Inserting rooflight symbols

[MogTheSmilingCat]

Hi Folks - help needed. As per other people's previous comments on here, I'm frustrated by the limited range of the included Velux symbols as (i) they don't seem to be current and (ii) I tend to specify Fakro anyway. Fakro have 3D models available online and I've downloaded them as DWG's. I've then imported them as 3D symbols and there they are - lovely 3D things that look just like roof windows. Hurrah! BUT...

...they won't insert into a roof object, even with Wall Insertion Mode on. If I edit the Symbol Options to turn on "Insert in walls" we get a bit closer:- the Edit Roof Element box pops up, I can tell it to Edit Skylight. BUT...

...it punches a slot in the roof and doesn't place the symbol. The insertion point (the cursor position) appears remote from the symbol (about a metre away from the rooflight top edge) - I'm not sure if this is the problem, but can't see ways of editing it even if it is.

Any help VERY much appreciated. I suppose I can manually crank them into position of roof objects or faces with pre-punched holes, but I'd really love the full functionality.

[Mitchell Brooks]

Mog,

I don't believe that (in 2011 anyways) you can actually insert a skylight symbol in a roof object at all. It does what it is doing for you now only, i.e. inserts a hole for it. You do have to place the skylight manually.

There is a video on YouTube which I viewed recently which goes over this exactly. Check that out for confirmation.

Mitch

[Mitchell Brooks]

Mog, disregard my post above.

I just easily inserted a Velux skylight directly into a roof object, symbol and all complete with correctly sized opening.

Perhaps there is something special about a skylight object (like 3D loci) that have to be provided to do what I just saw.

[Jonathan Pickup]

The symbol has to be drawn in the corct orientation for the symbol to insert into the roof correctly. It sounds like your imported symbol needs rotation in the symbol definition.

[Mitchell Brooks]

Jonathan, what orientation do you mean?

[Jonathan Pickup]

The orientation of the skylight relative to the layer plane, which Vectorworks then uses to place the skylight in the roof. I know that some people don't like me mentioning it, but there are several movies on my web site about inserting skylights in a roof. Just search skylight to see all the links.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Jonathan Pickup

[MogTheSmilingCat]

You are spot-on about orientation, Jonathan. Once I rotated the rooflights so they were vertical rather than laid flat, inserting them into the roof punches the right-sized hole. Only step left is to get the insertion point in the right place (basically in the middle of the hole which gets punched) and I'm in business - I'll basically set up a drawing "jig" and drop each symbol onto it to re-set the insertion point and re-save. Job done.