Symbols Within a Wall

Once the walls have been created, symbols such as windows and doors can be added to them in either 2D or a 3D view. For information on symbol wall insertion options and changing symbol properties, see Creating New Symbols and Editing Symbols.

Often, the same type of symbol is added repeatedly to the walls; this is accomplished with the Duplicate Symbol in Wall tool. Once the symbols have been placed in a wall, move them in the wall with the selection tools.

Placing Duplicate Symbols in Walls

Use the Duplicate Symbol in Wall tool to easily place multiple copies of a symbol in a wall, such as doors or windows in an office building or electrical outlets along a wall.

Another method of moving and duplicating symbols within walls is with the Move by Points tool; see Moving Objects by Clicking.)

Select a mode from the Tool bar.

 

Mode	Description
Flipped Insertion	Flips the symbol during placement (for example, changes the direction that a door opens)
Default Insertion	Places the symbol using the orientation at creation
Wall Preferences	Specifies symbol placement information

 

To place duplicate symbols in a wall:

1.	Select Window > Palettes > Resource Browser.

The Resource Browser opens.

2.	Click the desired symbol from the list.

3.	Select Make Active from the Resources menu.

Activate a symbol already placed in the drawing with the Symbol Pick Up mode of the 2D Symbol Insertion tool (see Symbol Pick Up Mode).

4.	Click the Duplicate Symbol in Wall tool from the Walls tool set.

5.	Select the placement mode from the Tool bar.

This sets the symbol orientation. To place the symbol using the orientation in which is was created, click the Default Insertion mode button. To flip the symbol when it is placed, click the Flipped Insertion mode button.

6.	Click Wall Preferences from the Tool bar.

The Duplicate Symbol In Wall dialog box opens. Indicate how to place the symbols.

 

Parameter	Description
Start Offset	To set the first symbol position with the mouse, select Next Click; to set the first symbol position by a specified distance from a wall end, select the button next to the text box and enter a distance from the wall end
Spacing	To place successive symbols by mouse click, select Next Click; to place successive symbols a specified distance apart, select the button next to the text box and enter a distance between symbols
Copies	If selected, enter the specific number of symbol copies to insert into the wall

7.

Click OK.

8.	Click on the wall to indicate where the first symbol should be inserted. A preview of the symbols are shown along the wall to aid in placement. If inserting the first symbol by an offset value, click anywhere on the wall and the first symbol preview displays at the proper offset distance.

9.

If spacing symbols by the next mouse click, move the mouse along the wall to set the spacing between symbols, and click again to insert the duplicate symbols. If spacing symbols by a specified distance, click again to insert the duplicate symbols. If a number of copies was specified, that number of symbols is automatically inserted.

Move the mouse to the opposite side of the wall to flip the symbol direction.

Dragging and Dropping Symbols in Walls

To insert a 2D, 3D, or hybrid symbol in a wall by dragging it from the Resource Browser:

1.	Click the symbol in the Resource Browser and drag it to the desired location in the wall.

The symbol cannot be rotated during insertion, since the 2D Symbol Insertion tool (or 3D Symbol Insertion tool) is not automatically activated. When a symbol is dropped onto a wall or round wall, VectorWorks inserts the symbol into the object using the default flip value. (If this is not desirable, make the symbol active and it is inserted with the appropriate insertion tool.)

2.	If necessary, edit the symbol parameters in the Object Info palette.

Moving Symbols in Walls

The 2D Selection tool moves symbols within walls. (Another method of moving and duplicating symbols within walls is with the Move by Points tool; see Moving Objects by Clicking.)

Several symbols can be selected and moved at once. When multiple symbols are selected, their common parameters can be changed in the Object Info palette.

Symbols within walls and symbols outside of walls cannot be selected at the same time.

 

To move one or more symbols within a wall:

1.	Switch to Top/Plan view.

Symbols in a wall can only be moved in 2D view.

2.	Click the 2D Selection tool from the Basic palette.

Toggle Wall Insertion mode on or off, depending on the desired result.

 

Action	Description
Select one or more symbols inserted in a wall, with Wall Insertion mode on	Inserted symbols can be dragged out of the wall (and into another wall if desired).
Select one or more symbols not inserted in a wall, with Wall Insertion mode on	Selected symbols can be inserted into a wall by dragging them over the wall.
Select one or more symbols inserted in a wall, with Wall Insertion mode off	The symbols are moved within the wall. When one of the objects in the selection reaches the end of the wall, none of the objects can be moved further in that direction.

3.	Select the symbol or symbols.

4.	Position the cursor near the symbol to be moved. When the resize cursor displays, drag the symbol(s).