Basement Windows

[Bruce Kieffer]

I've made a basement layer with the top of the walls at grade. When I try and insert windows into the basement walls, they get placed above grade. What am I doing wrong with the settings?

[CipesDesign]

It probably has to do with 1) The "Z" settings for your layer(s), and/or 2) the height AND/OR bottom "z" settings for the window, and/or 3) the bottom "z" setting for the wall(s). All of these interact with each other in very logical ways.

[Bruce Kieffer]

Peter, Could you tell me typical settings for a basement layer so that I could drag window symbols onto the basement walls and they would be in the walls rather than above the walls as I am having it happen?

[CipesDesign]

Bruce, there isn't a "typical" setting, per-se. But try this. Select the window and in the OIP there is an option to have the height of the window keyed either to the bottom or the top of the window. Could that be what's causing your problem?

[Bruce Kieffer]

Peter, That is not the problem. The problem is that I don't understand the Z settings for layers. I made all of my basement walls and then selected them all and move them below grade. The windows are being placed above grade since the layer still thinks Z is at grade. If I change the height of the window to a minus figure, whether it's keyed to the bottom or the top, then it moves down into the basement wall. I did some experimenting with a blank file and tried to set two different layers with a different Z height, but even so all the walls I created an the different layers still resided on the same plane when viewed from the front. This can't be how VW works. I'm doing something wrong and I need a bit of help to figure it out.

[CipesDesign]

Bruce, In VW's each layer can have its own "Z" values. But there's an interesting idiosynchrasy(sp?) in VW: If you want to view multiple layers simultaneously you need to either 1) Create a Layer Link, or 2) activate the new "stack layers" mode (in the VIEW menu). Otherwise, if you try to view layers with different z heights they will all seem to exist at the same ground plane, which I agree can very disconcerting. You can find out how to make a layer link by looking in the manual, or the online help.

Also, if you really want to learn VW's, and are planning to use it regularly, I would strongly suggest getting some real training. Check out NNA's website for locatiions and dates, or to find an independant trainer in your area.

[Bruce Kieffer]

Peter, Thanks for all of your help. I got most of it figured out now. I made a layer link which combined all of my layers, then I can see the proper "stack." I don't have VW Architect, so I don't have the "stack layers" command. I still haven't quite figured out viewports, but at least now I can make sense of the different floors of my house drawing. I appreciate your suggestion about getting some training, but I'm only trying to draw my house. I hope you and others will continue to assist me as I figure out these new concepts (new to me!). The way I use VW for the work I do is nothing like how an architect would work. Take a look at my work at: http://www.draw.biz/ Simply put, all the objects in my drawings reside inside of other objects. I use classes instead of layers to manage my drawings.