Arch Window

Description
The Window is a base object for all kinds of "embeddable" objects, such as windows, doors, etc... It is designed to be either independent, or "hosted" inside another component such as a wall. It has its own geometry, that can be made of several components (the window frame, for example), and also defines a volume to be subtracted to host objects, in order to create an opening.

Windows are based on closed 2D objects, such as Draft Rectangles or Sketches, that are used to define their inner components. The base 2D object can therefore contain several closed wires, that can be combined to form filled panels (one wire) or frames (several wires). If the base 2D object was drawn on a support object, and that support object is a wall, then the window gets automatically included in that wall.



In the above image, a window is constructed on top of a Draft Rectangle, then inserted into a Wall. Adding a window to a wall automatically cuts a correct opening in the host wall.



The above image shows a more complex window being constructed on top of a sketch. When entering the window's edit mode, you can create different components, set their thickness, and select and assign wires from the sketch to them.

How to use

 * 1) If you are going to draw your window directly on a wall, select one face of a wall
 * 2) Press the  button, or press  then  keys
 * 3) A new sketch will be created (on the selected wall face if applicable). Draw one or more closed wires
 * 4) Press the  button in the task panel to create the window
 * 5) Enter Edit mode by double-clicking the window in the tree view, to adjust the window components

Building components
Windows can include 2 types of components: panels and frames. Panels are made from one closed wire, which gets extruded, while frames are made from 2 or more closed wire, where each one is extrudes, then the smaller ones are subtracted from the biggest one. You can access, create, modify and delete components of a window in edit mode (double-click the window in the Tree view). The components have the following properties:


 * Name: A name for the component
 * Wires: A comma-separated list of wires the component is based on
 * Thickness: The extrusion thickness of the component
 * Offset: The distance between the component and its base 2D wire(s)



Options

 * You can also create a closed 2D profile (for example with the Draft Workbench or Sketcher Workbench), then, with that 2D object selected, press the button.
 * Add a selected window to a wall by selecting both, then pressing the button.
 * Remove a selected window from a wall by selecting the window, then pressing the button.

Doors
Doors can be made easily with the window tool, you only need to draw the base of the inner wire touching the exterior wire like in the image below.



Properties

 * : A list of strings (5 strings per component, setting the component options above, string 2 currently not used)

Scripting
The Window tool can by used in macros and from the python console by using the following function:

makeWindow (obj,[name]): creates a window based on the given object

Example:

import Draft, Arch rect = Draft.makeRectangle(length=2,height=4) Arch.makeWindow(rect)