Autodesk User Group International

The wall style we are going to create is a 200mm CMU with 20mm plaster on either side. You can continue with the drawing saved in last month's exercise or you can create a new drawing based on the Aec Model (Metric Ctb).dwt template. Ensure that the current Display Configuration is set to Medium Detail in the Drawing Status bar.

Right-click the wall tool in the design tool palette and select Wall Styles.
In the Style Manager under Architectural Objects, right-click on Wall Styles and select New.
For the name, enter P20-CMU200-P20-1h. As you notice, the wall style name you entered is self-explanatory and follows the CAD standards of your company. "P20" indicates 20 mm plaster. "1h" indicates the fire rating. If you are responsible for creating wall styles in your company, always follow a standard in naming wall styles; never use random names.
In the right pane, click the Components tab. You will see the default component called Unnamed.
Click on Unnamed and rename it to CMU200.

Specifying component width

Under width, click BW. Click the drop-down arrow.
For width, type 200.
Select 0 instead of Base Width.

Finally, the width should read 200 and not 200+BW. Refer to the figure below. This way, we lock the width of this wall at 200mm at the style level. Users will not be able to change the width of this wall later through the properties palette.

BW, which is the Base Width, is a variable. Before specifying the width value at 200, the default width of the component was BW. This is nothing but the value which you will specify for the width of the wall later through the properties manager. But in this case, we are not using BW, but directly enter a value of 200mm. You have the freedom to either lock the width to a specific value (e.g., 200mm) or keep it flexible (BW).

Specifying the edge offset
Under Edge Offset, you will notice that the existing value is BW* -0.50. This existing formula sets the baseline of the wall, always to its center. In this exercise, we will set the baseline for the CMU200 component to the edge of the wall. The position of the plaster components will be referred from this line.

Under edge offset, click the existing value BW* -0.50.
Click the drop-down arrow. Set all values to 0. Refer to the figure below.

You have the freedom to set the baseline wherever you want. You can also keep the edge baseline to the center of the wall and refer other components from this line. Set it in such a way that it is easy for you to calculate offsets for other components.

To understand what we have done so far, close the Style Manager by clicking OK.

Draw two sample walls on screen of the style P20-CMU200-P20-1h.
Now change the justification of one to Center and the other to Baseline.

When you select the walls, you can see the justification line along with the grips. See the justification line for the baseline justification positioned at the edge offset value you specified (zero).

Now let's go back and add the plaster components.

Select one of the P20-CMU200-P20-1h walls; right-click and select Edit Wall Style.
Click the components tab.
Click the Add Component button. Refer to the above figure. You will see a component being added (actually a copy of CMU component).
Rename the component to Plaster.
Change the width to 20 and the edge offset to -20 (i.e., -20 from the baseline of the CMU wall.)
Add one more component.
Rename it to Plaster.
Change the width to 20 and the edge offset to 200 (i.e., 200 mm from the baseline of the CMU wall). Refer to the above figure and cross-check the values you entered.
Click OK to close the Style Manager. See the P20-CMU200-P20-1h wall updated with the plaster components.

Below is a sketch explaining the way the plaster components got added with reference to the baseline.

Tip: When you add components to a wall style, keep an eye at the top right corner of the dialog box, which reveals the total width of the wall including components.

The story doesn't end here. In the next article, we will continue adding materials for this wall style and also explore wall styles further.

(Discuss this Article! in the HotNews Discussion Forums.)

Tharakesh Ananthakrishnan is technical/project manager for OMNIX International - Dubai. He has more than 12 years of experience as a user and an instructor of CAD software in the AEC and GIS fields. His Autodesk product specialties include AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, Revit Architecture, Autodesk VIZ, 3ds Max, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Land Desktop, and AutoCAD Map. Tharakesh was the first Autodesk Certified Professional in the Middle East and is an Autodesk Authorized Instructor, an AUGI member, and AUGI Training Program instructor. He can be reached at a.tharakesh@gmail.com .

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