallel lines, as an
architect would typically draw a wall. In 3D view, the wall object is displayed
as it would appear in the real world, with surfaces showing length, thickness,
and height. You control what you want to display in each particular view.
Objects have relationships with each other. For example, door objects in a
wall object are constrained by the wall. You can move a door within a wall
but not outside it.
You can set specific sets of wall to only intersect and clean up with other walls
of the same group by using wall cleanup groups.
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Chapter 14
Walls
Creating Walls
307
NOTE You cannot undo the first point when creating a wall. If you started
the wall at the wrong point, either finish at least one segment or click Cancel
to close the dialog box and then start the wall again.
5 Specify another point to end this segment of the wall.
The marker on one side of the wall indicates the direction the wall is being
drawn.
6 Continue placing wall segments to create, for example, a building exterior
or a room.
You can use the Ortho Close or Polyline Close options to finish the creation of an enclosed space.
Ortho Close: Closes the space by drawing two walls or space boundaries based on the direction you specify. The direction is extended until
it meets a line perpendicular to the initial edge of either the wall or
space boundary.
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Chapter 14
Walls
NOTE While you are specifying the ortho direction, the first part of a space
boundary does not display. The first segment re-displays after the last space
boundary segments are drawn.
Polyline Close: Closes the wall by creating a wall segment from the
last point specified for the walls to the first point specified in this group
of walls.
NOTE On the toolbar in the Add Walls dialog box, you can click Floating
Viewer to view the wall, click Properties to change any property of the wall,
click Match to match the property of another wall object, and click Undo to
undo the wall object.
NOTE You cannot undo the first point when creating a wall. If you started
the wall at the wrong point, either finish at least one segment, or click Cancel
to close the dialog box and then start the wall again.
5 Specify the midpoint of the curve.
6 Specify the endpoint of the curved wall.
The marker on one side of the wall indicates the direction the wall is being
drawn.
7 Continue placing wall segments to create, for example, a building exterior
or a room.
Creating Walls
309
You can use the Ortho Close or Polyline Close options to finish the creation of an enclosed space. For an explanation of these options, see Creating Straight Walls on page 307.
8 Click Close, or press ENTER to end the command.
NOTE On the toolbar in the Add Walls dialog box, you can click Floating
Viewer to view the wall, click Properties to change any property of the wall,
click Match to match the property of another wall object, and click Undo to
undo the wall object.
NOTE When you draw a wall, the true length of the wall is the distance
between the two end grips. The wall can appear to have a different length
when it cleans up with other walls; the difference can be twice the cleanup
radius longer or shorter than the true length. The true length is the
length reported by Properties and Schedules. To get the most accurate information about wall length in schedules, always make sure that walls that clean
up with each other have end grips that coincide.
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from the chord to the arc, the chord being an edge that is created from
faceting the curve, to the true mathematical arc. The facet deviation has a
range of greater than zero (0) and no upper limit.
The minimum number of facets is 8. For example, create a cylinder mass
element to have a 1 radius, and set the facetdev to 1, the cylinder has 8
faces.
NOTE You cannot undo the first point when creating a wall. If you started
the wall at the wrong point, either finish at least one segment or click Cancel
to close the dialog box and then start the wall again.
5 Specify the endpoint of the straight wall segment.
6 In the Add Walls dialog box, click Curved to set the wall to a curved segment.
7 Click the drawing to place the second point before the midpoint.
8 Specify the midpoint of the curve.
9 Specify the endpoint of the curved wall segment.
10 Continue placing wall segments. You can switch between straight and
curved wall segments.
NOTE On the toolbar in the Add Walls dialog box, you can click Floating
Viewer to view the wall, click Properties to change any property of the wall,
click Match to match the property of another wall object, and click Undo to
undo the wall object.
NOTE When you draw a wall, the true length of the wall is the distance
between the two end grips. The wall can appear to have a different length
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when it cleans up with other walls; the difference can be twice the cleanup
radius longer or shorter than the true length. The true length is the
length reported by Properties and Schedules. To get the most accurate information about wall length in schedules, make sure that walls that clean up
with each other have end grips that coincide.
Modifying Walls
You can change any of the attributes of a wall, like height, style, width, and
justification, after it has been created. You can also change the properties of
the wall.
You can add doors, windows, openings, and assemblies quickly to walls using
the shortcut menu.
Using wall tools, you can define surface modifiers to create different wall
conditions, define and change endcaps at the start and the end of a wall, set
interference conditions, and reverse the direction of a wall by switching its
start point and endpoint.
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NOTE Only the standard walls are available to modify. Any imported/predesigned walls that have a set width cannot be modified this way.
3 Type a new width
4 Click Apply to change the walls and remain in the dialog box to continue
modifying the walls, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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4 Select the wall in the drawing you want the selected walls to match and
press ENTER.
5 Click Apply to change the walls and remain in the dialog box to continue
modifying the walls or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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Modifying Walls
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
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To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
NOTE You can set all values in the Wall Properties dialog boxes back to the
style defaults by clicking Reset to Style Defaults.
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5 Change the wall width, base height, length, radius (for curved walls), and
the wall justification.
Width: Changes the base wall width.
Base Height: Changes the height of the wall from the floor to the ceiling.
Length: Changes the length of the wall, from the start point to the
endpoint.
NOTE This is the distance between the two end grips. The dimension
added to the drawing when you use the Create Wall Dimensions command
accounts for the cleanup of the wall.
Radius: Changes the radius of a curved wall. This option is available
only when a curved wall segment is selected.
Justification: Changes the location of the wall in relation to the points
you specify to create the wall. With center justification, the points you
specify to draw the wall define the center of the walls thickness. With
right justification, the points define the right side of the wall. With left
justification, the points define the left side of the wall.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Apply to change the properties for the selected wall and keep the
dialog box open to continue modifying the wall, or click OK to exit the
dialog box.
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You can create new wall cleanup groups for specific sets of walls, and either
assign them to a new cleanup group as they are created or through the use of
the Modify Walls command.
Intersecting Walls
Intersecting walls clean up properly based on the intersection of cleanup
circles and wall graph lines in existing and new wall segments as they are
drawn. These conditions include the intersection of existing and new wall
graph lines, the intersection of an existing wall graph line with a new wall
cleanup circle, and the intersection of an existing wall cleanup circle with a
new wall graph line.
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When walls intersect and clean up properly, a new wall joint is created at the
intersection of the wall graph lines. The exact location of the wall joint
depends on the location of the new wall segment endpoint. In many cases,
the wall joint location does not coincide with the existing wall segment centerline. The location of the wall joint is based on a weighted average distance
between wall segment endpoints, as well as the thickness of the wall
segments.
The resulting wall intersection and cleanup splits the existing wall segment
into two sections, each with its own wall graph line.
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NOTE You can set the wall cleanup radius to zero. In this case, the wall
graph lines need to touch in order for a wall to occur.
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Endcaps are calculated. Endcaps that do not fit in the section may also
produce a defect marker.
Sides of components are combined with endcaps to produce a component profile (like a 2D region).
When this profile is self-intersecting, the red defect marker is displayed.
2 Adjacent higher priority components are gathered from the wall graph
from neighboring wall segments.
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3 Higher priority component profiles are subtracted from the lower priority
component profiles.
4 Doors, windows, openings, and interferences are cut and/or applied.
5 Shrinkwrap may be calculated and hatching applied.
NOTE A failed shrinkwrap calculation may also result in the defect marker.
6 Graphics are drawn to an output device (for example, the AutoCAD
screen, Object Viewer, Osnap stream, explode stream, and a plotter).
7 Solutions are cached for subsequent draw requests, until the wall is modified again.
Recommendations
You may get red circles in your drawing when using wall cleanups. These are
defect symbols and indicate that the wall segment is incorrectly set up. The
following are some basic tips that may assist you.
There are several reasons why a wall might be displayed with a defect symbol.
Work through the following troubleshooting recommendations to solve the
problem.
Review the wall cleanup radius settings for each wall segment. A good
starting point is to set the wall cleanup radius equal to half of the wall
width. However, this might not fit every situation and you might need to
adjust the value to achieve the desired effect.
NOTE The wall segment must be longer than its assigned cleanup radius.
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Use the following procedure to verify that the wall segments are inserted at
a common Z elevation:
1 On the command line, type la (for Layer), and press ENTER.
2 In the Layer Properties Manager, freeze all layers except for the designated
wall layer.
3 Return to the drawing and select all remaining displayed objects, rightclick, and choose Wall Properties from the shortcut menu.
4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, choose the Location tab.
5 Verify that the Insertion Point Z value is consistent.
If *VARIES* is displayed, then at least one of the walls is inserted at a
different Z elevation. Change this value to zero (0) (or to the desired elevation), and click OK.
Another way that walls do not clean up properly, even though the insertion point is shown as equals on the Location tab, is when the wall is at
an angle. This can occur when the normal Z value varies. You can also use
the Properties window to see both the start and endpoint Z values
together.
NOTE In the Properties window, an entry is left blank when the values vary.
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What if walls that are close together display the defect marker?
This is caused by the cleanup radius being too large. To fix this, reduce the
cleanup radius of all walls at the wall graph joint, or adjust the baselines so
that the centerlines ends fall within the wall graph joint radii.
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You edit vertex locations on the floor and roof lines to create steps, gables,
and other floor and roof conditions.
4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Roof/Floor Line tab.
5 Do any of the following:
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4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Roof/Floor Line tab.
5 With Edit Roof Line selected, click Add Gable.
NOTE This option is available only when the roof line has not been edited.
After the roof line changes, you cannot automatically add a gable using this
option.
A third vertex is added to the roof line set halfway between the two ends
of the roof line and eight feet up from the roof line.
NOTE The table at the top of the dialog box displays information about
each vertex in the wall. You can also select the vertex to edit from the list.
6 Continue editing the roof or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see your changes applied to the wall in the drawing. Continue editing your roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Roof/Floor Line tab.
5 With either Edit Roof Line or Edit Floor Line selected, click Add Step.
NOTE This option is available only when the line has not been edited. After
the line has been changed, you cannot automatically add a step using this
option.
A third vertex is added to the line set halfway between the two ends of the
line and four feet from the line, and a step is created from the selected vertex to the second vertex.
The active vertex in the dialog box illustration changes when you select a
different line to edit. Any changes you make to the wall are reflected in
the Wall Properties dialog box.
The table at the top of the Wall Properties dialog box displays information
about each vertex in the wall. You can also select the vertex to edit from
the list.
6 Continue editing the roof or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see your changes applied to the wall in the drawing. Continue editing the roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Roof/Floor Line tab.
The active vertex in the illustration changes when you select a different
line to edit. Any changes you make to the wall are reflected in the Vertex
Editing illustration.
5 With either Edit Roof Line or Edit Floor Line selected, do any of the
following:
To add a vertex, click Insert Vertex. In the Wall Roof/Floor Line Vertex
dialog box, specify the horizontal offset and vertical offset for the new
vertex, type a distance, and click OK. The new vertex is displayed in the
Vertex Editing illustration at the end of this task.
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6 Continue editing the roof line or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see the changes applied to the wall in the drawing. Continue editing roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Roof/Floor Line tab.
5 With either Edit Roof Line or Edit Floor Line selected, click Reverse.
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The selected line is reversed; the condition is applied to the opposite end
of the line. The list and illustration change to reflect the reversal of vertices.
6 Continue editing the roof or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see your changes applied to the wall in the drawing. Continue editing the roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Wall Style Overrides tab.
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6 In the Priority Override dialog box, select Start or End of the wall for the
priority override, select the component whose priority you want to
change, change the position or the priority, and click OK.
The component is listed in the table on the Wall Style Overrides tab with
the position of the override and the new priority level.
Start priority override: Changes the priority of the components at
the beginning of a wall to customize the intersection with another wall.
End priority override: Changes the priority of the components at the
end of a wall to customize the intersection with another wall.
Priority: Controls which component takes precedence at an intersection. The lower the number, the higher the priority.
7 To delete an existing override, select a component from the table, and
click Remove Override.
8 To set an endcap override, click A - Start Endcap, or B - End Endcap and in
the Select an Endcap Style dialog box, select a new endcap style, and click
OK.
The endcap style override is listed next to A - Start Endcap or B - End Endcap on the Wall Style Overrides tab.
9 Click OK. Click Apply to see your changes applied to the wall in the drawing and continue setting wall style overrides, or click OK to exit the dialog
box.
4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Wall Modifiers tab, and click
Add.
A new entry is added to the table at the top of the tab. This represents the
new modifier to be added to the wall. Any changes to the modifier are
reflected in this table.
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5 Select a modifier style and a component name, and specify where to apply
the component: right side, left side, or both sides of the wall.
The modifier style must have been already created. For more information,
see Creating and Editing Wall Modifier Styles on page 366. Any components created with the Define Surface Modifier command for the selected
wall style are listed in Component Name. The left and right sides of the
wall are determined from the start and endpoints of the wall.
6 Select the start position offset, the start elevation offset, and the end elevation offset for the component.
Start Position Offset: In conjunction with the wall start, wall end, or
wall midpoint, Start Position Offset sets the distance for the beginning of
the wall modifier. You can use a negative number to measure the distance
in the reverse wall direction.
Start Elevation Offset: In conjunction with the wall bottom, wall
baseline, wall base height, or wall top, Start Elevation Offset sets the
distance for the beginning height of the wall modifier. You can use a
negative number to measure the distance down the wall instead of up the
wall.
End Elevation Offset: In conjunction with the wall bottom, wall baseline, wall base height, or wall top, End Elevation Offset sets the distance
for the ending height of the wall modifier. You can use a negative number
to measure the distance down the wall instead of up the wall.
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4 In the Wall Properties dialog box, click the Wall Modifiers tab.
5 Select one or more wall modifiers from the table, and click Remove.
The wall modifiers are removed from the selected wall.
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11 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the wall object without leaving the Wall dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE This procedure sets the layer, color, linetype, lineweight, and plot style
for a wall style.
To manage the layer, color and linetype for a wall style
1 From the Design menu, choose Walls Wall Styles.
2 Select the wall style that you want to change, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 In the Wall Style Properties dialog box, click the Display Props tab.
4 Select Plan as the display representation.
5 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab
to set the layer/color/linetype for each wall component in each display
representation for the wall style.
6 Select the component to change.
7 In the Visible column, select whether that component is visible or not in
this display.
8 In the Layer column, set the layer for the component.
9 In the Color column, set the color for the component. When you select
the color, the Select Color dialog box displays.
10 In the Linetype column, select a linetype for the component. When you
select the linetype, the Select Linetype dialog box displays with valid linetypes to select.
11 In the Lineweight column, select a new lineweight for the component.
When you select the lineweight, the Lineweight dialog box displays with
valid lineweights to select.
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12 In the Lt Scale column, you can type a new linetype scale for the component.
13 In the Plot Style column, you can set a new plot style scale for the
component.
14 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
15 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE The Hatching tab is not displayed in the Model display representation.
5 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Hatching tab to set the
hatch in each display representation for the wall style.
6 Select a hatch in the Pattern list.
7 In the Hatch Pattern dialog box, select the type of hatch for the selected
component.
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If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, turn Double Hatch on or
off.
You select Solid Fill from the Type list.
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8 Click OK.
9 Click Scale/Spacing to change the value for the selected component.
10 Click Angle to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
11 Click Orientation to make the change global or to change only the
selected object.
12 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
13 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE This procedure sets the cut plane height and additional cut planes for
a wall style.
To set the cut planes for a wall style
1 From the Design menu, choose Walls Wall Styles.
2 Select the wall style that you want to change, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 In the Wall Style Properties dialog box, click the Display Props tab.
4 Select Plan as the display representation.
NOTE The Cut Plane tab is displayed only in some display representations,
such as Plan.
5 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Cut Plane tab to set the
cut plane in each display representation for the wall style.
6 Type a height in the Cut Plane Height text box to specify the cut plane
where shrinkwrap, component boundaries, and hatching takes effect.
7 Select Automatically Choose Above and Below Cut Plane Heights to show
the components above and below the cut plane height.
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8 To specifically define a cut plane, select Manual Above and Below Cut
Plane Heights, and click Add.
If you add a cut plane at a height lower than the Cut Plane Height, objects
are displayed using the properties specified for the Below Cut Plane component on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
If you add a cut plane at a height higher than the Cut plane Height,
objects are displayed using the properties specified for the Above Cut
Plane component on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
9 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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9 Select Display Endcaps to show complex endcaps. When this is clear, only
a single line is used to display the endcap. The complex shape is still there,
but is not shown in this display.
10 Select Cut Door Frame to not show the frame of the door in the plan view.
The wall display is shown to meet the door without the door frame. The
door frame is still there, but is not shown.
11 Select Cut Window Frame to not show the frame of the window in the plan
view. The wall display is shown to meet the window without the window
frame. The window frame is still there, but is not shown.
12 Select Component Draw Order by Priority to draw the components by
their priority. If this is clear, the components are drawn in the order that
they were created. This is useful when you want a specific component
color or style to be displayed over other components.
13 Select Do True Cut to perform a slice of the actual 3D model at each
defined cut plane height. This is useful when using sweeps and modifiers
to walls, so you can see a more accurate view of the wall.
14 Select Draw Miter for Components for each component where you want
to show miter lines at wall corners.
15 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
16 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Wall Styles
Wall styles control the appearance of wall objects. Using wall styles, you can
combine components, endcaps, and descriptions to create new types of
walls, such as concrete walls, masonry walls, and brick cavity walls.
When you create, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager.
The Style Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and
templates. For more information about using the Style Manager, see Getting
Started with the Style Manager on page 1527.
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6 To edit the style properties of your new wall style, select the style, rightclick, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Wall Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to the
style, add endcaps and components, and change the display properties of
the new style. For more information about changing each style property,
see Wall Styles on page 343.
7 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused wall style in your current drawing, select the
style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused wall styles in your current drawing, with the
wall style type selected, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut
menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
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To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Wall Styles
347
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
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To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
4 To set the default wall width for the wall style, click the Wall Width box
on and type the width.
5 To set the default base height for the wall style, click the Base Height box
on and type the base height.
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6 To set the default justification for the wall style, click the Justify box on
and select a justification from the list.
7 To set the whether the walls with this wall style automatically clean up,
click the Automatic Cleanups box on and select Yes from the list.
8 To set the default cleanup radius for the wall style, click the Cleanup
Radius box on and type a radius in the box.
9 To set the cleanup group definition walls to which the wall style belongs,
click the Cleanup Group Definition box, and select a cleanup group definition from the list.
10 To set the default floor line offset from the baseline for the wall style, click
the Floor line box, and type the offset distance in the box.
11 To set the default roof line offset from the base height for the wall style,
click the Roof line box and type the offset distance in the box.
12 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
13 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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6 In the Component Offset or Component Width dialog box, set the base
value for the offset or the width. To calculate the edge offset or the width
based on the base width, click Use Base Width and select an operator and
an operand.
7 Click OK.
The new value or operation is displayed in the table in the Edge Offset
column or the Width column.
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8 To set the top elevation offset or bottom elevation offset, type a new value,
and select from where the distance is to be measured: Wall Top, Base
Height, Baseline, or Wall Bottom.
9 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE You can add as many components to a wall style as you like, but only
the first 20 are controlled by the display system. It is suggested that you limit
your components to 20.
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5 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Select the wall style from the property source, and click Attach Override
to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport in the
drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
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Click Edit Display Properties, then the Hatching tab to set what hatch
is displayed in each display representation for the wall style. The
Hatching tab is displayed only in some display representations, including Plan and Reflected. For more information, see Creating and Editing Display Systems on page 121.
Click Edit Display Properties and then the Other tab to set the cut plane
height, what inner lines are displayed, and what miters to draw for a
the wall style. Other display features that are set here include whether
to display lines below openings, whether to display endcaps, and
whether to cut door and window frames. The Other tab is displayed
only in some display representations, including Plan and Reflected. For
an explanation of display representations, see Display Representations on page 100.
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Component
Index
Concrete
200
Concrete (Footing)
200
CMU
300
CMU Veneer
350
Precast Panel
400
Stud
500
Insulation
Rigid Insulation
404 (Brick)
Air Gap
700
405
305
505
Brick
400
Brick Veneer
410
Siding
900
Metal Panel
1000
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Stucco
1100
Glass
1200
GWB
1200
GWB (X)
1200,1210,1220,1230
Bulkhead
1800
Casework - Base
2010
Casework - Upper
2000
Casework - Counter
2020
Casework - Backsplash
2030
Toilet Partition
3000
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, click Double Hatch on or
off.
7 Click OK.
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8 Click the Scale/Spacing list to change the value for the selected
component.
9 Click the Angle list to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
10 Click the Orientation field to change from making the change global or
for the selected object.
11 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 When you finish changing the cleanup group definition properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE You can manage wall cleanup group definitions efficiently by creating
them all in one drawing you reserve for this purpose and importing them into
other drawings as needed.
To import wall cleanup group definitions
1 From the Design menu, choose Walls Cleanup Group Definitions.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The cleanup group definitions in the current drawing are displayed under the Cleanup Group Definitions type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the definition that you want to copy to your current
drawing.
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3 Select the drawing with the definition that you want to copy, and click
Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Cleanup Group Definition type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Cleanup Group Definition to display the
cleanup group definitions in the drawing.
5 Select the cleanup group definition that you want to copy, and choose
Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The definition is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing
already contains a definition with the same name, the duplicate names are
displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate definition names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new definition so both definitions exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New definition names are appended with a
number in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the cleanup group definitions type.
4 Select the definition in the current drawing that you want to copy to the
new drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The definition is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
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Ortho Close: Closes the space by drawing two walls or space boundaries based on the direction you specify. The direction is extended until
it meets a line perpendicular to the initial edge of either the wall or
space boundary.
Polyline Close: Closes the wall by creating a wall segment from the
last point specified for the walls to the first point specified in this group
of walls.
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You can create walls by converting lines and sketches into walls. You can
then edit walls by adding and anchoring objects to them, by creating special
conditions, by changing the roof or floor lines, and by joining them with
other walls.
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6 If you select Offset Opposite Face, the wall is drawn along the line of the
modifier.
7 Select the start elevation offset and the end elevation offset for the component.
Start Elevation Offset: In conjunction with the wall bottom, wall
baseline, wall base height, or wall top, Start Elevation Offset sets the
distance for the beginning height of the wall modifier. You can use a
negative number to measure the distance down the wall instead of up the
wall.
End Elevation Offset: In conjunction with the wall bottom, wall baseline, wall base height, or wall top, End Elevation Offset sets the distance
for the ending height of the wall modifier. You can use a negative number
to measure the distance down the wall instead of up the wall.
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styles in the Style Manager. Then, you can place a modifier on the wall using
the Wall Modifiers tab in the Wall Properties dialog box.
When you create, import, export, or edit styles, the Style Manager is
displayed. The Style Manager provides a central location in Autodesk
Architectural Desktop, where you can work with styles from multiple
drawings and templates. For more information about using the Style
Manager, see Getting Started with the Style Manager on page 1527.
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2 Select an existing style to copy under the Wall Modifier style type, and
press CTRL+C.
3 Press CTRL+V.
A copy of the existing style is created.
4 To rename the style, select the style, right-click, and choose Rename from
the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new wall modifier style, select the style,
right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Wall Modifier Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add
notes to the style.
6 When you finish changing the wall modifier style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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2 Under the Wall Modifier style type, select the wall modifier style that you
want to change, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Wall Modifier Style Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the wall modifier style, type it in the Description
field.
5 To add a note to the wall modifier, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 When you finish changing the wall modifier style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To purge all the unused wall modifier styles in your current drawing,
select the wall modifier style type, right-click, and choose Purge from
the shortcut menu.
3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
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8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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When you create, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager.
The Style Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and
templates. For more information about using the Style Manager, see Getting
Started with the Style Manager on page 1527.
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4 To rename the style, select the style, right-click, and choose Rename from
the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new endcap style, select the style, rightclick, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Endcap Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to
the style.
6 When you finish changing the endcap style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE If you select a polyline with width, the segments with width will be
invisible when the endcap is placed on the wall.
5 Set the component index for the segment.
6 Type y (Yes) to add another component to the endcap style, or type n (No)
to continue creating the endcap style.
7 Type a return offset for the component.
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8 When you finish changing the endcap style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 When you finish changing the endcap style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
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8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Endcap Styles to display the endcap styles
in the drawing.
5 Select the endcap style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Merging Walls
You can use the profile of selected walls and merge the walls. This does not
provide automatic wall cleanup, but merging walls is useful in tight situations that involve short wall segments.
To merge two walls
1 From the Design menu, choose Wall Tools Merge Walls.
2 Type a (Add) to merge walls.
3 Select a wall to merge with.
4 Select other walls to merge with the first wall, and press ENTER.
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5 You can continue to add or remove wall merges, or you can press ENTER
to exit the command.
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NOTE For best results, the polyline does not need to be in the same plane
as the selected walls, but it should be parallel to the walls.
4 Type g (Generate polyline) to generate a polyline, and then select the
walls for the polyline to be created from.
5 Type a (Auto project) to project the wall roof line to another object, select
the walls, and then select the object to project to.
6 Type r (Reset) to remove any roof line changes made to the wall.
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NOTE For best results, the polyline does not need to be in the same plane
as the selected walls, but it should be parallel to the walls.
4 Type g (Generate polyline) to generate a polyline along the current roofline of the wall, and then select the walls for the polyline to be created
from.
5 Type a (Auto project) to project the wall floor line to another object, select
the walls, and then select the object to project to.
6 Type r (Reset) to remove any floor line changes made to the wall.
7 Press ENTER to end the command.
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Sweeping a Profile
You can define a profile and use that shape as the shape of a wall component.
The insertion point of the profile is used as the lower-left corner of the wall
component. The profile is not scaled when swept on the wall.
To sweep a profile along a wall component
1 Define the AEC Profile to use.
2 From the Design menu, choose Wall Tools Sweep Profile.
3 Select the walls to sweep and press ENTER.
4 Select the profile from the Profile Definitions dialog box and press OK.
5 Type the component index number to assign the profile to that component and press ENTER.
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NOTE If you miter the end of walls, then no endcaps are drawn.
To change the sweep profile miter angle
1 From the Design menu, choose Wall Tools Sweep Profile Miter Angles.
2 Select the first wall.
3 Select the second wall.
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6 Type a (Additive) to add the body modifier to the wall and press ENTER.
7 Type a description for the body modifier and press ENTER.
8 Type y (Yes) to erase the selected geometry, or type n (No) to keep the
geometry in the drawing and press ENTER.
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Joining Walls
You can combine the baselines of two walls. The command also transfers all
sub-objects and anchored objects from one wall to the other.
Sub-objects include roofline, floorline anchors, wall modifiers, wall style
overrides, and interference conditions. Anchored objects include doors, windows, and openings anchored to the walls.
The requirements for walls to be joined are the following:
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3 Specify a point near the end of the wall to designate the end for anchoring
the selected objects.
The object is now anchored to the end of the selected wall without moving the anchored objects.
NOTE For walls with openings or for doors and windows, the dimension is
measured either from the center of the opening or from the outer frame of
the opening. The latter option is a more valid dimension for a wall with doors
or windows. To set this parameter, change the wall settings options for
required dimensioning in the Options dialog box. For more information, see
AEC Options on page 1445.
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NOTE For walls with openings or with doors and windows, the dimension
is measured either from the center of the opening or from the outer frame of
the opening. The latter is more valid for a wall with doors or windows. To set
this parameter, change the wall settings options for required dimensioning in
the Options dialog box. For more information, see AEC Options on page
1445.
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you add another wall. The last used base height of 10 is retrieved from the
registry and is displayed in the Height box. Now you select a style with a
default base height of 13. The Height in the Add dialog box changes to 13.
You then draw a few walls and close the Add dialog box. In this case, the last
used value in the registry remains as 10; the 13 value taken from the style
defaults is not saved in the registry.
When an Add command is invoked for Walls, Curtain Walls, Roof Slabs,
Slabs, Stairs, and Railings, a three-step process occurs:
1 Restore the last-saved values from the registry.
2 Overwrite with any active style defaults for the last used style.
3 If the style is not changed, apply user-overridden values, also stored in the
registry, for any parameter affected by a default.
Default Values Application
In the Add dialog for Walls, Curtain Walls, Roof Slabs, Slabs, and Railings,
style defaults are always applied whenever you change the style in the Add
dialog box. Also all values are reset back to the last used value before appropriate values are applied from the style defaults, which then change the data
in the dialog controls.
For example, use two different wall styles, WallStyle1 and WallStyle2.
WallStyle1 has the following default values: Base Height = 13 and Wall
Width = 6".
WallStyle2 has a Base Height of 8.
The last used values are as follows: Base Height = 3-6" and Wall Width = 4".
When you select WallStyle1, then the base height is set to 13 and the wall
width to 6". When you select WallStyle2, the base height is set to 8 and the
wall width is reset back to the last user value, 4".
For Railings, the values are drawn from the Style when you select another
style, because every stair and railing style provides all possible values.
Color-coded Parameters
If a value does not have an active style-based default, then the title text for
the field is colored the current Window Text Color; usually this is Black.
If a value matches the style-based default, then the title text for the field is
Blue.
If a value does have a style-based default, but its value does not match that
of the default, then the title text for the field is Red. This occurs when you
override the default value.
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Menu command
Command line
Walls
Wall
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Add Wall
WallAdd
Modify Wall
WallModify
Convert to Walls
WallConvert
Wall Styles...
Wall Style
Cleanup Group
Definitions...
Wall, then CL
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Wall Modify...
WallStyleEdit
WallProps
Wall Properties...
DoorAdd
Insert Door...
WindowAdd
Insert Window...
OpeningAdd
Insert Opening...
WinAssemblyAdd
Insert Window
Assembly...
Menu command
Command line
CurtainWallConvertWall
WallAddSelected
Add Selected
WallModifierAdd
WallModifierRemove
WallModifierConvert
WallModifierStyle
WallModifier
WallApplyEndcap
WallEndCapStyle
WallEndCap
Merge Walls
WallMerge
Override Cleanup
Radius
WallApplyCleanupRadius
Override
WallGraphDisplayToggle
Roof Line
RoofLine
Floor Line
FloorLine
Interference Condition
WallInterference
Model Tools
Interference
Sweep Profile
WallSweep
Wall Tools
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Menu command
Command line
WallSweepMiterAngles
Body Modifier
WallBody
Join Walls
Wall Join
Wall Reverse
Anchor to Wall
WallAnchor
Dimension Walls
WallDim
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Curtain Walls
15
In this chapter
curtain walls
Modifying the display of curtain
walls
Modifying the elements in a
curtain wall
Modifying curtain walls
Editing objects anchored in
curtain walls
Creating curtain wall units
Modifying the elements in a
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Curtain Walls
Curtain walls provide a grid or framework for inserting objects such as
windows and doors. You can use curtain walls to model components such as
Curtain walls have many similarities to standard walls. They have a baseline,
roof line, and floor line, and allow for interferences. They are also stylebased, meaning there are preset characteristics assigned to each curtain wall
that determine its appearance. You can insert doors and windows into a curtain wall, just like standard walls, but the insertion process is different.
Curtain walls are also different from standard walls in that they are made up
of one or more grids. Each grid in a curtain wall has either a horizontal
division or a vertical division, but you can nest the grids to create a variety
of patterns from simple to complex.
Each cell in a grid can contain either a panel infill, to represent basic cladding
materials such as a stone wall panel or glazing, or an object such as a window
or a door.
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Other objects you can insert in a grid include curtain wall units and window
assemblies. Curtain wall units are very similar to curtain walls except that the
grid cells can contain only panel infills, not objects. Curtain wall units are
designed to represent complex elements that are repeated within your main
curtain wall.
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Window assemblies serve a similar function as curtain wall units but window
assemblies can contain panel infills or objects such as doors or windows.
Window assemblies can be inserted into curtain walls and standard walls.
Both curtain wall units and window assemblies can reduce the need for
nested grids, making edits to the curtain wall easier.
Grids are the foundation of curtain walls, curtain wall units, and window
assemblies. Every grid has four element types
NOTE Division is an abstract element, in contrast to the other three element types that represent physical elements of the curtain wall.
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Element type
Default definitions
Divisions
Cell Infills
Frames
Left, right, top, and bottom outer edges of grid 3" wide
and 3" deep
Mullions
You can create new element definitions and assign those definitions to
specific elements within the curtain wall. For example, you can create
multiple infill definitions, and then assign different infills to specific cells in
the grid.
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Likewise, you can create multiple frame definitions, and then assign a different definition to each frame edge (top, bottom, left, right).
You create element definitions from the Design Rules tab of the Curtain Wall
Style Properties dialog box. Select an element from the tree to display a list
of definitions for that element, icons for adding and removing definitions,
and text boxes for creating the definitions.
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From the same Design Rules tab, you can assign the definitions to specific
elements in a grid. Select a grid from the tree to display a list of assignments
for that grid, icons for creating new assignments and columns in the assignment table for specifying the definition to use and where. You can also edit
the definitions at the bottom of the dialog box.
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To get started with curtain walls, draw a curtain wall using one of the
methods described in the next section, Creating Curtain Walls. Try a
variety of the existing curtain wall styles, find a style you like and make a
copy of it. Then, modify the element definitions and assignments to suit
your own needs. For more information, see Modifying the Elements in a
Curtain Wall on page 477.
After you become more familiar with curtain walls, element definitions, and
assignments, you can use the following steps to create a curtain wall.
To create a curtain wall
1 Create a new curtain wall style. For more information, see Creating a
New Curtain Wall Style on page 473.
2 Create element definitions for the curtain wall style. For more information, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Style on page
419.
3 Assign element definitions to specific elements in the curtain wall. For
more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Elements
on page 450.
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4 Draw a curtain wall using the style you created. For more information, see
the next section, Creating Curtain Walls.
5 Make any minor adjustments to the cells or edges using the curtain wall
overrides. For more information, see Overriding Cell and Edge Assignments in Curtain Walls on page 478.
NOTE If you want the curtain wall to use the default dimensions defined in
the style, select Use Style Defaults. For more information, see Setting Default
Dimensions for a Curtain Wall Style on page 471.
3 Click Straight to draw a straight curtain wall.
4 Specify a start point for the curtain wall.
NOTE You cannot undo the first point when creating a curtain wall. If you
started the curtain wall at the wrong point, either select another point or click
Cancel to close the dialog box, and then start the curtain wall again.
5 Specify another point to end this curtain wall.
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A marker on top of the curtain wall indicates the direction the curtain wall
is being drawn.
6 Continue placing curtain walls to create, for example, a building exterior
or a room.
You can use the Ortho Close or Polyline Close options to finish the creation of your curtain wall.
Ortho Close: Closes the space by drawing two curtain walls based on the
direction you specify. The direction is extended until it meets a line perpendicular to the initial edge of the curtain wall.
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Polyline Close: Closes the curtain wall by drawing a curtain wall from
the last point specified for the curtain walls to the first point specified in
this group of curtain walls.
7 Click Close to end the command.
NOTE On the toolbar in the Add Curtain Walls dialog box, you can:
405
NOTE If you want the curtain wall to use the default dimensions defined in
the style, select Use Style Defaults. For more information, see Setting Default
Dimensions for a Curtain Wall Style on page 471.
3 Click Curved to draw a curved curtain wall.
4 Specify a start point for the curtain wall.
NOTE You cannot undo the first point when creating a curtain wall. If you
start the curtain wall at the wrong point, either select another point or click
Cancel to close the dialog box, and then start the curtain wall again.
5 Specify the midpoint of the curve.
6 Specify the endpoint of the curved curtain wall.
A marker on top of the curtain wall indicates the direction the curtain wall
is being drawn.
7 Continue placing curtain walls to create, for example, a building exterior
or a room.
You can use the Ortho Close or Polyline Close options to finish the creation of an enclosed space. For an explanation of these options, see Creating a Straight Curtain Wall on page 403.
8 Press ENTER to end the command.
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NOTE On the toolbar in the Add Curtain Walls dialog box, you can:
Facet Deviation
The smoothness (tesselation) of curved edges is controlled by the FACETDEV
variable. This variable sets the number of facets to display on curved AEC
objects. This must be set before converting the polyline to slabs.
The facet deviation is available only on the command line by typing
AecFacetDev.
The number you set as the facet deviation defines the maximum distance
from the chord to the arc, the chord being an edge that is created from
faceting the curve, to the true mathematical arc. The facet deviation has a
range of greater than zero (0) and no upper limit.
The minimum number of facets is 8. For example, create a cylinder mass
element to have a 1 radius, and set the facetdev to 1, the cylinder has 8
faces.
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Line
Arc
Circle
Polyline
Spline
AEC objects (excluding stairs and multi-view blocks)
NOTE If you want the curtain wall to use the default dimensions defined in
the style, select Use Style Defaults. For more information, see Setting Default
Dimensions for a Curtain Wall Style on page 471.
5 Click OK.
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The horizontal and vertical lines of the 2D layout grid define the divisions
for the curtain wall grids. The grid cells, frame, and mullions are assigned
default definitions. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Elements on page 450.
To convert a 2D layout grid to a curtain wall
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Layout Tools Add Layout Grid (2D).
2 Create a layout grid. For more information, see Layout Grids on page
1568.
3 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Convert Layout Grid to
Curtain Wall.
4 Select the layout grid.
You are prompted to erase the layout grid after the conversion.
5 To erase the layout grid, type y (Yes). To have the layout grid remain after
the curtain wall is created, type n (No).
Curtain wall grids are one dimensionaldivided either horizontally or
vertically. To create the horizontal and vertical patterns in the 2D layout
grid, the curtain wall uses a primary grid with a secondary grid nested
inside it. For more information about nested grids, see Working with
Nested Grids in Curtain Walls on page 414.
You are prompted for the direction of the primary grid in the curtain wall.
If you select horizontal, the primary grid has horizontal divisions that
cross over the vertical divisions of the secondary grid (see the following
illustration). If you select vertical, the primary grid has vertical divisions
that cross over the horizontal divisions of the secondary grid.
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NOTE Curtain wall grids are either horizontal or vertical. To create a grid pattern with horizontal and vertical cells, like the previous example, nested grids are
used. For more information about nested grids, see Working with Nested Grids
in Curtain Walls on page 414.
To create a curtain wall with a custom grid
1 Use lines, arcs, and circles to draw a grid in the world coordinate system
(WCS).
2 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Convert Linework to
Curtain Wall.
3 Select the lines, arcs, or circles that define your grid, and press ENTER.
4 Select one of the grid lines as the baseline for the curtain wall or press
ENTER to use the line along the X axis as the baseline.
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TIP If you draw your linework in the XY plane (in plan view) and accept the
default baseline, the resulting window assembly is displayed from the
Z direction.
You are prompted to erase the lines that define the grid.
5 To erase the lines, type y (Yes). To have the lines remain after the curtain
wall is created, type n (No).
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Each enclosed area is assigned the default cell infill. The lines between the
cells are assigned the default mullion definition, and the boundary
around the grid is assigned the default frame definition. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Elements on page
450.
NOTE You cannot modify the division definition of a custom grid created
from lines, arcs, and circles. You can, however, assign a different division definition to it. For more information, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall
Grid on page 450.
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You are prompted for the location of the curtain wall baseline. You can
align the baseline with the left, right, or center of the standard wall.
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When you nest grids, you start with one primary grid. Each cell in the primary grid can then be filled with another grid. For example, if your primary
grid is horizontal and has three cells, you can nest a vertical grid in each horizontal cell to create a simple 2D grid. This is the nesting configuration for
the Standard curtain wall style.
The previous illustration shows all cells in the grid with the same cell assignmenta vertical division. However, each cell in a grid is independent and
can have a separate assignment. For example, the following illustration
shows a three cell horizontal grid with different assignments in each cell. The
bottom cell contains another horizontal division, the middle cell contains
vertical divisions of varying width, and the top cell contains a vertical divisions of a fixed width.
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The previous example show a primary grid with one level of nested grids.
However, you can continue to nest grids to create multiple levels. For example, the following illustrations show the Standard curtain wall style, which is
a simple 2D grid, with one horizontal cell and three vertical cells. Another
grid is nested in the first cell of the secondary grid. This creates a tertiary grid.
A fourth level is created by nesting another grid in the top cell of the tertiary
grid. The final illustration shows the nested grids assigned to all cells.
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You can define nested grids by using the Design Rules tab of the Curtain Wall
Style dialog box. The tree on the left side of the tab lists of the grids. There is
always one primary grid. The primary grid can have one or more secondary
grids. Each secondary grid can have one or more tertiary grids, and so on.
417
TIP To quickly create nested grids in all cells, change the default cell assignment to Nested Grid. If you want multiple levels of nesting, be sure to change
the default cell assignment for each grid. For more information, see Creating a
Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall on page 452.
Each grid has its own cell assignments. You assign cells to contain another
grid, a panel infill, or an object such as a door or window. For more information, see Assigning Infills to Curtain Wall Cells on page 451.
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Element definitions
Definition assignments for each element
Display properties for each element
Default dimensions
Notes about the style and any associated reference files
You can modify the Standard curtain wall style, or you can leave the Standard
style as it is and create a new style. For more information, see Creating a
New Curtain Wall Style on page 473.
Element type
Default definitions
Divisions
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Element type
Default definitions
Cell Infills
Frames
Left, right, top, and bottom outer edges of grid 3" wide
and 3" deep
Mullions
Each type of element can have multiple definitions. For example, you can
define a division to create a horizontal grid or a vertical grid, and you can
define the cells to contain a nested grid or a window assembly. To make reuse
easier, you can save the element definitions, and then assign them to grids,
cells, frames, or mullions as needed.
Element definitions are style-specific. When you create element definitions
for a specific curtain wall style, those definitions are available only for curtain
walls of that style. For example, if you define a window assembly infill for
one curtain wall style, that infill is not available as an option when you edit
a curtain wall of a different style.
For information about defining the color, linetype, or layer of curtain wall
elements, see Modifying the Display of Curtain Walls on page 465.
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NOTE Creating a nested grid is not a division rule. To create a nested grid, add
a cell assignment. For more information, see Creating a Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall on page 452 and Working with Nested Grids in Curtain Walls on
page 414.
You can create a variety of division definitions under different names, and
then assign different divisions to each grid in your curtain wall. Although
you can create multiple definitions, there can be only one division assignment per grid. For more information about assigning divisions to a particular
grid, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid on page 450.
NOTE You create division definitions for a specific curtain wall style and those
definitions can be assigned only to grids in curtain walls of that style.
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After you create a division definition, you can assign the definition to a
specific grid in a curtain wall. For more information, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid on page 450.
9 When you are finished creating division definitions, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Type a size for the cells in Cell Dimension. If you are defining a vertical
division, then the cell dimension is the length of the cell from mullion to
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mullion. If you are defining a horizontal division, then the cell dimension
is the height of the cell.
8 To specify an offset for the grid, type an offset distance in Start Offset or
End Offset. For more information, see Specifying an Offset for a Curtain
Wall Grid on page 429.
TIP The frame width is calculated as part of the cell size. Therefore, cells
adjacent to the frame can appear to be a different size than the other cells. If
you do not want the frame width included in the cell size, specify an offset for
the grid that is equal to the frame width.
When you draw a curtain wall using a fixed cell dimension, there is often
extra space between the last full-size cell and the end of the curtain wall.
9 To adjust the cells and accommodate this space automatically as you draw
curtain walls, select the Auto-Adjust Cells option.
10 Select the cells that you want to be adjusted.
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For information about editing the division after the conversion, see,
Manually Defining the Number and Size of Cells in a Curtain Wall Grid
on page 426.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid
in your curtain wall, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid.
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8 To specify an offset for the grid, type an offset distance in Start Offset or
End Offset. For more information, see the next section, Specifying an
Offset for a Curtain Wall Grid.
9
If you want to make additional adjustments to the grid you just defined,
click Convert to Manual Division and specify a conversion height or
length. For more information see, Manually Defining the Number and
Size of Cells in a Curtain Wall Grid on page 426.
10 Click OK. Or, to make additional adjustments to the division you just
defined, click Convert to Manual Division.
11 To calculate the distance between grid lines based on the specified number
of cells, type a value for conversion height (for horizontal divisions) or
conversion length (for vertical divisions).
The divisions you specified are displayed in a table that you can easily
modify.
425
For information about editing the division after the conversion, see the
next section, Manually Defining the Number and Size of Cells in a Curtain Wall Grid.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid
in your curtain wall, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid.
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9 Under From in the grid line table, select the grid location from which the
grid line is offset.
10 To specify an offset for the grid, type an offset distance in Start Offset or
End Offset. For more information, see Specifying an Offset for a Curtain
Wall Grid on page 429.
11 Click OK when youve completed your manual grid definition to return to
the Style Manager.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid in
your curtain wall, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid.
NOTE For information about adding steps or gables to your curtain wall, see
Changing the Roof Line and Floor Line of a Curtain Wall on page 497.
To exclude gables or steps from a grid
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Divisions under
Element Definitions.
5 Select a Division definition or create a new one.
6 Select the Horizontal icon as the orientation.
7 Select Baseline/Base Height as the division type.
8 Select Divide at Baseline or Divide at Base Height.
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9 To offset the division from the baseline, specify a positive number in Baseline Offset.
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10 To offset the division from the base height, specify a positive number in
Base Height Offset.
11 Click OK to return to the Style Manager.
The resulting grid contains a single, horizontal cell. To add additional divisions, use nested grids. For more information, see Creating a Nested Grid
in a Curtain Wall on page 452.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid
in your curtain wall, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid.
429
number of vertical cells, the cells do not appear equal in size. The first and
last cells appear smaller because they include the frame. To make the cells
equal in size, offset the start and end of the grid by the width of the frame.
NOTE You can offset the grid only when the division type is Fixed Cell
Dimension, Fixed Number of Cells, or Manual.
To offset the grid
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Divisions under
Element Definitions.
5 Select a Division definition or create a new one.
6 Select Fixed Cell Dimension, Fixed Number of Cells, or Manual as the
division type.
7 To offset the grid, type a positive value for any of the following options
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8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
431
NOTE Nested grids and no infill do not require element definitions. These are
options you select when assigning an infill to cell. For information, see Creating
a Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall on page 452 and Removing the Infill from a
Curtain Wall Cell on page 455.
You can define as many infills as you need, and then use cell assignments to
specify the cells that use each infill. You can modify, as needed, a default infill
that is used for all unassigned cells. For more information about cell assignments, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Elements on page 450.
NOTE Create infill definitions for a specific curtain wall style. Those definitions
can be assigned only to grid cells in curtain walls of that style.
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11 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
After you create an infill definition, you can assign it to any cell in a curtain wall grid. For more information, see Assigning Infills to Curtain Wall
Cells on page 451.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. You can then control the display of each infill definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Walls on page 465.
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TIP After you insert an object in a cell, you can select that object independent
of the grid, and access editing options for the object from the shortcut menu.
To create an infill for inserting an object into a curtain wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Click the New Infill icon to create a new infill.
6 Type a descriptive name for the infill.
7 Select Style as the infill type.
The right side of the dialog box changes to display a tree view of the object
styles available for insertion into a curtain wall.
8 Select an object style.
There is a unique icon for each type of style. For example, the door style
icon
and the curtain wall unit icon
. These icons are also displayed next to the infill name at the top of the dialog to help you identify
the type of infill.
9 Select an alignment for the infill. For more information, see the next section Specifying an Alignment for a Curtain Wall Infill.
10 Specify an offset for the infill. For more information, see the next section,
Specifying an Offset for a Curtain Wall Infill.
11 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
After you create an infill definition, you can assign it to any cell in a curtain wall grid. For more information, see Assigning Infills to Curtain Wall
Cells on page 451.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. You can then control the display of each infill definition
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NOTE To move the infill away from the baseline, see Specifying an Offset for
a Curtain Wall Infill on page 436.
To specify an alignment for an infill
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Select an infill, or create a new one.
6 Select an alignment: front, center, or back.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
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8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
437
NOTE For information about removing an infill from a cell, see Removing the
Infill from a Curtain Wall Cell on page 455.
To remove an infill definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded infill definition from the list.
6 Click the Remove Infill icon to remove the infill definition.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
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You can create as many frame definitions as you want, and then assign the
definitions to the frames as needed. If you have nested grids, then each grid
has its own frame. There is a default frame definition, that you can modify
as needed. Unassigned frames are not displayed. For more information, see
Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Frames on page 458.
TIP You can copy a mullion definition and use it as a frame definition. Select
the mullion definition and drag it to Frames in the tree on the left side of the
dialog box.
NOTE Create frame definitions for a specific curtain wall style. Those definitions can be assigned only to frames in curtain walls of that style.
439
TIP To remove the frame edge and have the infill adjust to fill the space
occupied by the frame, create a frame definition with both width and depth
set to zero. Then, assign that definition to the frame edge that you want to
remove. For more information, see Removing a Frame Edge from a Curtain
Wall on page 459.
8 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see Specifying Offsets
for a Curtain Wall Frame on page 442.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
After you create a frame definition, you can assign it to any frame in a curtain wall. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain
Wall Frames on page 458.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frames unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. You can then control the display of each frame definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Walls on page 465.
NOTE The insertion point of the profile is aligned with the centroid of the
frame.
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NOTE The Profile options are available only if you have existing profiles. For
information about creating a profile, see Working with Profiles on page
1656.
9 Select a profile from the list.
By default, the profile is inserted using the same width and depth with
which it was created.
10 To adjust the size of the profile to fit within the width or depth dimension
of the frame edge, select Auto-Adjust Profile Width or Depth.
11 To mirror the profile, select to mirror along the X or Y axis.
12 To rotate the profile, type a value in the Rotation text box.
13 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see the next section,
Specifying Offsets for a Curtain Wall Frame.
14 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
After you create a frame definition, you can assign it to any frame in a curtain wall. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain
Wall Frames on page 458.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frames unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. You can then control the display of each frame definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Walls on page 465.
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X: Positive X offset moves the frame edge outward beyond the end of the
curtain wall, while a negative X offset moves the frame edge inward
toward the center of the curtain wall.
Y: In plan view, a positive Y offset moves the frame edge above the baseline, while a negative Y offset moves the frame below the baseline.
Start: Negative Start offset lengthens the frame beyond the start point
while a positive Start offset shortens the frame. The start point for vertical
edges, is the baseline, and for horizontal edges (drawn left to right), it is
the left side.
End: Negative End offset lengthens the frame beyond the end point while
a positive End offset shortens the frame. The end point for vertical edges,
is the base height, and for horizontal edges (drawn left to right), it is the
right side.
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a curtain wall, select the curtain
wall and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near
the center of the curtain wall and points toward the end of the curtain wall.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
NOTE For information about removing a frame edge, see Removing a Frame
Edge from a Curtain Wall on page 459.
To remove a frame definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Frames under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded frame definition from the list.
6 Click the Remove Frame icon to remove the frame definition.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
443
You can create as many mullion definitions as you want, and then assign the
definitions to mullions as needed. If you have nested grids, then each grid
has its own mullions. There is a default mullion definition, that you can
modify as needed, that is used for any unassigned mullions. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to the Mullions of a Curtain Wall on
page 462.
TIP You can copy a frame definition and use it as a mullion definition. Select
the frame definition and drag it to Mullions in the tree on the left side of the
dialog box.
NOTE You create mullion definitions for a specific curtain wall style and those
definitions can be assigned only to mullions in curtain walls of that style.
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TIP To remove mullions for butt glazing, create a definition with both width
and depth set to zero. Then, assign that definition to the mullions that you
want to remove. For more information, see Removing Mullions from a Curtain Wall Grid on page 464.
8 Specify the offsets you want. For more information, see Specifying Offsets for the Mullions of a Curtain Wall on page 447.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
After you create a mullion definition, you can assign it to any mullion in
a curtain wall. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to the
Mullions of a Curtain Wall on page 462.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
mullion are applied to all mullions unless you create a custom display component for each definition. You can then control the display of each mullion def-
445
NOTE The insertion point of the profile is aligned with the centroid of the
mullion.
To define mullions using a profile
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Mullions under
Element Definitions.
5 Click the New Mullion icon to create a new mullion definition.
6 Type a descriptive name for the mullion.
7 Specify a width and depth for the mullion. These dimensions are used to
calculate the center point of the mullion for aligning the profile, and also
to specify a boundary for the adjacent infill.
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NOTE The Profile options are available only if you have existing profiles. For
information about creating a profile, see Working with Profiles on page
1656.
9 Select a profile from the list.
By default, the profile is inserted using the same width and depth with
which it was created.
10 To adjust the size of the profile to fit within the width or depth dimension
of the mullion, select Auto-Adjust Profile Width or Depth.
11 To mirror the profile, select to mirror along the X or Y axis.
12 To rotate the profile, type a value in the Rotation text box.
13 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see the next section,
Specifying Offsets for the Mullions of a Curtain Wall.
14 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
After you create a mullion definition, you can assign it to any mullion in
a curtain wall. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to the
Mullions of a Curtain Wall on page 462.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
mullion are applied to all mullions unless you create a custom display component for each definition. You can then control the display of each mullion definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of
Curtain Walls on page 465.
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Y: In plan view, a positive Y offset moves the mullions above the baseline,
while a negative Y offset moves the mullions below the baseline
Start: Negative Start offset lengthens the mullions beyond the start point,
while a positive Start offset shortens the mullions.
End: Negative End offset lengthens the mullions beyond the end point,
while a positive End offset shortens the mullions.
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a curtain wall, select the curtain
wall and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near
the center of the curtain wall and points toward the end of the curtain wall.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
NOTE For information about removing mullions from between cells, see
Removing Mullions from a Curtain Wall Grid on page 464.
To remove a mullion definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Mullions under
Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded mullion definition from the list.
6 Click the Remove Mullion icon to remove the mullion definition.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
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For more information about element definitions, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Style on page 419.
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TIP To rename a grid, select it, and choose Rename from the shortcut
menu. Type a new name.
5 Click the Element column for that grid and select a division definition
from the list. To create a new division definition, select New Division, and
then define the division in the fields below the assignment list.
6 Click OK to return to the Style Manager.
Do not assign multiple definitions to the same cell because the last assigned
definition to the cell is used.
There is a default cell assignment used by all unassigned cells. You can modify the default assignment to be any type of infill, but you cannot delete the
default cell assignment.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component for
each definition. You can then control the display of each infill definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain Walls on
page 465.
451
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid in which
you want to create a new cell assignment.
5 Click the New Cell Assignment icon.
A new cell assignment is displayed in the list of cell assignments.
6 Click New Cell Assignment, and type a descriptive name for the assignment.
7 Under the Element column, select an infill definition that you created or
select one of the following options.
Nested Grid: Fill specified cells with additional divisions. For more information, see Creating a Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall on page 452.
Default Infill: Fill specified cells with the default infill. By default, any
cell without an assignment uses the default infill.
None: Remove the infill from the specified cells. Also removes adjacent
frames. For more information, see Removing the Infill from a Curtain
Wall Cell on page 455.
New Infill: Create a new infill definition for the specified cells. For more
information, see Defining Infills for Curtain Wall Cells on page 432.
8 Specify the cells to use this cell assignment. For more information, see
Specifying Which Curtain Wall Cells Use a Cell Assignment on page
456.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
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2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid in which
you want to create a nested grid.
5 Create a new cell assignment or select an existing one.
6 Select Nested Grid in the Element column.
A new grid is added to the list of grids in the tree view to the left of the
dialog box. If you are editing the primary grid, then the new grid is added
at the secondary level. If you are editing a grid at the secondary level, then
the additional grid is placed at the tertiary level.
NOTE To rename a grid, select it, and choose Rename from the shortcut
menu. Type a new name.
7 Specify the cells to contain this nested grid. For more information, see
Specifying Which Curtain Wall Cells Use a Cell Assignment on page
456.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
453
TIP After you insert an object in a cell, you can select that object independent
of the grid, right-click and access editing options for the object.
To insert an object into a cell
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid in which
you want to insert objects.
5 Create a new cell assignment and select an infill that defines an object
style.
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If you do not have an object style infill defined, then select New Infill and
define one. For more information, see Creating an Infill for Inserting an
Object into a Curtain Wall on page 434.
6 Specify the cells to contain this object. For more information, see Specifying Which Curtain Wall Cells Use a Cell Assignment on page 456.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
455
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
Use Index to insert the infill into specific cells based on cell numbers. Cells
are numbered from left to right or bottom to top. For example, typing 1, 3, 5
would place the infill in the first, third, and fifth cells.
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Any cells that are not assigned a specific cell assignment use the default infill.
To specify the cells to use a cell assignment
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select a grid.
5 Create a new cell assignment or select an existing assignment.
6 Under the Type column, select Location or Index.
7 If you selected Location, click the Used In column, then click the button
at the far right of the row to display the Cell Location Assignment dialog
box. Select the cells you want to use this assignment, then click OK.
If you selected Index, type the cell numbers separated by commas in the
Used In column. For vertical grids, cells are numbered from start to end
and for horizontal grids, cells are numbered from bottom to top.
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to a cell because the last definition
assigned to the cell is used.
457
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
NOTE Each grid requires only one division assignment. Therefore, you cannot
add or remove the division assignment.
To remove an assignment
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid from which
you want to remove an assignment.
5 Select a cell assignment, frame assignment, or a mullion assignment.
6 Click the Remove Assignment icon.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
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NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frame edges unless you create a custom display component for each definition. You can then control the display of each frame definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Walls on page 465.
6 Click New Frame Assignment and type a descriptive name for the
assignment.
7 Select a frame definition from the Element column.
TIP You can create a frame definition by selecting New from the Element
list.
8 Specify the sides of the frame to use this frame assignment. For more information, see Specifying Which Curtain Wall Edges Use a Frame Assignment on page 461.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
459
The first two methods remove the frame edge and expand the adjacent infills
into the space occupied by the edge.
By specifying None as an override, the frame edge is not displayed, but the
adjacent infill is not expanded into the space the edge occupied.
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For information about setting the width and depth to zero, see Defining a
Curtain Wall Frame by Width and Depth on page 439.
For information about leaving the edge unassigned, see Specifying Which
Curtain Wall Edges Use a Frame Assignment on page 461.
For information about overriding the edge, see Overriding a Curtain Wall
Edge Assignment on page 481.
7 Select the edges that you want to use this assignment: Left, Right, Top, or
Bottom and click OK.
461
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to the same frame edge because
the last definition assigned to the edge is used.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
Frame edges that are not assigned a frame definition are not displayed.
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A mullion assignment defines the definition used by each mullion. You can
use one assignment to define all mullions, or you can create multiple assignments and assign different definitions to different mullions.
Do not assign multiple definitions to the same mullion because the last definition assigned to the mullion is used.
There is a default mullion assignment used by all unassigned mullions. You
can modify the default assignment to be any mullion definition, but you
cannot delete the default mullion assignment.
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6 Click New Mullion Assignment and type a descriptive name for the
assignment.
7 Select a mullion definition from the Element column.
TIP You can create a mullion definition by selecting New from the Element
list.
8 Specify the mullions to use this assignment. For more information, see
Specifying Which Curtain Wall Mullions Use an Assignment on page
464.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
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two mullions in the middle of the grid. If there is an odd number of mullions
(three or more), then middle refers to one mullion in the middle of the grid.
Use Index to assign a definition to specific mullions based on mullion
numbers. Mullions are numbered from left to right or bottom to top. For
example, typing 1, 2, 3 would assign the definition to the first, second, and
third mullions.
To specify the mullions that use an assignment
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Walls Curtain Wall Styles.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Styles, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select a grid.
5 Create a new mullion assignment or select an existing assignment.
6 Under the Type column, select Location or Index.
7 If you selected Location, click the Used In column, then click the button
at the far right of the row to display the Mullion Location Assignment dialog box. Select the cells you want to use this assignment, then click OK.
If you selected Index, type the mullion numbers separated by commas in
the Used In column. For vertical grids, mullions are numbers start to end
and for horizontal grids, mullions are number from bottom to top.
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to the same mullion because the
last definition assigned to the mullion is used.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box and return to the Style Manager.
Any mullions that are not assigned a specific mullion assignment use the
default mullion definition.
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NOTE The component name (in the Custom Display Component dialog box)
must match the name of element definition (in the DesignRules tab). Otherwise
it wont display properly.
For more information about the display system, see Display System on
page 99.
NOTE If you select the Custom Plan Component tab, the Custom Display
Component dialog box is similar, except that you do not specify the Z insertion point and Z offset for the custom graphic.
5 Click Edit Display Props. The default list of components includes only the
three basic elements and cell markers.
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6 Click the Custom Model Components tab, and then click Add.
7 Select Infill, Frame, or Mullion as the element type.
8 Select the specific element from the list.
9 Click OK.
10 Click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
The element definition that you added is displayed.
11 Click the Custom Model Components tab to continue adding element
definitions, or click OK to exit all dialog boxes and return to the Style
Manager.
Select the curtain wall style from the property source, and click Attach
Override to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
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468
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
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8 Click OK.
9 Click Scale/Spacing to change the value for the selected component.
10 Click Angle to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
11 Click Orientation to change from making the change global or for the
selected object.
12 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
13 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
469
assembly element so that both are displayed, then do not select Replace
Graphics.
11 Click Select Block, and select the custom block that you created.
12 Click OK to return to the Custom Display Component dialog box.
13 To scale the block to fit a particular dimension, select Width, Height, or
Depth. To prevent the block from losing its proportions, select Lock XY
Ratio.
14 If you want to mirror the block, determine if it should mirror in the X, Y,
or Z direction.
15 Specify how the block is inserted into the grid in the X, Y, and Z directions.
16 If you want to offset the block from the grid, specify the offset in the X, Y,
or Z direction.
17 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
NOTE The Cut Plane tab is displayed only in some display representations,
such as Plan.
4 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Cut Plane tab to set the
cut plane to be displayed in each display representation for the curtain
wall style.
5 Type a height in the Cut Plane Height text box to specify the cut plane at
which hatching takes effect.
6 To add a cut plane, click Add.
If you add a cut plane at a height lower than the Cut Plane Height, objects
are displayed using the properties specified for the Below component on
the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
If you add a cut plane at a height higher than the Cut Plane Height,
objects are displayed using the properties specified for the Above component on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
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4 To define a default, select the option, and then type a value to the right of
it. You can define defaults for Base Height, Floor Line Offset, and Roof Line
Offset.
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Base Height: Distance from the baseline of the curtain wall to the base
height, excluding steps, gables, or other extensions of the floor line and
roof line.
Floor Line Offset: Distance the floor line is offset from the baseline.
Floor Line Offset: Distance the roof line is offset from the base height.
5 Click OK to return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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5 When you finish changing the curtain wall style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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6 When you finish changing the curtain wall style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To purge all the unused curtain wall styles in your current drawing,
select the Curtain Wall Style type, and choose Purge from the shortcut
menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Leave Existing: Do not replace the existing style in the drawing with
the new style of the same name.
Overwrite Existing: Replace the existing style in the drawing with the
new style.
475
Rename to Unique: Rename the new style so both styles exist in the
drawing. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
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The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
Leave Existing: Do not replace the existing style in the drawing with
the new style of the same name.
Overwrite Existing: Replace the existing style in the drawing with
the new style.
Rename to Unique: Rename the new style so both styles exist in the
drawing. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
477
infill. For more information, see Modifying Curtain Wall Styles on page
491.
NOTE You cannot modify a definition using the Override method. For information about modifying definitions, see Using Edit in Place for Curtain Walls
on page 483 or Modifying Curtain Wall Styles on page 491.
Overrides do not affect the Design Rules for the curtain wall style. However,
you can transfer overrides to a curtain wall style if you want all curtain walls
of that style to have the same overrides.
You can view a list of overrides that are currently assigned to a curtain wall
from the Overrides tab of the Curtain Wall Properties dialog box. For more
information, see Removing Curtain Wall Overrides on page 483.
NOTE Overrides are also listed on the Overrides tab in the Curtain Wall Style
Properties dialog box.
Horizontal grids: The cell marker points upward to indicate that cells
are numbered from the bottom to the top.
Vertical grids: The cell marker points to the right to indicate that cells
are numbered from left to right.
Cells assigned a nested grid: The grid icon is used as the cell marker.
Cells assigned any type of infill: The panel infill icon is used as the
cell marker.
When working with nested grids, each grid has its own set of cell markers.
And because the cell markers from different grid levels can overlap, you need
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to specify the grid level you want the markers in. The primary grid is the first
level and any grids nested within the primary grid are second level grids.
Grids nested in the second level are third level grids, and so on. For more
information about nested grids, see Working with Nested Grids in Curtain
Walls on page 414.
To turn on cell markers
1 Select a curtain wall and display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Cell Markers and one of the following options:
Option
Grids
Off
off
all
All Visible
on
1st Grid
on
primary
2nd Grid
on
all secondary
3rd Grid
on
all tertiary
Other
on
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TIP To change the size of the cell markers, click the Display Props tab on the
Curtain Wall Style Properties dialog box. Click Edit Display Props, and select
the Custom Model Components tab. Type a new size for the cell markers.
To merge cells
1 Select a curtain wall and display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Cell Markers, and select the grid level of the cells you want to merge.
For more information, see Turning on Cell Markers in a Curtain Wall on
page 478.
3 Select the curtain wall and display the shortcut menu.
4 Select Overrides Merge Cells.
5 Select the first cell.
6 Select the second cell.
NOTE If you want to assign a grid to a cell that currently has an infill, turn on
Edit in Place, and then use Modify Cell Assignment. For more information, see
Using Edit in Place for Curtain Walls on page 483.
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NOTE Removing the edge does not affect the width of the cell. To remove
the edge and have the adjacent cell resize, create an edge definition with a
width and depth of zero. For more information, see Defining a Curtain Wall
Frame by Width and Depth on page 439 or Defining Curtain Wall Mullions
by Width and Depth on page 444.
481
7 If you selected an AEC profile, the profiles insertion point is aligned with
the center of the edge that was overwritten.
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NOTE Changes made with Edit in Place affect only the selected curtain wall.
Although you can leave a curtain wall in Edit in Place and select a different curtain wall, changes you make to the second wall do not affect the first one.
483
When you turn Edit in Place on, the following options are added to the
shortcut menu:
New menus
New commands
Edit in Place
Discard changes
Save Changes
Element Definitions
Divisions
Infills
Frames
Mullions
Assignments
In addition, a Design Rules tab is added to the Curtain Wall Properties dialog
box. Ordinarily, the Design Rules tab is available only from the Curtain Wall
Style Properties dialog box.
NOTE The Design Rules tab is available only from the Curtain Wall Properties
dialog box when Edit in Place is active.
To modify element definitions while using Edit in Place
1 Select a curtain wall.
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NOTE If you want to use the Design Rules tab to make these changes, instead
of the command line, then select Curtain Wall Properties from the shortcut
menu.
485
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell marker to specify the grid you want to add the assignment to.
Each curtain wall grid has its own assignments.
5 Type one of the following:
Index, and then type pick. Use your pointing device to select the cells
that you want to use this assignment, and then press ENTER.
Location, and then specify whether the new assignment is to be used
in the start cell, middle cell, or end cell of the selected grid.
NOTE If you are adding an assignment to a vertical grid, you are prompted
to assign the grid to the bottom, middle, or top cells.
6 To insert a nested grid in the selected cells, type grid. Then, specify a vertical or horizontal division.
To insert an infill, type infill, and then type the number associated with
the infill definition that you want.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell that has the assignment you want to remove.
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The cell assignment is removed and all cells using that assignment are
assigned the default cell assignment instead.
If you selected a cell that was already using the default cell assignment, a
message is displayed indicating that the cell is already using the default
assignment. For information about modifying the default assignment, see
Defining Infills for Curtain Wall Cells on page 432.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell marker that has the assignment you want to modify.
5 To change the cells that are using this assignment, type used.
To specify the contents of the cell (infill or grid), type element.
NOTE If you select a cell that is using the default cell assignment, you are
not prompted to choose between Used In or Element. You cannot change the
cells using the default assignment, because all unassigned cells use the default
cell assignment.
6 If you selected Used In, type:
Index, and then type p (pick). Use your pointing device to select the
cells that you want to use this assignment.
487
Location, and then specify whether the new assignment is used in the
start cell, middle cell, or end cell (for horizontal grids) or the bottom,
middle, or top cell (for vertical grids).
Grid to change the assignment to include a nested grid, and then specify a vertical or horizontal division.
Infill to change the assignment to include an infill, and then type the
number associated with the infill definition that you want.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge to specify the grid you want to add the assignment to. Each
curtain wall grid has its own assignments.
4 Type one of the following:
Index, and then type p (pick). Use your pointing device to select the
mullions that you want to use this assignment, and then press ENTER.
Location, and specify the edge to be used in the new assignment. If you
selected a frame edge in step 3, then you are prompted for left, right,
top, and bottom edges. If you selected a mullion, you are prompted for
start, middle, or end (for horizontal grids) or bottom, middle or top (for
vertical grids).
5 Type the number associated with the edge definition that you want.
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NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge that has the assignment you want to remove.
The edge assignment is removed and all edges using that assignment are
assigned the default assignment instead.
If you selected an edge that was already using the default cell assignment,
a message is displayed indicating that the cell is aready using the default
assignment. For information about modifying the default assignment, see
Defining Curtain Wall Frames on page 438 or Defining Curtain Wall
Mullions on page 444.
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NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge that has the assignment you want to modify.
4 To change the edges that are using this assignment, type used.
To change the definition of the edge, type element.
NOTE If you select a mullion that is using the default assignment, you are
not prompted to choose between Used In or Element. You cannot change the
mullions used in the default assignment, because all unassigned mullions use
the default assignment.
5 If you selected Used In, type
Index, and then type pick. Use your pointing device to select the
edges that you want to use this assignment.
Location, and then specify whether the new assignment is to be used
for the left, right, top or bottom frame edge. (This option is not available for mullion edges.)
If you selected Element, type the number associated with the edge definition that you want.
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An override option is unavailable when that type of override has not been
applied to the curtain wall. For more information about overrides, see
Overriding Cell and Edge Assignments in Curtain Walls on page 478.
5 Click OK to exit the dialog box and save the changes.
TIP You can also access the Curtain Wall Style Properties dialog box by
selecting a curtain wall of the style you want to edit, and select Edit Curtain
Wall Style from the shortcut menu.
3 Do any of the following
Define new divisions, infills, frames, or mullions. For more information, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Style on
page 419.
Change an existing division, infill, frame or mullion definition. For
more information, see Modifying Existing Element Definitions for
Curtain Wall Styles on page 492.
491
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box when you have completed the changes.
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From the assignments list: Select a grid from the tree view to display
the assignments list. Then, select an element assignment that uses that
definition. Make your changes below the assignment list.
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From the definitions list: Select an element type from the tree view
to display all the definitions for that element type. Select a definition and
make your changes below the definitions list.
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Any changes you make, including changes to the definition name, overwrite
the existing definition. To create a new definition from the assignments list,
select New from the Element list. To create a new definition from the definitions list, click the New Division icon, the New Infill icon, the New Frame
icon or the New Mullion icon.
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Curtain Wall Modify: Changes the height of the curtain wall, selects a
different style, or matches the properties of another existing curtain wall.
Tools menu: Changes the roof line or floor line, adds an interference, or
sets the miter angles between two curtain walls.
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NOTE For information about changing the elements within a curtain wall,
see Modifying the Elements in a Curtain Wall on page 477. For information
about changing the display of the curtain walls, see Modifying the Display
of Curtain Walls on page 465.
The method you want to use depends on what you want to accomplish.
For example, to change the height of the curtain wall, you can use
Curtain Wall Modify, when the height is the only property you need to
change. You can then change height quickly from the dashboard more
precisely than using grips.
Curtain Wall Properties, when you want to change the height in addition
to other properties of selected curtain walls. The Curtain Wall Properties
dialog box gives you easy access to numerous properties.
495
6 Select another curtain wall to modify, or press ENTER to apply the changes.
For more information about miter angles, see Cleaning up Curtain Wall
Corners on page 506.
5 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE You can also modify the roof line and floor line using the commands in
the Tools menu on the shortcut menu. For more information, see Changing the
Roof Line of a Curtain Wall, Changing the Floor Line of a Curtain Wall, and
Reversing Curtain Wall Start/End in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users Guide.
You edit vertex locations on the floor and roof lines to create steps, gables,
and other floor and roof conditions.
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NOTE This option is available only if the roof line has not been edited. After
the roof line changes, you cannot automatically add a gable using this option.
A third vertex is added to the roof line set halfway between the two ends
of the roof line and eight feet up from the roof line.
NOTE The table at the top of the dialog box displays information about
each vertex in the wall. You can also select the vertex to edit from the list.
6 Continue editing the roof or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see your changes applied to the curtain wall in the drawing.
Continue editing your roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog
box.
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5 After selecting either Edit Roof Line or Edit Floor Line, click Add Step.
NOTE This option is available only if the roof line or floor line has not been
edited. After the line has been changed, you cannot automatically add a step
using this option.
A third vertex is added to the line set halfway between the two ends of the
line and four feet from the line, and a step is created from the selected vertex to the second vertex.
The active vertex in the dialog box illustration changes when you select a
different line to edit. Any changes you make to the wall are reflected in
the illustration.
The table at the top of the dialog box displays information about each vertex in the curtain wall. You can also select the vertex to edit from the list.
6 Continue editing the roof or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see your changes applied to the curtain wall in the drawing.
Continue editing the roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog
box.
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3 In the Modify Curtain Walls dialog box, click the Properties icon.
4 In the Curtain Wall Properties dialog box, click the Roof/Floor Line tab.
The active vertex in the illustration changes when you select a different
line to edit. Any changes you make to the curtain wall are reflected in the
Vertex Editing illustration.
5 With either Edit Roof Line or Edit Floor Line selected, do any of the
following:
To add a vertex, click Insert Vertex. In the Wall Roof/Floor Line Vertex
dialog box, specify the horizontal offset and vertical offset for the new
vertex, type a distance, and click OK. The new vertex is displayed in the
vertex editing illustration at the end of this task.
Horizontal Offset: Specifies the existing vertex from which to
measure the placement of the next vertex and how far away from the
existing vertex to place the new one. Distance is measured in the
direction the curtain wall is drawn. You can enter a negative number to
set the vertex in the reverse direction.
From Wall Start: Measures distance from the curtain wall start
point.
From Wall End: Measures distance from the curtain wall endpoint.
From Wall Midpoint: Measures distance from the curtain wall
midpoint.
From Previous Point: Measures distance from the vertex one closer
to the curtain wall start point.
From Next Point: Measures distance from the vertex one closer to
the curtain wall endpoint.
From Midpoint of Neighbors: Measures distance from the
midpoint of the selected vertex and the next one closer to the curtain
wall endpoint.
Distance: Sets the distance from the specified point to create the
new vertex.
501
From Previous Point: Sets height from the height of the previous
point.
From Baseline: Sets height from the baseline of the curtain wall.
Distance: Sets the distance from the specified location to create the
new vertex.
To move a vertex, select a vertex from the list or select a vertex in the
vertex editing illustration, then click Edit Vertex. In the Wall Roof/
Floor Line Vertex dialog box, specify Horizontal Offset and Vertical Offset for the vertex, type a new distance, and click OK. The change to the
vertex is displayed in the vertex editing illustration.
To delete a vertex, click Delete Vertex and select a vertex from the list
or from the vertex editing illustration. The selected vertex is deleted,
and the line automatically connects the two adjacent vertices.
6 Continue editing the roof line or floor line, and then click OK.
7 Click Apply to see the changes applied to the curtain wall in the drawing.
Continue editing roof and floor lines, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE The polyline does not need to be in the same plane as the selected
curtain walls, but it should be parallel to the curtain walls for the best results.
5 Type g (Generate polyline) to generate a polyline, and then select the curtain walls for the polyline to be created from.
6 Type a (Auto project) to project the curtain wall roof line to another
object, select the curtain walls, and then select the object to project to.
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NOTE The polyline does not need to be in the same plane as the selected
curtain walls, but it should be parallel to the curtain walls for the best results.
5 Type g (Generate polyline) to generate a polyline, and then select the curtain walls for the polyline to be created from.
6 Type a (Auto project) to project the wall floor line to another object, select
the curtain walls, and then select the object to project to.
7 Type r (Reset) to remove any floor line changes made to the curtain wall.
8 Press ENTER to end the command.
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To relocate the curtain wall, change the coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the curtain wall, change the axis where the normal is parallel. To locate the curtain wall on the XY plane, make the normal of the
wall parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the Z box, and type
0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the curtain wall on the YZ plane, type
1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To locate the curtain
wall on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type 0 in the X and Z
boxes.
To change the rotation of the curtain wall, type a new value for Rotation Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Curtain Wall Properties dialog box, and then click
Apply to see the changes to the curtain wall without leaving the Modify
Curtain Walls dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE The miter angle is applied to all infills and horizontal edges (frame or
mullion) that are adjacent to the corner. Vertical edges are not affected.
To automatically calculate the miter angles between two curtain walls
1 Select one of the curtain walls.
2 Select Tools Set Miter Angles from the shortcut menu.
3 Select the other curtain wall.
If you change the angle of either curtain wall, use Set Miter Angles again
to calculate the angles again.
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TIP If you want to create a custom corner condition between two curtain
walls, you can replace the edge of one curtain wall with an AEC profile and
remove the edge of the other curtain wall by setting the frame width and
depth to zero for the adjacent edge.
For more information, see Overriding a Curtain Wall Edge Profile on page
481 and Defining Curtain Wall Frames on page 438.
NOTE The miter angle is applied to all infills and horizontal edges that are
adjacent to the corner. Vertical edges are not affected.
To set the miter angle of a curtain wall
1 Select the curtain wall.
2 Select Curtain Wall Properties from the shortcut menu.
3 Click Dimensions.
507
4 To miter the curtain wall at its start point, type an angle for Start Miter
Angle. To miter the curtain wall at its end point, type an angle for End
Miter Angle.
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a curtain wall, select the curtain
wall and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near
the center of the curtain wall and points toward the end of the curtain wall.
5 Click OK.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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NOTE When you swap or release an object or edit its properties, you are creating a variation from the infill cell assignment for the curtain wall style. By
default, these variations (except release) are allowed to persist in the drawing
when you reapply the style to a curtain wall. However, if you want these variations to be overridden when you reapply a curtain wall style, then turn off the
Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition option on the Anchor tab of the
objects Properties dialog box. This option is set on a per object basis.
NOTE This tab is available only for objects that are anchored to another
object, such as a curtain wall.
3 On the Anchor tab, do any of the following:
4 Click OK.
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NOTE This tab is available only for objects that are anchored to another
object, such as a curtain wall.
3 On the Anchor tab, select Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition.
4 Choose a new alignment for the object. For more information, see Specifying an Alignment for a Curtain Wall Infill on page 435.
5 Click OK.
NOTE This tab is available only for objects that are anchored to another
object, such as a curtain wall.
3 On the Anchor tab, select Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition.
4 Specify a new offset for the object. For more information, see Specifying
an Offset for a Curtain Wall Infill on page 436.
5 Click OK.
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NOTE You can also move or erase the object by changing the element definition for the cell that contains the object. For more information, see Defining
Infills for Curtain Wall Cells on page 432.
To release an object anchored in curtain wall
Select one of the objects from the curtain wall and choose Infill
Anchor Release from the shortcut menu.
511
TIP Using curtain wall units in a curtain wall can help you avoid the complexities of too many nested grids in the curtain wall.
Grids are the foundation of curtain walls and curtain wall units. Every grid
has four element types:
512
Element type
Default definitions
Divisions
Cell Infills
Frames
Mullions
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However, you can also create new definitions and assign those definitions to
specific elements within the curtain wall unit. For example, you can create
multiple infill definitions, and then assign different infills to specific cells in
the grid. Likewise, you can create multiple frame definitions, and then assign
a different definition to each frame edge (top, bottom, left, right).
You create element definitions from the Design Rules tab of the Curtain Wall
Unit Style Properties dialog box. Select an element from the tree to display a
list of definitions for that element, icons for adding and removing definitions, and text boxes for creating the definitions.
From the same Design Rules tab, you can assign the definitions to specific
elements in a grid. Select a grid from the tree to display a list of assignments
for that grid, icons for creating new assignments and columns in the assignment table for specifying the definition to use and where. You can also edit
the definitions at the bottom of the dialog box.
To get started with curtain wall units, draw a curtain wall unit using one of
the methods described in the next section, Creating Curtain Wall Units.
Try a variety of the existing curtain wall unit styles, find a style you like and
make a copy of it. Then, modify the element definitions and assignments to
suit your own needs. For more information, see Modifying the Elements in
a Curtain Wall Unit on page 557.
Element definitions and assignments for curtain wall units are identical to
those for curtain walls. For more information, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Style on page 419 or see Creating Element Defini-
513
tions for a Curtain Wall Unit Style in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
For more information about element definitions and assignments, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Unit Style and Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Elements.
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For information about curtain wall unit styles, see Working with Curtain
Wall Unit Styles on page 518.
515
For more information about nested grids, see Working with Nested Grids
in Curtain Walls on page 414.
You are prompted to erase the layout grid after the conversion.
5 To erase the layout grid, type y (Yes). To have the layout grid remain after
the curtain wall unit is created, type n (No).
6 Select vertical or horizontal as the orientation for the primary division.
You are prompted to enter a name for the new style. For more information
about curtain wall unit styles, see Working with Curtain Wall Unit
Styles on page 518.
7 Type a name for this new curtain wall unit style.
8 Click OK.
The horizontal and vertical lines of the 2D layout grid define the divisions
for the curtain wall unit grids and the grid cells, frame, and mullions are
assigned default definitions. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Elements on page 537.
NOTE Curtain wall unit grids are one dimensionaleither horizontal or vertical. To create a grid pattern with horizontal and vertical divisions, like the example above, nested grids are used. For more information about nested grids, see
Working with Nested Grids in Curtain Walls on page 414.
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TIP If you draw your linework in the XY plane (in plan view) and accept the
default baseline, the resulting window assembly is displayed from the
Z direction.
You are prompted to erase the lines that you drew to define the grid.
5 To erase the lines, type y (Yes). To have the lines remain after the curtain
wall unit is created, type n (No).
Each enclosed area is assigned the default cell infill. The lines between the
cells are assigned the default mullion definition, and the boundary
around the grid is assigned the default frame definition. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Elements on
page 537.
517
NOTE You cannot modify the division definition of a custom grid created
from lines, arcs, and circles. You can, however, assign a different division definition to it. For more information, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall
Unit Grid on page 537.
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Element definitions
Definition assignments for each element
Display properties for each element
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You can modify the Standard curtain wall unit style, or you can leave the
Standard style as it is and create a new style.
Curtain wall unit styles are very similar to curtain wall styles. For more information about styles, see Working with Curtain Wall Styles on page 419 or
Working with Curtain Wall Unit Styles in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
NOTE Creating a nested grid is not a division rule. To create a nested grid, add
a cell assignment. For more information, see Creating a Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall Unit and Working with Nested Grids in Curtain Walls.
You can create a variety of division definitions under different names, and
then assign different divisions to each grid in your curtain wall unit. For
more information about assigning divisions to a particular grid, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Unit Grid.
519
NOTE You create division definitions for a specific curtain wall unit style and
those definitions can be assigned only to grids in curtain wall units of that style.
After you create a division definition, you can assign the definition to a
specific grid in a curtain wall unit. For more information, see Assigning
Divisions to a Curtain Wall Unit Grid.
9 When you are finished creating division definitions, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid
in your curtain wall, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Grid
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For information about editing the division after the conversion, see Manually Defining the Number and Size of Cells in a Curtain Wall Unit Grid.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid in
your curtain wall unit, see Assigning Divisions to a Curtain Wall Unit Grid.
523
roof line (for vertical divisions). The width of the grid frame is not considered
in calculating the size of the cell. For example, if you draw a curtain wall unit
with a 14 baseline and a 1 frame on the left and right and you specify a fixed
number of vertical cells, the cells do not appear equal in size. The first and
last cells appear smaller because they include the frame. To make the cells
equal in size, offset the start and end of the grid by the width of the frame.
NOTE You can offset the grid only when the division type is Fixed Cell
Dimension, Fixed Number of Cells, or Manual.
To offset the grid
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Divisions under
Element Definitions.
5 Select a division definition or create a new one.
6 Select Fixed Cell Dimension, Fixed Number of Cells, or Manual as the division type.
7 To offset the grid, type a positive value for any of the following options:
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NOTE Nested grids and no infill do not require element definitions. These are
options you select when assigning an infill to cell. For information, see Creating
a Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall Unit and Removing the Infill of a Cell in a Curtain Wall Unit.
You can define as many infills as you need, and then use cell assignments to
specify the cells used in each infill. There is a default infill, that you can modify as needed, that is used for all unassigned cells. For more information
about cell assignments, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Elements.
NOTE You create Infill definitions for a specific curtain wall unit style, and
those definitions can be assigned only to grid cells in curtain wall units of that
style.
525
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. You can then control the display of each infill definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Wall Units.
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NOTE To move the infill away from the baseline, see Specifying an Offset for
an Infill of a Curtain Wall Unit.
To specify an alignment for an infill
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Select an infill or create a new one.
6 Select an alignment: front, center, or back.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
527
rently assigned to a cell. In addition, you cannot remove the default infill
definition, but you can modify it as needed.
NOTE For information about removing an infill from a cell, see Removing the
Infill of a Cell in a Curtain Wall Unit.
To remove an infill definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded infill definition from the list.
6 Click the Remove Infill icon to remove the infill definition.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
TIP You can copy a mullion definition and use it as a frame definition. Select
the mullion definition and drag it to Frames in the tree on the left side of the dialog box.
NOTE You create frame definitions for a specific curtain wall unit style and
those definitions can be assigned only to frames in curtain wall units of that style.
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TIP To remove the frame edge and have the infill adjust to fill the space
occupied by the frame, create a frame definition with both width and depth
set to zero. Then, assign that definition to the frame edge that you want to
remove. For more information, see Removing a Frame Edge from a Curtain
Wall Unit on page 543.
8 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see Specifying Offsets
for the Frame of a Curtain Wall Unit.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a frame definition, you can assign it to any frame in a curtain wall unit. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Frames.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frames unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. You can then control the display of each frame definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Wall Units.
529
NOTE The insertion point of the profile is aligned with the centroid of the
frame.
To define a frame using a profile
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Frames under Element Definitions.
5 Click the New Frame icon to create a new frame definition.
6 Type a descriptive name for the frame.
7 Specify a width and depth for the frame edge. These dimensions are used
to calculate the center point of the edge for aligning the profile and also
to specify a boundary for the adjacent infill.
8 Select Use Profile.
NOTE The Profile options are available only if you have existing profiles. For
information about creating a profile, see Working with Profiles.
9 Select a profile from the list.
By default, the profile is inserted using the same width and depth with
which it was created.
10 To adjust the size of the profile to fit within the width or depth dimension
of the frame edge, select Auto-Adjust Profile Width or Depth.
11 To mirror the profile, select to mirror along the X or Y axis.
12 To rotate the profile, type a value in the Rotation text box.
13 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see the next section
Specifying Offsets for the Frame of a Curtain Wall Unit.
14 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a frame definition, you can assign it to any frame in a curtain wall unit. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Frames.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frames unless you create a custom display component
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for each definition. You can then control the display of each frame definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Wall Units.
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a curtain wall unit, select the curtain wall unit and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is dis-
531
played near the center of the curtain wall unit and points toward the end of
the curtain wall unit.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE For information about removing a frame edge, see Removing a Frame
Edge from a Curtain Wall Unit.
To remove a frame definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Frames under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded frame definition from the list.
6 Click the Remove Frame icon to remove the frame definition.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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TIP You can copy a frame definition and use it as a mullion definition. Select
the frame definition and drag it to Mullions in the tree on the left side of the dialog box.
NOTE You create mullion definitions for a specific curtain wall unit style, and
those definitions can be assigned only to mullions in curtain wall units of that
style.
TIP To remove mullions for butt glazing, create a definition with both width
and depth set to zero. Then, assign that definition to the mullions that you
want to remove. For more information, see Removing Mullions from a Curtain Wall Unit.
8 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see Specifying Offsets
for the Mullions of a Curtain Wall Unit.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a mullion definition, you can assign it to any mullion in
a curtain wall unit. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to
the Mullions of a Curtain Wall Unit.
533
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the Default
Mullion are applied to all mullions unless you create a custom display component for each definition. You can then control the display of each mullion
definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display
of Curtain Wall Units.
NOTE The insertion point of the profile is aligned with the centroid of the mullion.
To define mullions using a profile
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Mullions under Element Definitions.
5 Click the New Mullion icon to create a new mullion definition.
6 Type a descriptive name for the mullions.
7 Specify a width and depth for the mullions. These dimensions are used to
calculate the center point of the mullion for aligning the profile, and also
to specify a boundary for the adjacent infill.
8 Select Use Profile.
NOTE The Profile options are available only if you have existing profiles. For
information about creating a profile, see Working with Profiles on page
1656.
9 Select a profile from the list.
By default, the profile is inserted using the same width and depth with
which it was created.
10 To adjust the size of the profile to fit within the width or depth dimension
of the mullion, select Auto-Adjust Profile Width or Depth.
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NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
mullion are applied to all mullions unless you create a custom display component for each definition. You can then control the display of each mullion definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of
Curtain Wall Units.
535
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a curtain wall unit, select the curtain wall unit and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near the center of the curtain wall unit and points toward the end of
the curtain wall unit.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE For information about removing mullions from between cells, see
Removing Mullions from a Curtain Wall Unit.
To remove a mullion definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Mullions under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded mullion definition from the list.
6 Click the Remove Mullion icon to remove the mullion definition.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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TIP To rename a grid select it, choose Rename from the shortcut menu, and
type a new name.
5 Click the Element column for that grid and select a division definition
from the list. To create a new division definition, select New Division, and
then define the division in the fields below the assignment list.
6 Click OK.
537
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component for
each definition. You can then control the display of each infill definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain Wall Units.
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Nested Grid: Fill specified cells with additional divisions. For more
information, see Creating a Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall Unit.
Default Infill: Fill specified cells with the default infill. By default,
any cell without an assignment uses the default infill.
NONE: Remove the infill from the specified cells. Also removes any
frame edges adjacent to the cell. For more information, see Removing
the Infill of a Cell in a Curtain Wall Unit.
New Infill: Create a new infill definition for the specified cells.
8 Specify the cells to use this cell assignment. For more information, see
Specifying Which Curtain Wall Unit Cells Use a Cell Assignment.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE To rename a grid select it, choose Rename from the shortcut menu,
and type a new name.
7 Specify the cells to contain this nested grid. For more information, see
Specifying Which Curtain Wall Unit Cells Use a Cell Assignment.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to a cell because the last definition
assigned to the cell is used.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Any cells that are not assigned a specific cell assignment use the default
infill.
541
NOTE Each grid requires only one division assignment. Therefore you cannot
add or remove the division assignment.
To remove an assignment
1 From the Design menu, choose Curtain Wall Units Curtain Wall Unit
Styles, or from the Curtain Walls toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid from which
you want to remove an assignment.
5 Select a cell assignment, frame assignment, or a mullion assignment.
6 Click the Remove Assignment icon.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frame edges unless you create a custom display compo-
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nent for each definition. You can then control the display of each frame definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Curtain
Wall Units.
TIP You can create a frame definition by selecting New from the Element
list.
8 Specify the sides of the frame to use this frame assignment. For more information, see Specifying Which Curtain Wall Unit Edges Use a Frame
Assignment.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
The first two methods remove the frame edge and expand the adjacent infills
into the space occupied by the edge.
543
By specifying None as an override, the frame edge is not displayed, but the
adjacent infill is not expanded into the space the edge occupied.
For information about setting the width and depth to zero, see Defining the
Frame of a Curtain Wall Unit by Width and Depth.
For information about leaving the edge unassigned, see Specifying Which
Curtain Wall Unit Edges Use a Frame Assignment.
For information about overriding the edge, see Overriding an Edge Assignment in a Curtain Wall Unit.
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to the same frame edge because
the last definition assigned to the edge is used.
8 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
Frame edges that are not assigned a frame definition are not displayed.
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grid. For more information about nested grids, see Working with Nested
Grids in Curtain Walls.
A mullion assignment defines the definition used by each mullion. You can
use one assignment to define all mullions, or you can create multiple assignments and assign different definitions to different mullions.
Do not assign multiple definitions to the same mullion because the last definition assigned to the mullion is used.
There is a default mullion assignment used by all unassigned mullions. You
can modify the default assignment to be any mullion definition, but you
cannot delete the default mullion assignment.
TIP You can create a mullion definition by selecting New from the Element
list.
8 Specify the mullions to use this assignment. For more information, see
Specifying Which Mullions in a Curtain Wall Unit Use an Assignment.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to the same mullion because the
last definition assigned to the mullion is used.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Any mullions that are not assigned a specific mullion assignment use the
default mullion definition.
547
NOTE If you select the Custom Plan Component tab, the Custom Display
Component dialog box is similar, except that you do not specify the Z insertion point and Z offset for the custom graphic.
4 Click Edit Display Props.
5 Click the Custom Model Components tab, then click Add.
6 Select Infill, Frame or Mullion as the element type.
7 Select the specific element from the list.
8 Click OK.
9 Click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
The element definition that you added is displayed.
10 Click the Custom Model Components tab to continue adding element
definitions, or click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
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Select the curtain wall unit style from the property source and click
Attach Override to change how the object is displayed in the current
viewport in the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
6 Click OK to set the display for the curtain wall unit style.
NOTE The Hatching tab is not displayed in the Model display representation.
549
5 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Hatching tab to set the
hatch to be displayed in each display representation for the curtain wall
unit style.
6 Select a hatch to change in the Pattern list.
7 In the Hatch Pattern dialog box, select the type of hatch for the selected
component.
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, turn Double Hatch on or
off.
8 Click OK.
9 Click Scale/Spacing to change the value for the selected component.
10 Click Angle to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
11 Click Orientation to change from making the change global or for the
selected object.
12 When you finish changing the wall style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
13 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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5 Click the Custom Model Component tab in the Entity Properties dialog
box.
6 Click Add.
7 Select Infill, Frame, or Mullion as the element type.
8 Specify the specific element from the list.
9 Select Draw Custom Graphics.
10 To display the block instead of the associated curtain wall unit element,
select Replace Graphics. If you want to superimposed the block over the
window assembly element so that both are displayed, then do not select
Replace Graphics.
11 Click Select Block and select the custom block that you created.
12 Click OK to return to the Custom Display Component dialog box.
13 To scale the Block to fit a particular dimension, select Width, Height, or
Depth. To prevent the block from losing its proportions, select Lock XY
Ratio.
14 If you want to mirror the block, determine if it should mirror in the X, Y,
or Z direction.
15 Specify how the block are inserted into the grid in the X, Y, and Z directions.
16 If you want to offset the block from the grid, specify the offset in the X, Y,
or Z direction.
17 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
NOTE The Cut Plane tab is displayed only in some display representations,
such as Plan.
551
4 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Cut plane tab to set the
cut plane to be displayed in each display representation for the curtain
wall unit style.
5 Type a height in the Cut plane Height text box to specify the cut plane
where hatching takes effect.
6 To add a cut plane, click Add.
If you add a cut plane at a height lower than the Cut plane Height, objects
are displayed using the properties specified for the Below component on
the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
If you add a cut plane at a height higher than the Cut plane Height,
objects are displayed using the properties specified for the Above component on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
7 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
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8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
Define the elements within a curtain wall unit. For more information,
see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Unit Style.
Define the display properties. For more information, see Modifying
the Display of Curtain Wall Units.
Attach notes and reference files. For more information, see Attaching
Notes and Files to a Curtain Wall Unit Style.
5 When you finish changing the curtain wall unit style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
553
Define the elements within a curtain wall unit. For more information,
see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Unit Style.
Define the display properties. For more information, see Modifying
the Display of Curtain Wall Units.
Attach notes and reference files. For more information, see Attaching
Notes and Files to a Curtain Wall Unit Style.
6 When you finish changing the curtain wall unit style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To purge a single unused curtain wall unit style in your current drawing, select the style under Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Purge
from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused curtain wall unit styles in your current drawing, select the Curtain Wall Unit Styles, and choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
555
Leave Existing: To not replace the existing style in the drawing with
the new style of the same name.
Overwrite Existing: To replace the existing style in the drawing with
the new style.
Rename to Unique: To rename the new style so both styles exist in
the drawing. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the style to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the curtain wall unit style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the second
drawing.
5 Drag the style over the name of the second drawing in the tree.
The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select Leave Existing, Overwrite
Existing, or Rename to Unique.
Leave Existing: To not replace the existing style in the drawing with
the new style of the same name.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
557
Edit in Place: The best way to experiment with changing the components of a selected curtain wall unit without changing the curtain wall
unit style. You can create and modify element definitions and make new
assignments. When you have finished, you can update the style with your
changes, create a new style, discard your changes, or leave the changes to
the curtain wall unit. For more information, see Using Edit in Place with
Curtain Wall Units on page 562.
Edit Curtain Wall Unit Style: The easiest way to make specific
changes to all curtain wall units of a specific style. For example, if youve
defined a curtain wall unit style that alternates cell infills between windows and panels and you decide to use windows in all cells, then you can
edit the curtain wall unit style and change the cell assignment from the
panel infill to the window infill. For more information, see Modifying
Curtain Wall Unit Styles on page 570.
These modification methods are identical to the methods for curtain walls.
For more information, see Modifying the Elements in a Curtain Wall on
page 477 or Modifying Curtain Wall Unit Styles in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
NOTE You cannot modify a definition using the Override method. For information about modifying definitions, see Using Edit in Place with Curtain Wall
Units or Modifying Curtain Wall Unit Styles.
Overrides do not affect the Design Rules for the curtain wall unit style. However, you can transfer overrides to a curtain wall unit style if you want all curtain wall units of that style to have the same overrides.
You can view a list of overrides that are currently assigned to a curtain wall
unit from the Overrides tab of the Curtain Wall Unit Properties dialog box.
For more information, see Removing Curtain Wall Unit Overrides.
NOTE Overrides are also listed on the Overrides tab in the Curtain Wall Unit
Style Properties dialog box.
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Horizontal grids: The cell marker points upward to indicate that cells
are numbered from the bottom to the top.
Vertical grids: The cell marker points to the right to indicate that cells
are numbered from left to right.
Cells assigned a nested grid: The grid icon is used as the cell marker.
Cells assigned any type of infill The panel infill icon is used as the
cell marker.
When working with nested grids, each grid has its own set of cell markers.
And because the cell markers from different grid levels can overlap, you need
to specify the grid level you want the markers in. The primary grid is the first
level and any grids nested within the primary grid are second level grids.
Grids nested in the second level are third level grids, and so on. For more
information about nested grids, see Working with Nested Grids in Curtain
Walls.
To turn on cell markers
1 Select a curtain wall unit and display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Cell Markers and one of the following options:
TIP To change the size of the cell markers, click the Display Props tab on the
Curtain Wall Unit Style Properties dialog box. Click Edit Display Props, and
select the Custom Model Components tab. Type a new size for the cell markers.
559
NOTE If you want to assign a grid to a cell that currently has an infill, turn on
Edit in Place, and then use Modify Cell Assignment. For more information, see
Using Edit in Place with Curtain Wall Units.
To override a cell assignment
1 Select a curtain wall unit and display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Cell Markers and select the grid level of the cell you want to edit.
For more information, see Turning on Cell Markers for a Curtain Wall
Unit.
3 Select Overrides Override Cell Assignment.
4 Select a cell.
A list of infill definitions is displayed.
5 Type the number that corresponds to the infill you want or type none to
remove the infill and the cell edges.
NOTE Removing the edge does not affect the width of the cell. To remove
the edge and have the adjacent cell resize, create an edge definition with a
width and depth of zero. For more information, see Defining the Frame of a
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Curtain Wall Unit by Width and Depth or Defining the Mullions of a Curtain
Wall Unit by Width and Depth.
561
2 Select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu. For more information about
Edit in Place, see Using Edit in Place with Curtain Wall Units.
3 Select the curtain wall unit again, and from the shortcut menu, select Edit
in Place Save changes.
4 Select an existing style or create a new one.
5 Select the type of overrides that you want to transfer to the curtain wall
unit style.
6 Click OK.
To see a list of the overrides that are now assigned to the curtain wall unit
style, click the Overrides tab of the Curtain Wall Unit Style Properties dialog box.
NOTE To remove the override from all curtain wall units of the same style,
select Edit Curtain Wall Unit Style instead of Curtain Wall Unit Properties.
2 Click Overrides.
3 Select an override from the list and click Remove.
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE Changes made with Edit in Place affect only the currently selected curtain wall unit. Although you can leave a curtain wall unit in Edit in Place and
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select a different curtain wall unit, changes you make to the second wall do not
affect the first curtain wall unit.
When you turn Edit in Place on, the following options are added to the shortcut menu:
In addition, a Design Rules tab is added to the Curtain Wall Unit Properties
dialog box. Ordinarily, the Design Rules tab is available only from the Curtain Wall Unit Style Properties dialog box.
NOTE The Design Rules tab is available only from the Curtain Wall Unit Properties dialog box when Edit in Place is active.
To modify element definitions while using Edit in Place
1 Select a curtain wall unit.
2 Select Element Definitions from the shortcut menu.
3 Select one of the following options:
563
NOTE If you want to use the Design Rules tab to make these changes, instead
of the command line, then select Curtain Wall Unit Properties from the shortcut
menu.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell marker to specify the grid you want to add the assignment to.
Each curtain wall unit grid has its own assignments.
5 Type one of the following:
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Index, and then type pick. Use your pointing device to select the cells
that you want to use this assignment, and then press ENTER.
Location, and specify whether the new assignment is to be used in the
start cell, middle cell, or end cell of the selected grid.
NOTE If you are adding an assignment to a vertical grid, you are prompted
to assign the grid to the bottom, middle, or top cells.
6 To insert a nested grid in the selected cells, type grid. Then, specify a vertical or horizontal division.
To insert an infill, type infill, and then type the number associated with
the infill definition that you want.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell that has the assignment you want to remove.
The cell assignment is removed and all cells using that assignment are
assigned the default cell assignment instead.
If you selected a cell that was already using the default cell assignment, a
message is displayed indicating that you cannot remove the default
assignment. For information about modifying the default assignment, see
Defining Infills for Curtain Wall Unit Cells.
565
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell marker that has the assignment you want to modify.
5 To change the cells that are using this assignment, type used.
To specify the contents of the cell (infill or grid), type element.
NOTE If you select a cell that is using the default cell assignment, you are
not prompted to choose between Used In or Element. You cannot change the
cells to use the default assignment, because all unassigned cells use the
default cell assignment.
6 If you selected Used In, type
Index, and then type pick. Use your pointing device to select the cells
that you want to use this assignment.
Location, and specify whether the new assignment is used in the start
cell, middle cell, or end cell (for horizontal grids) or the bottom, middle, or top cell (for vertical grids).
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NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge to specify the grid you want to add the assignment to. Each
curtain wall unit grid has its own assignments.
4 Type one of the following:
Index, and then type pick. Use your pointing device to select the mullions that you want to use this assignment, and then press ENTER.
Location, and then specify the edge to use the new assignment. If you
selected a frame edge in step 3, then you are prompted for left, right,
top, and bottom edges. If you selected a mullion, you are prompted for
start, middle, or end (for horizontal grids) or bottom, middle or top (for
vertical grids).
5 Type the number associated with the edge definition that you want.
567
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge that has the assignment you want to remove.
The edge assignment is removed and all edges using that assignment are
assigned the default assignment instead.
If you selected an edge that was already using the default cell assignment,
a message is displayed indicating that you cannot remove the default
assignment. For information about modifying the default assignment, see
Assigning Definitions to Curtain Wall Unit Frames and Assigning Definitions to the Mullions of a Curtain Wall Unit.
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2 Select Assignments Modify Edge Assignment from the curtain wall unit
shortcut menu.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge that has the assignment you want to modify.
4 To change the edges that are using this assignment, type used.
To change the definition of the edge, type element.
NOTE If you select a mullion that is using the default assignment, you are
not prompted to choose between Used In or Element. You cannot change the
mullions to use the default assignment, because all unassigned mullions use
the default assignment.
5 If you selected Used In, type
Index, and then type pick. Use your pointing device to select the edges
that you want to use this assignment.
Location and then specify whether the new assignment is used for the
left, right, top or bottom frame edge. (This option is not available for
mullion edges.)
If you selected Element, type the number associated with the edge definition that you want.
569
An override option is unavailable when that type of override has not been
applied to the curtain wall unit. For more information about overrides, see
Overriding Cell and Edge Assignments for Curtain Wall Units on page
558.
5 Click OK to exit the dialog box and save the changes.
TIP You can also access the Curtain Wall Unit Style Properties dialog box by
selecting a curtain wall unit of the style you want to edit, and choose Edit Curtain Wall Unit Style from the shortcut menu.
3 Do any of the following:
570
Define new divisions, infills, frames, or mullions. For more information, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Unit Style
on page 519.
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Curtain Walls
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box when you have completed the changes.
From the assignments list: Select a grid from the tree view to display
the assignments list. Then, select an element assignment that uses that
definition. Make your changes below the assignment list.
From the definitions list: Select an element type from the tree view
to display all definitions for that element type. Select a definition and
make your changes below the definitions list.
Any changes you make, including changes to the definition name, overwrite
the existing definition. To create a new definition from the assignments list,
select New from the Element list. To create a new definition from the definitions list, click the New Division icon, the New Infill icon, the New Frame
icon, or the New Mullion icon.
571
attach notes and reference files. You can also change the location of a freestanding curtain wall unit or modify how the curtain wall unit is anchored
to another object.
NOTE For information about changing the components within a curtain wall
unit, see Modifying the Elements in a Curtain Wall Unit on page 557. For information about changing the display of the curtain wall unit, see Modifying the
Display of Curtain Wall Unit Elements on page 548.
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Height: The distance from the bottom to the top of the curtain wall
unit.
Width: The distance from the start to the end of the curtain wall unit.
Start Miter Angle: The angle of all infills and horizontal edges
(frame or mullion) at the start of the curtain wall unit.
End Miter Angle: The angle of all infills and horizontal edges (frame
or mullion) at the end of the curtain wall unit.
For more information about miter angles, see Setting a Miter Angle for
a Curtain Wall Unit Adjacent to Another Object on page 573.
NOTE The miter angle is applied to all infills and horizontal edges that are
adjacent to the corner. Vertical edges are not affected.
To set the miter angle of a curtain wall unit
1 Select the curtain wall unit and choose Curtain Wall Unit Properties from
the shortcut menu.
2 Click Dimensions.
3 To miter the curtain wall unit at its start point, type an angle for Start
Miter Angle. To miter the curtain wall unit at its end point, type an angle
for End Miter Angle.
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a curtain wall unit, select the curtain wall unit and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near the center of the curtain wall unit and points toward the end of
the curtain wall unit.
4 Click OK.
573
NOTE To remove the override from all curtain wall units of the same style,
select Edit Curtain Wall Unit Style instead.
2 Click Overrides.
3 Select an override from the list and click Remove.
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
7 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data.
8 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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NOTE For information about changing the location of a curtain wall unit that
is anchored to a curtain wall, see Specifying Which Curtain Wall Unit Cells Use
a Cell Assignment on page 541.
To change the location properties of a curtain wall unit
1 Select the curtain wall unit and choose Curtain Wall Unit Properties from
the shortcut menu.
2 In the Curtain Wall Unit Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
3 Do any of the following:
To relocate the curtain wall unit, change the coordinate values under
Insertion Point.
To reorient the curtain wall unit, change the axis to where the normal
is parallel. To locate the curtain wall unit on the XY plane, make the
normal of the wall parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the
Z box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the curtain wall unit
on the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes.
To locate the curtain wall unit on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and
type 0 in the X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the curtain wall unit, type a new value for
Rotation Angle.
4 Click OK.
575
NOTE For information about releasing the curtain wall unit anchor so that it
moves and erases independently from the curtain wall, see Releasing an Object
Anchored in a Curtain Wall on page 511.
NOTE The Anchor tab is available only if the curtain wall unit is anchored
to a curtain wall or window assembly.
3 On the Anchor tab, do any of the following:
4 Click OK.
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NOTE The Anchor tab is available only when the Curtain Wall Unit is
anchored to a curtain wall or window assembly.
3 On the Anchor tab, select Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition.
Because alignment is part of the infill definition, you need to specify this
change as an acceptable variation from the definition.
4 Choose a new alignment for the object. For more information, see Specifying an Alignment for an Infill of a Curtain Wall Unit on page 526.
5 Click OK.
NOTE The Anchor tab is available only when the Curtain Wall Unit is
anchored to a curtain wall or window assembly.
3 On the Anchor tab, select Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition.
Because alignment is part of the infill definition, you need to specify this
change as an acceptable variation from the definition.
4 Specify a new offset for the object. For more information, see Specifying
an Offset for an Infill of a Curtain Wall Unit on page 527.
5 Click OK.
Menu Command
Command Line
CurtainWallAdd
CurtainWallModify
577
Menu Command
Command Line
Convert Wall to
Curtain Wall
CurtainWallConvertWall
Convert Linework to
Curtain Wall
CurtainWallConvert
CurtainWallConvertGrid
CurtainWallReference
CurtainWallStyle
CwUnitAdd
Convert Linework to
Curtain Wall Unit
CwUnitConvert
CwUnitConvertGrid
CwUnitStyle
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Chapter 15
GridAssemblyCopyFromStyle
Edit in Place
GridAssemblyMakeStyleBased
GridAssemblySaveChanges
GridAssemblySetEditDepthOff
GridAssemblySetEditDepthAll
GridAssemblySetEditDepth1
GridAssemblySetEditDepth2
GridAssemblySetEditDepth3
GridAssemblySetEditDepth
GridAssemblyMergeCells
GridAssemblyAddCellOverride
Curtain Walls
Menu Command
Command Line
GridAssemblyAddEdgeOverride
GridAssemblyAddProfileOverride
GridAssemblyEditDivisions
GridAssemblyEditInfill
GridAssemblyEditBoundaryEdge
GridAssemblyEditInteriorEdges
GridAssemblyAddCellSpecifier
GridAssemblyRemoveCellSpecifier
GridAssemblyModifyCellSpecifier
GridAssemblyAddEdgeSpecifier
GridAssemblyRemoveEdgeSpecifier
GridAssemblyModifyEdgeSpecifier
CurtainWallReverse
Tools Reverse
RoofLine
FloorLine
GridAssemblyInterference
Tools Interference
GridAssemblySetMiterAngles
CurtainWallStyleEdit
CurtainWallProps
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Menu Command
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Chapter 15
Command Line
CwUnitStyleEdit
CwUnitProps
Curtain Walls
Slabs
16
In this chapter
Creating slabs
edge conditions.
Modifying slabs
Creating slab styles
Changing slab styles
581
Creating Slabs
A slab is a three dimensional body, bounded by a planer polygon (perimeter),
of any shape, and with any number of edges. Each slab is defined by its
perimeter, edge conditions, and style.
You can specify slope (pitch) of the slab either as an angle or as a rise-to-run
ratio. If you change the slope, the slab rotates around its pivot point. The
pivot point is initially the first vertex of the baseline, but you can move it to
any other point, either on or off the slab.
The slab insertion point is also, by default, the first point on the baseline. You
can offset the baseline, however, either horizontally or vertically from the
insertion point, to allow for precise alignment with walls or structural
elements.
The perimeter of the slab is a planer polygon defined by the X,Y,Z coordinates of its vertices. The slab can have three or more vertices, with the ability
to add or remove vertices. Each pair of vertices defines an edge.
The body of the slab is an extrusion perpendicular to the plane of the perimeter. The thickness of this extrusion is specified either in the slab style, when
it has a fixed thickness, or for each slab instance. The position of the slab bottom, relative to its perimeter plane, is controlled by the thickness offset value
in the slab style design rules. The imaginary line passing through the slab at
the perimeter line (in section) is called the slope line.
The following illustrations shows a four-sided slab.
Creating a slab
Each slab edge is defined by its orientation (plumb or square), angle (relative
to the orientation), edge style (fascia and soffit), and overhang (which
defines the point at which the fascia begins).
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The orientation, edge angle, and overhang are attributes of the slab instance,
but can be set as defaults in the slab edge style. The fascia and soffit parameters can be set only in the edge style.
Creating a Slab
When a slab is created, the first selected point determines the insertion point
of the slab. This point also locates the default pivot point of the slab. The
pivot point is represented on the slab by a small pyramid-shaped marker. The
second point picked determines the end point of the slab baseline. Subsequent points picked establish the vertices of the slab perimeter. The baseline
is always the first edge of the slab perimeter.
To create a slab
1 From the Design menu, choose Slabs Add Slab.
2 In the Add Slab dialog box, from the Style list, select an existing style.
3 From the Mode list, select Projected or Direct.
Projected: The X,Y coordinates of the first point are projected to a Z
value of the current base height. This establishes the insertion point. The
second point establishes the baseline. All subsequent points, if any, are
projected to a plane established by the baseline and the specified slope
angle. This mode is provided for architects who wish to layout a slab by
tracing over a plan drawing.
Direct: The points specified become the vertices of the slab perimeter.
4 In the Thickness box, type the thickness for the slab.
5 In the Base Height box, type the height of the slab insertion point. This is
available only when you select Projected mode.
6 In the Overhang box, type the depth for the overhang.
7 In the Justify box, select the justification for the slab, Top, Center, Bottom,
or Slopeline.
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the slab object. The Justify option is intended primarily for Direct mode.
Top: Aligns the top of the added slab with the first selected point.
Center: Aligns the center of the added slab with the first selected point.
Bottom: Aligns the bottom of the added slab with the first selected
point.
Creating Slabs
583
Slopeline: Aligns the slopeline of the added slab with the first selected
point. The slopeline is defined as the position of the slab baseline relative
to its bottom face. This is set by the thickness offset in the Slab Style
Design Rules dialog box.
8 Set the slope for the slab by typing it in the Rise, Run, or Angle boxes.
When you change one value and click another box, the other fields adjust
accordingly. This is available only when you select Projected mode.
9 Click one of the direction buttons, to set how the slab is drawn relative to
the baseline.
NOTE You can use direction options only when you select two points. If
you select three or more points, the Direction buttons are shaded.
10 After the parameters for the slab have been set, click in your drawing, then
select a point for the beginning of the slab.
11 Select a second point for the first edge (baseline) of the slab.
12 You can select further points to define the slab, or you can click Ortho
Close to finish the slab.
Ortho Close: While drawing a slab, Ortho Close uses the first line and
the selected direction, and draws a square slab based on the current settings in the Add Slab dialog box.
13 After you have specified three or more points, you can click Polyline Close
to connect the last point of the slab to the first point, or you can click
Ortho Close to square off the last edge with the first.
14 Click OK.
TIP This command is useful when you want a specific alignment between the
slab baseline and the wall baseline.
To create a slab from a wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Slabs Convert to Slabs.
2 Select an existing wall, and press ENTER.
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3 Type y (Yes) to erase the wall, or n (No) to leave the wall in the drawing.
4 Specify the justification for the slab, Top, Center, Bottom, or Slopeline.
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the slab object.
Top: Aligns the top of the slab with the wall base height.
Center: Aligns the center of the slab with the wall base height.
Bottom: Aligns the bottom of the slab with the wall base height.
Slopeline: Aligns the slopeline of the slab with the wall base height. The
slopeline is defined as the position of the slab baseline relative to its bottom face. This is set by the thickness offset in the Changing the Slab Style
Design Rules Properties dialog box.
5 Type where you want the baseline edge of the slab to align to in relation
to the wall width. This can be the left, center, or right of the wall or on the
baseline of the wall.
Left: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the left side of the wall, based on
the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Center: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the center of the wall.
Right: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the right side of the wall, based
on the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Baseline: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the baseline of the wall.
6 Type the slope direction, either left or right. This is based on the direction
the wall was drawn.
7 In the Slab Properties dialog box, you can edit the style properties and
dimension properties. See Changing the Slab Style or Applying a New Slab
Style and Changing the Slab Dimensions for more information. Click OK
after you have added and changed the necessary information.
NOTE A flat slab is created only when you specify a zero slope. If you select
multiple walls and a non-zero slope, multiple slabs are created.
Creating Slabs
585
When you select multiple walls that do not form a closed shape, you can use
Polyline Close to form the slab. If the closed polyline intersects one of the
selected walls, then the slab is invalid and you must select the walls again.
You can specify all slab properties during the conversion or after creation.
To create a flat slab from a wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Slabs Convert to Slabs.
2 Select the walls to form the slab, and press ENTER.
3 Type y (Yes) to erase the walls, or n (No) to leave the walls in the drawing.
4 Specify the justification for the slab, Top, Center, Bottom, or Slopeline.
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the slab object.
Top: Aligns the top of the slab with the wall base height.
Center: Aligns the center of the slab with the wall base height.
Bottom: Aligns the bottom of the slab with the wall base height.
Slopeline: Aligns the slopeline of the slab with the wall base height. The
slopeline is defined as the position of the slab baseline relative to its bottom face. This is set by the thickness offset in the Slab Style Design Rules
dialog box. See Changing the Slab Style Design Rules Properties for more
information.
5 Type where you want the baseline edge of the slab to align to in relation
to the wall width. This can be the left, center, or right of the wall or on the
baseline of the wall.
Left: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the left side of the wall, based on
the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Center: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the center of the wall.
Right: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the right side of the wall, based
on the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Baseline: Aligns the slab baseline edge to the baseline of the wall.
6 Type the slope direction, either left or right. This is based on the direction
the wall was drawn.
NOTE The slope direction is only used for non-zero slopes. If you create a
flat slab, the slope direction is ignored.
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7 In the Slab Properties dialog box, you can edit the style properties and
dimension properties. See Changing the Slab Style or Applying a New Slab
Style and Changing the Slab Dimensions for more information. Click OK
after you have added and changed the necessary information.
Creating Slabs
587
5 If you select Projected as the creation mode, type the base height for the
slab.
6 Specify the justification for the slab, Top, Center, Bottom, or Slopeline.
Top: Aligns the slab top with the polyline (or base height, if using projected mode.)
Center: Aligns the slab center with the polyline (or base height, if using
projected mode.)
Bottom: Aligns the slab bottom with the polyline (or base height, if
using projected mode.)
Slopeline: Aligns the slab slopeline with the polyline (or base height, if
using projected mode.)
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the slab object.
7 In the Slab Properties dialog box, you can edit the style properties and
dimension properties. See Changing the Slab Style or Applying a New Slab
Style and Changing the Slab Dimensions for more information. Click OK
after you have added and changed the necessary information.
NOTE If you have specified the Direct mode, then the slope value is
ignored.
Modifying a Slab
To modify a slab
1 From the Design menu, choose Slabs Modify Slab.
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NOTE If you have set one of the slab Hold Elevation constraints in the Slab
Dimensions Properties dialog box, the pivot point is ignored.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
Editing Slabs
Through the slab tools, you can trim, extend, miter and cut slabs into the
shape you need. You can use other editing functions, such as adding a vertex
to the slab, adding a hole, or adding objects to the slab. You can also edit each
slab edge individually.
NOTE To select the slab, pick near one of the slab edges.
Editing Slabs
589
3 Select edges to edit from the list. The edge is highlighted in the viewer.
Trimming a Slab
You can trim a slab with any polyline, wall, or slab which defines a cutting
plane through the slab. The cutting object does not actually have to intersect
the slab, as long as it provides an intersection in the current user coordinate
system (UCS).
Any fascia and/or soffit profile which intersects the trim line is trimmed at
the same angle as the slab.
If the trimming object is a 3D body, such as a wall or slab, the trim plane is
at the closest surface. The new slab edge at the trim line has its edge angle
defined by the trimming plane.
It is not possible to trim an overhang only. The trim line must intersect the
slab perimeter line at some point.
To trim a slab
1 From the Design menu, choose Slab Tools Trim Slab.
2 Select an object to trim the slab with. The object can be a wall, another
slab, or a polyline.
3 Select the slab to trim.
4 Specify the side of the slab to be trimmed.
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Extending a Slab
You can extend a slab to another slab or to a wall.
The target object does not have to actually intersect the plane of the slab, as
long as it projects an intersection in the current user coordinate system
(UCS).
Because multiple edges may have to be moved in an extend operation, you
are prompted to select the adjacent edges to lengthen, rather than the
specific edges to move. These selected edges retain their current vector
(angle) and are stretched until they intersect the plane of the target object.
If multiple edges exist between the selected edges, they are joined to form a
single edge. The new edge is set to the angle of the target surface.
Editing Slabs
591
Any fascia and/or soffit profile on the adjacent edges are extended to the
target surface and trimmed to its angle.
To extend a slab
1 From the Design menu, choose Slab Tools Extend Slab.
2 Select the wall or slab to extend to.
3 Select the slab to be extended.
4 Select the first edge to lengthen.
5 Select the second edge to lengthen.
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TIP If you need to miter multiple edges on a slab, stretch them to overlap the
other slab and use Miter by Intersection.
To miter slabs by intersection
1 From the Design menu, choose Slab Tools Miter Slab.
2 Type e (Edges) to miter selected edges of the slabs.
3 Select one edge on the first slab to miter.
4 Select one edge on the second slab to miter.
Editing Slabs
593
Cutting a Slab
You can cut a slab into two or more slabs using any 3D object or polyline. If
you use a 3D body such as a wall, slab, mass element, or closed polyline, the
slab is broken along the intersection lines of the surfaces.
The slab is cut only when the 3D body or closed polyline actually intersects
the perimeter line of the slab. If you use an open polyline, the slab is cut
along the projection to the slab surface.
In either case, when the intersection line crosses the slab multiple times,
multiple slabs are created. If the intersection line has multiple edges, multiple edges are added to the new slabs.
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TIP To place a new vertex at a precise intersection point, use ENT or APP object
snaps.
To add a vertex to a slab
1 From the Design menu, choose Slab Tools Add Slab Vertex.
2 Select an existing slab.
3 Specify a point for the new vertex.
The new vertex is added to the nearest slab edge, perpendicular to the
selected point. If there is no point perpendicular to the slab, no vertex is
added.
NOTE To see the new vertex, select the slab after running this command.
A new grip point is displayed where you selected a new vertex.
Editing Slabs
595
the surfaces of the cutting bodies, and are not necessarily parallel to each
other.
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Chapter 16
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NOTE If you create a hole that is either outside or overlapping the slab
baseline or perimeter line at a slab overhang, then the body of the slab is cut
but the fascia and soffit remain. In this case, it is better to use the Cut Slab
command.
Editing Slabs
597
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Chapter 16
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NOTE If you have set the Hold Fascia Elevation, When Changing Slope constraint, the pivot point is ignored during grip stretching with CTRL + ALT.
NOTE The pivot point is unaffected by grip editing of the slab edges.
Editing Slabs
599
Baseline
Use the Node object snap to snap to the vertex points of the slab baseline.
Snap
Use the Insertion object snap to snap to the insertion point of the slab.
Use the Endpoint object snap to snap to the vertices of the slab edges.
Use the Midpoint object snap to snap to the midpoints of the slab edge lines.
Slab Properties
You can change the style, dimensions, edge properties and location of the
slab.
600
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
Chapter 16
Slabs
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
NOTE If you select more than one slab that have different styles, *VARIES* is
added to and is selected in the Slab Style dialog box. If you select a new slab
style, all selected styles are assigned that style.
Slab Properties
601
5 In the Thickness box, you can type a new thickness for the slab.
6 In the Vertical Offset box, you can type a new vertical distance offset from
the insertion point.
7 In the Horizontal Offset box, you can type a new horizontal distance offset from the insertion point.
8 In the Slope section, you can change the slope for the slab by typing the
values in the Rise, Run, or Angle boxes. After you change one value and
click another box, the other fields adjust accordingly.
9 By selecting Hold Fascia Elevation, When Changing Slope, you can constrain the fascia to align with other slab fascias even if the style is changed.
The two options can adjust the overhang or baseline height of the slab.
The constraints also apply to grip editing.
NOTE This constraint applies only to the baseline edge, and it works only
when the baseline is horizontal.
10 In the Pivot Point section, you can change the X, Y, and Z values of the
current pivot point location. The Pivot Point can be set graphically in the
Modify dialog box.
11 After you finish the changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE You can set values back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style
Defaults on the Style tab.
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NOTE If you right-click the edge number, you can reset the selected edges
to their style defaults from the shortcut menu. If the option name is shaded,
the edges match the defaults.
10 After you finish the changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Slab Properties
603
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the slab without leaving the Slab Modify dialog box.
7 After you finish the changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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3 Type a name for the new slab style, and press ENTER.
4 To edit the style properties of your new slab style, select the style, rightclick, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Slab Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to the
style, change the default values, and change the display properties of the
new style. For more information about changing each style property, see
Changing Slab Style Properties on page 609.
5 After you finish changing the slab style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
605
To purge a single unused slab style in the current drawing, select the
style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
To purge all unused slab styles in the current drawing, select the slab
style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
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Chapter 16
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slab style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the
tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to the current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered out to display only the slab style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Slab Styles to display the slab styles in the
drawing.
5 Select the slab style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names is displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
607
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the new
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 After you finish changing the slab style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
609
4 In the Thickness box, type the default thickness for the slab.
5 In the Vertical Offset box, type the default vertical distance for the offset.
6 In the Horizontal Offset box, type the default horizontal distance for the
offset.
7 In the Slope section, you can set the default slope for the slab by typing
the values in the Rise, Run, or Angle boxes. When you change one value
and click another box, the other fields adjust accordingly.
8 Select whether to automatically assign an edge style to the baseline edge
of the slab. If this is turned on, select the style from the list.
9 Select whether to automatically assign an edge style to the perimeter edges
of the slab, which are all edges but the baseline edge. If this is turned on,
select the style from the list.
10 Click New Edge Style to create a new edge style. See Creating New Slab
Edge Styles for more information.
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Chapter 16
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11 After you finish changing the slab style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
611
4 From the list at the top of the dialog box, select the display representation
The display representation set in the current viewport is marked with an
asterisk (*).
5 Do any of the following:
Select the slab style from the property source and click Attach Override
to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport in the
drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
6 After you finish changing the slab style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Slab Edges
The slab edge style defines the appearance of the slab edges. Each style consists of two components, a fascia and a soffit. Both components are optional.
The fascia component follows the orientation of the slab edge, plumb, or
square cut. The soffit component, however, is always oriented to the
horizontal. Either component can have a positive or negative angle, relative
to its base orientation.
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The +/- directions for the edge component angles remains the same regardless of their orientation in the X,Y plane. They always follow the slab slope,
so that, for example, a +30 soffit and a +30 slab would be parallel to each
other. Similarly, a +10 (plumb cut) fascia and a -10 soffit would meet at a
right angle. Mirroring a slab maintains the same angle signs for all
components.
Fascia
The fascia is defined by an AEC Profile, with its insertion point located at the
top of the slab edge. The local Y axis of the profile polyline aligns with the
slab edge angle. The fascia profile is drawn at actual size, except when you
select Auto-Adjust. If the slab edge is sloped relative to the ground plane, the
length is measured parallel to that slope, not plumb with the ground.
When you select Auto-Adjust to Edge Height, the fascia profile is scaled about
its insertion point so that its lowest Y axis point aligns with the bottom of
the slab edge.
Soffit
The soffit is defined by an AEC Profile, with the its insertion point positioned
at the X & Y offsets from the fascia insertion point.
NOTE These offsets are measured relative to the slab edge angle, not the
world UCS.
The soffit profile is drawn at actual size, except when you select Auto-Adjust.
The soffit angle is measured about its insertion point, using the local X axis
of the AEC profile.
When you select Auto-Adjust to Overhang Depth, the soffit profile is scaled
about the insertion point, so that the furthest X axis point aligns with a
plumb line from the slab baseline or perimeter line. Auto-Adjust scaling is
adjusted by the horizontal offset from the slab baseline dimension.
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Chapter 16
Slabs
To purge a single unused Slab Edge style in the current drawing, select
the style under the style type and right-click. Choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
To purge all unused slab edge styles in the current drawing, select the
slab edge style type and right-click. Choose Purge from the shortcut
menu.
3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
615
ing them in a single drawing or template and copying them into new drawings.
To import a slab edge style
1 From the Design menu, choose Slabs Slab Edge Styles.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The slab edge styles in the current drawing are displayed under
the slab edge style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out
in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to the current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view and is filtered out
to display only the slab edge style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Slab Edge Styles to display the slab edge
styles in the drawing.
5 Select the slab edge style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Chapter 16
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The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The slab edge styles in the current drawing are displayed under
the slab edge style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out
in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File New drawing to create the new drawing to copy the style to.
3 Type a name for the new drawing, and click Save.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view that is filtered out
to display only the slab edge style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the new
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
617
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
618
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
Chapter 16
Slabs
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 After you finish changing the slab edge style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Square: The edge is cut square (90 degrees) with the plane of the slab.
Plumb: The edge is cut plumb (perpendicular) to the ground
6 In the Angle box, set an angle relative to the selected orientation. A positive value moves the bottom of the edge out and a negative value moves
the bottom of the edge in.
7 After you finish changing the slab edge style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
619
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE If you select *NONE*, display component settings are displayed for
the slab edge line or plane where the fascia is located.
6 In the Auto-Adjust to Edge Height box, select whether the fascia automatically scales to fit the height of the edge.
7 Select whether to assign a soffit to the edge style. If you select *NONE*, display component settings are displayed for the slab edge line or plane
where the soffit is located.
8 If there is soffit in this edge style, select an AEC profile for the soffit.
9 In the Auto-Adjust to Overhang Depth box, select whether the soffit automatically scales to fit the depth of the overhang.
10 In the Angle box, you can set the soffit angle, with zero being horizontal.
A positive angle slopes the soffit up from the insertion point and a negative value slopes the soffit down.
11 In the Horizontal Offset from Slab Baseline box, you can set how close the
soffit is to the slab baseline or perimeter line when you select Auto-Adjust.
12 In the Y Direction box, you can set a soffit offset in the local Y direction
from the fascias insertion point.
13 In the X Direction box, you can set a soffit offset in the local X direction
from the fascias insertion point.
14 After you finish changing the slab edge style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
15 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Chapter 16
Slabs
Menu Command
Command Line
Right-click
Slabs
Add Slab...
SlabAdd
Modify Slab...
SlabModify
Convert to Slabs...
SlabConvert
SlabEdgeEdit
Slab Styles...
SlabStyle
SlabEdgeStyle
Slab Modify...
Slab Style...
SlabEdgeStyleEdit
SlabEdgeEdit
Edit Edges...
SlabProperties
Trim Slab
SlabTrim
Tools Trim
Extend Slab
SlabExtend
Tools Extend
Miter Slab
SlabMiter
Tools Miter
Cut Slab
SlabCut
Tools Cut
SlabAddVertex
SlabRemoveVertex
Slab Hole
SlabHole
SlabRemoveHole
SlabBoolean
Slab Tools
Boolean Add/
Subtract
621
622
Chapter 16
Slabs
Openings
17
In this chapter
Creating openings
Changing openings
Repositioning openings
Changing opening properties
623
Creating Openings
You can create openings in walls to represent an opening of any size at any
elevation. The opening is an AEC object and interacts with walls and space
boundaries.
624
Chapter 17
Openings
Default openings
3 To specify the opening size and placement in the wall, do any of the
following:
Creating Openings
625
NOTE To create custom opening shapes, use the Define AEC Profiles command from the Desktop menu. For more information, see Creating a Profile
from a Polyline on page 1657.
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Chapter 17
Openings
3 To specify the opening size and placement in the space boundary, do any
of the following:
NOTE To create custom opening shapes, use the Define AEC Profiles command from the Desktop menu. For more information, see Creating a Profile
from a Polyline on page 1657.
4 To specify the opening size and placement, do any of the following:
Creating Openings
627
Repositioning an Opening
You can change the location of an opening along the wall or space boundary.
To reposition the opening along a wall or space boundary
1 From the Design menu, choose Openings Reposition Along Wall.
2 Select the opening to move.
3 Do one of the following:
Specify a point near the wall or space boundary to move the opening
to.
Set an offset from the end of the wall or space boundary by typing
o (Offset) and then a value. Select the wall or space boundary near its
end, and the opening is moved that offset distance from the end of the
wall or space boundary.
Type i (Ignore) and set whether the opening placement ignores existing openings in the wall or not. Type y (Yes) to ignore openings near
the corners when repositioning the selected opening.
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Chapter 17
Openings
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you
must exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
629
5 On the Dimensions tab, select the type of opening from the Predefined or
Custom list.
6 Change the width, height, or rise for the opening and click OK.
7 Click Apply to change the properties for the selected opening and remain
in the dialog box to continue modifying the opening, or click OK to exit
the dialog box.
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Chapter 17
Openings
5 On the Anchor tab, select the reference point for the anchor along the X
axis from the start point, midpoint, or endpoint of the wall or space
boundary.
6 Type the distance from the reference point. Use a negative number to
measure in the reverse direction, that is, from endpoint to start point.
7 Select the start edge, center, or end edge of the opening. Click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected opening and remain
in the dialog box to continue modifying the opening, or click OK to exit
the dialog box.
631
6 Click Apply to change the properties for the selected opening and remain
in the dialog box to continue modifying the opening, or click OK to exit
the dialog box.
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Chapter 17
Openings
5 On the Endcaps tab, select starting and ending endcap styles. For more
information about endcap styles, see Creating and Editing Endcap
Styles in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Apply to change the properties for the selected opening and remain
in the dialog box to continue modifying the opening, or click OK to exit
the dialog box.
633
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the opening object while remaining in the Opening Properties dialog
box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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Chapter 17
Openings
635
11 Select the block to use from the Select a Block dialog box, and click OK.
12 Set the Scale to Fit for the component. If none is selected, the block comes
in at its created size.
Width: Sets the component to the width of the object it is attached to.
Depth: Sets the component to the depth of the object it is attached to.
Height: Sets the component to the height of the object it is attached to.
Lock XY Ratio: Locks the XY shape of the object, so that if it is scaled
in one direction to fit another criteria in the Scale to Fit section, the whole
component is scaled equally.
13 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
Mirror X creates a mirror of the component in the X direction.
Mirror Y creates a mirror of the component in the Y direction.
Mirror Z creates a mirror of the component in the Z direction.
14 Specify the location of the insertion point in the opening.
You can place the X insertion point at the left, center, or right of the
object.
You can place the Y insertion point at the front, center, or back of the
object.
You can place the Z insertion point at the top, center, or bottom of the
object.
15 Specify the insertion offset for the component in the X, Y, and Z directions.
16 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
NOTE The component types available are based on the display set that you
chose in step 5.
17 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
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Chapter 17
Openings
NOTE For more information about the options in the Select a Block dialog
box, see Adding Components to the Display of Openings in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 Set the Scale to Fit for the component. If none is selected, the block comes
in at its created size.
12 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
13 Specify the location of the insertion point in the opening.
14 Specify the offset for the component in the X, Y, and Z directions.
NOTE The component types available are based on the display set that you
chose in step 4.
15 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
637
4 Select the current representation from the list. The component is displayed only in this representation set. The current representation has an
asterisk (*) next to it.
5 Select the property source to edit, attaching the override needed to edit
the opening. For more information, see Changing the Display Properties
of an Object in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
6 Click Edit Display Props.
7 In the Entity Properties dialog box, select the component to remove from
the list and click Remove.
8 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
638
Menu Command
Command Line
Add Opening...
OpeningAdd...
Modify Opening...
OpeningModify...
Chapter 17
Openings
Opening Modify...
Menu Command
Command Line
Reposition Along
Wall
RepositionAlong
OpeningAddSelected
Add Selected...
OpeningProps
Opening Properties...
OpeningLabelAdd
639
640
Chapter 17
Openings
Doors
18
In this chapter
Creating doors
Editing doors
Using door styles
Changing door styles
Changing door style properties
641
Creating Doors
Doors created with Autodesk Architectural Desktop are AEC objects that
interact with walls and space boundaries. After a door is placed in a wall or
space boundary, the door is constrained to the object and cannot move
outside it. Doors can also be anchored to specific locations in walls or space
boundaries, so that when the wall or space boundary moves or changes size,
the location of the door in that object stays constant.
You can create door objects in walls or space boundaries or as freestanding
doors.
642
Chapter 18
Doors
If you set the working point to the door head, the Vertical Alignment
value to 7'0'' and the door height to 7'0'', the height in the wall where
the top of the door is placed is 70''. If you modify the height of this door
to 6'8'', the door head remains at 7'0'' and the door sill becomes 4''. The
head working point is maintained.
Creating Doors
643
4 Select a wall.
5 Specify an insertion point along the wall.
The door is constrained within the wall. The only valid insertion point is
in the wall.
6 Continue to place doors by selecting door styles and specifying insertion
points, or press ENTER to end the command.
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Chapter 18
Doors
The door is constrained within the space boundary. The only valid insertion point is in the space boundary.
6 Continue to place doors by selecting door styles and specifying insertion
points, or press ENTER to end the command.
Change the width and height of the door, if necessary. For more information, see Changing the Door Width and Changing the Door
Height in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Change the rise and leaf value for the selected style, if applicable. For
more information, see Changing the Door Rise and Changing the
Door Leaf in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Change the Opening percent for the door.
Select Vertical Alignment, and type the necessary value. For more
information, see Creating a Door in a Wall in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Editing Doors
You can change any characteristic of an existing door after it has been
created.
Editing Doors
645
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Chapter 18
Doors
Editing Doors
647
Set an offset from the end of the wall or space boundary value by
typing o (Offset) and then a value. Select the wall or space boundary
near its end. The door is moved that offset distance from the end of the
wall or space boundary.
Type i (Ignore) and set whether or not the door placement ignores
existing openings in the wall or space boundary. If you dont ignore
openings, you can select near the opening and the door is placed at the
offset value from the opening.
NOTE You can select doors, windows, and openings and move them at the
same time. If you select more than one object to move, remember that you
can select only one side to offset from. If the selected point is on the exterior
of one wall and the interior of another, the two doors move in opposite directions.
3 Do one of the following:
648
Type o (Offset) to set the current offset. If you set the offset to zero,
then the door is moved flush to the selected side of the wall or space
boundary.
Select the side of the wall to move to door to. The door is repositioned
within the wall to that side of the wall, taking into account the current
offset. If there is an offset, the offset is measured from the side of the
selected wall or space boundary.
Type c (Center) to set the door in the center of the wall or space boundary.
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Editing Doors
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6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Door style type is selected within the current drawing, and
all other style types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Under the Door style type, select the Door Style that you want to change,
right-click, and choose Edit.
3 In the Door Style Properties dialog box, you can set the door style properties on the General, Dimensions, Design Rules, Standard Sizes, and Display Props tabs. For more information, see Door Style Properties in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
4 Click OK to save the new door style and exit the dialog box.
To purge a single unused Door style in your current drawing, select the
style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge.
To purge all the unused Door styles in your current drawing, with Door
Styles highlighted, right-click, and choose Purge.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
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NOTE You can manage door styles efficiently by creating them all in one
drawing you reserve for this purpose and importing them into other drawings as
needed.
To import door styles
1 From the Design menu, choose Doors Door Styles.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Door styles in the current drawing are displayed under the
Door style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the
tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to your current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Door style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Door Styles to display the Door styles in the
drawing.
5 Select the Door style that you want to copy, and press CTRL+C.
6 Select the current drawing, and press CTRL+V.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you
must exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the Door style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Type values for the width and depth of the door frame, or select AutoAdjust to Width of Wall to set the frame automatically.
Type values for the width and depth for the door stop.
Type a value for the door thickness.
5 After you finish changing the Door style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE To create custom shapes, use the AEC Profile command from the
Desktop menu. For more information, see Creating a Profile from a Polyline
in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
5 Select a specific door type from the Door Type list.
Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3 contains an Overhead door
type. The Overhead door type is similar to the Pocket door type, with the
following exceptions:
The door swing display consists of four horizontal lines, forming five
equal panels. This display property is displayed in elevation and model
views only.
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The opening percentage moves the door panel vertically with graphics
above the door head disappearing. The swing display moves with the
panel.
The width of the door object always determines the opening cut in the
wall. Any width dimension applied to the frame extends beyond the
opening as if it were negative.
The Add Door command for this door type places the frame flush
against the face of the wall by default.
6 When you finish changing the Door style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To create new standard sizes, click Add. In the Add Standard Size dialog
box, type new values for Width, Height, Rise, and Leaf.
To change an existing size, select it and click Edit. In the Edit Standard
Size dialog box, type new values for Width, Height, Rise, and Leaf.
Select an existing size and click Remove to delete it.
5 When you finish changing the Door style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Select the door style from the property source and click Attach Override
to change how the door style is displayed in the current viewport in the
drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
6 When you finish changing the Door style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Custom blocks are added and controlled entirely through the doors display
properties. It is important that you understand the display representation
system before you create and modify the custom block parameters. For more
information, see Understanding the Display System in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
After you create custom blocks, you can set them on individual styles so that
you dont need to change the way they work each time you place a door.
Using custom blocks, each door and window style library can provide a much
richer and flexible set of door and window graphics.
To add components to the door display
1 Create a block to represent the component to add to the door. Create the
block in the same plane as the door you are going to attach it to.
2 Select the door.
3 Right-click and choose Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
4 In the Entity Display dialog box, select the Display Props tab.
5 Select the representation from the list. The component is displayed only
in this display set. The current representation has an asterisk (*) next to it.
6 Select the property source to edit, attaching the override needed to edit
the door. For more information, see Creating and Editing Display Systems in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
7 Click Edit Display Props.
8 In the Entity Properties dialog box, select the Other tab.
9 Click Add to add a block to the door.
10 In the Custom Block dialog box, click Select Block.
11 Select the block to use from the Select a Block dialog box, and click OK.
12 Set the Scale to Fit for the component. If none are selected, the block
comes in at its created size.
Width: Sets the component to the width of the object it is attached to.
Depth: Sets the component to the depth of the object it is attached to.
Height: Sets the component to the height of the object it is attached to.
Lock XY Ratio: Locks the XY shape of the object, so that if it is scaled
in one direction to fit another criterion in the Scale to Fit section, the
whole component is scaled equally.
13 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
Mirror X creates a mirror of the component in the X direction.
Mirror Y creates a mirror of the component in the Y direction.
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NOTE The component types available are based on the display set that you
chose in step 5. The leaf and glass components are not available to be added
to the custom block unless you are in a model or elevation display
representation.
17 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
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NOTE For more information about the options in the Select a Block dialog
box, see Adding Components to the Display of Doors in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 Set the Scale to Fit for the component. If none are selected, the block
comes in at its created size.
12 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
13 Specify the location of the insertion point in the door.
14 Specify the offset for the component in the X, Y, and Z directions.
15 Specify which type of component to add to the door: frame, leaf, or glass.
NOTE The component types available are based on the display set that you
chose in step 4. The leaf and glass components are not available to be added
to the custom block unless you are in a model or elevation display
representation.
16 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
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5 Select the property source to edit, attaching the override needed to edit
the door. Use System Default to change all doors (except those that have
a door style or door override), use Door Style to change all doors of this
style (except those that have a door override), and use Door to change
only this door.
6 Click Edit Display Props.
7 In the Entity Properties dialog box, make either or both Threshold components visible (A is on the swing side of the door, B is on the other side).
8 Click the Other tab.
9 Set the threshold extension and depth dimensions.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
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dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you
must exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
667
ing Defaults options. For more information, see AEC Options in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
7 Click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected door and remain in
the dialog box to continue modifying the door, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
8 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected door and remain in
the dialog box to continue modifying the door, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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6 Type the distance from the reference point. Use a negative numeral to
measure in the reverse direction, that is, from endpoint to start point.
7 Select the bottom, center, or top of the door, and click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected door and remain in
the dialog box to continue modifying the door, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
669
8 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected door and remain in
the dialog box to continue modifying the door, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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6 Click OK.
7 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected door and remain in
the dialog box to continue modifying the door, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
5 On the Endcaps tab, select starting and ending endcap styles from the
lists. For more information, see Creating and Editing Endcap Styles in
the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
6 Click OK.
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For information about the world coordinate system, see Use Coordinates
and Coordinate Systems in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of a door
1 From the Design menu, choose Doors Modify Door,.
2 Select the door and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Door dialog box, click
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the door object without leaving the Door Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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Menu Command
Command Line
Add Door...
DoorAdd
Modify Door...
DoorModify
Door Styles...
DoorStyle
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Door Modify...
Menu Command
Command Line
Reposition Along
Wall
RepositionAlong
Reposition Within
Wall
RepositionWithin
Flip Hinge
OpeningFlipHinge
Flip Swing
OpeningFlipSwing
Change Opening
Percent
OpeningPercent
DoorAddSelected
Add Selected...
DoorStyleEdit
DoorProps
Door Properties...
DoorLabelAdd
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Windows
19
In this chapter
Creating windows
Editing windows
Using window styles
Changing window properties
Changing window style
properties
Creating window muntins
675
Creating Windows
Windows created with Autodesk Architectural Desktop are AEC objects that
interact with walls and space boundaries. After a window is placed in a wall
or space boundary, the window is constrained to the object and cannot move
outside it. Windows can also be anchored to specific locations in walls or
space boundaries, so that when the wall or space boundary moves or changes
size, the location of the window in that object stays constant.
You can create windows, walls, and space boundaries at any elevation. The
window is an AEC object and interacts with walls and space boundaries. You
can also create a freestanding window that has no affiliation with a wall or
space boundary.
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Creating Windows
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Creating Windows
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The window is constrained within the space boundary. The only valid
insertion point is in the space boundary.
6 Continue to place windows by selecting window styles and specifying
insertion points, or press ENTER to end the command.
Change the width and height, if necessary. For more information, see
Changing Window Width and Changing Window Height in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Change the rise value for the selected style, if applicable.
Change the Opening percent for the window.
Select Vertical Alignment, and type the necessary value. For more information, see Creating a Window in a Wall in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Editing Windows
You can change any characteristic of an existing window after it has been
created.
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Editing Windows
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NOTE You can select doors, windows, and openings and move them at the
same time.
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Select the side of the wall to move the window to. The window is repositioned within the wall to that side of the wall, taking into account the
current offset.
Type o (Offset) to set the current offset. If you set the offset to zero,
then the window is moved flush to the selected side of the wall.
Type c (Center) to set the window in the center of the wall. In order to
center the window correctly to the wall, you must set the offset to zero.
Otherwise, the center is offset by whatever the distance you designated
as an offset.
Editing Windows
683
3 Type a percentage for the window swing opening or type t (Toggle) on the
command line to change the window swing to settings of 0, 25, 50, and
100 percent.
4 Press ENTER to end the command.
684
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you
must exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
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9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
685
6 Type the distance from the reference point. You can use both positive and
negative numbers.
7 Select the To location, the start edge, center, or end edge of the window,
and click OK.
8 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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8 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
687
6 Type the distance from the reference point. You can use both positive and
negative numbers.
7 Select the To location, the front, center, or back of the window, and click
OK.
8 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
6 Click OK.
7 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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5 On the Endcaps tab, select starting and ending endcap styles from the
lists. For more information, see Creating and Editing Endcap Styles in
the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
6 Click OK.
689
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the window object without leaving the Window Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Window Styles
Each window you create has a window style associated with it. The current
window style controls the dimensions, design rules, and standard sizes for
windows when you create them. When you change a window style, the windows in the current drawing that were created with that style change.
When you create, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager.
The Style Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and templates. For more information, see Style Manager in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
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Window Styles
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The Window Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes
to the style, change the dimensions and shape of the window, edit schedule data, add standard sizes, and change the display properties of the new
style. For more information about changing each style property, see
Changing Window Style Properties in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
6 When you finish changing the Window style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
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4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Window Styles
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To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
695
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you
must exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the window style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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4 On the Dimensions tab, type the width and depth of the window frame,
or select Auto-Adjust to Width of Wall to set the frame automatically.
5 Type the width and depth for the window sash.
6 Type the glass thickness.
7 When you finish changing the window style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE A custom window shape can be created using the AEC Profile
command from the Desktop menu. For more information, see Creating a
Profile from a Polyline in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
5 Select a specific window type from the Window Type list.
6 When you finish changing the window style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The window style type is selected within the current drawing,
and all other style types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Under the window style type, select the window style that you want to
change, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Window Style Properties dialog box, click the Standard Sizes tab.
4 On the Standard Sizes tab, do any of the following:
To create new standard sizes, click Add. In the Add Standard Size dialog
box, type new values for Width, Height, Rise, and Leaf.
To change an existing standard size, select it and click Edit. In the Edit
Standard Size dialog box, type new values for Width, Height, Rise, and
Leaf.
To delete an existing standard size, select it, and click Remove.
5 When you finish changing the window style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Select the window from the property source, and click Attach Override
to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport in the
drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
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699
6 Click Edit Display Props and change any of the following values for sill
components: visibility, layer, color, linetype, lineweight, linetype scale,
and plot style.
7 Click the Other tab, and make any changes to sill dimensions, that
include the depth and extension of each sill.
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701
15 Specify the insertion offset for the component in the X, Y, and Z directions.
16 Specify the type of component to add to the window: frame or window.
Frame: Sets whether the component is added based on the inside or outside of the frame.
Window: Sets whether the window component is applied to all or to a
specified number.
NOTE The component types available are based on the display set that you
chose in step 5. The window component option is not available to be added
to the custom block unless you are in a model or elevation display
representation.
17 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
NOTE For more information about the options in the Select a Block dialog
box, see Adding Components to a Window Display in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
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11 Set the Scale to Fit for the component. If none is selected, the block comes
in at its created size.
12 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
13 Specify the location of the Insertion Point in the window.
14 Specify the Offset for the component in the X, Y, and Z directions.
15 Specify the type of component to add to the window: frame or window.
NOTE The component types available are based on the display set that you
chose in step 4. The window component option is not available to be added
to the custom block unless you are in a model or elevation display representation.
16 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
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Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
705
NOTE The rectangular pattern is applicable to all window shapes and window
types except Pass Through.
To create rectangular muntin patterns to attach to a window
1 Select an existing window.
2 Right-click, and choose Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
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Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
707
If you select the Single pane option, the Window Pane Index field is
turned on. Specify the index of a window pane. The illustration shows
the double-hung rectangular window with two panes. The panes are
indexed counterclockwise starting from the lower left corner. The
default value is 1.
10 In the Width box, type the width for each muntin. If you change this
value, the display in the viewer reflects the change.
11 In the Depth box, type the depth for each muntin. If you change this
value, the display in the viewer reflects the change.
12 In the Clean Up Joints box, select to clean up all the joints between the
muntins. This option has been included mainly for performance. If you
select this option, then performance is slightly degraded.
13 In the Convert to Body box, select to convert all the muntins to a threedimensional body. This option has been included mainly for performance. If you select this option, then performance is slightly degraded.
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NOTE After you add a muntins block, you can manage its display properties, such as color or linetype, in the Entity Properties dialog box.
NOTE The diamond pattern is applicable to all window shapes and window
types except Pass Through.
To create diamond muntin patterns to attach to a window
1 Select an existing window.
2 Right-click, and choose Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
3 Select either the Model or Elevation representation from the list.
4 Select the property source to edit, and click Attach Override.
709
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
If you select the Single pane option, the Window Pane Index field is
turned on. Specify the index of a window pane. The panes are indexed
counterclockwise starting from the lower left corner. The default value
is 1.
10 In the Width box, type the width for each muntin. If you change this
value, the display in the viewer reflects the change.
11 In the Depth box, type the depth for each muntin. If you change this
value, the display in the viewer reflects the change.
12 In the Clean Up Joints box, select to clean up all the joints between the
muntins. This option has been included mainly for performance. If you
select this option, then performance is slightly degraded.
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13 In the Convert to Body box, select to convert all the muntins to one body.
This option has been included mainly for performance. If you select this
option, then performance is slightly degraded.
14 In the Pattern box, select Diamond.
15 In the Lights High box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the horizontal direction.
16 In the Lights Wide box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the vertical direction.
17 Click OK to exit the dialog boxes and to add the diamond muntins pattern
to the selected window or window style.
NOTE After you add a muntins block, you can manage its display properties, such as color or linetype, in the Entity Properties dialog box.
711
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
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Windows
13 In the Convert to Body box, select to convert all the muntins to one body.
This option has been included mainly for performance. If you do not
select this option, then performance is slightly enhanced.
14 In the Pattern list, select Starburst.
15 In the Lights High box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the horizontal direction.
16 In the Lights Wide box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the vertical direction.
17 In the Spokes box, click the arrows to specify the amount of spokes for the
starburst pattern.
18 Click OK to exit the dialog boxes and to add the starburst muntins pattern
to the selected window or window style.
NOTE After you add a muntins block, you can manage its display properties, such as color or linetype, in the Entity Properties dialog box.
713
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
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13 In the Convert to Body box, select to convert all the muntins to one body.
This option has been included mainly for performance. If you select this
option, then performance is slightly degraded.
14 In the Pattern box, select Sunburst.
15 In the Lights High box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the horizontal direction.
16 In the Lights Wide box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the vertical direction.
17 In the Spokes box, click the arrows to specify the amount of spokes for the
starburst pattern.
18 In the Style box, select either Open or Closed hub styles. This option
becomes active only when you select the Sunburst pattern. By default, the
hub style is closed.
19 In the Radius box, type the radius for the hub. The following illustrations
show the hub radius in half round, and quarter round top windows. The
Radius option is active only when you select the sunburst pattern. The
default value is 6 inches.
715
20 Click OK to exit the dialog boxes and to add the sunburst muntins pattern
to the selected window or window style.
NOTE After you add a muntins block, you can manage its display properties, such as color or linetype, in the Entity Properties dialog box.
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NOTE The gothic pattern can be applied to following window types: awning,
single hopper, single transom, vertical pivot, horizontal pivot, double hung,
glider, single hung, single casement, and picture. the gothic pattern can be
applied to following window shapes: round, half round, gothic, peak pentagon,
and arch. the gothic pattern is added to the top window pane.
To create gothic muntin patterns to attach to a window
1 Select an existing window of an applicable shape.
2 Right-click, and choose Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
3 Select either the Model or Elevation representation from the list.
4 Select the property source to edit, and click Attach Override.
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
717
13 In the Convert to Body box, select to convert all the muntins to one body.
This option has been included mainly for performance. If you select this
option, then performance is slightly degraded.
14 In the Pattern box, select Gothic.
15 In the Lights High box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the horizontal direction.
16 In the Lights Wide box, click the arrows to specify the amount of lights in
the vertical direction. These also create the pattern at the top of the window.
17 Click OK to exit the dialog boxes and to add the gothic muntins pattern
to the selected window or window style.
NOTE After you add a muntins block, you can manage its display properties, such as color or linetype, in the Entity Properties dialog box.
718
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
Chapter 19
Windows
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
719
Use System Default to change all windows (except those that have a
Window Style or Window override).
Use Window Style to change all windows of this style (except those that
have a Window override).
Use Window to change only this window.
720
Menu command
Command line
Add Window...
WindowAdd
Modify Window...
WIndowModify
Window Styles....
WIndowStyle
Reposition Along
Wall
RepositionAlong
Reposition Within
Wall
RepostionWithin
Flip Hinge
OpeningFlipHinge
Flip Swing
OpeningFlipSwing
Change Opening
Percent
OpeningPercent
Chapter 19
Windows
Right-click
Window Modify...
WindowStyleEdit
WindowProps
Window Properties...
Menu command
Command line
Right-click
WindowLabelAdd
721
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Chapter 19
Windows
Window Assemblies
20
In this chapter
window assemblies
Working with window assembly
styles
Modifying the elements in a
window assembly
Modifying window assemblies
Editing objects anchored in
window assemblies
723
Window Assemblies
Window assemblies provide a grid or framework for inserting objects such as
windows and doors. With this framework, you can create complex window
and door assemblies and insert them in standard walls or use them as
repeated elements in a curtain wall.
You can insert window assemblies into standard walls in the same way that
you insert standard windows. For more information, see Creating Windows in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide. With curtain
walls however, you assign window assemblies to specific cells within the curtain wall grid. For more information, see Inserting an Object into a Curtain
Wall Cell.
Window assemblies are style-based, meaning there are preset characteristics
assigned to each window assembly that determine its appearance. As with
curtain walls, you can override style settings for a single window assembly or
use Edit in Place to experiment with changes and then choose to either discard those changes or save them to the style and update all the window
assemblies of that style.
Like curtain walls, window assemblies are made up of one or more grids. Each
grid has either a horizontal division or a vertical division, but you can nest
the grids to create a variety of patterns.
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TIP Using a window assembly in a curtain wall can help you avoid the complexities of too many nested grids in the curtain wall.
Grids are the foundation of curtain walls, curtain wall units, and window
assemblies. Every grid has four element types
Window Assemblies
725
Each element type is assigned a default definition that describes what elements
of that type look like.
Element type
Default definitions
Divisions
Cell Infills
Frames
Mullions
However, you can also create new definitions and assign those definitions to
specific elements within the window assembly. For example, you can create
multiple infill definitions and then assign different infills to specific cells in
the grid. Likewise, you can create multiple frame definitions and then assign
a different definition to each frame edge (top, bottom, left, right).
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You create element definitions from the Design Rules tab of the Style
Properties dialog box. Select an element from the tree to display a list of definitions for that element, icons for adding and removing definitions, and
text boxes for creating the definitions.
From the same Design Rules tab, you can assign the definitions to specific
elements in a grid. Select a grid from the tree to display a list of assignments
for that grid, icons for creating new assignments and columns in the assignment table for specifying the definition to use and where. You can also edit
the definitions at the bottom of the dialog box.
Element definitions and assignments for window assemblies are identical to
those for curtain walls. For more information, see Creating Element Definitions for a Curtain Wall Style on page 419 or see Creating Element Definitions for a Window Assembly Style in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
For more information about element definitions and assignments, see Creating Element Definitions for a Window Assembly Style and Assigning Definitions to Window Assembly Elements.
NOTE Edit in Place and element definitions for window assemblies are identical to those for curtain walls. For more information, see Using Edit in Place for
Curtain Walls on page 483 and Modifying the Elements in a Curtain Wall on
page 477. Or see Using Edit in Place with Window Assemblies and Modifying
727
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Chapter 20
Window Assemblies
4 Select a standard wall, or press ENTER to insert the window assembly into
space.
NOTE On the toolbar in the Add Window Assemblies dialog box, you can
click Floating Viewer to view the window assembly, Properties to change any
property of the window assembly, Match to match the property of another
window assembly object, and Undo to undo the window assembly.
729
For more information about nested grids, see Working with Nested Grids
in Window Assemblies on page 733.
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NOTE Window assembly grids are either horizontal or vertical. To create a grid
pattern with horizontal and vertical cells, like the example above, nested grids
are used. For more information about nested grids, see Working with Nested
Grids in Window Assemblies on page 733.
To create a window assembly with a custom grid
1 Use lines, arcs, and circles to draw a grid in the world coordinate system
(WCS).
2 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Convert Linework
to Window Assembly.
3 Select the lines, arcs, or circles that define your grid, and press ENTER.
4 Select one of the grid lines as the baseline for the window assembly, or
press ENTER to use the line along the X axis as the baseline.
731
TIP If you draw your linework in the XY plane (in Plan view) and accept the
default baseline, the resulting window assembly is displayed from the
Z direction.
You are prompted to erase the lines that you drew to define the grid.
5 To erase the lines, type y (Yes). To have the lines remain after the window
assembly is created, type n (No).
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Each enclosed area is assigned the default cell infill. The lines between the
cells are assigned the default mullion definition, and the boundary
around the grid is assigned the default frame definition. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Window Assembly Elements on
page 755.
NOTE You cannot modify the division definition of a custom grid created
from lines, arcs, and circles. You can, however, assign a different division definition to it. For more information, see Assigning Divisions to a Window
Assembly Grid on page 756.
733
The previous illustration shows all cells in the grid with the same cell assignmenta vertical division. But each cell in a grid is independent and can have
a separate assignment. For example, the following illustration shows one cell
in the primary grid that contains another horizontal grid, the next cell contains a vertical grid with three divisions, and the next cell contains a vertical
grid with six divisions.
The previous examples show a primary grid with one level of nested grids.
But you can continue to nest grids to create multiple levels. For example, the
following illustrations show the Standard window assembly style grid, the
same grid with a nested grid in one cell of the secondary grid, and the same
grid again with nested grids in all cells of the secondary grid.
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Chapter 20
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Nested grids are defined on the Design Rules tab of the Window Assembly
Style Properties dialog box. The tree on the left side of the tab lists of the
grids. There is always one primary grid. The primary grid can have one or
more secondary grids. Each secondary grid can have one or more tertiary
grids and so on.
TIP To quickly create nested grids in all cells, change the default cell assignment to Nested Grid. If you want multiple levels of nesting, be sure to change
the default cell assignment for each grid. For more information, see Creating a
Nested Grid in a Curtain Wall on page 452.
Each grid has its own cell assignments. You assign cells to contain another
grid, a panel infill, or an object such as a door or window. For more information, see Assigning Infills to Window Assembly Cells on page 756.
735
Element definitions
Definition assignments for each element
Display properties for each element
Default dimensions
Notes about the style and any associated reference files
Window Assembly Styles are very similar to Curtain Wall Styles. For more
information about styles, see Working with Curtain Wall Styles on page
419 or Working with Window Assembly Styles in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
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NOTE Creating a nested grid is not a division rule. To create a nested grid, add
a cell assignment. For more information, see Creating a Nested Grid for a Window Assembly on page 758 and Working with Nested Grids in Window
Assemblies on page 733.
You can create a variety of division definitions under different names and
then assign different divisions to each grid in your curtain wall. Although
you can create multiple definitions, there can be only one division assignment per grid. For more information about assigning divisions to a particular
grid, see Assigning Divisions to a Window Assembly Grid on page 756.
NOTE You create division definitions for a specific window assembly style and
those definitions can be assigned only to grids in window assemblies of that
style.
8 Select one of the following division types and specify offsets, if needed.
737
After you create a set of division rules, you can assign those rules to a specific grid in a window assembly. For more information, see Assigning
Divisions to a Window Assembly Grid on page 756.
9 When you are finished creating division definitions, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
TIP The frame width is calculated as part of the cell size. Therefore, cells
adjacent to the frame can appear to be a different size than the other cells. If
you do not want the frame width included in the cell size, specify an offset for
the grid that is equal to the frame width.
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When you draw a window assembly using a fixed cell dimension, there is
often extra space between the last full-size cell and the end of the window
assembly.
9 To adjust the cells to accommodate this space automatically as you draw
window assemblies, select the Auto-Adjust Cells option.
10 Select the cells that you want to be adjusted.
You can select any combination of these options. For example, bottom
only, bottom and top, middle and top, and so on.
11 To increase the size of the specified cells to accommodate extra space,
select Grow as the Cell Adjustment. To decrease the size, select Shrink.
12 Click OK, or to make additional adjustments to the division you just
defined, click Convert to Manual Division.
13 To calculate the number of grid lines needed based on the size you specified, type a value for conversion height (for horizontal divisions) or conversion length (for vertical divisions).
The divisions you specified are in a table that you can easily modify.
For information about editing the division after the conversion, see,
Manually Defining the Number and Size of Cells in a Window Assembly
Grid on page 740.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid
in your window assembly, see Assigning Divisions to a Window Assembly
Grid.
739
TIP The frame width is calculated as part of the cell size. Therefore, cells
adjacent to the frame can appear to be a different size than the other cells. If
you do not want the frame width included in the cell size, specify an offset for
the grid that is equal to the frame width.
9 If you want to make additional adjustments to the grid you just defined,
click Convert to Manual Division and specify a Conversion Height or
Length. For more information see, the next section, Manually Defining
the Number and Size of Cells in a Window Assembly Grid.
10 Click OK or, to make additional adjustments to the division you just
defined, click Convert to Manual Division.
11 To calculate the distance between grid lines based on the number of cells
you specified, type a value for conversion height (for horizontal divisions)
or conversion length (for vertical divisions).
The divisions you specified are in a table that you can easily modify.
For information about editing the division after the conversion, see the
next section Manually Defining the Number and Size of Cells in a Window Assembly Grid.
For information about assigning the division definition to a specific grid
in your window assembly, see Assigning Divisions to a Window Assembly
Grid.
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Chapter 20
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741
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Divisions under
Element Definitions.
5 Select a Division definition, or click
6 To offset the grid, type a positive value for any of the following options:
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Chapter 20
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NOTE Nested grids and no infill do not require element definitions. These are
options you select when assigning an infill to cell. For information, see Creating
a Nested Grid for a Window Assembly on page 758 and Removing an Infill
from a Window Assembly on page 760.
You can define as many infills as you need and then use cell assignments to
specify the cells that use each infill. There is a default infill, that you can
modify as needed, used for all unassigned cells. For more information about
cell assignments, see Assigning Definitions to Window Assembly Elements
on page 755.
NOTE You create Infill definitions for a specific window assembly style, and
those definitions can be assigned only to grid cells in window assemblies of that
style.
743
8 Select an alignment for the infill. For more information, see Specifying
an Alignment for a Window Assembly Infill on page 745.
9 Specify an offset for the infill. For more information, see Specifying an
Offset for a Window Assembly Infill on page 746.
10 Type a thickness for the panel in the Panel Thickness text box.
11 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create an infill definition, you can assign it to any cell in a window assembly grid. For more information, see Assigning Infills to Window Assembly Cells on page 756.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the Default
Infill are applied to all infills unless you create a Custom Display Component
for each definition. Then you can control the display of each infill definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Window
Assemblies on page 767.
TIP After you insert an object in a cell, you can select that object independent
of the grid, and access editing options for the object from the shortcut menu.
To create an infill for inserting an object into a window assembly
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Click
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NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the Default
Infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. Then you can control the display of each infill definition
indepentdently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Window
Assemblies on page 767.
NOTE To move the infill away from the baseline, see Specifying an Offset for
a Window Assembly Infill on page 746.
To specify an alignment for an infill
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Infills under Element Definitions.
5 Select an infill, or click
745
6 Type a distance in the Offset text box. In plan view, positive numbers offset the infill above the baseline and negative numbers offset the infill
below the baseline.
As shown in the following illustrations, the offset is also affected by the
selected alignment for the infill.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE For information about removing an infill from a cell, see Removing an
Infill from a Window Assembly on page 760.
To remove an infill definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
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Chapter 20
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TIP You can copy a mullion definition and use it as a frame definition. Select
the mullion definition and drag it to Frames in the tree on the left side of the dialog box.
NOTE You create frame definitions for a specific window assembly style and
those definitions can be assigned only to frames in window assemblies of that
style.
747
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Frames under Element Definitions.
5 Click
TIP To remove the frame edge and have the infill adjust to fill the space
occupied by the frame, create a frame definition with both width and depth
set to zero. Then assign that definition to the frame edge that you want to
remove. For more information, see Removing a Frame Edge from a Window
Assembly Grid on page 763.
8 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see Specifying Offsets
for a Window Assembly Frame on page 749.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a frame definition, you can assign it to any frame in a window assembly. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Window Assembly Frames on page 762.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frames unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. Then you can control the display of each frame definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Window
Assemblies on page 767.
NOTE The insertion point of the profile is aligned with the centroid of the
frame.
To define a frame using a profile
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
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Chapter 20
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4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Frames under Element Definitions.
5 Click
NOTE The Profile options are available only when you have existing profiles. For information about creating a profile, see Working with Profiles on
page 1656.
9 Select a profile from the list.
By default, the profile is inserted using the same width and depth with
which it was created.
10 To adjust the size of the profile to fit within the width or depth dimension
of the frame edge, select Auto-Adjust Profile Width or Depth.
11 To mirror the profile, select to mirror along the X or Y axis.
12 To rotate the profile, type a value in the Rotation text box.
13 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see the next section
Specifying Offsets for a Window Assembly Frame..
14 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a frame definition, you can assign it to any frame in a window assembly. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to Window Assembly Frames on page 762.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frames unless you create a custom display component
for each definition. Then you can control the display of each frame definition
independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Window
Assemblies on page 767.
749
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a window assembly, select the
window assembly and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near the center of the window assembly and points toward the end of
the window assembly.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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Chapter 20
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NOTE For information about removing a frame edge, see Removing a Frame
Edge from a Window Assembly Grid.
To remove a frame definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Frames under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded frame definition from the list.
6 Click
TIP You can copy a frame definition and use it as a mullion definition. Select
the frame definition and drag it to Mullions in the tree on the left side of the dialog box.
NOTE You create mullion definitions for a specific window assembly style and
those definitions can be assigned only to mullions in window assemblies of that
style.
751
TIP To remove mullions for butt glazing, create a definition with both width
and depth set to zero. Then assign that definition to the mullions that you
want to remove. For more information, see Removing Mullions from a Window Assembly Grid on page 765.
8 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see Specifying Offsets
for the Mullions of a Window Assembly on page 754.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a mullion definition, you can assign it to any mullion in
a window assembly. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to
the Mullions of a Window Assembly on page 764.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
mullion are applied to all mullions unless you create a custom display component for each definition. Then you can control the display of each mullion definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of
Window Assemblies on page 767.
NOTE The insertion point of the profile is aligned with the centroid of the
mullion.
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Chapter 20
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NOTE The Profile options are available only when you have existing profiles. For information about creating a profile, see Working with Profiles on
page 1656.
9 Select a profile from the list.
By default, the profile is inserted using the same width and depth with
which it was created.
10 To adjust the size of the profile to fit within the width or depth dimension
of the mullion, select Auto-Adjust Profile Width or Depth.
11 To mirror the profile, select to mirror along the X or Y axis.
12 To rotate the profile, type a value in the Rotation text box.
13 Specify any desired offsets. For more information, see the next section
Specifying Offsets for the Mullions of a Window Assembly.
14 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you create a mullion definition, you can assign it to any mullion in
a window assembly. For more information, see Assigning Definitions to
the Mullions of a Window Assembly on page 764.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
mullion are applied to all mullions unless you create a custom display component for each definition. Then you can control the display of each mullion definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of
Window Assemblies on page 767.
753
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a window assembly, select the
window assembly and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near the center of the window assembly and points toward the end of
the window assembly.
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Chapter 20
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NOTE For information about removing mullions from between cells, see
Removing Mullions from a Window Assembly Grid on page 765.
To remove a mullion definition
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select Mullions under Element Definitions.
5 Select the unneeded mullion definition from the list.
6 Click
755
TIP To rename a grid select it, select Rename from the shortcut menu, and
type a new name.
5 Click the Element column for that grid and select a division definition
from the list. To create a new division definition, click
, and then
define the division in the fields below the assignment list.
6 Click OK.
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Chapter 20
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There is a default cell assignment used by all unassigned cells. You can modify the default assignment to be any type of infill, but you cannot delete the
default cell assignment.
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
infill are applied to all infills unless you create a custom display component for
each definition. Then you can control the display of each infill definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Window Assemblies on page 767.
Nested Grid: Fill specified cells with additional divisions. For more
information, see Creating a Nested Grid for a Window Assembly.
Default Infill: Fill specified cells with the default infill. By default,
any cell without an assignment uses the default infill.
None as the Infill: Remove the infill from the specified cells. Also
removes any frame edges adjacent to the cell. For more information,
see Removing an Infill from a Window Assembly.
New Infill: Create a new infill definition for the specified cells. For
more information, see Defining Infills for Window Assembly Cells.
757
8 Specify the cells to use this cell assignment. For more information, see
Specifying Which Window Assembly Cells Use a Cell Assignment on
page 760.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE To rename a grid select it from the assignment list or the tree, select
Rename from the shortcut menu, and type a new name.
7 Specify the cells to contain this nested grid. For more information, see
Specifying Which Window Assembly Cells Use a Cell Assignment on
page 760.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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Chapter 20
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TIP After you insert an object in a cell, you can select that object independent
of the grid, and access editing options for the object from the shortcut menu.
For more information, see Editing Objects Anchored in Window Assemblies on
page 799.
To insert an object into a cell
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid in which
you want to insert objects.
5 Click
to create a new cell assignment, and select an infill that defines
an object style.
759
If you do not have an object style infill defined, then select New Infill and
define one. For more information, see Creating an Infill for Inserting an
Object into a Window Assembly on page 744.
6 Specify the cells to contain this object. For more information, see Specifying Which Window Assembly Cells Use a Cell Assignment on page 760.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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Chapter 20
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Use Index to insert the infill into specific cells based on cell numbers. Cells
are numbered from left to right or bottom to top. For example, typing 1, 2, 3
would place the infill in the first, second and third cells.
To specify the cells to use a cell assignment
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select a grid.
5 Select an existing cell assignment, or click
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to a cell. If you do, the last definition assigned to the cell is used.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Any cells that are not assigned a specific cell assignment use the default
infill.
NOTE Each grid requires one, and only one, division assignment, therefore
you cannot add or remove the division assignment.
To remove an assignment
1 From the Design menu, choose Window Assemblies Window Assembly
Styles, or from the Doors - Windows - Openings toolbar, click
.
761
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid from which
you want to remove an assignment.
5 Select a cell assignment, frame assignment, or a mullion assignment.
6 Click
NOTE The layer, color, linetype, and other display properties of the default
frame are applied to all frame edges unless you create a custom display component for each definition. Then you can control the display of each frame definition independently. For more information, see Modifying the Display of Window Assemblies on page 767.
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TIP You can create a frame definition by selecting New from the Element
list.
8 Specify the sides of the frame to use this frame assignment. For more information, see Specifying Which Edges Use a Window Assembly Frame
Assignment on page 764.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
The first two methods remove the frame edge and expand the adjacent infills
into the space occupied by the edge.
By specifying None as an override, the frame edge is not displayed, but the
adjacent infill is not expanded into the space the edge occupied.
For information about setting the width and depth to zero, see Defining a
Window Assembly Frame by Width and Depth on page 747.
For information about leaving the edge unassigned, see Specifying Which
Edges Use a Window Assembly Frame Assignment on page 764.
763
Location is the only way to specify the frames used for this assignment.
6 Click the Used In column, then click the button at the far right of the row
to display the Frame Location Assignment dialog box.
7 Select the edges that you want to use this assignment: Left, Right, Top, or
Bottom.
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to the same frame edge. If you do,
the last definition assigned to the edge is used.
8 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
Frame edges that are not assigned a frame definition are not displayed.
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Do not assign multiple definitions to the same mullion. If you do, the last
definition assigned to the mullion is used.
There is a default mullion assignment used by all unassigned mullions. You
can modify the default assignment to be any mullion definition, but you
cannot delete the default mullion assignment.
TIP You can create a mullion definition by selecting New from the Element
list.
8 Specify the mullions to use this assignment. For more information, see
Specifying Which Window Assembly Mullions Use an Assignment on
page 766.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
765
2 Select a style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click the Design Rules tab.
4 From the tree on the left side of the dialog box, select the grid in which
you want to remove a mullion.
5 Click
to create a new mullion assignment. Type 0 (zero) as the width
and depth. For more information, see Defining Window Assembly Mullions by Width and Depth on page 751.
6 Specify the mullions to use the zero width and depth definition. For more
information, see Specifying Which Window Assembly Mullions Use an
Assignment on page 766.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
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7 If you selected Location, click the Used In column, then click the button
at the far right of the row to display the Mullion Location Assignment dialog box. Select the cells you want to use this assignment, then click OK.
If you selected Index, type the mullion numbers separated by commas in
the Used In column. For vertical grids, mullions are numbers start to end
and for horizontal grids, mullions are number from bottom to top.
NOTE Do not assign multiple definitions to the same mullion. If you do, the
last definition assigned to the mullion is used.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Any mullions that are not assigned a specific mullion assignment use the
default mullion definition.
767
NOTE If you select the Custom Plan Component tab, the Custom Display
Component dialog box is similar, except that you do not specify the Z insertion point and Z offset for the custom graphic.
5 Select Infill, Frame, or Mullion as the element type.
6 Select the specific element from the list.
7 Click OK.
8 Click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
The element definition that you added is displayed.
9 Click the Custom Model Components tab to continue adding element
definitions, or click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
768
Select the window assembly style from the property source, and click
Attach Override to change how the object is displayed in the current
viewport in the drawing.
Chapter 20
Window Assemblies
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation for the drawing.
When a Display Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word
Overridden is displayed in the list.
769
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, turn Double Hatch on or
off.
7 Click OK.
8 Click Scale/Spacing to change the value for the selected component.
9 Click Angle to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
10 Click Orientation to change from making the change global or for the
selected object.
11 When you finish changing the window assembly style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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NOTE The Cut Plane tab is displayed only in some display representations,
such as Plan.
4 Click Edit Display Properties, and then click the Cut Plane tab to set the
cut plane to be displayed in each display representation for the window
assembly style.
5 Type a height in Cut Plane Height to specify the cut plane where hatching
takes effect.
6 To add a cut plane, click Add.
If you add a cut plane at a height lower than the Cut Plane Height, objects
are displayed using the properties specified for the Below component on
the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
771
If you add a cut plane at a height higher than the Cut Plane Height,
objects are displayed using the properties specified for the Above component on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
7 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
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2 With the window assembly style type selected, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 In the Window Assembly Style Properties dialog box, click the General
tab.
4 To add a description to the window assembly style, type it in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the window assembly style, or to attach, edit, or detach
a reference file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data to Object Styles and Definitions and Editing Schedule Data.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
773
2 Select Window Assembly Styles, and choose New from the shortcut menu.
3 Type a name for the new window assembly style, and press ENTER.
4 To edit the style properties of your new window assembly style, select the
style, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Window Assembly Style Properties dialog box is displayed. From this
dialog box, you can:
Define defaults. For more information, see Setting Default Dimensions for a Window Assembly Style on page 772.
Create elements within a window assembly. For more information, see
Creating Element Definitions for a Window Assembly Style on page
736.
Define display properties. For more information, see Modifying the
Display of Window Assemblies on page 767.
Attach notes. For more information, see Attaching Notes and Files to
a Window Assembly Style on page 772.
5 When you finish changing the window assembly style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Define defaults. For more information, see Setting Default Dimensions for a Window Assembly Style on page 772.
Create elements within a window assembly. For more information, see
Creating Element Definitions for a Window Assembly Style on page
736.
Define display properties. For more information, see Modifying the
Display of Window Assemblies on page 767.
Attach notes. For more information, see Attaching Notes and Files to
a Window Assembly Style on page 772
6 When you finish changing the window assembly style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused window assembly style in your current drawing, select the style under Window Assembly Styles, and choose Purge
from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused window assembly styles in your current drawing, select the Window Assembly Style type, and choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
775
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Window Assemblies
777
These modification methods are identical to the curtain wall methods. For
more information, see Modifying the Elements in a Curtain Wall on page
477 or Modifying Window Assembly Styles in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
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NOTE You cannot modify a definition using the Override method. For information about modifying definitions, see Using Edit in Place with Window
Assemblies on page 783 or Modifying Window Assembly Styles on page 790.
Overrides do not affect the window assembly design rules. However, you can
transfer overrides to a window assembly style when you want all window
assemblies of that style to have the same overrides.
You can view a list of overrides that are currently assigned to a window
assembly from the Overrides tab of the Window Assembly Properties dialog
box. For more information, see Removing Window Assembly Overrides on
page 782.
NOTE Overrides are also listed on the Overrides tab in the Window Assembly
Style Properties dialog box.
Horizontal grids: The cell marker points upward to indicate that cells
are numbered from the bottom to the top.
Vertical grids: The cell marker points to the right to indicate that cells
are numbered from left to right.
Cells assigned a nested grid: The grid icon is used as the cell marker.
Cells assigned any type of infill: The panel infill icon is used as the
cell marker.
When working with nested grids, each grid has its own set of cell markers.
And because the cell markers from different grid levels can overlap, you need
to specify the grid level you want the markers in. The primary grid is the first
level and any grids nested within the primary grid are second level grids.
Grids nested in the second level are third level grids, and so on. For more
779
information about nested grids, see Working with Nested Grids in Window
Assemblies on page 733.
To turn on cell markers
1 Select a window assembly and display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Cell Markers and one of the following options:
TIP To change the size of the cell markers, go to the Display Props tab on the
Window Assembly Style Properties dialog box. Click Edit Display Props, and
select the Custom Model Components tab. Type a new size for the cell markers.
NOTE If you want to assign a grid to a cell that currently has an infill, turn on
Edit in Place and then use Modify Cell Assignment. For more information, see
Using Edit in Place with Window Assemblies on page 783.
To override a cell assignment
1 Select a window assembly and display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Cell Markers and select the grid level of the cell you want to edit.
For more information, see Turning on Cell Markers for a Window Assembly on page 779.
3 Select Overrides Override Cell Assignment.
4 Select a cell.
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NOTE Removing the edge does not affect the width of the cell. To remove
the edge and have the adjacent cell resize, create an edge definition with a
width and depth of zero. For more information, see Defining a Window
Assembly Frame by Width and Depth on page 747 or Defining Window
Assembly Mullions by Width and Depth on page 751.
781
7 If you selected an AEC profile, the profile insertion point is aligned with
the center of the edge that was overwritten. Any adjacent infills are
trimmed to accommodate the new edge.
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2 Click Overrides.
3 Select an override from the list, and click Remove.
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE Changes made with Edit in Place affect only the currently selected window assembly. Although you can leave a window assembly in Edit in Place and
select a different window assembly, changes you make to the second window
assembly do not affect the first window assembly.
When you turn Edit in Place on, the following options are added to the shortcut menu:
In addition, a Design Rules tab is added to the Window Assembly Properties
dialog box. Ordinarily, the Design Rules tab is available only from the Window Assembly Style Properties dialog box.
783
NOTE The Design Rules tab is available only from the Window Assembly Properties dialog box when Edit in Place is active.
To modify element definitions while using Edit in Place
1 Select a window assembly, and choose Element Definitions from the
shortcut menu.
2 Select one of the following options:
NOTE If you want to use the Design Rules tab to make these changes, instead
of the command line, then select Window Assembly Properties from the shortcut
menu.
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NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell marker to specify the grid you want to add the assignment to.
Each window assembly grid has its own assignments.
5 Type one of the following:
Index, and then type pick and use your pointing device to select the
cells that you want to use this assignment, then press ENTER.
Location, and specify whether the new assignment is to be used in the
start cell, middle cell, or end cell of the selected grid.
NOTE If you are adding an assignment to a vertical grid, you are prompted
to assign the grid to the bottom, middle, or top cells.
6 To insert a nested grid in the selected cells, type grid. Then specify a vertical or horizontal division.
To insert an infill, type infill and then type the number associated with the
infill definition that you want.
785
2 Turn on the cell markers for the grid level that you want to remove the
assignment from. For more information, see Turning on Cell Markers for
a Window Assembly on page 779.
3 Select Assignments Remove Cell Assignment from the window assembly shortcut menu.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell that has the assignment you want to remove.
The cell assignment is removed and all cells using that assignment are
assigned the default cell assignment instead.
If you selected a cell that was already using the default cell assignment, a
message is displayed indicating that you cannot remove the default
assignment. For information about modifying the default assignment, see
Defining Infills for Window Assembly Cells on page 743.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
4 Select a cell marker that has the assignment you want to modify.
5 To change the cells are using in this assignment, type used.
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NOTE If you select a cell that is using the default cell assignment, you are
not prompted to choose between Used In or Element. You cannot change the
cells used the default assignment, because all unassigned cells use the default
cell assignment.
6 If you selected Used In, type
Index, and then type pick and use the cursor to select the cells that you
want to use this assignment.
Location, and specify whether the new assignment is used in the start
cell, middle cell, or end cell (for horizontal grids) or the bottom, middle, or top cell (for vertical grids).
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
787
3 Select an edge to specify the grid you want to add the assignment to. Each
window assembly grid has its own assignments.
4 Type one of the following:
Index, and then type pick and use the cursor to select the mullions that
you want to use this assignment, then press ENTER.
Location, and specify the edge to use in the new assignment. If you
selected a frame edge in step 3, then you are prompted for left, right,
top, and bottom edges. If you selected a mullion, you are prompted for
start, middle, or end (for horizontal grids) or bottom, middle or top (for
vertical grids).
5 Type the number associated with the edge definition that you want.
NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge that has the assignment you want to remove.
The edge assignment is removed and all edges using that assignment are
assigned the default assignment instead.
If you selected an edge that was already using the default cell assignment,
a message is displayed indicating that you cannot remove the default
assignment. For information about modifying the default assignment, see
Defining Window Assembly Frames on page 747 or Defining Window
Assembly Mullions on page 751.
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Chapter 20
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NOTE If you do not see Assignments in the shortcut menu, then Edit in
Place is not active. To activate it, select Edit in Place from the shortcut menu.
3 Select an edge that has the assignment you want to modify.
4 To change the edges used in this assignment, type used.
To change the definition of the edge, type element.
NOTE If you select a mullion that is using the default assignment, you are
not prompted to choose between Used In or Element. You cannot change the
mullions using the default assignment, because all unassigned mullions use
the default assignment.
5 If you selected Used In, type
Index, and then type pick and use the cursor to select the edges that
you want to use this assignment.
Location, and specify whether the new assignment is to be used for the
left, right, top or bottom frame edge. (This option is not available for
mullion edges.)
If you selected Element, type the number associated with the edge definition that you want.
789
An override option is unavailable when that type of override has not been
applied to the window assembly. For more information about overrides,
see Overriding Cell and Edge Assignments in Window Assemblies on
page 779.
5 Click OK to exit the dialog box and save the changes.
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TIP You can also access the Window Assembly Style Properties dialog box
by selecting a window assembly of the style you want to edit, and select Edit
Window Assembly Style from the shortcut menu.
3 Do any of the following:
Define new divisions, infills, frames, or mullions. For more information, see Creating Element Definitions for a Window Assembly Style
on page 736.
Change an existing division, infill, frame or mullion definition. For
more information, see Modifying Existing Element Definitions for
Window Assembly Styles on page 791.
Assign different definitions to grids, cells, frames, or mullions. For
more information, see Assigning Definitions to Window Assembly
Elements on page 755.
Remove overrides. For more information, see Removing Window
Assembly Overrides on page 782.
Change the layer, color, linetype, or visibility of window assembly
components. For more information, see Modifying the Display of
Window Assemblies on page 767.
Add custom components to a window assembly. For more information,
see Adding Custom Graphics as a Display Component of a Window
Assembly on page 770.
Change the dimension defaults for the window assembly. For more
information, see Setting Default Dimensions for a Window Assembly
Style on page 772.
Attach notes and reference files to the window assembly style. Attaching Notes and Files to a Window Assembly Style on page 772.
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box when you have completed the changes.
791
From the assignments list: Select a grid from the tree view to display
the assignments list. Then select an assignment that uses that definition.
Make your changes below the assignment list.
From the definitions list: Select an element type from the tree view
to display all definitions for that element type. Select a definition and
make your changes below the definitions list.
Any changes you make, including changes to the definition name, overwrite
the existing definition. To create a new definition from the assignments list,
select New from the Element list. To create a new definition from the definitions list, click the New Division icon, the New Infill icon, the New Frame
icon, or the New Mullion icon.
The method you want to use depends on what you want to accomplish. For
example, to change the height of the window assembly, you can use
Window Assembly Modify when height is the only property you need to
change. You can change height quickly from the dashboard and it is more
precise than using grips.
Window Assembly Properties when you want to change the height in
addition to other properties of the selected window assembly. The
Window Assembly Properties dialog box gives you easy access to numerous properties.
These modification methods are identical to the methods described in Curtain Walls. For more information, see Modifying Curtain Walls on page
494 or Modifying Window Assemblies in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
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NOTE For information about changing the elements within a window assembly, see Modifying the Elements in a Window Assembly on page 778. For information about changing the display of the window assemblies, see Modifying
the Display of Window Assemblies in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users Guide.
3 Click in the drawing editor, then select the window assembly that has the
properties you want to match.
4 Type one of the following options on the command line:
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Chapter 20
Window Assemblies
Width: The distance from the start point to the end point of the window assembly baseline
Height: The distance from the baseline to the top of the window
assembly, including any rise
Rise: The distance from the base height to the top of the window
assembly
Start Miter Angle: The angle of all infills and horizontal edges
(frame or mullion) at the start of the window assembly
End Miter Angle: The angle of all infills and horizontal edges (frame
or mullion) at the end of the window assembly
795
4 In the Window Assembly Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
6 Click OK to close the Window Assembly Properties dialog box, and then
click Apply to see the changes to the window assembly without leaving
the Modify Window Assemblies dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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797
NOTE The miter angle is applied to all infills and horizontal edges (frame or
mullion) that are adjacent to the corner. Vertical edges are not affected.
To automatically calculate the miter angles between two window assemblies
1 Select one of the window assemblies.
2 Select Tools Set Miter Angles from the shortcut menu.
3 Select the other window assembly.
If you change the angle of either window assembly, use Set Miter Angles
again to calculate the angles again.
NOTE The miter angle is applied to all infills and horizontal edges that are
adjacent to the corner. Vertical edges are not affected.
To set the miter angle of a window assembly
1 Select the window assembly.
2 Select Window Assembly Properties from the shortcut menu.
3 Click Dimensions.
4 To miter the window assembly at its start point, type an angle for Start
Miter Angle. To miter the window assembly at its end point, type an angle
for End Miter Angle.
TIP To quickly identify the start and end of a window assembly, select the
window assembly and move one of the endpoints. A directional marker is displayed near the center of the window assembly and points toward the end of
the window assembly.
5 Click OK.
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4 In the Window Assembly Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
5 To add a description to the window assembly, type it in the Description
field.
6 To add a note to the window assembly, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply. plan view
799
freestanding door, except that the Location tab is replaced by an Anchor tab.
From the Anchor tab, you change the orientation of the door and the alignment or offset of the door in relation to the window assembly.
You can also swap objects from one cell to another or release the object
anchor so that the object moves independently from the window assembly.
NOTE When you swap or release an object or edit its properties, you are creating a variation from the infill cell assignment. By default, these variations
(except for release) are allowed to persist in the drawing when you reapply the
style to a curtain wall. However, if you want these variations to be overridden
when you reapply a curtain wall style, then turn off the Allow Variation from Infill
Element Definition option on the Anchor tab of the object Properties dialog box.
This option is set on a per object basis.
These editing options are identical to the options described in Curtain
Walls, on page 396. For more information, see Editing Objects Anchored in
Curtain Walls on page 509 or Editing Objects Anchored in Window
Assemblies in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
NOTE This tab is available only for objects that are anchored to another
object, such as a window assembly.
3 On the Anchor tab, do any of the following:
4 Click OK.
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NOTE This tab is available only for objects that are anchored to another
object, such as a window assembly.
3 On the Anchor tab, select Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition.
4 Choose a new alignment for the object. For more information, see Specifying an Alignment for a Window Assembly Infill on page 745.
5 Click OK.
NOTE This tab is available only for objects that are anchored to another
object, such as a window assembly.
3 On the Anchor tab, select Allow Variation from Infill Element Definition.
4 Specify a new offset for the object. For more information, see Specifying
an Offset for a Window Assembly Infill on page 746.
5 Click OK.
801
NOTE You can also move or erase the object by changing the element definition for the cell that contains the object. For more information, see Defining
Infills for Window Assembly Cells on page 743.
To release an object anchored in window assembly
Select one of the objects from the window assembly and choose Infill
Anchor release from the shortcut menu.
Menu command
Command line
WinAssemblyAdd
WInAssemblyModify
Convert Linework to
Window Assembly
WinAssemblyConvert
WinAssemblyConvertGrid
WInAssemblyStyle
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Chapter 20
WinAssemblyProps
WinAssemblyStyleEdit
GridAssemblyCopyFromStyle
Edit in Place
Window Assemblies
Menu command
Command line
GridAssemblyMakeStyleBased
GridAssemblySaveChanges
GridAssemblySetEditDepthOff
GridAssemblySetEditDepthAll
GridAssemblySetEditDepth1
GridAssemblySetEditDepth2
GridAssemblySetEditDepth3
GridAssemblySetEditDepth
GridAssemblyMergeCells
GridAssemblyAddCellOverride
GridAssemblyAddEdgeOverride
GridAssemblyAddProfileOverri
de
GridAssemblyEditDivisions
Element Definitions
Divisions...
GridAssemblyEditInfill
GridAssemblyEditBoundaryEdg
e
GridAssemblyEditInteriorEdges
Element Definitions
Mullions...
GridAssemblyAddCellSpecifier
GridAssemblyRemoveCellSpecif
ier
GridAssemblyModifyCellSpecifi
er
803
Menu command
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Chapter 20
Command line
GridAssemblyAddEdgeSpecifier
GridAssemblyRemoveEdgeSpec
ifier
GridAssemblyModifyEdgeSpeci
fier
WinAssemblyAddSelected
Add Selected...
GridAssemblyInterference
Tools Interference
GridAssemblySetMiterAngles
Window Assemblies
Structural Members
21
In this chapter
Catalog
structural members
custom members
Creating custom shapes for
structural members
Working with structural
List
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Chapter 21
Structural Members
You can open all the levels in the tree pane under a material to select a structural shape. When you select a shape type in the tree view, a preview image
is displayed in the upper right pane. All the available shapes of that type in
the catalog are displayed in the lower right pane. Each shape has a list of
parameters that describe it. When you generate a style from a catalog
specification, you use the parameters to define and store a shape in the style.
For example, the steel beam selected in the previous illustration has
parameters that include its depth (d), flange width (bf), flange thickness (tf),
and web thickness (tw). When you generate a style in the catalog using the
specification, the parameters create the following shape that is stored in the
style.
807
When you create a beam in your drawing with this style, the shape of the
beam is determined by the style. You determine the length, start and end
offsets, justification, and roll of the beam when you create the beam. After
you have created a structural member from a catalog style, you can locate the
original shape in the Structural Catalog that you used to generate the style
from the structural member in the drawing.
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divided into imperial and metric units, and includes industry standard specifications, such as the AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction).
To locate shapes in the Structural Member Catalog
1 From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Structural Member
Catalog.
The Structural Member Catalog is displayed. A tree view in the left pane
of the catalog lists the available shapes.
2 Depending on the units that you are using, click the plus sign (+) next to
Imperial or Metric.
The three material levels in the catalog, Concrete, Steel, and Timber, are
displayed.
3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the material that you want to use.
Depending on the material that you chose, several structural shape types
are displayed.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the type of shape that you want to locate.
Depending on the shape, you may need to open another level in the tree.
5 Select the shape.
When you select a shape type in the tree view in the left pane, the bottom
right pane displays a listing of the available shapes and their descriptions.
You can select these shapes and their descriptions to generate styles for
structural members. For more information, see Creating a Style from a
Shape in the Structural Member Catalog on page 810.
809
you want to open in Catalog under the Structural Member Catalog toolbar.
A style that contains the catalog shape that you selected is created. You
can view the style in the Style Manager, create a new structural member
from the style, or apply the style to an existing member.
When you add a structural member to your drawing, the shape inside the
style that you created defines the shape of the member. You define the
810
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length, justification, roll or rise, and start and end offsets of the structural
member when you draw it. For more information, see Creating Structural
Members on page 811.
811
Creating a Column
You can create a column with a style that you created in the Structural
Member Catalog. The style provides the shape of the column. You define the
path that the shape is extruded along. Columns are created with their length
(X-axis) positioned in a positive direction along the current UCS Z-axis.
Creating a column
812
Chapter 21
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When you create a column, you can choose to anchor it to a column grid as
you create it.
813
When you anchor an existing column to a grid (or any other object), the
extruded (X-axis) axis of the column is aligned with the X-axis of the grid,
resulting in a column that lies down on the grid. Anchoring the column during column or column grid creation compensates for this behavior.
To stand an anchored column up on the grid, edit the anchor. Select the column, right-click, and select Member Properties. Click the Anchor tab, and
enter a Y rotation of 270 under Orientation.
To create a column
1 In the Structural Member Catalog, create a style for the column that you
want to create. For more information, see Creating a Style from a Shape
in the Structural Member Catalog on page 810.
2 From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Add Column.
The following prompt is displayed:
Select grid or RETURN:
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Select a column grid in your drawing that you want to anchor the column to.
Press ENTER to create a column that is not anchored to a grid.
4 In the Add Columns dialog box, in the Style list, select the column style
that you created in the catalog.
5 In the Length box, type a value for the length of the column.
6 In the Start Offset and End Offset boxes, type values to add a start or end
offset to the column.
7 In the Justify list, select a justification for the column.
You can justify the column based on nine positions on the column, or you
specify the baseline justification. For members created with styles from
the Structural Member Catalog, the baseline justification uses the centroid
of the column to justify the column.
8 Specify the roll, or rotation around the extruded axis of the column.
If you are creating a column that you are not anchoring to a grid, do one
of the following to specify the roll, or rotation around the extruded axis
of the column:
If you are creating a column that you are anchoring to a grid, type a value
for the roll of the column.
9 Specify an insertion point in your drawing for the column. If you are
anchoring the column to a grid, specify a node on the column grid to
anchor the column.
10 If you selected Specify on Screen in step 8, rotate the column in your drawing and select a point to determine the roll angle.
11 You can continue to create as many columns as you need. Press ENTER to
finish creating columns by ending the command.
The column or columns that you created are displayed in your drawing. If
you added a start or end offset to your columns, the columns are offset from
the start or endpoint along their path.
815
Creating a Brace
You can create a brace from a style that you created from a shape in the
Structural Member Catalog. The style provides the shape of the brace. You
define the path that the shape is extruded along.
Creating a brace
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To create a brace
1 In the Structural Member Catalog, create a style for the brace that you
want to create. For more information, see Creating a Style from a Shape
in the Structural Member Catalog on page 810.
2 From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Add Brace.
3 In the Add Braces dialog box, in the Style list, select the brace style that
you created in the catalog.
4 In the Start Offset and End Offset boxes, type values to add a start or end
offset to the brace.
5 In the Justify list, select a justification for the brace.
You can justify the brace based on nine positions on the brace, or you can
specify the baseline justification. For members created with styles from
the Structural Member Catalog, the baseline justification uses the centroid
of the brace to justify the brace.
6 Type a value in the Roll box to specify the rotation of the brace around its
extruded axis.
7 To specify the rise, or the vertical distance between the start and endpoint
of the brace, do one of the following:
817
Creating a Beam
You can create a beam with a style that you created in the Structural Member
Catalog. The style provides the shape of the beam. You define the path that
the shape is extruded along.
Creating a beam
To create a beam
1 In the Structural Member Catalog, create a style for the beam that you
want to create. For more information, see Creating a Style from a Shape
in the Structural Member Catalog on page 810.
2 From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Add Beam.
3 In the Add Beams dialog box, in the Style list, select the beam style that
you created in the catalog.
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4 In the Start Offset and End Offset boxes, type values to add a start or end
offset to the beam.
5 In the Justify list, select a justification for the beam.
Justifying a beam
You can justify the beam based on nine positions on the beam, or you
specify the baseline justification. For members created with styles from
the Structural Member Catalog, the baseline justification uses the centroid
of the beam to justify the beam.
6 To specify the roll, or rotation around the extruded axis, type a value for
the roll.
7 Specify an insertion point in your drawing for the beam.
8 Specify an endpoint for the beam.
The beam is created in your drawing. You can continue to create as many
beams as you need.
9 Press ENTER to finish creating beams by ending the command.
The beam or beams that you created are displayed in your drawing. If you
added a start or end offset to your beams, the beams are offset from the start
or endpoint along their path.
819
You can select multiple lines to convert to multiple members, curved lines to
create curved members, and multi-segmented polylines to create multi-segmented members.
WARNING! You cannot convert a polyline with a start node that coincides
with the end node of the polyline. If you try to convert it to a structural member, then a defect marker displays in your drawing.
3 Depending on the type of structural member that you want to create, from
the Design menu, choose Structural Members Convert to Column,
Convert to Brace, or Convert to Beam.
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4 Select the geometry that you created in step 2, and press ENTER.
NOTE You can create multiple structural members at the same time by
selecting geometry for more than one member.
The following prompt is displayed:
Erase layout geometry? [Yes/No] <N>:
5 Do one of the following:
To erase the geometry after you create the member (that is added to
your drawing), type y (Yes).
To keep the original geometry in the drawing, press ENTER.
6 In the Structural Member Properties dialog box, click the Style tab.
7 Select a style for the structural member.
8 Optionally, you can attach notes and reference files to the member,
change the member dimensions, and add trim planes to the member in
the Structural Member Properties dialog box. For more information, see
Modifying Structural Members on page 821.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
A new structural member is created in your drawing from the geometry that
you defined.
821
files, or schedule data to a structural member, and change the style, dimensions, or location of the structural member. You can add trim planes to the
structural member to modify the geometry of the member.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
822
Chapter 21
Structural Members
823
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
824
Chapter 21
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You can use trim planes to clean up joints between multiple structural
members. For example, you could use multiple trim planes to angle both
ends of a brace used in a diagonally braced frame.
Because trim planes are infinite planes, you cannot use them to notch, cope,
or cut holes in structural members.
When you add a trim plane to a structural member, you locate the trim plane
relative to the baseline of the structural member. You define a location on the
baseline and an orientation to define the trim plane. You can add any
number of trim planes to structural member. After you modify a structural
member with a trim plane, you can remove the trim plane to restore the
member to its original dimensions.
Define the position of the trim plane relative to the start or end of the
path of the member.
825
Offset the trim plane in the X direction to move the origin of the trim
plane along the member path.
Offset the trim plane in the Y and Z direction to move the origin of the
trim plane perpendicular to the member path in the Y and/or Z directions.
Rotate the trim plane around its Y or Z axis to angle the cutting plane.
826
Chapter 21
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NOTE As you add values to define the trim plane, you can preview the
effects on the structural member in the floating viewer by clicking the viewer
icon in the left corner of the Structural Member Properties dialog box.
7 Type a value under y to move the trim plane origin perpendicular to the
path of the member in the Y direction.
8 Type a value under Z to move the trim plane origin perpendicular to the
path of the member in the Z direction.
9 Under Rotation, type values for Y and Z to rotate the trim plane around
the Y and/or Z axis of the trim plane.
When you finish specifying dimensions for the trim plane, you can continue adding trim planes to the structural member.
10 To copy a trim plane, select the trim plane, and click Copy.
11 When you finish adding trim planes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
After you add one or more trim planes to a structural member, you can
change the orientation of the trim planes or remove them from the member
to restore the original geometry of the member.
827
NOTE You can preview the changes the new trim plane values make to the
structural member in the floating viewer by clicking the viewer icon in the left
corner of the Structural Member Properties dialog box.
5 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
828
Chapter 21
Structural Members
tural member on the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y
and Z boxes. To locate the structural member on the XZ plane, type 1
in the Y box and type 0 in the X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the structural member, type a new value for
Rotation Angle.
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Description
Elevation
Elevation - Detail
Logical
Model
Model - Detail
Plan - Detail
829
Description
Plan - Sketch
Plan
In the Plan and Plan - Detail representations, the same column is represented
by closed polylines. Both representations display the beam geometry, but the
Detail representation is more detailed, including fillets in the display of the
column. Use the Plan representation to improve performance while
modeling, and the Plan - Detail representation to display an added level of
detail for detail drawings.
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Chapter 21
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Because beams, braces, and columns are created from the same object, use
the Structural Member object in the Display Manager to change the display
of these objects.
Select a property source, and click Attach Override to change how the
object is displayed in the current viewport in the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
831
832
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
Chapter 21
Structural Members
7 Click OK.
8 Click Scale/Spacing to change the value for the selected component.
9 Click Angle to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
10 Click Orientation to set the hatch orientation relative to the object or to
the drawing.
11 Click OK to exit all dialog boxes.
833
834
Chapter 21
Structural Members
10 To repeat the block along the member path, select from the following
options:
Select Repeat Block Display, specify a start and end offset, and a space
between dimension.
Optionally, select Fit, and select Space Evenly or Scale to Fit.
If you do not select Fit, then the insertion point of the first block is located
at the start offset distance from the start node of the member. The block
is repeated, allowing for the space between, until the insertion point of
the block is beyond the end offset distance from the end node. A negative
end offset is necessary to place the last block within the member.
If you select Fit and Space Evenly, then the spacing between blocks is
increased as needed to make the insertion point of the last block be
exactly at the end offset distance from the end of the member.
If you select Fit and Scale to Fit, then the block is scaled and shifted so the
extents of all of the blocks fit between the start and end offset distances.
11 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary:
835
The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Structural Member Styles style type is selected within the
current drawing, and all other style types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Under the Structural Member Styles style type, select the structural member style that you want to change, right-click, and choose Edit from the
shortcut menu.
3 In the Structural Member Style Properties dialog box, click the General
tab.
4 To add a description to the structural member style, type it in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the structural member style, or to attach, edit, or detach
a reference file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the structural member style properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
836
Chapter 21
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837
838
Chapter 21
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If you place shapes on the member path relative to the end of the member, then the endpoint of the member is Node 0.
Scale: Allows you to scale the shape.
Mirror: Allows you to mirror the shape.
Rotation: Allows you to rotate the shape.
X: Allows you to offset the shape in the X direction along the member
path.
Y: Allows you to offset the shape in the Y direction perpendicular to
the member path.
Z: Allows you to offset the shape in the Z direction perpendicular to
the member path.
839
4 In the Structural Member Style Properties dialog box, click Design Rules.
5 Under Start Shape, from the Name list, select the shape that you created
in step 2.
If you created a custom shape in step 2, the name of the shape is displayed
in the Name list. If you created a style from the Structural Member Catalog, the shape is displayed in the Name list with the name of the shape
that you selected in the catalog to create the style, not with the style name
that you typed.
6 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
The structural member is redrawn with the new shape.
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Chapter 21
Structural Members
that you selected in the catalog to create the style, not with the style name
that you typed.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
The structural member is redrawn with the new shape added to its geometry.
From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Structural Member Catalog.
In the tree view in the left pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Imperial.
Click the plus sign next to Steel, and then next to AISC.
Click the plus sign next to I-Shaped.
Select Wn, Wide-Flange Shapes, right-click on W8X31 in the right
pane, and select Generate Member Style. Type Shape 1 for the style
name, and click OK.
841
The first style contains the start shape for the column, and the second
style contains the end shape for the column.
2 In the Style Manager, create a new style for the tapered column.
842
Chapter 21
Structural Members
From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Structural Member Catalog.
In the tree view in the left pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Imperial.
Click the plus sign next to Steel, and then next to AISC.
Click the plus sign next to I-Shaped.
Select Wn, Wide-Flange Shapes, right-click on W8X31 in the right
pane, and select Generate Member Style. Type Shape 1 for the style
name, and click OK.
Click the plus sign next to Concrete.
Click the plus sign next to Pre-Cast.
Select Rectangular Columns, right-click on 16 x 16 in the right pane,
and select Generate Member Style. Type Shape 3 for the style name,
and click OK.
Close the Structural Member Catalog.
The first style contains a shape for the steel column, and the second style
contains a shape for the concrete column.
843
2 In the Style Manager, create a new style for the composite steel and concrete column.
844
Chapter 21
Structural Members
The following procedures show you how to create a rigid frame by assigning
multiple shapes to multiple components of a structural member.
845
First, create the shapes that you will assign to the start and endpoints of each
segment of the path of the rigid frame. Next, draw a path for the frame and
convert it to a structural member. In the rigid frame style, assign shapes to
each segment of the rigid frame to create the legs and rafters of the frame.
846
From the Design menu, choose Structural Members Structural Member Catalog.
In the tree view in the left pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Imperial.
Click the plus sign next to Steel, and then next to AISC.
Click the plus sign next to I-Shaped.
Select Wn, Wide-Flange Shapes, right-click on W8X31 in the right
pane, and select Generate Member Style. Type Shape 1 for the style
name, and click OK.
Select W1n, Wide-Flange Shapes, right-click on W14X43 in the right
pane, and select Generate Member Style. Type Shape 2 for the style
name, and click OK.
Close the Structural Member Catalog.
Chapter 21
Structural Members
Next, draw a path for the rigid frame and convert it to a structural member.
See Drawing the Rigid Frame Path and Converting it to a Structural Member on page 847.
2 In the Style Manager, create a new style for the rigid frame.
3 Convert the polyline to a structural member with the Rigid Frame style
that you created in step 2.
847
In the Structural Member Properties dialog box, on the Styles tab, select
Rigid Frame.
Click OK to exit.
Next, create the first leg of the rigid frame. See Creating the First Leg of the
Rigid Frame on page 848.
848
Chapter 21
Structural Members
6 Scroll to the end of the Design Rules dialog box to display the End Shape
parameters for Component 1.
7 Specify the following parameters for the End Shape:
Next, create the first rafter of the rigid frame. See Creating the First Rafter of
the Rigid Frame on page 849.
4 Scroll to the end of the Design Rules dialog box to display the End Shape
parameters for Component 1.
849
Next, create the second rafter of the rigid frame. See Creating the Second
Rafter of the Rigid Frame on page 850.
4 Scroll to the end of the Design Rules dialog box to display the End Shape
parameters for Component 1.
5 Specify the following parameters for the End Shape:
850
Chapter 21
Structural Members
Next, create the second leg of the rigid frame. See Creating the Second Leg
of the Rigid Frame on page 851.
4 Scroll to the end of the Design Rules dialog box to display the End Shape
parameters for Component 1.
5 Specify the following parameters for the End Shape:
851
When you create a custom shape, you may define the shape that you want
to use. To accommodate the different levels of detail in the Design, Detail,
and Sketch display representations, you may define three separate
geometries for each representation. You can create the Sketch shape from
simple lines and arcs, and the Design and Detail shapes from closed polylines
that do not intersect each other. If you do not need to create the different levels of display, then you need only define the Design level geometry to use as
the default geometry for all three levels of display.
After you have created a custom component shape, you can assign the shape
to a structural member in the design rules of the structural member style. You
can edit, copy, and purge member styles after you create them.
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Chapter 21
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NOTE If you do not want to create more than one representation for the
shape, skip to step 9 and define a Design representation to use as the default
representation.
6 Type s (Sketch) to define the Sketch representation of the shape.
The following prompt is displayed:
Base Point for Sketch Representation:
7 Select a base point for the Sketch representation, and press ENTER.
8 Select arcs and lines to define the Sketch representation of the shape, and
press ENTER.
The Sketch representation of the shape is defined. The following prompt
is displayed:
Shape [Sketch/Design/Detail]:
9 To define both the Design and Detail representations of the shape, type
Design or Detail.
853
11 Select the closed polylines that you want to use to create the representation.
The following prompt is displayed:
Add another ring? [Yes/No] <N>:
13 Select an insertion point for the shape, or press ENTER to use the centroid.
14 When you finish specifying shapes for both the Design and Detail representations, press ENTER three times to exit the command.
854
Type the name of the shape that you want to copy, and press ENTER.
Type ? to select a shape to copy from a list of existing shapes. Press
ENTER.
Chapter 21
Structural Members
855
5 When you finish purging custom shapes, press ENTER to end the command.
856
Chapter 21
Structural Members
857
3 Press CTRL+V.
A copy of the existing style is created.
4 To rename the style, select the style, right-click, and choose Rename from
the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new structural member style, select the
style, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Structural Member Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can
add notes to the style, change the width and justification of the structural
member edges, and change the display properties of the new style. For
more information about changing each style property, see Changing the
Structural Member Style Properties on page 835.
6 When you finish changing the structural member style properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused structural member style in your current drawing, select the style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge
from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused structural member styles in your current drawing, with the Structural Member Styles style type selected, right-click,
and choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
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Chapter 21
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NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
859
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Chapter 21
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The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The structural member styles in the current drawing are displayed under the Structural Member Styles style type. All other style and
definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the style to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Structural Member Styles style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the other
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the other drawing. If the drawing already contains
a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Menu command
Command line
Add Column...
ColumnAdd
Convert to Column...
ColumnConvert
Add Brace....
BraceAdd
861
Menu command
Command line
Convert to Brace...
BraceConvert
Add Beam...
BeamAdd
Convert to Beam...
BeamConvert
Member Properties...
MemberProps
Member Styles...
MemberStyle
Structural Member
Catalog...
MemberCatalog
MemberStyleEdit
MemberProps
Member Properties...
-AecsMemberShapeDefine
862
Chapter 21
Structural Members
Roofs
22
In this chapter
Creating roofs
Modifying roofs
Changing roof properties
Creating roof slabs
You can customize a roof by converting it into individual roof slabs, offering tight control of the detail of the
roof edges. You can customize the soffit and fascia of the
roof slab edge as well as the angle of the edge.
863
Creating Roofs
Roofs are AEC objects that model an entire surface. You can create roofs on
the fly or select an existing polyline shape and place a roof on that shape. You
can also select existing closed walls and place a roof on the walls. You can
change the slope of an existing roof and edit the edges and faces of roofs.
You can create roofs with single or double slopes and gable roofs from a
polyline or a closed group of walls. You can also create roofs dynamically
with a pointing device.
Plate Height: The height of the bottom surface of the roof at its lowest
edge (where the overhang begins). This is usually the height of the top
plate of the wall that the roof sits on.
864
Chapter 22
Roofs
NOTE You can add additional slopes to a roof face in the Edit Roof Edges
or Roof Properties dialog box.
Creating Roofs
865
4 In the Add Roof dialog box, set the plate height for the roof.
5 Specify the second point to complete the first sloped roof edge.
6 In the Add Roof dialog box, select Gable.
7 Specify the next point to create a gable roof edge.
8 In the Add Roof dialog box, clear Gable.
9 Specify the next point to create a sloped roof edge.
10 In the Add Roof dialog box, select Gable.
11 Specify the next point to create the second gable roof edge.
NOTE You can create a gable on a roof by gripping any ridge line point and
stretching it past the roof edge.
866
Chapter 22
Roofs
NOTE If the walls you select are not closed, a roof is added to the top of
each wall segment.
3 Type y (Yes) to erase the selected walls after the roof is created or n (No) to
leave the walls in the drawing.
4 In the Modify Roof dialog box, type new values as needed.
5 Click OK.
The roof is created on the selected walls at the correct height.
Creating Roofs
867
NOTE If your walls are not properly cleaned up with each other, the roof
conversion is unpredictable. For more information, see Wall Cleanup Definitions on page 356.
Modifying Roofs
You can change any characteristic of a roof, including the plate height, the
slope, and overhang values. You can edit the edges and faces of roofs.
4 Click Apply to change the properties of the selected roof and remain in the
dialog box to continue modifying the roof, or click OK to exit the dialog
box.
868
Chapter 22
Roofs
3 In the upper section of the Edit Roof Edges dialog box, change the height
or overhang for the roof edge as needed. For a curved edge, you can also
change the number of segments in the curve or radius.
4 In the lower section of the Edit Roof Edges dialog box, you can change the
slope of any edge selected in the upper section.
TIP If you click the blank space under the last number in the Face column,
a a new face is created for the selected edge. You can then assign the new
face a different height and slope. To remove a face, click Delete.
5 Click OK.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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7 In the upper section of the Edit Roof Edges dialog box, change the height
or overhang for the roof edge as needed. For a curved edge, you can also
change the number of segments in the curve or radius.
8 In the lower section of the Edit Roof Edges dialog box, you can change the
slope of any edge selected in the upper section.
TIP If you click the blank space under the last number in the Face column,
a a new face is created for the selected edge. You can then assign the new
face a different height and slope. To remove a face, click Delete.
9 Click OK.
871
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the roof object without leaving the Roof Properties dialog box.
7 After you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Roof Slabs
A roof slab models a single face of a roof. A slab is a three dimensional body,
bounded by a planer polygon (perimeter), of any shape, and with any number of edges. Each roof slab is defined by its perimeter, edge conditions, and
style.
Roof slab objects differ from roof objects because each slab is a separate entity
with no direct connection to other entities. You can use multiple roof slabs
to model an entire roof surface, but the combined topology (3D geometry) of
the roof is not calculated automatically. For this reason, it is recommended
that when you design complex roofs, you initially use the roof object. When
the design is substantially complete, but more flexibility and detail are
needed in the model, you can convert the roof to individual roof slabs.
While roof slabs do not dynamically interact with each other, they do allow
significant control over the roof geometry. For example, you can trim roof
slabs individually, extend them, and miter them with other slabs. You can cut
holes in them, add or subtract mass elements, and apply detailed fascia and
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soffit profiles to any edge at any angle and orientation. Roof slabs are also
style-based, so you can apply design changes globally.
873
The perimeter of the roof slab is a planer polygon defined by the X,Y,Z coordinates of its vertices. The slab can have three or more vertices, with the ability to add or remove vertices. Each pair of vertices defines an edge.
The body of the slab is an extrusion perpendicular to the plane of the perimeter. The thickness of this extrusion is specified either in the slab style, when
it has a fixed thickness, or for each slab instance. The position of the slab bottom, relative to its perimeter plane, is controlled by the thickness offset value
in the slab style design rules. The imaginary line passing through the slab at
the perimeter line (in section) is called the slope line.
Each slab edge is defined by its orientation (plumb or square), angle (relative
to the orientation), edge style (fascia and soffit), and overhang (which
defines the point at which the fascia begins).
The orientation, edge angle, and overhang are attributes of the slab instance,
but can be set as defaults in the slab edge style. The fascia and soffit parameters can be set only in the edge style.
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Direct: The points specified become the vertices of the roof slab perimeter.
4 In the Thickness box, type the thickness for the roof slab.
5 In the Base Height box, type the height of the roof slab insertion point.
This is available only when you select Projected mode.
6 In the Overhang box, type the depth for the overhang. This determines
where the fascia begins for the roof slab.
7 In the Justify box, select the justification for the roof slab, Top, Center,
Bottom, or Slopeline.
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a roof slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the roof slab object. The Justify option is intended
primarily for Direct mode.
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Top: Aligns the top of the added slab with the first selected point.
Center: Aligns the center of the added slab with the first selected point.
Bottom: Aligns the bottom of the added slab with the first selected point.
Slopeline: Aligns the slopeline of the added slab with the first selected
point. The slopeline is defined as the position of the slab baseline relative
to its bottom face. This is set by the thickness offset in the Roof Slab Style
Design Rules dialog box.
8 Set the slope for the roof slab by typing it in the Rise, Run, or Angle boxes.
When you change one value and click another box, the other fields adjust
accordingly. This is available only when you select Projected mode.
9 Click one of the direction buttons, to set how the slab is drawn relative to
the baseline.
NOTE You can use direction options only when you select two points. If
you select three or more points, the Direction buttons are shaded.
10 After the parameters for the roof slab have been set, click your drawing,
then select a point for the beginning of the roof slab.
11 Select a second point for the first edge (baseline) of the roof slab.
12 You can select further points to define the roof slab, or you can click Ortho
Close to finish the roof slab.
Ortho Close: While drawing a roof slab, Ortho Close uses the first line
and the selected direction, and draws a square roof slab based on the current settings in the Add Roof Slab dialog box.
13 After you have specified three or more points, you can click Polyline Close
to connect the last point of the roof slab to the first point, or you can click
Ortho Close to square off the last edge with the first.
877
14 Click OK.
TIP To create roof slabs with the same overhang as the roof, use a slab edge
style with the same default overhang.
To create roof slabs from an existing roof
1 From the Design menu, choose Roofs Convert to Roof Slabs.
2 Select an existing roof object, and press ENTER.
3 Type y (Yes) to erase the roof, or n (No) to leave the roof in the drawing.
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4 Type a roof slab style name, or press ENTER to use the default style.
TIP Use this conversion command to place roof slabs on top of existing walls.
The command is useful when you want a specific alignment between the slab
baseline and the wall baseline.
To create a roof slab from a wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Roofs Convert to Roof Slabs.
2 Select an existing wall, and press ENTER.
3 Type y (Yes) to erase the wall, or type n (No) to leave the wall in the drawing.
4 Specify the justification for the roof slab, Top, Center, Bottom, or Slopeline.
Top: Aligns the top of the slab with the wall base height.
Center: Aligns the center of the slab with the wall base height.
Bottom: Aligns the bottom of the slab with the wall base height.
Slopeline: Aligns the slopeline of the slab with the wall base height. The
slopeline is defined as the position of the slab baseline relative to its bottom face. This is set by the thickness offset in the Roof Slab Style Design
Rules dialog box.
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NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a roof slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the roof slab object.
5 Type where you want the baseline edge of the roof slab to align to in relation to the wall width. This can be the left, center, or right of the wall or
on the baseline of the wall.
Left: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the left side of the wall, based
on the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Center: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the center of the wall.
Right: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the right side of the wall,
based on the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Baseline: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the baseline of the wall.
6 Type the slope direction, either left or right. This is based on the direction
the wall was drawn.
7 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, you can edit the style properties
and dimension properties. Click OK after you have added and changed
the necessary information.
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NOTE A flat roof slab is created only when you specify a zero slope. If you
select multiple walls and a non-zero slope, multiple roof slabs are created.
When you select multiple walls that do not form a closed shape, you can use
Polyline Close to form the roof slab. If the closed polyline intersects one of
the selected walls, then the roof slab is invalid and you must select the walls
again.
You can specify all roof slab properties during the conversion or after
creation.
To create a flat roof slab from a wall
1 From the Design menu, choose Roofs Convert to Roof Slabs.
2 Select the walls to form the roof slab, and press ENTER.
3 Type y (Yes) to erase the walls, or n (No) to leave the walls in the drawing.
4 Specify the justification for the roof slab, Top, Center, Bottom, or Slopeline.
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a roof slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the roof slab object.
Top: Aligns the top of the slab with the wall base height.
Center: Aligns the center of the slab with the wall base height.
Bottom: Aligns the bottom of the slab with the wall base height.
Slopeline: Aligns the slopeline of the slab with the wall base height. The
slopeline is defined as the position of the slab baseline relative to its bottom face. This is set by the thickness offset in the Roof Slab Style Design
Rules dialog box.
5 Type where you want the baseline edge of the roof slab to align to in relation to the wall width. This can be the left, center, or right of the wall or
on the baseline of the wall.
Left: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the left side of the wall, based
on the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Center: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the center of the wall.
Right: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the right side of the wall,
based on the direction of the wall when it was drawn.
Baseline: Aligns the roof slab baseline edge to the baseline of the wall.
881
6 Type the slope direction, either left or right. This is based on the direction
the wall was drawn.
NOTE The slope direction is only used for non-zero slopes. If you create a
flat roof, the slope direction is ignored.
7 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, you can edit the style properties
and the dimension properties. Click OK after you have added and
changed the necessary information.
Facet Deviation
The smoothness (tesselation) of curved edges is controlled by the FACETDEV
variable. This variable sets the number of facets to display on curved AEC
objects. This must be set before converting the polyline to slabs.
The facet deviation is available only on the command line by typing
AecFacetDev.
The number you set as the facet deviation defines the maximum distance
from the chord to the arc, the chord being an edge that is created from
faceting the curve, to the true mathematical arc. The facet deviation has a
range of greater than zero (0) and no upper limit.
The minimum number of facets is 8. For example, create a cylinder mass
element to have a 1 radius, and set the facetdev to 1, the cylinder has 8
faces.
To create a roof slab from a closed polyline
1 From the Design menu, choose Roofs Convert to Roof Slabs.
2 Select an existing closed polyline, and press ENTER.
3 Type y (Yes) to erase the polylines, or n (No) to leave the polylines in the
drawing.
4 Type the creation type for the roof slab, Direct or Projected.
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Direct: The polyline vertices become the vertices of the roof slab perimeter.
5 If you select Projected as the creation mode, type the base height for the
roof slab.
6 Specify the justification for the roof slab, Top, Center, Bottom, or Slopeline.
NOTE This justification is only used for the insertion of a roof slab. It is not
retained as a parameter of the roof slab object.
883
Top: Aligns the slab top with the polyline (or base height, when using
projected mode.)
Center: Aligns the slab center with the polyline (or base height, when
using projected mode.)
Bottom: Aligns the slab bottom with the polyline (or base height, when
using projected mode.)
Slopeline: Aligns the slab slopeline with the polyline (or base height,
when using projected mode.)
7 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, you can edit the style properties,
and the dimension properties. Click OK after you have added and
changed the necessary information.
NOTE If you have specified the Direct mode, then the slope value is
ignored.
NOTE If you have set one of the roof slab Hold Elevation constraints in the
Roof Slab Dimensions Properties dialog box, the pivot point is ignored.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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NOTE To select the roof slab, click near one of the roof slab edges.
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When a miter by intersection is performed, both slabs are trimmed along the
intersection of their perimeter lines. Vertices are added or removed as
required. The new edges of the slabs are set to angles required for a true miter
cut. If the slab thicknesses are different, the angles are different.
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TIP If you need to miter multiple edges on a slab, stretch them to overlap the
other slab and use Miter by Intersection.
To miter roof slabs by edge
1 From the Design menu, choose Roof Slab Tools Miter Roof Slab.
2 Type e (Edges) to miter selected edges of the roof slabs.
3 Select one edge on the first roof slab to miter.
4 Select one edge on the second roof slab to miter.
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Facet Deviation
The smoothness (tesselation) of curved edges is controlled by the FACETDEV
variable. This variable sets the number of facets to display on curved AEC
objects. This must be set before converting the polyline to slabs.
The facet deviation is available only on the command line by typing
AecFacetDev.
The number you set as the facet deviation defines the maximum distance
from the chord to the arc, the chord being an edge that is created from
faceting the curve, to the true mathematical arc. The facet deviation has a
range of greater than zero (0) and no upper limit.
The minimum number of facets is 8. For example, create a cylinder mass
element to have a 1 radius, and set the facetdev to 1, the cylinder has 8
faces.
To cut a roof slab
1 Draw the object or polyline that you want to use to cut the roof slab.
2 From the Design menu, choose Roof Slab Tools Cut Roof Slab.
3 Select the roof slab.
4 Select the objects to cut the roof slab.
5 Type n (No) to keep the layout geometry, or type y (Yes) to erase the
geometry.
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TIP To place a new vertex at a precise intersection point, use ENT or APP object
snaps.
To add a vertex to a roof slab
1 From the Design menu, choose Roof Slab Tools Add Roof Slab Vertex.
2 Select an existing roof slab.
3 Specify a point for the new vertex.
The new vertex is added to the nearest roof slab edge, perpendicular to the
selected point. If there is no point perpendicular to the roof, no vertex is
added.
NOTE To see the new vertex, select the roof slab after running this command. A new grip point is displayed where you specified a new vertex.
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Facet Deviation
The smoothness (tesselation) of curved edges is controlled by the FACETDEV
variable. This variable sets the number of facets to display on curved AEC
objects. This must be set before converting the polyline to slabs.
The facet deviation is available only on the command line by typing
AecFacetDev.
The number you set as the facet deviation defines the maximum distance
from the chord to the arc, the chord being an edge that is created from
faceting the curve, to the true mathematical arc. The facet deviation has a
range of greater than zero (0) and no upper limit.
The minimum number of facets is 8. For example, create a cylinder mass
element to have a 1 radius, and set the facetdev to 1, the cylinder has 8
faces.
To add a hole to a roof slab
1 Draw a closed polyline in the shape and location for the hole, or add an
object in the location for the hole.
2 From the Design menu, choose Roof Slab Tools Roof Slab Hole.
3 Type a (Add) to add the hole to the roof slab.
4 Select the roof slab.
5 Select the closed polyline or 3D objects, and press ENTER.
6 Type n (No) to keep the layout geometry, or type y (Yes) to erase the
geometry.
7 If you select 3D bodies, you are prompted to create the hole at the inside
or outside surfaces of the cutting objects. This prompt is displayed even
when the bodies do not contain an inner void, in which case, the Inside
option does not create a hole.
895
NOTE If you create a hole that is either outside or overlapping the roof slab
baseline or perimeter line at a roof slab overhang, then the body of the slab
is cut but the fascia and soffit remain. In this case, it is better to use the Cut
Roof Slab command.
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897
NOTE The walls you start with must include a back segment, so that the command can cut the full hole for the dormer.
To add a dormer to a roof slab
1 Create the three walls for the dormer, plus a closing rear wall.
2 From the Design menu, choose Roofs Convert to Roof Slabs.
3 Miter the edges as required.
4 Move the structure so that the walls and roof of the dormer fully penetrate
the existing roof slab in the correct position.
5 From the Design menu, choose Roof Slab Tools Roof Dormer.
6 Select the roof slab to add the dormer to.
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7 Select the objects that form the dormer, and press ENTER.
8 Select the outside or inside of the dormer to cut the roof slab.
9
NOTE You can manually erase the wall at the rear of the dormer.
899
To mimic standard midpoint grip editing behavior, highlight the two corner
points of the edge pressing SHIFT, then drag those grip points.
Press CTRL while selecting the midpoint grip, then drag the edge to create
new roof slab edges. This behavior is similar to Space Boundaries.
Normal grip editing of roof slabs maintains the slope angle of the slab regardless of the Z value of the selected point. To rotate the slab about its pivot
point, and change the slope, hold down CTRL + ALT while stretching a grip.
NOTE If you have set the Hold Fascia Elevation, When Changing Slope constraint, the pivot point is ignored during grip stretching with CTRL + ALT.
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NOTE The pivot point is unaffected by grip editing of the slab edges.
Baseline
Use the Node object snap to snap to the vertex points of the slab baseline.
Snap
Use the Insertion object snap to snap to the insertion point of the slab.
Use the Endpoint object snap to snap to the vertices of the slab edges.
Use the Midpoint object snap to snap to the midpoints of the slab edge lines.
4 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
5 To add a description to the roof slab, type it in the Description field.
6 To add a note to the roof slab, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file,
click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
901
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
NOTE You can set values back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style
Defaults.
6 Click OK to exit.
NOTE If you select more than one roof slab that have different styles, *VARIES* is added to and is selected in the Roof Slab Style dialog box. If you select
a new roof slab style, all selected styles are assigned that style.
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4 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 In the Thickness box, you can type a new thickness for the roof slab.
6 In the Vertical Offset box, you can type a new vertical distance offset from
the insertion point.
7 In the Horizontal Offset box, you can type a new horizontal distance offset from the insertion point.
8 In the Slope section, you can change the slope for the roof slab by typing
the values in the Rise, Run, or Angle boxes. After you change one value
and click another box, the other fields adjust accordingly.
9 By selecting Hold Fascia Elevation, When Changing Slope, you can constrain the fascia to align with other slab fascias even when the style is
changed. The two options can adjust the overhang or baseline height of
the roof slab. The constraints also apply to grip editing.
903
NOTE This constraint applies only to the baseline edge, and it works only
when the baseline is horizontal.
10 In the Pivot Point section, you can change the X, Y, and Z values of the
current pivot point location. The Pivot Point can be set graphically in the
Modify dialog box.
11 After you finish the changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE You can set values back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style
Defaults.
4 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, click the Edges tab.
5 Select the edge to edit from the list. Notice that the edge is highlighted in
the viewer. You can select multiple edges by using SHIFT or CTRL.
6 In the Overhang column, you can change the overhang for the edge.
7 In the Edge Style column, you can assign or change the style for the
selected edge.
8 In the Orientation column, you can set the orientation to Square or Plumb
cut.
9 In the Angle column, you can set the angle for the selected edge relative
to the orientation.
NOTE If you right-click the edge number, you can reset the selected edges
to their style defaults from the shortcut menu. If the option name is shaded,
the edges match the defaults.
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10 After you finish the changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Roof Slab Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
To relocate the roof slab, change the coordinate values under Insertion
Point.
To reorient the roof slab, change the axis to which the normal is parallel.
To change the rotation of the roof slab, type a new value for Rotation
Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the roof slab without leaving the Roof Slab Modify dialog box.
7 After you finish the changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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3 Press CTRL+V.
A copy of the existing style is created.
4 To rename the style, select it and right-click. Choose Rename from the
shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new roof slab style, select the style,
right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Roof Slab Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes
to the style, change the default values, and change the display properties
of the new style. For more information about changing each style property, see Changing Roof Slab Style Properties on page 910.
6 After you finish changing the roof slab style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused roof slab style in the current drawing, select
the style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
To purge all unused roof slab styles in the current drawing, select the
roof slab style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut
menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
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NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
908
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
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8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the second
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names is displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 After you finish changing the roof slab style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
911
4 In the Thickness box, type the default thickness for the roof slab.
5 In the Vertical Offset box, type the default vertical distance for the offset.
6 In the Horizontal Offset box, type the default horizontal distance for the
offset.
7 In the Slope section, you can set the default slope for the roof slab by typing the values in the Rise, Run, or Angle boxes. When you change one
value and click another box, the other fields adjust accordingly.
8 Select whether to automatically assign an edge style to the baseline edge
of the roof slab. If this is turned on, select the style from the list.
9 Select whether to automatically assign an edge style to the perimeter edges
of the roof slab, which are all edges but the baseline edge. If this is turned
on, select the style from the list.
10 Click New Edge Style to create a new edge style. See Creating New Roof
Slab Edge Styles for more information.
11 Click Save as Default for New Roof Slab Styles to save these default values
to the registry.
12 After you finish changing the roof slab style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
13 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Select the roof slab style from the property source and click Attach
Override to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport
in the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
913
6 After you finish changing the roof slab style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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select Auto-Adjust. If the slab edge is sloped relative to the ground plane, the
length is measured parallel to that slope, not plumb with the ground.
When you select Auto-Adjust to Edge Height, the fascia profile is scaled about
its insertion point so that its lowest Y axis point aligns with the bottom of
the slab edge.
Soffit
The soffit is defined by an AEC Profile, with the its insertion point positioned
at the X & Y offsets from the fascia insertion point.
NOTE These offsets are measured relative to the slab edge angle, not the
world UCS.
The soffit profile is drawn at actual size, except when you select Auto-Adjust.
The soffit angle is measured about its insertion point, using the local X axis
of the AEC profile.
When you select Auto-Adjust to Overhang Depth, the soffit profile is scaled
about the insertion point, so that the furthest X axis point aligns with a
plumb line from the slab baseline or perimeter line. Auto-Adjust scaling is
adjusted by the horizontal offset from the roof slab baseline dimension.
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4 To edit the style properties of your new roof slab edge style, select the
style, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Roof Slab Edge Style dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to the
style, change the default values, and change the design rules of the new
style. For more information about changing each style property, see
Changing Roof Slab Edge Style Properties on page 921.
5 After you finish changing the roof slab edge style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
917
To purge a single unused roof Slab Edge style in the current drawing,
select the style under the style type and right-click. Choose Purge from
the shortcut menu.
To purge all unused roof slab edge styles in the current drawing, select
the roof slab edge style type and right-click. Choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
918
Chapter 22
Roofs
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The roof slab edge styles in the current drawing are displayed
under the roof slab edge style type. All other style and definition types are
filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to the current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view and is filtered out
to display only the roof slab edge style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Roof Slab Edge Styles to display the roof slab
edge styles in the drawing.
5 Select the roof slab edge style that you want to copy, and choose Edit
Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
919
under the roof slab edge style type. All other style and definition types are
filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File New drawing to create the new drawing to copy the style to.
3 Type a name for the new drawing, and click Save.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view that is filtered out
to display only the roof slab edge style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the new
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
920
Chapter 22
Roofs
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
921
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 After you finish changing the roof slab edge style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Square: The roof edge is cut square (90 degrees) with the plane of the
slab.
Plumb: The roof edge is cut plumb (perpendicular) to the ground
922
Chapter 22
Roofs
6 In the Angle box, set an angle relative to the selected orientation. A positive value moves the bottom of the edge out and a negative value moves
the bottom of the edge in.
7 After you finish changing the roof slab edge style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE If you select *NONE*, display component settings are displayed for
the roof slab edge line or plane where the fascia is located.
923
6 In the Auto-Adjust to Edge Height box, select whether the fascia automatically scales to fit the height of the edge.
7 Select whether to assign a soffit to the edge style. If you select *NONE*, display component settings are displayed for the roof slab edge line or plane
where the soffit is located.
8 If there is soffit in this edge style, select an AEC profile for the soffit.
9 In the Auto-Adjust to Overhang Depth box, select whether the soffit automatically scales to fit the depth of the overhang.
10 In the Angle box, you can set the soffit angle, with zero being horizontal.
A positive angle slopes the soffit up from the insertion point and a negative value slopes the soffit down.
11 In the Horizontal Offset from Roof Slab Baseline box, you can set how
close the soffit is to the slab baseline or perimeter line when you select
Auto-Adjust.
12 In the Y Direction box, you can set a soffit offset in the local Y direction
from the fascia insertion point.
13 In the X Direction box, you can set a soffit offset in the local X direction
from the fascia insertion point.
14 After you finish changing the roof slab edge style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
15 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Menu command
Command line
Roofs
Add Roof...
RoofAdd
Modify Roof...
RoofModify
Convert to Roof...
RoofConvert
RoofEditEdges
924
Chapter 22
Roofs
Roof Modify...
Edit Edges...
Menu command
Command line
RoofSlabAdd
RoofSlabModify
RoofSlabConvert
RoofSlabEdgeEdit
RoofSlabStyle
RoofSlabEdgeStyle
Edit Edges...
Roof Properties...
RoofSlabStyleEdit
RoofSlabEdgeStyleEdit
RoofSlabProperties
RoofSlabTrim
Tools Trim
RoofSlabExtend
Tools Extend
RoofSlabMiter
Tools Miter
RoofSlabCut
Tools Cut
RoofSlabAddVertex
Roof SlabRemoveVertex
RoofSlabHole
Boolean Add/Subtract
RoofSlabBoolean
Tools Boolean
Roof Dormer
RoofSlabDormer
RoofSlabRemoveHole
925
926
Chapter 22
Roofs
Stairs
23
Stairs are AEC objects that use flights of treads and risers
In this chapter
Creating stairs
Modifying stairs
Changing stair properties
Changing stair styles
Changing stair style properties
927
Creating Stairs
Stairs are AEC objects that interact with railing objects. You can control the
style of the stair, the shape of the landing, whether the stairs have open or
closed treads, and the height and width of the stair run.
While strictly rectangular stairs are predominant in modern buildings, there
are many cases when the edges of a flight are not parallel, or follow some
curved shape. Landings can also have non-rectangular shapes. Stairs allow
the use of nearly arbitrary profiles for the edges of flights and landings. In
addition, railings and stringers can be anchored to stairs and can follow the
edges of flights and landings.
Stairs are created at a specified overall height that requires a total length
based on the tread length. Within that length, you can place landings or
turns. When you begin to create a stairway, a rectangular box is displayed
that represents the width and length of the stair as if it were a straight stairway. As you select consecutive points, depending upon the shape of the stair
selected, landings and turns are created.
928
Chapter 23
Stairs
1/2 Landing: Creates a flat landing where the stair run turns back in
the opposite direction.
1/2 Turn: Creates stairs where the stair run turns back in the opposite
direction.
5 Select the justification for the stair. This controls the insertion point when
you place the stair, left, center, or right at the bottom and top of the stair
run.
Creating Stairs
929
NOTE If you select the clockwise button in step 7, left is the outer edge of
the stair and right is the inner edge. If you select the counterclockwise button,
right is the outer edge of the stair and left is the inner edge.
8 Specify the start point for the bottom of the stair in the drawing.
An image of the stairway is displayed in the drawing.
9 Specify the endpoint for the U-shaped stairway.
10 Click Close, or press ENTER to end the command.
930
Chapter 23
Stairs
Creating Stairs
931
1/4 Landing: Creates a flat landing where the stair run creates a right
angle or some other bend.
1/4 Turn: Creates stairs where some of the treads create a right angle
or other bend.
932
Chapter 23
Stairs
1/2 Landing: Creates a flat landing that is defined by start and end
points.
1/2 Turn: Creates stairs where some of the treads make a turn back.
NOTE For quarter landings and quarter turn stairs, each subsequent point
defines the end of a flight and the location of another landing.
10 Repeat step 9 for another landing or specify the endpoint of the stair run.
11 Click Close, or press ENTER to end the command.
NOTE To create a straight stair with landings, use the multi-landing shape
with half landings. Select all the points in a straight line to define the flight
starts and flight end points.
Creating Stairs
933
Specifying the justification for spiral stairs with a free arc constraint
934
Chapter 23
Stairs
8 Specify the center point for the spiral stair in the drawing.
9 Click the start and end point of the stair. If you select Specify on Screen,
the second point specifies the radius and orientation of the stair. In other
cases, the radius is fixed and the second point simply sets the orientation
of the stair.
10 Click Close, or press ENTER to end the command.
To create a spiral stair with the specified tread depth (T) that occurs at a
specified distance from the inner edge, first construct the stair with a width
equal to twice the required distance (A), and then use Customized Edges to
offset the outer edge to the desired total width B. The offset distance is equal
to B - 2A.
Creating Stairs
935
Modifying Stairs
You can edit stairs by changing values in a dialog box or by using grip points.
4 For U-shaped and spiral stairs, you can also change the horizontal direction of the stair, clockwise and counterclockwise.
5 For spiral stairs, you can also change the radius, arc constraint, and constraint degrees of the stair.
6 Click Apply to change the selected stair and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the stair, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
936
Chapter 23
Stairs
You can use grips to create multi-landing stairs that have skewed landings
and angled stair runs. Changing the configuration of a landing may result in
changes to the stair run.
You can increase or decrease the overall width of the stair run for U-shaped
stairs.
The radius and start point can be changed for spiral stairs. You can use grips
to increase or decrease the overall width of the stair run for spiral stairs.
NOTE You cannot use grips to alter the floor-to-floor height. To change this
value, use the Modify Stair command. Also, the stair path can not be edited with
grips.
NOTE If you change the width of the stair after grip editing a side, the changes
are lost.
Modifying Stairs
937
Note that pushing one tread into the landing with its grip results in forcing
the landing to lengthen in the other direction. Pulling one tread away from
the landing does not affect the other end of the landing.
938
Chapter 23
Stairs
NOTE If edges intersect, which can happen with only spiral and winding
shapes, a defect marker is displayed.
NOTE If you change the width of the stair after offsetting a side, the
changes are lost.
5 Press ENTER to end the command.
NOTE In the case of projection of an edge of a stair that has an inner corner,
it is clear how to project the outer edge of the stair to the selected box, but projection of the inner corner is ambiguous. Rather than attempting to guess the
correct solution, these cases are not projected, and a dialog box is displayed with
an explanation that edges of stairs with interior corners can only be projected to
objects that extend beyond both ends of the stair.
The stair length is extended at its original width when the object (or
polyline) does not extend far enough for the stair to project completely.
When an object is partly within the stair and partly beyond it, the Project
command first trims the stair by removing the area that is within the stair.
If the same object is selected a second time, the stair extends to it. An error
message is displayed when the projection requires an inside corner to be
extended.
Modifying Stairs
939
NOTE Objects to project to must extend the full length of the stair for an interior corner to project properly.
To project a side of a stair to a polyline
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Customize Edges.
2 Type p (Project) to project the stair edge.
3 Select an edge of a stair.
4 Select a polyline to project to and press ENTER. Treads are extended using
the line of the current front and back edge.
940
Chapter 23
Stairs
NOTE If edges intersect, which can happen with only spiral and winding
shapes, a defect marker is displayed.
NOTE If you change the width of the stair after projecting a side, the changes
are lost.
A polyline is created at the stair bottom elevation along the length of the
stair run.
Modifying Stairs
941
NOTE It takes an additional step to return any attached railing to its original
position (the anchor used to attach the railing to the stair must be changed back
to a justified type).
To remove the changes made to the side of a stair
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Customize Edges.
2 Type r (Remove) to remove the changes to the stair edge.
3 Select the edge of a stair.
942
Chapter 23
Stairs
3 Select a middle grip on the stair flight, and then move the grip perpendicular to stair path to a new location. The entire edge of the flight moves to
the selected location. The flight entry width also changes to fit the new
stair width.
NOTE The changes made by grip editing are lost when the stair width is
edited.
Modifying Stairs
943
NOTE The changes made by grip editing are lost when the stair width is
edited.
944
Chapter 23
Stairs
Modifying Stairs
945
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
946
Chapter 23
Stairs
NOTE You can set all values for the stair back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style Values.
6 Click OK.
947
ues. When the rule-based calculator is not in effect, either tread or straight
length can be unlocked and either riser count or riser height can be unlocked.
Unlocking one value in either pair locks the other one.
948
Chapter 23
Stairs
Top Offset: Controls the thickness of the floor finish material at the
upper floor of the stair.
Top Depth: Controls the depth of the structure at the top floor.
Bottom Offset: Controls the thickness of the floor finish material at
the bottom floor of the stair.
Bottom Depth: Controls the depth of the structure at the bottom
floor.
NOTE The Top and Bottom Depth settings currently have no effect on the
stair or stringers. In addition, the top offset has no visible effect on the stair.
Bottom offset extends or truncates any attached stringers. Both offset values
affect the rough floor-to-floor height, if it is displayed.
6 After you have completed the changes, click OK.
NOTE If a stair is drawn with a flight that is below the specified limits, it automatically becomes a landing.
To change the flight length limits
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Modify Stair.
2 Select the stairs, and press ENTER.
949
950
Chapter 23
Stairs
Specifying headroom height and side clearance for a stair and a space object
951
NOTE These fields are available only when you select a U-shaped stair to
modify.
To change the U-shaped stair properties
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Modify Stair.
2 Select the stairs, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Stair dialog box, click
952
Chapter 23
Stairs
NOTE These fields are available only when you select a spiral-shaped stair to
modify.
To change the spiral shape of a stair
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Modify Stair.
2 Select the stairs, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Stair dialog box, click
953
5 Under Flight Dimensions, select or clear the display of treads and risers.
When the tread or riser display is off, the corresponding thickness
becomes unavailable.
6 Set the Tread Thickness, Riser Thickness and Nosing Length for the
selected stairs.
Tread Thickness: Controls the thickness of each tread.
Riser Thickness: Controls the thickness of the riser.
Nosing Length: Controls the nosing length.
7 To set the stair to have sloping risers, turn on Sloping Riser.
8 After you have completed the changes, click OK.
NOTE You can set all values for the stair back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style Values on the Styles tab.
954
Chapter 23
Stairs
Where the additional width gets added is controlled by the type of landing and the justification of the stair.
NOTE You can set all values for the stair back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style Values on the Styles tab.
955
4 In the Stair Properties dialog box, click the Landing Extensions tab.
5 Under Extension Distances, you can change the distance to the first tread,
either on the down or up side of the landing.
Distance to First Tread DOWN: Type a value to add to the distance to
the first tread on the down side of the landing.
Add Tread Depth: When selected, extends the landing down by a single tread.
Distance to First Tread UP: Type a value to add to the distance to the
first tread on the up side of the landing.
Add Tread Depth: When selected, extends the landing up by a single
tread
6 Under Stringer Resolution, select Extend Landings to automatically merge
the flight stringers with the landing stringers. This provides additional
landing extension, if necessary, to make the flight stringers meet the landing stringers without any discontinuity.
7 After you have completed the changes, click OK.
NOTE You can set all values for the stair back to the style defaults by clicking Reset to Style Values on the Styles tab.
956
Chapter 23
Stairs
by aligning its normal with another axis. You can also rotate the stair on its
plane by changing the rotation angle.
For information about the world coordinate system and the user coordinate
system, see Use Coordinates and Coordinate Systems in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of a stair
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Modify Stair.
2 Select the stair, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Stair dialog box, click
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the stair object without leaving the Stair Modify dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
957
958
Chapter 23
Stairs
The Stair Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to the
style, change the design rules, stringers, components, landing extensions
and change the display properties of the new style. For more information
about changing each style property, see Changing Stair Styles on page
957.
5 When you finish changing the Stair style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
959
2 Under the Stair style type, select the Stair Style that you want to change,
right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Stair Style Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the Stair style, type it in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the Stair, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click
Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
960
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
Chapter 23
Stairs
dialog box. To edit the file, select the reference file name to start its
application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the Stair style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
4 Set the default riser height and tread length for the Minimum Slope,
Optimum Slope, and Maximum Slope.
Subject to the constraints of the calculator rules and the fact that the tread
heights must be an even divisor of the floor-to-floor height, the program
gets as close as possible to the selected optimal tread length and riser
height.
961
5 If you want to change the default stair calculator, select Use Rule Based
Calculator. The fields in the Calculator Rule section become available for
editing.
6 When you finish changing the Stair style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
962
Chapter 23
Stairs
4 You can add, copy and remove stringers to the stair style.
6 When you click Solid Slab, the Slab Settings can be changed.
7 When you finish changing the Stair style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
963
4 Click Allow Each Stair to Vary to allow stairs to vary within the same style.
For example, you can change the nosing of a stair, but it still is considered
to have the same style. If this option is clear, you need to create a different
style for any change of stair component properties.
5 In the Flight Dimensions section, turn the display of treads and risers on
or off. If tread is off, the tread thickness and landing thickness become
unavailable.
6 Set the Tread Thickness, Riser Thickness and Nosing Length for the
selected stairs.
964
Chapter 23
Stairs
4 Click Allow Each Stair to Vary to allow stairs to vary within the same style.
If this option is clear, you need to create a different style for any change
of the stair landing extension properties.
5 In the Extension Distances section, you can change the distance to the
first tread, either on the down or up side of the landing.
Distance to First Tread DOWN: Type a value to add to the distance to
the first tread on the down side of the landing.
965
NOTE The plan view of stair objects includes stringers, risers, nosing, path
symbols, and stair outlines. You can set the visibility of these components for
above and below the cut plane of the stair.
5 Do any of the following:
966
Select a stair style from the property source, and click Attach Override
to change how the style is displayed in the chosen representation.
Chapter 23
Stairs
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
6 When you finish changing the Stair style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused stair style in your current drawing, select the
style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
967
To purge all the unused Stair styles in your current drawing, with the
Stair style type selected, right-click, and choose Purge from the shortcut
menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
NOTE You can manage stair styles efficiently by creating them all in one drawing you reserve for this purpose and importing them into other drawings as
needed.
To import stair styles
1 From the Design menu, choose Stairs Stair Styles.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Stair styles in the current drawing are displayed under the
Stair style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the
tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to your current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Stair style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Stair Styles to display the Stair styles in the
drawing.
5 Select the Stair style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
968
Chapter 23
Stairs
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
969
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
970
Chapter 23
Stairs
positions and the widths of stringers are identical between flights and
landings.
Tread alignment values apply only to U-shaped and multi-landing stairs with
flat landings. Landing specific dimensions are ignored for turn landings. The
default values are set in accordance with the most common situation for
stairs.
If the option to resolve the meeting of Flight and Landing stringers is left
OFF, then the flight stringer should simply terminate at the landing.
Menu command
Command line
Add Stair...
StairAdd
Modify Stair...
StairModify
Stair Styles...
StairStyle
Customize Edges...
Stair Modify...
StairProps
Stair Properties...
StairStyleEdit
StairCustomizeEdge
Customize Edge...
971
972
Chapter 23
Stairs
Railings
24
In this chapter
Creating railings
Modifying railings
Custom railing blocks and
profiles
Changing railing properties
Changing railing styles
Changing railing style
properties
973
Creating Railings
Railings are AEC objects that interact with stairs. You can add railings to
existing stairs, or you can create freestanding railings. Options include guardrails, handrails, posts, balusters, and one or more bottom rails.
Railing components
974
Chapter 24
Railings
justified, then a positive value is to the right and a negative value is to the
left.
4 Select or clear Handrail.
5 Select or clear Guardrail.
6 Select or clear Posts, Dynamic Posts, Balusters, and Bottomrail.
Creating Railings
975
976
Chapter 24
Railings
To erase the geometry after you create the railing (that is added to your
drawing), type y (yes).
To keep the original geometry in the drawing, press ENTER.
4 In the Railings Properties dialog box, you can set the General properties,
Style, Rail Locations, and Post Locations for the railing.
5 Click OK to end the command.
Creating Railings
977
Modifying Railings
You can edit railings by changing values in dialog boxes, right-clicking and
using commands on the shortcut menu, or by using grip points.
If the railing is attached to a stair, you can change the offset value.
Change whether handrails are included with the railing.
Change whether guardrails are included with the railing.
Select or clear Posts, Dynamic Posts, Balusters, and Bottomrail.
978
Chapter 24
Railings
Modifying Railings
979
980
Chapter 24
Railings
NOTE If posts are lost after trimming a railing, use the Redistribute Posts
command to restore the posts.
NOTE If you have created a railing that is so short that only one post can
be created, grip-editing and dragging the railing does not create another
post. You must use the Redistribute Posts command to add another post to
the end of the railing.
Hiding Posts
You can hide posts in a railing. These posts are not deleted, only hidden from
view. Dynamic cannot be hidden.
To hide a post on an existing railing
1 Select an existing railing.
2 Right-click, and choose Post Placement Hide from the shortcut menu.
Modifying Railings
981
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983
the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide. For more information, see Creating
and Editing Display Systems on page 121.
Custom blocks and profiles are added and controlled entirely through the
railing display properties. It is important that you understand the display
representation system before you create and modify the custom block and
profiles parameters. For more information about the Display System, see
Understanding the Display System on page 100.
After you create custom blocks and profiles, you can attach them to individual styles so that you do not need to change the way they work each time
you place a railing. Using custom blocks and profiles, each railing style
library can provide a much richer and more flexible set of railing graphics.
984
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985
986
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Railings
4 Select the Model representation from the list. The component is displayed
only in this representation set. The current representation has an asterisk
(*) next to it.
5 Select the property source to edit, attaching the override needed to edit
the railing. For more information, see Creating and Editing Display Systems on page 121.
6 Click Edit Display Props.
7 In the Entity Properties dialog box, select the Other tab.
8 Select the Custom Block Display to edit.
9 Click Edit.
10 In the Custom Block dialog box, click Select Block.
11 Select the block to use from the Select a Block dialog box, and click OK.
NOTE For an explanation of the options in the Select a Block dialog box,
see Adding Custom Blocks to Railings on page 984.
12 Set the Scale to Fit for the component. If none is selected, the block comes
in at its created size. Some combinations of Scale to Fit are not logically
possible. These selections are disabled by the interface.
Width: Sets the custom block to the width of the object it is attached to.
Depth: Sets the custom block to the depth of the object it is attached to.
Height: Sets the custom block to the height of the object it is attached to.
Lock XY Ratio: Locks the XY shape of the object, so that if it is scaled
in one direction to fit another criteria in the Scale to Fit section, the whole
custom block is scaled equally.
Between Comp: Adds the selected block to the railings between the
selected components: Baluster, Main Post, and Dynamic Posts are the
only valid component selections.
13 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
Mirror X creates a mirror of the component in the X direction.
Mirror Y creates a mirror of the component in the Y direction.
Mirror Z creates a mirror of the component in the Z direction.
14 Specify the location of the Insertion Point in the railing.
You can place the X insertion point at the left, center, or right of the
object.
You can place the Y insertion point at the front, center, or back of the
object.
987
You can place the Z insertion point at the top, center, or bottom of the
object.
15 Specify the Offset for the component in the X, Y, and Z directions.
16 Specify the type of component to add to or replace with the block.
Baluster: Select to change the balusters to the selected block.
Main Post: Select to change the main posts to the selected block.
Dynamic Post: Select to change the dynamic posts to the selected
block.
Replace: Select Replace to replace the current baluster, main post, or
dynamic post with the selected block.
Guardrail: Select to change the guardrail to the selected block.
Handrail: Select to change the handrail to the selected block.
Bottomrail: Select to change the bottom rail to the selected block.
17 Specify what to add the block to: all instances of the component, the first
instance, the last instance, or selected instances.
All: Applies the selected block to all instances of the selected
components.
First: Applies the selected block to the first instance of the selected component, based on the direction the railing was drawn.
Last: Applies the selected block to the last instance of the selected component, based on the direction the railing was drawn.
Selection: Applies the profile to the selected number of components.
The components are numbered in the order the railing was drawn.
18 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
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5 Select the property source to edit, attaching the override needed to edit
the railing. For more information, see Creating and Editing Display Systems on page 121.
6 Click Edit Display Props.
7 In the Entity Properties dialog box, select the component to remove from
the list, and click Remove.
8 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
NOTE You can selectively turn off the visibility of individual display blocks
on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab. This is one way to switch between alternate
blocks.
6 Click Edit Display Props.
7 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click Disable Custom Blocks.
8 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
989
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Railings
15 Specify the insertion offset for the component in the X, and Y directions.
16 Specify the type of component to add to the railing. The two groups of
components are mutually exclusive, so selecting an object from one column makes the other unavailable. You can select more than one object in
each column, to apply the profile to each selected component. For example, you can use the same profile for the main posts and dynamic posts.
Baluster: Select to change the balusters to the selected profile.
Main Post: Select to change the main posts to the selected profile.
Dynamic Post: Select to change the dynamic posts to the selected
profile.
Replace: Select Replace to replace the current baluster, main post, or
dynamic post with the selected profile.
Guardrail: Select to add the selected profile to the guardrail.
Handrail: Select to change the handrail to the selected profile.
Bottomrail: Select to change the bottom rail to the selected profile.
17 Specify what to add the profile to: all instances of the component, the
first instance, the last instance, or selected instances.
All: Applies the selected profile to all instances of the selected
components.
First: Applies the selected profile to the first instance of the selected component, based on the direction the railing was drawn.
Last: Applies the selected profile to the last instance of the selected component, based on the direction the railing was drawn.
Selection: Applies the profile to the selected number of components.
The components are numbered in the order the railing was drawn.
18 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
991
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Set the Scale to Fit for the custom profile. If none is selected, the profile
comes in at its created size. Some combinations of Scale to Fit are not logically possible. Some selections are disabled by the interface.
Width: Sets the custom profile to the width of the object it is attached to.
Depth: Sets the custom profile to the depth of the object it is attached to.
Lock Ratio: Locks the shape of the object, so that if it is scaled in one
direction to fit another criteria in the Scale to Fit section, the whole
custom profile is scaled equally.
Between Comp: Adds the selected profile to the railings between the
selected components. Baluster, Main Post, and Dynamic Posts are the only
valid component selections.
11 Set the Mirror In direction, if necessary.
Mirror X creates a mirror of the component in the X direction, along the
railing.
Mirror Y creates a mirror of the component in the Y direction, across the
railing.
12 Set the angle to rotate the component in the Z direction, if necessary.
13 Specify the location of the insertion point in the window.
You can place the X insertion point at the left, center, or right of the
object.
You can place the Y insertion point at the front, center, or back of the
object.
14 Specify the insertion offset for the component in the X, and Y directions.
15 Specify the type of component to add to the railing. The two groups of
components are mutually exclusive so selecting an object from one column makes the other unavailable. You can select more than one object in
each column, to apply the profile to each selected component. For example, you can use the same profile for the main posts and dynamic posts.
Baluster: Select to change the balusters to the selected profile.
Main Post: Select to change the main posts to the selected profile.
Dynamic Post: Select to change the dynamic posts to the selected
profile.
Replace: Select Replace to replace the current baluster, main post, or
dynamic post with the selected profile.
Guardrail: Select to change the guardrail to the selected profile.
Handrail: Select to change the handrail to the selected profile.
Bottomrail: Select to change the bottom rail to the selected profile.
993
16 Specify what to add the profile to: all instances of the component, the
first instance, the last instance, or selected instances.
All: Applies the selected profile to all instances of the selected
components.
First: Applies the selected profile to the first instance of the selected component, based on the direction the railing was drawn.
Last: Applies the selected profile to the last instance of the selected component, based on the direction the railing was drawn.
Selection: Applies the profile to the selected number of components.
The components are numbered in the order the railing was drawn.
17 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
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NOTE You can selectively turn off the visibility of individual display blocks
on the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
5 Click Edit Display Props.
6 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click Disable Custom Profiles.
7 Click OK in each dialog box to exit the command.
995
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
NOTE If the new style has different values for Railing Location, Post Location
and Extension they may or may not be imposed automatically when you change
the style. To use the values of the new style, whether or not they are imposed,
click the Reset to Style Values button.
To change the style of a railing
1 From the Design menu, choose Railings Modify Railing.
2 Select the railing, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Railing dialog box, click
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4 In the Railing Properties dialog box, click the Rail Locations tab.
Horizontal Height: Sets the height for the guardrail or the handrail.
Sloping Height: Sets the height for the guardrail or the handrail while
it is on a stair flight.
Offset from Post: Sets the offset from the posts.
Side for Offset: Sets the side of the post for the offset, based on the
direction the stair (or railing) was drawn. Side for Offset is available
only when there is an offset value.
Side for Offset includes Right, Left, Center, and Auto. Auto is useful
only for railings attached to the edges of stairs. A positive value is
toward the center of the stair, while a negative value is toward the outside edge. The Handrail selection also has a selection of Both, so you
can set a handrail on both sides of the railing.
NOTE If Auto is selected, and the railing is not attached to or is along the
center of a stair, the offset is to the right.
7 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
997
NOTE You can set all these values back to the style defaults by clicking
Reset to Style Values on the Style tab.
4 In the Railing Properties dialog box, click the Rail Locations tab.
5 Select Bottomrail to add bottom rails to the railing. Once selected, the
other boxes in this section become active.
6 Type values for the Horizontal and Sloping height of the lowest bottom
rail.
Horizontal: Sets the height for the rail when it is horizontal.
Sloping: Sets the height for the rail while it is on a slope, that is, on a
stair flight.
7 Type the number of bottom rails in the Number of Rails box. If there is
more than one bottom rail, type the spacing between each bottomrail in
the Spacing of Rails box.
8 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
NOTE You can set all these values back to the style defaults by clicking Rest
to Style Values on the Style tab.
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4 In the Railing Properties dialog box, click the Post Locations tab.
5 In the Fixed Posts box, select whether to include fixed posts with the railing. Fixed posts are included at the beginning and end of the railing.
6 Set the height above or below the top railing for the posts in the A Extension of ALL Posts from Top Railing box.
7 Select whether to include fixed posts at the railing corners.
8 In Dynamic Posts, select whether to include dynamic posts with the railing. Dynamic posts are added to the railing between the fixed posts. In B Maximum Center to Center Spacing, type the maximum amount of space
between the center of each post.
9 In Balusters, select whether to include balusters with the railing. In C Maximum Center to Center Spacing, type the maximum amount of space
between the center of each balusters.
10 In Stair Tread Length Override, select whether to override the amount of
balusters on each stair tread. In D - Number per Tread, type the number of
999
balusters to include on each stair tread. This only applies to railings that
are attached to stairs.
11 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
NOTE You can set all these values back to the style defaults by clicking
Reset to Style Values on the Style tab.
NOTE If a bottom rail exists, it extends as far as the other railing it is below.
To change the railing extensions properties
1 From the Design menu, choose Railings Modify Railing.
2 Select a railing attached to a stair, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Railing dialog box, click
NOTE You can set all these values back to the style defaults by clicking
Reset to Style Values on the Style tab.
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NOTE If a bottom rail exists, it extends as far as the other railing it is below.
To change the railing extensions properties
1 From the Design menu, choose Railings Modify Railing.
2 Select a railing attached to a stair, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Railing dialog box, click
NOTE You can set all these values back to the style defaults by clicking
Reset to Style Values on the Style tab.
1001
4 In the Railing Properties dialog box, click the Anchor tab, and do any of
the following:
NOTE If you edit a railing using grips so that the railing doesnt end on a
post, you can use Redistribute Posts to move a post to the end of the edited
railing.
5 Click OK.
6 Click Apply to change the selected railing and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the railing, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
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For information about the world coordinate system, see Use Coordinates
and Coordinate Systems in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of a railing
1 From the Design menu, choose Railings Modify Railing.
2 Select the railing, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify Railing dialog box, click
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the railing object without leaving the Railing Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
1003
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Railing styles in the current drawing are displayed under the
Railing style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in
the tree view.
2 With Railing Styles highlighted, right-click, and choose New from the
shortcut menu.
3 Type a name for the new railing style, and press ENTER.
4 To edit the style properties of your new Railing style, select the style, rightclick, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
5 In the Railing Styles dialog box, you can set the railing style properties on
the General, Rail Locations, Post Locations, Components, Extensions and
Display Props tabs.
6 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Railing styles in the current drawing are displayed under the
Railing style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in
the tree view.
2 Select an existing style to copy under the Railing style type, and click Copy
Style.
A copy of the existing style is created.
3 To rename the style, select the style, right-click, and choose Rename from
the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
4 To edit the style properties of your new Railing style, select the style, rightclick, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Railing Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to
the style, change the dimensions and shape of the railing, edit schedule
data, add standard sizes, and change the display properties of the new
style. For more information about changing each style property, see
Changing Railing Styles on page 1003.
5 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
1005
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE You can manage railing styles efficiently by creating them all in one
drawing you reserve for this purpose and importing them into other drawings as
needed.
To import railing styles
1 From the Design menu, choose Railings Railing Styles.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Railing styles in the current drawing are displayed under the
Railing style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in
the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to your current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Railing style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Railing Styles to display the Railing styles in
the drawing.
5 Select the Railing style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
1006
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
Chapter 24
Railings
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1007
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the style to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Railing style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the second
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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2 Under the Railing style type, select the Railing Style that you want to
change, right-click, and choose Edit.
3 In the Railing Style Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the railing style, type it in the Description box.
5 To add a note to the railing style, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, select the reference file name to start its
application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1009
2 Under the Railing style type, select the Railing Style that you want to
change, right-click, and choose Edit.
3 In the Railing Style Properties dialog box, click the Rail Locations tab.
NOTE These changes do not affect existing railings unless the Allow each
railing to vary check box is clear.
5 Select whether to include guardrails and handrails.
Horizontal Height: Sets the height for the guardrail or the handrail.
Sloping Height: Sets the height for the guardrail or the handrail while
it is on a stair flight.
Offset from Post: Sets the offset from the posts.
Side for Offset: Sets the side of the post for the offset, based on the
direction the stair (or railing) was drawn. Side for Offset is available
only if there is an offset value.
Side for Offset includes Right, Left, Center, and Auto. Auto is meaningful only for railings attached to the edges of stairs. A positive value is
toward the center of the stair, while a negative value is toward the outside edge. The Handrail selection also has a selection of Both, so you
can set a handrail on both sides of the railing.
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NOTE If Auto is selected, and the railing is not attached to a stair, the offset
is to the right.
7 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
4 Select Bottomrail to add bottom rails to the railing. Once selected, the
other boxes in this section become active.
NOTE These changes do not affect existing railings unless the Allow each
railing to vary check box is clear.
5 Type values for the Horizontal and Sloping height of the lowest bottom
rail.
Horizontal: Sets the height for the rail when it is horizontal.
Sloping: Sets the height for the rail while it is on a slope.
1011
6 Type the number of bottom rails in the Number of Rails box. If there is
more than one bottom rail, type the spacing between each bottom rail in
the Spacing of Rails box.
7 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1012
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NOTE These changes do not affect existing railings unless the Allow each
railing to vary check box is clear.
5 In Fixed Posts, select whether to include fixed posts with the railing. Fixed
posts are included at the beginning and end of the railing.
6 Set the height above the top railing for the posts in A - Extension of ALL
Posts from Top Railing.
7 Select whether to include fixed posts at the railing corners.
8 In Dynamic Posts, select whether to include dynamic posts with the railing. Dynamic posts are added to the railing between the fixed posts. In B Maximum Center to Center Spacing, type the maximum amount of space
between the center of each post. Dynamic posts are evenly spaced
between adjacent fixed posts, thus the spacing may vary along a multisegment railing.
9 In the Balusters box, select whether to include balusters with the railing.
In C - Maximum Center to Center Spacing, type the maximum amount of
space between the center of each balusters.
10 In Stair Tread Length Override, select whether to override the amount of
blusters on each stair tread. In D - Number per Tread, type the number of
balusters to include on each stair tread.
11 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1013
1014
Chapter 24
Railings
The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Railing style type is selected within the current drawing,
and all other style types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Under the Railing style type, select the Railing Style that you want to
change, right-click, and choose Edit.
3 In the Railing Style Properties dialog box, click the Extensions tab.
NOTE These changes do not affect existing railings unless the Allow each
railing to vary check box is clear.
5 Type the value of the Handrail extension in Top of the Entire Stair or select
the box to the right of Handrail to add the tread length to the Handrail
extension value.
6 Type the value of the Guardrail extension in Top of the Entire Stair or
select the check box to the right of Guardrail to add the tread length to
the Guardrail extension value.
7 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1015
Select the railing from the property source and click Attach Override to
change how the object is displayed in the current viewport in the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
6 When you finish changing the railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
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7 When you finish changing the Railing style properties, click OK to return
to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Menu command
Command line
Add Railing...
RailingAdd
Modify Railing...
RailingModify
Convert to Railing...
RailingConvert
Railing Styles...
RailingStyle
Anchor to Stair...
RailingAnchorToStair
Right-click
Railing Modify...
RailingPostAdd
RailingPostRemove
RailingPostHide
RailingPostShow
RailingRedistributePosts
Redistribute Posts
RailingReverse
Reverse
RailingStyleEdit
RailingProps
Railing Properties...
1017
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Chapter 24
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Grids
25
In this chapter
Column grids
Ceiling grids
1019
Column Grids
Grids are AEC objects on which you can anchor other objects, such as
columns, and constrain their locations.
You can create a rectangular or radial column grid, create columns on the
grid, label the column grid, and change the properties of existing grids.
6 Click Column. In the Add Columns dialog box, select the column and
click Close.
NOTE If you are in the Add Columns dialog box and decide not to add columns to the column grid, click the X in the upper-right corner of the dialog
box instead of the Close button. You exit the dialog box without setting any
columns for the column grid.
7 Specify an insertion point in the drawing.
8 Specify the rotation angle of the grid.
9 Press ENTER to create the column grid, and click Close to end the command.
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Chapter 25 Grids
NOTE If you are in the Add Columns dialog box and decide not to add columns to the column grid, click the X in the upper-right corner of the dialog
box instead of the Close button. You exit the dialog box without setting any
columns for the column grid.
10 Specify the insertion point of the grid.
Column Grids
1021
NOTE The closer the crosshairs go to the left and bottom of the grid, the
more spaces are created. The sizes of the spaces within the grid are reported
in the Add Column Grid dialog box as you drag the pointing device.
9 Click Column.
10 Specify the rotation angle of the grid.
Columns are created at each intersection point in the grid.
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Chapter 25 Grids
NOTE The sizes of the spaces within the grid are reported in the Add Column Grid dialog box as you drag the pointing device.
9 Click when you have the right number of bays in the column grid.
10 Specify the rotation angle of the grid.
Columns are created at each intersection point in the grid.
11 Click Close to end the command.
Column Grids
1023
location other than the first space in the table, numbers are filled in consecutively, either in ascending or descending order, depending upon
which is selected in the Ordering section.
NOTE To renumber a grid, type a new value in the first location. The rest
of the values are updated automatically if Automatically Calculate Values for
Labels is selected.
5 If there are characters that you do not want to use in the sequence, type
them in Never Use Characters, separated by commas.
6 Click Generate New Bubbles on Exit to update the bubbles.
7 If you are labeling the X direction, select Top to create bubbles at the top
of the grid. Select Bottom to create bubbles at the bottom of the grid.
8 If you are labeling the Y direction, select Left to create bubbles at the left
side of the grid. Select Right to create bubbles at the right side of the grid.
9 To use a different block for the bubble, click Bubble.
10 Type an extension value for the bubble lines to set the distance the bubbles are placed from the grid. Click OK.
1024
Chapter 25 Grids
Column Grids
1025
1026
Chapter 25 Grids
1027
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
5 To add a description to the column grid, type the text in the Description
field.
6 To add a note to the column grid, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, do any of the following:
1028
Chapter 25 Grids
6 Click OK.
7 Click Apply to change the selected grid and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, select Automatic Spacing.
6 Type a new value for either Space Lines Evenly or Repeat Bay Size.
Space Lines Evenly: Sets the grid to have evenly spaced lines on the
X axis or Y axis. Automatically sizes the grid to fit the selected number
of lines.
Repeat Bay Size: Sets the bay size using the value you specify.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, select Automatic Spacing.
6 Type a new value for either Space Lines Evenly or Repeat Bay Size. For
more information about the options, see Changing the Width of a Column Grid on page 1029.
7 Type a start offset and an end offset and click OK.
1029
8 Click Apply to change the selected column grid and remain in the dialog
box to continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the X-Spacing tab.
5 Select Distance to Line or Spacing for the line you would like to move.
Distance to Line: Specifies the distance to the line from the start
point of the grid.
Spacing: Specifies the distance from one grid line to the next.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Y-Spacing tab.
5 On the Y-Spacing tab, select Distance to Line or Spacing for the line you
would like to move. For more information about the Distance to Line or
Spacing options, see Changing the Column Grid X-Spacing Properties
on page 1030.
6 Type a new value in the selected field.
7 Click OK.
1030
Chapter 25 Grids
8 Click Apply to change the selected grid and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, select Automatic Spacing.
6 Type a new value for either Space Lines Evenly or Repeat Bay Angle.
Space Lines Evenly: Sets the grid to have evenly spaced lines on the
X axis or Y axis. Automatically sizes the grid to fit the selected number
of lines.
Repeat Bay Angle: Sets the bay angle size using the value you specify.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Angle tab.
5 On the Angle tab, select Angle to Line or Spacing for the angle division
you would like to change.
6 Type a new value in the selected field.
7 Click OK.
1031
8 Click Apply to change the selected grid and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Column Grid Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
To relocate the column grid, change the coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the column grid, change the axis to which the normal is
parallel. To locate the column grid on the XY plane, make the normal
of the column grid parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the
Z box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the column grid on
the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To
locate the column grid on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type
0 in the X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the column grid, type a new value for Rotation Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the column grid object without leaving the Column Grid Properties
dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
1032
Chapter 25 Grids
Ceiling Grids
Grids are AEC objects on which you can anchor other objects and constrain
their locations.
Ceiling grids can be clipped by a boundary, and the grid is displayed only
within that boundary. If a ceiling grid is placed within a space, the grid is
automatically placed at the ceiling height of the space.
Ceiling Grids
1033
Clear Divide By and type a value for the bay size in Y-Baysize.
1034
Chapter 25 Grids
NOTE The sizes of the spaces within the grid are reported in the Add Ceiling Grid dialog box as you drag the pointing device.
6 Click when you have the number of bays you want in the ceiling grid.
7 Specify an insertion point in the drawing.
8 Specify the rotation angle for the grid.
9 Press ENTER to place the ceiling grid, and click Close to end the command.
Ceiling Grids
1035
3 In the Modify Ceiling Grid dialog box, change any of the following: the
X-Width and Y-Width, and the Divide By spacing or X-Baysize and Y-Baysize.
4 Click Apply to change the selected ceiling grid and remain in the dialog
box to continue modifying the ceiling grid, or click OK to exit the dialog
box.
1036
Chapter 25 Grids
1037
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
5 To add a description to the ceiling grid, type in the Description field.
6 To add a note to the ceiling grid, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, do any of the following:
1038
Chapter 25 Grids
6 Click OK.
7 Click Apply to change the selected ceiling grid and remain in the dialog
box to continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, select Automatic Spacing.
6 Type a new value for either Space Lines Evenly or Repeat Bay Size.
Space Lines Evenly: Sets the grid to have evenly spaced lines on the
X axis or Y axis. Automatically sizes the grid to fit the selected number
of lines.
Repeat Bay Size: Sets the bay size using the value you specify.
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
5 On the Dimensions tab, select Automatic Spacing.
6 Type a new value for either Space Lines Evenly or Repeat Bay Size. For
more information about the options, see Changing the Width of a Ceiling Grid on page 1039.
7 Type a start offset and an end offset and click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the selected ceiling grid and remain in the dialog
box to continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
1039
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the X-Spacing tab.
5 Select Distance to Line or Spacing for the line you want to move.
Distance to Line: Specifies the distance to the line from the start
point of the grid.
Spacing: Specifies the distance from one grid line to the next.
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the Y-Spacing tab.
5 Select Distance to Line or Spacing for the line you would like to move. For
more information about the options, see Changing the Ceiling Grid XSpacing Properties on page 1040.
6 Type a new value in the selected field.
7 Click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the selected grid and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the grid, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
1040
Chapter 25 Grids
4 In the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
To relocate the ceiling grid, change the coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the ceiling grid, change the axis to which the normal is
parallel. To locate the ceiling grid on the XY plane, make the normal of
the ceiling grid parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the Z
box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the ceiling grid on the
YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To locate
the ceiling grid on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type 0 in the
X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the ceiling grid, type a new value for Rotation
Angle.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the ceiling grid object without leaving the Ceiling Grid Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
1041
1042
Menu Command
Command Line
ColumnGridAdd
Modify Column
Grid...
ColumnGridModify
LayoutGridClip
ColumnGridLabel
Dimension Column
Grid...
ColumnGridDim
CeilingGridAdd
Modify Ceiling
Grid...
CeilingGridModify
CeilingGridClip
Chapter 25 Grids
Labels...
ColumnGridProps
ColumnGridXAdd
ColumnGridXRemove
ColumnGridXMode
ColumnGridYAdd
ColumnGridYRemove
ColumnGridYMode
ColumnGridDim
Dimensions
CeilingGridProps
CeilingGridXAdd
CeilingGridXRemove
Menu Command
Command Line
CeilingGridXMode
CeilingGridYAdd
CeilingGridYRemove
CeilingGridYMode
CeilingGridDim
Resize
1043
1044
Chapter 25 Grids
Annotation
26
In this chapter
1045
WARNING! The Annotation Plot Size value can be restricted by the Linear
Precision setting on the Units tab. If the Annotation Plot Size value is more
precise than the Linear Precision value, then the Annotation Plot Size value is
not accepted. For information about setting the linear precision value, see
Setting up Your Drawing on page 1462.
4 If you want to save your drawing scale settings as the default drawing settings, click Save As Default. If you want to save your drawing scales settings in the current drawing only, clear Save As Default.
5 Click OK.
1046
Chapter 26 Annotation
Documentation Symbols
The purpose of the documentation symbol commands is to insert all of
graphics (blocks, polylines, leaders, etc.) needed to annotate a drawing. The
default metric and imperial versions are similar, differing only in their base
units.
These commands use AutoCAD DesignCenter to store and add the annotation to your drawing. Choosing a documentation annotation command
opens AutoCAD DesignCenter in Custom view with Architectural Desktop as
the top node in the tree pane. The correct location under the Documentation
folder is highlighted from which you can select the specific command.
The Annotation Plot Size command controls the scaling of most of the symbols when plotted. The symbols are defined with attribute text sized at one
unit (1.0) height, for text to be plotted at the Annotation Plot Size. Other text
can be sized proportionately larger or smaller.
Most annotation content is set to use the current text style for attribute text.
For information about text styles, see Working with Text Styles in chapter
11, Adding Text to Drawings in the AutoCAD 2000 Users Guide.
Revision Clouds
You place revision clouds in your drawing using AutoCAD DesignCenter. You
can define the arc length for each section of a revision cloud.
To add a revision cloud symbol
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Documentation
Content Revision Clouds.
2 Drag an icon into your drawing.
3 Release the button where you want the revision cloud to be placed.
4 Do any of the following:
Documentation Symbols
1047
As you drag your cursor, the cloud is drawn. The cloud finishes when the
cursor moves to the starting location of the cloud.
7 If the cloud has a tag associated with it, select the location for the center
point of the tag.
8 Type the revision number in the Edit Attributes dialog box.
9 Click OK to end the command.
chimneys
floor openings
cable shafts
escalator shafts
wall niches
You can define an interference with walls, spaces, slabs and roof slabs to create realistic conditions for shafts and floor openings.
The Architectural Desktop templates contain a number of predefined chase,
duct and opening symbols as well as tags to annotate them.
To add chase, duct and floor opening symbols
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Documentation Content
Chases.
2 Navigate to the Symbols folder.
3 In AutoCAD DesignCenter, select the symbol to be placed in your drawing, such as a chase or duct.
1048
Chapter 26 Annotation
NOTE The description is only displayed if the tag you have chosen contains
a description attribute. Otherwise, it will not display. In this case, just select
another label which contains a description field.
7 If you want to change the insertion point of the symbol, type the desired
values in the X, Y or Z-fields, or click Pick Point and select a new insertion
point in the drawing.
8 If you want to change the scale of the symbol, type the desired values in
the X, Y or Z-fields, or click Pick Point and define the new scale in the
drawing.
NOTE To simplify the definition of the scale, you can click Pick XY scale and
define the X and Y scale in one step on screen.
9 To create an interference with a wall, space, slab or roof slab, click Select
Objects.
To create an additive interference with the selected object, chose Additive. Additive interferences are used for chimneys or escalators.
To create a subtractive interference with the selected object, chose Subtractive. Subtractive interferences are used for non-closed cavities in a
wall like niches or recesses.
To create an interference that connects the element to the wall or space
without performing any additive or subtractive operation, chose
Ignore. You would typically use this kind of interference for cavities
that are closed later in the design process, such as cable shafts or ventilation shafts.
NOTE The Ignore interference condition does work only for walls. It has no
effect for spaces, slabs and roof slabs.
10 To define the rotation of the chase, type a value in the Angle field or click
Specify on Screen and set the rotation on screen.
11 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Break Marks
You place break marks in your drawing using AutoCAD DesignCenter. You
can scale the break mark to fit between specified points, or you can stretch
Documentation Symbols
1049
the block based on the drawing scale so that the polyline fits the specified
points.
To add a break mark
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Documentation Content Break
Marks.
2 Click one of the icons and, while holding down the button on your pointing device, drag it into your drawing.
3 Release the button in your drawing.
4 To change the symbol to be used with the break bar, type s (Symbol).
5 To change the break bar type to stretched or scaled, type t (Type).
Choose sc (SCaled) when you want the break mark scaled during insertion.
Choose st (STretched) when you want the break mark remain in original size and only the break line stretched during insertion.
Detail Marks
You can place detail marks in your drawing using AutoCAD DesignCenter.
You can place boundaries for blowups of details and place detail marks for
section detail references.
1050
Chapter 26 Annotation
9 Type the section mark number and the sheet number in the Edit
Attributes dialog box.
10 Click OK to place the detail mark at the end of the leader and exit the command.
NOTE The symbol is placed in the drawing at the same angle as the last
section of the leader line.
NOTE The symbol is placed in the drawing at the same angle as the last
section of the leader line.
Documentation Symbols
1051
NOTE The symbol is placed in the drawing at the same angle as the last
section of the leader line.
To place a break in the detail line, type b (Break). Specify a new point
to continue the detail line.
To change the detail symbol, type s (Symbol).
To change the length and width of the detail lines tail, type t (Tail).
1052
Chapter 26 Annotation
NOTE The symbol is placed in the drawing at the same angle as the last
section of the leader line.
Elevation Marks
You place elevation mark symbols in your drawing using AutoCAD DesignCenter. You can place up to four separate elevations using the four-way elevation mark. You can add elevation marks to existing elevation objects.
For more information about elevation marks, see Drawing an Elevation Line
and Mark on page 1346.
To change the symbol block for the elevation mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the elevation mark, type a (Arrow).
To change the type of the arrow block between single and 4-way, type
t (Type).
Documentation Symbols
1053
To change the symbol block for the elevation mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the elevation mark, type a (Arrow).
To change the type of the arrow block between single and 4-way, type
t (Type).
1054
To change the symbol block for the elevation mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the elevation mark, type a (Arrow).
Chapter 26 Annotation
To change the type of the arrow block between single and 4-way, type
t (Type).
To change the symbol block for the elevation mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the elevation mark, type a (Arrow).
To change the type of the arrow block between single and 4-way, type
t (Type).
Documentation Symbols
1055
To change the symbol block for the elevation mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the elevation mark, type a (Arrow).
To change the type of the arrow block between single and 4-way, type
t (Type).
To change the symbol block for the elevation mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the elevation mark, type a (Arrow).
To change the type of the arrow block between single and 4-way, type
t (Type).
1056
Chapter 26 Annotation
7 Type the text for the elevation mark number and sheet number in the Edit
Attributes dialog box.
8 Click OK.
9 Type y to add AEC elevation lines to the elevation mark, and then type
the width of the elevation object. The width is also the default depth of
the elevation object. Type n to end the command.
Leaders
You can place many different types of leaders with different symbols using
AutoCAD DesignCenter. To place these leaders, you can use a specified
dimension style or the current dimension style in the drawing.
Documentation Symbols
1057
1058
Chapter 26 Annotation
2 Click the Lines (Text) icon and, while holding down the button on your
pointing device, drag it into your drawing.
3 Release the button in your drawing.
4 Specify the first point for the leader.
5 Do any of the following:
Miscellaneous Symbols
You can place match lines and north arrow symbols in your drawing using
AutoCAD DesignCenter.
Documentation Symbols
1059
3 Click one of the match line icons and, while holding down the button on
your pointing device, drag it into your drawing.
4 Release the button in your drawing.
5 Specify the first point for the match line.
6 Do any of the following:
To change the symbol block for the match line, type s (Symbol).
To change the polyline width for the match line, type w (polyline
Width).
To change the color of the polyline, type c (polyline Color).
To change the linetype of the polyline, type l (polyline Linetype).
7 Continue specifying points for the match line and press ENTER when the
line is finished.
8 Type the text for the match line in the Edit Attributes dialog box and click
OK.
Section Marks
You place section mark symbols in your drawing using AutoCAD DesignCenter. You can add section marks to existing section objects.
To add a section mark
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Documentation Content Section Marks.
2 Click one of the section mark icons and, while holding down the button
on your pointing device, drag it into your drawing.
3 Release the button in your drawing.
4 Specify the first point for the section mark line.
5 Continue specifying points for the section mark line.
6 Do any of the following:
To place a break in the section mark line, type b (Break). Specify a new
point to continue the section mark line.
To change the symbol block for the section mark, type s (Symbol).
To change the arrow block for the section mark, type a (Arrow).
To change the tail length and width, type t (Tail).
7 Continue specifying points for the section mark line and press ENTER
when the line is finished.
1060
Chapter 26 Annotation
8 Type the section mark number and, if necessary, the sheet number in the
Edit Attributes dialog box and click OK.
9 Specify the side for the section mark arrow.
10 Type y to add an AEC section object to the section mark line, or type n to
end the command.
NOTE If you add an AEC section object to the section mark, it is created as
a square (if there is one line) in the direction of the section mark arrow.
Title Marks
You place title mark symbols in your drawing using AutoCAD DesignCenter.
To add a title mark
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Documentation Content Title
Marks.
2 Click one of the title mark icons and, while holding down the button on
your pointing device, drag it into your drawing.
3 Release the button in your drawing.
4 Do any of the following:
Documentation Symbols
1061
Menu Command
Command Line
Break Marks...
DcSetMetBreakMarks
Detail Marks...
DcSetMetDetailMarks
Elevation Marks...
DcSetMetElevationMarks
Leaders...
DcSetMetLeaders
Miscellaneous...
DcSetMetMiscellaneous
Revision Clouds...
DcSetMetRevisionClouds
Section Marks...
DcSetMetSectionMarks
Title Marks...
DcSetMetTitleMarks
Elevation Labels...
DcSetMetElevationLabels
Chases...
DcSetMetChases
Right-click
1062
Menu Command
Command Line
DwgScaleSetup
Chapter 26 Annotation
Right-click
AEC Dimensions
27
In this chapter
architectural objects
Converting AutoCAD
dimensions
Using AEC dimension Styles
Modifying AEC dimensions
Adding and removing
dimension points
Attaching objects to AEC
dimensions
1063
When you create automatic AEC dimensions, you pick architectural objects,
and dimension logical points on them. You have a number of logical points
to choose from for every object that can automatically be dimensioned;
before you add the dimension you decide which of those points are relevant
1064
for you. When you create an automatic AEC dimension for a wall, you can,
for example, dimension the outer boundaries of the wall, the wall lengths,
the width of the wall components, wall intersections, and openings in the
wall.
Logical dimension points react associatively towards building elements.
When the dimensioned object changes its measurements, the dimension
points are updated accordingly. When the dimensioned object is moved, the
dimension chains are moved accordingly.
You can define different dimension contents for different views. You could,
for example, in Plan 1-00 dimension the outer boundaries of a building, and
in Plan 1-50 dimension additionally all wall lengths and openings.
AEC dimensions contain important settings like superscripting, variable
extension line length, and grouping of dimension chains into groups. A
dimension group consists of several dimension chains used to dimension the
same object, but with different points to measure. When you dimension a
house, for example, you can in one dimension chain measure the outer
boundaries of the dimensioned walls, and in another dimension chain the
length of the dimensioned walls.
However, you can dimension only AEC objects as walls, windows, structural
members etc. To add non-AEC objects, such as polylines or AutoCAD solids,
you have to add manual dimension points to an automatic AEC dimension,
or create a manual AEC or AutoCAD dimension.
AutoCAD Dimensions
Traditional AutoCAD dimensions also do not contain logical dimension
points. That means that you can dimension any point in a drawing that you
pick.
1065
1066
Automatic AEC
dimensions
Traditional AutoCAD
dimensions
Logical dimension
points taken from object
Associative towards
building elements
Dimension groups
Dimension groups
Single dimensions
Support superscripting,
variable extension line
length
Support superscripting,
variable extension line
length
Supports no
superscripting, variable
extension line length
Defined by AEC
dimension style and
AutoCAD dimension
style
Defined by AEC
dimension style and
AutoCAD dimension style
Defined by AutoCAD
dimension style
Walls
The following logical wall dimension points are available:
Wall dimension points
Selection
Description
Outer Boundaries
Complete
Examples
1067
Description
Wall Width:
Components
Wall intersections
Examples
Description
Center of Opening
Examples
1068
Description
Examples
Outer Boundaries
Complete
Bounding Box
Center
Number
of
Chains
Contents
1069
Number
of
Chains
Contents
Walls (Intersections)
Walls (Openings)
1070
3 Select Use Superscript mm, if you have chosen meters as your drawing
unit and want the millimeters displayed as superscripted text.
4 Select Trailing Zero Suppression if you do not want zeros at the end of your
superscripted numbers. You can select this option only if you have
selected Use Superscript mm.
1071
5 Select the unit in which dimensions are to be displayed. This unit can differ from the drawing unit. You can, for example, create a drawing in
meters, but have the dimensions displayed in centimeters. This dimension notation is common in Austria.
6 Select if any, and which, of your AutoCAD dimension styles shall be
rescaled when you change the drawing unit.
Example: You switch the drawing unit from meter to millimeter. You
have selected the AutoCAD dimension style AEC-Dimension 1:100.
The following settings in the AutoCAD dimension style AEC-Dimension
1:100 are rescaled automatically:
AutoCAD dimension style settings for meters and millimeters
Description
Variable
AEC
Dimension1:
100 in meter
AEC
Dimension:
100 in
millimeter
DIMDLI
0.5000
50.0000
Dimension line
extension
DIMDLE
0.1250
125
DIMEXE
0.1250
125.0000
DIMGAP
0.1000
100.0000
DIMTXT
0.2000
200.0000
Select the check box to update the display after every point you remove
from a dimension chain.
Clear the check box to update the display only after you have ended
the Remove Dimension Points command.
1072
Do you want to dimension only building objects or also other points, like
polylines or AutoCAD elements?
What dimension information in the selected objects do you need? Do you
want, for example, to dimension windows and doors, building boundaries, or wall components?
Do you want the dimension to automatically update when you make
changes to the dimensioned object?
Considering these points can help you to find the right dimensioning
method.
When you, for example, need a dimension that is fully associative and contains only architectural building objects, you should use an automatic AEC
dimension.
When you know that you plan to dimension a building and its property
lines, which are drawn as polylines, you use a manual dimension, because
automatic AEC dimensions cannot measure polylines. You might also decide
to use an automatic AEC dimension for the building, and add manual dimension points for the polyline representing the property line.
1073
NOTE If you are working with the Aec Arch (metric d a ch) template, a
number of predefined dimension styles are already present.
3 Select the objects you want to dimension.
4 Press ENTER to end your selection.
5 Specify the position of the dimension group by clicking the desired position in the drawing. The dimension group can, for example, be placed
above or below the object.
6 Do any of the following:
Drag with the mouse to set the direction of the dimension. The extension lines are be drawn into the direction you have dragged.
Type p in the command line, if you want the dimension group placed
parallel to the dimensioned object.
Type perp into the command line, and select the point the dimension
is perpendicular to.
Type an angle for the dimension group in the command line.
NOTE The angle you specify here is calculated in relation to the UCS, not
to the dimensioned object.
1074
These settings remain valid for all subsequent manual dimensions until
you change them again.
After you have set the dimension points mode, you can create manual AEC
dimensions.
To create a manual AEC dimension
1 From the Documentation menu, select AEC Dimension Add Manual
AEC dimension.
2 Pick the points you want to dimension.
TIP Selecting points exactly is easier when you have Osnap turned on.
3 Press ENTER to end your selection.
1075
The points you have selected are marked with crosses. That way, you can
check if all points are included in your selection set.
4 Type st into the command line to select a style for your manual AEC
dimension.
NOTE You can define the number of dimension chains for a manual AEC
dimension only during insertion. If you want a different number of dimension
chains later, you have to delete the dimension and create a new one with the
correct number of chains.
5 Specify the position of the dimension group by clicking the desired position in the drawing. The dimension group can, for example, be placed
above or below the object.
6 Do any of the following:
Drag with the mouse to set the direction of the dimension. The extension lines are drawn into the direction you have dragged.
Type perp into the command line, and select the point the dimension
is perpendicular to.
Type an angle for the dimension group in the command line.
NOTE If you have chosen dynamic dimension points, they remain visible
after inserting the dimension, because they are regular AutoCAD points. If
you cannot see them, they are set at a very small size. If you want to change
their size and shape, type ddptype on the command line, and edit them as
desired.
If you have chosen static dimension points, they disappear after inserting the
dimension.
1076
6 Specify the position of the dimension group by clicking the desired position in the drawing. The dimension group can, for example, be placed
above or below the object.
7 Do any of the following:
Drag with the mouse to set the direction of the dimension. The extension lines are drawn into the direction you have dragged.
Type perp into the command line, and select the point the dimension
is perpendicular to.
Type an angle for the dimension group in the command line.
NOTE The angle you specify here is calculated in relation to the UCS, not
to the dimensioned object.
8 Select if you want to erase the AutoCAD dimension.
If you have selected only one AutoCAD dimension, the new AEC
dimension is inserted exactly at the same point as the AutoCAD dimen-
1077
sion. If you have not erased the AutoCAD dimension, the AEC dimension is placed on top of it.
If you have selected more than one AutoCAD dimension, the new AEC
dimension is placed according to your settings from Step 6-7. If you
have not erased the AutoCAD dimensions, they remain in their original position.
Superscript settings
If you have defined superscripted millimeters in the drawing, this is
applied to the AutoCAD dimension.
For information about superscript, see Setting AEC Dimension Preferences on page 1070.
NOTE The AutoCAD dimension style and the length of the extension lines
are view dependent settings. When you copy the properties of an AEC
dimension to an AutoCAD dimension, the settings for the current view are
applied.
1078
NOTE Copying the properties of an AEC dimension to an AutoCAD dimension does not apply associative behavior to the AutoCAD dimension. When
the AutoCAD dimension is moved, stretched ore otherwise manipulated, the
dimension points do not react associatively to the dimensioned object.
1079
1080
NOTE If the deleted points are still visible as a crossed circle, the entity display
component Removed Points Marker is turned on. If you want the removed
points marker to vanish, deactivate the component. For information about the
Removed Points Marker, see Restoring Automatic Dimension Points on page
1082.
WARNING! When you remove multiple points, some removed points may
re-appear. This can happen when you have checked the option Update Dimension Chain Immediately, and the entity display component Removed Points
Marker is turned off. The reason for this behavior is that during your current
Remove operation, you have accidentally selected an invisible Removed Points
Marker for a dimension point already removed. Removing an already removed
point restores it. To avoid this effect, turn on the Removed Points marker in the
entity display. For information on turning removed points on and off, see Changing Layer/Color/Linetype Properties of an AEC Dimension Style.
1081
For information about the update options, see Setting AEC Dimension
Preferences on page 1070
1082
1083
NOTE If you do not see any added dimension points on the dimension
group, maybe the group does not include point settings for the object in
question.
If, for example you want to add a mass element to a dimension group that
has not point settings for mass elements turned on, you cannot see any points
for the added mass element. If you want to see the mass element points,
change the style or the entity display of the object, so that now dimension
points for mass elements are turned on.
For information about dimension points, see The Contents of AEC Dimensions on page 1067 and Changing Contents Properties of an AEC Dimension Style on page 1102.
1084
Select a new style from the AEC Dimension Style list. For information
about styles, see Working with Dimension Styles on page 1089.
NOTE If you have created dimension with only manual points on it, you
can change the style, but not the dimension content or the number of
dimension chains.
Click
to edit the properties of the dimension. For information
about dimension properties, see Editing AEC Dimension Properties
on page 1086.
To close the dialog box and return to the Modify AEC Dimension dialog
box, click OK.
1085
3 In the AEC Dimension Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the AEC dimension, type in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the AEC dimension, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select Reference Document dialog box, and click Open. You can type a description of the reference file in the Reference Document dialog box.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you
must exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
NOTE You can edit only manual properties. Automatic properties are filled
by the object and can not be changed here.
1086
For more information about property sets, see Property Set Definitions
on page 1292.
11 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box, and return to the Modify AEC Dimension dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the AEC Dimension Properties dialog box, click the Style tab.
4 Select the style you want from the list.
NOTE If you have created a dimension with only manual points on it, you
can change the style, but not the dimension content or the number of dimension chains.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box, and return to the Modify AEC Dimension dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the AEC Dimension Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
4 Do any of the following:
Choose the coordinate system the location values are relative to.
To re-locate the dimension, change the insertion point coordinates
X,Y,Z.
1087
To change the angle of the dimension group, type the desired value
into the Angle field.
To change the dimension normal, change the X, Y, and Z normal values.
To close the dialog box, and return to the Modify AEC Dimension dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1088
1089
1090
1091
NOTE Another way of copying an existing style is to use the default Windows Copy and Paste buttons from the toolbar.
4 To rename the style, select the style, and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new AEC dimension style, select the
style, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The AEC Dimension Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add
notes to the style, edit the AEC dimension style chains properties, and
change the AEC dimension style display properties. For more information
about changing each style property, see Changing AEC Dimension Style
Properties on page 1096.
6 When you finish changing the AEC dimension style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1092
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
1093
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1094
1095
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a number in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1096
You can edit the dimension style in the traditional way with the tab pages
in the AEC Dimension Styles Properties dialog box. The advantage of this
method is that you can edit all AEC dimension style settings here. For
information about editing the dimension style with the AEC Dimension
Styles Properties dialog box, see Attaching Notes and Files to an AEC
Dimension Style on page 1099, Changing the AEC Dimension Style
Chains Properties on page 1099 and Changing the AEC Dimension Style
Display Properties on page 1100.
You can edit the dimension style with the AEC Dimension Display Wizard. The advantage of this method is that you can edit the most important
display settings of the style in a fast and uncomplicated way. However,
you can not change all settings here; for example, chain and content settings can only be edited with the AEC Dimension Styles Properties dialog
box. For information about the AEC Dimension Display Wizard, see The
AEC Dimension Display Wizard on page 1097.
2 In the AEC Dimension Display Wizard, in the Select Style tab, select the
AEC dimension style you want to edit and click Next.
1097
IMPORTANT When you have chosen a dimension style that has its property source set to System Default, you get a warning message. In this case, if
you want to edit the style, close the Wizard, open the style in the style manager, and set the display property source to AEC Dimension Style.
For information about working with the Style Manager, see Style Manager
on page 1525.
3 In the Lines and Arrows tab, select the display representation for which
you want to change the display. If you want, for example, to edit the
dimension style in Plan 1-100, select Plan 1-100.
NOTE If the AEC dimension style you edit is based on the same AutoCAD
dimension style for both its Plan 1-100 and Plan 1-50 display representation,
the edits you make here are applied to both display representation. To avoid
this, make sure that the AEC dimension style uses different AutoCAD dimension styles for the Plan 1-100 and Plan 1-50 display representations.
For Information about assigning AutoCAD dimension styles to AEC dimension styles, see Changing AutoCAD Dimension Style and Other Properties of
an AEC Dimension Style on page 1104.
4 Do any of the following:
5 Click Next.
6 In the Text tab, do any of the following:
7 Click Next.
8 In the Color and Layer tab, do any of the following:
1098
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select Reference Document dialog box, and click Open. You can type a description of the reference file in the Reference Document dialog box.
To edit a reference file, select the filename in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference filename to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the filename in the list, and click
Delete.
8 When you finish changing the AEC dimension style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
1099
NOTE To set the contents of the individual chains, see Changing Contents
Properties of an AEC Dimension Style on page 1102.
5 When you finish changing the AEC dimension style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1100
3 In the AEC Dimension Style Properties dialog box, click the Display Props
tab.
4 From the list at the top of the dialog box, select the display representation
to use to display the AEC dimension.
The display representation set in the current viewport is marked with an
asterisk.
5 Do any of the following:
Select AEC Dimension Style from the property source, and click Attach
Override to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport
in the drawing.
NOTE You can select Attach Override or click the Attached column to
attach an override. Attach Override is only available when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
6 When you finish changing the AEC dimension style properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1101
2 Select the component for which you want to change Layer/Color/Linetype properties.
3 In the column containing the information you want to edit, click the
desired information.
The list of components includes three components:
AEC Dimension Group: Use this component only to switch the visibility of a dimension group on or off for a specific view. All the other
settings, like color, linetype and lineweight are defined in the underlying AutoCAD dimension style; any changes you enter here are not displayed.
Removed Points Marker: Make this component visible when you
want to work with the Remove/Restore dimension points functionality,
as described in Removing Dimension Points on page 1080.
AEC Dimension Group Marker: This component defines the display properties of the dimension base point.
To close the dialog box, and return to the AEC Dimension Style Properties dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1102
In the Apply To window on the top left, you find a list of AEC objects for
which you can choose logical dimension points.
NOTE The Other entry combines all AEC objects that are not listed separately above. They include stairs, spaces, columns, areas, roofs, and railings.
2 In the Apply To window, select the element for which you want to create
logical dimension points.
3 In the Chains window below, select the chain on which you want the
dimension points to appear.
NOTE Selecting in this case means highlighting the desired chain. It does
not mean selecting its check mark. The check mark is set automatically
depending on whether dimension points for this chain have been selected or
not. Example: If you clear all possible dimension points for a chain, its check
mark is automatically cleared.
4 Select on the right side of the dialog box the points you want to include
in the highlighted chain. For detailed information about the possible
dimension points, see the list in AEC Dimension Contents on page
1067.
5 Repeat steps 3-4 for every chain in the Chains window.
1103
6 Repeat steps 2-4 for every element you want to be able to dimension with
this particular style.
TIP It is advisable not to include too many chains and dimension points into
one dimension style. Rather try to create separate dimension styles for all your
uses. You can, for example, create a dimension style which exclusively dimensions window assemblies, and another one which only dimensions mass elements or walls.
7 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box, and return to the AEC Dimension Style Properties dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1104
5 Define whether you want fixes extension lines or variable extension lines.
6 If you have selected fixed extension lines, type the length of the extension
lines. The value you type here represents the length of the extension lines
in direction to the dimensioned object.
1105
To close the dialog box, and return to the AEC Dimension Style Properties dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1106
Menu Command
Command Line
Add AEC
Dimension...
DimAdd
DimManAdd
Modify AEC
Dimension...
DimModify
Convert to AEC
Dimension
DimConvert
AEC Dimension
Styles...
AecDimStyle
Attach Objects
DimAttach
Attach Objects
Detach Objects
DimDetach
Detach Objects
Add Dimension
Points
DimPointsAdd
Add Points
Remove Dimension
Points
DimPointsRemove
Remove Points
Match AEC
Dimension
DimMatch
Right-click
Menu Command
Command Line
Right-click
DimSetOverride
AEC Dimension
Wizard...
DimWizard
1107
5 Click Next.
6 In the Text tab, do any of the following:
7 Click Next.
8 In the Color and Layer tab, do any of the following:
1108
A: When you freeze the layer on which the AEC dimension is placed, the AEC
dimension is updated only when the layer is thawed again or if you perform
the REGEN command. You can add new AEC dimensions even when the
layer is frozen. However, you can edit them only after the layer has been
thawed again.
When you switch into another view e.g., a 3D view, and then back to a plan
view, the AEC dimension is not updated. This accelerates the drawing.
Question: How can I change the text height of superscripted numbers in an AEC dimension?
Answer: As a default, the text height of superscripted numbers in AEC dimensions is set to 50 percent of the text height of the underlying AutoCAD
dimension style. To change this, you have to change the according value in
the registry file.
To change the height of superscripted numbers
1 Open the MS Windows Registry Editor.
2 Navigate to the entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\ObjectDBX\R15.0\AEC\3.0\AecArchDACHBase\ObjectDefaults\AEC Dimension\ SuperscriptScaleFactor.
3 Type the desired value. Note that the value you type here is always relative
to the AutoCAD dimension text height (DIMTXT).
Question: What do I have to take into consideration when working with an AEC dimension in an external reference?
Answer: When you open an external reference containing AEC dimensions
in a drawing, you should not dimension any objects that are not contained
in the external reference. Because AEC dimensions are associative to the
dimensioned objects, the dimension information cannot be saved in the
external reference if the dimensioned object is not contained in the external
reference.
Question: How can I invert extension lines in an AEC dimension if
they point in the wrong direction?
Answer: To invert the extension lines of an AEC dimension, you have to
change the rotation angle of the dimension.
To invert the extension lines
1 Select the dimension for which you want to invert dimension lines.
2 Select AEC Dimension Properties from the shortcut menu.
3 Click the Location tab.
1109
4 Change the rotation angle by exactly 180. If you have, for example, a
rotation angle of 180, change it to 0.
Question: The AEC dimension for a wall of 1 meter height is displayed only with an error symbol. How can I get a correct dimension display?
Answer: The cut plane of an AEC dimension is taken from the cut plane
height of a wall in Plan view. As a default, this cut plane is set to 1.4 meters.
You have to change the wall cut plane height to the right height.
To change the wall cut plane height
1 Select the wall for which you want to change the cut plane height.
2 Select Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Entity Display dialog box, click the Display Props tab.
4 Select the current Plan (Plan, Plan 1-100, Plan 1-50) display representation from the list. The current display representation is marked by an
asterisk.
5 Do any of the following:
To change the cut plane height for the selected wall, select Wall in the
Property Source column.
To change the cut plane height for all walls based on the current style,
select Wall Style in the Property Source column.
To change the cut plane height for all walls in the drawing, select System Default in the Property Source column.
6 If no previous wall or wall style display settings have been made, the entry
in the Display Contribution column reads Empty. In this case, click Attach
Override to edit the style.
7 Click Edit Display Props.
8 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click the Cut Plane tab.
9 Type a cut plane height which is below or equal to the wall height.
10 Click OK twice to close the dialog boxes.
Question: I am dimensioning the intersection points of walls and
receive superfluous dimension points on the dimension. How can
I check if this dimension is correct?
Answer: When you receive more wall intersection dimension points than
you expect, one possible reason is that the walls you are dimensioning are
intersecting with other walls which are not included in this dimension
chain. To check if this is the case and if your dimension is correct, you can
1110
prolong the extension lines, so that they actually meet the point they dimension. Then you can verify if the dimension points on your chain are placed
correctly.
To prolong dimension lines
1 Select the dimension of which you want to prolong the extension lines.
2 Right-click and select Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Entity Display dialog box, click the Display Props tab.
4 In the Property Source column, select AEC Dimension.
5 Click Attach Override, and then Edit Display Props.
6 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click the Other tab.
7 Uncheck Use Fixed Lengths Extension Lines.
8 Click OK twice to exit the dialog boxes.
The extension lines of dimension are now reaching to the point they
dimension.
1111
1112
Dimension Labels
28
In this chapter
dimension labels
1113
A dimension label contains a number of attributes. Those attributes are values taken from the dimensioned object. You can, for example, have an
attribute Sill Height for windows. This attribute is represented in the dimension label as a number with an optional prefix, like SH 2.5.
Dimension labels react interactively. When the associated object changes its
measurements, the values in the dimension label are updated accordingly.
Dimension labels are associative. That means that they have no absolute positions in the drawing, but relative positions to the object they are added to.
When the object is, for example, moved to another position, the dimension
label moves accordingly.
In the following sections you learn how to add dimension labels to objects,
modify them, use predefined labels, and create your own dimension labels.
1114
1115
NOTE Dimension labels for doors, windows, and openings in a wall are
inserted with a fixed distance to the wall boundary. The default set by ADT is 0.1
meters from the wall boundary. Because this value is stored in the registry, the
CAD manager can change it there.
Dimension labels for standalone doors, windows, and openings are inserted with
a fixed distance to the object midpoint.
1116
NOTE Dimension labels for stairs are inserted at the stair midpoint.
1117
Type prefixes for window dimension labels. You can type prefixes for
sill height, head height, height, width, rough height, and rough width.
Type prefixes for opening dimension labels. You can type prefixes for
sill height, head height, height, and width.
Type prefixes for door dimension labels. You can type prefixes for sill
height, head height, height, width, rough height, and rough width.
Type a prefix for the number of risers the stair dimension label.
If you do not want a prefix, leave the corresponding field empty.
NOTE When you create a new drawing from scratch, default values for the
prefixes and postfixes are used.
When you create a new drawing based on a template, the default prefix/postfix values defined in the template are used.
When you open an existing drawing, the values defined in that drawing are
used.
1118
TIP Alternatively, you can select your window, door, opening or stair and
select Insert Door/Window/Opening/Stair Label from the shortcut menu.
4 In the Create Multiview Block for Dimension Labels dialog box, select the
dimension label you want to add to the selected object.
NOTE As a default, the standard dimension label for the object selected
a door, window, opening or stair - is highlighted. However, you can select
another one.
5 In the Label to Object field, type the angle of the dimension label in
respect to the dimensioned object.
1119
NOTE The Rotation field works additively. That means that although s the
overall rotation angle is displayed when you want to change the rotation,
you type only the value you want to add to the overall angle. If, for example,
you have inserted a dimension label with a 45 angle to the dimensioned
object and you want to change that angle to 46, open the Modify MultiView Blocks dialog and type 1 into the rotation field. When you click Apply
or OK, that value is added to the overall angle, and applied and so displayed
in this case 46.
Click
to edit the properties of the dimension label. For information about dimension label properties, see the following sections.
4 When you are finished editing the dimension label, do any of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and remain in the Modify MultiView Blocks dialog box.
Click OK to apply your changes and exit the Modify Multi-View Blocks
dialog box.
1120
3 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the General
tab.
4 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select Reference Document dialog box, and click Open. You can type a description of the reference file in the Reference Document dialog box.
To edit a reference file, select the filename in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference filename to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the filename in the list and click
Delete.
To close the dialog box and return to the Modify Multi-View Blocks dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Style
tab.
4 The style (or definition) you have used for your dimension label is highlighted.
5 Change the style, if desired. When you change the style, a warning message appears, notifying you that you loose your current offset and
attributes values.
6 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Modify Multi-View Blocks dialog box, click OK.
1121
3 In the Multi View-Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions tab.
4 To change the size of the dimension label, type a scale factor into the X, Y
or Z fields.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Modify Multi-View Blocks dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the Multi View-Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Offsets
tab.
In the View Blocks list, the blocks of which your dimension label is composed are displayed.
4 To offset the dimension label from its original insertion point, type an offset value in the X, Y or Z fields.
5 Do any of the following:
1122
To close the dialog box and return to the Modify Multi-View Blocks dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE Although you can edit the values in the list, those modifications are
not applied; your modified values are overwritten by the actual values the
dimension label gets from the dimensioned object.
4 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Modify Multi-View Blocks dialog box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1123
Below you can find a list of operations you can perform with objects and
their associated dimension labels, and how they react with each other
Selection
Action
Reaction
Dimensioned
object
is moved
is rotated
is mirrored
without deleting
the source object
is mirrored with
deleting the source
object
is deleted
is copied
is moved
is rotated
is mirrored
is deleted
is copied
are moved
are rotated
Dimension
label
Dimension
label and
dimensioned
object
1124
Selection
Action
Reaction
are mirrored
without deleting
source objects
are mirrored
with deleting
source objects
are deleted
are copied
Adding Attributes
A dimension label usually contains one or several attributes displaying sill
height, head height, rough height, and rough width.
Dimension label attributes are coming from a property set definition. A number of predefined automatic attributes are available if you start with a tem-
1125
plate or if you have started from scratch and dragged a predefined dimension
label from the AutoCAD DesignCenter into the drawing.
If you want different attributes for using in dimension labels, create your
own Property Set Definition for dimension labels. For information about creating property set definitions, see Property Set Definitions on page 1292.
Dimension Label Attributes
Attribute
Object
Description
OPENING:SILLHEIGHT
Window,
Opening
OPENING:SILLHEIGHT:MM
Window,
Opening
OPENING:HEADHEIGHT
Window,
Opening,
Door
OPENING:HEADHEIGHT:M
M
Window,
Opening,
Door
OPENING:HEIGHT
1126
Window,
Opening,
Door
Object
Description
OPENING:HEIGHT:MM
Window,
Opening,
Door
OPENING: WIDTH
Window,
Opening,
Door
OPENING:WIDTH:MM
Window,
Opening,
Door
OPENING:ROUGHHEIGHT
Window,
Door
OPENING:ROUGHHEIGHT:
MM
Window,
Door
OPENING:ROUGHWIDTH
Window,
Door
1127
Object
Description
OPENING:ROUGHWIDTH:
MM
Window,
Door
STAIR:RISERCOUNT
Stair
STAIR:TREADRISER
Stair
To add an attribute
1 On the command line, type ddattdef.
2 In the Tag field, type one of the attributes described above. If you want,
for example, create an attribute for the rough height of windows and
doors, type OPENING:ROUGHHEIGHT here.
3 Proceed to adding the attribute as described in Working with Attributes
in the AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
4 Repeat steps 1-3 for each attribute you want to add to the dimension label.
As a result, you have a number of attributes in your drawing. For a user
defined dimension label containing the rough height and rough width of
a window with superscript settings it could look like this:
Creating a Block
After you have assembled the attributes you want in the dimension label, you
create a block from them.
1128
1129
10 Repeat Steps 6-9 for each display representation where you want the
dimension label to appear.
11 Click OK twice to exit the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog
box and the Style Manager.
5 Click Next.
6 In the Insert Options dialog box, select a layer key for the label.
1130
1131
1132
Menu Command
Command Line
Right-click
DoorLabelAdd
WindowLabelAdd
Add Opening
Label...
OpeningLabelAdd
StairLabelAdd
Elevation Labels
29
In this chapter
objects
labels
1133
1134
7 If you want to use the UCS of another existing elevation label, click Match
UCS
NOTE The elevation value you type here is always calculated in relation to
the coordinate system you have selected in the list. When you redefine the
coordinate system, the Z-value of the elevation label is recalculated accordingly.
For example, you have a UCS named First Floor with its Z-origin at 3 m.
When you insert an elevation label in WCS and set it to 2 m, and then
change the coordinate system to First Floor the Z-value of the elevation
label is changed to -1 m.
9 If desired, type a prefix and suffix for the elevation label.
1135
NOTE Since elevation labels are created from multi-view blocks, you can
also change their properties by choosing Multi-View Block Modify from the
context menu. In this case, however, you can edit only the general multi-view
block properties of the elevation label and not specific properties like coordinate system, prefixes, and suffixes.
3 Do any of the following:
NOTE When you change the referenced coordinate system, the Z-value of
the elevation label is recalculated accordingly. When, for example, you have
an elevation label that has been entered at 2 m from the world coordinate
system (WCS) Z-origin, and then switch to a user coordinate system (UCS)
with its Z origin at 3 m from the world coordinate system (WCS) Z origin, the
value of the elevation label is recalculated to -1.
1136
Click Apply to apply your changes and remain in the Elevation Label
Modify dialog box.
Click OK to apply your changes and exit the Elevation Label Modify
dialog box.
3 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the General
tab.
4 To add a description to the elevation label, type it in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the elevation label, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Elevation Label Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1137
3 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Style
tab.
4 The definition you have used for your elevation label is highlighted.
5 Change the definition, if desired. When you change the definition, a
warning message is displayed, notifying you that you lose your current
offset and attribute values.
6 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Elevation Label Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1138
To close the dialog box and return to the Elevation Label Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Offsets
tab.
In the View Blocks list, the blocks comprising your elevation label are
displayed.
4 To offset the elevation label from its original insertion point, type an offset
value in the X, Y, or Z fields.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Elevation Label Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE Although you can edit the values in the list, those modifications are not
applied; your modified values are overwritten by the actual values.
To display elevation label attributes
1 Open the Elevation Label Modify dialog box, as described in Modifying
Elevation Labels on page 1136.
2 Click
1139
The list on the right side lists the attributes of the blocks and their current
values.
4 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Elevation Label Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1140
Adding Attributes
An elevation label usually contains one or several attributes displaying the
elevation, prefixes, and suffixes.
Elevation label attributes are coming from a property set definition. A
number of predefined automatic attributes are available when you start with
one of the templates, or when you have started from scratch and dragged a
predefined elevation label from AutoCAD DesignCenter into the drawing.
Elevation label attributes
Attribute/Tag
Description
ELEVATION
ELEVATION:MM
PREFIX
SUFFIX
If you want different attributes for use in elevation labels, create your own
Property Set Definition for elevation labels. For information about creating
property set definitions, see Property Set Definitions on page 1292.
To add an attribute
1 On the command line, type ddattdef.
2 In the Tag field, type one of the attributes from the table above. If you
want, for example, to create an attribute for the height of the elevation,
type ELEVATION.
3 Proceed adding the attribute. For more information see Attach Data to
Blocks in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
4 Repeat steps 13 for each attribute you want to add to the elevation label.
1141
Creating a Block
After you have assembled the graphic symbols and attributes you want in the
elevation label, you create a block from them.
To create a block from attributes
1 From the Draw menu, choose Block Make.
2 Enter a name for the block.
3 Click Select Objects and select the graphic symbol and the attributes you
want to include in the elevation label.
4 From the Insert units list, choose Unitless.
5 Proceed creating the block as described in Create Blocks in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
1142
8 In the Select A Block dialog, select the block you have defined in Creating
a Block, and click OK.
9 In the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog box, select the view
directions for the block.
10 Repeat steps 69 for each display representation where you want the elevation label to display.
11 Click OK twice to exit the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog
box and the Style Manager.
5 Click Next.
6 In the Insert Options dialog box, select a layer key for the label.
NOTE The default directory for elevation labels is, depending on your
installation one of the following:
1143
\\Content\Imperial\Documentation\Elevation Labels
\\Content\Metric\Documentation\Elevation Labels
\\Content\Metric D A CH\Documentation\Elevation Labels.
1144
Areas
30
In this chapter
styles
facility management.
In this chapter, you learn how to create areas either freehand or derive them from existing walls and building
objects, add and subtract areas from each other, define
area calculation modifier styles, and attach areas to area
groups.
For information about area groups and area evaluation,
see Area Groups on page 1209 and Area Evaluation
on page 1257.
1145
After creating areas and area groups in the drawing, you can create an area
evaluation of the building and export the results into an external document.This document can be used for government approval or for cost
estimates from building contractors.
1146
Chapter 30 Areas
Following are a number of typical tasks that the area evaluation feature can
be used for.
For practical examples, see Examples for Creating Areas on page 1157.
As an architect, you have created a plan for a building and want to prepare
it for approval by the building administration. This includes the decomposition of areas into area subdivisions, the relation between floor area
and site area, values for the base and calculated areas, construction areas,
traffic areas, floor areas, and functional areas of the plan.
You want to rent an apartment. For this, you need to calculate all balcony
and terrace areas - according to some national regulations - with 50
percent of their actual value. You also need to calculate the areas under the
roof correctly at the 2 m line and the 1 m line.
You need to determine different zones in an office landscape, like office
cubicles, recreation areas, and walking areas.
As a facility manager, you need to determine different area types in an
office building like office rooms, rest rooms, or sick rooms.
You need a categorization of the floor plan into areas that need to be
cleaned every week to get a cost estimation from a building cleaning
service.
You need an overview of hardware equipment rooms because you need to
calculate the costs for special ventilation systems.
As a carpeting contractor, you need the perimeter values of all rooms to
make a cost estimate for baseboard material.
Work Order
The flexible and powerful design of the area evaluation feature gives you
optimal freedom to shape your design process according to your needs. To
make your workflow as effective as possible, you should consider in which
order you want to work before you start. Each has its own advantages for
different tasks.
1147
For information about calculation modifier styles, see Calculation Modifier Styles on page 1190.
2 Create the necessary area name definitions e.g., names according to DIN
277.
For information about area name definitions, see Area Name Definitions on page 1236.
3 Create the necessary area groups templates e.g., a template according to
DIN 277.
For information about area groups templates, see Area Group Templates
on page 1245.
NOTE It might be a good idea to save your calculation modifier styles, area
name definitions, and area groups templates into an *.dwt file for reusing
them later.
4 Create area groups from the group templates.
For information about creating area groups from group templates, see
Creating New Area Groups from a Group Template on page 1212.
5 Create areas and attach them to the area groups.
For information about creating areas, see Creating Areas on page 1149.
6 Start the area evaluation.
For information about area evaluation, see Area Evaluation on page
1257.
When you work like this, you define all the necessary elements and structures and then fill them with the actual content from the floor plan. The
advantage of this approach is that you are working in a well-structured
environment and can use templates (dwt files) for your work. You lose
however a certain amount of flexibility in the process and have a longer
planning phase beforehand.
1148
Chapter 30 Areas
Creating Areas
You can create new areas, create areas from AEC objects or create areas by
selections from closed rooms. If you have created area groups in your drawing, you can attach areas to them.
NOTE If no area tags are contained in the list, you can drag a tag into the
drawing from the AutoCAD DesignCenter folder Metric
Imperial Schedules Area Tags. You can also create your own area tags
from multi-view blocks. For information about creating your own area tags,
see Creating User-Defined Area Tags on page 1160.
5 If you want to attach the area to an area group, click
area group you want to attach the area to.
Creating Areas
1149
For information about area groups, see Area Groups on page 1209.
NOTE If you are unsure about whether the area should be attached to an
area group or if area groups have not been created yet, you can omit this step
and attach the area to a group later.
6 Do any of the following:
If you want to create an area consisting of only one area ring, clear
Composed Area.
You would typically use areas with one ring for rooms in a building.
You would typically use an area with several rings for complex structures
like an atrium house with an interior court.
1150
Chapter 30 Areas
NOTE The terms additive and subtractive describe the type of area you are
using. Additive areas are areas with a positive area value, like rooms. Negative
areas are holes, that can either be deducted from positive areas or stand
alone. If you want to create a hallway with a number of columns to be subtracted from the hallway area, you would first create an additive area ring for
the hallway and then create a number of subtractive area rings for the columns. When you later create an area evaluation of the floor plan, the hallway
area ring is calculated as a positive value, from which the subtractive rings of
the columns are subtracted as negative values.
NOTE You can switch between these two modes any time during the insertion of the area. The creation of an area boundary is similar to creating a
polyline or AEC profile.
8 Select the starting point of the first area line segment in the drawing.
9 Specify further points to define the area.
Creating Areas
1151
NOTE After you specify the third vertex for the area boundary, the Ortho
Close and Polyline Close options become available.
Ortho Close closes the area by drawing two line segments based on the direction you specify. The direction is extended until it meets a line perpendicular
to the initial edge of the area boundary.
Polyline Close closes the area by creating an area line segment from the last
point specified for the area to the first point specified in this area boundary.
10 Press ENTER to end the command.
11 Do any of the following:
Then click
NOTE When you have chosen the Composed Area option to create an area
with several rings, and have not finished the composition of the area with the
Composed Area icon, you get a message upon closing the Add Area dialog
box, asking you if want to create the composed area. To confirm that you
want to create the composed area to the drawing, click Yes.
1152
Chapter 30 Areas
Walls/Curtain Walls
Columns/Braces/Beams/Slabs
Doors/Windows/Window Assemblies
Roofs/Roof Slabs
Stairs/Railings
Mass Elements/Mass Groups
Spaces/Space Boundaries
AEC Polygons
Profiles
Closed AutoCAD polylines
NOTE When you convert objects to areas in a rotated UCS, you receive different behaviors.
When you convert a closed AutoCAD polyline to an area in a rotated UCS, the
resulting area is inserted planar to the ECS of the polyline.
When you convert another object to an area in a rotated UCS, the resulting
area is inserted planar to the WCS, at the height of the UCS.
To create an area from an object
1 From the Documentation menu, select Areas Create Area from Object.
Creating Areas
1153
2 In the Create Areas from Objects dialog box, type a name for your area.
3 Select a style for your area. For information about area styles, see Area
Styles on page 1181.
4 Select a tag for the area.
NOTE If no area tags are contained in the list, you can drag a tag into the
drawing from the AutoCAD DesignCenter folder Metric/
Imperial Schedules Area Tags. You can also create your own area tags
from multi-view blocks. For information about creating your own area tags,
see Creating User-Defined Area Tags on page 1160.
5 If you want to attach your area to an area group, click
area group you want to attach the area to.
For information about area groups, see Area Groups on page 1209.
NOTE If you are unsure about whether the area should be attached to an
area group or if area groups have not been created yet, you can omit this step
and attach the area to a group later.
6 Click Select Objects.
7 Click your drawing and select an object from which you want to create a
new area. here, you can select here all AEC building objects as well as
closed AutoCAD polylines.
8 Press ENTER to end the command.
9 Enter the cutplane height of the object you want to create the area from.
This is important for objects that change their outline at different heights,
such as pyramid shapes.
1154
Chapter 30 Areas
NOTE If no area tags are contained in the list, you can drag a tag into the
drawing from the AutoCAD DesignCenter folder Metric/
Imperial Schedules Area Tags. You can also create your own area tags
Creating Areas
1155
from multi-view blocks. For information about creating your own area tags,
see Creating User-Defined Area Tags on page 1160.
5 If you want to attach your area to an area group, click
area group you want to attach the area to.
For information about area groups, see Area Groups on page 1209.
NOTE If you are unsure about whether the area should be attached to an
area group or if area groups have not been created yet, you can omit this step
and attach the area to a group later.
6 If necessary, select Composed Area.
7 Click Select Bounding Walls.
8 Click your drawing and select the closed walls from which you want to
create an area.
NOTE If your selection set is very large, this method of creating areas can
slow down the performance considerably. If you experience any performance
problems, try a smaller selection set next time.
9 Press ENTER to end your selection.
10 Select a point inside the wall boundaries.
1156
Chapter 30 Areas
NOTE To follow these instructions, you must set your drawing units to meters.
Select Desktop Drawing Setup, click the Units tab and change the drawing
units to meters there.
To calculate roof areas
1 Create the roof to be calculated.
2 From the Documentation menu, select Areas Create Area from Object.
3 Enter a name, style, and, if necessary, the desired area tag.
4 Click Select Objects.
5 Select the roof in the drawing, and press ENTER to end your selection.
6 Enter the height at which the area shall be calculated.
Creating Areas
1157
NOTE Selecting objects in a large floor plan can be a complex task. Here
are a couple of tips how to simplify this:
Draw a selection marquee around the plan and then SHIFT-click to deselect
the objects not included in the construction areas.
Use the Quick Select command to filter for objects included in construction
areas (e.g., walls, columns).
6 Press ENTER to end your selection.
7 Enter the height at which the construction area is to be calculated.
8 Press ENTER to end the command.
9 You now have in your drawing a number of areas for every object you have
selected in step 4. To merge them, do any of the following:
If you want to retain the single area objects, but calculate them
together as construction area, create an area group named, for example,
Construction Area and attach all single areas to it.
For information about area groups, see Area Groups on page 1209.
For information about attaching areas to area groups, see Attaching
Areas to Area Groups on page 1178.
If you want to merge the single area objects into one area object, use
the Join command.
For information about the Join command, see Joining Areas Together
on page 1170.
1158
Chapter 30 Areas
TIP Following the contour of an object is easier with object snaps (OSNAP)
turned on.
Finish the area with the POLYLINE CLOSE or ORTHO CLOSE commands.
3 Switch back to the world coordinate system (WCS) to see the new area.
Creating Areas
1159
1160
Chapter 30 Areas
You may, however, want to create your own specific tags that are not
included in any of the templates.
In the following sections, you learn how to choose attributes for your own
area tags, combine them into blocks, and create an area tag from them.
To create a user-defined area tag
1 Adding attributes
2 Creating a block
3 Creating a multi-view block
4 Adding the area tag to the AutoCAD DesignCenter
Adding Attributes
An area tag usually contains one or several attributes displaying base and calculated area and perimeter values, number, name, and description of the
area, as well as any calculation modifier styles.
Area attributes come from a property set definition. A number of predefined
automatic attributes are available when you either start with one of the
Architectural Desktop templates or when you start from scratch and drag a
predefined area tag from the AutoCAD DesignCenter into the drawing.
If you want different attributes for using in area tags, create your own
property set definition for areas. For information about creating property set
definitions, see Property Set Definitions on page 1292.
Area tag attributes
Attribute/Tag
Description
AREA:NUMBER
AREA:NAME
AREA:DESCRIPTION
AREA:BASEAREA
AREA:CALCULATEDAREA
AREA:BASEPERIMETER
Creating Areas
1161
Description
AREA:CALCULATED
PERIMETER
AREA:CALCULATION
MODIFIERSTYLE
To add an attribute
1 On the command line, type ddattdef.
2 In the Tag field, type one of the attributes described above. If you want,
for example, to create an attribute for the calculated area, type
AREA:CALCULATEDAREA.
3 Proceed to adding the attribute as described in Attach Data to Blocks
(Block Attributes) in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
4 Repeat steps 13 for each attribute you want to add to the area tag.
Creating a Block
After you have assembled the attributes you want in the area tag, you create
a block from them.
To create a block from attributes
1 From the Draw menu, choose Block Make.
2 Type the name of the block.
3 Click Select Objects and select the attributes you want to include in the
area tag.
4 From the Insert units list, choose Unitless.
5 Proceed to creating the block as described in Create Blocks in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
1162
Chapter 30 Areas
NOTE In this section you find a short description of how to add user-defined
area tags to the AutoCAD DesignCenter. For a detailed description of the AEC
Content Wizard, see AEC Content on page 1611.
To add area tags to the AutoCAD DesignCenter
1 On the Desktop menu, choose Create AEC Content.
2 In the Content Type Dialog box, select Multi-View Block.
3 Select the Multi-View block you have created in Creating a Multi-View
Block on page 1162 and add it to the Content Files.
Creating Areas
1163
AecAnnoScheduleTagAdd MyTag
5 Click Next.
6 In the Insert Options dialog box, select a layer key for the tag.
Editing Areas
After you have created an area, you can change its properties, such as calculation modifier styles or area style.
To edit an area
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Modify Area.
2 Select the areas you want to modify.
3 Press ENTER to end your selection.
4 In the Area Modify dialog box, do any of the following:
1164
Chapter 30 Areas
Click
to edit the properties of the area. For information about area
properties, see Changing Area Properties on page 1165.
5 When you are finished editing the area, do any of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and remain in the Area Modify dialog box.
Click OK to apply your changes and exit the Area Modify dialog box.
Editing Areas
1165
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data on page 1288 and Editing Schedule Data
on page 1288 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click Add and select one or more property sets.
10 To edit one of the properties, click in the row containing the value of the
property and type in your changes.
NOTE You can edit only manual properties. Automatic properties, such as
the area and perimeter values, are filled by the object and can not be changed
here.
For more information about property sets, see Property Set Definitions
on page 1292 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 Do any of the following:
1166
Chapter 30 Areas
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Modify dialog box, click
OK.
To enter more changes on other tabs, click the desired tab.
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Modify dialog box, click
OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
Editing Areas
1167
5 Sort the attached calculation modifier styles by dragging them within the
list.
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Modify dialog box, click
OK.
To enter more changes on other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE This tab is available for multiple areas only when these areas have
the same modifier styles attached in exactly the same order.
3 In the Area Properties dialog box, click the Area Group tab.
4 Do any of the following:
1168
Chapter 30 Areas
marked group and thereby added the area, by implication, to all supergroups
of the selected group. You cannot clear a grey mark directly: you need to
clear the black-marked subgroup to remove it.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Modify dialog box, click
OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE This tab is not available when you have selected multiple areas.
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Modify dialog box, click
OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
Area Operations
After you have created areas in your drawings, you can perform a number of
geometric operations on them. You can define how two or more areas interact with each other, or redefine the geometry of a single area. You can:
Area Operations
1169
WARNING! When you join an area to another one, the second area no
longer exists as an entity. Thus you cannot select or edit it separately anymore.
Also, area properties like name, display properties, or attached calculation modifier styles of the second area are deleted and replaced with the corresponding
properties of the first area.
To join areas
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Join.
2 Select the first area you want to join.
NOTE You can join only these areas that lie on the same Z-plane. Two areas
with different Z-positions in the same coordinate system cannot be joined.
3 Select the next areas you want to join.
4 Press ENTER to end your selection.
1170
Chapter 30 Areas
If the areas are overlapping, the individual area boundaries are joined
into one.
If the areas are not overlapping, the individual area boundaries are
retained but act now as different rings of the same area.
Area Operations
1171
The resulting area has now been reduced by the amount of the areas
subtracted from it.
WARNING! Subtracted areas no longer exist as entities after the subtraction. Thus, you cannot select or edit them separately anymore. Also, area
properties like name, display properties, or attached calculation modifier
styles of the subtracted areas are deleted and replaced with the corresponding properties of the first area.
1172
Chapter 30 Areas
The areas have been removed, except where they were intersecting.
Vertices
You can add and remove vertices to areas you have created.
Adding Vertices
You can add additional vertices to an area.
To add vertices to an area
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Edit Vertices.
2 Select the area you want to add a vertex to.
3 Click your drawing to specify any vertex points you want to add.
NOTE If you click Cancel instead of pressing ENTER, all vertices you have
added during this command are removed.
Area Operations
1173
Removing Vertices
In the same way you can add vertices, you can also remove them from an
area.
To remove vertices from an area
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Edit Vertices.
2 Select the area you want to remove a vertex from.
3 Select the vertex points you want to remove by clicking near them while
holding down SHIFT.
Trimming Areas
You can trim areas along a trim line you have defined. Trimming means to
cut away a part of the area along a defined line.
To trim an area
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Trim.
2 Click to define the start point of the trim line.
3 Click to define the endpoint of the trim line.
4 Click the side of the area to be removed after trimming.
1174
Chapter 30 Areas
Trimming an area
Dividing Areas
You can divide areas along a divide line you define.
To divide an area in two
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Divide.
2 Select the area you want to divide in two.
3 Click to define the start point of the divide line.
4 Click to define the endpoint of the divide line.
Dividing an area
You now have two areas next to each other. You can select each of them
individually and modify them as separate areas.
Area Operations
1175
When you have an area with several rings, you can remove individual rings
from it.
To remove rings from areas
1 Select an area with multiple rings, from which you want to remove a ring.
2 From the shortcut menu, select Edit Rings Remove Ring.
3 Select the area ring you want to remove from the area.
The area ring is removed from the area.
NOTE You cannot remove a ring from an area which has only one ring and
you cannot remove the last ring from an area.
When you create a composed area, you define the positive/negative value
upon inserting the composed area.
For information on creating composed areas, see Creating Areas on page
1149.
When you can create separate areas and merge them by a Join/Subtract/
Intersect operation, the operation used defines if the area ring is positive
or negative. When you, for example, subtract an area from another, the
subtracted area is converted into a negative area ring.
For information on joining areas, see Joining Areas Together on page
1170.
For information on subtracting areas, see Creating Holes in Areas on
page 1171.
1176
Chapter 30 Areas
For information on intersecting areas, see Creating Areas from the Intersection of Other Areas on page 1172.
You can reverse the value of an area ring, so that a positive ring can be transformed into a negative ring and a negative ring into a positive ring.
To reverse area rings
1 Select an area of which you want to reverse a ring.
2 From the shortcut menu, select Edit Rings Reverse Ring.
3 Select the area ring you want to reverse.
Depending on whether the ring was before positive or negative, it now
takes on the opposite value. A negative ring is transformed into a positive
ring and a positive ring is transformed into a negative ring.
When you want to export the floor plan to an application which can process only polylines
When you want to remove a hole from an area
When you want to create walls or spaces from areas
1177
After you have converted your areas to polylines, you can also reconvert
them to areas.
To create a polyline from an area
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Create Polyline.
2 Select the areas you want to create a polyline from.
3 Press ENTER to end you selection.
On top of your areas, standard AutoCAD polylines have been created. You
can edit them as any other polyline.
TIP When polylines are lying above areas, it can be difficult to select the
area without the polyline. Try one of the following:
CTRL-click the boundary. Then click until the area boundary is highlighted.
If the area hatch is displayed, click the hatch.
Use the Quick Select command from the shortcut menu.
1178
Chapter 30 Areas
5 In the Area Group dialog box, select the area group you want to attach
your area to and select its check box.
Click Apply to apply your changes and remain in the Area Modify dialog box.
Click OK to apply your changes and exit the Area Modify dialog box.
TIP Another, quicker way to attach areas to area groups is to select an area,
and then choose Attach to Group from the shortcut menu.
1179
TIP When you have attached an area to an area group it can be difficult to
select the area without the area group. Try one of the following:
CTRL-click
the desired area boundary. Then click until the desired area
is highlighted.
If the area hatch is displayed, click the hatch.
If area decomposition is displayed, click one of the decomposition
lines.
Drag a selection window around the areas you want to detach.
Use the Quick Select command from the shortcut menu.
3 Click
4 In the Area Group dialog box, clear the group you want to detach the area
from.
1180
Chapter 30 Areas
A grey check mark means that you have selected a subgroup of the greymarked group and thereby added the area, by implication, to all supergroups
of the selected group. You cannot clear a grey mark directly; you need to clear
the black-marked subgroup to remove it.
5 Do any of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and remain in the Area Modify dialog box.
Click OK to apply your changes and exit the Area Modify dialog box.
TIP Another, quicker way to detach areas from area groups is to select an
area, and then choose Detach from Group from the shortcut menu.
Area Styles
A style is a collection of display and decomposition properties for an area.
When you apply the style to one or more areas, the settings defined in it are
applied automatically.
You can use area styles for
You can define styles for a single drawing (.dwg) as well as for a template
(.dwt). For best reusability, define your styles as part of the template you are
working with.
Area Styles
1181
For information about templates, see Using Architectural Desktop Templates on page 23.
You can create new area styles, edit area styles, import and export area styles
between drawings, and purge area styles that are not in use. When you create,
purge, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager. The Style
Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural Desktop,
where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and templates. For
more information about using the Style Manager, see Style Manager on
page 1525.
1182
Chapter 30 Areas
5 When you finish changing the area style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE Another way of copying an existing style is to use the default Windows Copy and Paste buttons from the toolbar.
4 To rename the style, select the style, and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new area style, select the style, and
choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Area Style dialog box is displayed. You can add notes to the style,
change the layer/color/linetype settings, and change the hatching properties of the new style. For more information about changing each style
property, see Changing Area Style Properties on page 1187.
6 When you finish changing the area style properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Area Styles
1183
To purge a single unused area style in your current drawing, select the
style under the style type, and choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused area styles in your current drawing, with the
area style type selected, choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1184
Chapter 30 Areas
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy to your current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the style that you want to copy, and click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the area style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Area Styles to display the area styles in the
drawing.
5 Select the area style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Area Styles
1185
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the new
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1186
Chapter 30 Areas
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click Add and select one or more property sets.
10 To edit one of the properties, click in the row containing the value of the
property and type in your changes.
1187
NOTE You can edit only manual properties. Automatic properties are filled
by the object and can not be changed here.
For more information about property sets, see Property Set Definitions
on page 1292 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 When you finish changing the area style properties, click OK twice to
return to the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1188
Chapter 30 Areas
Description
Additive Boundary
Subtractive Boundary
Additive Hatch
Subtractive Hatch
Defect marker
10 In the column containing the information you want to edit, click the
desired information.
11 When you finish changing the area style properties, click OK twice to
return to the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1189
4 From the list, select one of the Plan display representations. The current
display representation is marked with an asterisk (*).
5 In the Property Source column, select Area Style.
6 If no previous area style display settings have been made, the entry in the
Display Contribution column reads Empty. In this case, click Attach Override to edit the style.
7 Click Edit Display Props.
8 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click the Hatching tab.
9 Do any of the following:
10 When you finish changing the area style properties, click OK twice to
return to the Style Manager.
11 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1190
Chapter 30 Areas
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Calculation Modifier styles in the current drawing are displayed under the Area Calculation Modifier style type. All other style and
definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 With the Area Calculation Modifier style type selected, choose New from
the shortcut menu.
3 Type a name for the new Calculation Modifier style, and press ENTER.
4 To edit the style properties of your new Calculation Modifier style, select
the style, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Area Calculation Modifier Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You
can add notes to the style and create a formula for the new style. For more
information about changing each style property, see Editing Calculation
Modifier Styles on page 1192.
5 When you finish changing the Calculation Modifier style properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1191
NOTE Another way of copying an existing style is to use the default Windows Copy and Paste buttons from the toolbar.
4 To rename the style, select the style, and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new Calculation Modifier style, select
the style, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Area Calculation Modifier Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You
can add notes to the style and create a formula for the new style. For more
information about changing each style property, see Editing Calculation
Modifier Styles on page 1192.
6 When you finish changing the Calculation Modifier style properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1192
Chapter 30 Areas
NOTE A calculation modifier style can also have both calculation types and
can be applied to both the perimeter and the area value.
An example for a modifier style of the calculation type area would be one
which calculates an area only with 50 percent of its square meters. (This is
obligatory for several area types in various international architectural
standards.)
An example for a modifier style of the calculation type perimeter would be
one that deducts length from the perimeter of a room for openings and stairs.
This would be helpful when you are trying to calculate how much baseboard
material you approximately need for this room.
To define the calculation type
1 Open the Area Calculation Modifier Style Properties dialog box, as
described in Editing Calculation Modifier Styles on page 1192.
2 Click the Apply To tab.
3 Select whether you want to apply the modifier style to the area or perimeter value. You can also select both values here.
4 When you finish changing the calculation modifier style properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
5 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1193
Special characters like ?()*- You can, however use an underscore (_).
Spaces
Accent marks like , , , , ,
Key words from Visual Basic.
For information about Visual Basic key words refer to the Visual Basic
Reference.
4 The Area Data field displays the value you have chosen in the Apply To
tab for calculation
AreaValue = area
PerimeterValue = perimeter
Value = area and perimeter
You cannot edit this field; if you want to change the area data, click the
Apply To tab and choose different data there.
5 In the Output field, type the formula for calculating the modifier style. If
you want, for example, set up a plaster deduction of 3 percent from the
area type
1194
Chapter 30 Areas
AreaValue * Plaster_Deduction
NOTE You do not need to work with variable names. In the Output field,
you can type direct mathematical formulas and also use Visual Basic key
words, like Mod, Exp, or Log.
6 To test your formula, type an exemplary area value in the Input field and
check if the result in the Output field is as expected.
7 When you finish changing the Calculation Modifier style properties, click
OK to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1195
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 When you finish changing the calculation modifier style properties, click
OK twice to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1196
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
Chapter 30 Areas
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1197
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Area Calculation Modifier style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the second
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1198
Chapter 30 Areas
3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
If you apply the plaster deduction first and the division after, you get the
following result:
Calculation Modifier Style A: 25 m2 - 0.3 m2 = 24.7 m2
Calculation Modifier Style B: 24.7 m2 / 2 = 13.35 m2
If you apply the division first and the plaster deduction after, you get the
following result:
Calculation Modifier Style B: 25 m2 / 2 = 12.5 m2
Calculation Modifier Style A: 12.5 m2 - 0.3 m2 = 12.2 m2
Both cases have different results depending on the order in which you apply
the calculation modifier styles.
You can set the order of calculation modifier styles in the properties of the
area. For instructions about how to order calculation modifier styles, see the
following steps.
To attach calculation modifier styles to areas
1 On the Documentation menu, select Areas Modify Area.
2 Select the area you want to attach calculation modifier styles to.
1199
7 Sort the attached calculation modifier styles by dragging them within the
list.
IMPORTANT Calculation modifier styles are applied to the area group in the
order in which they are displayed in the list. The top modifier style is applied first,
then the next one below it, and so on. Since a different order can in some cases
provide different results, take care to sort the modifier styles in the desired order.
Area Decomposition
In some countries, like Germany and Japan, an important part of the area
evaluation is the visual decomposition of areas into area subdivisions. Area
decomposition is needed for the area proof that must be presented to the
building administration for approval.
In Architectural Desktop you can control each aspect of how the decomposition is displayed, like the decomposition method used, color settings for the
decomposition components and tags. The decomposition view of an area is
an additional display representation with display settings.
1200
Chapter 30 Areas
Area Decomposition
1201
NOTE To display the Proof of Areas display configuration, you must work with
a template which contains this configuration, for example Aec Arch (metric
d a ch).
To display the area decomposition
1 On the AEC Setup toolbar, click the Set Current Display Configuration
icon
NOTE In the Proof of Areas view, only the area decomposition is visible. You
can see no architectural objects like doors, walls, or windows. If you want to
display those objects, together with the decomposition, you need to switch
them on in the Set Proof of Areas display representation set.
For information about display representation sets, see Display Sets on page
103.
1202
To change the decomposition settings for the selected area, select Area
in the Property Source column.
Chapter 30 Areas
To change the decomposition settings for all areas based on the current
style, select Area Style in the Property Source column.
To change the decomposition settings for all areas in the drawing,
select System Default in the Property Source column.
6 If no previous area or area style display settings have been made, the entry
in the Display Contribution column reads Empty. In this case, click Attach
Override to edit the style.
7 Click Edit Display Props.
8 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
9 Select the component for which you want to change Layer/Color/Linetype properties.
Display components in decomposed view
Component
Description
Additive Edge
Subtractive Edge
Additive Label
Subtractive Label
Additive Height
Subtractive Height
Height Dimensions
Defect Marker
10 In the column containing the information you want to edit, click the
desired information.
Area Decomposition
1203
In the Decomposition tab page, you can set the decomposition method you
prefer.
1204
To change the decomposition settings for the selected area, select Area
in the Property Source column.
To change the decomposition settings for all areas based on the current
style, select Area Style in the Property Source column.
To change the decomposition settings for all areas in the drawing,
select System Default in the Property Source column.
Chapter 30 Areas
6 If no previous area or area style display settings have been made, the entry
in the Display Contribution column is Empty. In this case, click Attach
Override to edit the style.
7 Click Edit Display Props.
8 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click the Decomposition tab.
9 Select a decomposition method in the Type list.
10 Choose an explosion mode.
Choose Lines if you want the area to change into single lines after
exploding it.
Choose Faces if you want the area to change into closed polylines after
exploding it.
To change the text settings for the selected area, select Area in the Property Source column.
To change the text settings for all areas based on the current style, select
Area Style in the Property Source column.
To change the text settings for all areas in the drawing, select System
Default in the Property Source column.
6 If no previous area or area style display settings have been made, the entry
in the Display Contribution column is Empty. In this case, click Attach
Override to edit the style.
7 Click Edit Display Props.
8 In the Entity Properties dialog box, click the Proof tab.
9 Enter a prefix for the numbers of the area subdivisions. If you want no prefix, leave the Prefix field empty.
10 To change the text style of the numbers of the area subdivisions, click Text
Style.
Area Decomposition
1205
11 In the Text Style dialog box, enter all settings for the text style, and click
Apply to return to the Proof dialog box. For information about the Text
Style dialog box, see Work with Text Styles in the online AutoCAD 2002
Users Guide.
12 To change the height of the labels of the area subdivisions, type a different
height.
13 To change the text style of the height and edge annotation, click Text
Style.
14 In the Text Style dialog box, enter all settings for the text style, and click
Apply to return to the Proof dialog box. For information about the Text
Style dialog box, see Work with Text Styles in the online AutoCAD 2002
Users Guide.
15 To change the height of the height and edge annotation, type a different
height.
Menu Command
Command Line
Add Area...
AreaAdd
Modify Area...
AreaModify
AreaCreateFromObject
Area Styles...
AreaStyle
Join
AreaOpJoin
Operation Join
Subtract
AreaOpSubtract
Operation Subtract
Intersect
AreaOpIntersect
Operation Intersect
Modify Vertex
AreaVertexModify
Edit Vertices
Trim
AreaTrim
Operation Trim
Divide
AreaDivide
Operation Divide
Create Polyline
AreaCreatePline
1206
Chapter 30 Areas
Area Modify...
Menu Command
Command Line
AreaNameDef
AreaCalculationModifierStyle
Area Evaluation...
AreaEvaluation
AreaRemoveRing
AreaReverseRing
AreaReverseProfile
AreaAttach
Attach to Group
AreaDetach
AreaStyleEdit
AreaProps
Area Properties...
Area Decomposition
1207
1208
Chapter 30 Areas
Area Groups
31
In this chapter
to create area group templates and area name definitions and work with them.
1209
When you create an area evaluation of the floor plan, you can choose groups
that are included in it and area groups that are not calculated.
For information about area evaluations of the floor plan, see Area Evaluation on page 1257.
You can create new area group structures or use predefined structures according to various area calculation standards. Predefined structures are called area
group templates and the Autodesk Architectural Desktop templates contain
a number of them.
1210
Outline all the groups and subgroups you need for your group structure.
Outline the hierarchical and logical structure the groups are to have to
each other.
Create the groups needed.
Create the logical structure between the groups by attaching groups to
each other in a hierarchical structure.
1211
For information about attaching areas to area groups, see Attaching Areas to
Area Groups on page 1178.
NOTE You can theoretically leave the name field empty, so that the group
is inserted without a name. However, you will have problems later when you
want to create an area evaluation of the floor plan. Therefore, it is recommended that you give every group a distinctive name.
3 Select a style for your area group. For information about area group styles,
see Area Group Styles on page 1225.
4 Click the drawing to insert the area group.
5 Do any of the following:
To create more area groups, repeat steps 24 for each new area group.
To exit the Add Area Groups dialog box, click Close.
1212
For information about creating area group templates, see Area Group Templates on page 1245.
To create new area groups from a group template
1 From the Documentation menu, select Area Groups Add Area Group
from Group Template.
2 Select the area group template you want to create a group from.
3 Do any of the following:
Define the horizontal offset the groups in the structure are to have to
each other. You can do this by either entering a value in the Row Offset
field or by clicking
and defining the desired value on screen.
Define the vertical offset the groups in the structure are to have to each
other. You can do this by either entering a value in the Column Offset
field or by clicking
1213
1214
NOTE When you are building a group structure, you build it from the top
down. You first select the main group and attach the first level of subgroups
to it. Then you select the first level subgroups and attach the second level subgroups to them. Finally, you attach areas to the groups.
3 Press ENTER to end your selection.
4 Select the area groups you want to attach to the selected group.
5 Press ENTER to end your selection.
The connection between the two area groups is now displayed by a connecting line in the drawing.
TIP Another, quicker way to attach area groups to other area groups is to
select an area group, right-click, and chose Attach Areas / Area Groups from
the shortcut menu.
NOTE You can detach only those area groups that are direct subgroups of
the group selected. If you have an area group structure where the group
Apartment 1 is attached to group First floor which, in turn, is attached to
top level group Apartment building you cannot select Apartment building and detach Apartment 1 from it.
1215
TIP Another, quicker way to detach area groups from other area groups is
to select an area group and chose Detach Areas / Area Groups from the shortcut menu.
4 When you are finished editing the area group, do any of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and remain in the Area Group Modify dialog box.
Click OK to apply your changes and exit the Modify Area dialog box.
1216
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the area group, type in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the area group, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data on page 1288 and Editing Schedule Data
on page 1288 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click Add and select one or more property sets.
10 To edit one of the properties, click in the row containing the value of the
property and type your changes.
NOTE You can edit only manual properties. Automatic properties, such as
the area and perimeter values, are filled by the object and can not be changed
here.
For more information about property sets, see Property Set Definitions
on page 1292 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 Do any of the following:
1217
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the Style tab.
4 Select the style you want from the list.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the Content tab.
4 To associate an area group with an area name definition, select a name set
from the list. When you later attach an area to this group, the list of names
from the definition is available for the area.
For information about creating area name definitions, see Area Name
Definitions on page 1236.
5 Define what object types can be attached to the group. You can choose
between areas, groups and both areas and groups.
6 Define the access rights for the group.
1218
When you select Lock Group, this node cannot be repositioned within
the group hierarchy or deleted.
This selection has no effect on any sublevels of the group.
When you select Lock Sub Group, the subgroups on the next lower
level cannot be repositioned or deleted, nor can new subgroups on the
next lower level be attached.
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE This tab is not available when you have selected multiple area
groups.
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the Calculation tab.
1219
4 Indicate whether you want to calculate the area or perimeter value of the
area group. You can also select both values here.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE This tab is not available when you have selected multiple area
groups.
If you have chosen the calculation type area, you could attach a modifier
style that divides the area by 50 percent. This is a common practice in
defining the rent for special room types like attics and balconies.
If you have chosen the calculation type perimeter, you could attach a modifier style that calculates the height of the tiling in bathrooms.
If you have chosen both calculation types, you can attach both modifier
styles.
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the Evaluation tab.
1220
NOTE Calculation modifier styles are applied to the area group in the order
in which they are displayed in the list. The top calculation modifier style is
applied first, then the next one below it, and so on. Because a different order
can in some cases provide different results, take care to sort the calculation
modifier styles in the desired order.
5 Do any of the following:
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE This tab is available for multiple area groups only when these groups
have the same modifier styles attached in exactly the same order.
NOTE You cannot attach an area group to itself; when you try selecting the
area group the property tabs of which your are editing right now, an error message is displayed.
To change the position of the area group within the group structure
1 Open the Area Group Modify dialog box, as described in Editing Area
Groups on page 1216.
2 Click
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the Area Group tab.
4 Do any of the following:
1221
To attach the area group to another area group, select the area group.
To detach the area group from another area group, clear the area group.
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
NOTE This tab is not available when you have selected multiple area
groups.
3 In the Area Group Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
4 Do any of the following:
Choose the coordinate system the location values are relative to.
To relocate the area group, change the insertion point coordinates
X,Y,Z.
To change the angle of the area group, type the desired value into the
Angle field.
To change the area group normal, change the X, Y, and Z normal values.
1222
To close the dialog box and return to the Area Group Modify dialog
box, click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
If you are satisfied with the area group layout displayed in the drawing,
press ENTER to close the Area Group Layout dialog box.
If you want a different horizontal and vertical spacing between the
group nodes, type the desired values in the Row Offset and Column
Offset fields, or click
1223
When you want to export the floor plan to an application that can process
only polylines
When you want to remove a hole from an area
When you want to create walls or spaces from areas
After you have converted your areas to polylines, you can also reconvert
them to areas, if you wish.
To create a polyline from an area
1 On the Documentation menu, select Area Groups Create Polyline.
2 Select the area groups you want to create a polyline from.
3 Press ENTER to end you selection.
4 Select if you want to create polylines from all attached areas in the group
or only from the areas directly attached to the group.
5 Press ENTER to confirm you selection.
On top of your areas, standard AutoCAD polylines have been created. You
can edit them as any other polyline.
1224
TIP When polylines are lying above areas, it can be difficult to select the
area without the polyline. Try one of the following:
Press CTRL, and click the boundary. Then click until the area boundary
is highlighted.
If the area hatch is displayed, click the hatch.
Use the Quick Select command from the shortcut menu.
When you create an area evaluation, you can select area groups that are
included in the evaluation and are groups that are excluded.
1225
1226
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Area Group styles in the current drawing are displayed
under the Area Group style type. All other style and definition types are
filtered out in the tree view.
2 Select an existing style to copy under the area group style type, right-click,
and choose Copy from the shortcut menu.
3 Select either the area group style type above the copied area group style,
or the area group style to be copied, right-click, and choose Paste from the
shortcut menu.
A copy of the existing style is created, with a numeral appended to the
name.
NOTE Another way of copying an existing style is to use Microsoft Windows Copy and Paste buttons from the toolbar.
4 To rename the style, select the style, right-click, and choose Rename from
the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new Area Group style, select the style
right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Area Group Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes
to the style and change the display properties of the new style. For more
information about changing each style property, see Changing Area
Group Style Properties on page 1228.
6 When you finish changing the Area Group style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1227
3 In the Area Group Style Properties dialog box, edit the area group style as
described in Changing Area Group Style Properties on page 1228.
4 When you finish changing the Area Group style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
5 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
7 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data on page 1288 and Editing Schedule Data
on page 1288 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
8 To add a property set to the area group style, click Property Sets.
9 Click Add and select one or more property sets.
1228
10 To edit one of the properties, click in the row containing the value of the
property and type in your changes.
NOTE You can edit only manual properties. Automatic properties are filled
by the object and can not be changed here.
For more information about property sets, see Property Set Definitions
on page 1292 in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 When you finish changing the Area Group style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1229
Description
Entity
Hatch
Name
Marker
Group Connection
Line
Area Connection
Line
9 In the column containing the information you want to edit, click the
desired information.
10 When you finish changing the Area Group style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
11 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1230
NOTE The hatching properties you change here are the ones displayed in
the hatch of areas connected to the group you are editing.
9 When you finish changing the Area Group style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1231
Text Style/Height: You can set and define a text style for the area group
name here. You can also define the height of the area group name here.
Draw All Areas: You can decide whether the display properties of the area
group are visible on the next lower level of attached areas only or on all
subsequent levels.
1232
To change the size of the area group symbol, type a size in the Width
and Height fields.
NOTE If you want the area group marker always displayed in 1/50 of the
screen size, click Use Display Scale.
Define whether the area group display properties are used only for the
next level of areas and area groups, or whether they are used for all
attached subgroups and areas.
If you want the display properties of the group be used only for the
next lower level of subgroups and areas, clear Draw All Areas.
If you want the display properties of the group to be used for all subsequent levels of subgroups and areas, select Draw All Areas.
To choose another text style for the area group name, select one from
the list. To edit the text style for the area group name, click Text Style
and edit the text style in the Text Style dialog box.
To change the height of the area group name, type a new height into
the Height field.
9 When you finish changing the Area Group style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1233
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the area group style type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Area Group Styles to display the Area Group
styles in the drawing.
5 Select the area group style that you want to copy, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1234
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the new
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1235
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1236
For information about area group templates, see Area Group Templates on
page 1245.
Using an area name definition is useful when you are working with a standard group template. In such cases, area names often must follow certain
standards that you should not change.
A number of area name definitions have been included in the templates.
NOTE The area name definition works only as a naming guideline. If you have
connected the area group with a name definition, you can either choose one of
the names from the list or manually type a different one.
To use an area name definition you need to perform three basic steps:
Create a new area that is connected to an area group with an area name
definition.
1237
1238
1239
To add a new entry to the area name definition, click New and type the
entry name in the list window.
To rename an existing entry, select the entry in the list window, click
Rename, and type the new name.
To delete an existing entry, select the entry in the list window, and click
Delete.
4 When you finish changing the Area Name definition properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
5 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1240
2 In the Area Name Definition Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
3 To add a description to the Area Name definition, type it in the Description field.
4 To add a note to the Area Name definition, or to attach, edit, or detach a
reference file, click Notes.
5 In the Notes dialog box, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
6 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
7 When you finish changing the Area Name definition properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1241
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Area Name definition type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Area Name Definitions to display the Area
Name definitions in the drawing.
5 Select the Area Name definition that you want to copy, and choose
Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The definition is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing
already contains a definition with the same name, the duplicate names are
displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate definition names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new definition so both definitions exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New definition names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1242
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Area Name definitions type.
4 Select the definition in the current drawing that you want to copy to the
new drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The definition is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
7 Click OK to exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
1243
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
8 Click OK to exit the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused Area Name definition in your current drawing, select the definition under the definition type, right-click, and
choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused Area Name definitions in your current drawing,
with the Area Name definition type selected, right-click, and choose
Purge from the shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1244
However, an area group template can be used only to create a group structure.
Later changes to the area group template are not copied to existing groups
based on this group template. If you have, for example, a group template
named Apartment Building, which contains the subgroups First floor
and Second floor,, and you create a group from it, this group contains the
subgroups First floor and Second floor, according to the group template.
When you later change the group template to contain another subgroup
named Third floor the existing group is not updated accordingly. Only new
groups you create after the change have the new subgroup Third floor.
Similarly, when you change a group that has been based on a group template,
those changes do not flow back into the group template.
You should create area group templates for all structures you need frequently
and provide them through Architectural Desktop templates.
Area group templates can be imported and exported between drawings.
1245
1246
1247
1248
A (+) sign in front of a group signifies that this group has more subgroups.
A (-) sign in front of a group signifies that all subgroups are already
displayed.
When there is no sign in front of a group, the group has no more subgroups.
Description
New
Rename
Delete
When you select Lock Group, this node cannot be repositioned within
the group hierarchy or deleted.
This selection has no effect on any sublevels of the group.
1249
When you select Lock Sub Group, the subgroups on the next lower
level cannot be repositioned or deleted, nor can new subgroups be
attached.
This selection has no effect on the group node directly.
9 Select the calculation type used for that group node in the calculation of
the floor plan.
For example, you have two different area group nodes, one to calculate
how many square meters of carpet you need (group carpet) and another
one to calculate how many meters of baseboard you need (group baseboard). For the carpet group node, you need the calculation of the area;
therefore you select the area calculation type. For the baseboard group
node, you need a calculation of the perimeter; therefore, you use the
perimeter calculation type.
If necessary, you can select both calculation types here when want both
values to appear in the evaluation.
10 Select one or more calculation modifier styles to be applied to the group
node.
If you have, for example, created a group node named balconies you can
attach a calculation modifier style that calculates all area values in this
group with only 50 percent.
NOTE Calculation modifier styles accumulate. If you have attached a 50percent calculation modifier style to the area directly, and then attach the
area to a group which also has a 50 percent calculation modifier style, the
resulting area value is 25 percent, because both calculation modifier styles are
applied.
11 Click Attach.
12 In the Select an Area Calculation Modifier Style window, select the calculation modifier style you want to attach to the area group, and click OK.
The Architectural Desktop templates contains a number of commonly
used calculation modifier styles.
13 To detach an existing calculation modifier style, select it from the list, and
click Detach.
14 When you finish changing the area group template properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
15 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1250
7 When you finish changing the area group template properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1251
under the area group templates type. All other style and definition types
are filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the template that you want to copy to your current
drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the template that you want to copy, and click
Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the area group templates type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Area Group Templates to display the area
group templates in the drawing.
5 Select the area group templates that you want to copy, and choose
Edit Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The template is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing
already contains a template with the same name, the duplicate names are
displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate template names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing template in the drawing with the new template of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing template in the drawing with the new template,
select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new template so both templates exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New template names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1252
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The area group templates in the current drawing are displayed
under the area group templates type. All other style and definition types
are filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the template to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the template to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the area group templates type.
4 Select the template in the current drawing that you want to copy to the
second drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The template is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate template names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing template in the drawing with the new template of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing template in the drawing with the new template,
select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new template so both templates exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New template names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1253
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the area group template type.
4 Select the template in the current drawing that you want to copy to the
new drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The template is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE Unlike purging styles, there is no warning message when you try to
delete area group templates used by area groups. Because the connection
between area group templates and area groups exists only during creation of
the area group, area groups are not affected by the deletion of the area group
template.
3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1254
Menu command
Command line
AreaGroupAdd
AreaGroupCreatefromTemplate
AreaGroupModify
AreaGroupStyle
Attach
AreaGroupAttach
Detach
AreaGroupDetach
Create Polyline
AreaGroupCreatePline
AreaGroupTemplate
AreaGroupLayout
AreaGroupStyleEdit
AreaGroupProps
1255
1256
Area Evaluation
32
In this chapter
1257
Selecting Areas
The first step to create an area evaluation is to select the areas and area groups
you want to include in the evaluation.
To select areas for the area evaluation
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Areas Area Evaluation.
1258
In a tree view on the left side, all open drawings are displayed with all
areas and area groups contained in them.
When you highlight one of the areas or groups in the tree structure, information about that item is displayed on the right side:
2 To also display areas and area groups from external references in your
open drawings, click
NOTE Areas and area groups from external references are displayed with
the External References icon in the tree. However, you can select them in the
same way as other areas and area groups.
3 Select the areas and area groups you want to include in the evaluation of
the floor plan.
1259
Evaluation Content
Before you create an area evaluation, you must first define the values and the
categories you want in the evaluation file.
You can chose from these area components:
Evaluation content for areas
1260
Component
Description
Name
Description
Overview Image
Description
Modifier Label
Modifier Expression
Modifier Result
Proof Label
Proof Expression
Proof Result
Decomposed Image
Calculated Perimeter
Label
Calculated Perimeter
Result
1261
Description
Modifier Label
Modifier Expression
Modifier Result
1262
Component
Description
Name
Description
Overview Image
Modifier Label
Description
Modifier Expression
Modifier Result
Calculated Perimeter
Label
Calculated Perimeter
Result
Modifier Label
Modifier Expression
Modifier Result
1263
5 In the list displayed select the values you want to appear in the evaluation
file. For a description of the individual values, see the table above.
6 If desired, repeat Step 45 for area groups.
7 Do any of the following:
To apply your changes and exit the Evaluation Properties dialog box,
click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
4 Select the drawing for which you want to set image properties.
NOTE If you want to create an evaluation file including several open drawings, you need to set the image properties for each open drawing separately.
5 Choose the desired color depth for the images in the evaluation file.
Choosing a high resolution enhances the quality of the images and also
enlarges the file size. If you are not sure about the correct resolution,
experiment with different settings until you have found the optimal one.
1264
6 Select the following settings for the area boundary, the area group, and the
decomposed area:
NOTE In the list, only those display configurations are displayed in which a
representation of the area, area group, or decomposed area is turned on.
Select the width and height of the exported images of the areas, decomposed areas, and area groups.
To apply your changes and exit the Evaluation Properties dialog box,
click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
Area and Perimeter Results: The format of the resulting area and
perimeter values in the evaluation file
Example:
Calculated Perimeter = 33.778 m
Calculated Area = 88.532 m2
When you select Area Results or Perimeter Results in the tree on the left,
an additional checkbox, Additional Exact Value, is displayed on the right.
When you select this box, the area and/or perimeter values in the evaluation file display with the precision set in the data format style and, in an
extra column, with their exact precision without any rounding off.
Example:
1265
NOTE For information about how to create data format styles, see Data
Format Styles on page 1308.
To set data format style properties
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Areas Area Evaluation.
2 Click Options.
3 In the Evaluation Properties dialog box, click the Data Format Styles tab.
4 In the Apply To window, select the element to which you want to assign
a data format style. You can choose from these elements:
1266
Area results
Area calculation modifier styles
Area proof
Perimeter results
Perimeter calculation modifier styles
5 For Area Result and Perimeter Result, select when you want to display the
exact, not rounded of values additionally. To display exact, unrounded
values additionally, select Additional Exact Value. To display only the values rounded off according to the data format style used, clear Additional
Exact Values.
6 Select the drawing from which you want to take a data format style.
7 Select the desired data format style from the list.
NOTE The data format styles you select here are used for values from all
drawings included in the evaluation.
8 Do any of the following:
To apply your changes and exit the Evaluation Properties dialog box,
and click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
To set a default template for exporting XLS evaluation files, type a file
name and directory path in the Excel Template File field.
1267
To set a default template for exporting TXT evaluation files, type a file
name and directory path in the TXT Template File field.
TIP You can use the Browse buttons to navigate to the desired template file.
If you have selected no default XLT template in the Evaluation Properties dialog box, you are prompted to select a template now.
If you have already selected a default template in the Evaluation Properties dialog box, proceed to step 4.
For information about setting default templates, see Setting the Default
Templates on page 1267.
4 Select a file directory and type a name for the XLS evaluation file.
1268
5 Click Save.
The area evaluation file is saved to the specified file directory and named
as an XLS file. You can open it with Microsoft Excel or any other spreadsheet application with XLS capabilities.
WARNING! In TXT, you can only export text (results, modifier expressions,
labels). Images cannot be exported to TXT. If you need image export in the evaluation, use XLS instead.
You can create your own TXT templates into which the evaluation is then
integrated.
To create a TXT Evaluation Document
1 Prepare the evaluation as described in Preparing the Area Evaluation on
page 1258.
2 Click
If you have selected no default TXT template in the Evaluation Properties dialog box, you are prompted to select a template now.
If you already have selected a default template in the Evaluation Properties dialog box, proceed to step 4.
For information about setting default templates, see Setting the Default
Templates on page 1267.
4 Select a file directory and type a name for the area evaluation file.
5 Click Save.
The area evaluation file is saved to the specified file directory and named
as a TXT file. You can open it with any word processor with TXT capabilities.
1269
There a number of predefined field settings you can use to format your XLT
templates:
Excel field definition
Field name
Description
AREA_EVALUATION_BEGIN
AREA_COLUMN_PICTURE
AREA_COLUMN_DESCRIPTION
AREA_COLUMN_EXPRESSION
AREA_COLUMN_RESULT
AREA-COLUMN_EXACT_VALUE
6 Save the resulting file with the extension XLT (Excel Template) to the
default directory you are using for templates.
7 When you create an area evaluation in Architectural Desktop the next
time, select this template.
1270
1271
1272
Schedules
33
In this chapter
definitions
Creating data format styles
Creating schedule table styles
1273
1274
Chapter 33 Schedules
The schedule data that is reported in the schedule table is collected from the
objects in the drawing. Each column of information in the schedule table is
provided by a property set definition that you attach to the objects or object
styles that you are scheduling. A property set definition is a group of property
definitions, or related properties of the objects and object styles, that you
want to report in the schedule.
All AEC objects and styles have two types of properties: automatic properties
and manual properties. Automatic properties are the properties that are built
into objects and styles when you create them, such as width, length, and
height. Manual properties are properties that are not part of the regular
1275
object or style properties, but that are properties that you want to report in
the schedule, like fire rating, manufacturer, or finish. Automatic properties
are automatically available to include in your property set definitions, but
you must create any manual properties of objects or styles that you want to
schedule.
When you create a property set definition, you apply it to either objects or
object styles. Automatic properties are dynamically retrieved from the object.
Most automatic properties should be put in a property set definition at the
object style level. For example, the properties Door Width and Door
Height can be obtained from any door object. Placing this property at the
style level provides a different value for every door object. It is not necessary
to replicate this property set for every instance of a door, since the value will
be automatically derived from each individual door object.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
Data format styles are applied to each property definition within a property
set definition. Data format styles specify how the property definition data
displays in the schedule table. For example, you can use data formats to display a door that is six feet wide as 6-0, 6, or 6 ft.
You can use tags in your drawings to graphically connect schedule data with
building model components. You can report schedule data in the tag by linking it to a property definition in a property set definition. When you anchor
the tag to an object that has the property set applied to it, the property displays in the tag. The information in the tag updates if the object or property
changes.
You can take at least three approaches to creating schedules in your drawing.
You can use the default schedule information provided with the Autodesk
Architectural Desktop templates; you can import schedule table styles from
an existing drawing; or you can create your own custom schedule table styles
in your drawing. You can access the default tags, property set definitions, and
schedule tables in drawings located in c:\Program Files\Autodesk Architectural
Desktop 3\Content\Imperial or Metric\Schedules.
To create your own schedules, use the following steps:
1277
1278
Chapter 33 Schedules
When you add tags in Autodesk Architectural Desktop, you anchor each tag
to an object in your drawing. Each tag is a multi-view block with attributes.
When the tag (multi-view block) is anchored to an object, values from the
schedule data of the object can be transferred to the tag attributes, as long as
the tag attributes are named in the following manner:
PropertySetName:Property
For example:
DoorStyles:DoorHeight
NOTE If you use extended names (names that contain spaces) for your property set definitions or your property definitions, you are not able to display those
objects automatically through the use of a tag anchor. Attribute definitions tags
cannot have extended names to match the schedule data.
Because the tag attributes are linked to the schedule data, the tag attribute
changes when the schedule data changes. To edit the information that displays in the tag, edit the schedule data. For more information, see Editing
Schedule Data.
Autodesk Architectural Desktop includes predefined tags, but you can create
your own tags. For more information, see Creating Custom Tags.
NOTE If you are adding tags that contain automatic properties only, then it is
more efficient to turn this option off.
To display schedule data when you insert a tag
1 From the Tools menu, choose Options.
2 Click the AEC Content tab.
3 Select Edit Schedule Data Dialog During Tag Insertion.
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1279
1280
Chapter 33 Schedules
1281
3 Drag the tag into your drawing and then release the button at the location
for the symbol.
4 If necessary, do one of the following:
1282
Chapter 33 Schedules
NOTE If you copy a tag from one object to another, the tag remains anchored
to the original object. Use this command to re-anchor the tag to the new object.
To anchor an existing tag to an object
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Schedule Tags Anchor Tag to
Object.
2 Select an existing tag in the drawing.
3 Select an object to anchor the tag to.
NOTE You can view the current relationship between schedule tags and
objects through the use of the display system. See the following section,
Viewing the Relationship Between Schedule Tags and Objects on page
1284.
1283
1284
Chapter 33 Schedules
When you create a tag, you need to determine the object that you intend tag,
and the information that you want to display inside the tag. Next, you need
to either create or identify a property set definition for the object that you
are going to tag. The property set definition must contain the property definition or definitions that contain the information that displays in the tag.
After you create or identify the property set that you want to use, you can
create the tag geometry and save it as a block with one or more attributes.
You must assign each attribute a unique name, formed from a combination
of the name of the property set definition and the property definition you
are linking it to:
PropertySetName:Property
Use the tag block to create a multi-view block and add it to the DesignCenter
using the Create AEC Content Wizard. When the tag is anchored to objects
that the property set definition applies to, the tag displays the property definition information as the value of its tag attribute.
Creating a tag
For example, you have a property set definition named DoorProps that contains a property definition named FireRating. The FireRating property definition contains the fire rating information for door objects. To create a door tag
that displays the fire rating of a door that it is anchored to, you must create
a block definition that contains an attribute definition of DoorProps:FireRat-
1285
ing. Then you must create a multi-view block definition from the block definition you just created.
NOTE If you use extended names (names that contain spaces) for your property set definitions or your property definitions, you are not able to display those
objects automatically through the use of a tag anchor. Attribute definitions tags
cannot have extended names.
To create a custom tag
1 Identify or create a property set definition with a property definition that
you want to display in the tag.
The property set definition should be saved in PropertySetDefs.dwg, located
in c:\Program Files\Autodesk Architectural Desktop\Content\Imperial or Metric\Schedules.
2 Start a new drawing and create the tag geometry.
3 From the Draw menu, choose Block Define Attributes to define an
attribute name for the tag.
4 Under Attribute, in Tag, type the property set definition and property definition within the property set definition that you want to display in the
tag.
The tag must be defined as PropertySet:Property.
5 Specify values for the prompt, value, height, and justification, and click
OK.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
TIP It is also useful to view the settings for a tag in one of the tag drawings in
the c:\Program Files\Autodesk Architectural Desktop\Content\Imperial or Metric\Schedules folder.
14 Click Next, and then click OK to exit the Create AEC Content Wizard.
15 Use the DesignCenter to add your custom tag to objects in your drawing.
1287
or object styles are available to assign to the object. Automatic property set
definitions are provided by the object or style properties. You must enter
manual property set definition values.
NOTE A property set definition for the object type that you are selecting
must exist in the drawing, or no data is attached to the object.
3 In the Edit Schedule Data dialog box, click Add To, and select a defined
property set.
4 In the Add Property Sets dialog box, choose which property sets to attach
to the object, and click OK.
If necessary, you can click Remove to remove property sets from the Edit
Schedule Data dialog box.
NOTE If you selected more than one type of object in step 2, then you can
attach only the property set definitions that apply to all of the selected
objects.
5 Click OK to attach the property sets to the selected objects.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
3 In the Edit Schedule Data dialog box, click Add to select a defined property
set.
If necessary, you can click Remove to remove property sets from the Edit
Schedule Data dialog box.
4 In the Add Property Sets dialog box, select the property sets to attach to
the object, and click OK.
5 Click OK to attach the property sets to the selected objects.
NOTE The Property Sets button is only available when editing the styles
and definitions listed above.
5 In the Edit Schedule data window, click Add.
The Add Property Sets dialog box is displayed with a list of the available
property sets that you can apply to the style or definition. The available
1289
property sets are determined when the property sets are created. For more
information, see Defining What the Property Set Definition Applies To
on page 1294.
6 Select the property sets that you want to apply.
7 Populate the property fields with data by selecting the fields and typing
values.
NOTE If the object is nested in a block, highlight does not highlight that
object.
4 Select or clear Format Data to view the data in the Value window as formatted or raw data using the schedule data format definition.
5 Click Edit to edit the schedule data attached to the selected object.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
6 Click Remove to remove the selected property set from the object to
which it is attached.
7 Click Refresh to show the results of the Edit and Remove buttons. If you
dont use Refresh after editing or removing items in the tree, the items stay
in the tree and display nothing in the Value window.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE If the object is nested in a block, highlight does not highlight that
object.
4 Click Edit All to edit the schedule data.
The changes that you make to the schedule data apply to all of the objects
listed under the property set definition.
5 Click Remove All to remove the selected property set from the objects it is
attached to.
6 Click Refresh to show the results of the Edit and Remove buttons. If you
dont use Refresh after editing or removing items in the tree, the items stay
in the tree and display nothing in the Value window.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1291
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Chapter 33 Schedules
NOTE Using extended names makes this property set definition unusable
by schedule tags.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
After you create a new property set definition, you need to define what the
property set definition applies to. For more information, see Defining What
the Property Set Definition Applies To.
1293
The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The property set definitions in the current drawing are displayed
under the Property Set Definitions definition type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Select an existing style to copy under the Property Set Definitions type,
and press CTRL+C.
3 Press CTRL+V.
A copy of the existing style is created.
4 To rename the definition, select the definition, right-click, and choose
Rename from the shortcut menu. Type a name for the new definition, and
press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new property set definition, select the
style, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
the right pane includes style and definition types. The information in
both lists in arranged in alphabetical order.
6 Define which object styles and definitions or objects the property set
applies to. Do one of the following:
TIP Applying the property set definition to all objects slows your drawing performance because all objects in the drawing are scanned.
If the property set that you define contains data that are the same for all objects
created using a specific style, then choose a style-based property set. This eliminates the need for you to attach data for each instance of the object that you
create. Objects created using the style that has the property set assigned to it
automatically inherit the associated style-based data.
In general, automatic properties should only be within property set definitions
that are applied to styles or definitions.
7 Click OK to return to the Property Set Definitions dialog box.
8 When you finish changing the definition properties, click OK to return to
the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1295
The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The property set definitions in the current drawing are displayed
under the Property Set Definitions definition type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Select the property set definition that you want to edit, right-click, and
choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Property Set Definition Properties dialog box, click the Definition
tab.
The property definitions stored in the property set display on this tab. You
can add, remove, or edit the individual property definitions.
4 To start the definition of a property, click Add.
NOTE If there is an existing property that you no longer need in the set,
select the property, and then click Remove.
5 Type the Name for the property. By default, the space for the property
name is left blank.
NOTE Using extended names (names that contain spaces) makes this
property set unusable by schedule tags.
6 To define a property by using properties already defined in your drawing,
select a property from the Start With list, and edit the fields.
7 Type a short description of the property definition.
The default value is the same as the property definition name. This text is
used as the default for a table heading.
NOTE If you change the name of the property later, the description stays
the same. If the old description no longer applies, you need to edit it.
8 Select or clear Automatic to set whether the data tracked is automatically
retrieved from the object it is attached to, or manually entered.
If Automatic is selected, you can specify the property of the object that the
definition queries by clicking Source. This option displays a dialog box
listing all the objects selected on the Applies To tab for this property definition. Only one property source may be selected per object type. For
more information, see Defining What the Property Set Definition Applies
To on page 1294.
9 Specify the type of data value.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
This value cannot be changed if the property set definition is being used
in the drawing. The Type option is unavailable if the Automatic option is
selected. Possible values are AutoIncrement, Integer, Real, Text, and True/
False.
The default value is used if you enter no data for this definition. This value
is used in the example field and as example data for schedule table columns. The Default option is not available when the Automatic option is
selected.
NOTE If you create a manual definition, it is helpful to type a neutral character, such as --, as the default value. When you create a schedule, the character fills the cells that you have not created a value for. You can edit the character in each cell later. If you leave the default value blank, then the corresponding cells are blank and you cannot select and edit the characters.
10 Select a format to specify the method used to display the data included in
the definition. Format displays a list of available format styles that are currently defined in the drawing. For more information, see Data Format
Styles on page 1308.
NOTE The data format style becomes the default format of a column when
this property is added to a schedule table style. It can be changed at any time.
The example area shows how the default data is displayed using the selected
data format.
11 When you finish changing the properties, click OK to return to the Style
Manager.
12 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1297
The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The property set definitions in the current drawing are displayed
under the Property Set Definitions definition type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Select the property set definition that you want to edit, right-click, and
choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Property Set Definition Properties dialog box, click the Definition
tab.
On this tab, you define the properties, which are the information you
want to track and the objects for which that information will be tracked.
4 Click Add Automatic.
A dialog box that lists all available automatic properties for the objects
selected on the Applies To tab for the property definition is displayed.
5 Select a property from each object type.
Only one property source may be selected per object type. A warning is
given if you select different names from different object types, but this is
allowed.
6 Click OK.
A new automatic property is created, with its source set as the set you selected
in step 5. The property description is the name of the first source selected,
and the property name is the same as the description, but with all spaces
removed.
NOTE Type * to remove all the property sets from the objects or styles.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
To purge the property set definition that you merged, type y (Yes).
To keep the merged property set definition in the drawing, press ENTER.
If you keep merged property set definition in the drawing, the property
set definition is not attached to any objects.
To remove the property sets that do not apply to the same objects or styles
as the kept property set definition, type y (Yes).
To keep the property sets attached to objects and styles even though they
may not apply, press ENTER.
1299
automatic property would answer differently for each door. However, those
same doors all have the same thickness, since that is a property of the style.
A Thickness automatic property would then answer the same way for each
door.
NOTE Even though the data for an automatic property may be contained in
an object, it is still answered correctly if that property is part of a style-based
property set definition.
Almost one thousand automatic properties are available in Autodesk Architectural Desktop. Most of these are self-explanatory, but a few need some
additional explanation.
WARNING! The area of a wall is determined by taking the union of the wall
components, not including any body modifiers or interferences, and adding the
area of all faces that point to the right (for right areas) or the left (for left areas).
If a particular wall style has multiple components with air space in between, then
the wall area is probably not reported as expected. For example, a wall typically
used in construction has a brick exterior, a CMU interior, and an air space in
between. A wall style defined for this wall might have a component for the brick,
a component for the CMU, but no component for the air space. If the wall was
drawn with the brick on the left, then the wall area computed for the right side
would include the right face of the CMU as well as the right face of the brick.
The area reported would be twice what it actually is. The solution to this problem
is to always create components for interior air spaces, so that no interior faces
exist when the wall components are unioned.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
1301
Elevation - Low
These properties give the highest and lowest value of all Slab and Roof Slab
vertices, including fascias and soffits.
Property
Single
Door
Double
Door
Uneven Door
Door Size - W x H
3-0 x
68
3-0 x 6x8
3-0x 6x8
Door Size - 2 @ W
xH
3-0 x
68
2 @ 1-6x
68
2-0(1-0)x 68
Door Size - PR W x
H
3-0 x
68
PR 1-6x
68
2-0(1-0)x 68
1302
Chapter 33 Schedules
1303
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
9 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
10 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
To purge a single unused property set definition in your current drawing, select the definition under the definition type, right-click, and
choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused property set definitions in your current drawing, with the Property Set Definitions type selected, right-click, and
choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
NOTE If a property set definition is in use by another object, then it will not
be purged.
A confirmation dialog box with the definitions that you selected to purge
is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the definitions.
1304
Chapter 33 Schedules
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the definitions, select Only Show this Confirmation
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
1305
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1306
Chapter 33 Schedules
The definition is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already
contains a definition with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate definition names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
WARNING! If you overwrite a property set definition with another
one, you may lose data. For example, a drawing contains a property set
definition that contains a number of manual property definitions. The
property set definition is attached to a number of doors with the manual properties set and is included in a schedule table. If you override
this property set definition with another property set definition that
does not have the same manual property definitions, then the values
associated with the manual property definitions are lost when you
overwrite the property set definition. In addition, any columns in the
schedule table that reference these manual properties are removed.
Changes to the schedule table that result from changes to the property
set definition display the next time the tables are updated manually or
automatically.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1307
1308
Chapter 33 Schedules
To add a description to the schedule data format, type it in the Description field.
1309
5 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
You can add notes to the data format style to keep track of its intended
use.
6 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1310
Chapter 33 Schedules
Unit: The AutoCAD conversion units (Architectural, Scientific, Decimal, Engineering, and Fractional) used when converting numeric values into strings (for example, a value of 14.25 is displayed as 1'2-1/4"
in Architectural units).
1311
Fraction Format: How fractions are displayed: horizontal, diagonal, or not stacked.
For more information about fraction format and decimal separators, see
Formatting Primary Dimension Units in the online AutoCAD 2002
Users Guide.
12 Select the Round Off value.
Round Off: The rounding rules for floating point values. If you enter
a value of 0.25, all numeric values are rounded to the nearest 0.25 unit.
Similarly, if you enter a value of 1.0, all numeric values are rounded to
the nearest integer. The number of digits displayed after the decimal
point depends on the precision set.
Zero Suppression: The rule for suppression of zeros for leading, trailing, and feet and inches of floating point numbers.
Leading: Suppresses leading zeros in all decimal numeric values. For
example, 0.5000 becomes .5000.
Trailing: Suppresses trailing zeros in all decimal numeric values. For
example, 12.5000 becomes 12.5.
0 Feet: Suppresses the feet portion of a feet-and-inches numeric value
when the value is less than one foot. For example 0'6 1/2" becomes
6 1/2".
0 Inches: Suppresses the inches portion of a feet-and-inches numeric
value when the value is an integral number of feet. For example 2'0"
becomes 2'.
1312
Chapter 33 Schedules
15 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
16 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
1313
To not replace the existing schedule data format in the drawing with
the new schedule data format of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing schedule data format in the drawing with the
new schedule data format, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new schedule data format so both schedule data formats
exist in the drawing, select Rename to Unique. New schedule data format names are appended with a numeral in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1314
Chapter 33 Schedules
To not replace the existing schedule data format in the drawing with
the new schedule data format of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing schedule data format in the drawing with the
new schedule data format, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new schedule data format so both schedule data formats
exist in the drawing, select Rename to Unique. New schedule data format names are appended with a numeral in the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1315
Schedule Tables
After attaching schedule data to objects, either through adding tags or from
attaching the data directly, you can create schedule tables from that data.
When you place a schedule table in your drawing after selecting the objects
to include in the table, the table can be sized automatically using the current
drawing scale, or you can specify a size for the schedule table.
You can update a schedule table that does not update automatically and
export schedule data to external files. You can export schedule data directly
to:
1316
Chapter 33 Schedules
NOTE Clear this option when the schedule table that you are adding
applies to blocks (such as equipment tables).
8 Click OK.
Schedule Tables
1317
NOTE The only way to be certain that the table contains accurate information
is to close and re-open your drawing. Certain changes to drawings, such as reference editing, are reflected in schedule tables only when a drawing is reopened.
If you turn on the Out of Date display component in the General schedule
display representation, a line is drawn through the schedule table to indicate
that the information that the schedule is tracking has changed. For example,
a line would be drawn through the schedule table if an object tracked in the
schedule has been moved or deleted.
NOTE This display component is turned off in the AEC templates to speed
drawing performance.
To update the information in a schedule table
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Schedule Tables Update Schedule Table.
2 Select the schedule table to update, and press ENTER.
The schedule table is updated.
1318
Chapter 33 Schedules
NOTE You must have Microsoft Excel installed to export a file to an Excel
format.
3 Specify the name of the file to export to, or click Browse to select an existing file.
4 Turn off Use Existing Table.
5 Select the table style to use in the exported file.
6 Select the layer filter to use in the exported file.
7 Select whether the command scans for Xrefs or block references.
8 Click OK.
9 Select the objects to be included in the exported table, and press ENTER.
If a file already exists with the name you specified, then a warning dialog
box is displayed with the options to overwrite the existing file, specify a
unique name, or cancel the export command.
Schedule Tables
1319
3 Specify the name of the file to export to, or click Browse to select an existing file.
4 Select Use Existing Table, and Click OK.
5 Select the schedule table to export, and press ENTER.
If a file already exists with the name you specified, then a warning dialog
box is displayed with the options to overwrite the existing file, specify a
unique name, or cancel the export command.
1320
Chapter 33 Schedules
under the Schedule Table Styles style type. All other style and definition
types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Select an existing schedule table style to copy under the Schedule Table
Styles style type, and press CTRL+C.
3 Press CTRL+V.
A copy of the existing schedule table style is created.
4 To rename the schedule table style, select the schedule table style, rightclick, and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. Type a name for the
new schedule table style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the properties of your new schedule table style, select the schedule
data table style, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To add a description to the schedule data format, type it in the Description field.
To add a note to the schedule format style, or to attach, edit, or detach
a reference file, click Notes.
5 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
6 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
1321
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1322
Chapter 33 Schedules
The text style must be defined as an AutoCAD text style before you can
apply it to the schedule table. If you want to use a different font for part
of your schedule, you must first define an AutoCAD text style that uses the
desired font.
6 Set the text alignment.
For more information about aligning the text using the Multiline Text Editor, see Formatting Multiline Text in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users
Guide.
7 In Height, set the prescaled height for the text.
8 In Gap, set the prescaled gap between the text and the schedule table
lines.
9 Set the Rotation, which changes the text orientation within the cell. For
the table title and for group titles, this option also controls the location of
the cell relative to the rest of the table.
10 Select a Matrix Symbol, which is used by matrix displays and optionally
for true/false values. Symbols include:
Tick ()
Dot (.)
Cross ()
Diagonal line (/ corner to corner across cell)
11 Select or clear Use for True/False to control whether matrix symbols or the
data format text are used for true/false values.
12 Set the Fixed Width for a given column. Specify 0.0 for widths that adjust
to fit the data within them.
Height, Fixed Width, and Gap are normally specified as the size you want
on the final plot.
Cell Size Height is a read-only field.
13 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
14 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1323
rent drawing, and all other style and definition types are filtered out in the
tree view.
2 Click the plus sign (+) next to the Schedule Table Styles style type.
The schedule table styles are displayed in the current drawing.
3 Under the Schedule Table Styles style type, select the schedule table style
that you want to change, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
4 In the Schedule Table Style Properties dialog box, click the Applies To tab.
5 Select the objects the schedule table style applies to.
NOTE The schedule table can apply to all objects or to any of the objects
in the list. However, you should limit your selection as much as possible to
speed performance.
6 Click Select All to select all of the objects on the list, or Clear All to clear
all of the selection boxes.
NOTE The area at the top of the tab displays the objects that are currently
selected.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
3 Under the Schedule Table Styles style type, select the schedule table style
that you want to change, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu.
4 In the Schedule Table Style Properties dialog box, click the Columns tab.
5 Click Add Column to add a new column to the schedule table.
NOTE If there are columns in the schedule table currently, column properties are unavailable in this list.
7 Type the heading for the column.
8 Select the data format, or leave the default that is set in the property definition.
For more information, see Data Format Styles on page 1308.
NOTE The data format default comes from the property definition but can
be overridden.
If necessary, you can override the cell format for this column. This allows
you to change the display of the data in the column.
For more information about overriding cells, see Overriding Schedule
Table Title Formats on page 1329.
9 If necessary, select matrix and the maximum columns for the matrix.
10 Select a total to be added to the end of the schedule table column.
11 If there are columns in the schedule table, you can select where to insert
the new column by selecting an existing column and inserting the column before or after the selected column.
12 Click OK to add the column.
13 To repeat the first column at the end of the table, select Repeat First Column.
14 To include a quantity column, select Include Quantity Column.
If you include a quantity column in a schedule table, all the objects in the
table with the same values are displayed in one row, with the number of
objects displayed in the Quantity Column.
1325
15 If you have included a quantity column, you can also add a product column by selecting Include Product Column.
A Product Column multiplies the value in the Quantity Column by the
value in another column in the table, the Data Column. To specify the
Data Column, select the Product Column, click Modify, and then select
one of the existing schedule table columns in the Data Column list. For
example, a Product Column can be used to multiply a unit cost for an
object by the number of objects to get a total cost.
16 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
17 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1326
Chapter 33 Schedules
10 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply to
save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1327
1328
Chapter 33 Schedules
To move a property higher or lower in the sorting order, select the property and then either Move Up or Move Down.
When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
10 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1329
For more information about aligning the text using the Multiline Text Editor, see Formatting Multiline Text in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users
Guide.
10 In Height, set the prescaled height for the text.
This height is scaled according to the drawing scale set in the Drawing
Setup dialog box.
11 In Gap, set the prescaled gap between the text and the schedule table
lines.
12 Cell Size Height is a read-only field that is calculated by Height + 2 x Gap.
13 Set the Rotation, which changes the text orientation within the cell. For
the table title and for group titles, this option also controls the location of
the cell relative to the rest of the table.
14 Click OK.
The check box is selected, informing you that the cell format has been
overridden.
15 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
16 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
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Chapter 33 Schedules
Select the schedule table style from the property source and click
Attach Override to change how the object is displayed in the current
viewport in the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or select Yes in the Attached
column to attach an override. Attach Override is only available when you
select a property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1331
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
1332
Chapter 33 Schedules
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the Schedule Table Styles style type to display the schedule table styles in the drawing.
5 Select the schedule table style that you want to copy, and choose Edit
Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The schedule table style is copied into the current drawing. If the current
drawing already contains a schedule table style with the same name, the
duplicate names are displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names
Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate schedule table style names, select one of the
following options:
To not replace the existing schedule tables styles in the drawing with
the new schedule table style of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing schedule table style in the drawing with the new
schedule table style, select Overwrite Existing.
WARNING! When you overwrite a schedule table style, only the style
is overridden, not the property set definitions or data format styles
associated with it. If you need to overwrite a schedule table style,
import the data format styles and property set definitions associated
with the schedule table style before you import the schedule table style.
To rename the new schedule table style so both schedule tables styles
exist in the drawing, select Rename to Unique. New schedule table style
names are appended with a numeral in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1333
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Schedule Table Styles style type.
4 Select the schedule table style in the current drawing that you want to
copy to the second drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The schedule table style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing
already contains a schedule table style with the same name, the duplicate
names are displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog
box.
6 To resolve any duplicate schedule table style names, select one of the
following options:
To not replace the existing schedule table style in the drawing with the
new schedule table style of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing schedule table style in the drawing with the new
schedule table style, select Overwrite Existing.
WARNING! When you overwrite a schedule table style, only the style
is overridden, not the property set definitions or data format styles
associated with it. If you need to overwrite a schedule table style,
import the data format styles and property set definitions associated
with the schedule table style before you import the schedule table style.
To rename the new schedule table style so both schedule table styles
exist in the drawing, select Rename to Unique. New schedule table style
names are appended with a numeral in the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1334
Chapter 33 Schedules
2 In the Style Manager, choose File New drawing to create the new drawing to copy the schedule table style to.
3 Type a name for the new drawing, and click Save.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Schedule Table Styles style type.
4 Select the schedule table style in the current drawing that you want to
copy to the new drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the new schedule table style, and choose Edit Paste.
The schedule table style is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
NOTE Cells that display data from property sets attached to styles may be
displayed in multiple cells. Editing one cell will change them all.
3 From the Edit Schedule Data dialog box, type a new value for the table cell
in the Value field.
4 Click OK.
1335
NOTE This value is entered for all of the instances of that property.
4 Click OK.
For more information about the Edit Schedule Data dialog box, see
Attaching Schedule Data on page 1288.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to return to the Style Manager.
8 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager, or click Apply
to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager.
1336
Chapter 33 Schedules
1337
1338
Chapter 33 Schedules
3 In the drawing, select the objects to remove from the table, and press
ENTER.
Menu Command
Command Line
DcSetImpDoorWindowTags
Object Tags...
DcSetImpObjectTags
DcSetImpRoomAndFinishTa
gs
1339
Menu Command
Command Line
Wall Tags...
DcSetImpWallTags
Anchor Tag to
Object
TagAnchorAdd
TagAnchorSet
TagAnchorRelease
Menu Command
Command Line
Right-click
Attach/Edit Schedule
Data...
PropertyDataEdit
Browse Data...
PropertyDataBrowse
Renumber Data...
PropertyRenumberData
Property Set
Definitions...
PropertySetDefine
PropertyFormatDefine
1340
Menu Command
Command Line
TableAdd
Update Schedule
Table...
TableUpdateNow
Chapter 33 Schedules
Update Table
Menu Command
Command Line
Export Schedule
Table...
TableExport
Schedule Table
Styles...
TableStyle
TableCellEdit
TableSelectionAdd
Selection Add
Remove Table
Selection
TableSelectionRemove
Selection Remove
Reselect Table
Selection
TableSelectionReselect
TableSelectionShow
Selection Show
TableUpdateAutomatic
TableUpdateManual
TableStyleEdit
TableProps
Table Properties...
1341
1342
Chapter 33 Schedules
Elevations
34
In this chapter
lines
Creating and changing
2D elevations
Creating and changing
3D elevations
1343
1344
Chapter 34
Elevations
In plan view, the elevation line is displayed as you would expect on a construction document. The elevation line includes an elevation mark that
points in the direction of the elevation view.
You can change the elevation line properties to control the elevation that
you create. Within the elevation line properties, you can change the height
and depth of the elevation that you create, as well as add a lower extension
to the elevation.
You can also set up subdivisions in the elevation line properties that are
added to your elevation when you create it. Subdivisions are set at distances
from the plane of the elevation line. You can control the lineweight (as well
as other display properties) of the subdivisions to add different levels of
depth to your elevations. For example, you could display one subdivision in
your elevation with a heavy lineweight and display another subdivision with
a lighter lineweight to suggest that the first subdivision is in front of the
second subdivision.
1345
You can change the elevation line properties before you create an elevation,
or you can change the elevation line properties and update an elevation that
you have already created. For more information about updating existing elevations, see Updating an Existing 2D Elevation on page 1354.
NOTE If you are working with a drawing set where several xrefs are linked to
a main drawing, then draw your elevation line in the main drawing.
To draw an elevation line and mark
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Add Elevation Line.
2 Specify the elevation line start point.
NOTE Specify a start and endpoint for the elevation line that extends past
the face or segment of your building model view to ensure that all objects are
included in the elevation view.
3 Specify the elevation line endpoint.
The elevation line is displayed in your drawing with an elevation mark.
The elevation line boundary is automatically drawn, using the elevation
line as its left side, and forming a box with the elevation line. This is the
area that defines the elevation.
1346
Chapter 34
Elevations
Depending on the direction in which you drew the elevation line, the elevation mark points in the direction of the elevation view.
4 To reverse the direction of the elevation, right-click, and choose Reverse
from the shortcut menu.
The elevation mark is a multi-view block, anchored to the elevation line.
You can edit the elevation mark to change the information that is displayed in the bubble. For more information, see Changing the Elevation
Mark Attributes on page 1351.
Once you have an elevation line in your drawing, you can change the
properties of the line to change the elevation. For more information, see
Changing Elevation Line Properties on page 1347.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
1347
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to save your changes and exit each dialog box.
NOTE The depth of an elevation can also be defined by grip-editing the elevation line boundary in your drawing.
To change the dimensions of an elevation
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Elevation Line
Properties.
2 Select the elevation line you want to change, and press ENTER.
3 In the Section/Elevation Line Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions
tab.
4 On the Dimensions tab, under Component Dimensions, do any of the
following:
Select Use Model Extents for Height to set the height of the elevation
to the extents of the selected objects, or clear it and type the height of
the elevation.
Height: Sets the height of the box to create an elevation from a Z
value measured from the XY plane of the world coordinate system
(WCS) or the current user coordinate system (UCS). The objects are cut
at this height when an elevation is created.
1348
Chapter 34
Elevations
Sides: Sets the length of the two lines from the elevation line to create
the elevation box. Side 1 starts from the first point specified for the elevation line, and side 2 starts from the point specified for the end of the
elevation line.
1349
1350
Chapter 34
Elevations
1351
create the 2D elevation from the elevation line, you can choose a style for the
elevation, add or subtract objects to and from the elevation, select a display
set for the elevation, and select a location for the elevation.
TIP Before you create an elevation, thaw and turn on all the layers of the
objects in your building model that you want to include in the elevation. Objects
on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection set for the
elevation.
To create a new 2D elevation
1 Draw an elevation line in your drawing. For more information, see Drawing an Elevation Line and Mark on page 1346.
2 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Create Elevation.
3 Select the elevation line.
The Generate Section/Elevation dialog box is displayed.
1352
Chapter 34
Elevations
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the elevation, hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection set.
7 Under Display Set, select a display set for the elevation object.
NOTE The display representation controls the type of display when the elevation is placed in the drawing.
8 Under Placement, select New Object, and do one of the following:
Click Pick Point to select a location in your drawing for the elevation.
Type the X,Y, and Z coordinates to place the elevation in your drawing.
1353
NOTE You can move subdivision lines in your drawing using grips.
To change the display properties of a 2D elevation
1 Select the 2D elevation in your drawing, right-click, and choose Entity
Display from the shortcut menu.
2 Click the Display Props tab.
3 Select the property source to edit, and click Attach Override.
1354
Chapter 34
Elevations
2D elevation style. You can update a 2D elevation as long as you have not
destroyed the link between the elevation and the building model by exploding the elevation.
TIP Before you create or update an elevation, thaw and turn on all the layers
of the objects in your building model that you want to include in the elevation.
Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection set for the
elevation.
When you update a 2D elevation, you can add objects in your drawing to the
2D elevation, change the location of the elevation in the drawing, and
change the display set of the elevation in the drawing.
To update an existing 2D elevation
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Update Elevation.
2 Select the elevation that you want to update.
3 Under Result Type, select 2d Section/Elevation Object with Hidden Line
Removal.
4 If you want to change the style of the 2D elevation, select a new style from
Style to Generate.
5 If you edited the elevation with the linework editing commands, select
Save Copy of User Edits, and select a style to save your edits in.
If you want your edits to display in the updated elevation, make sure the
style you select is the same style as in Style to Generate. For more information about editing linework in your elevations, see Editing and Merging
Linework in 2D Elevations on page 1369.
6 Under Selection Set, do one of the following to specify the objects that
you want to include in your 2D elevation:
Click Select Additional Objects to add new objects to the selection set
that you specified when you created the original elevation, and press
ENTER.
Click Reselect Objects to select a new selection set of objects for the elevation, and press ENTER.
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the elevation, hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection set.
7 Under Display Set, select a display set for the elevation object.
1355
Select New Object and select a point or type coordinates to locate the
new 2D elevation.
Select Replace Existing to replace the original 2D elevation with the
new updated 2D elevation.
1356
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
Chapter 34
Elevations
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1357
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
1358
Chapter 34
Elevations
2 Click the plus sign (+) next to the 2D Section/Elevation Styles style type
under the drawing to display the 2D section and elevation styles in the
drawing.
3 Select the 2D Section/Elevation Styles style type, right-click, and choose
New from the shortcut menu.
4 Type a name for the new 2D Section/Elevation style, and press ENTER.
5 To edit the style properties of your new 2D Section/Elevation style, select
the style, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The 2D Section/Elevation Styles dialog box is displayed. You can add
notes, display components, and design rules to the style. For more information about changing each style property, see Changing 2D Elevation
Style Properties on page 1363.
6 When you finish changing the style properties, click OK to return to the
Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1359
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
4 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
1360
Chapter 34
Elevations
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so that both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1361
1362
Chapter 34
Elevations
4 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the 2D Section/Elevation Styles style type.
5 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the other
drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
6 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the other drawing. If the drawing already contains
a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so that both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1363
tation, you can hide the objects in the 2D elevation. Alternatively, you can
leave the Hidden component on and assign a hidden linetype to it.
For finer editing, you can use the Edit Linework command to select individual lines in the 2D elevation and assign them to display components. You
can also add geometry to your 2D elevation to add detail. For more information, see Editing and Merging Linework in 2D Elevations on page 1369.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1364
Chapter 34
Elevations
1365
For example, a rule with the Color 50, a Context of Within subdivision 2, and
a user-defined Component of New, would assign any lines in the elevation
that have the color 50 in the building model and that are within
subdivision 2 in the elevation to the New display component.
1366
Chapter 34
Elevations
1367
2 In the 2D Section/Elevation Styles dialog box, click the Design Rules tab.
3 To change the color, click the default Color. In the Select Color dialog box,
select a new color, and click OK.
4 To change the context, select a new context from the list under Context.
5 To change the component, select a new component from the list under
Component.
6 Type a description for the rule under Description.
7 Click OK to save your changes to the design rule, and exit the 2D Section/
Elevation Styles dialog box.
8 Update the elevation to remove the effects of the design rule. For more
information, see Updating an Existing 2D Elevation on page 1354.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
1368
Chapter 34
Elevations
1369
1370
Chapter 34
Elevations
NOTE You can also save your linework changes to any other existing
2D elevation style.
1371
If you do not save your changes to a 2D elevation style when you update,
then your changes are not saved.
The following steps describe how to save your linework changes to the current style. For a complete description of the other options available when
updating 2D elevations, see Updating an Existing 2D Elevation on page
1354.
To save linework changes to a 2D elevation style
1 Select the 2D elevation with linework changes.
If you select a 2D elevation that you merged linework into, notice the
merged linework is now selected with the 2D elevation.
2 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Update Elevation.
3 In the Generate Section/Elevation dialog box, under Result Type, select
Save Copy of User Edits.
4 In Style for Copy, select the current style.
NOTE You can also save your linework changes to any other existing
2D elevation style. However, selecting a different style saves your linework
changes to that style, and not to the current elevation in your drawing.
5 Click OK to save your edits to the current 2D elevation style.
1372
Chapter 34
Elevations
Hidden Line Projection command in the Desktop menu. For more information about using this command, see Hidden Line Projection on page 1699.
Unless you explode your 3D elevation, your elevation is linked to the building model. If the design of your building model changes, if you want to add
objects to your 3D elevation, or if you want to change length, height, depth,
or subdivisions of the elevation, you can easily update your elevation to
reflect these changes.
TIP Before you create an elevation, thaw and turn on all the layers of the
objects in your building model that you want to include in the elevation.
Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection set for
the elevation.
3 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Create Elevation.
4 Select the elevation line.
The Generate Section/Elevation dialog box is displayed.
5 Under Result Type, select 3D Section/Elevation Object.
6 Under Selection Set, click Select Objects and select the objects in your
building model that you want to include in the elevation. Press ENTER
after you select the objects.
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the elevation, hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection set.
7 Under Display Set, select a display set for the elevation object.
1373
NOTE The display representation controls the type of display when the elevation is placed in the drawing.
8 Under Placement, select New Object, and do one of the following:
Click Pick Point to select a location in your drawing for the elevation.
Type the X, Y, and Z coordinates to place the elevation in your drawing.
TIP Before you update an elevation, thaw and turn on all the layers of the
objects in your building model that you want to include in the elevation.
Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection set for
the elevation.
2 From the Documentation menu, choose Elevations Update Elevation.
3 Select the elevation that you want to update.
4 Under Result Type, select 3D Section/Elevation Object.
5 Under Selection Set, do one of the following to specify the objects that
you want to include in your 3D elevation:
1374
Chapter 34
Elevations
Click Select Additional Objects to add new objects to the selection set
that you specified when you created the original elevation. Press ENTER
after you select the objects.
Click Reselect Objects to select a new selection set of objects for the elevation, and press ENTER.
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the elevation, hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection set.
6 Under Display Set, select a display set for the elevation object.
NOTE The display representation controls the type of display when the elevation is placed in the drawing.
7 Under Placement, do one of the following to locate the 3D elevation in
your drawing:
Select New Object and select a point or type coordinates to locate a new
3D elevation.
Select Replace Existing to replace the original 3D elevation with the
updated 3D elevation.
1375
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
1376
Chapter 34
Elevations
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE You can move subdivision lines in your drawing using grips.
To change the display properties of a 3D elevation
1 Select the 3D elevation in your drawing, right-click, and choose Entity
Display from the shortcut menu.
2 Click the Display Props tab.
3 Make sure the Subdivisions display representation is selected.
4 Under Property Source, control the display of the 3D elevation by object
or by instance. For more information, see Creating and Editing Display
Systems on page 121.
5 Click Edit Display Props.
The Entity Properties dialog box is displayed. The Layer/Color/Linetype
tab lists all the components that contribute to the display of the object.
The defining line represents the cutting plane of the elevation line. The
numbered subdivision components correspond to the number of subdivisions you created in your elevation.
6 Depending on how you want to display the subdivisions in your
3D elevation, turn the visibility on or off, and change the layer, color, linetype, lineweight, or lineweight scale for each subdivision component.
7 Click OK to exit both dialog boxes.
1377
Menu command
Command line
BldgElevationLineAdd
BldgElevationLineProps
Create Elevation
BldgElevationLineGenerate
Generate Elevation...
Update Elevation
BldgSectionUpdate
Elevation Properties...
BldgSectionProps
Elevation Styles...
2dSectionStyle
Edit Linework
2dSectionResultEdit
Edit Linework...
Merge Linework
2dSectionResultMerge
Merge Linework...
BldgElevationLineReverse
Reverse
2dSectionResultUpdate
Update...
2dSectionResultStyleEdit
2dSectionResultProps
2d Section/Elevation Properties...
1378
Chapter 34
Elevations
Sections
35
In this chapter
lines
Creating and changing
2D sections
Creating and changing
3D sections
1379
1380
Chapter 35 Sections
In an isometric view, the same section line is displayed with a boundary that
defines the extents of the section.
You can change the section line properties to control the section that you
create. Within the section line properties, you can change the height and
shape of the section that you create, as well as add a lower extension to the
section.
You can also set up subdivisions in the section line properties that are added
to your section when you create it. Subdivisions are set at distances from the
cutting plane of the section line. You can control the lineweight (as well as
other display properties) of the subdivisions to add different levels of depth
to your sections. For example, you could display one subdivision in your
section with a heavy lineweight and display another subdivision with a
lighter lineweight to suggest the first subdivision was in front of the second
subdivision.
1381
You can change the section line properties before you create a section, or you
can change the section line properties and update a section that you have
already created. For more information about updating existing sections, see
Updating an Existing 2D Section on page 1392.
NOTE If you are working with a drawing set where several xrefs are linked to
a main drawing, then draw your section line in the main drawing.
To draw a section line and mark
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Add Section Line.
1382
Chapter 35 Sections
Reversing a section
The section marks are multi-view blocks, anchored to the section line. You
can edit the section marks to change the information that is displayed in
the bubbles. For more information, see Changing the Section Mark
Attributes on page 1388.
After you create a section line in your drawing, you can change the properties of the line to change the height and depth of the section, add a
lower extension to the section, or add subdivisions to the section. For
more information, see Changing Section Line Properties on page 1384.
1383
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to save your changes and exit each dialog box.
1384
Chapter 35 Sections
NOTE The depth of a section can also be defined by grip-editing the section
line boundary in your drawing.
To change the dimensions of a section
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Section Line Properties.
2 Select the section line you want to change, and press ENTER.
3 In the Section/Elevation Line Properties dialog box, click the Dimensions
tab.
Select Use Model Extents for Height to set the height of the section to
the extents of the selected objects, or clear it and type the height of the
section.
Height: Sets the height of the box to create a section from a Z value
measured from the XY plane of the world coordinate system (WCS) or
the current user coordinate system (UCS). The objects are cut at this
height when a section is created.
1385
tion line, and side 2 starts from the point specified for the end of the
section line.
1386
Chapter 35 Sections
To create a subdivision in the section, click Add, type the distance from
the section line, and click OK.
Click Edit to change the length of an existing subdivision.
Click Remove to delete the selected subdivision.
1387
For information about the world coordinate system (WCS) and the user coordinate system (UCS), see Use Coordinates and Coordinate Systems in the
online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of a section line
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Section Line Properties.
2 Select the section line, and press ENTER.
3 In the Section/Elevation Line Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
4 Do any of the following:
To relocate the section line change the coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the section line, change the axis to which the normal is parallel. To locate the section line on the XY plane, make the normal of
the section line parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the Z
box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the section line on the
YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To locate
the section line on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type 0 in the
X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the section line, type a new value for Rotation Angle.
1388
Chapter 35 Sections
TIP Before you create a section, thaw and turn on all the layers of the objects
in your building model that you want to include in the section. Turn off the layers
of the objects that you do not need to include in the section to speed performance. Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection
set for the section.
1389
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the section,
hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection
set.
7 Under Display Set, select a display set for the section object.
Click Pick Point to select a location in your drawing for the section.
Type X, Y, and Z coordinates to place the section in your drawing.
1390
Chapter 35 Sections
NOTE You can move subdivision lines in your drawing using grips.
To change the display properties of a 2D section
1 Select the 2D section in your drawing, right-click, and choose Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
2 Click the Display Props tab.
3 Select the property source to edit, and click Attach Override.
1391
TIP Before you create a section, thaw and turn on all the layers of the
objects in your building model that you want to include in the section. Turn
off the layers of the objects that you do not need to include in the section to
speed performance. Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of
the selection set for the section.
2 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Update section.
3 Select the section.
4 In the Generate Section/Elevation dialog box, under Result Type, select 2D
Section/Elevation Object with Hidden Line Removal.
5 If you want to change the style of the 2D section, select a new style from
Style to Generate.
6 If you edited the section with the linework editing commands, select Save
Copy of User Edits, and select a style to save your edits in.
If you want your edits to be displayed in the updated section, make sure
the style you select is the same style as in Style to Generate. For more
information about editing linework in your sections, see Editing and
Merging Linework in 2D Sections on page 1406.
7 Under Selection Set, do one of the following to specify the objects that
you want to include in your 2D section:
1392
Click Select Additional Objects to add new objects to the selection set
that you specified when you created the original section, and press
ENTER.
Chapter 35 Sections
Click Reselect Objects to select a new selection set of objects for the
section, and press ENTER.
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the section,
hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection
set.
8 Under Display Set, select a display set for the Section/Elevation object.
Select New Object and select a point or type coordinates to locate the
new 2D section.
Select Replace Existing to replace the original 2D section with the
updated 2D section.
1393
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1394
Chapter 35 Sections
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
1395
You can also change the display of individual lines in the section, and save
your changes in the 2D Section/Elevation object.
You can create new 2D section styles, import and export 2D section styles
between drawings, and purge 2D section styles that are not in use.When you
create, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager. The Style
Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural Desktop,
where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and templates. For
more information about using the Style Manager, see Style Manager on
page 1525.
1396
Chapter 35 Sections
1397
A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is
displayed.
4 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
1398
Chapter 35 Sections
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
8 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1399
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1400
Chapter 35 Sections
1401
6 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
7 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1402
Chapter 35 Sections
5 To assign the display of lines in your section to the new component, create
a design rule. For more information, see Adding a Design Rule to a 2D
Section Style on page 1404.
6 After you create the design rule, click OK in the 2D Section/Elevation
Styles dialog box to return to the Style Manager.
7 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
8 Update the section to add the new component to the display of the
2D section. For more information, see Updating an Existing 2D Section
on page 1392.
1403
For example, a rule with the Color 50, a Context of Within subdivision 2, and
a user-defined Component of New would assign any lines in the section that
have the color 50 in the building model and that are within subdivision 2 in
the section to the New display component.
To add a design rule to a 2D section style
1 Select the section that you want to change, right-click, and choose Edit
2D Section/Elevation style.
2 In the 2D Section/Elevation Styles dialog box, click the Design Rules tab,
and click Add.
A new design rule is created with default color, context, and component
values.
3 To change the color of the design rule, click the default Color. In the Select
Color dialog box, select a new color, and click OK.
4 To change the context of the design rule, select a new context from the list
under Context.
5 To change the component of the design rule, select a new component
from the list under Component.
6 Type a description for the rule under Description and press ENTER.
7 Click OK to save your changes to the design rule.
8 To apply the rule to the section, update the section. For more information,
see Updating an Existing 2D Section on page 1392.
9 After you update the section, you can change the display properties of the
section. For more information, see Changing the 2D Section Style Display Properties on page 1405.
1404
Chapter 35 Sections
1405
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
The System Default is the default display representation. When a Display
Contribution is overridden, a red X and the word Overridden is displayed
in the list.
1406
Chapter 35 Sections
The Edit Linework command allows you to select individual lines in your
2D section and assign them to display components. You can assign the lines
to the display components that are fixed in the display representation of the
2D section, or you can assign them to display components that you add to
the 2D section.
The Merge Linework command allows you to add geometry to your
2D section. Merge lines with your section to add detail, or add linework that
you did not model to the section.
Linework that you have edited or merged in your 2D section is not maintained in the 2D section when you update it, unless you save your changes
to the current 2D section style. You can also save your linework changes to
another style when you update.
1407
4 To control the current display of the linework in the 2D section, select the
2D section, right-click, and choose Entity Display from the shortcut
menu.
5 Click the Display Props tab, and then click Edit Display Props.
6 Click the Layer/Color/Linetype tab.
7 Edit the properties of the component that you assigned to linework. You
can change the visibility, layer, color, linetype, lineweight, and linetype
scale of the linework.
8 Click OK to exit both dialog boxes.
After you edit linework in a 2D section, you can save your changes to the
current style. This allows you to update the section without erasing the
merged linework. For more information, see Saving Linework Changes to
a 2D Section on page 1409.
1408
Chapter 35 Sections
After you merge linework into a 2D section, you can save the linework to
the current style. This allows you to update the section without erasing
the merged linework. For more information, see Saving Linework
Changes to a 2D Section on page 1409.
NOTE You can also save your linework changes to any other existing
2D section style.
If you do not save your changes to a 2D section style when you update, then
your changes are not saved.
The following steps describe how to save your linework changes to the
current style. For a complete description of the other options available when
updating 2D sections, see Updating an Existing 2D Section on page 1392.
To save linework changes to a 2D section style
1 Select the 2D section with linework changes.
If you select a 2D section that you merged linework into, the merged linework is now selected with the 2D section.
2 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Update Section.
3 In the Generate Section/Elevation dialog box, under Result Type, select
Save Copy of User Edits.
4 In Style for Copy, select the current style.
NOTE You can also save your linework changes to any other existing
2D section style. However, selecting a different style saves your linework
changes to that style, and not to the current section in your drawing.
5 Click OK to save your edits to the current 2D section style.
1409
TIP Before you create a section, thaw and turn on all the layers of the
objects in your building model that you want to include in the section.
1410
Chapter 35 Sections
Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection set for
the section.
3 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Create Section.
4 Select the section line.
The Generate Section/Elevation dialog box is displayed.
5 Under Result Type, select 3D Section/Elevation Object.
6 Under Selection Set, click Select Objects and select the objects in your
building model that you want to include in the section. Press ENTER after
you select the objects.
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the section,
hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection
set.
7 Under Display Set, select a display set for the section object.
NOTE The display representation controls the type of display when the section is placed in the drawing.
8 Under Placement, select New Object, and do one of the following:
Click Pick Point to select a location in your drawing for the section.
Type X, Y, and Z coordinates to place the section in your drawing.
1411
TIP Before you create a section, thaw and turn on all the layers of the
objects in your building model that you want to include in the section.
Objects on layers that are off or frozen cannot be part of the selection set for
the section.
2 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Update Section.
3 Select the section that you want to update.
4 Under Result Type, select 3D Section/Elevation Object.
5 Under Selection Set, do one of the following to specify the objects that
you want to include in your 3D section:
Click Select Additional Objects to add new objects to the selection set
that you specified when you created the original section. Press ENTER
after you select the objects.
Click Reselect Objects to select a new selection set of objects for the section, and press ENTER.
NOTE If you select an object that you do not want to include in the section,
hold down SHIFT and select the object again to remove it from the selection
set.
6 Under Display Set, select a display set for the Section/Elevation object.
NOTE The display representation controls the type of display when the section is placed in the drawing.
7 Under Placement, do one of the following to locate the 3D section in your
drawing:
Select New Object and select a point or type coordinates to locate a new
3D section.
Select Replace Existing to replace the original 3D section with the new
updated 3D section.
1412
Chapter 35 Sections
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
1413
For information about the world coordinate system (WCS) and the user coordinate system (UCS), see Working with Cartesian and Polar Coordinate
Systems in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of a 3D section
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Sections Section Properties.
2 Select the section, and press ENTER.
3 In the Section Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
4 Do any of the following:
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE You can move subdivision lines in your drawing using grips.
To change the display properties of a 3D section
1 Select the 3D section in your drawing, right-click, and choose Entity Display from the shortcut menu.
2 Click the Display Props tab.
3 Make sure the Sub-divisions display representation is selected in the list.
1414
Chapter 35 Sections
Menu command
Command line
Right-click
BldgSectionLineAdd
BldgSectionLineProps
Create Section
BldgSectionLineGenerate
Generate Elevation
Update Section
BldgSectionUpdate
Update Section
Section Properties...
BldgSectionProps
Section Properties
Section Styles...
2dSectionStyle
Edit Linework
2dSectionResultEdit
Edit Linework...
Merge Linework
2dSectionResultMerge
Merge Linework
BldgSectionLineReverse
Reverse
2dSectionResultUpdate
Update...
2dSectionResultStyleEdit
2dSectionResultProps
2d Section/Elevation Properties...
1415
1416
Chapter 35 Sections
Live Sections
36
In this chapter
your section on that line. Live sections work in a different way from standard sections: they retain the original
objects after sectioning them and create a new, separate
display configuration for each section.
marks
Changing section line
properties
Generating a section
Changing section properties
1417
Live sections
Before you create a section, consult the list and decide the type of section you
need.
If you want to create a standard section, proceed to Creating a Section Line
and Mark on page 1418.
If you want to create a live section, proceed from this point.
1418
NOTE To change the graphic displayed by the mark symbol, edit the
STANDARD SECTION BUBBLE mvblock definition. For more information
about multi-view blocks, see Multi-View Blocks on page 1621.
1419
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box or enter more changes in the other tabs.
1420
Select Use Model Extents for Height to set the height of the section to
the extents of the selected objects, or clear it and change the Height of
the section.
Height: Sets the height of the box to create a section from as a Z value
measured from the XY plane of the world coordinate system (WCS) or
the current user coordinate system (UCS). The objects are cut at this
height when a section is created.
1421
To create a subdivision of the section, click Add, type the distance from
the section line, and click OK.
Click Edit to change the length of the subdivision.
Click Remove to delete the selected subdivision.
4 Click OK to end the command and add the new subdivision to the section.
1422
To relocate the section line, change the coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the section line, change the axis to which the normal is parallel. To locate the section line on the XY plane, make the normal of
the section line parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the Z
box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the section line on the
YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To locate
the section line on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and type 0 in the
X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the section line, type a new value for Rotation Angle.
5 When you have finished making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
walls/curtain walls
doors
windows/window assemblies
mass elements/mass groups
stairs
1423
railings
roofs/roof slabs/slabs
spaces/space boundaries
columns/beams/braces/
Live sections use for their display only the model display representation of
the object. You cannot use other display representations for viewing them.
A live section, for example, cannot display a sectioned stair in top view with
a path; the path component is not a part of the stairs model display
representation.
Stairs displayed in top view in Plan 1-100, Plan 1-50 and Live Section display
configuration
Because a live section retains the objects after sectioning them, you can
change the display properties of the sectioned objects separately. You can
also add individual hatches to the section boundaries.
Each new live section is displayed in a separate display configuration created
specifically for that section. For information about display configurations,
see Display Configurations on page 104.
1424
NOTE If the section line you have chosen is already connected to a section
display configuration, you receive a warning message asking you to use the
Modify Section Display Configuration command. For information about this
command, see Adding and Removing Objects from Live Sections on page
1430.
4 In the Add Display Configuration dialog box, type a name for the display
configuration your section will be in. As a default the name Section, followed by an alphanumerical character, is suggested. However, you can
choose another name.
NOTE If you are trying to choose a name already being used by another
section display configuration, you receive an error message upon closing the
dialog box requiring you choose another name. Therefore, you are prevented
from accidentally overwriting an existing section display configuration.
5 Select an attribute for the section bubble.
6 Type a description for your new section display configuration.
7 Click Select Objects.
8 Choose the objects you want to include in the new section.
NOTE If you do not select any objects here, you are prompted to do so
upon closing the Add Display Configuration dialog box.
9 Press ENTER to end your selection.
10 Depending on whether you want to set the new section display configuration as your current display configuration, select or clear Set Current.
11 Click OK.
1425
If you have set your new section display configuration as your current
display configuration, the section you have created is displayed in your
current viewport.
If you have not set your new section display configuration as your current display configuration, you see your original display configuration
from which you created your section.
1426
You can, for example, define a hatch for the section boundary of a window
or define different colors and lineweights for walls.
To change the display properties of a live section
1 If you have not already done so, switch to the section display configuration containing your live section by choosing Desktop Select Display,
and selecting the desired section display configuration in the Display
Manager.
2 Select the object to which you want to change the display properties.
3 Press ENTER to end your selection.
4 From the shortcut menu, select Entity Display.
5 In the Entity Display dialog box, click the Display Props tab.
6 Under Property Source, select the object you have selected in step 2.
7 Click Attach Override to edit the object.
8 Click Edit Display Props.
9 In the Entity Properties dialog box, edit the display properties.
10 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1427
To close the dialog box and return to the Entity Properties dialog box,
click OK.
To enter more changes, click the desired tab.
1428
To close the dialog box and return to the Entity Display dialog box,
click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
To close the dialog box and return to the Entity Display dialog box,
click OK.
To enter more changes in other tabs, click the desired tab.
1429
TIP Alternatively, you can select the section line you want to add or remove
objects from, and choose Modify Configuration from the shortcut menu.
The name of the section line is displayed beside the description and the
number of objects already added to it.
4 Do any of the following:
1430
NOTE If you type Name instead, you are prompted to type the name of
the section line you want to edit. If you want to do this, type the name and
proceed as described in Adding and Removing Objects from a Single Live
Section on page 1430.
4 From the Name list, select the section display configuration you want to
add or remove objects from first.
5 Do any of the following:
1431
NOTE If you click Cancel to revoke your changes, all changes you have
made in this dialog box are revoked.
9 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Menu command
Command line
SectionConfigurationAdd
SectionConfigurationModify
1432
Right-click
SectionConfigurationAddFor
SectionConfigurationModifyFor
Cameras
37
In this chapter
drawing
1433
NOTE To create more complex perspective view setups, for example, using
clipping planes, use the AutoCAD 3D dynamic view (DVIEW).
You can also create a video dry run of your design model with the camera.
NOTE For the camera source point (location) and the camera target point,
enter X, Y, and Z values.
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Perspectives Add Camera.
2 In the Add Camera dialog box, type a name for the camera.
3 Set the zoom percentage.
1434
Chapter 37 Cameras
4 Set the eye height for the camera in the Eye Level field.
5 If you want the view in the drawing to change to the cameras view after
you set it, select Generate View after Add.
6 Specify the camera source point using the pointing device, or type coordinate values on the command line, and press ENTER.
7 Specify the camera target point, and then press ENTER.
Adding a camera
You can change camera properties, such as the color of the viewing cone
and values for zoom and field of view (FOV), by changing the entity display of the camera. See Changing the Camera Properties on page 1440.
Use the HIDE or SHADE command to produce a final representation of
your perspective view.
NOTE When a camera is not selected, only the small camera icon is displayed. Selecting the camera restores the camera display to show the field of
view.
1435
2 Select the target grip or the source grip and drag it to a new location.
The camera settings are automatically updated to reflect the new location.
3 To change the cameras field of view (FOV), drag one of the grips.
NOTE If you drag the camera in plan view, the Z axis is ignored, so that you
do not accidentally snap the camera to a set of objects with a different Z
value. The camera is effectively locked to the viewing plane.
1436
Chapter 37 Cameras
4 Click Apply.
5 Select the new viewport to associate the camera with.
6 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
NOTE To learn more about viewports, see Using Tiled Viewports in the
online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
1437
Change the Step value: This numerical value controls how much each
click of the following buttons moves the camera on the Actions tab of
the AEC Camera Steps dialog box: Forward, Back, Left, Right, Up,
Down.
Change the Angle value: This numerical value controls how much
each click of the following buttons moves the camera angle on the
Actions tab of the AEC Camera Steps dialog box: Turn Left, Turn Right,
Look Up, Look Down.
Change the Zoom percentage: This value controls how much each
click of the button zooms the camera for Zoom In and Zoom Out on
the Actions tab of the AEC Camera Steps dialog box.
Click Hide to view the drawing with hidden lines removed.
3 Click the appropriate button to adjust the view. If the view in the drawing
wasnt the cameras view, then the first selected button places the drawing
into the cameras view.
As you click each button, the view changes in increments determined by
values in the Adjustment Increments section. If Auto View is selected, you
can see the change after you click each button.
4 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1438
Chapter 37 Cameras
6 Select the number of frames and the rate for the frames.
7 Click Dry Run.
8 Click OK.
The camera moves along the camera path, pointing at the target path or
point.
3 Either click Pick Path in the Target Path to select a polyline path in the
drawing for the camera to focus on as it moves along the camera path, or
click Pick Point to select a point for the camera to focus on.
If you select a path, type a name for the path and click OK.
1439
NOTE There must be a camera in the drawing before you can use this
command.
1440
Chapter 37 Cameras
2 In the drawing, select the camera whose view you want to change.
3 In the Camera Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the camera, type the text in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the camera or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file,
click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
1441
top and bottom of the camera are parallel to the XY plane, its normal is
parallel to the Z axis. You can change the orientation of the camera by aligning its normal with another axis. You can also rotate the camera on its plane
by changing the rotation angle.
NOTE Although you can change the location of the camera using Camera
Properties dialog box, it is recommended that you use grips and the view settings to move the camera. For more information, see Changing the Camera
View Using Grips on page 1435.
To change the location properties of a camera
1 From the Documentation menu, choose Perspectives Camera Properties.
2 Select the camera or press ENTER to select a camera from a list of existing
cameras.
3 In the Camera Properties dialog box, select the Location tab.
4 Do any of the following:
5 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
1442
Menu Command
Command Line
Add Camera...
CameraAdd
Chapter 37 Cameras
Menu Command
Command Line
Camera Properties...
CameraProps
Camera Properties...
CameraView
Create View
Adjust Camera
View...
CameraAdjust
Adjust View...
Create Video...
CameraVideo...
Create Video
CameraModify
Camera Modify...
1443
1444
Chapter 37 Cameras
AEC Options
38
In this chapter
Desktop environment
settings
1445
1446
Use Common Position: Sets one common position on the screen for
similar dialog boxes, such as door, wall, and window Add or Modify
dialog boxes. Some dialog boxes, such as those for object styles and
properties, are always displayed in the center of the screen, regardless
of this setting.
Use Common Viewer Position and Sizes: Sets one size and position on the screen for the similar-purpose viewers in Architectural
Desktop. Viewer position is separately controlled for Add, Modify,
Style, and Properties dialog boxes.
1447
properties are set to ByBlock take the color of the parent object if this
option is selected. If this option is cleared when you explode an object,
then properties set to ByBlock remain ByBlock. Clear this option if you
want to explode the block definition even further.
6 Under Object Snap, select Optimize for Speed to limit certain display representations to respond only to the Node and Insert object snaps.
This setting affects stair, railing, space boundary, multi-view block, masking block, slice, and clip volume result (building section) objects.
7 Under Layer Manager, select Optimize for Speed to load layers into the
Layer Manager faster.
Each time you open the Layer Manager with Optimize for Speed turned
off, the Layer Manager scans your current drawing to determine which
layers are in use and which layers are not in use. After the layers are
scanned and loaded into the Layer Manager, the status (in use/not in use)
of each layer is indicated by the icon to the left side of the layer name in
the Layer Manager.
When you select Optimize for Speed, the Layer Manager does not scan the
drawing to determine the status of the layers, speeding up the loading
time. The icons that are displayed next to the layer name in the Layer
Manager do not indicate whether or not the layer is in use.
8 Click OK to exit the Options dialog box, or click Apply to continue working in the Options dialog box.
The AEC Editor settings that you selected are saved in the registry.
1448
NOTE The Measure to Outside of Frame option for doors and windows
only affects doors and windows added and stored in the drawing after you
select the option. It will not affect any existing doors and windows. To change
this setting for existing doors or windows, select each door or window, rightclick, and select Door or Window Properties from the short-cut menu. Click
1449
1450
To not cut openings or do interference in wireframe display representations, select Do Not Cut Openings and Interference for Wireframe Display Representations.
4 Click OK to exit the Options dialog box, or click Apply to continue working in the Options dialog box.
4 Select which type of Node Osnap to use with stairs, Flight and Landing
Corners, or Vertical Alignment.
Flight and Landing Corners selects the corners of the stairs and landings
for the Node Osnap.
Vertical Alignment node osnap positions are the stair height distance
above the start of the stair and below the end of the stair.
5 Select how to measure the stair height, Finished Floor to Floor, which
includes top and bottom offsets, or Rough Floor to Floor, which ignores
top and bottom offsets.
6 Continue setting the stair defaults, or click OK to exit the Options dialog
box.
1451
NOTE When specifying values for individual stair styles, use values that represent the actual dimensions of the tread and riser components that you want to
create, not just the ratios of these dimensions.
Subject to the constraints of the calculator rules and the fact that the riser
height must be an even divisor of the floor-to-floor height, the program gets
as close as possible to the selected optimum slope.
To set the stair code limits defaults
1 From the Tools menu, choose Options.
2 Click the AEC Stair Defaults tab.
If the tab is not displayed, make sure that you have started an AEC command this session.
3 Set the default riser height and tread depth for Minimum Slope, Optimum
Slope, and Maximum Slope.
4 Continue setting the stair defaults, or click OK to exit the Options dialog
box.
1452
4 Continue setting the stair defaults, or click OK to exit the Options dialog
box.
1453
Tread to Tread: Aligns the tread of the up flight to the tread of the
down flight.
Tread to Riser: Aligns the tread of the up flight to the riser of the down
flight.
Riser to Riser: Aligns the riser of the up flight to the riser of the down
flight.
1454
4 If you selected Tread to Tread, Tread to Riser, or Riser to Riser, you can set
an offset value. A positive offset value means that the down flight tread
location is closer to landing than the up flight tread location.
NOTE The top riser of a U-shaped stair cannot extend farther than the bottom riser.
5 Continue setting the stair defaults, or click OK to exit the Options dialog
box.
1455
Specifying headroom height and side clearance for a stair and a space object
1456
choose between imperial and metric content, and specify whether the Edit
Schedule data dialog box displays when you insert schedule tags.
When you installed Autodesk Architectural Desktop, you selected an initial
imperial or metric content menu. You can change the content that you
installed by selecting another content menu.
To change the AEC Content settings
1 From the Tools menu, choose Options.
2 In the Options dialog box, click the AEC Content tab.
3 Under Content Path, type the path and location of your content files, or
click Browse to search for the content files.
NOTE Your Autodesk Architectural Desktop CD-ROM provides two imperial content menus: an Autodesk Architectural Desktop content menu and a
CSI MasterFormat content menu. For more information about these content menus, see Adding AutoCAD Architectural Desktop Content on
page 278.
4 Under Content Menu, select Imperial or Metric symbols and content.
The symbols in the Design and Documentation menus change to reflect
the option that you select.
5 To display the Edit Schedule Data dialog box when you insert a schedule
tag in the drawing, select Display Edit Schedule Data Dialog During Tag
Insertion.
6 Click OK to exit the Options dialog box, or click Apply to continue working in the Options dialog box.
The AEC Content settings that you selected are saved in the registry.
General Settings
These settings are applied to AEC dimensions, dimension labels and
elevation labels.
1457
Superscript settings: You can choose if you want superscripted numbers for millimeters in dimensions, dimension labels, and elevation labels,
and if superscripted millimeters suppress their trailing zeros.
Dimension Units: As a default, the units in which a dimension, dimension label, or elevation label is drawn are identical to the drawing units.
However, you can choose different dimension units here, so that you
could, for example, create your drawing with the units millimeter but
your dimension with the units meter.
Variable
Meters
Millimeter
DIMDLI
0.5000
50.0000
DIMDLE
0.1250
125
DIMEXE
0.1250
125.0000
DIMGAP
0.1000
100.0000
DIMTXT
0.2000
200.0000
1458
Sign Preferences: You choose if you want the sign before a zero and
the sign + before positive values.
Prefix settings: You can set a number of prefixes and postfixes for
dimension label values.
Select Trailing Zero Suppression if you do not want zeros at the end of
your superscripted numbers. You can select this option only if you have
selected Use Superscript mm.
1459
Select the check box to update the display after every point you remove
from a dimension chain.
Clear the check box to update the display only after you have ended
the Remove Dimension Points command.
Type prefixes for window dimension labels. You can type prefixes for
sill height, head height, height, width, rough height, and rough width.
Type prefixes for opening dimension labels. You can type prefixes for
sill height, head height, height and width.
Type prefixes for door dimension labels. You can type prefixes for sill
height, head height, height, width, rough height, and rough width.
Type a prefix for the number of risers the stair dimension label.
If you do not want a prefix, leave the corresponding field empty.
NOTE When you create a new drawing, default values of the program are
used for the prefixes and postfixes.
When you create a new drawing based on a template, the default prefix/postfix values defined in the template are used.
When you open an existing drawing, the values defined in that drawing are
used.
8 In the Elevation Labels section, do any of the following:
1460
Drawing Setup
39
With the drawing setup options, you can set the draw-
In this chapter
display representation of
AEC objects
1461
NOTE If you are unfamiliar with the display system and layer management in
Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Release 3, review Understanding the Display
System and Getting Started with the Layer Manager in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide before setting the layering and display options.
1462
Chapter 39
Drawing Setup
2 In the Drawing Setup dialog box, click the Units tab and change the drawing units. The units that you select determine the unit of measurement
that each unit in your drawing represents. For example, if you select
Inches, then each drawing unit equals one inch.
NOTE When you change the drawing units, the default options under Area
and Volume change to reflect the new drawing units. The drawing scale
options on the Scale tab also change to reflect the new drawing units.
3 To scale objects that you insert into the current drawing from other drawings with different drawing scales, select Scale Objects Inserted from Other
Drawings. Clear this option to insert objects at their original scale.
4 Under Linear, select a unit type and precision.
5 Under Angular, select an angle type and precision. If you want to measure
angles clockwise instead of counterclockwise, then select Clockwise.
6 Under Area, select an area type and precision. If you do not want to use
the default suffix that is displayed for the drawing units that you set, then
type a new suffix in the Suffix box.
7 Under Volume, select a volume type and precision. If you do not want to
use the default suffix that is displayed for the drawing units that you set,
then type a new suffix in the Suffix box.
8 To save the units settings, do one of the following:
To save your units settings as the default settings for new drawings that
you start from scratch or with a template that contains no drawing
setup information, select Save As Default. The drawing settings on the
Scale and Layering tabs are also saved as the default settings. For more
information about setting the drawing scale and layering, see Setting
the Drawing Scale, and Selecting Layer Standards and Layer Key
Styles in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
NOTE You can save both default imperial and metric drawing unit and
scale settings with the Save As Default option. When you start a drawing from
scratch, specify English or Metric default settings in the Create a New
Drawing dialog box to use either the imperial or metric settings that you
saved as the default settings.
To save your units settings in the current drawing only, clear Save As
Default.
1463
9 After you finish specifying your drawing units settings, do one of the
following:
To change other drawing settings, click Apply, and then click another
tab in the Drawing Setup dialog box.
To set the new units options and exit the Drawing Setup dialog box,
click OK.
10 If you changed the drawing units in step 3, then the following message is
displayed:
You have changed the unit for this drawing database. All new objects
will be drawn according to the new unit, but existing objects will
not change size unless you specify for automatic scaling to occur.
12 After you set the scaling options for objects in your current drawing,
click OK.
NOTE You can quickly change the drawing scale by choosing Set Drawing
Scale from the Documentation menu. The Scale tab is displayed by default.
To set the drawing scale
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Drawing Setup.
2 In the Drawing Setup dialog box, click the Scale tab.
3 Under Drawing Scale, select the drawing scale value that you want to use.
If you do not see the scale that you want to use, select Other and type your
1464
Chapter 39
Drawing Setup
NOTE The scale values in the Drawing Scale list reflect the current drawing
units. To change the drawing units, see Setting the Drawing Units in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
4 Under Annotation Plot Size, type a value. This value, multiplied by the
drawing scale factor, determines the height of plotted annotation text.
5 To save the scale settings, do one of the following:
To save your scale settings as the default settings for new drawings that
you start from scratch or with a template that contains no drawing
setup information, select Save As Default. The drawing settings on the
Units and Layering tabs are also saved as the default settings. For more
information about setting the layer settings, see Selecting Layer Standards and Layer Key Styles in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users Guide.
NOTE You can save both default imperial and metric drawing unit and
scale settings with the Save As Default option. When you start a drawing from
scratch, specify English or Metric default settings in the Create a New
Drawing dialog box to use either the imperial or metric settings that you
saved as the default settings.
If you want to save your scale settings in the current drawing only, clear
Save As Default. The drawing settings on the Units and Layering tabs
are also saved to the current drawing. For information about setting
drawing units and layering, see Setting the Drawing Units, and
Selecting Layer Standards and Layer Key Styles in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
6 When you finish specifying your drawing scale settings, do one of the
following:
To change other drawing settings, click Apply and then click another
tab in the Drawing Setup dialog box.
To set the new scale options and exit the Drawing Setup dialog box,
click OK.
7 If you changed the drawing units on the Units tab and did not click Apply,
then the following message is displayed:
You have changed the unit for this drawing database. All new objects
will be drawn according to the new unit, but existing objects will
1465
not change size unless you specify for automatic scaling to occur.
9 After you set the scaling options for objects in your current drawing,
click OK.
1466
Chapter 39
Drawing Setup
If you are using an Autodesk Architectural Desktop template, the AecLayerStd.dwg (located in Program Files\Autodesk Architectural\Content\Layers)
is loaded. It contains layer standards and layer key styles.
4 Under Default Layer Standard, from the Layer Key Style list, select the
layer key style that you want to use in your drawing. Do one of the following:
Select a layer key style based on a layer standard. The Based On Layer
Standard box displays the layer standard the layer key style is based on.
Select Current Layer to create objects on the current layer without
using a layer key style.
Select Standard to use the default layer key style. By default, objects are
drawn on layers with the same name as their layer key.
NOTE You cannot apply layer key overrides to the Standard style unless you
assign a layer standard to the Standard style by editing it. For more
information about editing a layer standard, see Editing Layer Standard
Definitions in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
5 To save the layer settings, do one of the following:
To save your layer settings as the default settings for new drawings that
you start from scratch or with a template that contains no drawing
setup information, select Save As Default. The drawing settings on the
Units and Scale tabs are also saved as the default settings.
NOTE You can save both default imperial and metric drawing unit and
scale settings with the Save As Default option. When you start a drawing from
scratch, specify English or Metric default settings in the Create a New
Drawing dialog box to use either the imperial or metric settings that you
saved as the default settings.
If you want to save your layer settings in the current drawing only, clear
Save As Default. The drawing settings on the Units and Scale tabs are
also saved in the current drawing.
6 When you finish specifying the layer settings, do one of the following:
To change other drawing settings, click Apply and then click another
tab in the Drawing Setup dialog box.
To set the new layering options and exit the Drawing Setup dialog box,
click OK.
1467
7 If you changed the drawing units on the Units tab and did not click Apply,
then the following message is displayed:
You have changed the unit for this drawing database. All new objects
will be drawn according to the new unit, but existing objects will
not change size unless you specify for automatic scaling to occur.
9 After you set the scaling options for objects in your current drawing,
click OK.
For more information about setting drawing units and scale, see Setting
the Drawing Units, and Setting the Drawing Scale in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1468
Menu Command
Command Line
AecDwgScaleSetup
Chapter 39
Drawing Setup
Right-click
Layer Management
40
In this chapter
Architectural Desktop
standards, layer keying, and a layer management interface, the Layer Manager, to help you standardize, automate, and manage the use of layers in your office, in
your projects, and in your drawings.
Manager
Working with Layer Standards
Layer Keying
Remapping Object Layers
Working with Layer Groups
Working with Layer Snapshots
1469
1470
You can change any part of the layer name structure using layer key overrides
within the layer key style. You can override the layer names for all the layer
keys in a layer key style, or you can override individual layer key styles.
You can access layer standards, layer key styles, and layer overrides as well as
other layering features in the Layer Manager. The Layer Manager helps you
organize, sort, and group layers, as well as save and coordinate layering
schemes. In the Layer Manager you can
When you display the Layer Manager, all the layers in your current drawing
are displayed in the layer group, All. If there are any external reference files
linked to the drawing, then the layers are listed in an XRef layer group.
You can create additional layer groups to manage large sets of layers. You can
control the visibility of all the layers in the layer group by changing the layer
group properties. The Layer Manager allows you to create two types of layer
groups; user layer groups and filter layer groups. User groups can contain any
layers that you put in them, while filter groups contain only layers that meet
specific criteria that you set.
In addition to layer groups, the Layer Manager allows you to save specific
layer sets as layer snapshots, similar to taking a picture of a layer set that you
can restore and view later. By saving layer and view information in a snap-
1471
shot, you can quickly recall specific layer and view configurations from complex data sets. For example, a facilities manager might create snapshots of
individual floor plans and furniture, cable, and HVAC layouts to separate this
information from a complete building layout.
If you are working with drawings that contain large numbers of layers, you
can improve the speed at which the Layer Manager loads layers when you
open it by selecting the Layer Manager/Optimize for Speed option in your
AEC Editor options. For more information, see Changing the AEC Editor Settings, in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1472
2 To move the Layer Manager, drag the title bar of the Style Manager to the
desired location.
3 To resize the Layer Manager, move your cursor over the edge or a corner
of the dialog box until the cursor changes to stretching arrows. Drag the
edge or corner of the dialog box to the desired size.
Select the layer that you want to make current and click
.
Double-click the layer that you want to make current.
Select the layer that you want to make current, right-click, and choose
Make Current from the shortcut menu.
NOTE You must select an individual layer to make current. You cannot
make multiple layers or layer groups current.
The layer that you selected is now the current layer and is marked with a
green check () in the Layer Manager. The name of this layer is displayed
next to the Current Layer button near the top of the Layer Manager.
3 Click OK to exit the Layer Manager dialog box. To apply the change and
remain in the dialog box, click Apply.
1473
blocks you do not want to insert on their original layer, or walls that you
want to display partially.
To create a new nonstandard layer
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Layer Management Layer Manager.
2 In the Layer Manager, click
3 In the New Layer dialog box, under Layer Standard, select Non Standard.
4 In the Layer Name box, type a name for the new layer.
5 Select Make Current to make the new layer the current layer.
6 In the Description box, type a description for the new layer.
7 To select a color for the new layer, click Browse and select a color in the
Select Color dialog box.
8 Under Linetype, select a linetype.
9 Under Lineweight, select a lineweight.
10 Deselect Plot if you do not want the new layer to be plotted.
11 Click OK to return to the Layer Manager.
The new layer is listed in the right pane of the Layer Manager. If you made
the new layer current, the layer is marked with a green check () and the
name of the layer is displayed next to the Current Layer button near the
top of the Layer Manager.
12 Click OK to exit the Layer Manager dialog box. To apply the change and
remain in the dialog box, click Apply.
3 In the New Layer dialog box, from Layer Standard, select the layer standard that you want to use.
4 Under Value and Description, enter the layer standard information for the
new layer by clicking Browse and selecting from the lists of prespecified
values for each of the fields. You can also enter a new value, provided you
follow the parameters specified for the layer standard components.
1474
When you are finished, the Layer Name and Description fields display the
description you have chosen. If you have, for example, created a new layer
for wall dimensions according to the AIA layer standard, it would be
named A-Anno-Dims.
5 Select Make Current to make the new layer the current layer.
6 To select a color for the new layer, in the Select Color dialog box, click
Browse and select a color.
7 Under Linetype, select a linetype.
8 Under Lineweight, select a lineweight.
9 Click OK to return to the Layer Manager.
The new layer is listed in the right pane of the Layer Manager. If you made
the new layer current, then the layer is marked with a green check () and
the name of the layer is displayed next to the Current Layer button near
the top of the Layer Manager.
10 Click OK to exit the Layer Manager dialog box. To apply the change and
remain in the dialog box, click Apply.
Renaming Layers
To rename a layer
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Layer Management Layer Manager.
2 In the Layer Manager, do one of the following:
Select the layer that you want to rename, right-click and choose
Rename Layer from the shortcut menu.
Select the layer that you want to rename and press F2.
Deleting Layers
To delete a layer
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Layer Management Layer Manager.
2 In the Layer Manager, select the layer that you want to delete, right-click,
and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.
The layer you have deleted is marked with a red X. It is permanently
deleted when you click Apply or exit the Layer Manager.
NOTE If you try to delete a layer that still has objects on it, you receive an
error message. To delete this layer, you must first erase all objects on it in the
1475
drawing.
If the layer you try to delete is the current layer, the Delete command from
the shortcut menu is deactivated. To delete this layer, make another layer current and then delete the layer.
Some layers may be assigned to the components of another object, or even
to other object styles. These layers cannot be deleted.
3 Click OK to exit the Layer Manager dialog box. To apply the change and
remain in the dialog box, click Apply.
1476
rules that determines the names of new layers that you create within that
particular layer standard. Autodesk Architectural Desktop provides a number
of layer standards that you can use in your drawings. You can also create your
own layer standards by customizing an existing layer standard.
Each layer standard definition contains a set of rules that determines the
names of new layers created within the layer standard. When you create a
new layer, the layer name has a number of parts separated by delimiters (for
example, hyphens). Each part of the layer name is determined by rules set in
one field of the layer standard. You can edit the layer standard definition to
change these rules. For more information, see Editing Layer Standard Definitions in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
For example, the AIA Long Format layer standard includes four fields that
form each new layer name: Discipline, Major Code, Minor Code, and Status.
Each field is separated by a hyphen (-) delimiter, as in the following example:
(Discipline) - (Major Code) - (Minor Code) - (Status)
A layer in your drawing with a Discipline value of A, a Major Code value of
Wall, a Minor Code value of Full, and a Status value of Demo, to
denote a demolition layer, would be named A-WALL-FULL-DEMO.
You can override the information in each field to change the way a layer standard creates a layer name by setting layer key overrides. For more information, see Using Layer Key Overrides on page 1506.
Layer Standard
Generic
1477
Layer Standard
Germany
USA
Great Britain
1478
Discipline: Gives information about who has created the layer, for
example, A for Architect, or B for Building Owner. This field is required.
Contents 1: Contains information about what the layer contains, for
example, Walls, Beams or Dimensions. This field is required.
Contents 2: Contains additional information about what the layer contains, for example, Tag or Miscellaneous. This field is optional.
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
Yes
None
No
No
Contents 1
31
No
No
No
Contents 2
31
No
Yes
No
Costs 13: Gives information about the cost group the layer is in, according to DIN 276.
Description 1: Contains information about what the layer contains.
This field is required.
Description 2: Contains additional information about what the layer
contains. This field is optional.
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Costs 1
Yes
None
No
No
Costs 2
Yes
None
No
No
Costs 3
Yes
None
No
No
1479
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Description 1
31
No
No
No
Description 2
31
No
Yes
No
Discipline: Gives information about who has created the layer. This
field is required.
Phase: Contains information about the planning section the plan is currently in. Possible choices for this field are planning sections from 15 and
AE. This field is required.
Type: Contains information about the view you are looking at. This field
is required.
Floor: Contains information about the story and direction of layers.
Content: Contains information about the content of the layer. This field
is required.
Revision: Contains information about the revision stage the plan is currently in. Revision levels from AK are available. This field is optional.
1480
Field
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
Yes
None
No
No
Phase
Yes
None
No
No
Type
Yes
None
No
No
Floor
Yes
None
No
No
Content
Yes
None
No
No
Revision
No
None
Yes
No
Discipline: Gives information about who has created the layer. This
field is required.
Phase: Contains information about the planning section the plan is currently in. Possible choices for this field are planning sections from 15 and
AE. This field is required.
Type: Contains information about the view you are looking at. This field
is required.
Floor: Contains information about the story and direction of layers.
Content 13: Contains information about the content of the layer.
Content 1 and Content 2 are required. Content 3 is optional.
Revision: Contains information about the revision stage the plan is currently in. Revision levels from AK are available. This field is optional.
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
Yes
None
No
No
Phase
Yes
None
No
No
Type
Yes
None
No
No
Floor
Yes
None
No
No
Content 1
Yes
No
No
Content 2
Yes
None
No
No
Content 3
Yes
None
Yes
No
Revision
No
None
Yes
No
STLB Format
These fields are included in the STLB format.
1481
STLB format
Field
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
No
None
No
No
Description 1
31
No
No
No
Description 2
31
No
No
Yes
1482
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
Yes
None
No
No
[0A-Z]
CISfB-A
Yes
None
No
No
CISfB-B
Yes
None
No
No
CISfB-C
Yes
None
No
No
Graphics
Yes
None
No
No
[0ACDGHTZ]
Grade
Yes
None
No
No
Level
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0-9A-Z][0-9A-Z]
Status
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0NXR]
Scale
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0ASPD]
Phase
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0-9A-Z]
CSIfB
Field
1483
Scale: Indicates the level of detail to be shown by using a single character. For example, P indicates a planning level, D indicates a detail.
Phase: Indicates phasing or alternatives by using a single character.
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
Yes
None
No
No
[0A-Z]
Element
15
No
No
No
Graphics
Yes
No
No
[0ACDGHTZ]
Level
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0-9A-Z]
[0-9A-Z]
Status
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0NXR]
Scale
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0ASPD]
Phase
Yes
None
Yes
No
[0-9A-Z]
1484
Field
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Discipline
Yes
None
No
No
Major Code
Yes
No
No
@@@@
Width
Fixed
Delimiter
Optional
Match
Wildcard
Minor Code
No
Yes
No
Status
No
Yes
No
Click the Component Fields tab to specify how you want to set up the
fields within the layer standard that determine the different parts of the
layer names created with that standard. You can add and delete fields
here. For more information, see Editing Component Fields in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Edit Descriptive Fields tab to add a description that is applied
to each component field in the layer name. You can add a single
description to a group of layer name component fields. For more information, see Editing Descriptive Fields in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Edit Descriptions tab to map longer or different descriptions
to the component fields of the layer name. For more information, see
Editing Descriptions in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
Click the Description Specification tab to control how all the fields in
the layer standard determine the layer description that is displayed in
the Layer Manager. You can change the field that is used in the description and the order of the fields, and you can add text to the beginning
of the layer description. For more information, see Editing Description
Specifications in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
8 When you finish making changes to the layer standard, click OK.
1485
1486
Click the Component Fields tab to specify how you want to set up the
fields within the layer standard that determine the different parts of the
layer names created with that standard. You can add and delete fields
here. For more information, see Editing Component Fields in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Edit Descriptive Fields tab to add a description that is applied
to each component field in the layer name. You can add a single
description to a group of layer name component fields. For more information, see Editing Descriptive Fields in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Edit Descriptions tab to map longer or different descriptions
to the component fields of the layer name. For more information, see
Editing Descriptions in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
Click the Description Specification tab to control how all the fields in
the layer standard determine the layer description that is displayed in
the Layer Manager. You can change the field that is used in the description and the order of the fields, and you can add text to the beginning
3 In the Layer Standards dialog box, select the layer standard that you want
to edit and click Edit.
4 In the Layer Standard Properties dialog box, edit the information about
each of the tabs. These tabs set rules to determine the fields and the values
of individual components of the fields in each layer name. For a list of
what values can be set in each field, see Layer Standard Fields in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Component Fields tab to specify how you want to set up the
fields within the layer standard that determine the different parts of the
layer names created with that standard. You can add and delete fields
and edit the values of the individual components of the fields here. For
more information, see Editing Component Fields in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Edit Descriptive Fields tab to add a description that is applied
to each field in the layer name. You can add a single description to a
group of layer name fields. For more information, see Editing Descriptive Fields in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Edit Descriptions tab to map longer or different descriptions
to the fields of the layer name. The layer descriptions are displayed in
the Layer Manager under Description. For more information, see Editing Descriptions in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
Click the Description Specification tab to control how all the fields in
the layer standard determine the layer description that is displayed in
the Layer Manager. You can change the field that is used in the description and the order of the fields from the shortcut menu, and you can
add text to the layer description. For more information, see Editing
Description Specifications in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users Guide.
1487
4 To add a component field above an existing field, select the field, and
click
. Type a name for the new component field.
5 To add a component field below an existing field, select the field, and
click
. Type a name for the new component field.
6 To edit a field name, double-click the name of the field, and type a new
name over the existing name, or select the name of the field and press F2.
7 To change the values of individual components of the fields, select the values that you want to change, click the values that you want to change, and
select a new value from the shortcut menu. For more information, see
Layer Standard Fields in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
4 To add a descriptive field above an existing field, select the field, and
click
. Type a name for the new descriptive field.
5 To add a descriptive field below an existing field, select the field, and
click
. Type a name for the new descriptive field.
6 To add a component to a descriptive field, select the component under
Component across from the descriptive field and choose a new compo-
1488
nent from the shortcut menu. You can add multiple components to a
descriptive field. Multiple components are used for hierarchical fields such
as the CISfB field used by the BS1192 layer standard.
7 To delete a component from a descriptive field, select the component and
choose Delete from the shortcut menu.
8 To edit a field name, double-click on the name of the field and type over
the existing name with a new name, or select the name of the field and
press F2.
Editing Descriptions
Use the Edit Descriptions tab to map descriptions to component fields.
To edit a description
1 Open the Layer Standard Properties dialog box as described in Editing
Layer Standard Definitions in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users Guide. Select the Edit Descriptions tab.
2 In the Layer Standard list, select the layer standard that you want to edit.
3 In the Field to Edit list, select the field that you want to change.
4 To delete a description, select the field description and click
. Type a
1489
5 To add a field below an existing field, select the field and click
name for the new field.
. Type a
6 To edit text under Prior Text, select the text you want to change and type
new text.
7 To change the Field value, click the current value, and select a new value
from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Select Layer Standards dialog box, select the layer standards that
you want to purge and click Purge.
4 Click OK.
The layer standards that you selected are removed.
NOTE You can import layer standards from the AecLayerStd.dwg drawing
file in Program Files\Autodesk Architectural Desktop\Content\Layers.
All the layer standards in the drawing file are displayed in the External File
list.
6 From the External File list, select the layer standard that you want to
import and click Import.
NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
while you select the additional items.
1490
If you import a layer standard that already exists in the target drawing, a
message is displayed asking if you wish to overwrite the existing layer standard. Click Yes to overwrite the existing layer standard, or click No to cancel.
7 Click OK to return to the Select Layer Standards dialog box.
The layer standards that you imported are displayed in the Select Layer
Standards dialog box.
NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
while you select the additional items.
The layer standards are now in the new drawing.
7 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
1491
NOTE You can select more than one item in a list by holding down CTRL
while you select the additional items.
If you export a layer standard that already exists in the target drawing, a message is displayed asking if you wish to overwrite the existing layer standard.
Click Yes to overwrite the existing layer standard, or click No to cancel.
7 Click OK to exit each dialog box.
The layer standards that you selected are exported to the existing drawing
file.
Layer Keying
A layer key maps an AEC object that you draw on screen to a defined layer.
When you create an object, the layer key that is associated with the object
automatically places that object on the layer to which it is mapped. Using
layer keys to automatically place objects on predefined layers is called layer
keying. Usually, you key objects to layers that conform to a layer standard.
Each layer standard names layers according to a set of rules that you can
modify. To create or change the rules that determine the layer name structure
in a layer standard, you can modify the information in the component fields,
descriptive fields, descriptions, and description specifications of the layer
standard definition. For more information, see Layer Standards Included with
the Layer Manager, in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Depending on your design needs, you might need to use different layer name
structures or assign different properties to layers within a layer standard.
With Autodesk Architectural Desktop, you can create different sets of layer
keys based on layer standards, called layer key styles. Each layer key style contains a set of layer keys for all of the AEC objects and their layer mappings.
NOTE You must create layer keys for objects new to Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, Release 3 if you are opening a drawing from Architectural Desktop
Release 2.
You can easily change the properties of the layers that the layer keys are
mapped to within a layer key style. If you base your layer key style on a layer
standard, then you can also change the layer name for new objects drawn
1492
with that layer key. To do this, you override the information in the
descriptive fields of the layer standard definition to change the layer name
within the layer key style.
For example, a wall object is assigned to the layer key WALL. If you use the
AIA (256-color) layer key style that is based on the AIA layer standard, the
WALL layer key maps to the layer, A-Wall. The AIA layer standard contains
four descriptive fields, Discipline, Major Code, Minor Code, and Status. In
the AIA layer standard definition, the Discipline field contains A and the
Major Code field contains Wall. These values determine the A-Wall layer
name that the object is placed on. If you override the information in these
fields within the current layer key style, for example, by replacing A in the
Discipline field with B, then the next wall that you draw is placed on the BWall layer.
Layer Keying
1493
NOTE The default Standard layer key style is not based on a layer standard. It
contains the default set of layer keys.
You can copy an existing layer key style and purge unused layer key styles.
You can purge only those layer key styles not currently in use. Layer key
styles can be imported to and exported from existing drawings and new
drawings.
You can create a new layer key style by using the Autodesk Architectural
Desktop default layer keys, or you can create a new layer key style from an
existing LY file. You can also copy an existing layer key style and then change
the layer key properties to create a new layer key style. For more information
about editing layer key styles, see Editing Layer Key Styles in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Each of the default layer keys has default settings for layer name, description,
color, linetype, lineweight, plot style, and plot. For information about
default layer keys, see Default layer keys for creating AEC objects in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide. For more information about saving default layers keys, see Selecting Layer Standards and Layer Key Styles in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Whether you create an original layer key style or one from an existing LY file,
if you want to use overrides, you must base the layer key style on a layer standard in the current drawing. If you create a nonstandard layer key style, then
the Overrides On/Off command is unavailable. If you copy a layer key style,
then you can use layer key overrides only if the layer key style that you
copied is based on a layer standard. For more information about using layer
key overrides, see Using Layer Key Overrides in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1494
2 With the Layer Key style type selected, right-click, and choose New from
the shortcut menu.
3 Type a name for the new Layer Key style, and press ENTER.
4 To edit the style properties of your new Layer Key style, select the style,
right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
The Layer Key Style Properties dialog box is displayed. You can add notes
and change the layer keys of the new style. For more information about
changing each style property, see Editing Layer Key Styles in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
5 When you finish changing the Layer Key style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Layer Keying
1495
mation about changing style properties, see Editing Layer Key Styles in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1496
3 In the Layer Key Style Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the layer key style, type it in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the layer key style, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the filename in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference filename to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the filename in the list and click
Delete.
8 When you finish changing the Layer Key style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Layer Keying
1497
4 If you want to change the layer standard that the layer key style is based
on, select a new standard from the Standard list. To not base the layer keying on a layer standard, select Non Standard from the list.
NOTE You can base more than one layer key style on the same layer standard so that each layer key style can be used with different color, linetype,
and override settings.
5 To add a new layer key, click Add.
New keys are added with default values.
6 To delete the selected layer key, click Remove.
7 To change the layer key properties, do any of the following:
NOTE To change the properties of more than one layer key at a time, hold
down CTRL and select the additional layer keys.
8 When you finish changing the Layer Key style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
9 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1498
the Layer Key style type. All other style and definition types are filtered
out in the tree view.
2 Do one of the following:
To purge a single unused Layer Key style in your current drawing, select
the style under the style type, right-click, and choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused Layer Key styles in your current drawing, with
the Layer Key style type selected, right-click, and choose Purge from the
shortcut menu.
3 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
Layer Keying
1499
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1500
the Layer Key style type. All other style and definition types are filtered
out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the style to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the style to, and click Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Layer Key style type.
4 Select the style in the current drawing that you want to copy to the second
drawing, and press CTRL+C.
5 Select the second drawing, and press CTRL+V.
The style is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the
Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
7 To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select Rename
to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in the Style
Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Description
ANNDTOBJ
Detail marks
ANNELOBJ
Elevation objects
ANNOBJ
ANNREV
Revisions
Layer Keying
1501
1502
ANNSXOBJ
Section marks
ANNSYMOBJ
Annotation marks
APPL
Appliances
AREA
Areas
AREAGRP
Area groups
AREAGRPNO
AREANO
Area tags
CAMERA
Cameras
CASE
Casework
CASENO
Casework tags
CEILGRID
Ceiling grids
CEILOBJ
Ceiling objects
CHASE
Chases
COLUMN
Columns
COMMUN
Communication
CONTROL
Control systems
CWLAYOUT
Curtain walls
CWUNIT
DIMLINE
Dimensions
DOOR
Doors
DOORNO
Door tags
DRAINAGE
Drainage
ELEC
Electric
ELECNO
Electrical tags
Elevations
ELEVAT
Elevators
ELEVHIDE
Elevations (2D)
EQUIP
Equipment
EQUIPNO
Equipment tags
FINCEIL
Ceiling tags
FINFLOOR
Finish tags
FIRE
FURN
Furniture
FURNNO
Furniture tags
GRIDBUB
GRIDLINE
Column grids
LAYGRID
Layout grids
LIGHTCLG
Ceiling lighting
LIGHTW
Wall lighting
MASSELEM
Massing elements
MASSGRPS
Massing groups
MASSSLCE
Massing slices
OPENING
Wall openings
PEOPLE
People
PFIXT
Plumbing fixtures
PLANTS
Plants - outdoor
PLANTSI
Plants - indoor
POLYGON
AEC Polygons
Layer Keying
1503
1504
POWER
Electrical power
PRK-SYM
Parking symbols
ROOF
Rooflines
ROOFSLAB
Roof slabs
ROOMNO
Room tags
SCHEDOBJ
Schedule tables
SEATNO
Seating tags
SECT
Miscellaneous sections
SECTHIDE
Sections (2D)
SITE
Site
SLAB
Slabs
SPACEBDRY
Space boundaries
SPACEOBJ
Space objects
STAIR
Stairs
STAIRH
Stair handrails
STRUCTBEAM
Structural beams
STRUCTBEAMIDEN
STRUCTBRACE
Structural braces
STRUCTBRACEIDE
N
STRUCTCOLS
Structural columns
STRUCTCOLSIDEN
SWITCH
Electrical switches
TITTEXT
TOILACC
Arch. specialties
Toilet tags
UTIL
Site utilities
VEHICLES
Vehicles
WALL
Walls
WALLFIRE
WALLNO
Wall tags
WIND
Windows
WINDASSEM
Window assemblies
WINDNO
Window tags
Layer Keying
1505
Description
Blank
Color
7 (white/black)
Linetype
Continuous
Lineweight
Default
Plot style
Normal
Plot
Yes
Description
Blank
1506
fields, you must edit the layer standard definition. For more information, see
Getting Started with the Layer Manager in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
After you create layer key styles with overrides, you can turn the overrides on
and off in your current drawing. When the layer key overrides are on, objects
that you create are placed on layers defined by the layer standard definitions
and overridden with the values that you set. When the layer key overrides
are off, objects that you create are placed on the layers defined only by the
layer standard. You can start using the layer key overrides immediately after
you set them, or you can use the Overrides On/Off command to switch them
on later.
Layer Keying
1507
NOTE Individual layer keys that do not allow overrides as specified in the
Layer Key Properties dialog box are not overridden when you select Enable All
Overrides.
5 Click OK.
If you turned on the layer key overrides, then any objects that you create
will use the layer key overrides according to the override values that you
have set and whether you allowed overrides for the layer keys in the layer
key style. If you did not turn on the layer key overrides, then objects that
you create are placed on layers defined by the layer standard.
NOTE When you remap or restore objects to layers, any current layer key overrides that are in place remain in effect.
1508
3 If you want to view the list of available layer keys, type a question mark
(?).
4 Type the name of the layer key that you want to remap the object to, and
press ENTER.
The object is mapped to a different layer in your drawing, respecting any current layer key overrides.
3 Type o apply the layer assigned to the default layer key of each object in
the selection set, respecting any current layer key overrides.
4 Press ENTER to end the command.
1509
All: Is always present and lists all the layers and other layer groups in the
drawing.
Xref: Lists any layers in external reference files linked with the current
drawing.
User groups: Contain layers that you have assigned to them.
Filter groups: Contain layers based on a filter that you set for the group.
The following group rules apply when you are creating and working with
layer groups:
You can add and subtract layers from existing layer groups. You can change
the standard AutoCAD properties for the layers in groups, rename layer
groups, delete layer groups, and change the filters in filter groups.
1510
A filter group contains layers that meet filter criteria that you specify for the
group. Filter criteria can select layers according to layer states (on/off, frozen/
thawed, locked/unlocked), properties, or names. For example, you can create
a filter group that includes all of the red layers in the current drawing.
Filter groups can be either dynamic or static. Dynamic filter groups are automatically updated when you change the properties of layers that are part of
the group. You cannot manually add layers to or remove layers from existing
dynamic filter groups. Static filter groups are not automatically updated, and
they include only the layers that met the filter criteria when the group was
created. You can manually add layers to and remove layers from existing
static filter groups.
1511
Click the States tab and set filter criteria by visibility state, or select
Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer State Filter
Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Colors tab and set filter criteria by layer color, or select Ignore
This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Color Filter Criteria
in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Linetypes tab and set filter criteria by linetype, or select
Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Linetype Filter
Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Layer Standards tab and set filter criteria by a layer standard,
or select Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Standard Filter Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
Click the Wildcards tab and set filter criteria by using wildcard characters, or select Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Filter
Criteria Using Wildcard Characters in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
6 After you finish specifying the filter criteria, click OK to return to the Layer
Manager.
7 Click OK to exit the Layer Manager dialog box. To apply the change and
remain in the dialog box, click Apply.
1512
2 In the left pane of the Layer Manager, select a layer group, right-click and
choose New Group Filter from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Layer Filter Properties dialog box, type a name for the new filter
group under Filter Name.
4 In the Layer Filter Properties dialog box, select Static.
5 Set the filter criteria:
Click the States tab and set filter criteria by visibility state, or select
Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer State Filter
Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Colors tab and set filter criteria by layer color, or select Ignore
This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Color Filter Criteria
in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Linetypes tab and set filter criteria by linetype, or select
Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Linetype Filter
Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Standards tab and set filter criteria by a layer standard, or
select Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Standard Filter Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
Click the Wildcards tab and set filter criteria by using wildcard characters, or select Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Filter
Criteria Using Wildcard Characters in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
6 After you finish specifying the filter criteria, click OK to return to the Layer
Manager.
7 Click OK to exit the Layer Manager dialog box. To apply the change and
remain in the dialog box, click Apply.
On: All the layers in the drawing that are turned on.
Off: All the layers that are turned off.
1513
Both: Both layers that are turned on and layers that are turned off.
4 Select one of the following options for the Freeze/Thaw layer state filter:
5 Select one of the following options for the Locked/Unlocked layer state filter:
VP Thawed: All the layers that are thawed in the current viewport.
VP Frozen: All the layers that are frozen in the current viewport.
Both: All the layers in the current viewport, both thawed and frozen.
7 Select one of the following options to filter for layers that are in use or
unused:
8 After you finish specifying the filter criteria, click OK to return to the Layer
Manager or select other filter properties tabs to continue to add additional
filtering criteria.
1514
To add all of the colors from the Architectural Desktop color palette to
the color filter, click Add All. All of the colors available to Architectural
Desktop are moved to the Selected Colors list.
To add an individual color to the filter, select a color in the Available
Colors list, and click Add. The color that you selected is moved from
the Available Colors list to the Selected Colors list.
To add a new color to the filter from the full color palette, click Choose
Color, select a color from the Select Color dialog box, and click OK.
To remove all of the layer colors in the color filter, click Remove All.
The colors in the Selected Colors list are moved to the Available Colors
list.
To remove an individual color from the filter, select the color in the
Selected Colors list, and click Remove. The color that you selected is
moved from the Selected Colors list to the Available Colors list.
5 After you finish specifying the filter criteria, click OK to return to the Layer
Manager.
To add an individual linetype to the filter, select a linetype in the Available for Filtering list, and click Add. The linetype is moved from the
Available for Filtering list to the Already in Filter list.
To add all of the available linetypes to the filter, click Add All. The
linetypes are moved from the Available in Drawing list to the Already
in Filter list.
1515
To remove all of the linetypes in the filter, click Remove All. The linetypes are moved from the Already in Filter list to the Available for Filtering list.
5 After you finish specifying the filter criteria, click OK to return to the Layer
Manager.
To filter for layer categories that are not in a layer standard, select
Nonstandard.
To filter for layers that are in a layer standard, select the layer standard
from the list.
4 If you selected a layer standard in step 3, use Add and Remove to transfer
layer standard categories to and from the Available Categories and
Selected Categories lists.
The Selected Categories list contains the categories that are included in
the filter criteria. When you add categories to the Selected Categories list,
the order in which you add them affects the hierarchical structure of the
generated layer groups. For example, if you select the AIA layer standard,
you can add Discipline followed by Major to create a two-tier hierarchy
with architectural layers separated from facilities management layers.
1516
From the list on the left, select Wildcard Layer Names Must Match, and
then type a wildcard string and an asterisk (*) to include in the filter all
layers that contain that string.
From the list on the left, click Wildcard Layer Names Must Not Match,
and then type a wildcard string and an asterisk (*) to exclude from the
filter all layers that contain that string. For more information about
working with wildcards, see Filter Selection Sets in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
1517
3 In the current drawing, select an object on each layer that you want to add
to the user group.
4 After you finish selecting objects, press ENTER or right-click to return to
the Layer Manager.
The layers that you selected are added to the layer group. To view the
contents of the layer group, click the layer group folder in the left pane of
the Layer Manager.
1518
2 In the Layer Manager, select the layer group whose properties you want to
change, right-click, and choose one of the following options from the
shortcut menu:
Lock: Locks or unlocks all the layers in the group depending on the
layer state.
Freeze/Thaw: Freezes or thaws all the layers in the group depending
on the layer state.
Viewport: Freezes or thaws all the layers in the group within the current viewport.
Visibility: Switches all the layers in the group on or off depending on
the layer state.
Isolate Group: Freezes all the layers in the drawing except those in
the selected layer group.
The layers in the layer group are updated to display the property changes.
Select the layer group that you want to rename, press F2, and type a
new name for the layer group.
Select the layer group that you want to rename, right-click, choose
Rename Group from the shortcut menu, and type a new name for the
layer group.
Click the group name to highlight it, and click again to type a new
name over the existing name.
1519
NOTE The layer group is deleted from the Layer Manager, but the layers listed
in the group are not affected.
Click the States tab and set filter criteria by visibility state, or select
Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer State Filter
Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Colors tab and set filter criteria by layer color, or select Ignore
This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Color Filter Criteria
in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Linetypes tab and set filter criteria by linetype, or select
Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Linetype Filter
Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
Click the Standards tab and set filter criteria by a layer standard, or
select Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Layer Standard Filter Criteria in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users
Guide.
Click the Wildcards tab and set filter criteria by using wildcard characters, or select Ignore This Filter. For more information, see Setting Filter
Criteria Using Wildcard Characters in the online Autodesk Architectural
Desktop Users Guide.
1520
You can create and name any number of layer snapshots. You can add and
delete individual layers in an existing snapshot. You can edit, delete, and
import and export the snapshot. Import snapshots into new drawings to
automatically set up a layering scheme in your drawing.
You can create snapshots of all the layers in the current drawing or all of the
layers in a particular layer group. Create a snapshot of all the layers in a
drawing when you want to restore or export an entire layering scheme.
Create a snapshot of a particular layer group to store a specific set of layering
information.
1521
3 In the Snapshots dialog box, select the snapshot that you want to edit and
click Edit.
4 In the Snapshot Edit dialog box, do any of the following:
To add layers in the drawing that are not listed in the snapshot, click
Add, select the layer that you want to add in the Select Layer dialog
box, and click OK.
To delete a layer from the snapshot, select the layer that you want to
delete and click Delete.
To edit the standard AutoCAD layer properties of the individual layers
in the snapshot, click the property icons or descriptions.
5 When you finish editing the layer snapshot, click OK to return to the
Snapshots dialog box.
The snapshot is saved with the changes that you made and is displayed in
the Snapshots dialog box.
3 In the Snapshots dialog box, select the snapshot that you want to delete
and click Delete.
The snapshot that you deleted is no longer listed in the Snapshots dialog
box.
3 In the Snapshots dialog box, select the layer snapshot that you want to
restore, and click Restore.
1522
SSL: Layer Manager Snapshot Format. Saves layer properties, description, and linetype files.
LAY: Bonus Layer Format. Compatible with the AutoCAD Express
Tools utility for saving layer snapshots. The layer description and linetype file are not saved with the snapshot.
CDF: Comma-Delimited Format. An ASCII file that you can read or
edit in a standard word processor.
3 In the Snapshots dialog box, select the snapshot that you want to export,
and click Export.
4 In the Export Layer Snapshot dialog box, type a name for the new file that
you want to export the snapshot to.
5 Navigate to the folder you want to save the layer snapshot in.
6 From the Save as type list, select one of the following file formats for the
snapshot:
1523
SSL: Layer Manager Snapshot Format. Saves a layer properties, description, and linetype file.
LAY: Bonus Layer Format. Compatible with the AutoCAD Express
Tools utility for saving layer snapshots. The layer description and linetype file are not saved with the snapshot.
CDF: Comma-Delimited Format. An ASCII file that you can read or
edit in a standard word processor.
7 Click Save to export the snapshot and return to the Snapshots dialog box.
The layer snapshot is exported to the folder that you specified in the format you selected.
1524
Menu Command
Command Line
Layer Manager...
LayerManager
Select Layer
Standard...
DwgLayerSetup
LayerKeyStyle
LayerKeyOverride
Overrides On/Off
LayerKeyOverride
RemapLayers
Right-click
Style Manager
41
In this chapter
Architectural Desktop
Manager
Sorting and viewing styles
Working with drawings and
drawings
Working with styles on the
Web
Purging styles
Sending styles by email
1525
Provide a central point for accessing styles from open drawings and
Internet and intranet sites
Quickly set up new drawings and templates by copying styles from other
drawings or templates
Sort and view the styles in your drawings and templates by drawing or by
style type
Preview an object with a selected style
Create new styles and edit existing styles
Delete unused styles from drawings and templates
Send styles to other Autodesk Architectural Desktop users by email
1526
NOTE To view layer key styles in the Style Manager, you must run a Layer
Management command (Layer Manager, Layer Key Styles, or Layer Key Overrides) before you display the Style Manager.
Most of the objects in Autodesk Architectural Desktop have a default
Standard style. In addition, Autodesk Architectural Desktop includes a starter
set of styles that you can use with your drawings. The Autodesk Architectural
Desktop templates contain some of these styles. Any drawing that you start
from one of the templates includes these styles. You can also access the styles
for doors, endcaps, spaces, stairs, walls, and windows from drawings located
in c:\Program Files\Autodesk Architectural\Content\Imperial or Metric\Styles.
Property set definitions and schedule tables are located in the c:\Program
Files\Autodesk Architectural\Content\Imperial or Metric\Schedules folder.
You can access the Style Manager directly by choosing it from the Desktop
menu. You can also access it when you choose object styles from other
Autodesk Architectural Desktop menus (for example, from the Design menu,
choose Walls Wall Styles).
Upgrading from a previous version of AutoCAD Architectural Desktop
If you are upgrading from a previous version of AutoCAD Architectural
Desktop, the Style Manager replaces the Style dialog box, used for creating,
copying, editing, purging, importing, and exporting styles.
1527
1528
Status bar
The status bar at the bottom right of the Style Manager indicates how the
styles are sorted in the tree view, and the drawing and style type or style currently selected.
Your open drawings and templates are displayed in the Style Manager tree
view in the left pane. The current drawing name is highlighted in the tree
1529
view, and the drawing is expanded to display all the possible style types.
If the style types have plus signs (+) next to them, they contain styles.
1530
You can reverse the order of the drawing and style type levels in the tree view
by sorting your styles by style type. In style sorted view, your styles are
organized by style type, then by drawing.
1531
The status bar at the bottom of the Style Manager indicates whether the
styles are sorted by drawing or by style type.
Depending on how you sort the tree view, and on what you select in the tree
view, the contents of the right pane changes. You can preview how an object
is displayed with a style, view style descriptions, view drawing information,
and view the distribution of styles of a single type across multiple drawings
and templates. For more information, see Viewing Styles in the Style Manager on page 1534.
NOTE By default, the styles in your open drawings and templates are sorted
by drawing each time you open the Style Manager.
1532
NOTE If By Style is selected on the View Explore menu, then your styles
are already sorted by style type.
The style types from all the open drawings and templates are displayed in
the tree view.
2 Click the plus sign (+) next to a style type in the tree view.
Your open drawings and templates are displayed under the style type. If
the drawings or templates have plus signs (+) next to them, then they contain styles of that style type.
3 Click the plus sign (+) next to a drawing or template.
The styles in the drawing are displayed under the drawing or template.
1533
The status bar at the bottom of the Style Manager indicates that the styles
are sorted by drawing. You can easily switch between drawing and style
type sorted styles. For more information, see Switching Between Drawing
and Style Sorted Styles on page 1534.
If your styles were sorted by drawing, then they are now sorted by style. If
your styles were sorted by style, then they are now sorted by drawing.
1534
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Select the style type with the styles that you want to view.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view with the
styles that you want to display.
Select the drawing that contains the styles of the style type that you
want to copy.
The styles of the style type within the drawing that you selected are displayed in the right pane of the Style Manager.
3 To change how the style information is displayed in the right pane, do one
of the following:
To display large icons for each of the styles in the right pane, from the
Style Manager menu, choose View Large Icons.
To display small icons for each of the styles in the right pane, from the
Style Manager menu, choose View Small Icons.
To display the styles in a list, from the Style Manager, choose View
List.
1535
To display the styles in a list with a description of each style, from the
Style Manager, choose View Details.
Filtering Styles
You can filter styles in the Style Manager so only the styles of one selected
type display in the tree view in the left pane. The styles are filtered out for
viewing purposes only. They are not deleted. You can easily restore the styles
that you filter out.
To filter styles
1 In the Style Manager, sort your styles by drawing or by style type.
2 Depending on how you sorted your styles, do one of the following:
If you sorted your styles by drawing:
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Select the style type that you do not want to filter out.
Select the style type that you do not want to filter out.
3 Click
The styles that you did not select are filtered out, and the style type that
you selected remains in the Style Manager tree view.
4 To filter the previous styles back into the Style Manager, click
1536
Previewing a Style
You can view how an object is displayed with a selected style applied to it.
You can only preview styles that are applied to visible objects, like walls,
doors, or stairs. Non-visible objects, like schedule table styles, cannot be
previewed.
To preview a style
1 In the Style Manager, sort your styles by drawing or by style type.
2 Depending on how you sorted your styles, do one of the following:
If you sorted your styles by drawing:
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type that contains the style that
you want to preview.
Select the style that you want to preview.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the style that you want to preview.
Select the drawing that contains the style that you want to preview.
Select the style in the drawing that you want to preview.
1537
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type that contains the style that
you want to preview.
Select the style.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the style that you want to preview.
Select the drawing that contains the style that you want to preview.
Select the style in the drawing.
3 Click the List tab to view the description of the selected style.
4 To preview the style, click the Viewer tab.
1538
Manager. The following table shows how a drawing can display in the Style
Manager.
Drawing icon
Drawing status
Drawing is open in Autodesk Architectural Desktop and in the Style
Manager
Drawing is open in the Style Manager only
Closing drawings
Any of the drawings and templates that you create or open in the Style
Manager are displayed every time you open the Style Manager, unless you
close them from within the Style Manager. These drawings and templates are
redisplayed in the Style Manager when you quit the drawing session, restart
Autodesk Architectural Desktop, and open the Style Manager.
NOTE To edit or add to the drawing information, close the Style Manager,
and choose File Drawing Properties. Click the Summary tab and make your
changes. Re-open the Style Manager and select the drawing in the tree view
to view your changes.
3 Click OK.
1539
1540
The drawing is displayed in the Style Manager tree view. It is open only in
the Style Manager, not your Autodesk Architectural Desktop drawing session. You can open the drawing in Autodesk Architectural Desktop after
you exit the Style Manager.
1541
1542
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view where you
want to create the new style.
Select the style type of the new style that you want to create.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type of the new style in the tree
view.
Select the drawing where you want to create the new style.
Right-click, and choose New.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view where you
want to create the new style.
Select the style type of the style that you want to copy.
Right-click, and choose Copy from the shortcut menu.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type of the new style in the tree
view.
Select the drawing where you want to create the new style.
Right-click, and choose Copy from the shortcut menu.
1543
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view where you
want to create the new definition.
Select the definition type of the new definition that you want to create.
Right-click, and choose New from the shortcut menu.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the definition type of the new definition
in the tree view.
Select the drawing where you want to create the new definition.
Right-click, and choose New from the shortcut menu.
1544
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view where you
want to create the new style.
Select the style type of the new style that you want to create.
Right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type of the new style in the tree
view.
Select the drawing where you want to create the new style.
Right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
1545
You can drag and drop or copy and paste styles to copy them between
drawings. The following table outlines the possible operations in the Style
Manager.
Copying styles between drawings in the Style Manager
If you want to...
Select in tree
view...
Drawing
Style Type in
Drawing 1
Drawing 2,
or any style type or style in
Drawing 2
Style Type
Drawing 1
Drawing 2
Drawing
Styles in
Drawing 1
Drawing 2,
or any style type or style in
Drawing 2
Style Type
Styles in
Drawing 1
When you copy styles from one drawing to another drawing, the Style
Manager uses the AutoCAD WBLOCK command to write your styles to the
second drawing. If there are any styles of the same name in the second drawing, the Style Manager reports the duplicate style names. You have the option
to not copy the new styles to the second drawing, to overwrite the duplicate
styles in the second drawing with the new styles, or to rename the new styles
as you copy them to the second drawing.
You cannot copy styles to drawings that are open as read-only. However, you
can copy styles from read-only drawings to other drawings.
Before you can copy styles between drawings, you must open more than one
drawing or template in the Style Manager. For more information, see Working with Drawings and Templates in the Style Manager on page 1538.
1546
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view with the
styles that you want to copy.
Select the style type with the styles that you want to copy.
Drag the style type to the second drawing, or any style type or style in
the second drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view with the
styles that you want to copy.
Select the drawing that contains the styles of the style type that you
want to copy.
Drag the styles to the second drawing, or any style in the second drawing.
To not replace the existing styles in the drawing with the new styles of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing styles in the drawing with the new styles, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new styles so both sets of styles exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. The new style names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
1547
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view with the
style that you want to copy.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy.
Select the style that you want to copy.
Drag the style to the second drawing, or any style type or style in the
second drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the style that you want to copy.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing that contains the style that
you want to copy.
Select the style in the drawing that you want to copy.
Drag the style to the style type in the second drawing, or any style in
the second drawing.
1548
To not replace the existing styles in the drawing with the new styles of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing styles in the drawing with the new styles, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new styles so both sets of styles exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. The new style names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Select the style type with the styles that you want to copy.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view that you
want to copy to display the drawings that contain styles of that style
type.
Select the drawing that contains the styles of the style type that you
want to copy.
Select the drawing in the tree view that you want to copy the styles to.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that you
want to copy to display the drawings that contain styles of that style
type.
Select the drawing that contains the styles of the style type that you
want to copy.
1549
The styles are copied into the target drawing. If the drawing that you are
copying styles to already contains styles with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found
dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing styles in the drawing with the new styles of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing styles in the drawing with the new styles, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new styles so both sets of styles exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. The new style names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type that contains the style that
you want to copy.
Select the style that you want to copy.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the style that you want to copy.
Select the drawing that contains the style that you want to copy.
Select the style in the drawing that you want to copy.
1550
Select the drawing in the tree view that you want to copy the style to.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that you
want to copy to display the drawings that contain styles of that style
type.
Select the drawing that contains the styles of the style type that you
want to copy.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. The new style name is appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
1551
NOTE You cannot purge styles from read-only drawings. Read-only drawings are displayed in the Style Manager with a lock next to them.
2 In the tree view of the Style Manager, select the drawing with the styles
that you want to purge.
NOTE You can select only one drawing in the tree view at a time. You cannot select multiple drawings in the tree view.
3 Choose Edit Purge.
A confirmation dialog box with a list of styles that are available to purge
is displayed. All the available styles are selected by default.
4 Click OK to purge all the styles.
1552
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you choose Edit Purge in step 3, select Only Show this Confir-
NOTE You cannot purge styles from read-only drawings. Read-only drawings are displayed in the Style Manager with a lock next to them.
2 In the tree view of the Style Manager, do one of the following:
If you sorted your styles by drawing:
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Select the style type with the styles that you want to purge.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains styles of that you want to purge.
Select the drawing that contains the styles that you want to purge.
1553
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you choose Edit Purge in step 3, select Only Show this Confir-
NOTE You cannot purge styles from read-only drawings. Read-only drawings are displayed in the Style Manager with a lock next to them.
2 In the tree view of the Style Manager, do one of the following:
If you sorted your styles by drawing:
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type that contains the style that
you want to purge.
Select the style that you want to purge.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the style that you want to purge.
Select the drawing that contains the style that you want to purge.
Select the style in the drawing that you want to purge.
1554
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you choose Edit Purge in step 3, select Only Show this Confir-
NOTE This feature of the Style Manager is available only when you have email
available on your system. If you do not have email available on your system, the
Send option is not available on the Style Manager menu and shortcut menus.
You can send all the styles in a drawing or template, send only the styles of
single style type in a drawing or template, or send a single style. The Style
Manager copies the styles that you select to a new drawing file (.dwg), and
attaches it to a new email message, created with the email program on your
system.
Autodesk Architectural Desktop users who receive your styles by email can
open the attached drawing file in the Style Manager and copy your styles to
their drawings.
NOTE You can select only one drawing in the tree view at a time. You cannot select multiple drawings in the tree view.
1555
NOTE If email is not available on your system, the Send option is not available on your Style Manager menu and shortcut menus.
A new email message with the default subject ADT Styles, is created
using your email program. A drawing file (.dwg) containing the styles is
added to the message as a file attachment.
4 Address and send the email message with your email program.
The Autodesk Architectural Desktop user or users who receive your styles
by email can open the attached drawing in the Style Manager and copy
the styles to their drawings.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Select the style type with the styles that you want to send.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the styles that you want to send.
Select the drawing that contains the styles that you want to send.
NOTE If email is not available on your system, the Send option is not available on your Style Manager menu and shortcut menus.
1556
A new email message with the default subject ADT Styles, is created
using your email program. A drawing file (.dwg) containing the styles is
added to the message as a file attachment.
4 Address and send the email message with your email program.
The Autodesk Architectural Desktop user or users who receive your styles
by email can open the attached drawing in the Style Manager and copy
the styles to their drawings.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the drawing in the tree view to display
the style types in the drawing.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type that contains the style that
you want to purge.
Select the style that you want to send.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the style type in the tree view that contains the style that you want to purge.
Select the drawing that contains the style that you want to purge.
Select the style in the drawing that you want to send.
NOTE If email is not available on your system, the Send option is not available on your Style Manager menu and shortcut menus.
A new email message with the default subject ADT Styles, is created
using your email program. A drawing file (.dwg) containing the style is
added to the message as a file attachment.
4 Address and send the email message with your email program.
1557
The Autodesk Architectural Desktop user or users who receive your style
by email can open the attached drawing in the Style Manager and copy
the styles to their drawings.
1558
Menu command
Command line
Style Manager...
AecStyleManager
Right-click
Layout Tools
42
In this chapter
properties
Adding layout grids and layout
volumes
Changing properties of layout
1559
Layout Curves
Use a layout curve to anchor objects along a path. You can define walls, mass
elements, and roofs, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, polygons, polylines, and
splines as layout curves.
1560
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
NOTE Theoretically, you can attach layout curves to any object in Architectural Desktop. However, they are best suited for objects with linear geometry,
like polylines, walls or splines. If you need nodes on a 2D object, you might consider using a layout grid instead.
The following spacing options are available:
Manual: You specify the position of each node along the layout curve.
Repeat: You specify a set equidistant spacing between nodes along the
layout curve. The number of anchor nodes is determined by the length of
the layout curve. As the length of the curve changes, nodes are added or
subtracted accordingly. The spacing of the nodes remains fixed.
Space Evenly: You specify the number of nodes along the curve. The
space between the nodes is determined by the length of the layout curve.
As the length of the curve changes, the spacing between the nodes is
lengthened or shortened accordingly. The number of nodes remains fixed.
Type the number of nodes that you want to place on the curve, or press
ENTER to use the default number of nodes.
Specify points on the curve to place the nodes. The distances that you
specify are measured from the start point of the curve.
4 To place the nodes along the curve based on a repeated spacing value, type
r (Repeat), and do the following:
Type a starting offset distance for the first node, or press ENTER to use
the default starting offset distance.
Layout Curves
1561
Type an ending offset distance for the last node, or press ENTER to use
the default ending offset distance.
Type a value for node spacing, or press ENTER to use the default node
spacing. The first point is placed at the starting offset distance, and
additional nodes are added up to, but not over, the ending offset distance. The last node may be farther from the end of the curve than the
ending offset distance.
5 To place the nodes evenly along the curve, type s (Space Evenly), and do
the following:
Type a starting offset distance for the first node, or press ENTER to use
the default starting offset distance.
Type an ending offset distance for the last node, or press ENTER to use
the default ending offset distance.
Type the number of nodes that you want to place on the curve, or press
ENTER to place the default number of nodes. The first node is placed at
the starting offset distance. Additional nodes are spaced evenly up to,
but not over, the ending offset distance.
1562
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the filename in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference filename to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the filename in the list and click
Delete.
Layout Curves
1563
5 When you finish making changes to the layout curve, click OK to exit the
dialog box.
NOTE You can add nodes only to layout curves with manually spaced nodes
or evenly spaced nodes. Layout curves with nodes placed at a fixed repeated
spacing value cannot be changed without changing the length of the curve. For
information about spacing options, see Adding Layout Curves on page 1560.
To add nodes to an existing layout curve
1 Select the layout curve by selecting one of the node anchors.
2 Right-click, and choose Add Node from the shortcut menu.
1564
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
3 Specify the distance of the new layout node from the start of the curve.
NOTE You can remove nodes from layout curves only with manually spaced
nodes or evenly spaced nodes. Layout curves with nodes placed at a fixed
repeated spacing value cannot be changed without changing the length of the
curve. For information about spacing options, see Adding Layout Curves on
page 1560.
To remove nodes from an existing layout curve
1 Select the layout curve by selecting one of the node anchors.
2 Right-click, and choose Remove Node from the shortcut menu.
3 Specify the distance of the layout node to be removed from the start of the
curve.
If you have removed a node from a layout curve with manual nodes,
the node is removed from the specified position. The position of the
other nodes remains unchanged.
If you have removed a node from a layout curve with evenly spaced
nodes, the node is removed from the specified position and the remaining nodes are recalculated, so that they are evenly spaced again.
Manual: You specify the position of each node along the layout curve.
Repeat: You specify a set equidistant spacing between nodes along the
layout curve. The number of anchor nodes is determined by the length of
the layout curve. As the length of the curve changes, nodes are added or
subtracted accordingly. The distance between the nodes remains fixed.
Layout Curves
1565
Space Evenly: You specify the number of nodes along the curve. The
space between the anchor nodes is determined by the length of the layout
curve. As the length of the curve changes the spacing between the nodes
is lengthened or shortened accordingly. The number of nodes remains
fixed.
You can change that mode later, so that, for example, a curve with manually
spaced nodes becomes a curve with evenly spaced nodes. Or if you want to
add nodes to a layout curve with a fixed number of nodes, you must first convert the layout curve to the manually spaced or evenly spaced modes.
To change the spacing mode of a layout curve
1 Select the layout curve by selecting one of the node anchors.
2 Right-click, and choose Layout Mode from the shortcut menu.
The following prompt is displayed:
Select node layout mode [Manual/Repeat/Space evenly] <Manual>:
1566
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
type start and end offsets, and the distance between the nodes. If there
are too few nodes on the curve to fill it, new nodes are created at the
specified distance.
Layout Curves
1567
Layout Grids
Use a layout grid to arrange objects in a 2D grid pattern. You can use a radial
or rectangular layout grid. A layout grid has node anchors at the intersection
of the grid lines and cell anchors at the intersection of grid bays. You can
anchor objects to the intersection of the grid lines (nodes) or to the center of
the grid bays (cells).
NOTE By default, the markers for node anchors and cell anchors are not displayed when you insert a grid. To display them, turn these components on in the
Entity Display. For information about turning on display components, see
Changing the Display of Layout Grids on page 1576.
Changing the size of a grid changes the spacing of objects anchored to that
grid and can also change the size of objects anchored to that grid. When
using a cell anchor, you can use a clipping profile to define a boundary
around a layout grid or to make a hole in a layout grid. The layout grid is not
displayed outside of a boundary or inside a hole. Use closed polylines to
define the boundary or hole. For example, you can use a clipping profile to
cut a hole in a reflected ceiling grid object.
NOTE If you want to use the pointing device instead of the Add Layout
Grid dialog box to insert the radial layout grid, select Specify on Screen.
3 Type a value for the radius.
4 Type a value for the angle.
5 Type a value for the inside radius.
6 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the X bay
size.
7 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the bay
angle.
1568
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
8 Specify an insertion point in the drawing for the center of the radial layout grid.
9 Specify the rotation of the radial grid about the insertion point.
NOTE If you use grips to stretch a radial layout grid, then the behavior of
the radial layout grid depends on the spacing type of each axis. The overall
size of the grid jumps in directions that are specified to use a specific bay
size (with Divide By cleared) because the exact bay size is maintained. The
overall size changes in directions that are specified to be evenly spaced (with
Divide By selected) or manually spaced.
Layout Grids
1569
NOTE The end offset has the effect of reducing the overall size of the grid.
5 In the Angle Dimension section, select or clear Automatic Spacing. If
Automatic Spacing is selected, either select Space Lines Evenly and type a
new value or select Repeat Bay Angle and type a new value. Type new values for start and end offset.
NOTE The start and end offsets have the effect of reducing the overall size
of the grid.
6 Click the X-Spacing tab, and then type new values for Distance to Line
and Spacing. You can type these values only when the Automatic Spacing
option for the width dimension is cleared.
7 Click the Angle tab, and then type new values for Angle to Line and Spacing. You can type these values only when the Automatic Spacing option
for the angle dimension is cleared.
8 Click the Location tab.
9 Do any of the following:
10 When you finish making changes to the layout grid, click OK to exit the
dialog box.
1570
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
NOTE If you want to use the pointing device instead of the Add Layout
Grid dialog box to insert the rectangular layout grid, select Specify on Screen.
3 Type a value for the X width.
4 Type a value for the Y depth.
5 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the
X bay size.
6 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the
Y bay size.
7 Specify an insertion point in the drawing for the lower-left corner of the
rectangular layout grid.
8 Specify the rotation of the rectangular grid about the insertion point.
Layout Grids
1571
NOTE If you use grips to stretch a rectangular layout grid, then the behavior of the rectangular layout grid depends on the spacing type of each axis.
The overall size of the grid jumps in directions that are specified to use a
specific bay size (with Divide By cleared) because the exact bay size is maintained. The overall size changes in directions that are specified to be evenly
spaced (with Divide By selected) or manually spaced.
NOTE The start and end offsets have the effect of reducing the overall size
of the grid.
5 In Depth Dimension (Y-axis), select or clear Automatic Spacing. If Automatic Spacing is selected, either select Space Lines Evenly and type a new
value, or select Repeat Bay Size and type a new value. Type new values for
start and end offsets.
NOTE The start and end offsets have the effect of reducing the overall size
of the grid.
1572
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
6 Click the X-Spacing tab, and then type new values for Distance to Line
and Spacing. You can type these values only when the Automatic Spacing
option for the X axis is cleared.
7 Click the Y-Spacing tab, and then type new values for Distance to Line and
Spacing. You can type these values only when the Automatic Spacing
option for the Y axis is cleared.
8 Click the Location tab.
9 Do any of the following:
10 When you finish making changes to the layout grid, click OK to exit the
dialog box.
NOTE You can add lines only to grids which have been inserted with manually
spaced lines or evenly spaced lines. Layout grids with lines placed at a fixed
repeated spacing value cannot be changed manually. For information about grid
modes, see Changing the Spacing Mode of Layout Grids on page 1574.
To add lines to an existing layout grid
1 Select the layout grid.
2 Right-click, and do any of the following:
To add a grid line to the X plane of the grid, select X-axis on the shortcut menu, and then Add Grid Line.
To add a grid line to the Y plane of the grid, select Y-axis on the shortcut
menu, and then Add Grid Line.
3 Specify the distance of the new grid line from the start of the grid.
Layout Grids
1573
If you have added a line to a layout grid with manually spaced lines,
the new line is inserted on the specified position. The position of the
other lines remains unchanged. The grid size changes accordingly.
If you have added a line to a layout grid with evenly spaced lines, the
new line is inserted and all lines are recalculated, so that they are
evenly distributed again. The grid size remains unchanged.
NOTE You can remove lines only from grids which have been inserted with
manually spaced lines or evenly spaced lines. Layout grids with lines placed at a
fixed repeated spacing value cannot be changed manually. For information
about grid modes, see Changing the Spacing Mode of Layout Grids on page
1574.
To remove lines from an existing layout grid
1 Select the layout grid.
2 Right-click, and do any of the following:
To remove a grid line from the X plane of the grid, select X-axis on the
shortcut menu, and then Remove Grid Line.
To remove a grid line from the Y plane of the grid, select Y-axis on the
shortcut menu, and then Remove Grid Line.
If you have removed a line from a layout grid with manually spaced
lines, the specified line is removed from the grid. The position of the
other lines remains unchanged.
If you have removed a line from a layout grid with evenly spaced lines,
the specified line is removed from the grid. All remaining lines are
recalculated, so that they are evenly distributed again.
1574
Manual: The user specifies the position of each line on the layout grid.
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
Repeat: The user specifies a set equidistant spacing between lines on the
layout grid. The number of lines is determined by the size of the layout
grid. As the size of the grid changes, lines are added or subtracted accordingly. The distance between the lines remains fixed.
Space Evenly: The user specifies the number of lines on the grid. The
space between the lines is determined by the size of the layout grid. As the
size of the grid changes, the spacing between the lines is lengthened or
shortened accordingly. The number of lines remains fixed.
NOTE As a default, layout grids are inserted with evenly spaced lines.
To change the spacing mode of a layout grid
1 Select the layout grid.
2 Right-click, and do any of the following:
To change the spacing mode of the X plane of the grid, select X-axis on
the shortcut menu, and then Layout Mode.
To change the spacing mode of the Y plane of the grid, select Y-axis on
the shortcut menu, and then Layout Mode.
If you are changing a layout grid with manually spaced lines to a a grid
with lines placed at a fixed repeated spacing value, you are prompted
to type start and end offsets, and the distance between the lines. If
there are too few lines on the grid to fill it according to your specifications, new lines are created.
If you are changing a layout grid with manually spaced lines to a grid
with evenly spaced lines, you are prompted to type start and end offsets
for the grid. The existing lines are distributed evenly on the grid.
If you are changing a layout grid with lines placed at a fixed repeated
spacing value to a grid with manually spaced lines, there is no visible
change, but the lines have been converted to manual lines, so that you
now can add lines to and remove lines from the grid.
If you are changing a layout grid with lines placed at a fixed repeated
spacing value to a grid with evenly spaced lines, you are prompted for
a start offset and an end offset. The existing lines are than recalculated
and distributed evenly. You can now add lines to and remove lines from
the grid.
Layout Grids
1575
If you are changing a grid with evenly spaced lines to a grid with manually spaced lines, there is no visible change. If you change the grid
however, the lines now remain fixed and are not distributed evenly
anymore.
If you are changing a grid with evenly spaced lines to a grid with lines
placed at a fixed repeated spacing value, you are prompted to type start
and end offsets, and the distance between the lines. If there are too few
lines on the grid to fill the grid according to your specifications, new
lines are created.
NOTE To attach a clipping profile, you must first draw a closed polyline with
the desired boundary or hole shape.
1576
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
Layout Grids
1577
Layout Volumes
Use a layout volume to arrange objects in a 3D grid. Changing the size of a
layout volume changes the spacing of objects attached to that volume and
can also change the size and height of objects attached to that volume.
NOTE If you want to use the pointing device instead of the Add Layout
Grid dialog box to insert the layout volume, select Specify on Screen.
3 Type a value for the Y depth.
4 Type a value for the Z height.
5 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the X bay
size.
1578
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
6 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the Y bay
size.
7 Select the Divide By option and type a value, or type a value for the Z bay
size.
8 Specify an insertion point in the drawing for the lower-left corner of the
layout volume.
9 Specify the rotation of the layout volume about the insertion point.
NOTE If you use grips to stretch a layout volume, then the behavior of the
layout volume depends on the spacing type of each axis. The overall size of
the grid jumps in directions that are specified to use a specific bay size (with
Divide By cleared) because the exact bay size is maintained. The overall size
changes in directions that are specified to be evenly spaced (with Divide By
selected) or manually spaced.
Layout Volumes
1579
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the filename in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference filename to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the filename in the list and click
Delete.
1580
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
value or select Repeat Bay Size and type a new value. Type new values for
start and end offsets.
NOTE The start and end offsets have the effect of reducing the overall size
of the grid.
5 In Depth Dimension (Y-axis), select or clear Automatic Spacing. If Automatic Spacing is selected, either select Space Lines Evenly and type a new
value or select Repeat Bay Size and type a new value. Type new values for
start and end offsets.
NOTE The start and end offsets have the effect of reducing the overall size
of the grid.
6 In Height Dimension (Z-axis) select or clear Automatic Spacing, If Automatic Spacing is selected, either select Space Lines Evenly and type a new
value or select Repeat Bay Size and type a new value. Type new values for
start and end offsets.
NOTE The start and end offsets have the effect of reducing the overall size
of the grid.
Layout Volumes
1581
To relocate the layout volume, change coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the layout volume, change the axis to which the normal is
parallel. To locate the layout volume on the XY plane, make the normal
of the layout volume parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the
Z box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the layout volume on
the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the X and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the layout volume, type a new value for
Rotation Angle.
5 When you finish making changes to the layout volume, click OK to exit
the dialog box.
NOTE You can add lines only to planes of layout volumes which have been
inserted in with manually spaced lines or evenly spaced lines. Layout volumes
with lines placed at a fixed repeated spacing value cannot be changed manually.
For information on spacing modes, see Changing the Spacing Mode of Layout
Grids on page 1574.
To add lines to an existing layout volume
1 Select the layout volume.
2 Right-click, and do any of the following:
1582
To add a grid line to the X plane of the volume grid, select X-axis on
the shortcut menu, and then Add Grid Line.
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
To add a grid line to the Y plane of the volume grid, select Y-axis on the
shortcut menu, and then Add Grid Line.
To add a grid line to the Z plane of the volume grid, select Z-axis on the
shortcut menu, and then Add Grid Line.
3 Specify the distance of the new grid line from the start of the grid plane.
If you have added a line to a layout volume with manually spaced lines,
the new line is inserted on the specified position. The position of the
other lines on that plane remains unchanged. The grid size changes
accordingly.
If you have added a line to a layout volume with evenly spaced lines,
the new line is inserted and all lines on that plane are recalculated, so
that they are evenly distributed again. The grid size remains
unchanged.
NOTE You can remove lines only from layout volumes that have been inserted
in with manually spaced lines or evenly spaced lines. Layout volumes with lines
placed at a fixed repeated spacing value cannot be changed manually. For information about spacing modes, see Changing the Spacing Mode of Layout
Grids on page 1574.
To remove lines from an existing layout volume
1 Select the layout volume.
2 Right-click, and do any of the following:
To remove a grid line from the X plane of the volume grid, select X-axis
on the shortcut menu, and then Remove Grid Line.
To remove a grid line from the Y plane of the volume grid, select Y-axis
on the shortcut menu, and then Remove Grid Line.
To remove a grid line from the Z plane of the volume grid, select Z-axis
on the shortcut menu, and then Remove Grid Line.
Layout Volumes
1583
If you have removed a line from a layout volume with manually spaced
lines, the specified line is removed from the grid. The position of the
other lines on that plane remains unchanged.
If you have removed a line from a layout volume with evenly spaced
lines, the specified line is removed from the grid. All remaining lines
on that plane are recalculated, so that they are evenly distributed again.
Manual: The user specifies the position of each line on the grid plane.
Repeat: The user specifies a set equidistant spacing between lines on the
grid plane. The number of lines is determined by the size of the grid. As
the size of the grid changes, lines are added or subtracted accordingly. The
distance between the lines remains fixed.
Space Evenly: The user specifies the number of lines on the grid plane.
The space between the lines is determined by the size of the grid. As the
size of the grid changes, the spacing between the lines is lengthened or
shortened accordingly. The number of lines remains fixed.
NOTE As a default, layout volume grids are inserted with evenly spaced grid
lines.
To change the spacing mode of a layout volume
1 Select the layout volume.
2 Right-click, and do any of the following:
To change the spacing mode of the X plane of the grid, select X-axis on
the shortcut menu, and then Layout Mode.
To change the spacing mode of the Y plane of the grid, select Y-axis on
the shortcut menu, and then Layout Mode.
To change the spacing mode of the Z plane of the grid, select Z-axis on
the shortcut menu, and then Layout Mode.
1584
If you are changing a grid with manually spaced lines to a a grid with
lines placed at a fixed repeated spacing value, you are prompted to type
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
start and end offsets, and the distance between the lines. If there are too
few lines on the grid to fill it according to your specifications, new lines
are created.
If you are changing a grid with manually spaced lines to a grid with
evenly spaced lines, you are prompted to type start and end offsets for
the grid. The existing lines are destabilized evenly on the grid.
If you are changing a grid with lines placed at a fixed repeated spacing
value to a grid with manually spaced lines, there is no visible change
but the lines have been converted to manual lines, so that you now can
add lines to and remove lines from the grid.
If you are changing a grid with lines placed at a fixed repeated spacing
value to a grid with evenly spaced lines, you are prompted for a start
offset and an end offset. The existing lines are than recalculated and
distributed evenly. You can now add lines to and remove lines from the
grid.
If you are changing a grid with evenly spaced lines to a grid with manually spaced lines, there is no visible change. If you change the grid
however, the lines now remain fixed and are not spaced evenly anymore.
If you are changing a grid with evenly spaced lines to a grid with lines
placed at a fixed repeated spacing value, you are prompted to type start
and end offsets, and the distance between the lines. If there are too few
lines on the grid to fill it according to your specifications, new lines are
created.
Layout Volumes
1585
To change the size of the node and cell markers, click the Other tab and
type the desired node size.
Menu Command
Command Line
LayoutCurveAdd
LayoutGridAdd
GridVolumeAdd
LayoutGridModify
Modify Layout
Volume (3D)...
GridVolumeModify
LayoutGridClip
Layout Curve
LayoutCurveAddNode
Add Node
LayoutCurveRemoveNode
Remove Node
LayoutCurveMode
Layout Mode
LayoutCurveChangeCurve
Switch Curve
LayoutCurveModify
LayoutCurveProps
LayoutGrid
1586
Chapter 42
LayoutGridDims
Resize
LayoutGridXAdd
Layout Tools
Menu Command
Command Line
LayoutGridXRemove
LayoutGridXMode
LayoutGridYAdd
LayoutGridYRemove
LayoutGridYMode
LayoutGridModify
LayoutGridProps
2D Layout Grid
Properties...
GridVolume
GridVolumeDims
Resize
GridVolumeXAdd
GridVolumeXRemove
GridVolumeXMode
GridVolumeYAdd
GridVolumeYRemove
GridVolumeYMode
GridVolumeZAdd
GridVolumeZRemove
GridVolumeZMode
GridVolumeDims
Dimensions
GridVolumeModify
GridVolumeProps
3D Layout Grid
Properties...
Layout Volumes
1587
1588
Chapter 42
Layout Tools
Anchors
43
In this chapter
Anchored Objects
1589
1590
Curve anchors: Attach objects to the base curve of other objects, such
as lines, arcs, circles, mass elements, polylines, roofs, or walls.
Leader anchors: Attach objects to nodes on layout tools with leaders.
Node anchors: Attach objects to nodes on layout tools.
Chapter 43 Anchors
Cell anchors: Attach objects to the cell positions on 2D layout grids and
3D volume grids.
Volume anchors: Attach objects to volumes on 3D volume grids.
NOTE When you anchor a column to an object, the X-axis of the column
aligns with the X-axis of the object, resulting in a column that lies down on the
object. To change the vertical orientation of the column, select the column,
right-click, and choose Member Properties from the shortcut menu. Click the
Anchor tab and type a Y rotation of 270. For more information, see Creating a
Column.
1591
NOTE The positioning of multi-view blocks assumes that the insertion point of
the multi-view block is at its midpoint.
To change the position of an anchored object
1 Select the anchored object, right-click, and choose Properties for the
anchored object from the shortcut menu.
For example, if the anchored object is a wall, select Wall Properties from
the shortcut menu.
2 In the Properties dialog box, click the Anchor tab.
TIP When an object is anchored to a curve, the Anchor tab displays on the
far right of the object Properties dialog box.
3 To change the position along the X-axis, do any of the following:
Select the X reference point on the curve. You can choose among start,
midpoint, and end of curve.
Type the X distance between the reference point on the curve and the
anchored object.
Select from which point on the anchored object the X distance to the
curve is measured. You can choose among start edge, center and end
edge.
Select the Y reference point on the curve. You can choose among left
edge of curve width, center, and right edge of curve width.
Type the Y distance between the reference point on the curve and the
anchored object.
Select from which point on the anchored object the Y distance to the
curve is measured. You can choose among front, center and back.
5 To change the position along the Z-axis (vertical), do any of the following:
1592
Chapter 43 Anchors
Select the Z reference point on the curve. You can choose among bottom of curve height, center, and top of curve height.
Type the Z distance between the reference point on the curve and the
anchored object.
Select from which point on the anchored object the Z distance to the
curve is measured. You can choose among bottom of object, center, and
top of object.
6 To change the rotation of the anchored object, type values for the X and
Z rotation.
7 To flip the object along one of the axes, select Flip X, Flip Y, or Flip Z.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
NOTE You can also change the position and rotation of an anchored object on
the command line. To do this, from the Desktop menu, select Curve Anchor and
proceed with the instructions on the command line.
NOTE You can choose AEC objects and AutoCAD objects here.
6 Press ENTER to end the command.
1593
1594
Chapter 43 Anchors
TIP When an object is anchored to a layout node, the Anchor tab displays
on the far right of the object Properties dialog box.
3 To define an offset from the object to the node, type an offset value for the
X, Y, and Z position. If you want the object to be anchored to the center
of the node, select Center on Node.
4 If you want the anchored object to use the coordinate system of the node,
select Use Node Coordinate System. If you dont want to use the nodes
coordinate system, you have to define the X, Y, and Z normals for the
anchored object.
5 To change the rotation of the anchored object, type values for the X, Y,
and Z rotation.
6 To flip the object along one of the axes, select Flip X, Flip Y, or Flip Z.
7 To change the angle of the leader to the node, type a value in the Angle to
Node field.
8 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
Editing Leaders
A leader anchor connects an object to a layout node with a leader between
the two. You can change the length and shape of the leader.
A leader consists of one segment or several segments. You can change the
leader shape by grip editing the object or by changing the values on the
Anchors tab of the anchored object.
1595
Extending Leaders
When you create and edit a leader line, the start and end of the leader are
defined by the first and last grip points on the leader line. You can, however,
extend the leader line beyond these grip points.
To extend leaders
1 Select the leader, right-click, and choose Properties for the anchored
object from the shortcut menu.
For example, if the anchored object connected to the leader line is a wall,
select Wall Properties from the shortcut menu.
2 In the Properties dialog box, click the Anchor tab.
TIP When an object is anchored to a curve, the Anchor tab displays on the
far right of the object Properties dialog box.
3 To extend the start point of the leader line, in the First Extension field,
type the desired extension value.
4 To extend the end point of the leader line, in the Second Extension field,
type the desired extension value.
5 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
2 To copy the object to every node on the layout tool, type c (Copy to
Nodes).
3 Select the object that you want to copy and anchor to every node on the
layout tool.
4 Select the layout tool.
If there is an existing object anchored to any of the nodes, you are
prompted to specify whether you want to skip nodes that already have
something anchored to them. Type y (Yes) to avoid duplicate anchored
objects on those nodes.
1596
Chapter 43 Anchors
TIP If you want the leader to be displayed in the same way at every node,
anchor the object to a single node first and adjust the leader attributes (direction, extension, properties). Then use Copy to Nodes. Select the object that
is anchored to the single node, and then select the layout tool. To avoid
anchoring duplicate objects at the original node, type y (Yes) at the prompt
Skip Nodes That Already Have Something Anchored to Them?.
1597
TIP When an object is anchored to a layout node, the Anchor tab displays
on the far right of the object Properties dialog box.
3 To define an offset from the object to the node, type an offset value for the
X, Y, and Z position. If you want the object to be anchored to the center
of the node, select Center on Node.
4 If you want the anchored object to use the coordinate system of the node,
select Use Node Coordinate System. If you dont want to use the nodes
coordinate system, you must define the X, Y, and Z normals for the
anchored object.
5 To flip the object along one of the axes, select Flip X, Flip Y, or Flip Z.
6 Click OK to exit the dialog box.
1598
Chapter 43 Anchors
2 To copy the object to every node on the layout tool, type c (Copy to each
Node).
3 Select the object that you want to copy and anchor to every node on the
layout tool.
4 Select the layout tool.
If there is an existing object anchored to any of the nodes, you are
prompted to specify whether you want to skip nodes that already have
something anchored to them. Type y (Yes) to avoid duplicate anchored
objects on those nodes.
1599
NOTE There is no rule which determines which cell the object attaches to
when you anchor it. You can turn on the Node display component to display
the cell nodes of the layout grid or volume for easier cell selection. You can
also move the object after you anchor it to the layout grid or volume.
4 Press ENTER to end the command.
1600
Chapter 43 Anchors
TIP When an object is anchored to a layout cell, the Anchor tab displays on
the far right of the object Properties dialog box.
3 To define an offset from the object to the cell, type an offset value for the
X, Y, and Z position. If you want the object to be anchored to the center
of the cell, select Center on Node.
4 If you want the anchored object to use the coordinate system of the cell,
select Use Node Coordinate System. If you dont want to use the cells
coordinate system, you must define the X, Y, and Z normals for the
anchored object.
5 To flip the object along one of the axes, select Flip X, Flip Y, or Flip Z.
6 If you want the object to be resized every time the cell is resized, select
Apply Resize. If you do not want the object to be resized, clear Apply
Resize.
7 Normally, an object anchored to a cell is resized to fit the edges of the cell.
You can, however, define an offset, so that the object has a distance to the
cell edges or extends beyond them. Do any of the following:
To create a distance between the anchored object and the cell, in Size
Offset, type the appropriate negative value.
To extend the anchored object beyond the cell edges, in Size Offset,
type the appropriate positive value.
1601
NOTE If you want to move an anchored object to a different cell on the same
layout grid or volume grid, you can also drag it there.
2 To copy the anchored object to every cell in the layout grid or volume
grid, type c (Copy to each cell).
3 Select the object.
4 Select the layout grid or volume grid that you want to copy and anchor
the object to.
If there is an existing object anchored to any of the cells, you are
prompted to specify whether you want to skip cells that already have
something anchored to them. Type y (Yes) to avoid duplicate anchored
objects on those cells.
1602
Chapter 43 Anchors
1603
TIP When an object is anchored to a volume grid, the Anchor tab displays
on the far right of the object Properties dialog box.
3 To define an offset from the object to the volume, type an offset value for
the X, Y, and Z position. If you want the object to be anchored to the center of the volume, select Center on Node.
4 If you want the anchored object to use the coordinate system of the volume grid, select Use Node Coordinate System. If you dont want to use the
volume grids coordinate system, you must define the X, Y, and Z normals
for the anchored object.
5 To flip the object along one of the axes, select Flip X, Flip Y, or Flip Z.
6 If you want the object to be resized every time the volume is resized, select
Apply Resize. If you do not want the object to be resized, clear Apply
Resize.
7 Normally, an object anchored to a volume is resized to fit the edges of the
volume. You can, however, define an offset, so that the object has a distance to the volume edges or extends beyond them. Do any of the following:
1604
Chapter 43 Anchors
2 To copy the anchored object to every volume in the volume grid, type c
(Copy to each volume).
3 Select the object that you want to copy and anchor to every volume in the
volume grid.
4 Select the volume grid.
If there is an existing object anchored to any of the volumes, you are
prompted to specify whether you want to skip volumes that already have
something anchored to them. Type y (Yes) to avoid duplicate anchored
objects on those volumes.
1605
1606
Menu Command
Command Line
Curve Anchor
CurveAnchor
Leader Anchor
LeaderAnchor
Node Anchor
NodeAnchor
Cell Anchor
CellAnchor
Volume Anchor
VolumeAnchor
Chapter 43 Anchors
Right-click (with
anchored object
selected)
Menu Command
Command Line
Release Anchored
Objects
AnchorRelease
Position Anchored
Objects
AnchorSetOffset
Right-click (with
anchored object
selected)
Anchor
CurveAnchorSetCurve
AnchorRelease
CurveAnchorSetPositionX
CurveAnchorSetPositionY
CurveAnchorSetPositionZ
CurveAnchorSetEnd
CurveAnchorSetRotation
AnchorFlipX
AnchorFlipY
AnchorFlipZ
CurveAnchorAttach
NodeAnchorSetNode
AnchorRelease
AnchorSet Offset
AnchorSetRotation
AnchorSetNormal
1607
Menu Command
Command Line
Right-click (with
anchored object
selected)
LeaderAnchorSetDirection
LeaderAnchorSetExtensions
AnchorFlipX
AnchorFlipY
AnchorFlipZ
LeaderAnchorAttach
LeaderAnchorCopyTo
NodeAnchorSetNode
AnchorRelease
AnchorSet Offset
AnchorSetRotation
AnchorSetNormal
AnchorFlipX
AnchorFlipY
AnchorFlipZ
NodeAnchorAttach
NodeAnchorCopyTo
CellAnchorAttach
CellAnchorCopyTo
1608
Chapter 43 Anchors
CellAnchorSetCell
Set Cell
AnchorRelease
Menu Command
Command Line
Right-click (with
anchored object
selected)
AnchorSet Offset
AnchorSetRotation
AnchorSetNormal
CellAnchorSetScaling
Set Scaling
AnchorFlipX
AnchorFlipY
AnchorFlipZ
VolumeAnchorSetVolume
Set Volume
AnchorRelease
AnchorSet Offset
AnchorSetRotation
AnchorSetNormal
CellAnchorSetScaling
Volume Scaling
AnchorFlipX
AnchorFlipY
AnchorFlipZ
VolumeAnchorAttach
VolumeAnchorCopyTo
1609
1610
Chapter 43 Anchors
AEC Content
44
In this chapter
help you create your own AEC content. You can create
commands
1611
1612
Chapter 44
AEC Content
want the block to be inserted at a different elevation, type a new value for
Preset Elevation
Anchor Type: Sets the type of anchor to use with the block. Each anchor
controls what type of object the block gets attached to when it is placed
in a drawing. The default is None. For more information, see Working
with Anchors in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
6 Set the scale for the block.
1613
96. A typical metric drawing scale is 1:100, which results in a scale factor of 100. Unit conversion must be defined and turned on for drawings using Drawing Scale.
The annotation scale is used for content that must appear on a plotted
sheet and whose size is set by Annotation Plot Size. Annotation Plot
Size is also specified by the Set Drawing Scale command. This scaling
converts one unit in the content drawing to Annotation Plot Size units
on the plotted sheet. This scale consists of Annotation Plot Size units
multiplied by the Drawing Scale factor. For example, content inserted
in a drawing with Annotation Plot Size of 1/4 and Drawing Scale of 1/
8 = 1-0 is created at a height of 24 (1/4 x 96 = 24). Unit conversion
must be turned off for drawings using Annotation Scale.
For more information about the Set Drawing Scale command, see Setting
the Drawing Scale in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
7 Set the text angle if there is any in the block.
Attribute Text Angle: The attribute text groups control the style and
angle of attribute text created when you drag the custom AEC content
into a drawing. These groups are available only if ATTDEFS are defined in
the selected content. For more information about attribute definition, see
Creating Attributes in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide. The
attribute text style used for custom AEC content is either the style defined
by the content or the current target drawing text style. The default value
is As Defined by Content.
The Attribute Text Angle group controls the angle of attribute text. The
angle is either the angle of the inserted block (As Inserted), always zero
(Force Horizontal), or Right Reading. Right Reading forces the rotation
angle to be in the range 89 to +89. Zero degrees is used for +90 and
90.
8 Specify the layer key to be used when the block is inserted.
Layer Keying: This layer group is used to define a layer key to be used
during insertion. This value can be typed in directly or selected from the
Select Layer Key dialog box. The list of layer keys, names, and descriptions
is obtained from the current layer standard.
You can type a string that doesnt correspond to an existing layer key. In
this case, what you type in directly defines the layer to be used for the
content. No layer keying is performed.
For more information, see Layer Management Command List in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
9 Click Next.
1614
Chapter 44
AEC Content
1615
NOTE For an explanation of insert options, scale, text angles, icons, layer key,
and preview graphics, see Creating a New AEC Block in the online Autodesk
Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1616
Chapter 44
AEC Content
5 Set the insert options for the new content, Explode on Insert, Preset
Elevation, and Anchor Type.
6 Set the scale for the multi-view block.
7 Set the text angle if there is any in the multi-view block.
8 Specify the layer key to be used when the multi-view block is inserted.
9 Click Next.
10 Type a name for the drawing to contain the multi-view block.
11 Select the icon for the multi-view block. Click New Icon to select an existing bitmap for the icon, or click Default Icon to use a bitmap of the drawing.
This icon is used to identify the drawing in AutoCAD DesignCenter.
12 Type a description of the multi-view block that can be used in the
AutoCAD DesignCenter description pane.
13 Click to save preview graphics or not.
14 Click Finish to save the drawing with the new AEC multi-view block.
NOTE For an explanation of the insert options scale, text angles, icons, layer
key, and preview graphics, see Creating a New AEC Block in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1617
4 Click Next.
5 Set the insert options for the new content, Explode on Insert, Preset
Elevation, and Anchor Type.
6 Set the scale for the masking block.
7 Set the text angle if there is any in the masking block.
8 Specify the layer key to be used when the masking block is inserted.
9 Click Next.
10 Type a name for the drawing to contain the masking block.
11 Select the icon for the masking block. Click New Icon to select an existing
bitmap for the icon, or click Default Icon to use a bitmap of the drawing.
This icon is used to identify the drawing in AutoCAD DesignCenter.
12 Type a description of the masking block that can be used in the AutoCAD
DesignCenter description pane.
13 Click to save preview graphics or not.
14 Click Finish to save the drawing with the new AEC masking block.
NOTE For an explanation of the insert options scale, text angles, icons, layer
key, and preview graphics, see Creating a New AEC Block in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1618
Chapter 44
AEC Content
Use Expand to enter command string text in a larger box. Wherever you
enter it, the command string length is limited to 255 characters.
NOTE Pressing ENTER selects the default button of the dialog box, which prevents ENTER from being added to the command string.
To create AEC custom commands
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Create AEC Content.
2 Click Custom Command to create a new AEC custom command.
3 Select any combination of blocks, multi-view blocks, and masking blocks
to use as AEC Custom content.
All of the currently defined blocks are displayed in Current Drawing.
4 Click Add>>>.
The selected items are displayed in the Content File.
5 Type your command and its parameters in Custom String. If necessary,
click Expand to display the Custom Command String dialog box to type
in a long command string, and click OK.
6 Click Next>.
7 Set the Insert Options for the new content, Explode on Insert, Preset
Elevation, and Anchor Type.
8 Set the scale for the new content.
9 Set the text angle if there is any in the blocks.
10 Select the Layer Key to be used with when the new content is inserted. For
more information, see Layer Management Command List in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
11 Click Next>.
12 Type a name for the drawing to contain the custom command.
13 Select the icon for the new content. Click New Icon to select an existing
bitmap for the icon or click Default Icon to use a bitmap of the drawing.
This icon is used to identify the drawing in AutoCAD DesignCenter.
14 Type a description of the custom command that can be used in the
AutoCAD DesignCenter description pane.
15 Click to save preview graphics or not.
16 Click Finish to save the drawing with the new AEC custom command.
1619
NOTE For an explanation of the insert options scale, text angles, icons,
layer key, and preview graphics, see Creating a New AEC Block in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1620
Chapter 44
AEC Content
Multi-View Blocks
45
In this chapter
properties
1621
1622
TIP If you are creating a symmetrical object with the multi-view block, you may
be able to create one block to represent both side views.
3 Draw your top and bottom views on the XY plane.
Define additional insertion points on the defpoints layer through the
AutoCAD point command if necessary.
NOTE The points added to view blocks are cumulative. For example, if you
add one point to a view block used for the top view and two points to the view
block used for the model view, you will have a total of four points to cycle
through. The fourth point is the regular basepoint defined during the creation
of the block.
4 Set the user coordinate system (UCS) to World before making blocks out of
these individual views. For more information about coordinate systems, see
Using Coordinate Systems in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
5 Define each view as a block, and coordinate the location of the insertion base
point as you define each view as a block. For more information about blocks,
see Working with Blocks in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
1623
For example, if you select the insertion base point of the model view block as
the midpoint of the bottom edge on the back side, the front and back view
blocks have an insertion base point at the midpoint of the bottom edge.
Then, the left and right view blocks have an insertion base point at the back
bottom corner with the insertion base point for the top and bottom view
blocks at the midpoint of the back edge.
TIP It is helpful to have a naming convention as you save your views as blocks.
For example, name the plan view block desk-p, and name the right view block
desk-r.
6 Click OK to exit the Block Definition dialog box.
1624
1625
1626
13 Click Add and pick the corresponding block from the Select a Block dialog
box.
14 Click OK to return to the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog box.
15 Select Other for the view direction.
Other represents a view that displays the block three-dimensionally and is
used primarily for the model view of the custom object.
16 Click OK to exit. To apply the changes and remain in the Style Manager, click
Apply.
Specify Rotation on Screen and use your pointing device to determine the
angle of the multi-view block dynamically. You can specify additional
points with the pointing device to insert multiple multi-view blocks in the
drawing, each with different rotations.
Specify Scale on Screen for the multi-view block and use your pointing
device to determine the scale of the multi-view block dynamically. You
can specify additional points with the pointing device to insert additional
multi-view blocks in the drawing, each with different scales.
7 Choose the insertion point for the multi-view block on the screen and press
ENTER to end the command.
8 Alternately, from the command line, do any of the following:
1627
9 Choose the insertion point for the multi-view block on the screen, and press
ENTER to end the command.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager,
or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1628
NOTE The blocks used to define the display of an multi-view block control
attribute tags for multi-view blocks. To change the tags, you must redefine the
attributes in the individual blocks.
To change view block properties
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Multi-View Blocks Multi-View Block Definitions.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Multi-View Block Definition styles in the current drawing are
displayed under the Multi-View Block style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 Select the multi-view block you want to change, right-click, and choose Edit
from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog box, select the View
Blocks tab.
4 Select the display representation you want to change, and do any of the
following:
Click Add to select a block from the Select a Block dialog box to represent
the object. The block must exist in the drawing to display in the Select a
Block dialog box.
Select a view under View Directions for the block that represents the
object. You can select a different block for each view, or set the same block
for multiple views.
Highlight a View Block and click Remove to remove blocks from the View
Blocks list.
5 When you finish setting all the view blocks for the required View Directions,
click OK to return to the Style Manager.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager,
or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1629
A confirmation dialog box with the definitions that you selected to purge is
displayed.
4 Click OK to purge the definitions.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the SHIFT
key as you purge the definitions, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
5 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
6 Run the AutoCAD PURGE command again to eliminate the view blocks.
1630
NOTE You can manage multi-view blocks efficiently by creating them all in
one drawing you reserve for this purpose and importing them into other drawings as needed.
To import multi-view blocks
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Multi-View Blocks Multi-View Block Definitions.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The Multi-View Block Definition styles in the current drawing are
displayed under the Multi-View Block style type. All other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing
that contains the style that you want to copy to your current drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the multi-view block definition that you want to
copy, and then click Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the multi-view block definition styles.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Multi-View Block Definition to display the
multi-view block definitions in the drawing.
5 Select the multi-view block definition that you want to copy, and then press
CTRL+C.
6 Select the current drawing, and then press CTRL+V.
The multi-view block definition is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already contains a multi-view block definition with the same
name, the duplicate names are displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate
Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate multi-view block definition names, select one of the
following options:
To not replace the existing multi-view block definition in the drawing with
the new multi-view block definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition,
select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new multi-view block definition so both exist in the drawing, select Rename to Unique. New multi-view block definitions are
appended with a numeral in the Style Manager.
1631
1632
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new
definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition,
select Overwrite Existing.
1633
4 In the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog box, click the General
tab, and do any of the following:
1634
Click Notes to edit the name or path of a reference file that has been
attached to a multi-view block definition. On the Reference Docs tab,
select the file name in the list, click Edit, and change the document or the
description in the Reference Document dialog box. To edit the file itself,
double-click the reference file name to start its application. You must exit
the Modify command for the reference file to open.
Click Notes to detach a reference file from a multi-view block definition.
On the Reference Docs tab, select the file name in the list and click Delete.
Click Property Sets to attach or edit schedule data. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data in the online Autodesk Architectural Desktop
Users Guide.
5 Click OK to exit each dialog box. Click Apply to change the multi-view block
and remain in the dialog box to continue modifying the block.
4 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Style tab.
5 Select a new style from the list.
1635
4 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Offsets tab.
View Blocks lists the individual blocks that make up the multi-view block.
5 Select the individual view block to change in View Blocks.
6 Change the X, Y, or Z offsets.
7 Click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the multi-view block and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the block, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Attributes
tab.
5 Select the multi-view block to change in the View Blocks list.
6 Click the Values section and type a new value.
1636
7 Click OK.
8 Click Apply to change the multi-view block and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the block, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
4 In the Multi-View Block Reference Properties dialog box, click the Anchor
tab.
The Anchor tab is available only for multi-view blocks that are anchored to
an object.
5 Change Position Along (X) to change the location of the multi-view block
along the X axis.
6 Change Position Within (Y) to change the location of the multi-view block
along the Y axis.
7 Change Position Vertical (Z) to change the location of the multi-view block
along the Z axis.
8 Change Orientation to change the rotation of the multi-view block.
9 Click OK.
10 Click Apply to change the multi-view block and remain in the dialog box to
continue modifying the block, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
1637
4 In the Multi-View Block Properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
Change the coordinate values under Insertion Point to relocate the multiview block.
Change the axis to which the normal is parallel to re-orient the multi-view
block. To locate the multi-view block on the XY plane, make the normal
of the multi-view block parallel to the Z axis: under Normal, type 1 in the
Z box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the multi-view block on
the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the Y and Z boxes. To
locate the multi-view block on the XZ plane, type 1 in the Y box and
type 0 in the X and Z boxes.
Type a new value for Rotation Angle to change the rotation of the multiview block.
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the multi-view block object without leaving the Multi-View Block
Properties dialog box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
Menu Command
Command Line
MvBlockAdd
1638
MvBlockDefEdit
1639
1640
Mask Blocks
46
In this chapter
properties
1641
1642
Press ENTER to create the mask block definition from a single polyline.
Type y (Yes) to select additional polylines to add to the mask block
definition. These polylines must be entirely within or outside each
1643
other; they cannot overlap or touch. Polylines that are within other
rings can be specified as void areas that become holes in the mask
block.
8 Specify an insertion base point for the mask block.
9 Select additional graphics that you want to include in the mask block
definition, or press ENTER if you do not want to include any additional
objects.
NOTE You can select text or symbols to include in the Mask Block definition.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
A mask block definition is created from the polyline or polylines that you
selected. The new mask block definition is listed in the mask block definition
tree and viewed in the graphics screen of Style Manager. The original
polylines remain in the drawing.
1644
To purge a single unused Mask Block definition in your current drawing, select the definition under the definition type, right-click, and
choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
To purge all the unused Mask Block definitions in your current drawing, with the Mask Blocks definition type selected, right-click, and
choose Purge from the shortcut menu.
A confirmation dialog box with the definitions that you selected to purge
is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the definitions.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the definitions, select Only Show this Confirmation
1645
3 Select the drawing with the definition that you want to copy, and click
Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Mask Block definition type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Mask Blocks to display the Mask Block definitions in the drawing.
5 Select the Mask Block definition that you want to copy, and press CTRL+C.
6 Select the current drawing, and press CTRL+V.
The definition is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing
already contains a definition with the same name, the duplicate names are
displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate definition names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new definition so both definitions exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New definition names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1646
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Mask Block definition type.
4 Select the definition in the current drawing that you want to copy to the
new drawing, and press CTRL+C.
5 Select the new drawing, and press CTRL+V.
The definition is copied to the new drawing.
6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
1647
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
1648
9 When you finish changing the Mask Block definition properties, click OK
to return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
TIP When you add mask blocks to your drawing, insert them on a separate
layer. You can turn the layer off in 3D views, where the mask blocks no longer
mask any objects.
To add a mask block
1 If a mask block does not already exist in the current drawing, then create
or import a mask block definition. For information about importing a
mask block definition, see Importing Mask Block Definitions in the
online Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
2 From the Desktop menu, choose Mask Blocks Add Mask Block.
3 Choose the insertion point for the mask block in the drawing or do any of
the following on the command line:
NOTE If you are using mask blocks to mask walls, the mask block must be
located at the baseline of the wall (Z = 0). Even though the wall components
are at different heights, the plan display representation draws them at the
height of the baseline, as they would be drawn on paper.
4 Alternately, in the Add Mask Blocks dialog box, do any of the following:
1649
Select the mask block that you want to add to your drawing from the
Name list.
Enter the rotation angle for the mask block under Rotation.
Enter the scale values for the X, Y, and Z scales of the mask block under
Scale.
Specify Rotation on Screen for the mask block and use your pointing
device to designate the angle of the mask block. You can specify additional points with the pointing device to insert multiple mask blocks
in the drawing.
View the mask block being inserted.
Specify an existing mask block to match and be inserted in the drawing.
Open and edit mask block properties in the Mask Block Properties dialog box.
Remove the last mask block added from the drawing.
The mask block is displayed in the drawing at the insertion point you
specified. To use the mask block to clean up or correct an object in the
drawing, attach the object to the mask block.
5 Select the mask block and move it to mask the AEC object.
The AEC object is now hidden by the mask block.
Mask blocks mask AEC objects only and only in plan views. Mask blocks
are visible in 3D views but do not mask the AEC objects that are attached
to them.
1650
The AEC object is detached from the mask block and is no longer hidden
by the mask block.
The mask block is updated to reflect the changes that you made.
1651
properties later. You can also attach notes and reference files and add a
description to the mask block.
NOTE If the mask block is attached to a grid, you can change the anchor
properties as well.
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference file
on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click Delete.
1652
1653
5 After you finish making changes to the mask block, click OK to exit the
dialog box.
1654
Menu Command
Command Line
MaskAdd
MaskModify
Mask Block
Definitions...
MaskDefine
Attach Mask to
Objects...
MaskAttach
Attach
MaskDetach
Detach
MaskDefEdit
MaskProps
Mask Properties...
Mask Modify...
Profiles
47
In this chapter
Inserting profiles
Creating profiles
ings as polylines, not as AEC objects. Use profiles to create custom shapes for handrails, window styles, door
styles, and wall and space boundary openings. Extrude
or revolve profiles to create custom mass elements.
1655
1656
Chapter 47
Profiles
Creating Profiles
You can create new profiles from closed 2D polylines in your drawings, or
from an existing profile. You can also copy an existing profile.
1657
Creating a profile
1658
Chapter 47
Profiles
3 Select the profile in your drawing that you want to use to redefine the
existing profile.
The following prompt is displayed.
Add another ring?[Yes/No] <N>
Creating Profiles
1659
ing, and all other style and definition types are filtered out in the tree
view.
2 Under the Profile definition type, select the profile that you want to
change, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the Profile Definition Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
4 To add a description to the profile, type it in the Description field.
5 To add a note to the profile, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference file,
click Notes.
6 In the Notes dialog box, to add a note, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
7 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to
start its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
Purging Profiles
To purge profiles
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Profiles Profile Definitions.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The profile definitions in the current drawing are displayed
under the Profile definition type. All other style and definition types are
filtered out in the tree view.
2 Do one of the following:
1660
Chapter 47
Profiles
A confirmation dialog box with the definitions that you selected to purge
is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the definitions.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the definitions, select Only Show this Confirmation
Importing Profiles
To import profiles
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Profiles Profile Definitions.
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The profile definitions in the current drawing are displayed
under the Profile definition type. All other style and definition types are
filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the drawing that contains the definition that you want to copy to your current
drawing.
3 Select the drawing with the definition that you want to copy, and click
Open.
The new drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display
only the Profile definition type.
4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Profiles to display the Profile definitions in
the drawing.
5 Select the Profile definition that you want to copy, and choose Edit
Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The definition is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing
already contains a definition with the same name, the duplicate names are
displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate definition names, select one of the following
options:
Creating Profiles
1661
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new definition so both definitions exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New definition names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
1662
Chapter 47
Profiles
The Style Manager is displayed, with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The profile definitions in the current drawing are displayed
under the Profile definition type. All other style and definition types are
filtered out in the tree view.
2 In the Style Manager, choose File Open drawing to browse for the existing drawing that you want to copy the definition to.
3 Select the drawing that you want to copy the definition to, and click
Open.
The drawing opens in the Style Manager tree view, filtered to display only
the Profile definition type.
4 Select the definition in the current drawing that you want to copy to the
second drawing, and choose Edit Copy.
5 Select the second drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The definition is copied into the second drawing. If the drawing already
contains a definition with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
6 To resolve any duplicate definition names, select one of the following
options:
To not replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition of the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing definition in the drawing with the new definition, select Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new definition so both definitions exist in the drawing,
select Rename to Unique. New definition names are appended with a
numeral in the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style
Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Menu Command
Command Line
Profile Definitions...
ProfileDefine
Insert Profile as
Polyline...
ProfileAsPolyline
Right-click
Creating Profiles
1663
1664
Chapter 47
Profiles
AEC Polygons
48
In this chapter
styles
Changing AEC Polygon style
properties
1665
You can anchor AEC Polygons to layout grids or layout curves. When an
AEC Polygon is anchored to a layout tool, the AEC Polygon moves or
changes size when you move or change the layout tool. For example, after
you create an AEC Polygon, you can anchor the AEC Polygon to the cells of
a curtain wall as an infill component to represent the panels in the curtain
wall. For information about using infill components in curtains walls, see
Creating Curtain Walls on page 403.
1666
Chapter 48
AEC Polygons
1667
NOTE You must specify enough points to create at least three sides for your
AEC Polygon.
5 Enter c (Close) to close your AEC Polygon.
After you have an AEC Polygon in your drawing, you can control the width
and justification of the AEC Polygon edges and the display of the
AEC Polygon by editing the current AEC Polygon style. For more informa-
1668
Chapter 48
AEC Polygons
tion, see Changing the Style of an Existing AEC Polygon on page 1671, and
Changing the AEC Polygon Style Display Properties on page 1687.
You can also create a new AEC Polygon from the intersection of two
AEC Polygons. For more information, see Creating a New AEC Polygon
From the Intersection of Two AEC Polygons on page 1677.
To erase your polyline after you create the polyline (that is added to
your drawing), type y (Yes).
To keep your original polyline in the drawing, press ENTER.
5 In the AEC Polygon Properties dialog box, on the General tab, type a
descriptive name for your AEC Polygon, and then click the Style tab.
The style contains a value that controls the width of the polygon edges
and a value that determines whether the edges are displayed inside, outside, or centered on the vertices of the AEC Polygon. You can change these
values later by changing the style or editing the style.
6 Select a style for your AEC Polygon, and click OK.
1669
After you have an AEC Polygon in your drawing, you can control the width
and justification of the AEC Polygon edges and the display of the
AEC Polygon by editing the current AEC Polygon style. For more information, see Changing the Style of an Existing AEC Polygon on page 1671, and
Changing the AEC Polygon Style Display Properties on page 1687.
You can also create a new AEC Polygon from the intersection of two
AEC Polygons. For more information, see Creating a New AEC Polygon
From the Intersection of Two AEC Polygons on page 1677.
1670
Chapter 48
AEC Polygons
NOTE If grips are turned off, choose Options from the Tools menu, and
click the Selection tab. Under Grips, select Enable Grips.
3 Select the grip or grips that you want to use to change the shape and size
of the AEC Polygon.
4 Move the pointing device to change the shape and size of the AEC Polygon.
NOTE If you did not import or create any additional AEC Polygon styles in
your drawing, then the Standard style is the only available style. To create a
new AEC Polygon style, see Creating New AEC Polygon Styles on page
1681.
4 Click Apply to remain in the dialog box and continue modifying the
AEC Polygon, or click OK to exit the dialog box.
1671
The AEC Polygon in your drawing changes to reflect the edge width and
edge justification values that are contained in the new style. If the new
AEC Polygon style controls the display of the AEC Polygon, then the display of the AEC Polygon changes. For more information, see Changing
AEC Polygon Style Properties on page 1686.
4 In the AEC Polygon Properties dialog box, click the Model tab.
5 To add a description to the AEC Polygon, type it in the Description field.
6 To add a note to the AEC Polygon, or to attach, edit, or detach a reference
file, click Notes.
7 In the Notes dialog box, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
8 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
9 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
10 Click OK to exit each dialog box. To apply the changes and remain in the
dialog box, click Apply.
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The AEC Polygon also has an orientation with respect to the world coordinate system (WCS) or the current user coordinate system (UCS). For example,
if the top and bottom of the AEC Polygon are parallel to the XY plane, its normal is parallel to the Z axis. You can change the orientation of the
AEC Polygon by aligning its normal with another axis.
You can also rotate the AEC Polygon on its plane by changing the rotation
angle.
To change the location properties of an AEC Polygon
1 From the Desktop menu, choose AEC Polygon Modify AEC Polygon.
2 Select the AEC Polygon, and press ENTER.
3 In the Modify AEC Polygon dialog box, click
4 In the Modify AEC Polygon dialog box, click the Location tab.
5 Do any of the following:
6 Click OK to close the Location tab, and then click Apply to see the changes
to the AEC Polygon without leaving the AEC Polygon Properties dialog
box.
7 When you finish making changes, click OK to exit the dialog box.
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NOTE You can specify only a start and endpoint for your division line. You
cannot specify additional points.
5 Specify an endpoint for the division line.
Your AEC Polygon is divided by the line that you defined. Use grips to move
the two AEC Polygons to different locations in your drawing.
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5 Select the smaller AEC Polygon to subtract from the larger AEC Polygon.
The following prompt is displayed:
Erase the subtracted AecPolygon? [Yes/No] <N>:
6 Do one of the following:
To erase the original geometry of the AEC Polygon that you are subtracting, type y (Yes).
To keep the geometry of the AEC Polygon that you are subtracting, in
addition to the new AEC Polygon, press ENTER.
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NOTE You can use grips to move existing AEC Polygons so that they overlap each other.
2 From the Desktop menu, choose AEC Polygon Intersect.
3 Select the first AEC Polygon.
4 Select the second AEC Polygon.
The following prompt is displayed:
Erase the selected AecPolygons? [Yes/No] <N>:
5 Do one of the following:
To erase the original geometry of both AEC Polygons, leaving only the
new AEC Polygon created from the intersection, type y (Yes) and press
ENTER.
To keep your original AEC Polygons in the drawing, in addition to the
new AEC Polygon, press ENTER.
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Chapter 48
AEC Polygons
Line segments are drawn from the two existing vertices of the AEC Polygon closest to the point that you selected to form the new vertex.
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When you create an AEC Polygon, you choose a style to control these properties of the AEC Polygon. With the AEC Polygon in your drawing, you can
change the style, or edit the style properties within the current style, to
change the edges of your existing AEC Polygon. You can also control the display of an AEC Polygon by its style. The display properties of an AEC Polygon
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Chapter 48
AEC Polygons
allow you to hatch its interior and edges, or fill its edges and interior with a
solid color fill.
You can create new AEC Polygon styles, import and export AEC Polygon
styles between drawings, and purge AEC Polygon styles that are not in use.
When you create, import, export, or edit styles, you access the Style Manager.
The Style Manager provides a central location in Autodesk Architectural
Desktop, where you can work with styles from multiple drawings and templates. For more information about using the Style Manager, see Style Manager on page 1525.
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Chapter 48
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A confirmation dialog box with the styles that you selected to purge is displayed.
3 Click OK to purge the styles.
NOTE To display the confirmation dialog box only when you press the
SHIFT key as you purge the styles, select Only Show this Confirmation Dialog
When the Shift Key is Down.
4 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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5 Select the AEC Polygon style that you want to copy, and choose Edit
Copy.
6 Select the current drawing, and choose Edit Paste.
The style is copied into the current drawing. If the current drawing already
contains a style with the same name, the duplicate names are displayed in
the Import/Export - Duplicate Names Found dialog box.
7 To resolve any duplicate style names, select one of the following options:
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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6 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
To not replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style of
the same name, select Leave Existing.
To replace the existing style in the drawing with the new style, select
Overwrite Existing.
To rename the new style so both styles exist in the drawing, select
Rename to Unique. New style names are appended with a numeral in
the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
8 To attach or edit schedule data, click Property Sets. For more information,
see Attaching Schedule Data and Editing Schedule Data in the online
Autodesk Architectural Desktop Users Guide.
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9 When you finish changing the AEC Polygon style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
10 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
Center: Displays the edges of the AEC Polygon centered with its vertices.
In: Displays the edges inside the AEC Polygon vertices.
Out: Displays the edges outside of the AEC Polygon vertices.
6 When you finish changing the AEC Polygon style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
7 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
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True Color, depending on whether they are included in the display configuration applied to the current viewport.
The Model display representation allows you to control the display of the
edges and interior of an AEC Polygon. You can control whether or not the
interior and exterior edges of the AEC Polygon are displayed, and whether
the edges are hatched. You can also hatch the interior of the AEC Polygon
within the Model display representation.
The True Color display representation allows you to add solid fills to the
edges and interior of an AEC Polygon. Apply the True Color representation
to AEC Polygons to create two color panels for curtain walls.
A general feature of the display system is that it allows you to assign display
properties to a single object, to all objects of the same type (for example, all
AEC Polygons), or to all objects of one type and one style (for example, all
AEC Polygons with the Standard style.)
To change the AEC Polygon style display properties
1 From the Desktop menu, choose AEC Polygon AEC Polygon Styles.
The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the
tree view. The AEC Polygon style type is selected within the current drawing, and all other style types are filtered out in the tree view
2 Under the AEC Polygon style type, select the AEC Polygon style that you
want to change, right-click, and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
3 In the AEC Polygon Style Properties dialog box, click the Display Props
tab.
4 From the list at the top of the dialog box, select the Model or True Color
display representation to use to display the AEC Polygon.
5 Optionally, select the Model or True Color display representation for the
AEC Polygon style from the list.
The display representation set in the current viewport is marked with an
asterisk.
6 Do any of the following:
Select the AEC Polygon style from the property source, and click Attach
Override to change how the object is displayed in the current viewport
in the drawing.
NOTE You can either select Attach Override or click in the Attached column
to attach an override. Attach Override is available only when you select a
property source that is attached to the display representation.
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7 When you finish changing the AEC Polygon style properties, click OK to
return to the Style Manager.
8 Click Apply to save your changes and continue working in the Style Manager, or click OK to save your changes and exit the Style Manager.
2 For each component, click the visibility, layer, and linetype characteristics
that you want to change.
3 To set the hatch pattern for the interior hatch and edge hatch, turn visibility on for the Interior Hatch and Edge Hatch. Then click the Hatching
tab.
4 In the Hatch Pattern dialog box, select the type of hatch for Interior Hatch
and Edge Hatch.
If you select Predefined in the Type field, select a pattern from the Pattern Name list.
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If you select Custom in the Type field, type the custom pattern name
in the Custom Pattern box.
If you select User-Defined in the Type field, turn Double Hatch on or
off.
5 Click OK.
6 Click the Scale/Spacing list to change the value for the selected
component.
7 Click the Angle list to type a new angle for the hatch pattern.
8 Click the Orientation field to change from making the change global or
for the selected object.
9 Click OK to save the changes and exit each dialog box.
To fill the edges of the AEC Polygon with a solid color fill, select Edge
Fill, and choose a color for the fill from the Edge Color list.
To fill the interior of the AEC Polygon with a solid color fill, select Interior Fill, and choose a color for the fill from the Interior Color list.
NOTE Most users probably do not need to display AEC Polygons in this
manner.
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2 Change the ambient light intensity and create a new distant light.
NOTE Do not define any additional lights. Delete any existing lights other
than the new distant light.
Now the RENDER and SHADEMODE settings match. When you render an
AEC Polygon (or any other object), the AEC Polygon renders in the original object color or colors with no shading or lighting effects.
Rendering the Exact Colors of an AEC Polygon by Defeating Lighting and Shading
Menu command
Command line
Right-click (with
polygon selected)
AecPolygon
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AecPolygonAdd
AecPolygonModify
Convert to AEC
Polygon...
AecPolygonConvert
AecPolygonStyle
AecPolygonStyleEdit
AecPolygonProperties
Divide
AecPolygonOpDivide
Operation Divide
Join
AecPolygonOpJoin
Operation Join
Subtract
AecPolygonOpSubtract
Operation Subtract
Intersect
AecPolygonOpIntersect
Operation Intersect
Trim
AecPolygonOpTrim
Operation Trim
Add Vertex
AecPolygonAddVertex
Rermove Vertex
AecPolygonRemoveVerte
x
Chapter 48
AEC Polygons
AEC Utilities
49
In this chapter
Notes
Quick Slice command
Referencing AEC objects
Hidden line projection
AEC Object Explode
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Using Utilities
The Utilities commands are tools that you can use to work with the
AEC objects in your drawing. The Utilities commands, Notes, Object Viewer,
Quick Slice, Reference AEC Objects, Hidden Line Projection and Explode AEC
Options, do not create any new AEC objects.
Use the different Utilities commands to:
Notes
You can attach notes and reference documents to an object.
To attach notes and reference documents to an object
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Utilities Notes.
2 Select an object to attach a note or reference document to.
3 In the Notes dialog box, type the note on the Text Notes tab.
4 To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab, and
do any of the following:
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To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Docs dialog
box. To edit the file itself, double-click the reference file name to start
its application. If the reference file is an AutoCAD drawing, you must
exit the Modify command for the reference drawing to open.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list and click
Delete.
5 Click OK to save your changes and exit the Notes dialog box.
Quick Slice
You can use the Quick Slice command to extract a polyline outline of a slice
through one or more 3D objects. The Quick Slice command generates a plane
that slices through objects to produce a single polyline on the current layer
rather than the several polyline segments that section objects and slice
objects produce. Unlike slices created with the Generate Slice command, a
quick slice does not have a slice marker. For more information about the
Generate Slice command, see Generating a Slice on page 270.
For example, if you have a 3D model of stairs in your current drawing, you
can use a quick slice to create a polyline outline of the stair in a section view
instead of using the section object. You can use the Quick Slice command to
produce profile shapes, such as roof trusses, or to slice through mass groups.
You can also slice through both AutoCAD blocks and xrefs. For more information about section views, see Creating 2D and 3D Sections on page
1380.
You can create a quick slice through any 3D object or objects in your
drawing.
To create a quick slice through one or more objects
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Utilities Quick Slice.
2 Select one or more objects that you want to slice through, and press
ENTER.
3 Specify a starting point for the slice plane.
4 Specify a second point to complete a slice plane through the objects.
The slice plane creates profiles from the objects that you sliced through.
Any overlapping parts of the profiles are combined in a Boolean operation
and converted into a polyline that is inserted on the current layer. You can
select the quick slice and then open the Object Viewer to view the slice
polyline.
Quick Slice
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3 Type ad (Add).
4 Select the object that you want to reference.
5 Specify a point on the original object to use as the insertion point for the
reference object marker.
6 Specify a location for the reference object in the drawing.
The distance between the reference object and the reference marker is
equal to the distance between the original object and the insertion point
that you specified in step 4.
7 Type a rotation angle for the reference object, or press ENTER for zero
rotation.
The reference object and reference mark are placed in the drawing at the
specified location and rotation angle. If you edit the original object, the
same changes are made to the reference object.
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To attach, edit, or detach a reference file, click the Reference Docs tab,
and do any of the following:
To attach a reference file, click Add, select a document in the Select File
dialog box, and click OK. You can type a description of the reference
file on the Reference Docs tab.
To edit a reference file, select the file name in the list, click Edit, and
change the document or the description in the Reference Document
dialog box. To edit the file, double-click the reference file name to start
its application.
To detach a reference file, select the file name in the list, and click
Delete.
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For more information about the world coordinate system and the user coordinate system, see Use Coordinates and Coordinate Systems in the online
AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To change the location properties of an entity reference
1 From the Desktop menu, choose Utilities Reference AEC Objects.
2 The following prompt is displayed:
ADd/Properties/Insertion point/ATtach:
To relocate the reference object, change coordinate values under Insertion Point.
To reorient the reference object, change the axis to which the normal
is parallel. To locate the reference object on the XY plane, make the
normal of the reference object parallel to the Z axis: under Normal,
type 1 in the Z box, and type 0 in the X and Y boxes. To locate the reference object on the YZ plane, type 1 in the X box and type 0 in the X
and Z boxes.
To change the rotation of the reference object, type a new value for
Rotation Angle.
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2 Type at (Attach).
3 Select the reference marker that you want to use.
4 Select the new object that you want to use to replace the referenced object.
The new reference object replaces the former reference object. The original object is unchanged.
NOTE Your 2D hidden line projections are not dynamically linked to the
objects in the 3D view. Therefore, if you edit the original object or objects in
3D view, the 2D graphic does not change. You must edit or re-create the
2D hidden line projection to reflect any changes that you make to the original
objects.
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5 Insert the 2D hidden line projection into your drawing, do one of the
following:
Depending on the insertion option that you select, the 2D hidden line
projection block is displayed in your drawing parallel to the XY plane or
in the current 3D view. You can use standard AutoCAD commands to
explode, edit, or define it.
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are used in the absence of the AEC Object Enabler. Proxy graphics allow
the non-ADT user to view your drawing without modifying the original
objects. The limitation of Proxy graphics is that it can only store one display representation of the objects. When you save the file, Proxy graphics
are generated for only the current active viewport. For example, if you
have a drawing with both a Plan and a Model viewport, the drawing with
Proxy graphics has two viewports with the same graphics in it.
If you find that neither of these preferred methods solve the problem for
your particular situation, you can convert the ADT objects to primitive
AutoCAD entities. However, once converted, there is no way to convert
the primitive entities back into ADT objects.
If you are not using paper space viewports (MVIEWs), then your only
choice is to use the current viewport (Current View). Note that this
only produces one display representation of the AEC objects.
If you are using multiple viewports in paper space layouts, choosing All
Layouts explodes a different set of graphics for each viewport in each
layout. Because AutoCAD primitive entities cannot change their graphics based on the viewport, the resulting, exploded objects are mapped
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to layers, some of which are frozen in some viewports and not in others. For more information, see Viewport Layer Mapping.
NOTE If you have no paper space viewports (MVIEWs) in your drawing and
you choose All Layouts, you end up with a single representation in your output file (from the active model space viewport). If you are working strictly
from the Model layout tab, the Current View option should be used.
4 The Re-use Existing Layer and Block Names option is only applicable
when you are exploding to All Layouts, where viewport layer mapping is
in effect. The first time you convert a file, layer and block names are automatically produced to hold the resulting AutoCAD primitive entities. If
you were to later convert that same converted file again, the same names
would be produced again, which may or may not be the desired behavior.
If your goal is to preserve the exact appearance of the graphics currently
on screen, then the best option is to not re-use existing names. If, however, your goal is to minimize the number of layers and block definitions
produced, you should select this option. However, selecting this does not
ensure that the resulting graphics will have the exact appearance that they
currently have. For more information, see Viewport Layer Mapping.
5 Xrefs present a bit of a problem when trying to explode the AEC objects.
This is because an object display is dependent on the viewport it is currently being drawn in, which is in a different drawing file than the object.
If your goal is to produce the exact graphics that are currently on the
screen, then it is recommended that you use Bind Xref in the output file
before the conversion. The option ensures correct graphic output, but it
may be undesirable when you need to keep the files split up into different
xref drawings. For more information, see Working With External References (Xrefs).
You can choose to use either the Bind or Insert type of xref binding. This
option is only available when the current drawing has one or more xrefs
attached.
6 If you turn on Explode to Anonymous Blocks, then each object explodes
its graphics into a container block that keeps the primitive entities packaged together. If you have Maintain Resolved Layer, Color, Linetype
turned off also, then the properties and structure of the entities are exactly
what they were when they were objectified as ADT objects. However, if
you have Explode To Anonymous Blocks turned off, then the primitives
for all exploded objects go directly into the destination block space and
are directly accessible as line, arc, and circle and other non-AEC entities.
If you do this, it is advisable to also select Maintain Resolved Layer, Color,
Linetype. If you do not, the visual appearance of the objects could change
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drastically due to the fact that the entities set to BYBLOCK will no longer
be inheriting Layer, Color, and Linetype from their parent container
object.
7 Turn on Maintain Resolved Layer, Color, Linetype when you are more
concerned with keeping exact visual appearance than you are with keeping the same structure as the original objects. If you have selected Explode
To Anonymous Blocks, then you can safely leave Maintain Resolved Layer,
Color, Linetype off and still get the same appearance. However, if you then
explode those anonymous blocks again, then the visual appearance will
change due to the fact that some entities will be set to BYBLOCK, but will
no longer be inheriting from their parent container block.
8 Turn on Erase AEC Objects when you want to erase the AEC objects from
the drawing when you are through with the conversion. Under normal
conditions you will want this selected.
9 Select Shorten Symbol Names for R14 Compatibility when the converted
drawing is going to be used in an AutoCAD R14-based program, such as
AutoCAD Architectural Desktop R1 When this option is on, you can set
the desired maximum length for symbol names from 20 to 31. Use a
shorter length when this drawing is to be attached as an xref to another
drawing. For example, if the maximum length were set to 20, the block
I_CASE_CORNER_WALL 30IN HIGH_F would be renamed
I_CASE_CORNER_WALL~1. If you require more control over the final
names, use the RENAME command.
NOTE You can also use Shorten Symbol Names for R14 Compatibility without doing anything to AEC Objects. If you select this option, but Explode
AEC Objects To Primitive Graphics and Erase AEC Objects are not selected,
then the AEC objects remain unchanged, and all existing symbol names are
shortened to the selected length.
10 Select Display Status Messages when you want to receive messages at the
command line showing progress during the conversion and the items
were exploded and erased.
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AecObjExplode_LayoutName_Vport_VportHandleN
LayoutName is filled in with the name of the specific layout tab, and
VportHandle# is filled out with the unique AutoCAD entity handle for that
specific viewport.
NOTE To determine the handle for a viewport, type list at the command line
and select the viewport boundary. The handle is a hexadecimal number, such as
4D2A.
A layer is also created with the same names so that the blocks that do not
apply to that viewport can be on a frozen layer, and thus not visible.
The template used to generate the block and layer names is stored in the
Win32 Registry under the key:
//HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Autodesk/AutoCAD/R15.0/ACAD-4:409/
AEC
/AecObjExplode/Preferences
You can change these templates to be another character string, but it still
must contain the %!1s! format specifiers that are currently present. These
format specifiers are filled in by the layout name and the viewport handle
number.
NOTE When in the Model Layout tab (TILEMODE=1), all representations are
visible at the same time. This is because there is no way to freeze a layer in a tiled
viewport without freezing it in all PaperSpace viewports. However, you can
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freeze all but one of the viewport layers to get the desired representation.
NOTE First copy all the parent and all xref drawing files. Then open the parent drawing, and use the Xref Manager to change the Saved Path for each
Xref. Select them one at a time, and change each file name in the Xref Found
At edit box. Finally, open, explode and save each of the drawings.
You should only choose this method when keeping the drawing as separate xrefs is mandatory. Also, in some cases you may not get the exact
same graphics. This is because objects in the xrefd file display themselves
based on the display configuration in effect for a given viewport in the
host drawing. However, when the xrefd file is converted, the objects only
know about viewports from their own drawing. If the same display configuration is not used in both drawings, the graphic output when converted to AutoCAD primitives may be different.
For example, if the xref drawing only has a single viewport that shows the
plan representation, but both plan and model representations are used in
the host file, exploding the files separately gives you only the plan representation in the final file. If the xref files have multiple representations,
you need to turn off one or more xref viewport layers in the host drawing to get the appropriate representations in each viewport.
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Menu command
Command line
Notes
Notes
Notes...
Object Viewer...
ObjectViewer
Object Viewer...
Quick Slice
QuickSlice
EntRef
CreateHLR
ObjExplode
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IFC
50
In this chapter
tools that you can use to import from and export data
1707
1708
Chapter 50 IFC
There are three different cases for objects matching to IFC objects.
1 AEC objects that have corresponding IFC objects. These are matched up.
2 AEC objects that dont have corresponding IFC objects. These become IFC
proxy objects when exported and follow the IFC classification as mass elements when imported. The geometry is preserved, but the object type and
properties are lost.
3 IFC objects that dont have corresponding AEC objects. These are
imported as AEC mass elements with an IFC classification and exported as
real IFC objects again. No IFC information is lost.
For more detailed information about IFC procedures, see IFC Utility
Overview in AutoCAD Architectural Desktop online Help.
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1710
Menu Command
Command Line
Import...
IfcImport
Export...
IfcExport
Purge
IfcPurge
Classification...
IfcClassification
Settings...
IfcSettings
Chapter 50 IFC
Right-click
Publish to Autodesk
Architectural Studio
51
In this chapter
Architectural Studio
Studio in Drawing Web Format (DWF). Autodesk Architectural Studio is an Internet-based conceptual design
Architectural Studio
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NOTE Because DWF files are 2D vector files, 3D views are published to Architectural Studio as 2D line drawings. Any views that are currently using AutoCAD
SHADE or RENDER will not be displayed as shaded or rendered in Architectural
Studio.
For more information about DWF, see Overview of Using the Drawing Web
Format (DWF) in the online AutoCAD 2002 Users Guide.
To publish layouts to Autodesk Architectural Studio
1 Start Architectural Studio.
Architectural Studio must be running to publish an Architectural Desktop
layout.
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Chapter 51
2 In Architectural Desktop, select the layout tab in the drawing with the
view that you want to publish.
3 From the File menu, choose Page Setup and click the Plot Device tab.
4 On the Plot Device tab, under Plot configuration, select a DWF plotter
configuration from the Name list.
5 Click the Layout Settings tab and set the size, orientation, plot scale, plot
area, and plot options for the layout.
For more information, see Setup a Layout in the online AutoCAD 2002
Users Guide.
6 Click OK to exit the Page Setup dialog box.
7 In Architectural Desktop, from the Desktop menu, choose Publish to
Architectural Studio.
8 Click OK to publish the layout to Architectural Studio. A meter displays
the plot progress to Architectural Studio.
After the Architectural Desktop layout is published to Architectural Studio, it
displays in Architectural Studio, where you can begin working with it.
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Chapter 51
Glossary
additive 1. To expand the volume of a mass group by joining one or more mass elements with it. 2. A Boolean operation that manages 3D objects as true solids. See Boolean.
AEC content Content, such as architectural symbols, object styles, and annotation
routines unique to Architectural Desktop, that you can access in the Custom view in
AutoCAD DesignCenter. See AutoCAD DesignCenter.
AEC Object Enabler A distributable utility which allows users without Autodesk
AEC applications to use Autodesk AEC objects in AutoCAD 2000, Volo View Express,
AutoCAD Map 2000, and 3D Studio VIZ 3.0.
AEC profile Outline to delineate custom elements, such as openings or extrusions.
Profiles can be created from one or more closed polylines and may contain voids.
AIA American Institute of Architects
anchor 1. A feature that creates a relationship between two objects. 2. To fasten, or
anchor, an object to another object. The anchored objects movement and/or size is
constrained by the object to which it is anchored.
annotation Text, dimensions, symbols, or reference marks. For example, Architectural Desktop annotation includes break marks, leaders, bar scales, revision clouds,
detail boundaries, elevation marks, and arrows.
apply To put to specific use. For example, after making changes in a dialog box, click
Apply to execute and view the changes.
attach To establish a relationship between two objects, for example, between a mass
element and a mass group, or between a mass group and a slice representing a floor
plate.
AutoCAD DesignCenter A window that is displayed in the drawing area from which
the user can use selection aids to find, load, and import drawings and drawing components. In the Custom view in AutoCAD DesignCenter, the user can choose AEC content from the hierarchical tree in the Architectural Desktop folder, and drag the content from the palette into an open drawing.
base curve A curve used to define particular drawing objects, such as lines, polylines,
arcs, mass elements, and walls. For example, the base curve of a wall is at its base elevation, located at the justification position (where left, right, center, or baseline grips
display). Many objects, such as doors, windows, or mvblocks, do not have a base curve
and must be used with the curve anchor or layout curve commands.
Glossary
1715
baseline An established, but imaginary line on which objects can rest. The baseline
of a wall establishes the line from which all component edge offsets are measured.
bay
Boolean Type of action performed by mathematical operations (add, subtract, intersect) when 3D solid objects are combined. For example, mass elements perform Boolean operations when they join to make a mass group, and their common, or overlapping, areas combine.
boundary A delineation of an interior space which will later become a wall. Boundaries are created from spaces or drawn to enclose spaces. Spaces can be linked with
boundaries so that when either is changed, the correct relationship between boundary
and space is retained.
break mark Notation that signifies that an object has been broken, or has a piece
removed.
camera A display feature that correlates with adjusting the view of an object as if
looking through the lens of a camera.
ceiling grid A rectangular arrangement of parallel lines forming a pattern for laying
out ceiling tile and fixtures in a building.
cell An area within which an AEC object can be attached. Controls the width and
depth of the object, in addition to its position and rotation.
cell anchor A feature that fastens, or anchors, an object to the cell position of a 2D
or 3D layout object. The anchored objects movement and size is constrained by the
cell. See node anchor.
cleans up Joins appropriate parts of two different walls by lengthening, shortening,
or breaking lines that represent boundaries of the wall components.
clipping boundary A boundary which automatically adjusts the size of a ceiling grid
to fill a given area, such as a space.
column grids An arrangement, either rectangular or radial, of spaces, or bays, delineated with parallel or radial lines. At the line intersection points are column positions.
component A fundamental element of an object, such as the frame of a door, or the
hatching of a wall.
conceptual design phase Initial design phase of a building project, including mass
modeling and space planning. Sometimes also referred to as schematic design.
construction documents The working drawings, schedules, and specifications
required to construct a building. Also referred to as CDs.
construction documents phase
construction documents.
Construction Specifications Institute (CSI): A professional association that provides technical information and products to the construction industry, such as the
five-digit MasterFormat numbering system used to organize one of the imperial content menus included with AutoCAD Architectural Desktop. See MasterFormat.
content User definable, pre-configured elements, which are provided with Architectural Desktop to aid in getting started on a project. Examples of supplied content are
templates, styles, and symbols.
1716
Glossary
design content Generic blocks that represent real-world building components, such
as appliances, electrical fixtures, furniture, etc. Design content can be accessed from
the AEC DesignCenter.
design development phase The phase during which the architect develops the conceptual design into a completed building. Sometimes referred to as preliminary design.
detach To remove the relationship between two objects, for example, between a
mass element and a mass group or between a mass group and a slice representing a
floor plate.
detail mark Notation that references another drawing which contains a detail of the
original drawing.
direction dependent A condition where the display of an object is dependent on the
view direction. For example, a door might appear open in plan view, but closed in elevation view.
display configuration The arrangement of how objects are displayed in individual
viewports. Display configurations could be fixed view or direction-dependent view.
Each display configuration will have one or more display representation sets associated
with it.
display representation A level of display control in which the user can specify display settings for individual components of objects, such as layer, color, linetype, and
visibility display properties, to affect how a particular object is displayed.
display representation set A saved set of display representations, which can be associated with a display configuration. See display representation.
documentation Any output records of an architectural project, consisting of working drawings, specifications, schedules, and other information pertaining to the building.
edge offset The distance from the face of a component to a specific base line. For wall
components, the edge offset determines where the width of the component is measured from.
endcap A user definable end condition for the end of a free-standing wall or the vertical edges at a door or window opening.
entity reference An object that makes a reference to another object, and which will
update dynamically if the referenced object is altered. Entity references are similar to
blocks, except that their definitions must remain as objects in the drawing editor.
Glossary
1717
entref An object that makes a reference to another object, and which will update
dynamically if the referenced object is altered. Entity references are similar to blocks,
except that their definitions must remain as objects in the drawing editor.
extrusion
axis.
Floating Viewer A separate window that displays objects with orbit commands.
intersect 1. To reduce the volume of a mass group to that which is shared with the
mass element creating a new region from the area common to two or more overlapping regions. 2. A Boolean operation that manages 3D objects as true solids. See Boolean.
layer keying A method of automatically placing objects in a specific layer as they are
drawn. A particular layer key (for example, WALL) can be assigned to any predefined
layer name (for example, A-WALL). This layer name is controlled by the current layer
key style.
layer key style
Layer Manager A utility used for grouping layers by industry standards or by userdefined designations.
layer snapshots
layer standard A pre-defined list of layer names or layer group names, and a set of
rules determining how new layer names are created.
layout curve A linear grid that attaches node points to an object with a base curve,
for example, walls, mass elements, and polylines.
layout mode
or manually.
masking block A special block which can be used to mask the graphic display of part
of an object in a particular view. Masking blocks can add additional graphics over the
masked section.
mass element A primitive object representing a specific shape and having definable
parametric behaviors. Some Architectural Desktop mass elements shapes are gable,
arch, cone, column, and cylinder.
mass group A assemblage of mass elements combined in a specific order with Boolean (add, subtract, intersect) operations.
MasterFormat A system provided by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
used to organize construction resources using a five-digit numbering system. See Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). One of the imperial content menus provided with AutoCAD Architectural Desktop uses the CSI MasterFormat system to organize its design content.
model
Model Explorer A separate display window that contains a hierarchical tree pane in
which the user can control the organization of mass groups and mass elements. It also
contains a preview pane in which the user can view and navigate drawing objects.
multi-view block (mvblock): A special Architectural Desktop block which can contain multiple AutoCAD blocks set to display differently in different views.
1718
Glossary
The distance between the net area outline of a space and the gross
node anchor A feature that fastens, or anchors, an object to the node position of an
object. The anchored objects movement is constrained by the other object. See cell
anchor.
nodes Points to which an AEC object can be attached. Controls the position and
rotation of the object.
object A collection of one or more graphical elements, such as lines, circles,
polylines, text, or dimensions, treated as a single element for creation, manipulation,
and modification. An Architectural Desktop object is a special entity with predefined
behavior and display characteristics.
object anchors 1. A feature that creates a relationship between two objects. 2. To fasten, or anchor, an object to another object. The anchored objects movement and/or
size is constrained by the object to which it is anchored.
Object Enabler A distributable utility which allows users without Autodesk AEC
applications to use Autodesk AEC objects in AutoCAD 2000, Volo View Express,
AutoCAD Map 2000, and 3D Studio VIZ 3.0.
Object Viewer A separate window that can display any drawing objects. You can
manipulate and view the objects with orbit commands.
operation A mass element property which determines how the mass element contributes its volume to a mass group. See Boolean.
orbit To navigate an object in a graphics display window, such as the Floating Viewer,
Object Viewer, or Model Explorer, with user-selected view geometry rotating around a
center axis. 3D orbit allows the user to inspect the object in real time. The user can
right-click to display a shortcut menu with more viewing options.
ortho close A special command, available when adding multiple walls and space
boundaries, which closes the defined space by automatically placing the last segment
perpendicular to the first. It is most useful when creating rectangular rooms.
priority The parameter which determines component cleanup at wall intersections.
The lower the priority number, the higher the priority. For example, a priority 1 component will extend through a priority 2 component at an intersection.
profile Outline to delineate custom elements, such as openings or extrusions. Profiles can be created from one or more closed polylines and may contain voids.
Quick Slice A plane generated from two selected points and an entity used to slice
through an AEC object, such as roof and mass groups. The resultant profile becomes a
polyline which is added to the current layer.
radial column grid A circular pattern of spaces, or bays, around a central axis point.
At the line intersection point of the bays are column positions.
rectangular column grid A pattern of spaces, or bays, delineated by lines at right
angles. At the line intersection points are column positions.
Glossary
1719
solid form A boundary segment type with user-defined width that is used to capture
preliminary wall information and to control space layout.
space boundaries A delineation of an interior space which will later become a wall.
Boundaries are created from spaces or drawn to enclose spaces. Spaces can be linked
with boundaries so that when either is changed, the correct relationship between
boundary and space is retained.
spaces Areas or sections in the interior of a building designated for specific use.
Spaces have a ceiling and floor boundaries, height, width, and length.
stair flight The stairs between landings, usually including any landing extensions,
excepting railing heights and automatic extensions.
stair run
stair walking path The defining path of a stair. Treads are generally perpendicular to
this polyline, except in the case of winder turn types. Stair edges may not intersect this
line. If the do, then a defect marker is displayed.
styles Group of preset characteristics assigned to an object that determine appearance and function.
sub-object An object which cannot exist independently of an AEC object, used to
attach two objects together, or otherwise to carry the position and rotation information about an AEC object.
subtractive To reduce the volume of a mass group by removing the common area
that a mass element shares with it. 2. A Boolean operation that manages 3D objects as
true solids. See Boolean.
target A value guideline to help the user maintain preferred length and area of
spaces.
title mark
1720
Glossary
volume Similar to a cell, volume controls all three dimensions of an attached object,
in addition to its position and rotation.
wall anchor A feature that fastens, or anchors, an object to the base curve of a wall.
The anchored objects movement is constrained by the wall.
Glossary
1721
1722
Glossary
Index
2D elevation properties, 1356
attaching notes and files, 1356
changing styles, 1357
location, 1357
2D elevation styles, 1358
attaching notes and files, 1364
creating, 13581359
design rule properties, 13661367
display, 1365, 1368, 1405
importing and exporting, 13611362
properties, 1363
purging, 1360
2D elevations, 1344, 1351
creating, 1352
elevation lines, 1344
graphics subdivision display, 1354
hidden line projections, 1351
linework, 13691371
updating, 1354
2D section properties, 1394
attaching notes and files, 1394
location, 1395
2D section styles, 1395
attaching notes and files, 1401
creating, 13961397
design rule properties, 14031405
display, 14021403, 1405
importing and exporting, 13981400
properties, 1401, 1405
purging, 1397
2D sections, 1380, 1389
creating, 1389
graphic subdivision display, 1391
hidden line projections, 1380, 1389
linework, 14061409
reversing, 1393
section lines, 1380
updating, 1392
3D elevation properties, 1375
attaching notes and files, 1375
display of graphic subdivisions, 1377
location, 1376
3D elevations, 1344, 1372
creating, 1373
elevation lines, 1344
hidden line projects, 1372
updating, 1374
3D orbit view, 8
3D section properties, 1413
attaching notes and files, 1413
display of graphic subdivisions, 1414
location, 1413
A
add AEC dimension points, 1079
add AEC dimension styles
copy, 1092
new, 1091
add AEC dimensions, 1073
automatic AEC dimension, 1073
copy properties of AEC dimensions to
AutoCAD dimensions, 1078
from AutoCAD dimension, 1076
manual AEC dimension, 1074
add boundaries, 253
add ceiling grids
clipping boundary, 1033
freestanding, 1034
add components to display
doors, 660, 662663
add dimension label
doors, 1119
openings, 1119
stairs, 1119
windows, 1119
add doors
freestanding, 645
in space boundaries, 644
in walls, 643
add layout grids, 1568
add mass elements, 188189
See also specific mass elements
add mass groups, 212
add roof slab, 583
Add/Modify dialog boxes, 390
adding
layout curves, 1561
layout volumes, 1578
lines to layout grids, 1573
lines to layout volumes, 1582
nodes to layout curves, 1564
adding components to window display, 700, 703
additive mass elements, 214
AEC camera. See camera
AEC content
accessing. See AutoCAD DesignCenter
AEC content, creating, 17
adding to drawings, 16
AEC block, 1612
1723
1724
Index
Index
1725
1726
Index
B
barrel vault mass elements, creating, 190
bathroom fittings (metric), AutoCAD
DesignCenter, 279
beams, creating, 818
See also structural members, creating
Boolean operations, mass elements, 188, 212
boundaries, modifying, 261
changing dimensions, 263
changing properties, 262
design rules, 264
location properties, 266
boundary edges, adding, 258
C
cable shaft symbols, 1048
calculation modifier styles
attaching to area groups, 1220
editing, 1192
modifying, 1192
properties, 1192
purging, 1198
calculation type
area modifier styles, 1192
calculation type of area groups, 1219
camera
attaching notes and files, 1440
creating videos, 14381439
inserting into drawing, 1434
location properties, 1441
modifying, 1436
properties, 1440
saving perspective views, 1433
using grips, 14341435
viewport association, 1436
cameras
commands, 1442
ceiling grids, 1033
clipping boundary, 1033, 1036
commands, 1042
holes, 10361037
modify, 1035
properties, 1037
ceilings
boundary in spaces, 264
ceilings, boundary in spaces, 223
cell anchors, 1591
adding, 1600
cell infills, curtain walls, 419, 432
alignment, 435
assigning, 451
cell markers, 478
inserting objects, 454
modifying, 477
offsets, 436
panel, 454
panel infill, 432
removing, 437, 455
cell infills, window assemblies
assigning, 756757, 760
Index
1727
1728
Index
railings, 1017
roofs, 924
schedule data, 1340
schedule tables, 1340
schedule tags, 1339
sections, 1415
set drawing scale, 1468
slabs, 621
slice floorplates, 274
space boundaries, 267
space planning, 248
stairs, 971
structural members, 861
Style Manager, 1558
utilities, 1706
walls, 392
window assemblies, 802
windows, 720
concept
slice floorplates, 270
concept phase
creating mass elements, 188
creating mass groups, 212
space boundaries, 252
space planning, 221222
using viewing windows. See viewing
windows
conceptual design phase, 2
using templates, 61
cone mass elements, creating, 191
construction document phase, 3
content creation. See AEC content, creating
content, AEC. See AEC content, creating
converting AEC objects into simple AutoCAD
entities, 1700
converting polylines to AEC Polygons, 1669
copy
AEC dimension styles, 1092
door styles, 651
profiles, 1659
copying
AEC Polygon styles, 1682
area calculation modifier styles, 1191
area group templates, 1246
area groups styles, 1226
custom structural shapes, 854
door styles, 1626
layer standards, 14851486
masking blocks, 1644
multi-view blocks, 1626
railing styles, 1004
schedule table styles, 1320
space styles, 239
structurla member styles, 857
styles between drawings with Style
Manager, 15451550
wall endcap styles, 373
commands, 577
curved, 407
custom grids, 411
from walls, 413
nested grids, 414, 452
referencing curves, 409
straight, 403, 407
curtain walls, modifying, 477
cell markers, 478
commands, 577
dimensions, 496
edit in place, 483491
gables in roof lines, 498
merging two cells, 480
overrides, 480483
overriding cell and edge assignments, 478
restoring original settings, 491
roof and floor lines, 497, 499500
curve anchors, adding, 15901591
curved walls, 309
custom blocks
door display, 660
railing components, 983984, 986,
988989
window display, 700
custom commands, AEC content, 1618
custom content. See AutoCAD DesignCenter
custom detail boundary mark, 1051
custom openings
profiles, 1656
Custom view, AutoCAD DesignCenter, 276277
cut plane height
mass elements, 157, 170
mass groups, 158, 171
cut planes
curtain walls, 470
walls, 341
window assemblies, 771
cylinder mass elements, creating, 191
D
data format styles, schedules
attaching notes or files, 1309
copying, 1309
creating, 1308
editing, 1310
exporting, 1316
importing and exporting, 1313, 1315
purging, 1313
defaults, setting for drawings, 1446
deleting
AEC dimension styles
deleting. See purging
descriptions. See notes, descriptions, reference
files (attaching)
design
AEC dimensions, 1063
Index
1729
1730
Index
properties, 1121
dimension labels, 1113
adding to AutoCAD Design Center, 1130
attributes, 1114
behavior, 1123
block, 1128
create multi-view block, 1129
creating, 1118
define attributes, 1125
display representations, 1115
doors, 1115
modifying, 1119
notes and reference files, 1120
openings, 1115
prefixes, 1118
properties, 1120
rotation, 11191120
setting preferences, 1117
stairs, 1116
standard dimension labels, 1115
userdefined, 1125
windows, 1115
dimension properties, 263
curtain walls, 496
dimension labels, 1122
door styles, 656
doors, 667
layout curves, 1563
masking blocks, 1653
multi-view blocks, 1635
openings, 630
roof slabs, 601, 903
roofs, 870
section lines and marks, 1420
space styles, 240241
stairs, 947
window assemblies, 772, 795
window styles, 696
windows, 685
dimension settings, AEC options, 1457
elevation and dimension labels, 1458
dimension styles
AutoCAD dimension styles, 1089
dimensioning walls
multiple walls, 389
single wall, 389
dimensions
curtain wall styles, 471
dimension types and uses, 1064
dimensions (AEC). See also AEC dimensions
DIN 276 Format (layer standard), 14791481
display
European plan views, 145
display commands, 143
display configurations, 104, 128
adding notes and files, 131
creating, 128129
deleting, 130
editing, 130
importing and exporting, 137139
purging, 132133
renaming, 129
setting defaults, 136
templates, 5356, 60
viewing in Display Manager, 117
viewports, 136
display management, 100
display configurations, 104
Display Manager. See display systems
display representations, 100
display systems. See display systems
layers, 1472
troubleshooting, 143
display options, changing for performance,
1446, 1450
display properties
2D elevation styles, 1363, 1368, 1405
2D sections styles, 1405
AEC dimension styles, 1100
AEC objects, 122, 126, 130, 184
command list, 143
curtain walls, 465, 467
doors, 660
European plan views, 147
live section, 1426
roof slab styles, 611, 913
space styles, 242
stair styles, 966
window assembly styles, 768
window styles, 698
windows, 700
See also entity display
display representations, 100, 134
AEC objects, 1468
deleting, 124
editing, 122
structural members, 829
viewing in the Display Manager, 113
display sets, 103, 125
adding notes and files, 127
creating, 125
deleting, 127
editing, 126
renaming, 126
viewing in Display Manager, 115
display settings, template, 99100
display systems, 100, 112141
copying between drawings, 137
display configurations, 117, 128130
Display Manager, 111
display representations, 113, 122, 124
display sets, 115, 125127
purging, 132
sending by email, 141142
Index
1731
E
edit
1732
Index
roofs, 868871
schedule data, 1288
space styles, 240
spaces, 231, 236
stair styles, 958962, 964965
stairs, 936
styles with Style Manager, 15421545
wall endcap styles, 374, 377379
wall modifier styles, 368
windows, 680
editor settings, changing in the desktop. See AEC
options
electrical services symbols (metric), AutoCAD
DesignCenter, 280
elevation labels, 11331143
adding, 1135
adding to AutoCAD DesignCenter, 1143
adding to drawing, 1135
attribute properties, 1139
modifying. See elevation labels, modifying
elevation labels, modifying, 11361139
attaching notes and files, 1137
dimension properties, 1138
editing label definition, 1138
offsetting, 1139
properties, 11371139
elevation labels, user-defined, 11401142
adding attributes, 1141
creating a block, 1142
creating multi-view blocks, 1142
graphic symbols, 1140
elevation lines, 1344
attaching notes and files, 1347
dimensions, 1348
drawing lines and marks, 1346
graphic subdivisions, 1350
location properties, 1350
properties, 1347
elevation marks, 1053
adding, 10531056
elevations, 13431377
annotation, 1053
commands, 1378
elevation marks, 1351
location properties, 1350, 1357, 1376
properties, 1356
See also 2D elevations and 3D elevations
email
sending display systems in a drawing,
141142
sending styles and definitions, 15551557
endcap properties, 671, 689
endcap styles for walls, 372
creating, 372373
editing, 374
exporting, 377378
purging, 376
F
fascia in roof styles, 612613, 914
fields, layer standards, 1478
filtering objects with Quick Select, 7
flipping door hinges
flipping door swing directions, 649
Floating Viewer, 183
3D orbit view, 8
floor
boundaries in spaces, 224, 264
floor lines in curtain walls, changing, 497500
floor lines in walls, 381
changing, 327329
floor opening symbols, 1048
floorplans, evaluating. See area groups
floorplates, 270
generating slices, 270
objects, 271272
frames, curtain walls, 419, 438
modifying, 477
offsets, 442
removing, 443
using a profile, 440
width and depth, 439
frames, window assemblies, 747
assigning, 762
offsets, 749
overriding assignments, 779
removing, 750, 763
specifying edges, 764
using a profile, 748
width and depth, 747
free form mass elements, 199
freestanding
ceiling grid, 1034
doors, 645
openings, 627
stair railings, 976
window assemblies, 796
windows, 680
furniture symbols, AutoCAD DesignCenter, 280
G
gable mass elements
changing roof height, 203
changing wall height, 203
creating, 193
gable roof line
adding to curtain wall, 498
adding to wall, 328
gable roofs, creating, 865
geometry, editing in AEC Polygons, 1673
gothic pattern in window muntins, 716
grids
anchoring to objects, 1590
ceiling, 1033
column, 1020
commands, 1042
layout, 1560, 1568
grids, curtain walls, 398
cells, 422, 424, 426, 451
converting to curtain wall unit, 515
custom, 411, 516
dividing, 429
divisions, 421, 431, 450
elements of, 419
excluding gables and steps, 427
frames, 438
mullions, 444, 446447, 449
nested grids, 414
offsets, 429
polylines, 429
grids, window assemblies, 725, 729
cells, 738739
custom, 731
divisions, 756
Index
1733
elements, 726
frames. See frames, window assemblies
mullions. See mullions, window assemblies
nested grids, 733, 758
grips
H
hatch patterns
curtain walls, 468
mass elements, 209
structural members, 832
walls, 340341
window assemblies, 769
height of doors, changing, 646
help sources, 18
hidden line projection, creating, 16991700
2D elevations, 1351
2D sections, 1380, 1389
3D elevations, 1372
3D sections, 1380, 1410
hinge. See door or window hinge
holes in roof, 595, 597, 894, 896
holes, ceiling grids, 1027, 10361037
I
IFC
commands, 1710
IFC (Industry Foundation Class), 1708
import/export
AEC dimension styles, 10931095
door styles, 652654
profiles, 16611662
roof slab edge styles, 615617
roof slab styles, 606608
import/export profiles, 1662
importing and exporting
2D elevation styles, 13611362
2D section styles, 13981400
AEC Polygon styles, 16831685
AEC profiles, 16461647
area calculation modifier styles, 11961197
area group styles, 12331234
area group templates, 12511252
area styles, 11841186
curtain wall styles, 475476
display configurations, 137139
1734
Index
J
joining spaces, 232
joining two AEC Polygons, 1675
joining walls, 387
K
kitchen fittings (metric), AutoCAD
DesignCenter, 281
L
labels, elevation, 11331143
landings in stairs, 970
layer groups, 15101520
adding layers, 1517
changing filters, 1520
changing properties, 1518
color filter criteria, 1514
creating, 1510
creating snapshots, 1521
deleting, 1519
filter group, 15111512
layer standard filter criteria, 1516
linetype filter criteria, 1515
renaming, 1519
replacing layers, 1518
state filter criteria, 1513
wildcard filtering, 1516
layer key overrides, 15061508
setting, 1507
turning on and off, 1508
layer key styles, 1493
creating, 14941495
editing, 1497
exporting, 1500, 1508
importing and exporting, 14991500
purging, 1498
layer keying, 39, 14921508
default values, 1506
layer keys for AEC objects, 1501
styles, 1493
values for new layer keys, 1506
layer management, 14701524
commands, 1524
drawing setup, 1466
improving performance of Layer Manager,
1448
introduction to, 1472
Layer Manager
accessing, 1472
improving performance of, 1472
See also layer management
layer snapshots, 15201524
creating, 1521
deleting, 1522
editing, 1522
importing and exporting, 1523
layer groups, 1521
restoring, 1522
layer standards, 14761492
AIA Long Format, 1472, 1476, 1484
Architectural Desktop Format, 1479
BS1192, 1476
BS1192 AUG Version 2 Format, 1482
BS1192 Descriptive format, 1483
copying, 14851486
DIN 276 Format, 14791481
editing, 14871489
fields, 1478
importing and exporting, 14901491
ISYBAU Kurzversion, 14801481
ISYBAU Langversion, 1481
purging, 1490
STLB Format, 1481
layers, 14731476
changing description, 1476
changing layer standard, 1476
creating nonstandard, 1473
creating standard, 1474
deleting, 1475
making current, 1473
renaming, 1475
layout curves, 1560
adding, 1561
adding nodes, 1564
anchoring objects, 1560
anchoring to objects, 1590
changing dimensions, 1563
changing properties, 1562
changing spacing, 1565
changing the display, 1567
node size, 1567
removing nodes, 1565
switching curves, 1567
layout grids, 1560, 1568
adding lines, 1573
attaching boundaries, 1576
attaching clipping profiles, 1576
changing spacing, 1574
changing the display, 1576
creating holes, 1576
curtain walls, 414
properties, 1579
radial, 15681569
rectangular, 15711572
removing holes, 1576
removing lines, 1574
window assemblies, 729
layout tabs, 9
layout tabs, templates, 38, 54, 6065
conceptual design, 61
design development, 62
display configurations, 5357, 60
Model, 65
plotting, 6365
layout tools
commands, 1586
layout curves, 1560
layout grids, 1568
layout volumes, 1578
radial grids, 1568
rectangular grids, 1571
spacing, 1561
layout volumes
adding, 1578
adding lines, 1582
changing, 1579
changing properties, 1579
changing spacing, 1584
changing the display, 1585
removing lines, 1583
leader anchors, 1590
adding, 1594
leaders, 1057
spline, 1057
straight, 1058
with text, 10571058
leaf of doors, changing, 647
Index
1735
M
manufacturer part specifications, structural, 806
markers, mass groups, 212
mask blocks
commands, 1654
masking blocks, 1642
adding, 1649
AEC content, 1617
attaching to objects, 1650
copying, 1644
creating a definition, 1643
detaching from objects, 1651
dimension properties, 1653
importing and exporting, 1645
location properties, 1653
modifying, 1651
purging, 1645
mass elements, 188
additive, 178179, 214
1736
Index
commands, 1638
elevation marks, 1351
importing and exporting, 16301633
modifying, 1633
properties, 1628, 16341637
purging, 1630
section marks, 1388
multi-view blocks, defining, 1622
copying, 1626
properties, 16281629
multi-view blocks, modifying, 1633
dimensions, 1635
style properties, 1635
muntins, window. See window muntins
N
new features in Architectural Desktop, 68
architectural objects, 69
AEC Polygons, 76
curtain walls, 69
roof and floor slabs, 7274
structural members, 7576
window assemblies, 71
building models, 77
elevation labels, 84
railings, 79
scheduling, 86
sections and elevations, 83
spaces, 85
stairs, 77
walls, 80
windows, 82
international features, 93
area calculation, 93
dimensions, 95
live sections, 96
user interface
Display Manager, 88
exploding objects, 92
pushpin dialog boxes, 89
shortcut menus, 90
Style Manager, 87
node anchors, 1590
adding, 1597
nonrectangular spaces, 232
nonrectangular walls, 327
north arrows, adding, 1059
notes
AEC dimension styles, 1099
AEC dimensions, 1086
ceiling grids, 1038
dimension labels, 1120
profiles, 1659
slices, 273
notes (attaching), 1694
notes, descriptions, or reference files (attaching)
2D elevations, 1356, 1364
Index
1737
O
object anchors, 1590
cell anchor, 1591, 1600
curve anchor, 15901591
leader anchor, 1590, 1594
node anchor, 1590, 1597
positioning, 16051606
releasing, 16051606
volume anchor, 1591, 1603
Object Properties toolbar, 1472
object properties window, 6
object snap tracking (AutoTrack), 12
object snaps, using in roofs, 600, 901
Object Viewer, 181
3D orbit view, 8
1738
Index
objects
See also AEC objects
adding to walls, 384
anchoring on layout curves, 1560
attaching to a mass group, 178
display properties, 185
editing in window assemblies, 799802
querying properties, 6
sorting by properties, 7
spaces, 222
styles in templates, 60
subtracting from walls, 385
See also AEC objects
office furniture symbols (metric), AutoCAD
DesignCenter, 282
offset properties
dimension labels, 1122
multi-view blocks, 1636
offsetting elevation labels, 1139
opening Architectural Desktop, 23
opening height
AEC dimension styles, 1105
opening partial drawings, 11
opening percentage
doors, 647, 665
windows, 704
opening symbol
Plan 1-50, 165
openings, 624
add to AEC dimension chain, 1083
attaching notes and files, 629
commands, 638
detach from AEC dimension chain, 1084
dimension label, 1119
dimension points, 1068
display. See openings, display
freestanding, 627
modifying, 628
Plan 1-100, 151
Plan 1-50, 164
properties, 629, 633
space boundaries, 626
standard dimension labels, 1115
openings, adding
freestanding, 627
space boundary, 626
wall, 624
openings, display, 634
adding components, 635
changing display representation, 634
editing components, 636
removing components, 637
turning off display, 638
openings, modifying, 628
properties, 629630, 632
repositioning, 628, 630632
options. See AEC options
P
panes, window, 705
paper space
display configurations, 104
layout tabs, 9
partial open and partial load option, 11
performance, increasing, 1447, 1450
perspective views, saving with camera,
14331434, 1437
pipe and duct symbols (metric), AutoCAD
DesignCenter, 282
planes. See Quick Slice
planning spaces, 221222
plotting drawings, 49
plotting layouts in templates, 6365
polylines
area groups, 1224
areas, 1177
converting to wall modifiers, 365
creating masking blocks, 1643
creating walls, 362
editing wall endcaps, 374
profiles, 1657
roof slabs, 587, 882
roofs, 866
slices, 271
spaces, 256
wall endcap styles, 378
wall modifier, 372
polylines, converting to AEC Polygons, 1669
positioning anchored objects, 16051606
preliminary studies. See concept phase
profile styles
importing and exporting, 1662
profiles, 1656
commands, 1663
copying, 1659
defining, 1658
importing, 16611662
notes and reference files, 1659
polylines, 1657
purging, 1660
railing components, 983, 989, 992, 994
wall components, 383
project stages in Architectural Desktop, 2
project tree in Model Explorer, 180
projects, starting in Architectural Desktop, 24
properties
2D elevations, 1356, 1363
2D sections, 1391, 1394
AEC dimension styles, 1096
AEC dimensions, 1086
AEC Polygon styles, 1686
area group templates, 1248
area groups, 1216
Index
1739
Q
querying
object properties, 6
space totals, 247
Quick Select, 7
Quick Slice, 1695
creating, 1695
external references, 1695
R
radial column grids, 1021, 1023
modifying, 1026
radial layout grids, 1568
changing properties, 1569
modifying, 1569
railing properties, 995
anchor properties, 1001
attaching notes and files, 995
bottom rail, 998
changing railing style, 996
location, 999, 1002
railing extensions, 10001001
upper rail location, 996
railing style properties, 1008
attaching notes and files, 1008
bottom rail location, 1011
components, 1013
display, 1016
extensions, 1014
post location, 1012
upper rail location, 1009
railing styles, 1003
1740
Index
S
sashes, window, 705
scale, setting for drawings, 1464
Annotation Plot Size, 1047
schedule data, 1287
attaching to objects, 1288
browsing existing property data, 1290
commands, 1340
editing, 1288
renumbering, 1292
Index
1741
1742
Index
spacing
layout grids, 1574
layout nodes, 1565
layout volumes, 1584
spacing, ceiling grids, 1040
Specify on Screen option
ceiling grid, 1035
masking block, 1627, 1649
radial column grid, 1023
rectangular column grid, 1022
size of mass element, 199200
space boundaries, 224
speeding up work environment, 1446
sphere mass elements, creating, 196
spiral stairs, 934
splitting boundaries, 258
stair styles, 957
arrow symbols, 156, 168
editing, 958962, 964965
importing and exporting, 968969
properties, 946
purging, 967
setting dimension properties, 961962, 964
setting general properties, 960
setting landing extension properties, 965
stairline, 155, 167
stairline, 167
edit settings, 155
Plan 1-100, 154
stairline settings
Plan 1-50, 167
stairs, 928
Add/Modify dialog boxes, 390
arrow symbols, 156
attaching railings, 974975
commands, 971
creating, 928
dimension label, 1119
editing, 936
<itailic>See also stairs, modifying
landings, 970
Plan 1-100, 153
Plan 1-50, 166
properties, 946
railings, 995
standard dimension label, 1116
stairs, adding
multi-landing, 931
spiral, 934
u-shaped, 929
stairs, modifying, 936
properties, 946947
using grips, 937
standard dimension labels, 1115
doors, 1115
openings, 1115
stairs, 1116
Index
1743
windows, 1115
starburst pattern in window muntins, 711
starting Architectural Desktop, 23
steel and concrete columns, 843
step, adding to roof or floor line, 328
STLB Format (layer standard), 1481
storefronts. See curtain walls, creating
straight line segments, creating AEC Polygons,
1668
straight walls, 307
Structural Member Catalog, 806
creating a style, 810
displaying, 808
locating a part specification, 811
locating parts, 808
opening a catalog file, 809
structural member styles
attaching notes and files, 835
commands, 861
creating, 857
custom, 853855
importing and exporting, 859860
purging, 858
using Style Manager, 856
structural members, 806
accessing design rules, 837
adding custom shapes to, 840, 852855
commands, 861
manufacturer part specifications, 806
Structural Member Catalog, 806, 808811
structural members, creating, 811
adding custom shapes, 840
beams, 818
braces, 816817
columns, 812, 814
commands, 861
converting lines, arcs, and polylines, 819
custom member styles, 837
multi-component, 843, 845
rigid frames. See rigid frame structural
members
single segment, 841
tapered columns, 841
structural members, displaying, 829
changing display properties, 831
hatch pattern, 832
structural members, modifying, 821
attaching notes and files, 822
changing location of member, 828
changing shape, 839
dimensions, 823
styles, 822
using trim planes, 825828
Style dialog box. See Style Manager
Style Manager, 15261530
accessing, 1529
commands, 1558
1744
Index
T
tapered columns. See structural members,
creating
template, Architectural Desktop
display settings, 99100
templates, 23, 25, 38, 5166
area evaluation documents, 1267
basic, 52, 54
conceptual design layout tabs, 61
contents, 5457, 59
copying styles between templates,
15451550
creating custom, 66
definition, 52
design development layout tabs, 62
display configurations, 5357
managing styles with Style Manager,
15321541
Model tab, 65
object styles, 60
plotting layout tabs, 6365
sending styles by email, 15551557
Template Overview tab, 60
using in Style Manager, 15401541
threshold symbol
Plan 1-100, 150
thresholds of doors, changing, 665
title marks
adding, 1061
Today window, 23
trim planes, modifying structural members,
825826
adding, 825
changing, 827
removing, 828
trimming AEC Polygons, 1678
troubleshooting display systems, 142
U
units in drawings, setting, 1462
u-shaped stairs, 929
utilities
AEC Object Explode, 1700
commands, 1706
hidden line projection, 1699
Quick Slice, 1695
referencing AEC objects, 1696
using commands, 1694
V
vertex, adding and removing from AEC
Polygons, 1679
vertices in areas, 1173
vertices in roof and floor lines, 329
videos, recording with camera, 14381439
view
camera viewpoint, 1433, 1437
Style Manager contents, 1534
viewing windows, 8
AutoCAD DesignCenter, 12
Floating Viewer, 183
Model Explorer, 174
Object Viewer, 181
viewports
associating camera, 1436
camera viewpoint, 1437
controlling display, 100
display configurations, 104, 136
displaying AEC objects, 107108
setting display, 136
volume anchor, 1591
adding, 1603
W
wall boundaries, creating areas from, 1155
Index
1745
1746
Index
windows, 676
add to AEC dimension chain, 1083
assemblies. See window assemblies
commands, 720
creating, 33
detach from AEC dimension chain, 1084
dimension label, 1119
dimension points, 1068
editing, 680
inserting into curtain walls, 434, 454
muntins. See window muntins
openings, 704
Plan 1-100, 150
Plan 1-50, 162
schedule tags, 1280
standard dimension labels, 1115
windowsills, 704
windows, adding
freestanding, 680
in space boundaries, 679
space boundary, 679
wall, 678
windows, creating, 678
window swing, 683
windows, display, 699, 702703
adding components to, 700
editing components in, 702
removing components from, 703
turning of component display, 703
windows, modifying, 680
changing orientation, 688
dimension properties, 685
endcap properties, 689
height, 681
location properties, 689
properties, 684
repositioning, 682, 686687
size, 681
style properties, 685
styles, 681
vertical alignment, 682
width, 681
windowsills, 704
Z
zoom always, Model Explorer, 181
zoom length, camera, 1436
Index
1747
1748
Index