Zero Wall Snap

[Yeksaldj]

Is there a way to "bump" a wall into another one without them snapping together?

For example, I have a daylight basement as floor 1. I created a "normal" footing and stem wall under floor 2, which is adjacent to floor 1 but one floor higher. I can't figure out how to move the floor 2 foundation wall over to the floor 1 8' concrete basement wall without them snapping together and giving me a weird step footing detail.

I had this same problem when I had a covered porch (dormer) projecting through a lower roof, and, for reasons I can't remember, I wanted the railing to just touch the lower roof attic wall, but not combine.

CA doesn't seem to allow for a "0" snap distance; or said another way, CA doesn't seem to allow two walls to touch but not be associated. Make sense? I searched the forum, but if the answer is there, I missed it. I'm in V10.03.

I find this very frustrating. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

[zoome]

I have not tried this but it might work.

Create two wall definitions that are exactly the same - just have different names. Connect them together - I don't think they would connect and become one.

I think I will try it when I get into the office this morning.

[Yeksaldj]

Thanks, Dan, but we may be having a semantics problem, or I was unclear. I will try again.

I don't mean that the walls are changing from two seperate walls to one long wall. What happens is, when the foundation wall touches the 8' basement wall that is one floor lower (top of basement wall and top of foundation wall are equal elevation), CA changes the simple basement wall to one with a strange vertical step footing. I simply want them to butt together, and retain their existing characteristics. I am adding an addition to a home with a basement. The addition is at the same elevation as the existing floor above the basement and has an ordinary footing/stem wall. Hopefully this makes more sense.

Must admit I'm disappointed in the lack of responses to this question. It surely seems other members would have faced this or a similar situation at some point.

[MikePreble1]

This may help.
I drew a simple rectangular house. I then added a foundation (with 96" height) based on first floor.
Then I drew a simple rectangular addition (on first floor level). I then went to foundation level and turned on floor reference tool (to show main floor as a red line). I drew a foundation wall, with 48" height, nearly in correct position and the selected each (3) and aligned with above.

So, in cross section, the two walls, existing house and new addition, were both 96". I then selected the new addition wall (in cross section) and moved the footing up to the height I wanted. This created a step type footing, but what I hadn't yet done was to move the other two foundation walls.

Let me know if this covers what's not working for you.
Mike

[homeview]

Hi,
If you are just dragging the wall by the centre handle then it will always snap to the other walls main layer so;
1. Make both walls main layers the face you want to align with or:
2. use the handles near the end of the wall (not the centre handle) to move it without snapping. or:
3. Draw another wall parallel with the wall to be moved on both floors, align them and then use dimensions to position the walls you want moved.
Regards,
Brian Wheatland

[Yeksaldj]

Hey, thanks Mike and Brian. I was beginning to think nobody liked me out there. And yes, that strange vertical step footing is the problem. And yes again, after quite a bit of bumbling, I used the "near handle" and was able to tickle it into place. I will try your other suggestions also. Would be nice to have some sort of positive control, in the wall dbx maybe, as I've run into problems getting walls to display the way I'd like, given how CA "Mitres" them together. Maybe I just need to climb a little higher on the learning curve.

So thank you both. Jim

[MikePreble1]

Another way to get walls to nearly line up without snapping together is to draw the "new" wall a fair distance away from where it will eventually go. Then draw in a measurement line. Select the "new" wall and then click on the measurement number to select it. Change it to 1" or 2" or whatever distance you're after. The wall will move to that location. If you then touch the moved wall, it will snap in line with the rest, soooo, move it to it's proper place and leave it. Sometimes setting something in the way, like a temporary cabinet, helps to keep the wall from moving.

Good luck.
Mike