Curtain wall preferences

Wall Style

From the Resource Selector, double-click a resource to activate it, or click Unstyled. If a styled object is converted to unstyled, the current values are retained, but all parameters are set to By Instance to allow editing.

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.

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 and Landmark products. 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 and Landmark products. 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

Specify wall information. This information can be included in a wall style schedule. These parameters are optional; enter text only where desired.