Creating Dormer Windows

You can create a wide variety of dormer windows in roof objects and roof faces. There are five styles to select from: trapezium, gable, shed, hip, and bat; each gable type has unique parameters. The editing parameters available in the Edit Roof Element dialog box depend on the style of dormer chosen. In the Vectorworks Design Series, a dormer can be set to be the same style as that of the roof style, automatically specifying a uniform appearance for the dormer and roof.

Dormer walls are always drawn in a clockwise direction for easy texture application.

To create a gable dormer window in a roof object or roof face:

1. In Top/Plan view, select a window symbol from the Resource Browser.

The window must be a symbol, not a plug-in object.

2. Select Make Active from the Resources menu. The Symbol Insertion tool is automatically activated from the Basic palette.

Alternatively, if the desired symbol is in the current document, another open document, or in a document in Favorites, click the Symbol Insertion tool then select the symbol definition from the Active Symbol Def list on the Tool bar. Select a file on the left to display thumbnails of the symbol definitions available in that location, and select the desired symbol definition.

3. Click to place the symbol in the roof object or roof face.

The Edit Roof Element dialog box opens.

4. Click Edit Dormer.

5. Select the dormer style.

The parameters automatically change according to the selected dormer style, with values for placing the dormer at the location specified with the mouse click.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Dormer Style	Description
Center vertically	All	Places the center of the window symbol in the center of the available vertical space in the front face of the dormer; the normal insertion point is not used
Offset from top	All	Locates the top of the window symbol a set distance from the top of the dormer face; the normal insertion point is not used
Height offset	All	Indicates the vertical distance from the top of the point of engagement with the roof, or where the roof and the dormer meet, to the bearing point, which is usually along the top of the bearing wall
Building line offset	All	Specifies the distance from the building outline to the plan center of the window symbol
Offset from corner	All	Sets the distance from the corner of the roof to the center of the dormer; the roof corner that the measurement is taken from is always to the left of the dormer when facing it
Top width	Trapezium, Bat	Determines the width of the top roof and sets the front face’s trapezoid shape; the front face is always symmetrical when using this option
Right slope	Trapezium, Gable, Hip	Determines the angle of the right edge of the front face; the front face can be asymmetrical when using this option
Left slope	Trapezium, Gable, Hip	Specifies the angle of the left edge of the front face. Along with the Right Slope, this dimension determines the top width of the front face. Right Slope must be selected for this option to be available.
Bottom width	Trapezium, Gable, Bat	Sets the width of the bottom edge of the front face; works in conjunction with either the Top Width or the Left and Right Slope entries and is required
Slope	Trapezium, Shed, Bat	Indicates the angle of the pitch of the top dormer roof as measured from a horizontal line
Width	Gable, Shed, Hip	Horizontal distance of the front face of the dormer
Front Slope	Hip	Indicates the angle of the pitch of the front face of the dormer roof as measured from a vertical line
Height	All	Specifies the elevation height of the front face of the dormer; determines the plan depth of the dormer
Top width	Bat	Indicates the width of the top of the roof as measured along the front face of the dormer
Bottom Height	Bat	Distance from the bottom of the dormer to the beginning of the compound curves of the roof as measured along the front face of the dormer
Depth	All	Sets the plan distance from the point of engagement with the roof to the front face of the dormer; determines the elevation height of the front face of the dormer
Overhang	Gable, Shed, Hip	Amount of roof extension past the dormer’s front roof face
Control Point	Bat	Point where the two curves of the roof meet. This option controls the location of that point from the side edge of the dormer as measured along the roof. The location of this point determines the depth of the curves that make up the roofline.

6. Click OK.

The gable dormer with window is created and placed according to the parameters specified. A hole is automatically created in the roof where the dormer walls exist.

Click here for a video tip about this topic (Internet access required).

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Editing Dormer Windows

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