Parallel magnetic wall, roof and slab connections

[Christiaan 860]

I'd like to be able to "magnetically" snap walls together in parallel, roof faces together in parallel, and slabs too (to a lesser extent). You would be able to make these connections across layers. And you would be able to make edge connections (wall joins, roof clipping, etc.)—unlike with traditionally Grouped objects—and with the ability to control the connections of each snapped object independently. And when you move one they all move together, their connections with other objects are maintained. When you insert an object (e.g. window, roof light) into these magnetically snapped objects they can be inserted through all objects at once.

 

The more I model in Vectorworks and the more I coordinate with structural engineers the more I find that I want to model these parts of my model separately:

1. Internal finishes
2. Structure
3. External finishes

The reasons being:

1. When you model complex walls/slabs/roof face objects the automatic connections between these objects are just too opaque and prone to error. Separating them into finishes and structure makes it much easier to make and maintain constructionally correct connections.
2. It also becomes easier to coordinate with the structural engineer. For instance it becomes very straightforward to isolate and export one's own structural model.

You can model in this way now but it can get messy because you have to managed the position of multiple walls instead of one, multiple roofs instead of one and so on.

 

Edited January 13 by Christiaan
Changed title. Updated wish to include slabs and roof faces. And Tom's very good point about being able to insert windows/doors/rooflights

[Tom W. 151]

I think these are interesting points.

 

The other restricting factor when using walls formed in parallel is doors/windows. I would like to be able to insert a door/window symbol in the outer wall + have the wall hole component clip not only that wall but the inner wall as well.

 

I have used paired walls a few times in refurb projects where I draw the existing wall first then a second wall alongside it to represent an internal lining (e.g. air gap, timber framework, insulation, OSB, drywall). And also in new build where I'm using a twin stud wall construction where in order to use the wall framer command I have to divide the wall into two halves (because you can only have one core in a wall).

 

At the moment I put the door/window symbol in the outer wall + a corresponding 'opening'-configured door/window in the inner wall, + when I move/resize/remove one I have to edit the other as well.

 

Also 2D component wrapping doesn't really work across two walls but that's not a major issue for me because I prefer to do the wrapping manually in 3D... But that's not to say I wouldn't be really happy to be able to add/subtract wall components the same way you can with slab components...

[Christiaan 860]

Good points. Doors, windows and symbols would need to punch through connected walls. Wrapping would need some though too.

[Christiaan 860]

I've updated the original post to lay the argument out better, add roofs and slabs to the wish, and add Tom's point about inserting objects.