Creating Slab Styles

To create a slab style:

1. Click the Slab tool from the Building Shell tool set, and click Preferences from the Tool bar.

The Slab Preferences dialog box opens. Click the Definition tab to define the slab’s components and attributes.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Slab Style	To modify an existing slab style, select the Slab Style from a library or the current file. Alternatively, select Unstyled as the slab style and set the parameters.
Save Preferences as Slab Style	Saves the current preference settings as a new slab style. The Assign Name dialog box opens; enter a slab style name and click OK
Preview	Displays a sectioned preview of the slab structure, including any defined components. The top of the preview indicates the top part of the slab as it will be drawn.
Overall Thickness	Displays the thickness of the slab. The slab thickness is always determined by the thickness of its components; a slab always has one component by default.
Edit Slab Attributes	Opens the Slab Attributes dialog box, to specify the slab fill, pen, and opacity settings
Datum	Select whether the datum is applied to the top or bottom of the designated component; the indicator in the Datum column updates accordingly. A datum is the reference point for elevation settings; for slabs, it is fixed vertically (it does not change with any changes to the slab thickness or definition). One of the slab components is designated as the datum component.
Drainage	Select whether the slab is of fixed thickness or has a tapered component to assist with drainage
Components	Lists the components that form the structure of the slab, in order from top to bottom as displayed in the preview. To change the order of a component, click and drag within the # column.
Datum	Click in the column to designate the datum component. An indicator in the column points towards the top or bottom, to show that the datum is placed on the top or the bottom of the component. To change the datum to be at the top or bottom, either click on the indicator to switch the placement, or click Top of Component or Bottom of Component in the Datum section of the dialog box. The reference datum of the slab can be set to the active layer elevation value, or set to be bound by one of the story levels defined for the story or the story below it. By setting the slab datum to a level type, if the elevation of the associated story changes, the datum of the slab changes automatically to match.
Tapered	If Tapered Component is selected in the Drainage section of the dialog box, click in the column to designate which component is tapered. The bottom surface of the designated component is flat, and the top surface is tapered to incorporate the drainage. All components above and below the tapered component are of uniform thickness to maintain the taper that the designated component brings to the overall slab.
Other Component settings	The remaining columns in the component list display the component thickness, edge offset method, class settings, energy analysis information, and whether master snap point locations have been set
New	Opens the Slab Component Settings dialog box to define the components of the slab; see Creating Slab Components for information on creating components
Edit	Opens the Slab Component Settings dialog box to edit the selected component’s thickness and attributes (alternatively, double-click a component to open the Slab Component Settings dialog box)
Duplicate	Duplicates the selected slab component; the duplicate is added to the component list right below the originally selected component
Delete	Deletes the selected slab component; the slab thickness is adjusted accordingly
IFC	Assigns or edits IFC data; see Viewing and Editing IFC Data

2. Click Edit Slab Attributes to define the slab attributes in Top/Plan view.

The Slab Attributes dialog box opens. The slab attributes of an unstyled slab are initially set to the parameters displayed in the Attributes palette. If they are changed here, the Attributes palette reflects the changed attributes of the selected slab (after exiting the Slab Preferences dialog box).

Fill, pen, drop shadow, and opacity can be set by class rather than by the attributes in the Slab Attributes dialog box. If the slab class is changed later, the slab changes to use the attributes of the new class. Slab attributes cannot be overridden on a per-instance basis; if a slab style uses class attributes, all slabs of that style must use class attributes. However, slabs of the same slab style can be placed in different classes.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Fill
Style	Specify the slab fill attributes. Select None for no fill, or Class Style to set the slab fill attributes by class rather than by the parameters in the Slab Attributes dialog box. Selected hatch, gradient, or image fills, if not already present in the file, are imported and display in the Resource Manager.
Pen
Style	Specify the slab pen attributes. Select None for no pen, Line Type to select a complex line type, or Class Style to set pen attributes by class rather than by the parameters in the Slab Attributes dialog box.
Thickness	When a pen style has been selected, specify the line thickness. If Line Type is selected as the pen style, also select the line type to use.
Opacity
Use Class Opacity	Select to use the fill opacity setting for the slab’s class
Opacity	If Use Class Opacity is deselected, specifies the transparency of the slab; drag the slider to the left to increase the transparency, or enter a percentage directly in the box to the right of the slider
Drop Shadow
Use Drop Shadows	Select to apply drop shadows to the slab; click Edit to open the Drop Shadow dialog box (see Drop Shadow Attributes)

3. Click OK to return to the Slab Preferences dialog box.

4. Click the Insertion Options tab to set the slab insertion and energy analysis options.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Height
Datum LayerZRef	Sets the slab’s datum height to be defined by the layer elevation, or set it to be bound by one of the story levels defined for the story or the story below it. By setting the slab datum to a level type, if the elevation of the associated story changes, the datum of the slab changes automatically to match.
Datum Offset from Layer Z	Specifies the offset (positive or negative) of the slab’s datum component from the layer elevation (see Setting Design Layer Properties)
Class	Specifies the default class for the slab
Drainage Settings	Click to open the Slab Drainage Settings dialog box
Energos (Architect required)	Slabs can participate in Energos energy analysis calculations (see Energos Energy Analysis Module). Vectorworks Architect is required to conduct an energy analysis; however, energy-related parameters can be specified here for informational purposes.
Include in Calculations	When selected, the slab is eligible to be included in energy calculations, depending on the energy analysis settings for layer/class, element inclusion, and so on
Energy Function	Select whether the slab is a floor slab or roof slab
Object Boundary Type	Only certain slabs participate in energy analysis calculations; select the type of slab. The system list can be modified; see Specifying System Sets. Editing the system parameters, or adding new ones, allows the exterior and interior RS (surface resistance) values to be specified. If the selected boundary slab calculations are not satisfactory, edit the system list to be extremely specific about the slab surface resistance parameters.
Advanced	For a finer level of detail about special boundary slabs, click Advanced. The Advanced Settings dialog box opens. If the slab is a special type of slab that should participate in energy calculations, select Special Type and then select the Type from the list, specify its parameters, and then click OK. ●    Heated Basement or Underground Floor Slab: Specify the basement depth, and enter the R-Value/U-Value for the virtual walls that surround the slab below ground level ●    Unheated Basement: Specify the basement depth and height of the walls above ground, and then enter the R-Value/U-Value for the virtual walls that surround the slab below ground level, and above ground level. Indicate the air change flow rate and the volume of the unheated space. ●    Suspended Floor: For crawl space slabs, enter the height and R-Value/U-Value of the crawl space walls (the walls around the suspended slab). Specify ventilation parameters for the crawl space, entering the size of ventilation openings, the wind velocity, and wind shield factor (low factor for urban areas, with values around 0.1 for rural areas exposed to wind) ●    Slab on Grade: For slabs at grade level, enter the perimeter insulation width and thickness, and indicate the properties of any conductivity insulation. If horizontal insulation is present, select the option.
Calculated R-Value/U-Value	Based on the location of the slab within the building (boundary type) and orientation of the heat flow (surface resistance values), the slab R-Value/U-Value is calculated and displayed. This value, along with the size of the slab, is critical for a correct assessment of the building envelope in energy calculations.
Override Calculated R-Value/U-Value	Select this option to override the calculated R-Value/U-Value and enter a manual value for the slab instead in Manual R-Value or Manual U-Value

5. Click the Textures tab to select textures for the slab parts.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Use Component Textures	Uses the textures defined for the slab components to texture the slab This option can also be selected for an existing slab from the Render tab of the Object Info palette.
Use Object Textures	Uses the textures defined below for the slab parts (see Applying a Texture to an Object for information on applying textures to an object with parts)
Part	Applies the texture selected in Texture to the selected parts of the slab
Revert to Overall	If a part was assigned a texture but it should inherit its texture from Overall instead, select the part and click Revert to Overall. The part moves back below the divider in the Part list, and (from Overall) displays as its texture name.
Texture	Applies the selected texture to the selected Part. Textures can also be set from the Render tab of the Object Info palette. Textures applied from the Object Info palette override the textures set here.
No Texture	Does not apply a texture to the selected Part
Class Texture	Sets the slab to use the texture specified by the slab’s class. The class texture is set from the Other tab in the Edit Classes dialog box. Any slabs with that slab style use class textures for that part of the slab (unless overridden). Class Texture can also be chosen for a selected slab in the Render tab of the Object Info palette.
Choose Texture	Choose a texture for the selected Part from a library or the current file. Textures set here override the object class textures.

6. Click the Data tab to specify slab record information, which is also the IFC data that can be assigned when creating an IFC entity (edits to either the Data tab or the IFC entity edit the data in both locations). This information can be included in a slab style schedule. These fields are optional; enter text only where desired.

7. Click Save Preferences as Slab Style.

The Assign Name dialog box opens.

8. Enter a unique name for the slab style and click OK.

If the slab style name already exists, you are prompted to cancel and select a different name, or replace existing slabs with the slab style applied with the edited slab style. If you are replacing slab styles, the Slab Replacement dialog box opens; specify the slab replacement properties.

9. The new slab style is saved with the file and displays as a slab style in the Resource Manager and Resource Selector.

To create a new slab style from an unstyled slab, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on an unstyled slab, and select New Slab Style from Unstyled Slab from the context menu.

To create a slab style from the Resource Manager, click New Resource, select Slab Style, and then click Create. A slab style created in this way is not associated with the current slab preference setting, but can be applied later.

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Concept: Resource Libraries

The Attributes Palette

Applying a Texture to an Object

Setting Class Properties

Creating Slabs

Editing Slab Styles

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