This applies to xm & v8i Bentley Architecture and AECOsim Building Designer
Starting in the v8i Dataset for Bentley Architecture, we shipped counter sinks with a perforator to cut the countertop, but there is a trick to using them.
The schematic casework tool places countertop as a short fat linear form. Because of a programing change in xm, you can not cut the top of a linear form with a perforator. (you can in v8 2004 and you can now in AECOsim Building Designer Updage 1, if you set the configuration variable: BB_PERFORATEWALLTOP = 1 )
For XM, & v8i Bentley Architecture and the initial release of ABD, This means you need to place your countertop as a slab. This is easily done using the Place Curve Form tool. This tool will place a compound wall (which is what the schematic casework really is) as slabs instead of linear forms.
To place a schematic countertop with the Place Curve Form tool:
- Select the Place Curve Form tool from the Form Modeling task set
- In the Building Primary dialog, check Compound and choose an appropriate Family and Part.
- Place the countertop with 2 points only if your countertop is straight. More points will place a curve. If you need a counter that goes around a corner, use this method to only place the section that has the sink in it and use the regular schematic casework tool for the rest.
To place the sinks:
- Pick the Plumbing Fixture tool and select an appropriate sink
- Set the Base Offset to the same height as your countertop's height
- Turn off Graphic Group lock
This is necessary because if it is on, the tool will treat the entire countertop as an wall for placing the sink and the placement point will be wrong. The sinks are designed to be placed from the backsplash or back of the countertop.
- Select the backsplash and slide the sink into position.
The perforator should automatically cut the opening in the countertop.
Related posts:
Additional plumbing fixtures for download (for pre-v8i users)
Curved perforators in walls/slabs (for defining your own sinks)