Funky Attic Walls, still don't really understand them....

[Zowie]

Hi all,
I seem to have this problem often. When I click or highlight my gable attic walls in 3d, they look like a bow tie at the bottom. essentially instead of being a nice triangle, they don't look good.

I also get a gap where the gable meets the roof. I'm not sure why that happens.

I attached the plan, it's not complete, infact there's no logic to how these roofs are to be supported, I'm working with a contractor who is conceptualizing.

What happens when a gable gets this way is that the attic windows become hard to place and often will show up on the second floor plan.

You'll probably notice that I still haven't figured out why that balcony floor is showing through the wall--don't get that either.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[dshall]

they look like a bow tie at the bottom. essentially instead of being a nice triangle, they don't look good.

Two ways of dealing with this, either shorten the wall in 3D or shorten them in plan view and you will not have the bow tie.

Are you on X3, if so I do not believe you are taking full advantage of your layer and anno sets.

[dshall]

I also get a gap where the gable meets the roof. I'm not sure why that happens.

This might occur because you have not built your framing yet... not quite sure.

[dshall]

By the way the attached plan does not look the your picture.

[WendyWelton]

Zowie,

The truth as I know it - nobody really understands attic walls.

Scott is correct that you probably can help yourself some. However, attic walls have a mind of their own. I'd put money on it that there isn't anybody in Idaho even that really and truly fully understands why attic walls do what they do in all cases. If there is, it would be a good idea for that person to have a little chat with the attic wall elves inside the software.

[Zowie]

Thanks everyone.... I know I'm in trouble when Wendy throws her hand up. Can I replace attic walls with regular walls? Turn something on or off so I can override them?

I'm a bit rusty, took a couple of years off, but attic walls have always stumped me. Only the simplest houses generate them well. I went back through a lot of posts on the subject, but I'm not seeing a solution.
Thanks again.

[WendyWelton]

Thanks everyone.... I know I'm in trouble when Wendy throws her hand up. Can I replace attic walls with regular walls? Turn something on or off so I can override them?

Yes, you can.

defaults - Walls - General - uncheck "auto" for attic walls.

Then learn the settings for walls - balloon through ceiling, roof cuts wall, etc - and you should be in good shape.

I saw some conditions in your picture where the wall didn't reach the roof. If the area outside the wall is not attic, but could be - do that first. If it:

A - Can't be attic, 'cause it's a room (closet, whatever), AND/OR

B - You drag that wall up in elevation view and it won't stay there, stubbornly snaps back down and produces that gap - even if you hold the Control key - then PLEASE

Fire that puppy in to tech support and make them try to solve it.

[GordC]

They have many "puppies" all of a sudden! They may have to fly in the "Dog Whisperer" to help.

[Zowie]

If anyone has a moment to look that would be awesome. As I said, this roof doesn't actually make structural sense yet and that may have something to do with it. I'm working this plan with a contractor who is conceptualizing as we go.

In either case, I want to place windows in the gable and they're not stable the way it is.

Also, what creates that space where the gable meets the roof line in 3D?

Thank you very much.

PS. got rid of a bunch of stuff in the plan so it would meet the zip limit.

[ebdesign]

Zowie,
I think I understand attic walls pretty well. I understand to not use them unless there's no other way. There are certain times when Chief will continue to build an attic wall when there is absolutely nothing currently on the floor below to cause the attic wall to build. I think Chief has a "memory" at times & refuses to acknowledge that you don't need an attic wall there anymore because the room/walls below have changed. This is one reason why all plans should "begin" from a "clean" profile plan.
There's several settings (too many) that affect creation of attic walls. Floor & Wall defaults, Room defs, 3D/3D Settings, roof option settings in the wall dbx (full/high shed gable wall), roof cuts wall @ bottom, lower wall type if split by butting roof, balloon thru ceiling/stop at ceiling, and more and more.............
Here's your plan back w/ no attic walls at all. None.
& all walls are at default top/bot. Model looks good; better than when I opened it.There are some other issues you have. The only floor that had default floor & ceiling hgts was the 3rd floor.
I'd have to see the plan from the image you posted to comment on that. I'll go out on a limb & say that it is something in your floor/room/ wall defaults & defs.

HTH
Jim

[ebdesign]

Zowie,
Well, I musta had my "reply" page up for a whle, cuz I never saw the posts after Wendy's 1st one this morning 'til I posted my comments just now. & she basically said what I said.........sooner. Sorry, wendy, didn't mean to step on you.

The plan file I worked on was from your 1st post. Same one? Looks like it.
Jim

[moak]

I've found that when attic walls get unruly they can be tidied up by copying the roof planes to the clipboard, deleting all roof planes, deleting all attic walls, and finally pasting the roof planes in place. This only works quickly if you do not have windows or added details in the attic walls that you'd like to retain.

[Zowie]

Hi Wendy, Thanks for your help, thanks everyone. I never had regenerate attic walls on, maybe I should? If I understand you right, I would keep regenerate off, then make sure the room has some room designation--closet. However, in attic, floor, all I see are the gable walls, how can I have a room designation for two walls? should I add another floor with 1/4 or 0 ceiling Ht. Is that still a viable work around or is that old school? Thank you, B

[Zowie]

Well low and behold, I turned on regenerate attic walls in walls default, then deleted the present attic walls in 3d. That got rid of the bowtie effect, but I still had the space between gable and roof which I was able to fix by extending the gable walls which it allowed now that I had a non bowtie gable. Good enough for now. Thanks. However if anyone has any idea why my front balcony floor shows through the front wall that would be awesome. Cheers!

[WendyWelton]

Jim

No sweat. I only had time to empathize and cheer from the sidelines. You had time to actually help.

Zowies,

Yes. Let Chief try first, then turn it off it Chief is trying a little too hard! And yes - when all get's whacky, delete attic walls, rinse and repeat.