Adjusting the wall top color.

[DixonGrfx]

You may remember from a previous post that I am working on top down views of apartment floorplans.



I am trying to replace the wall color used on the tops of the interior walls with a white color. My experiments have yielded the result that this surface color is controlled by the left wall exposure color.  Is there a way, or a work around, to set this surface to a different color than the left interior surface color?

[Allan Chesney]

Sorry but as far as I know there is not way to control the wall top colour. It always assumes the wall colour or exterior colour if it is an external wall. If it is critical, you may have to replace the colour using a photo editing program. It would be quicker than trying to add a 'top plate' around all the walls.

Another option would be to select all the walls and right click 'Duplicate to locations' and copy them to the second floor. Make sure the second floor level is jusr a fraction above the ground floor and that the wall height is just a mm or fraction of an inch. This would then just look like a top of wall colour and you can set the colour independantly to the main walls. You would have to repeat the process if you changed the wall layout of course.

Allan

[DixonGrfx]

That's a great idea Allan. I'll test out the duplicate walls trick.  Thanks. and I let you know the results.

[DixonGrfx]

For the most part it's working.  I have run into the joints of the walls remaining at their original z axis position. When I selected the walls and adjusted the elevation by -12" and the wall tops are now where I want them, but am unable to adjust the wall joints elevation.

Any ideas?

[DixonGrfx]

ahh ha!  It has something to do with the settings of the building locations...  Experimenting now..

[DixonGrfx]

I got it. after tweaking the settings for the building locations, I was able to redo the 2nd floor walls without having to manually change the wall elevation. Works like a charm!

[Kajvin - Robert W]

Hi DixonGrfx and Allan!
Ther is a way to controll the wall top-color with a little trick, you have use it befor Allan, with hel of Trim and a wainscot panel.
(1)I 3D-view select the wall you will controll,(2) select properties for the wall,(3) select Right or Left Interior Surface,(4) on tab Trim Select Custom,(5) scroll down to Wainscot Panneling,(6) rigth click if you use windows, (7)select Add Element, now you have the controll properties for Wainscott Panelling type a name for your trim set dx1 to 0.005", this will make a smoth crossover between original wall surfas and wainscot the set the dy1 to for example 3', ( 8 ) On Apply to set offset from wall to Top of Wall set Trim basepoint to Top of Trim, (9) Click on appearence tab (10) Mark Trim 3D Select Materials All Materials (11) scroll down to Paint select your color. Now you have a two color wall.
Robert

[DixonGrfx]

robert,

Close, but not what I was looking for. That's a great trick for two color walls. But what I was looking for is a way to control the color applied to the top of the wall plate.  See how in your pic the top wall plate has the texture of the outside wall, I am looking to control that surface.

I may be able to play with the settings of the dx1 to 4", the dy1 to 0", and set the gap to -4".

bummer, so close, but it wont allow the gap to be a negative value.

[Kajvin - Robert W]

Hi again! I think I misunderstand you DixonGrfx you can use a thin Solid member that you set to the same width as the wall and 1/16" height and the elevate it to top of the wall for example 8'-1 3/16". The best of this is that you can hide whit View Filter, then you not need it and don't interferens with the wall in 3D if you line it right, and you use same location that the wall is on.

Robert

[Jack Zimmer]

In this case I would consider using a footing.

This example has 6" Exterior walls and 4" Interior. So in the Footings catalog I made one 6" x 1/2" and one 4" x 1/2" footing set to Black.

I then used the footing command / attached to walls. This then lets me use the 6" by clicking on each exterior wall and the same with the interior walls using the 4".

Then I set walls to be non selectable, which allows you to select one 6" 'footing" and then Select all Similar and elevate them to 8' (top of wall+). Then select one 4" footing and repeat select similar and elevate.

Why I like this is that the tops (as footings) are assigned to a wall, so if you have to move a wall, either a tad or a lot, the black top solution move with the wall moved. Make as many sizes as you may need and they are read for use in the future.

Jack

[DixonGrfx]

Thanks Jack,

That's an interesting way to solve the issue. I like it. And I would use it, but I don't seem to have the option to add footings to the walls. bummer.

Thanks anyway

[Allan Chesney]

What version are you usimg?
If you have V15 Home and Landscape Pro, then you should have Footings.

Allan

[Doug.S]

Jack,

There seems to be a white spot at the interior "T" intersection. An issue or  
Does not seem to exist at other intersections.

Is there a fix?

[Allan Chesney]

I suspect it is the just triangular piece of wall where the three walls join (as seen in some of the earlier images). Presumably it would just have to be selected as well to add a footing. It would be nice if 'Select All Similar' worked for footings.

Allan

[Jack Zimmer]

Dixon, Footing 'Attached to Walls' image is posted.

The triangle are what Allan said , Robert. You can just drag that footing so it doesn't intersect the other and all is fine (as was done with others in the image).

Allan, To select all footings at once, just turn Off Select option in View Filter for all items and then turn On just the footings select option.
Then go to File / Select All (which only selects the footings) / right click / Elevate.

Jack