#resource browser

In which we demonstrate the adding and customizing of various plumbing fixtures to a bathroom.

Introduce a door into the space.

Use a symbol of a suitable door from the Resource Browser, or Opt-drag (Windows: Ctrl-drag) a duplicate from another washroom, at a point to suit on the wall.

Create a Plumbing Fixtures Class

If you imported a kitchen sink earlier, you will already have a Plumbing Fixtures Class, which came with it [1]. Right-click it to change its name to edit it and change its name to A-Plumbing-Fixtures, to tie in with our other Classes, and while we're here, make sure its Use at Creation option is turned on [3]. Give it a Solid, white colour Fill [4], and a Pen that is a Solid line of a colour that is distinct from that of walls, millwork, etc. – e.g., purple [5]. Set the Line weight to 0.13 or similar [6]. NOTE: Other plumbing symbols that you import will like recreate the plain-vanilla Plumbing Fixtures Class, so will need to be reconciled with this new Class – which we will see later.

Add a bathtub

The Bath-Shower is a parametric/plug-in tool in the Furn/Fixtures toolset [1]. With A-Plumbing-Fixtures as your current Active Class (so it gets assigned to it automatically), drag one into the drawing [1].

View in 3D to customize

Switch to a Right Isometric view to appreciate the various options available through the Obj Info palette. NOTE: To gain an unobstructed view, turn off the Wall-Exterior Class to make the exterior walls disappear. As you can see, the tub's Depth (in effect, horizontal width), and Width can changed from default 2'8 Config. can be changed from Oval to Dee, Hexagonal, Bullnose (as shown), Shower and Corner Shower [1]. Note that the unit has a Surround by default [2], measuring 6'8" high, and it can also have a Back Ledge [4] (turned off by default), in which case it will have certain default dimensions [5], which you can change. Last but not least, make sure Show 3D Details is turned on (it is, by default) to ensure it is seen in 3D views [6].

(Compartment Sink not applicable).

The next tool in the Furn/Fixtures toolset is the Compartment Sink – useful for commercial kitchens, but irrelevant to our purposes at the moment.

Insert a toilet.

The toilet is a plug-in immediately after the Compartment Sink. In reality, it is an entire Toilet Stall…

View it in 3D.

Switch to an isometric view to gain a better appreciation of what it looks like. As you can see, it comes complete with left, right, and front partitions, and a door. It also has, by default, a Dividing Partition, in case you choose to have more than 1 stall [1] (e.g., in a public washroom). You can vary the stall width, depth, partition, thickness, etc. The Partition Type can also be various types: by default, it's Floor Mtd w/ Head (Floor Mounted with Head bars) [2], but you can choose another type. Since we're using it in a private residence, turn off all of the checkbox options.

Add a fixture.

What we really need – and isn't provided by default – is a toilet fixture. To this end, scroll down the Obj Info palette and turn on Show Fixture [1], then click Choose Fixture… [2]. You're given the choice between a default set of fixtures or the Top Level of your file's own Symbol Library. Choose Defaults [3], then click on the popdown button on the right [4], and choose a fixture of your liking.

Place where required.

With no partitions, you're left with just the fixture and four Locus points, which are useful as they show recommended distance from the fixture to walls or other fixtures. Drag the object by one of its rear locus points to a suitable corner [1] – as always, making sure that Wall Insertion Mode is turned off [2], so the fixture is not "swallowed up" by one of the walls.

Place a vanity unit.

For this purpose, use a standard Base Cabinet of the sort that we used in the kitchen [1] – in a Sink Front configuration [2]. NOTE: As in the kitchen, make sure that its own Countertop is removed [3]. Measure the distance between the toilet locus point and the wall to establish its required length, and enter that figure in its Obj Info palette [4]. When it's ready, drag it by the corner to the relevant position [5].

Fetch a lavatory sink.

For the sink – since there is no bathroom sink plug-in object – fetch a ready-made symbol, as we did in the kitchen – from the VectorWorks Libraries. In this occasion, a good source would be from Object Building Services > Sanitary-Kohler Lavatory Sinks.vwx.

Import it into the current file.

In VectorWorks 2009 and above, you can do this by drag-and-dropping them into your workspace, or by right-clicking and choosing Import (all versions).

Add countertop and position sink to suit.

There are many fine resources in the Libraries that come with VectorWorks, but sometimes – as in the case of furniture, table lamps and other accessories – the selection is somewhat limited. Fortunately, VectorWorks can also use models in Google's 3D Warehouse of free 3D models.

Go to Google's 3D Warehouse

You'll find it at http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/

Find the type of object you're looking for.

Type it into the Search field, and click Search [1]. Click on the name or icon of any object to examine more closely [2].

Examine the item as an Image and in 3D, review others like it.

Click on the object's 3D View button [1] to see from all angles, with cast shadows. If you like, peruse the Collections in which it is included and Related items [2] , and click the right and left arrows in the Cover Flow-like selection at the bottom right to see Other models you might like [3].

Click Download Model on the object you like. In the dialog that follows, Save File [1]: it should be downloaded to your usual Downloads folder.

Import the model into VectorWorks.

Use File > Import > Import SketchUp…[1] – and navigate the hard disk to your Downloads folder. Double-click the object file to bring it in [2].

Indicate the thicknesses involved.

Since the original purpose of Google's 3D Warehouse was to provide a repository of 3D building models to put on Google Earth, VectorWorks assumes that most 3D Warehouse models are buildings, so it asks you to indicate the thickness of the walls, floor and roof of the incoming model. If the item you're bringing in is not a building, give it appropriate thicknesses for all three. NOTE: In SketchUp, the software behind most Google Earth 3D buildings, walls, floors and roofs have only a nominal thickness.

Result of import.

The importing process automatically creates a new Design Layer, called Layer0, at a scale of 1:1, and shows you the object in Top/Plan view [1]. Switch to an Isometric view to verify that it came in still a bona fide 3D object [2].

Move it to the design layer of your choice, and position.

Cut and paste the object in your design where you need it – first in Top/Plan [1], then move it from its default z position on the floor to the height where you need it [2].

Make new Class(es) for components of the new object, if necessary.

In this case, I've made a new Class for Lampshades

Assign components to relevant Classes, and do a test rendering.

Over time, you amass or create quite a few symbols in your Resource Browser. To cut down on the clutter, and to make it easier to find the ones you want, it's a good idea to arrange them into Symbol Folders. Here's how.

Create a Symbol Folder

If no symbol folder exists in the current file, you must make one. To do so, click and hold the lower of the two pop-down arrowheads at the top right of the Resource Browser.[1] Choose New Resource in [current file name], then from its sub-menu, choose Symbol Folder… [2]

Give it a name.

In the Assign Name dialog that appears, name the new folder, and OK.

The Symbol Folders section

Note that Symbol Folders are kept in a separate section from the "loose" symbols.

Move… individual symbols into the new folder.

To transfer individual symbols into the new folder, Shift-select them in the Symbols section NOTE: To make a non-contiguous selection, press Command (⌘) (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) instead of Shift. Then right-click and choose Move… from the popdown menu.

Select the destination folder.

Click on the folder you wish to move them to, and OK.

To return to the main part of the Resource Browser…

Once you've moved the symbols to a particular folder, you're taken inside it. To return to the main Resource Browser, click on its popdown and move back up to what VectorWorks calls the Top Level of the Resource Browser.

Repeat for other collections of symbols

Once you have at least one symbol folder in the file, you don't have to create a new one by the method shown above. Instead, you can do it "on the fly", by pretending that you were going to Move… the new batch of symbols into the same folder you created earlier, but once the Move Symbol dialog appears, clicking New Folder… instead, and naming it [2]. NOTE: Mind that you first select the filename at the top [1], not the previous folder, so that it's made a sub-folder of the file itself, and not of another folder.

To move a symbol folder up to the Top Level

"Although I have created symbols and they are identified as symbols, they don't appear in the symbol library."

"In my Resource Browser, where can I find the Benjamin Moore paint colours for the cabinets?"

–... instead of as a list?"

Purge…

This will delete all unused hatches, images, textures, symbols and other resources in your file (don't worry -- it won't remove anything you're actually using in the design). Accept the default settings, and OK.

Review and confirm checklist of items to be removed.

To confirm the items to be deleted, review the Purge Preview list that follows. If there's something you'd like not to purge after all, just click on its checkmark to un-check it, and OK.

Save As…

After Purging, File > Save As…. the file under a new name (remember to include your name in it!). This recreates the file from the ground up, without the stuff that you've deleted but which the existing file still reserves disk space for.

Result.

Often, the particular texture, or symbol, that you want in a design is not available in your current design file. In these situations, you need to import one from another file – either another file that you or your colleagues worked on in the past

Choose a suitable Textures resources file.

Choose the favourite file you wish to import from.

Select the texture(s) you want, and import them into your own file.