Roof Components - Rafters from Profile

The "Rafters from Profile" function allows you to adopt the rafters from the profiles attached to the respective sides of the building. Although the profile contains all information for the rafters, there are settings you might want to change from rafter to rafter, so there are a few configuration options:

With the selection list at the top of the dialog box you can choose existing settings. Using the disk icon you can save the current setting under the same name or a new name. Via the management icon you can create new settings, also by adopting existing settings, or modify or delete existing settings. See 'Save settings' in the 'General Help' manual.

Layer for rafter adoption (0/-2.. empty=all): In the profile you can enter rafters on different layers. This field selects the layer from which the rafters should be adopted from the profile. This way you can generate rafters on multiple layers at once or only on a single layer.

Positioning: With the positioning you specify which part of the rafter should be positioned:

Choice: With the "Choice" option you can, after selecting the point where the rafter is to be placed, graphically select the different positioning options. The program starts with one position; with the right mouse button you can select the next option and with the left mouse button you can accept the current position.

Left edge: The left edge of the rafter, as seen from the eave of the selected roof surface, is positioned.

Axis: The axis of the rafter is positioned.

Right edge: The right edge of the rafter, as seen from the eave of the selected roof surface, is positioned.

Shortening of the rafters: Rafters can be automatically shortened during input. The shortening can be applied to the upper and/or lower rafter end. If a rafter is shortened at the upper end, it automatically receives a perpendicular section. If it is shortened at the lower end, the set eave section is retained. This allows, for example, creation of a blind rafter (shortened at the bottom) or the lower rafter pieces for the layer of pitched-roof insulation.

If the option "top", "bottom" or "bottom and top" is selected here, the next appropriate fields are automatically enabled.

With the additional option "from profile" the rafter setting from the profile is adopted, while the other options (top, bottom, bottom and top) overwrite the settings from the profile.

Reference for shortening at top: So that the program knows up to where the rafters should be shortened at the upper end, you can select a reference line for the upper rafter end here.

A special case is the option "1st purlin top". With this option the program searches, starting from the upper end of the rafters, for the first purlin crossed by the rafters. First purlins are ignored. The rafters are cut at the first purlin found.

Distance for shortening at top: Additionally, a distance to the reference line for the shortening of the rafters can be entered here. A positive value shifts the cut line upward, a negative value downward.

Reference for shortening at bottom: So that the program knows up to where the rafters should be shortened at the lower end, you can select a reference line for the lower rafter end here.

A special case is the option "1st purlin bottom". With this option the program searches, starting from the lower end of the rafters, for the first purlin crossed by the rafters. First purlins are ignored. The rafters are cut at the first purlin found from below.

Distance for shortening at bottom: Additionally, a distance to the reference line for the shortening of the rafters can be entered here. A positive value shifts the cut line upward, a negative value downward.

Consider as field boundary: With this setting you can specify whether the rafter(s) should be considered as a field boundary. This affects the division of a field and the covering of the roof surface with the roof assistant. If a rafter should not be considered a field boundary, it will be ignored by the program during a division or when using the roof assistant, as if it did not exist. If it is to be considered, it will bound a field during manual division or division by the roof assistant.

After setting all values and options, rafters can be entered using the following controls:

Single rafter: Rafters are placed individually. You graphically select a point on the roof. The roof surface to which the rafter should belong is automatically determined by this point. After selecting the point, positioning is queried if you have set the positioning option to "Choice." Then you can enter a distance from the selected point to the configured positioning edge of the rafter.

Split field: With the "Split field" function any field (= area between two rafters or roof skin lines) on a roof surface can be divided with rafters. To do this, click with the mouse into the area of the roof surface to be divided. The program automatically searches for the rafters that bound the area. On each side where no rafter is found, the outermost roof skin line is taken as the boundary. After you confirm the field found by the program (left mouse), you enter the splitting function.

Split 2 pts: With the "Split 2 pts" function any area between two points on a roof surface can be divided with rafters. To do this, use the mouse to select two points that bound the area to be divided. The first point simultaneously determines the roof surface to which the rafters should belong. After you determine the field, you enter the splitting function.