How To - Create Dormer from Window Insertion

[Cory W.]

Earlier today I created a couple dormers (I didn't save them) in the attached roof (I 'believe') taking the following steps: Created a window>Ungrouped the window in 3D>Created a 3D symbol>Then placed in the roof. I must be missing something, as I can not replicate the results. Help would be greatly appreciated.DORMER.vwx

Edited July 24, 2024 by CW2020

[Cory W.]

The VWX site instructions are accurate and I should've read them more carefully. I now recognize my ungrouping the window and then converting it to a symbols was my error... I was following older instructions from a video. My earlier attempts that worked were a fluke. It only took me an hour or so to arrive at that conclusion.

Edited July 24, 2024 by CW2020

[Tom W.]

Ungrouping a Window + converting the 3D geometry into a symbol is the way you need to do it. You can't insert a Window PIO in a Roof, it needs to be a 3D symbol. I opened your file + the 'Symbol-1' symbol inserts successfully into the Roof, both by dragging the resource out of the Resource Manager + dropping it onto the Roof or by using the Symbol Insertion Tool (tip: the latter method only works if you have 'Insert in walls' enabled for the symbol, which you do).

[Cory W.]

You're absolutely correct that my first sample file's window inserts correctly. I apparently was not 'aways' bringing it in from the Resource Browser... my complicating things by trying to work quickly. That said, in this attachment I did not ungroup the window. I did turn convert it to a 3D symbol. And I did test going into the 3D symbol and changing the window settings... which reflected accordingly in the dormer. Same goes for having the window designated as a 'style.'

DORMER-3.vwx

[Tom W.]

Ok that's interesting: you can create a Dormer using a Window PIO after all! Good catch! I have just checked + this is contrary to what Help says. I never use Dormers, I always use Skylights + these definitely do have to be 3D symbols to work, but that's useful if you are using Dormers to be able to use Windows with them.

[Cory W.]

I also never use dormers... that "hour or so" paid off as I anticipate needing to eventually  change the window stye at the several dormers on this project.

[Catmansound]

On 7/24/2024 at 4:38 PM, Cory W. said:

I also never use dormers... that "hour or so" paid off as I anticipate needing to eventually  change the window stye at the several dormers on this project.

It would be really great if they can recode the dormer to accept actual windows instead, I use dormers a lot, and I'm always having to change window styles while designing, so I find I have to constantly explode and create Symbols each time, feature request here Vectorworks...

[Tom W.]

43 minutes ago, Catmansound said:

It would be really great if they can recode the dormer to accept actual windows instead, I use dormers a lot, and I'm always having to change window styles while designing, so I find I have to constantly explode and create Symbols each time, feature request here Vectorworks...

 

I thought we established you can use Windows in Dormers...?