Adding a 3D wall hole component to a symbol definition

By adding a 3D wall hole component to a symbol definition, the symbol has the ability to cut holes of any shape in a wall. The geometry drawn to define the shape of the 3D hole can consist of any solid shape or shapes. If a wall hole component is included in a symbol definition, any existing 3D loci in the 3D component of the symbol are ignored.

If the symbol has no 3D wall hole component (shown on the left), the wall creates an opening that fully encompasses the 3D shape. With a 3D wall hole component (shown on the right), the symbol creates a hole of the proper shape.

When wall closure settings are used, you may need to add a wall closure component to achieve the desired effect. If wall closure wrapping is set to Wrap to Insert in the Wall Closure at Inserts dialog box or Wall Closure dialog box for any component, the wall closure component provides the geometry for wrapping. See Adding a wall closure component to a symbol definition and Wall closure settings. 

To add a 3D wall hole component to a symbol definition:

Right-click a black symbol instance from the drawing, and select Edit 3D Wall Hole Component from the context menu to enter object editing mode (see Object editing mode).

Other drawing objects display, and can be snapped to, while in the editing mode (the Vectorworks display preference Show other objects while in editing modes must be enabled). The symbol being edited displays with its pen style attributes, to distinguish it from the rest of the drawing.

Alternatively, right-click on the symbol definition in the Resource Manager to enter the editing mode without the display of other drawing objects; see Editing symbol definitions.

Any solid shape can be drawn to define the hole shape. The geometry must intersect the wall.

Select the 2D Polygon tool or Polyline tool from the Basic palette and trace the symbol outline to define the hole shape. Select Model > Extrude to create a 3D wall hole shape. Alternatively, create 3D wall hole geometry directly using 3D modeling tools. The wall hole geometry has a red pen style; this can be changed from the Attributes palette if desired.

When the wall hole is used in conjunction with a profile/wrapping wall closure, part of the wall geometry might need to be excluded from the wall. For example, you may be creating a lintel or sill. In this situation, draw a 3D object to represent the part of the wall hole to exclude from the closure. Select that object, and select Ignore closure on the Object Info palette. This results in that geometry being subtracted from the wall after the closure has been applied.

Add a 3D object to the wall hole component the same shape as the sill, and select Ignore closure to delete that geometry from the wall after the wall closure is applied (sill object hidden to show the effect on the wall)

Exit object editing mode to return to the design layer.

Since the wall hole component was added to the symbol definition, all instances of the symbol will cut holes in walls according to the geometry drawn. 

Applying textures to wall hole components

Special texture parts for wall hole components can be applied from the Object Info palette. See Managing object textures from the Object Info palette and Textures on objects with components. While editing the wall hole component, the Assign Part list on the Render tab of the Object Info palette lists three options for the different textures that can be applied to wall hole faces: Holes, Wall Left, and Wall Right.

 

Each wall hole component can only have one texture part defined. Therefore, up to three different cutting objects would be necessary to apply three different texture parts to the wall hole faces.

Managing object textures from the Object Info palette

Editing symbol definitions

Adding a wall closure component to a symbol definition