Inserting and editing Windows and Doors

Command: BmInsert

Overview: In this lesson, you learn how to insert and edit windows and doors in a solid.

Lesson Objectives:

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Insert a window or door as a block reference into your 3D model.
• Edit the parameters of a window or door.
• Move the inserted door or window in the face of a 3D solid.
• Place copies of an insert in the same 3D solid.
• Replace an existing insert with another.

About 

In BricsCAD, the Insert BIM Component tool allows you to insert windows, doors and other components in any face of a 3D solid and is typically used to insert windows and doors.

For more information about this command, visit the Command Reference article BmInsert.

Controlling the position of the window or door 

To control the position of the window in the face of the solid (wall), you can use the following drawing aids:

• Dynamic Dimensions: During placement of a window or door on a 3D Solid face, dynamic dimensions are created, starting from the middle of each edge of the bounding rectangle of the opening to the nearest parallel edge on the face of the 3D Solid. Make sure Dynamic Dimensions are active by checking the DYN field in the status bar and Dynamic UCS is active by checking the DUCS field in the status bar.
  The Dynamic UCS aligns the window to the face of the solid. The edge of the face by which the cursor enters the face defines the orientation of the X-axis. Hit the Shift key to temporarily lock the UCS, which allows to use reference points outside the face of the solid. Hit the shift key again to unlock.
• Temporary Tracking points: Click the mouse wheel or press the Temporary Tracking Points tool button () on the Entity Snaps toolbar to start specifying temporary points.
• OSNAPZ: If this system variable is ON, the Z-value of any entity snapping point is replaced by the current value of the ELEVATION system variable. If ELEVATION=0, entity snapping points are forced to lie in the face of the solid. OSNAPZ is toggled by the Ignore entity snap elevation tool button () on the Entity Snaps toolbar. The state of the tool button (pressed or not) indicates the current value of OSNAPZ.
• Entity snap to negative Z-values: Press the Entity snap to negative-z tool button () on the Entity Snaps toolbar to enable entity snaps on points that lie behind the selected face. If OSNAPZ is ON, the point is projected onto the selected face.

Procedure: Inserting windows or doors 

Note: Make sure Dynamic UCS (DUCS) and Dynamic Dimensions (DYN) are active.

1. Select Insert BIM Component from the Model tab of the No Selection Quad.
   The file explorer opens (1). By default it should take you to the library of predefined doors and windows. If it does not, this library can be found in the following subfolder of the BricsCAD installation folder: ...\UserDataCache\Support\en_US\Bim\Components\Windows

2. Select a window or door you want to insert in your drawing.
   The selected insert is attached to the cursor (2).

   

   When you move over a face of the solid, the insert aligns with the face under the cursor. The distances from the start (3), end (4), top (5) and bottom (6) face of the wall to the placement rectangle of the insert display dynamically.

   

   If the HKA (Hot Key Assistent)* is ON, the HKA Widget (7) displays at the bottom of the screen to show you the available options. Use ‘pick position’ (8) option to adjust the insertion point of the wall or door. Use the ‘update size’ option (9) by hitting the CTRL key to specify the width and height of the insert. The Width (10) and Height (11) field will indicate the current dimensions of the insert.

   
   * Click the HKA field in the Status bar to toggle the display of the Hot Key Assistent.

3. Do one of the following to place the selected window or door using the dynamic dimension fields:
• Hit the TAB key to select one of the dynamic dimension fields, then type a value and hit the TAB key to lock the dimension.
  The locked dimension turns red (12).
• Hit the TAB key to select one of the other dynamic dimension fields, then type a value and hit the TAB key to lock the dimension.
  The locked dimension turns red (13).

Procedure: Editing the parameters of an insert 

If parameters are defined in the window or door source drawing, these parameters can be used to edit each detail of a window/door separately.

1. Select any door or window in the drawing. The current values of the various parameters display in the parameters section of the Properties Panel. In the following illustration, window parameters are shown in the properties panel.

   

2. Select a parameter you want to change, then type a value in the settings field.

Moving an Insert 

In BricsCAD, there multiple methods to move an insert in the face of a solid:

• Using Distance fields.
• Using Push / Pull
• Using the Manipulator

 Procedure: Using distance fields

1. Select the insert in the model.
   Current distances from the insert to the nearest parallel faces of the parent solid display:
   
2. Double click a distance field, then type a value and press Enter.

Procedure: Using Push/Pull to move an insert

1. Hover the cursor over the top or the bottom inner face of the opening (14) made by the insert to move the insert vertically. Or to move the insert horizontally, hover the cursor over the left or the right inner face of the opening (15) made by the insert.

     

2. When the face highlights, select DmPushPull from the Model tab of the Quad.
   The insert will move vertically if the top or bottom inner face is highlighted.
   The insert will move horizontally if the left or right inner face is highlighted.

3. Do one of the following to complete the moving insert process.
• Specify a point.
• Type a distance in the dynamic dimension field.
• Use Adaptive Grid Snap of the Ruler.

Procedure: Using the Manipulator

1. Select the insert by holding the left mouse button down a bit longer*.
   The Manipulator displays.
   
   
   
2. Hover over the vertical or horizontal axis trigger zone of the Manipulator.
   The axis highlights and the rest of the Manipulator fades.
   
   
   
3. Click to start the movement operation.**
   The window moves dynamically.
   The Ruler displays.
   
   
   
4. Do one of the following:.
   • Type a distance in the dynamic dimension field.
   • Use Adaptive Grid Snap of the Ruler.

* When the value of MANIPULATOR = 2.

** Hold down the Ctrl key to create a copy of the selected insert.

Copying Inserts

Inserting a copy of an insert 

1. Hover over the insert. When the insert highlights, choose Insert BIM Component in the Model command group in the Quad.
   You are prompted: Select insertion point or [Edit inserted entity/Rotate component/set Base point/Name/insertion Type/Flip/mUltiple/Change target 3d solids] <0, 0, 0>:

2. Optionally choose the Multiple option to insert multiple copies.

3. Proceed with the Inserting Windows and Doors procedure from step 2 on.

Copying an insert in a solid

The Copy tool can be used to place copies of an insert in the same solid. Using the repeat option on the copy tool you can create a series of copies at the same interval.

Note: The movement vector for the copy should be parallel to the face of the wall. If the orientation of the wall, in which the source window or door is placed, is not parallel to either the X- or Y axis of the current UCS, use the Face option of the UCS command to align the UCS.

Procedure: Copying an insert on the wall face

Note: Make sure that Dynamic UCS (DUCS) and Dynamic Dimensions (DYN) are active.

1. Select an insert using the BIM Insert tool.
   You are prompted: Select insertion point:

2. Place the insert on the wall face.
   The insert should align with the wall face.

3. Next, hover over the insert to create a copy of it. When the insert highlights, choose Copy in the Modify command group in the Quad.
   
   You are prompted: Enter base point [Displacement/ mode] <Displacement>:

4. Pick a point in the drawing area.
   You are prompted: Enter second point <Use base point as displacement>.

5. Type a displacement distance from the coordinates of the base point.
   Note: Displacement specifies the distance to position the copy.
   You can use the dynamic dimension fields (16,17) to specify the displacement.
   
   You are prompted: Enter second point [Undo/Repeat/Exit]

6. Optionally, use the Repeat option to create multiple copies of the insert keeping the displacement distance of each copy same.

7. Press Enter to accept the copying.

Replacing an insert 

1. Select the insert.
   The properties of the selected insert display in the Properties Bar.

2. Select the File property in the Parameters group.
   

3. Click the Browse button ().
   A File dialog displays.

4. Select the replacement file for the insert, then double click or click the Open button on the File dialog.
   The insert is replaced.