Create Space

Used to draw, locate, identify, and label individual spaces such as rooms, or logically related spaces such as departments. Spaces are associative. That is, if a wall is moved (the graphic space updates) the area measurement updates in the label and the model data updates for report and schedule purposes. Space associativity is only available when a space is created using the flood boundary method. Label placement can be manual or automatic. When placement is automatic, labels are positioned at the centroid of the room.

Tip: The Create Space tool can also create 3D spaces using the solids and shapes drawn using the free form tool. The tool converts these regions into 3D space that are compatible with the Energy Analysis workflow.

Note: Placement is completed using the controls found on the Placement ribbon tab and the Property Panel which is loaded with the active Building element catalog items and properties.

Accessed from:

Ribbon: Building Design > Architectural > Place Architectural Elements > Space > Space

Placement tab

Note: The Placement tab opens on the ribbon when placing Building elements. The Placement tab contains settings specific to the Building element being placed that are used to define the position, orientation or dimensions of the Building element being placed. Also available on the Placement tab, are a collection of Building common tools selected specifically because of their relevance to the Building element being placed.

Setting	Description
Place By	Flood Area - The space is created in a region that can be flooded. Select Shape - The boundary will be created by selecting an existing shape. Draw Shape - The boundary will be created by drawing a shape. Draw Rectangle - The boundary will be created by drawing a rectangle. Draw Circle - The boundary will be created by drawing a circle. Draw Ellipse - The boundary will be created by drawing an ellipse.
Label	Sets the placement method for the space label. Dynamic - The label for the space is placed dynamically. Center - The label for the space is automatically placed in the center of the space.
Flood Options	These settings are enabled when the Flood Area placement method is selected. Associative - When on, creates an associative space where the definition is automatically modified and updated when associated elements (such as walls) are modified and updated. To Wall Center - When on, extends the space boundary to the center lines of applicable walls rather than to their outer surfaces. It is very useful when differences need to be computed for net, raw and gross building areas. Overlap - When on, the flood option recognizes the outline of a space boundary. When off, space boundaries are ignored and spaces are flooded over. This option is useful when recognizing areas between space definitions, such as hallways and areas consumed by traffic and egress. It is also useful for recognizing total space used when creating program areas for schematic massing. Ignore Selection - The flood placement method recognizes selection sets. When on, and if a selection set is active, the Create Space by flood works as it normally would except you can only flood to closed areas contained in the selection set. When off, the tool ignores the selection set when a new space is created. This option is very useful when creating a single space to represent an entire department. Simply add all interior walls within a department to a selection set, turn this option on, and flood the department. Minimum Hole Size - When a value is set, voids and holes defined by closed regions and shapes within the space boundary remain undisturbed in the space area. The minimum recognizable size of the hole is specified in the setting field. Note: The display unit for this setting can be changed. Go to the Preferences dialog, select the Building Architectural category, turn on the Unit of Display setting in the `DataGroup Area Preferences` group box, and enter the desired unit of display.

Space Properties

Setting	Description
Catalog Type Selector	Used to select from available Catalog Types. Selections made here updates the Catalog Item Selector combo box.
Catalog Item Selector	Used to select from available Catalog Items. The Catalog Item Selector combo box contains several options and settings designed to make it easier to find the exact catalog item you need to place/change. A generic example of Catalog Item selector options for searching, grouping and navigating The Catalog Item list also includes user defined assemblies, and RFA catalog items, if any. Search - Used to search for catalog items by name. Results are dynamically updated in the catalog items list. The searched text is also highlighted in the results. Group By: - Used to list catalog items in groups based on values assigned to specific catalog item properties. Groups can be collapsed and expanded by clicking the down/up arrows on the group name headers. For instance, selecting Group By: > Type for a wall catalog type creates groupings with Schematic, Partition, WallComponent, etc headings. Catalog items which have Type defined as Schematic, Partition, or WallComponent will be listed under those headings. You can also select Group By: > Do Not Group to create a flat list with no grouping. (Exemption Mechanical). (Large Icons) - Displays a representative icon for each catalog item listing. (List) - Displays catalog item listings without any icons. (Float) - When selected, the Catalog Item Selector combo box is detached from the placement/modify dialog, and becomes a separate dialog. You may prefer to have the floated dialog docked and always open over clicking the Catalog Item Selector in the placement/modify dialog for each catalog item selection. Note: The main dialog remains open and refreshes the thumbnail and preview in response to the selected catalog item. Click the Dock icon to close the floated dialog. Recently Used - Lists catalog items that were recently selected in a "Group". This is useful because when you need to repeatedly place or modify the same catalog items, you do not need to repeatedly browse or search the main catalog items list. Note: When you make your catalog item selection, it becomes the active part the Family/Part Toolbar.
Catalog Tools	A split button located to the right of the Catalog Item Selector contains tools to assist with managing catalog data prior to placement of selected catalog items. ( Match Element Properties) - Sets the current active placement/modify dialog settings to match the parameters of an existing, selected catalog item instance in the model. This saves a good amount of time when placing catalog items that need to identically match those that already exist. Note: The existing catalog item instance must be of the same catalog type selected with the Catalog Item Selector for the parameters to be matched. (Reset to Defaults) - Resets the selected catalog item property values to the default state as defined in the catalog library. (Edit Catalog Item) - Used to edit the selected catalog item. Opens the Catalog Editor, where you can create and edit new catalog types and catalog items. Catalog Editor can also be used to edit existing data and to view catalog item instance properties and values by definition. (Catalog Item Manager) - Used to manage catalog items library into organizational dataset. Opens the Catalog Item Manager, where you can copy or move catalog items into the dataset, and promoting current catalog items by moving then across workset levels. (Save Catalog Item) - Updates the active catalog item in the DataGroup System catalog library with the values currently shown in the Properties list box permanently changing the defaults for the catalog item. (Save Catalog Item As...) - Used to save a copy of the selected catalog item as another catalog item (the default name adds the prefix " Copy of " <current catalog items name>). Opens the Save As dialog where catalog item definitions can be named before saving them to the DataGroup System. Note: The Save Catalog Item and Save Catalog Item As... tools perform administrative tasks on DataGroup System catalogs. Administrators and users may want to hide the tool icons to avoid incidental or unwanted changes to their firm's dataset by setting the user configuration variables BB_CATALOGITEM_ADMIN_IN_PLACECMDS and BB_CATALOGITEM_SAVEAS_IN_PLACECMDS to "0", respectively.
Preview	Displays the selected catalog item in the preview window. This display changes and the preview updates as various options are chosen. The preview also changes dynamically with some of the prominent settings on the Placement tab, e.g Height, Rotation angle, etc. A right-click in the Preview opens a Show/Hide Viewing Tools option menu: Zoom In - Zooms in about center of preview. Zoom Out - Zooms out about center of preview. Pan - Moves the preview following the pointer. Click again to stop panning. Fit - Fits the object to the extents of the preview. Rotation - Sets the orientation of the selected item in the preview to one of the standard orientation options: Isometric Right Isometric Top Bottom Left Right Front Rear Display Mode - Sets the display of the selected item in the preview to one of the standard display modes. Solid Wire Frame Visible Edge Filled Visible Edge For Place workflow, the Hide/Show Preview controls displaying preview of the element currently selected for placement.
Properties list - toolbar	Used to manage catalog item properties during placement or modification. Catalog item properties define the catalog item instance in the model, and are accountable in the DataGroup System data management tools. You can place a catalog item with its default property values or you can change property values as needed, place an instance in the model, and optionally save the changes to the catalog. The Properties combo box contains tools for sorting and searching the properties list: (Categorize) - When on, catalog item properties are grouped in categories based on the catalog type definitions. When off, the properties are listed alphabetically without grouping. (Alphabetical) - When on, catalog item properties are listed alphabetically without grouping. When off, the properties are listed in categories. (Description) - Toggles a description field at the bottom of the placement dialog listing information about the highlighted catalog item property. The information listed includes the property definition display name, internal name, and type definition. Search - Used to search for catalog item properties by name. Results are dynamically updated in the properties list.
Space Parameters	Label - Sets the space name on the label (top row). Space Number - Sets a unique identification number, incremental as per `Auto Increment Number By` settings for Spaces, Preferences. Label 2 - Sets a second line for the space name on the label. Ceiling Height - Sets the programmatic height of the space. Perimeter - Displays the calculated perimeter of the space. Area \| Program - Sets the program area of the space. Program area refers to the planned area as opposed to the actual area as drawn. Area \| Actual - Displays the actual area of the space as drawn.
Materials	Lists Part and Family definition assignments. Clicking in the Value column cell opens a Family and Part selection box. Here parts and families are available from the option menus.
Energy Analysis	Energy Analysis \| Space Type - Sets the energy analysis standard to be used for the space. The drop down menu provides suggested space types (equivalent to the catalog item type) for the following standards: ASHRAE 2004 ASHRAE 2007 ASHRAE 2010 CIBSE EnergySpaceType Description - Sets a description for the energy space type. Energy Analysis \| Space Category - Sets the category of the space with respect to energy analysis. The available categories are: Interior Exterior Plenum Void
IFC Override	Lists IFC properties not automatically mapped to DataGroup System properties that can be manipulated for export.
Space	Contains space data properties for notes, location, occupancy, finishes, and mechanical and electrical requirements. Data properties can be entered directly in the provided text entry fields or be selected (where available) from predefined drop down menus. Properties are stored on the space component and can be edited with the Modify properties tool and be reported on with the Schedules tool.
Discipline	Sets one of the disciplines from pull-down options: Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, and Electrical.
Classification	Building Classification Systems are supported by the DataGroup System. MasterFormat, OmniClass, and UniFormat property values can be associated with any Building element. Click the Value cell to open the Classification System selection combo box. The combo box is populated with selected classification system property values. It can be resized by clicking on the combo box's bottom right corner. Search for properties by name. Search results are displayed in the classifications hierarchy. Double click a property to select it. This action also closes the selection menu. The selected property displays in the selected classification system property value (on the Properties list).

Note: Information in the Value column rows can be completed by selecting the applicable cell to activate an editor field, an option menu, or a pop up dialog. This data is written to the element properties. Properties displayed with grey text are read only. Some of these are set in the placement tool's Placement tab, and can be modified there. The dividing bar between the Property, and Value columns can be moved to change the width of either area, or resize the dialog. A vertical and horizontal scroll bars are available to scroll and adjust Properties panel viewing and the display of data.

Key-in: ATFPLACE SPACE

Note: Decimal point accuracy for Actual Area and Program area settings values can be controlled by a user defined configuration variable, TFANNOTATE_AREAPRECISION. The number of trailing decimal numbers can be set from 0 to 6, with 2 being the default.

Tip: Spaces created using the Draw, Select and Flood boundary methods have the default Label and Area dimensions annotations are displayed in the region as per currently set Space Type. If the configuration variable BB_SPACES_NOARTIFACT is set (for Space Artifact), these annotations will not be seen in the model.

Create Space

Placement tab

Space Properties

A generic example of Catalog Item selector options for searching, grouping and navigating