Roof Vent - creating a symbol

[RobWhite]

I have created a roof vent which I want to convert to a symbol that sits on the roof. Hopefully the symbol will automatically follow the roof pitch. I have tried converting my object to an external fixture, exterior furnishing, millwork and Geometeric shape symbol in the hope that I get an option to place on the roof; but alas I cannot find such an option. I have a vague idea I was able to do this years ago on an earlier version.

 

The product is an E-vent. I think this is only manufactured in Western Australia. see https://cmiwa.com.au/e-vent/. The company does not produce a 3D symbol, but I have made a reasonable replica. Generally the event it design for a ridge, as shown on the website and therefore positioned in a level plane, but when fixed on a skillon roof the vent length run follows the pitch. That is the standard 1500 long vent follows the run of the roof sheet.

 

Can Chief produce such a symbol, that adjusts to the roof pitch?.

[Greg_NY61]

Make it in SketchUp, you can get a free version of SketchUp and make that vent.

[rlackore]

After you've placed the symbol in the plan, open the Fixture Specification dbx and:

General>Elevation Reference>From Roof

General>Options>Flush Mounted

[GeneDavis]

Since it sits on the ridge, half is on one roof plane, half on the other.  Not sure how a "sits on roof" symbol can work for you, for an item sharing planes.

 

Ten minutes with Sketchup and it's done, but then you need to import, place, and edit its position.  Not much work at all.

[rlackore]

 

 

 

 

2

17 minutes ago, GeneDavis said:

Since it sits on the ridge, half is on one roof plane, half on the other.  Not sure how a "sits on roof" symbol can work for you, for an item sharing planes.

 

I believe the OP's post states that he wants it to follow the roof pitch, not sit on the ridge as the manufacturer illustrates.

[GeneDavis]

Look at the product.  How would it even work unless placed along a ridge?  The manufacturer shows no variants of it for use at the upper edge of a shed (a.k.a. skillion) roof.

 

 

[JJohnson]

9 hours ago, RobWhite said:

I have created a roof vent which I want to convert to a symbol that sits on the roof. Hopefully the symbol will automatically follow the roof pitch. I have tried converting my object to an external fixture, exterior furnishing, millwork and Geometeric shape symbol in the hope that I get an option to place on the roof; but alas I cannot find such an option. I have a vague idea I was able to do this years ago on an earlier version.

 

The product is an E-vent. I think this is only manufactured in Western Australia. see https://cmiwa.com.au/e-vent/. The company does not produce a 3D symbol, but I have made a reasonable replica. Generally the event it design for a ridge, as shown on the website and therefore positioned in a level plane, but when fixed on a skillon roof the vent length run follows the pitch. That is the standard 1500 long vent follows the run of the roof sheet.

 

Can Chief produce such a symbol, that adjusts to the roof pitch?.

Have you followed the procedure for making a symbol in a 3D view ?

(Which is, delete every thing using delete surface tool, except what you want the symbol to be, then convert)

 

I think you would have to make one for each desired pitch. 

 

Sometimes I make a simple example of my building with the object 

I want to make into a symbol to simplify reducing faces to just what I need.

[rlackore]

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, GeneDavis said:

Look at the product.  How would it even work unless placed along a ridge?  The manufacturer shows no variants of it for use at the upper edge of a shed (a.k.a. skillion) roof.

 

The manufacturer states it can be used for: 

Sloped roof skylights

Flat roof skylights

Vents for wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens or toilets

 

I suspect they fabricate it to whatever pitch you desire, whether for a ridge application or a mono-slope application.

[RobWhite]

Thanks folks. Look like it is manually producing the vent in sketchup at the desired pitch and placing at the correct level. Not as automatic as I'd hoped but the same as I have been doing for the past few years. Placing the vent on the ridge is a lot simpler requiring only one symbol to suit all building. Position the vent on the run of the roof pitch requires a different symbol for every difference pitch. No big deal I am quite content with the overall automation of Chief

[Kbird1]

On 3/24/2020 at 5:39 AM, rlackore said:

After you've placed the symbol in the plan, open the Fixture Specification dbx and:

General>Elevation Reference>From Roof

General>Options>Flush Mounted

 

I think this Tutorial is basically what Robert Said...... did it not work?

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-01042/creating-a-symbol-that-sits-on-the-roof.html

 

M.

[rlackore]

 

 

 

 

2

16 hours ago, RobWhite said:

Look like it is manually producing the vent in sketchup at the desired pitch and placing at the correct level.

 

You absolutely do not have to create a separate symbol for each roof pitch. Again, from my earlier post:

On 3/24/2020 at 7:39 AM, rlackore said:

After you've placed the symbol in the plan, open the Fixture Specification dbx and:

General>Elevation Reference>From Roof

General>Options>Flush Mounted

 

Then your single symbol will automatically adjust to the roof pitch:

 

Here's the symbol I used: CMI E-vent X11.calibz  cmi e-vent.skp

The.skp file is in 2020, so it has to be dumbed-down for Chief to 2019 or earlier. Chief doesn't bring in the geometry without a few artifacts, so there are some unwanted lines in vector view and in the auto-generated 2D CAD block. I modeled the grate with geometry, but you could just as easily replace it with a material if you have a good grate texture that you like. It's not perfect, but unless you're doing close-ups, it can work.

[Alaskan_Son]

16 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

 

I think this Tutorial is basically what Robert Said...... did it not work?

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-01042/creating-a-symbol-that-sits-on-the-roof.html

 

M.

 

This article no longer applies.  Those settings don't actually exist in the Symbol Specification anymore.  They actually live in the Fixture/Furniture Specification dialog where we just use the Elevation Reference now.

 

4 hours ago, rlackore said:

You absolutely do not have to create a separate symbol for each roof pitch.

 

Depends on how accurate you need your model to be.  The problem is that although the tilt gets adjusted beautifully, Chief doesn't create an accurate 2D Block when an object is set to reference the roof.  The quickest thing in my opinion is probably to make a single symbol that is set to Reference Roof, Flush Mounted, place it, select it, and then click Convert Selected to Symbol.  That new symbol will have the correct tilt and 2D Block.  the height just might need a little adjustment. 

[Kbird1]

16 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

This article no longer applies.  Those settings don't actually exist in the Symbol Specification anymore.  They actually live in the Fixture/Furniture Specification dialog where we just use the Elevation Reference now.

 

 I did Note it was rather Old, ( 2015) , but I didn't do the Tutorial to test it....... must be one they have missed updating for X( pick any two digits)   so far.

 

M.

[Alaskan_Son]

5 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 I did Note it was rather Old, ( 2015) , but I didn't do the Tutorial to test it....... must be one they have missed updating for X( pick any two digits)   so far.

 

M.

 

This is an inherent problem with all tutorial videos and support articles and the main reason I tend to think they're a pretty stinky and inefficient primary learning source..  They can't possibly be sorted through, reorganized, and/or rewritten for every version, especially considering that they may or may not apply to multiple versions and that users of those older version are still out there.  People just need to take them with a grain of salt. 

[Kbird1]

2 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

This is an inherent problem with all tutorial videos and support articles and the main reason I tend to think they're a pretty stinky and inefficient primary learning source..  They can't possibly be sorted through, reorganized, and/or rewritten for every version, especially considering that they may or may not apply to multiple versions and that users of those older version are still out there.  People just need to take them with a grain of salt. 

 

 I agree , they should sort them by year or Version and all be available on the Server ...I report them when I find them and find Chief has always reacted promptly when I do...

 

M. 

[DzinEye]

19 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

19 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

This is an inherent problem with all tutorial videos and support articles and the main reason I tend to think they're a pretty stinky and inefficient primary learning source..  They can't possibly be sorted through, reorganized, and/or rewritten for every version, especially considering that they may or may not apply to multiple versions and that users of those older version are still out there.  People just need to take them with a grain of salt. 

 

 I agree , they should sort them by year or Version and all be available on the Server ...I report them when I find them and find Chief has always reacted promptly when I do...

Learned pretty quickly when using support videos, one of the first things I do is look up at the upper left corner to see what version is being used.  Videos are a terrific way to learn if they are relevant.   It would be a task to organize most of them by the version they were created in, but it's doable.  The bigger problem is many would be relevant to more than one version...but at least if categorized by version the viewer would be able to easily choose the most recent.   After many years, a closet needs to be cleaned and organized... can't just keep packing things into it.