In this lesson we create the simplest shell possible: a single room. This will allow us to get a feel for the use of the Wall tool and a number of other common tools and menu commands.
Place a human figure
This is by no means essential, but it helps to give a sense of scale, as well as a chance to use some common tools.
You'll find the Human Figure Tool at the bottom of the Visualization toolset. Select it, then double-click somewhere in the middle of the drawing area.
You'll find the Human Figure Tool at the bottom of the Visualization toolset. Select it, then double-click somewhere in the middle of the drawing area.
Zoom in
The resulting figure is quite small, given that we're at the Layer Scale of 1/4":1 or 1:48. So zoom in: choose the Zoom In tool, and draw out an imaginary rectangle using its imaginary diagonal.
That's more like it
Closer up, it's apparent that the human figure is a man, in plan.
Switch to a Right Isometric view
You can switch at any time from the default, drafting view (which VectorWorks refers to as Top/Plan), to a 3D view of the Design Layer by choosing one from the pop-down list in the View Bar. Click on the pop-down button currently labelled Top/Plan and choose Right Isometric from the list.
The Right Isometric view
Zoom out (use the middle scroll button on your mouse. Note how the Obj Info palette gives a readout of the figure's various parameters: it is a 5'10" man of Average build, Standing with his arms at his side, wearing a T-shirt, Pants, Dress shoes (!), and medium-length hair, with no Jacket, Stockings or Tie.
Rotate via the Obj Info palette
Let's rotate the figure so it's facing the other way: type in 180 in the Rotation: field.
NOTE: There are other, more generic, ways of rotating objects, but this is one of them, and since we need to rotate him and it's ready to hand, might as well use it.
NOTE: There are other, more generic, ways of rotating objects, but this is one of them, and since we need to rotate him and it's ready to hand, might as well use it.
Switch back to Top/Plan (drafting) view
Switch back to the drafting view by choosing Top/Plan from the same pop-down menu as before, or from the View > Standard Views submenu.
NOTE the keyboard shortcut for future reference: Command-5 (Ctrl+5 in Windows).
NOTE the keyboard shortcut for future reference: Command-5 (Ctrl+5 in Windows).
Choose the Wall Tool
Now let's draw some walls around the figure. Choose the Wall tool from the Building Shell toolset.
NOTE: There is also a Round Wall tool, for creating walls with a radial curve. We'll use this on another occasion.
NOTE: There is also a Round Wall tool, for creating walls with a radial curve. We'll use this on another occasion.
Note which face you're drawing with
A wall, by definition, has some thickness. In VectorWorks, this thickness is 6" or 150mm by default. So the question is, when you're drawing a wall object, which face are you drawing it by – the "top", the "bottom", the centreline, or some other line within it? These four modes are represented in the form of buttons at the top left of the Mode Bar. The default mode is "top" – which is to say, when you draw it horizontally from left to right, it's the top line.
You can change the mode on the fly, as you're drawing, by clicking on the mode you want, or better still, using the keyboard shortcut: the U key. Note how, as you press the U key, the wall face you're drawing with toggles between the three first modes. Press it till it's drawing by the "bottom" face.
You can change the mode on the fly, as you're drawing, by clicking on the mode you want, or better still, using the keyboard shortcut: the U key. Note how, as you press the U key, the wall face you're drawing with toggles between the three first modes. Press it till it's drawing by the "bottom" face.
Draw four walls
Click once at each of the internal corners of a box the size of a vestibule around the human figure.
Don't worry too much about dimensions at this stage.
To ensure the wall segments are orthogonal, press the Shift key as you draw.
When you reach the end of the fourth segment, stop short of the beginning and double-click to mark the end of the wall segment.
Don't worry too much about dimensions at this stage.
To ensure the wall segments are orthogonal, press the Shift key as you draw.
When you reach the end of the fourth segment, stop short of the beginning and double-click to mark the end of the wall segment.
Join the first and last wall segments
Shift-select the two wall segments, and join them by choosing the menu item Modify > Join > Join.
NOTE the keyboard shortcut for future reference: Command-J (Ctrl+J in Windows).
NOTE the keyboard shortcut for future reference: Command-J (Ctrl+J in Windows).
Examine the result
With the four walls completed, Shift-select them and look at the Obj Info palette. It should confirm that you have 4 walls selected, in which case, it will also provide various other information about them, namely that their (default) height is 8'2.425" (2500mm), and their (default) thickness is 5.906" (150mm).
NOTE: If you select the human figure as well – or anything else that isn't a wall – the Obj Info palette will only commit to saying that you have five "Objects", with whatever parameters they have in common, which probably isn't very much. So make sure that only the walls are selected.
NOTE: If you select the human figure as well – or anything else that isn't a wall – the Obj Info palette will only commit to saying that you have five "Objects", with whatever parameters they have in common, which probably isn't very much. So make sure that only the walls are selected.
Add a door.
Click the Door tool in the Building Shell toolbox, and click bodily on one of the walls – pref. at or near its Midpoint. Notice that as you move the cursor north, west, east, south, a ghosted image of the door leaf and swing appears, allowing you to determine the swing direction before placing. Get it the way you like, and click to set.
The Door Settings dialog
The very first time you insert a door in a wall, you get the Door Settings dialog.
NOTE: After this, you'll need to click on the Settings… button in a door's Obj Info palette to access it.
It has several tabbed sections to it. In the default, General section, you can set the door's width, height from the default settings, and change its Top Shape, give it a Transom, etc. For now, ignore these, and click OK.
NOTE: After this, you'll need to click on the Settings… button in a door's Obj Info palette to access it.
It has several tabbed sections to it. In the default, General section, you can set the door's width, height from the default settings, and change its Top Shape, give it a Transom, etc. For now, ignore these, and click OK.
Obj Info: "Door in Wall" readout
If the door was inserted properly, and while it's selected, the Obj Info palette will identify it as a Door in Wall
NOTE: If it wasn't inserted properly, it will simply say Door – in which case, you should take it out and put it back properly, so that it "takes".
NOTE: If it wasn't inserted properly, it will simply say Door – in which case, you should take it out and put it back properly, so that it "takes".
Switch to a Right Isometric view.
To appreciate what the various door options look like, switch to a 3D view, such as Right Isometric, from the Standard Views popdown in the menu bar.
Customize the door.
As a taster of the sort of customization you can do on a door, in its Obj Info palette, turn on the checkboxes for Show 3D Hinge, Show 3D Open, Transom, and Include Interior Trim, Include Exterior Trim.
Drag a duplicate door to the opposite wall.
Press the Option (Windows: Ctrl) key and drag down a down a duplicate door to the opposite wall. Press Shift as well, to constrain it to the same vertical axis.
NOTE: The advantage of this is that it saves us from having to redo the trim and other customization options.
Then customize this second door to suit.
NOTE: The advantage of this is that it saves us from having to redo the trim and other customization options.
Then customize this second door to suit.
Insert a window
Window Settings dialog.
As with the door, the first time you insert a window, the Windows Settings dialog pops up. For now, just accept the defaults, and OK.
As with the door, customize to suit, within the Obj Info palette.
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