Making the stair tool better...

[eric.rktek]

I have another wish list item regarding the stair tool. It would be very helpful if there were the additional functionality of being able to specify either rails that can be set to extend past the ends of the stair, or the added functionality of guardrails AND handrails being able to be show in this tool.

Thanks.

[Jonathan Pickup]

the lack od any winders makes this tool limited for use in domestic construction in New Zealand

the extending handrails is essential for commercial construction in many conutries.

[mike m oz]

Both stair tools need a make over so that they can do what the users want.

For example the lack of being able top do 'square' winders paticulartly frustrates me.

[Guest -dom-]

some screenshots from the german VW version:

http://homepage.sunrise.ch/mysunrise/sanchopancho/download/Stairs/2/IMG]

http://homepage.sunrise.ch/mysunrise/sanchopancho/download/Stairs/3/IMG]

http://homepage.sunrise.ch/mysunrise/sanchopancho/download/Stairs/3/IMG]

[mike m oz]

The German version of VW has a much more comprehensive stair PIO. See picture from their VW architect brochure below. I'm also impressed by the fact that it is very much a graphical interface - much more of this is needed in VW.

[ 11-14-2005, 08:14 AM: Message edited by: mike m oz ]

[bclydeb]

I vote for more features in the stair tool(s) as well. for example the UBC sets pretty specific limits on stair riser and tread dimensions based on ADA and I often get stirs which do not meet eitehr UBC nor ADA requirements in riser heights. So the tool becomes an estimating approximation tool instead of a real tool. And there are necessities for the extension of the rail at the bottom in ADA and other accessibility requirements as well. All this has to be drawn by "hand" in 2D construction drawings.

And modeling for rendering and 3D studies for presentations is a C_H_O_R_E. (Please excuse me for shouting there.) And no - I do not want to spend more $ for FormZ just to do stair hand rails.

The post about the German version of VW indicates that somebody inside Nemetschek knows how to give us a better tool in the rest of the world - so hows about it Nemetschek!

If it isn't too much to ask - I'd like a setting where the stair can be entered on the first floor plan, and be set to apear on all the floors with out having to model the stair in a common layer between each two floors.

And for residential work - how aqbout a setting where a single stair object can be set to show a stair break on the first floor, revealing the closet under the stair, and when the second floor references the stair it shows the complete run to the lower floor.

Getting really exotic - how about being able to model turned baluster objects and volute turns in the handrail for traditional designs as well as handrails and guardrails of cable, glass, and solid railings with a grab handrail along the inside, below the top as well as above teh solid part?

[Guest -dom-]

hi

Mike asked me to post the screenshots aigain.Naturally for you i gladly will try it.

Last time i vorgot this stupid clammy ...

greeting from sunny switzerland

[mike m oz]

This is just what the rest of us want from the Stair PIO!

The standard stair PIO pales into insignificance when compared to this.

Another angle on stair capability can be seen with Cigraph's ArchiStair - though unfortunately this is a plug-in for another CAD program. Examples of its capability can be seen at http://www.archistair.com/Gallery.htm

It is also worth looking at the information section of, and downloading the ArchiStair PDF brochure from, http://www.archistair.com/ Now this is where we really want to get to.

[ 01-15-2005, 07:42 AM: Message edited by: mike m oz ]

[TomD.Arch]

Is that "the German version of VW" or is that simply Nemetschek? (I don't know what the 'official' name is, my German friends just call it 'Nemetschek')

As a new user, the current stair tool is an upgrade from what I was doing before - BUT there is soooo much room for improvement! (Pssst - it will sell upgrades, but don't tell any of the end users that...)

[mike m oz]

The image I posted is a screenshot from the German VectorWorks PDF brochure.

Dom's images I can't vouch for - but as he is posting to the North American VW website as a guess I would say they probably are for their version of VectorWorks.

The real issue is the stair PIO and the need for it to be more comprehensive.

For me the provision of graphical interfaces to dialog boxes like that illustrated would also be a move in the right direction. VW needs to catch up with the opposition on this front.

[bclydeb]

I concur with Mike M Oz that the stair tools should be just like Dom posted. I spend far too much tiome doing work arounds to get the stairs I need and finally do the drafting of the main design elements in 2D, line by line mode. Yes I can get some semblence of 3D volutes and spindles using the solids modeling and spin tools. Well - lets keep putting the pressure on Nemetschek to get us the robust stair tool und schnell too!!!

[mike m oz]

I have had a browse of what information there is available on stairs on the Allplan website and Dom's images are definately not from Allplan.

Thus it is safe to conclude that they are from the German version of VectorWorks.

[mike m oz]

Other capabilities which would be nice to have are:

- Ability to flare stair flights

- ability to return first treads (semicircular in plan)

- newel post location control and definition

[mike m oz]

I am just in the process of doing another job with winder stairs, and tearing my hair out rapidly (at this rate I'll be bald in a week).

Even if NNA can't come up with the goods on the stair PIO perhaps they can talk to the German Distributor and see if their Stair PIO can be made available as an add on which can be bought.

[TomD.Arch]

I just had to add winders to a stair to create clearance for a stair below. Fun. It's going to be even more interesting when the Structural Engineer tells us the exact depth of construction and I have to re-figure the elevations for the winder elements (3d polys). Wheeeee.

[mike m oz]

Comment posted by fsung in VW 11.5 Now Available!

"Any improvements to the stair PIO? (Come on, NNA: if you can't work out a worldwide license for the German stair PIO, at least provide us with contact info for the German distributor so individual users can contact them directly about purchasing it.)"

I concur with the sentiments expressed above - if the PIO can't be included in Architect can you at least approach ComputerWorks GmbH about making their Stair PIO available as a purchaseable add on for the rest of us.

It is unfortumate that not all of the image links in this post still function.

[ 03-18-2005, 10:55 PM: Message edited by: mike m oz ]

[seanSF&A]

8 in 10 of my projects are domestic loft extensions to provide additional bedrooms which are very popular in southern england due to high house prices.

99 in 100 loft extensions require stairs with square winders, which means that for the majority of the work i do, the VW stair tool is useless

Please get that German pluggin sorted for world wide distribution. I would be prepared to pay for it as an optional extra.

[mclaugh]

bump