Inserting Windows in Dormers in TPF

[adam007barone]

I am a new user to this program and I have tried to look for the info and can not find it any where. How do I insert a decorative small round window in a dormer? It will not let me select the wall and insert. Please help. Thank you.

[Allan Chesney]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum!

I have not worked with dormers much at all but the TFP supplied dormers are not really walls and roof etc they are in effect a single object.  As such you cannot add things into them.  If the dormer does not do what you want exactly as it is, then you are better off just using ordinary walls and roof for the purpose.

To do this you may find it easier to put the dormer on its own Location and remember that you can cut a hole in the roof, right click and elevate the walls and slope the bottom of them so the "dormer" can 'hang' onto the roof and appear normal inside the roof area.  Not as easy as dropping a pre-made dormer in but it remains fully editable to get the effect you want.

If you get stuck with it just ask again.

Have fun,

Allan

[Doug.S]

also suggest you search this forum for "dormer" or similar word and you may find more help

[adam007barone]

Thanks for ideas, I tried typing dormer in the search but know luck. Unfortunatley I don't have that much time to spend inserting all the walls and the roof. for each dormer. You would think they would have something available TFP seems to have everything else. Thanks again.

[Allan Chesney]

I typed Dormer in the Search box and it brought up 14 previous posts.  If your dormers are the same then you only have to create one.  If it is on a separate location you can just select everyhting right click and select duplicate. It duplicates it in the same space so just click and drag the replicated dormer into its new position.  Ideal if they are the same - if not you you can individualy adjust them.  You can also right click and select Dupicate To Location.  It will then copy the dormer to the new location (obviously you would have to create the new location to copy it to first).

Allan

[Ray Lilley]

In 2D view - make sure Commander is ticked, Settings-Programme Settings-Workspace-Tool Display-tick Commander & Apply.

1.

[Ray Lilley]

In 2D view, make sure Commander is ticked.
1. Select Dormer Roof.
2. Select walls - Exterior Walls - 100mm Horizontal Siding Wall.
3.Select OK
4. Insert on plan - right click - finish.
5. Select window- at bottom of screen type head height in commander box, if  you know the exact height OK but if you are not sure add at least another meter to the default dimension in the box, say 3100 and then right click - select centre on wall and insert.
6. Go to 3D view and select the window - right click and select Elevate and adjust head height of window up or down as required.

for other info try www.cadsoft.com/support_whitesheets.php (placing a window in a Dormer)

Ray

[Jack Zimmer]

Windows should insert in the gable wall of a dormer just as they would any other wall.

Insert the dormer, select a window and insert it in the wall. The dormers should be on the same location setting that the roof was place in order to properly cut the roof. I suggest you turn off the selectablity of the roof so that you can then select the inserted window and Elevate it.

Windows will insert at 6'8 head height and need to be raised up into the dormer to be visible.

It should be no problem at all to insert windows in dormers.


Jack Zimmer

for online training / visit our website

[Allan Chesney]

Ray, Jack,

Thanks for clarifying that one.  As I commented earlier I had not worked with dormers much, other than try them out when TFP was first released and even then did not try putting in a window until the above query.  I had recalled a comment earlier that it was not possible but I tried it anyway - with no success.  I did it exactly as described above and used the elevate to inch the window up the wall into the gable end.  Although the window highlight went into the gable area it was still only the highlight - it did not cut a hole in the wall and as soon as the bottom of the window reached the roof height it vanished from the model.  I hence concluded that the earlier comment was correct and the dormer was similar to the ones in the old FloorPlan program and would not accept a window (other than the build in one).

In view of your comments I have tried it again and this time it did cut the hole and stay in place above the roof.  I cannot explain why that did not happen earlier - I used the same window purposely in case it was something odd with the window but it was not that.  I tried some other dormer types and window types and they all worked so I have no explanation of the earlier failure.

One thing I did notice was that if you resized the dormer after insertion it did not resize the hole in the roof.

Anyway thanks again - yes you can put windows in dormers!

Allan

[Jack Zimmer]

Hi Allan,

To 'remove' the opening created by a gable try selecting the roof, right click and select 'move edge'. When you 'try' to move the edge of the 'opening' it disappears. You can then use the cut opening option to create a new opening. You will have to set the two sides of the roof from hip to gable.

Once you have the 'new opening cut' you can resize it as needed.

Making the roof 'unselectable' in the view filter helps moving the walls of the gable.

Select Roof
Right click / Move Edge (removes Gable opening)
Right click / Cut Opening (adds new editable opening)

[Allan Chesney]

Thanks Jack,
 
I never thought to check the right click options!!

I rarely work with Dormers and even less with basements - we rarely have either in Australia.  Too much space - we tend to go out rather than up or down, although some of the rejuvinated inner city areas are becoming multi-storey.  In the outer suburb where I live the SMALLEST block allowed its half an acre!

Allan

[Jack Zimmer]

I sometimes use the dormers for Covered Entrys. I know you can break the wall and covert roof to cover but a dormer acts a little different and allows for relatively easy wall movement etc.

I also noticed you cannot add a window to a dormer IF you select the wall and elevate it. If it needs elevating, add the windows first and then elevate.

Jack

check our website for online training options.

[Allan Chesney]

Good idea Jack! I have to do these covered 'drive throughs' all the time and never thought of using a Dormer for the purpose.  I can see now that it would work really well and overcome some other issues that using a separate roof creates.

Thanks for the tip!!

Allan

[Jack Zimmer]

I thought you'd find a use for it Allan, that's why I posted it!   

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Jack

[Allan Chesney]

Thanks again Jack, much appreciated!

Allan