Composite structure

[Anonymous]

Hi,

What is the advantage or otherwise of using a composite structure/material, instead of using the simple vectorial/symbol hatching for wall, slabs and roof. as these will also show in most windows.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

femi wrote:
What is the advantage or otherwise of using a composite structure/material, instead of using the simple vectorial/symbol hatching...

Using a composite allows you to represent any number and size of skins all contained in a single linear structure. Correctly setting the skin priorities will help joining walls automatically give correct junctions.

A simple fill only gives you the option of accurately representing a single skin.

Does that help?

[Tom Krowka]

Are you referring to the fact that composites don't show their different materials in section or in details. I seem to have that problem as well, but not with all composites. Mostly with composites that I create; and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'm sure it's human error, wish I knew what it was.

[Anonymous]

Tom wrote:
Are you referring to the fact that composites don't show their different materials in section or in details. I seem to have that problem as well, but not with all composites. Mostly with composites that I create; and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'm sure it's human error, wish I knew what it was.

Hi Tom,

Upload a few screenshots of your problem. I've never knowingly had this problem myself! If you can't see the different skins in section this must make working drawings difficult to do!?

[Tom Krowka]

More aggravating than difficult. Not much to upload.....you would see a wall section with the two outside lines of a composite wall, with nothing in between!
See the attachment for the setup for the wall. Maybe something is not set correctly there.

[Anonymous]

What are the fill settings for '_2x Wood Frame'? (another screenshot?) You would expect to see the screen-only preview bitmap of the fill in the composite preview rather than the vectorial fill.

Check you haven't got the 'Vectorial Hatching' turned off on the 'On Screen View Options'. If you have no screen-only bitmap preview assigned, nothing will be displayed on your drawings with this setting!

[Tom Krowka]

All three skins are now empty fill. Don't want any fills to show up, just the lines. Am assuming they should show up even with empty fill; if no fill, vectorial hatch on or off should not be an issue, right?

[__archiben]

Tom wrote:
All three skins are now empty fill. Don't want any fills to show up, just the lines. Am assuming they should show up even with empty fill; if no fill, vectorial hatch on or off should not be an issue, right?

if they are the same fill, won't they 'heal' in section model views? (i.e. lines between identical fills get deleted . . .)

i have a set of different 'empty' fills for this purpose....

~/archiben

[__archiben]

and to answer the main thread question...

composites have several advantages over simple, single fills -

• they allow you to pick and choose a certain type of construction quickly and easily

• graphic conventions of different types of structures are saved with the composite: the same type of construction will always be represented the same way everywhere

• they allow you to orientate the fill with the direction of the structure: something simple fills don't. and for this reason i have composites set up that are only one skin thick.

• priorities - a tricky and inconsistent topic, but information can be found elsewhere on the forum if you perform a search. the idea is that construction types interact with others in certain ways: either 'healing' or abutting. priorities can control how this is interpreted by the model.

etc...?

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

Your absolutely right, Tom. The way you had set it up before should work properly. If the fills are different the lines should display. Strange bug!