PIOs are sooo BAD!

[Chris D]

I've never used the architectural objects in VW very much as I've always found the learning curve too high for any gain in productivity, but....now we're going down the BIM route we're looking at the tools again.

I'm flabbergasted that some of the tools are so bad. The roof tool is simply laughable...it's clunky and dumb and I'm not sure what purpose it's supposed to serve?! When you select a roof you don't even get any info in the OIP about its insertion height / bearing level....it's simply assumed you want it at Z=0 on the layer on which you insert it...but then still it doesn't behave...it actually moves up if you reduce the fascia height. I can't even draw a McMansion roof with this thing!

[michaelk]

?

Do you have a different roof command in the UK? Bearing height is item 6 in the Create Roof dialog box.

Maybe you mean the Roof Face command? It assumes Z=0 when created, but the bearing height is set in the OIP. It's not an unreasonable workflow when using stories or layers to control building component heights.

mk

[Chris D]

No, I've got the same version as you....I figured out that you need to double-click on the roof once created to get back to the Settings dialog where the bearing height is hiding. Why the heck this can't be a SETTINGS button on the OIP I have no idea??? It's not like VW has consistent double-click or right-click actions. There is normally a Settings button on the OIP for other tools, like the door tool.

[Chris D]

Heck, it shouldn't even be hidden in the Settings dialog. I want the basic geometry to be visible in the OIP so that I can check at a glance that it is correct (or not). The OIP for the roof tool is completely underpopulated so it's not like there is no space.

[Damon Design]

Not necessarily defending the logic but the roof object is considered a group, therefore has the same double-clicking action required to get into the group for editing.

[Jershaun]

I agree with Chris D. PIO's are old technology and it's cumbersome. Revit has a much better solution. With Revit the user has full control. With vw, we're at the mercy of the coder.

[Christiaan]

Any videos that show off this Revit superiority?

[Chris D]

[Chris D]

Item number one on the Properties pane (equivalent of our OIP): Base Level

Item number four is offset from base. The point is that basic settings like this are always visible.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Chris D

[Chris D]

Note also the support for composite roofs

[Farookey]

Hi...

Maybe I missed something, but the bearing heights of the individual 'faces' of the Roof Object can be changed manually, as well as the type of that 'face' (gable, hip etc.) by simply clicking (once) on the blue square of the corresponding 'face'.

I agree that it may take some getting used to but VW's roof tool, although very simple, still has a good few ways to manipulate it to get your desired roof. Sometimes, for complex roofs you may need to do some simple work-arounds but by understanding how it works this wouldn't be too much of a difficult task.

I'm intrigued by this McMansion roof you talk of... Can you show me a pic of what you mean so I can determine how easy/difficult it would be to recreate?

Thanks

[Christiaan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMansion

What VW developers had in mind when they created the roof tools.