Creating Openings from a Floor Plan Sketch

You can create one or more concept openings, doors, and windows in a building model from a floor plan sketch.

  1. Before you begin:
    1. Create a mass. Alternatively, you can create a mass using a DWG or DXF floor plan sketch.
    2. Activate the shell and core or the story where you want to create the openings from the floor plan sketch.
    3. Use Sketch from DWG to import the DXF or DWG floor plan sketch.
    4. In the Sketch from DWG dialog box, in Settings, ensure that Unit Selection matches the unit measurement of the drawing you are importing; otherwise select the matching unit from the list.
    5. In Plane Selection, select the xy plane as the support plane for the sketch.
    6. Select the Merge Overlapping Lines check box to avoid overlapping lines in the sketch.
    7. Clear all other check boxes.
    8. In the Layers, select the drawing layers to import into the sketch.

      Tip: Select only drawing layers containing line work for the walls and openings.

    9. Click OK.
      The system adds the sketch and in the tree, lists the sketch under the active story under GeometrySet.
    10. Use Spaces from Floor Plan and Walls from Floor Plan to create walls and spaces to host the openings.
  2. From the 2D to 3D section of the action bar, click Openings from Floor Plan .
  3. From the Openings From Floor Plan dialog box, click Select the floor plan sketch and in the tree, select the floor plan sketch.
  4. To change the owning story of the openings, in the dialog box, select an option from Owning story.
  5. From the Openings From Floor Plan dialog box, select:
    OptionDescription
    Concept Opening

    		Creates a concept opening.
    Concept Door

    		Create a concept door.
    Concept Window

    		Create a concept window.
  6. In the dialog box:
    1. Enter in Component Height the height of the openings you are creating.
    2. Enter in Sill Height the height of the foot of the openings from the floor.
    3. Enter in Max Door Width a value to reflect the maximum door width in the floor plan.

      Note: Your entry for Max Door Width is the largest distance the tool attempts to identify as a door or opening. The tool does not create doors or openings in distances larger than your value. Discontinuities along walls larger than this value will result in a gap in the wall.

    4. Enter in Min Space Area a value that reflects the minimum space area in the floor plan.

      Note: Your entry is the smallest area that the tool considers for a space. The tool does not create openings, doors or windows for areas smaller than your value.

    5. Enter in Max Wall Thickness a value that reflects the maximum thickness of walls in the floor plan.

      Note: Your entry is the maximum thickness that the tool considers for a wall.

  7. To convert all openings in the sketch to openings, doors or windows, click Generate All .
  8. To see a preview of what the software considers valid walls, spaces and openings, click Show Analysis .
  9. Click .

The system creates the openings both in the 3D area and in the tree, where it lists them under the owning story.