Design SuiteRoof preferences

These settings are available in the following locations:

Roof Preferences dialog box (creating an object)

Object Info palette (editing an object)

Roof Components dialog box (editing an object)

Roof Data dialog box (editing an object)

Edit Roof Style dialog box (creating or editing a style)

Roof faces and roof objects include the ability to define components, set roof attributes, and more. Roof preferences are set from the Roof Preferences dialog box when creating a roof face or roof object. Some of the parameters can be edited later from the Object Info palette.

Roof preferences: Overall

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Roof 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 roof style's parameters are edited in the Roof Preferences dialog box, the roof 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 roof and they are not saved).

Save Preferences as Roof Style

Saves the current preference settings as a new roof style; see Creating roof styles. The Assign Name dialog box opens; enter a roof style name.

A saved or selected roof style is saved as a resource in the file, and displays in the Resource Manager and in the Roof Style list on the Create Roof Face dialog box and Create Roof dialog box.

Roof preferences: Definition tab

These parameters are also available on the Roof Components dialog box, which is accessed from the Object Info palette.

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Preview

Displays a sectioned preview of the roof structure, including any defined components. The top of the preview indicates the top part of the roof as it will be drawn.

Overall Thickness

Displays the thickness of the roof. The roof thickness is always determined by the thickness of its components; a roof always has one component by default.

Edit Roof Attributes

Opens the Roof Attributes dialog box, to specify the roof fill and pen settings; see Editing roof attributes

Datum

Select whether the datum is applied to the top or bottom of the designated component; the indicator in the Datum column updates accordingly

Components

Lists the components that form the structure of the roof, in order from top to bottom as displayed in the preview. To change the order of a component, click and drag within the # column.

If multiple components are selected, changing the order moves all selected components to the new location.

Datum

A datum is the reference point for elevation settings (it does not change with any changes to the roof thickness or definition). Click in the Datum column to designate the datum component. An indicator in the column shows whether the datum is placed on the top or bottom of the component. To change the datum position, either click on the indicator to switch the placement, or click Top of component or Bottom of component.

Other Component settings

The remaining columns in the component list display the current settings for the roof, from the Roof Component Settings dialog box

New

Opens the Roof Component Settings dialog box to define the components of the roof; see Creating roof components for information on creating components

Edit

Opens the Roof Component Settings dialog box to edit the attributes of one or more selected components; changes are made to all selected components. Alternatively, to edit a single component, double-click the component to open the Roof Component Settings dialog box.

Duplicate

Duplicates one or more selected roof components; the duplicates are added to the component list right below the originally selected components

Delete

Deletes one or more selected roof components; the roof thickness is adjusted accordingly

Roof preferences: Insertion Options tab

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Class

Specifies the default class for the roof

Energos

Roofs 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 roof is eligible to be included in energy calculations, depending on the energy analysis settings for layer/class, element inclusion, and so on

Object Boundary Type

Select the type of roof (exterior or foundation).

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 roof calculations are not satisfactory, edit the system list to be extremely specific about the roof surface resistance parameters.

For a finer level of detail about the boundary roof, click Advanced. The Advanced Settings dialog box opens. Specify advanced settings.

Exterior Material: For exterior roofs, indicates the general color. The system list can be modified; see Specifying system sets. The Absorptivity and Emissivity factors are automatically calculated and displayed.

Reduction Factor Shading: When the roof is shaded (especially during the summer), enter a shading reduction factor from 0–1, where 0 (zero) indicates total shade and 1 indicates no shade.

Calculated R-Value/U-Value

Based on the location of the roof within the building (boundary type) and orientation of the heat flow (surface resistance values), the wall R-Value/U-Value is calculated and displayed. This value, along with the area of the roof, 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 roof instead in Manual R-Value or Manual U-Value 

Roof preferences: Textures tab

The Object Info palette Render tab has additional texturing controls for existing objects; see Managing object textures from the Object Info palette and Textures on objects with components. Textures applied from the Object Info palette override the textures set here unless the texture is set by style.

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Use component textures

Uses the textures defined for the roof components to texture the roof; this setting is recommended for the best drawing accuracy.

This option can also be selected for an existing roof from the Render tab of the Object Info palette.

Use object textures

Uses the textures defined below for the roof parts 

Part

Select the part to apply a texture to

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. Select a texture from the Resource Selector, or click one of the buttons to use no texture, or to use the class texture.

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.

Roof preferences: Data tab

Specify roof information. This information can be included in a roof style schedule. These parameters are optional; enter text only where desired. These parameters are also available on the Roof Data dialog box, which is accessed from the Object Info palette.

Roof face preferences: Object Info palette

The roof face parameters can be edited from the Object Info palette. The roof face parameters are described in Creating roof faces and above. Only the parameters that are different in the Object Info palette are described here.

Roof objects have different options on the Object Info palette; see below.

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Remove Mitered Edges

If the roof face was connected to another roof face with the Connect/Combine tool using Miter Roof Face Joins mode, click to reset the eave to the original Eave Cut (if needed), and reset all other edges to vertical cut geometry

Dormer Settings

When the roof face includes one or more dormers, their parameters can be set. Parameter settings affect all dormers in the roof face.

Wall Thickness

Sets the thickness of the walls in the dormer

Roof Thickness

Sets the thickness of the dormer roof

Style

Displays the current roof style. You can convert the roof to unstyled or see Creating roof styles, Replacing roof styles from the Object Info palette, or Editing roof styles.

Wall Clipping

Indicates whether the roof face is associated with a set of walls, and provides the ability to associate the roof with a set of walls, or disassociate walls from the roof

Components

Opens the Roof Components dialog box. For unstyled roof faces, edits the roof components; for styled roof faces, edits only the texture settings (see Creating roof components).

Roof Data 

Opens the Roof Face Data dialog box to specify roof information (see the Data tab above)

Roof object preferences: Object Info palette

Wall settings from the Object Info palette apply to all gable or Dutch hip walls in the roof; to adjust each gable wall individually, use the Edit Roof Settings dialog box.

The fields in the Object Info palette are named similarly (but not always identically) to those in the Roof Preferences dialog box, and roughly reflect the order in which settings are entered in the dialog box, for ease of editing. The roof parameters are described above. Only the parameters that are different in the Object Info palette are described here.

Roof faces have different options on the Object Info palette; see above.

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Bearing Inset

Specifies how far the bearing wall cuts into the roof

Thickness

Specifies the roof thickness (normally, this is the perpendicular thickness; when a roof has different slopes, the vertical thickness can be specified). When the roof face is styled, this parameter is not available.

Roof Face Joining

When a roof has different slopes, specify either miter or vertical cuts for the joins between faces

Eave Cut

Specify the cut type for the roof edge.

Vertical: vertical fascia, angled soffit edges

Horizontal: no fascia, horizontal soffit edges

Double: vertical fascia, horizontal soffit edges

Square: angled fascia, soffit edges

Vertical

For Double eave cut types, enter the vertical length of the eave

Dormer Settings

When a dormer has been added to the roof, specifies dormer parameters; see Editing dormers

Style

Displays the current roof style. You can convert the roof to unstyled or see Creating roof stylesReplacing roof styles from the Object Info palette, or Editing roof styles

Wall Clipping

Indicates whether the roof is associated with a set of walls, and provides the ability to associate the roof with a set of walls, or disassociate walls from the roof

Components

Opens the Roof Components dialog box. For unstyled roofs, edits the roof components; for styled roofs, edits only the texture settings (see Creating roof components).

Attic/Soffit/Fascia Settings

(Architect required)

See Adding roof accessories

Gable Walls

An alert displays if you change these settings; confirm that you want to override the original settings

Show Walls

When gable walls exist, specifies whether the gable wall shows or is invisible

Thickness

When gable walls exist, specifies the gable wall thickness

Dutch Hip Walls

An alert displays if you change these settings; confirm that you want to override the original settings

Show Walls

When Dutch hip walls exist, specifies whether the Dutch hip wall shows or is invisible

Thickness

When Dutch hip walls exist, specifies the Dutch hip wall thickness

Roof Data 

Opens the Roof Data dialog box to specify roof information (see the Data tab, above)

Creating roof faces

Creating roof objects

Using roof styles

Editing roof objects

 

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