Making a Roof

VectorWorks automates the creation of a pitched roof, complete with hips and valleys, ridges, etc. – based on a polygon representing the outline of the walls that it sits on. Here's how it's done.
NOTE: There is also a Roof Face command, but this is an older tool, which doesn't offer the same level of detail, such as soffits and fascias.

Make the roof footprint – the Rectangle method.

In the case of our house, this is pretty simple: we can simply draw a rectangle [1] from one outside corner to the one diagonally opposite [2] of the upper floor walls.
NOTE: To make it stand out more, give it a slight tinted colour, immediately after creation [3].

Creating a polygon – the Add Surface method.

Often the footprint is more complicated than a simple rectangle – in which case, you could use the Polygon tool, or better still – make up the footprint as a series of overlapping rectangles, that you then Add together by selecting them all and choosing Modify > Add Surface.

Risk of inaccuracy.

The problem with the Rectangle or polygon/Add Surface methods is that they're prone to error: you might click on not quite the outside corner at one or more of the corners of the building.

Create a polygon – the AEC method

If you select any group of walls that form a closed space, VectorWorks can make the appropriate polygon they form automatically: just select the walls in question, and choose a particular menu command.
NOTE: For this to work:
a] The walls must be properly joined at all the corners – with no "leaks"
b] You must select only the walls in question – if anything else is selected as well, it won't work.
Try it yourself:
Shift-select the four exterior walls (don't worry about the windows and doors – they come along for the ride). Verify that the Obj Info palette confirms you've selected 4 Walls, then AEC > Create Polys from Walls…

Create Polys from Wall dialog

A dialog appears, asking you whether you want the Gross Area (i.e., to the outside of the walls) or the Net Area. In this case, choose Gross Area Polys, and OK.

Create Roof…

Whichever method you made the roof footprint polygon, select it now, and choose AEC > Create Roof…

Create Roof dialog

In the Create Roof dialog:
First choose a suitable Eave Overhang – say, 18" [1]
Then choose a Vertical Eave Profile [2]
NOTE: If you choose the Vertical Eave Profile before setting an Eave Overhang, VectorWorks will warn you that this is not recommended.
Normally, the Bearing Height would be whatever is the height of the walls, but in our case, since we're placing this roof object in the Roof layer [3] – whose Z height is set at 9' above Level 2 – that's not necessary, and so Bearing Height can remain zero [4].
Click Create Accessories… [5] to turn on all three options regarding an Attic, Soffit, and Fascia (you can leave them at their default settings).
Back in the Create Roof dialog, I recommend turning off Retain Original Objects [6]: this refers to the polygon that you used to create the roof, and we no longer need it.
Then OK the dialog.

Resulting roof – in plan view.

Roof in isometric.

Switch to a Right Isometric view: if your Layers are not Aligned, you'll see it against the plan projection of Level 2 [A]; if your Layers are Aligned, or you're set to a Unified View, you'll see it placed correctly on top of the two lower layers [B].

Render it.

Click on the teapot popdown in the Mode Bar and choose OpenGL as a rendering mode.

Rendered Roof.

By default, the roof is now a simple grey object. But we can fix that: remember that when it was created, VectorWorks automatically created a new Class for it, called Roof-Main. We can now tell that Class to have certain graphic attributes, which should then be applied to the Roof by virtue of it being assigned to that Class.
In the Classes setup of the Navigation palette, right-click (or Control-click) the Roof-Main Class, and choose Edit… from the popup menu.

The Edit Class(es) dialog

This is where you tell a Class what visual attributes its members should have.
NOTE: for these settings to work, you must turn on the Use at Creation checkbox: this is off by default [1].
The top section refers to how it looks in the drafted drawings; the lower section refers to its appearance in rendered views. Click the Roofs tab [2] (since Roofs are treated differently from Walls and "Other"), turn on Use Textures at Creation [3], then turn on Top Texture [4], click on the thumbnail popdown, and choose Roofing Shakes from the selection [5]. Leave the Dormer Texture off for now, and OK the dialog.

Confirm you wish to apply this to existing members of the Class.

Since there is already an object in the drawing that belongs to the Class, a dialog appears, asking if you wish to apply the new Class settings to objects that have already been created. Click Yes.
NOTE: Yes to All applies when there are several such objects in the file, and you wish all of them to take on these new attributes.

Rendered roof.

This is the result.

Add a gable.

To convert one of the hip ends to a gable, simply double-click on it: this calls up a dialog, asking you to specify what you want to convert it to – a Gable or Dutch Hip. Choose Gable, leave the default settings, and OK.

Repeat for the other side.

Repeat the process for the opposite hip end, to create gables at both ends of the house.

Resulting two-gabled ends.

Change dormer texture.

The texture of the gable end is dictated by the Dormer Texture in the Roof-Main class settings.
To change it to the same brick as below, right-click the Roof-Main class in the Navigation palette [1], choose Edit… and in the Roof tab [2] of the Textures section at the bottom, turn on the Dormer Texture checkbox [3] and click on the popdown below it to choose the texture you want [4].