Curtain wall preferences

The Vectorworks program models the curtain wall frames, panels, and connections according to real-world architectural standards. Energy-related information specified for curtain walls is considered when conducting an energy analysis (Vectorworks Architect required). Doors and windows have special capabilities when they are inserted within curtain walls so that all the design elements work together.

Curtain walls consist of a repeating grid of frames and panels. From the Wall Preferences dialog box, specify the number of horizontal and vertical frames that make up one section of the curtain wall, and then specify the appearance of the frames and the panels within that grid. The defined section is repeated over the length and height of the wall.

Unstyled curtain walls can be drawn first, and the curtain wall parameters can be set later from the Object Info palette by clicking Curtain Wall Grid. The Curtain Wall Grid dialog box opens, to edit the parameters of the unstyled curtain wall. However, editing unstyled walls by this method may clear existing frames and panels, and recreate the curtain wall grid. See Concept: Editing guidelines for curtain wall grids.

Curtain wall preferences are set from the Wall Preferences dialog box (see Drawing walls). The parameters can be edited later from the Object Info palette. The Edit Curtain Wall tool manipulates individual frames and panels of the wall; see Editing curtain wall frames and panels.

Parameter	Description
Wall Style	Select a wall style for the wall; see Using wall styles. Curtain wall styles in the Vectorworks libraries begin with the prefix CW for easy identification. Alternatively, select <Unstyled> to create the curtain wall without linking the parameters to a wall style. If a selected wall style’s parameters are edited in the Wall Preferences dialog box, the wall style automatically changes to unstyled, indicating that the edited style must be saved as a new style to save changes (alternatively, the changes can be applied as an unstyled wall, and they are not saved).
Save Preferences as Wall Style	Saves the current preference settings as a new wall style. The Assign Name dialog box opens; enter a wall style name (see Creating wall styles).
Wall Type	Select whether to create a standard wall or a curtain wall. Curtain walls are described in this section. Standard walls are described in Standard wall preferences.
IFC	Assigns or edits IFC data; see Viewing and editing IFC data
Definition	The definition allows only a regularly repeating grid, with the same panel attributes for all panels, and the same frame attributes for all frames in the same category. Frame and panel settings can be changed as descried in Editing curtain wall frames and panels, but these edits do not affect the underlying definition. See Concept: Editing guidelines for curtain wall grids to understand how the definition responds to edits.
Grid Preview	Displays a preview of the grid structure; the preview wall is drawn in a Front view
Vertical/Horizontal Gridlines	Use the list boxes and buttons to edit the grid structure as follows: ● Click Add to add a new gridline below the selected gridline. The new gridline has the same Spacing distance. ● Click the Spacing value of the selected gridline to edit it. ● Drag and drop the number in the # column to move the selected gridline. ● Click Delete to remove the selected gridline.
Frame Settings	Opens the Frame Settings dialog box, to set the type of frames and their appearance; see Setting curtain wall frame parameters
Panel Settings	Opens the Panel Settings dialog box, to set the type of panels and their appearance; see Setting curtain wall panel parameters
Wall Thickness	Sets the standard frame depth for the curtain wall. This value displays when determining the frame and panel settings, for reference. To avoid errors where walls join, keep the wall thickness and frame thickness values similar.
Offset Reference	Specifies the offset reference point for frame and panel offsets; the actual offset distances are set in the Frame Settings and Panel Settings dialog boxes
Edit Wall Attributes	Opens the Wall Attributes dialog box, to set the appearance and visibility of the curtain wall parameters; see Editing wall attributes. Some options apply only to standard walls, and they are not available for curtain walls. Opacity and drop shadow attributes are always set from the Attributes palette (see The Attributes palette).
Insertion Options
Height
Height	Directly sets the desired height of the wall. When the wall height is determined manually by this method, the Top Bound property of the wall is automatically set to Layer Elevation, and the Top Offset value is modified accordingly. When the top of the wall is bound by the layer wall height value, the wall height updates automatically.
Top Bound	Sets the vertical reference that determines the top of the wall. The Layer Wall Height value is set by the design layer (see Setting design layer properties). Additional options are available for the Vectorworks Architect product. The top of the wall can be bound by one of the story levels defined for the story or the story above it. By setting the top of the wall to a level type, if the elevation of the associated story changes, the height of the wall changes automatically to match. The default curtain wall styles automatically assign a top bound level type to the wall, assuming that stories will be used in the file. However, this can be changed by selecting a different option.
Top Offset	Sets the offset of the top of the wall from its specified top bound height
Bottom Bound	Sets the vertical reference that determines the bottom of the wall; Layer Elevation is the only option available unless the Vectorworks Architect product is installed. Additional options are available for the Vectorworks Architect product. The bottom of the wall can be bound by one of the story levels defined for the story or the story below it. By setting the bottom of the wall to a level type, if the elevation of the associated story changes, the height of the wall changes automatically to match. The default curtain wall styles automatically assign a bottom bound level type to the wall, assuming that stories will be used in the file. However, this can be changed by selecting a different option.
Bottom Offset	For the bottom of the wall, sets the offset from the layer elevation
Caps	Select whether a wall segment is capped at the start point, the end point, both ends, or has no caps at all
Class	Specifies the default class for the walls
Curtain Wall Cut Plane	Sets the height for the display of the Top/Plan appearance of the curtain wall; when the design layer cut plane is enabled (see Setting design layer properties and Wall display with design layer cut plane enabled, Vectorworks Architect required), the elevation of the curtain wall cut plane is set to the same value as that of the design layer, ensuring a uniform cut plane appearance for the layer
Control Offset	If using the Custom Control Line wall mode, enter the offset value for the control line
Energos (Architect required)	Energy analysis parameters for curtain walls are specified in the frame and panel settings. Vectorworks Architect is required to conduct an energy analysis; however, energy-related parameters can be specified here for informational purposes.
Textures	Textures for curtain walls are controlled by the frame and panel settings
Data	Specifies wall 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 wall style schedule. These fields are optional; enter text only where desired.

If these wall preferences should be saved as a wall style, click Save Preferences as Wall Style. See Creating wall styles.

A saved or selected wall style is saved as a resource in the file, and displays in the Resource Manager and in the Wall Style list on the Tool bar.