Editing the Hardscape Object Settings

The parameters can be edited for selected hardscape objects through the Hardscape Settings button on the Shape tab of the Object Info palette. To modify the default hardscape object settings, click Preferences on the Tool bar.

Many of the parameters are identical to those used to create the hardscape object (see Creating Hardscape Objects). However, certain parameters are accessible from the Object Info palette only.

If the hardscape is set to slope, specify the slope properties in the Object Info palette and/or by adjusting slope indicator control points and reshaping the hardscape corners in a 3D view.

● Select the method of defining the slope from the Slope Def list in the Object Info palette, and specify the slope parameters. The slope parameters do not display for a Slope Def of None. As values are entered in the Object Info palette, the other parameters are automatically calculated and displayed.

● A banked slope can be contoured. The reference elevation control point indicates the start elevation of the hardscape, and the dashed line that passes through the reference elevation control point represents a constant elevation along the line. The dashed line indicates and controls the Contour Angle in the Object Info palette; it is only visible when the hardscape is selected with the Selection tool, and it does not print. All the points on the line are at the same elevation; move the contour angle control points to define how the hardscape is banked along the hardscape slope. The contour angle must always be between 1 and 90 degrees of the slope vector (the banked contour cannot be parallel or perpendicular to the hardscape slope).

● In addition to the hardscape slope, up to two custom slope axes can be specified: Slope A and Slope B. Slope arrows can be displayed on the hardscape to indicate the slope angles of the main slope and the two custom axes; select Show Slope, Show Slope A, and/or Show Slope B. The slope arrows are interactive; move a control point to adjust the slope direction, and the slope at that location is displayed. The control points of the slope arrows are only visible when the hardscape is selected with the Selection tool, and they do not print.

● The Object Info palette displays the Elevation at End so that hardscapes that meet at the bottom of a slope can be set to the same ending elevation. The planes for two hardscapes match when their contour lines are parallel, and the starting point of one hardscape is on the plane of the other hardscape.

● In Top/Plan view, select the control points of the slope arrows or the contour angle indicator, to interactively display the slope at that location. Changes to the slope values in the Object Info palette affect all the slope parameters. To set the slope plane, change the slope and the contour angle, or change slope A and slope B.

● In Top/Plan view, the Reshape tool changes the shape of the hardscape. If the hardscape is set to slope, use the Reshape tool in a 3D view to adjust the elevation at the corners of the hardscape.

Parameter	Description
Shape Tab
Hardscape Settings	Click to edit the selected hardscape object. If more than one hardscape object is selected for editing, the Hardscape Settings button is grayed; select a single hardscape object to access the Hardscape Object Settings dialog box for editing parameters.
Save Hardscape	Click to save the selected hardscape object as a symbol; for more information, see Saving the Hardscape Object Settings. If more than one hardscape object is selected for editing, the Save Hardscape button is grayed; select a single hardscape object to save it as a symbol.
General
Hardscape Name	Specifies the name assigned to the hardscape object
Draw Border	Includes a border pattern along the edges of the hardscape object
Border Width	Enter the width of the border
Path Width	Enter the width of the pathway hardscape object
Path Offset	Sets the offset of the pathway centerline from the placement line
Joint Pattern Size X/Y	Specifies the size of the joint pattern units, for flagstone, pavers-grid, and pavers-running joint patterns
Joint Pattern Angle	Specifies the rotation angle of the joint pattern
Border Pattern Size	Sets the width of the spaced joints, when spaced joints are selected for the border
Border Pattern Angle	Enter the angle of the pattern inside the border
Main Unit Price	Sets the price per square unit for the main hardscape material, for use in worksheets
Main Price Code	Specifies the main hardscape price code
Border Unit Price	Sets the price per square unit for the border material, for use in worksheets
Border Price Code	Specifies the hardscape border price code
Tag
Tag Display	Select whether to display the hardscape tag to the right or left of the leader line, without a leader line (floating), or not at all
Tag Config	Select the ID tag display configuration. ● Select Name Only to display the name of the hardscape object only (as defined in the Name field) ● Select Name-Area to display the hardscape object name, area and, if applicable, the area of the border ● Select Name-Area-Perim to display the hardscape object name, perimeter length and, if applicable, the area of the border.
Tag Class	To control appearance and visibility, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Select <Hardscape Class> to place the tag in the same class as the hardscape object.
Tag Approach Angle	Specifies the angle of the leader line, from 0 to 360°
Tag Shoulder Angle	When a tag shoulder line is enabled, sets the angle of the shoulder line, from 0 to 360°
Tag Text Alignment	Select whether the tag text is aligned on top of a continuation of the leader line, or centered vertically at the end of the leader line
Snap Tag to Hardscape Edge	Select this option to automatically align the endpoint of the tag with the edge or corner of the hardscape that is nearest to the shoulder point of the tag
Display Tag Line Marker	Displays a marker at the end of the leader line; specify the marker style by editing the hardscape tag class (see Setting Class Properties)
Draw 3D
3D Type	Select the 3D hardscape format. ● None displays a schematic view of the hardscape in 3D views. ● Slab creates a slab object for the main hardscape and another slab for the border if one is specified. ● Pad Modifier (Top/Bottom of Slab) uses a slab as a site model pad modifier. Select this type if the hardscape covers a flat part of the site; see Creating a Pad or Pad with Retaining Edge. ● Texture Bed Modifier uses the hardscape as a site model texture bed modifier. Select this type to change the texture on part of the site; see Creating a Texture Bed. ● Slab Drainage creates a slab for the main hardscape to support a drainage system; see Creating Slab Drainage Systems. If a border is specified, another slab is created, but drainage elements do not apply to it. When Slab Drainage is selected, the entire hardscape cannot be set to slope. However, the Slab Drainage tool can modify the main hardscape, adding slopes and ridges to the main slab geometry.
Thickness	For a slab 3D Type, enter the main slab thickness
Border Thickness	For a slab 3D Type, enter the border slab thickness
Elevation	Sets the elevation of the hardscape at its reference elevation control point
Slope Def	Select the method of defining the slope, or select None for a flat pad. After selecting the method, specify the Slope, the Elevation at End of the slope, or the Contour Angle, and the other values are automatically calculated and displayed.
Slope	Determines the slope of the hardscape according to the selected slope definition method; enter the angle, percentage, or rise:run ratio
Elevation at End	Determines the slope by specifying the elevation of the hardscape at the end of the slope; enter the elevation
Contour Angle	Defines how the hardscape is banked along the slope vector
Main Slab Style	Displays the style of the main area slab. The slab style can be replaced (see Replacing Slab Styles from the Object Info Palette), edited (see Editing Slab Styles), or converted to an unstyled slab with custom components. To create a new slab style from an unstyled main area slab, right-click on the unstyled slab and select New Slab Style from Unstyled Main Slab from the context menu. If a main slab style is applied, it can also be edited with the Edit Main Slab Style context menu command.
Main Slab Components	For an unstyled main area slab, opens the Slab Components dialog box to specify the components; see Defining Components for Existing Slabs
Border Slab Style	Displays the style of the border slab. The slab style can be replaced (see Replacing Slab Styles from the Object Info Palette), edited (see Editing Slab Styles), or converted to an unstyled slab with custom components. To create a new slab style from an unstyled border slab, right-click on the unstyled slab and select New Slab Style from Unstyled Border Slab from the context menu. If a border slab style is applied, it can also be edited with the Edit Border Slab Style context menu command.
Border Slab Components	For an unstyled border slab, opens the Slab Components dialog box to specify the components; see Defining Components for Existing Slabs
Show Slope	Displays a modifiable slope arrow and the current slope in Top/Plan view; Show Slope only displays if the slope is a value other than zero. The slope displays interactively by moving one of the control points.
Show Slope A	Displays the slope A arrow and slope parameter. The slope displays interactively by moving one of the control points.
Show Slope B	Displays the slope B arrow and slope parameter. The slope displays interactively by moving one of the control points.
Constrain Slope A/B Downward	Forces the A and/or B slope to fall towards a lower elevation
Information
Main Area	Displays the size of the main area
Border Area	Displays the size of the border area
Footprint Area	Displays the area of the entire footprint of the hardscape
Main Perimeter	Displays the perimeter measurement of the main area polyline
Border Perimeter	Displays the perimeter of the border only
Footprint Perimeter	Displays the perimeter measurement of the entire footprint polyline
Update Calculations	Updates the area and volume calculations displayed in the Object Info palette for the area of the site model located under the site modifier (grade limits must exist around the pad)
Site model area and volume data	Displays the area and volume information for the site model area located under the site modifier; select the units for the area and volume (grade limits must exist around the pad). For more information, see Site Model Properties.
Vertex parameters	Edits the vertices of the path object that the hardscape is based upon; see Editing Vertex-Based Objects
Render Tab
Texture	If a 3D Type is selected in the Hardscape Object Settings dialog box, the Texture drop-down list is enabled for the main area texture (border textures must be set in the Hardscape Object Settings dialog box)

To set individual border segments to invisible for boundary hardscapes or cut-out holes, select the hardscape object, and then click the Reshape tool. Click Hide or Show Edges mode. Click the midpoint of the hardscape border segments or the cut-out hole to hide. Repeat this process to set the border segments back to visible, if necessary.

To quickly determine the left and right side of a pathway hardscape object, select the hardscape object and click the middle button next to the Vertex field on the Shape tab of the Object Info palette; while the button is clicked, the first vertex of the hardscape object is highlighted with a red box.

When classing the subcomponents of the hardscape object, such as for the joints or tags, the class visibility of the specified class controls the visibility of the corresponding subcomponent. The class attributes are only applied to the corresponding subcomponent when the Use at Creation option is selected for the class. For example, if the Joint Class is set to the Hardscape - Component - Main Joint class, and that class specifies a hatch Fill Style, edit the class and select the Use at Creation option to apply the fill attribute. See Setting Class Attributes.

A hardscape object can be used as the basis of a retaining wall. This provides the ability to sculpt the site model around the hardscape. See Creating Retaining Walls.

Reshaping the Hardscape Object

Double-click the hardscape object to activate the Reshape tool, or select the Reshape tool from the Basic palette. Select the object handles to reshape the hardscape object. For more information, see Reshaping Objects.

Converting the Hardscape Object to a Boundary or Pathway Configuration

After creation, a boundary hardscape object can be converted to a pathway hardscape object, and similarly, a pathway configuration can be converted to a boundary configuration. The conversion preserves the appearance, but the path of the object changes.

Alternatively, click Hardscape Settings from the Object Info palette of a selected hardscape object, and select the configuration.

Hardscape Tag Appearance

● When hardscape tags are required, their default appearance is normally specified in the hardscape object settings.

● Individual hardscape tags can then be changed for selected hardscape objects by adjusting the hardscape tag parameters from the Object Info palette.

● The hardscape tag class controls the appearance of the leader/shoulder lines, as well as the marker style.

● If an individual tag needs to be repositioned, hardscape tags also have two control points for adjusting the shoulder length, tag shoulder angle, and tag location; or the shoulder location, leader line length, and tag approach angle.

Saving the Hardscape Object Settings

Once the hardscape object is set to the desired appearance, you can save the settings for future use or for import into other files.

● To draw a hardscape with the Hardscape tool, click Hardscape on the Tool bar. From the Resource Selector, double-click a resource to activate it.

● To apply saved settings to an existing hardscape, from the Resource Manager, right-click on the resource, and select Apply from the context menu. Alternatively, double-click on the resource or drag the resource onto an object to apply it.