How to Update Doors and Windows Efficiently

[Luke Gilmer]

The vendor for windows was just selected, and I'm now updating the windows and doors in the walls to the actual measurements and adding manufacturing info into BIM.

However, there seems to be no way to save a 'style' for a window or door, and then simply update others; nor is there a way to select multiple-same-widows or doors and make updates to the object info palette; nor is there a way copy and paste these object since the pasted object doesn't insert into the wall.

It appears that the only way to do this is either update each window and door individually (very error prone and time consuming on my part), or completely delete all my windows and doors and re-start with the door and window tools and completely re-entry them into the walls (still time consuming).

Am I missing something obvious?

Are there perhaps betters door/window tools available for purchase? In a training manual of J Pickup, there was a mention of a 3rd Party tool from New Zealand. Any recommendations?

Best, Luke

[VincentCuclair]

WinDoor by Ozcad. This is a very capable tool, in which you can save door and windows setups which can be applied to any amount of doors or windows later on.

Otherwise a good way of working is to create symbols for each door/window type from the start using the actual door/window PIO (as opposed to hybrid symbols), you can then edit the symbol (door/window) when you like and all symbols will update accordingly. Another advantage with this is that you can use the replace function in the symbol PIO to change any (number) of door or windows to another existing type.

[Christiaan]

Otherwise a good way of working is to create symbols for each door/window type from the start using the actual door/window PIO (as opposed to hybrid symbols), you can then edit the symbol (door/window) when you like and all symbols will update accordingly. Another advantage with this is that you can use the replace function in the symbol PIO to change any (number) of door or windows to another existing type.

The problem with this method is that it breaks the communication between the plugin object and other objects. So, for instance, a window will no longer understand what is the outside of the wall (i.e. the left).

And what about scheduling, does it break that too?

[Christiaan]

nor is there a way to select multiple-same-widows or doors and make updates to the object info palette;

This isn't quite correct. You should be able to select multiple windows in walls and edit some parameters in the object info palette (such as width). What we can't seem to do is click on Settings and edit any parameter of the group of selected windows.

[Chris D]

There is a half-decent workaround for this which Martyn Horne showed me, which to be honest I haven't had chance to use on a real job yet, but I have tested it and it appears to work:

Use the ID Suffix field in the OIP to give each door a Door Type reference e.g. T1, T2 etc. You can then use Custom Modification to select all T1s at once etc (Tools>Custom Modification>Field Value>ID Suffix). This allows you to select doors in various walls at once and amend them via the OIP. It won't amend doors inside symbols (e.g. house types) though.

It's less foolproof than proper Door Types (wishlisted many times), but should help.

You can save yourself some scripts to select each door type on a little script palette, to speed this up if you do it frequently.

[Chris D]

In reply to Christiaan, this doesn't work for the Settings button...just tried it and crashed VW.

[VincentCuclair]

In reply to Christiaan, this doesn't work for the Settings button...just tried it and crashed VW.

I think Christiaan meant the settings directly visible in the OIP......