Create Straight Wall

Referring to the hierarchy, a straight wall element must reside below an existing wall element.

From the Select Structural Element pane of the Building Applications window, make sure that the Wall element is the CE.

On the Building tab, in the Create group, by default Straight Wall is displayed in the Create Element drop-down list.

Click Create Element to display the Create Straight Wall window.

By default in the Naming pane of the Create Straight Wall window, the application automatically populates the Name field with a name based on the project or company autonaming rules. for further information on the autonaming rules, refer to Naming for further information.

The Use gaps in naming sequence checkbox is also selected by default, the user can select which auto name is to be used. To select the:

• first available name, click first available name.

• previous available name, click previous available name.

• next available name, click next available name.

• last available name, click last available name.

The user can change the name which does not conform to the autonaming rules, to do this, type a new name into the Name field. If this name already exists, an Error window is displayed. If the name does not conform with the autonaming rules, Apply remains greyed out as long as the name is not properly entered.

The Material drop-down list by default is set to Pyrocrete, the material can be changed to another suitable material. From the Material drop-down list, the user can select from a list of suitable materials.

To make sure design consistency and conformity with company standards, the basic definitions of all profiles which the user can use are held in a Catalogue database. The catalogue database is used in other Design applications with other materials and can be used in the Building application. The profiles available from the Catalogue are determined by the Section Specification.

Click Catalogue, the Wall Specification (Default) window is displayed:

By default the default profile specification is selected but the user can select an alternative specification from the column element. for further information on the Default Profile Specification, refer to Create/Modify Element Window for further information.

Click Apply to confirm the specification or Cancel to discard any inputs and close the Wall Specification (Default) window.

To copy the section of another wall, click Pick Profile to Copy and select the other wall.

The user can also modify the width and height properties of the column element, from the Create Straight Wall window, click Properties and the Modify Properties window is displayed.

The thickness and height of the wall element can be input directly in to the Thickness and Height fields or click Measure Thickness, the user is prompted to ‘Measure property dimension start (Snap) Snap:’ and the selection of the start dimension the user is prompted to ‘Measure property dimension end (Snap) Snap:’. After the selection in the 3D graphical view the Thickness measurement field is automatically populated. The height can be automatically populated in the same way, with the exception of the user clicking Measure Height. Click OK to save the properties and close the Modify Properties.

To return the width and height back to the default, click Default.

To discard any inputs, click Reset.

To close the Modify Properties, click Cancel.

By default the Height of new column element is 3000, but the user can change the Height, input the required height into the Height field.

Click Measure Height and the user is prompted to Measure Height: Pick Start (Snap) Snap: in the 3D graphical view, after the selection has been made the Height field is automatically populated.

There are several methods to determine the top and bottom levels of the wall:

Enter the absolute top level (wrt World) in the Top Level field. If the height is locked or the value is less than the bottom level, the bottom level adapts. If the height is not locked, the height adapts.

Select the top level using a position in the graphical view and click Pick Top Level. The view's mode changes and the Positioning Control window is displayed. If the height is locked or the value is less than the bottom level, the bottom level adapts. If the height is not locked, the height adapts. If a suitable element is selected the background colour of Top Level is changed to green and the tooltip indicates the connected element.

Enter the height in the Height field. If the height is locked, click Padlock to unlock it. The top level adapts.

Click Measure Height and the user is prompted to Measure Height: Pick Start (Snap) Snap: in the graphical view, after the selection has been made the Height field is automatically populated. The bottom level adapts.

Enter the absolute bottom level (wrt World) in the Bottom Level field. If the height is locked or if the value is greater than the top level, the top level adapts. If the height is not locked, the height adapts.

Select the bottom level using a position in the graphical view and click Select Structural Element. The view's mode changes and the Positioning Control window is displayed. If the height is locked or the value is greater than the top level, the top level adapts. If the height is not locked, the height adapts. If a suitable element is selected the background colour of Bottom Level is changed to green and the tooltip indicates the connected element.

Note:

Use Pick Top Level and Select Structural Element for the top and bottom levels to establish a connection with the floors above and below the straight wall.

To prevent the height adapting to level modifications, click Padlock to lock the height.

The default bottom level is zero with respect to the level. A cone shows the top level of the wall in the graphical view.

By default the Length of new wall element is 5000, but the user can change the Length. Input the required length into the Length field.

Measure Length, the user is prompted to Measure Length: Pick Start (Snap) Snap: in the graphical view, after the selection has been made the Length field is automatically populated.

Click Flip start and end position to reverse the start and end positions of the wall.

Click Use end position for start to set the end position of the previously created wall as the start position of the current wall.

Select Move Graphically from the option list to invoke the Positioning Control window and allows the user to graphically select an existing element to move the walls’s start or end position to.

Select Graphical Pick Start/End from the option list to invoke the Positioning Control window and allows the user to make two graphical selections to establish the start and end of the wall.

The Start Position section of the window is used to establish the start position of the wall. It can be populated several ways:

Establish the correct direction from the option lists and type the coordinates.

Click Graphical Pick Start invoke the Positioning Control window to graphically pick the position. The co-ordinates are populated automatically.

Alternatively, the first two methods can be combined by utilizing the padlocks. Click Coordinate locked to unlock a value or click Coordinate unlocked to lock the value. A locked value is displayed in grey.

Click Pick to invoke the Positioning Control window to graphically pick an existing element to establish the start point. To avoid modifying a desired value in a field, click Padlock to lock. If the direction is locked, the end position is adjusted to suit the direction. Otherwise the direction is calculated between both positions. Its length is always calculated between both positions.

The End Position section of the window is used to establish the end position of the wall. It can be populated several ways:

Establish the correct direction from the option lists and type the coordinates.

Click Graphical Pick End invoke the Positioning Control window to graphically pick the position. The co-ordinates are populated automatically.

Alternatively, the first two methods can be combined by utilizing the padlocks. Click Coordinate locked to unlock a value or click Coordinate unlocked to lock the value. A locked value is displayed in grey.

Click Pick to invoke the Positioning Control window to graphically pick an existing element to establish the end point. To avoid modifying a desired value in a field, click Padlock to lock. If the direction is locked, the start position is adjusted to suit the direction. Otherwise the direction is calculated between both positions. Its length is always calculated between both positions.

The direction is always shown with respect to the level. If the direction is locked, click Padlock to unlock it. The end position is adjusted to suit the new direction and the existing length. To avoid changing the desired direction, click Padlock to lock it.

Alternatively, to select the direction in the graphical view click Pick surface or edge to define direction. Select an object in the graphical view and slide the cursor to the desired face. The direction is perpendicular to the selected face. The end position is adjusted to suit the new direction and the existing length. To reverse the direction, click Reverse Direction. To avoid changing the desired direction, click Padlock to lock it.

The miter Direction pane of the Create Beam window can be used to establish the miter direction of the Start and Stop positions by default, the miters are perpendicular of the beam and are always shown with respect to the level. The miter is calculated automatically when the direction of the beam is modified. The user can modify each miter.

Input a direction in the Start field, the direction is always shown with respect to the level or click Pick edge or surface to define direction, the user is prompted to Pick Face or Edge in the 3D graphical view.

Input a direction in the End field, the direction is always shown with respect to the level or click Pick edge or surface to define direction, the user is prompted to Pick Face or Edge in the 3D graphical view.

Activating the Connectivity

The Building application always attempts to connect elements to other elements. If the user has selected a position on a straight wall, a column or a straight beam with a graphical pick, the wall is automatically connected to the selected element.

The name of the connected element is shown with a yellow background.

If the connectivity is activated, the position and the miter of this end are adjusted.

If the user does not select a straight wall, nor a column or straight beam, but the end is in the same position as the end of a wall, column or beam, a second form of connectivity can be used. If the connectivity is activated, the miter of both ends is adjusted.

Note:

To use the second type of connectivity, select a p-point on the slab instead of the end of the other wall/beam/column.

Click Apply to create the straight wall. the Modify Straight Wall window replaces the Creation window. Enter a valid name in the Name field to activate it.

To cancel the creation of the straight wall click Dismiss to discard any inputs and close the Create Straight Wall window.

Note:

To avoid the modification of wall justification, create the wall in the same direction around a slab.