BY INSTANCE, BY STYLE, BY CATALOGUE


The Window Settings dialogue General pane

Unstyled Windows




Each placement of an unstyled window in a document is unique, and as such, all parameters for unstyled windows are editable 'by instance'. This means every instance of an unstyled window is an opportunity to edit its parameters for its specific situation. This allows for maximum flexibility per window, but it is inefficient for editing parameters whose values are intended to repeat across multiple windows in a document.

You can access an unstyled window's settings before placement by clicking the Window Tool Preferences icon (located in the mode bar, just above the top left of the drawing window).

After an unstyled window has been placed, its parameters can be accessed directly via the Object Info palette or by clicking the Settings button.

A styled window can be converted to an unstyled window before placement by clicking the Use Style dropdown at the top left of the dialogue and then clicking the Unstyled button at the top center of the Resource popover. After a styled window has been placed, it may be converted to an unstyled window via the Object Info palette by clicking the Style dropdown and then clicking Convert to Unstyled.

Styled Windows



Styled windows can have some parameters set to 'by style' and some set to 'by instance'. This allows you to easily edit values shared by multiple windows of the same style (parameters set to 'by style') while also allowing some flexibility to adjust specific values for individual windows (parameters set to 'by instance').

As mentioned above, you can access an unstyled window's settings before placement via the Window Tool Preferences icon, but for a styled window, you can only adjust the values of parameters set to 'by instance'. New values entered for 'by instance' parameters will become the default values for new placements of the window style in the document (until they are changed again).

After the styled window has been placed, most 'by instance' parameters can be accessed directly via the Object Info palette. (Tip: Click the Hide style parameters checkbox to see only the 'by instance' parameters available for editing.)

If you wish to change the 'by style' parameters or the default values for the 'by instance' parameters, you will need to edit the window style. There are two ways to do this.

  1. Locate the window style in the Resource Manager
  2. Right-click the thumbnail and select Edit
Or:

  1. Right-click on an instance of the window style in the model
  2. Select Edit Plug-in Style...
If a window is unstyled, a new style can be created with the following procedure.

  1. Right-click on the window in your model
  2. Select New Plug-in Style from Unstyled Plug-in...
The icons indicating whether a parameter is set to 'by style' or 'by instance' are shown at the bottom of this page.

Catalogue Windows



Catalogue windows are styled windows whose values derive from a manufacturer's catalogue. Several catalogues ship with Vectorworks. This allows you to select windows using the manufacturers' values for parameters.

You can access a catalogue window's settings before placement via the Window Tool Preferences icon. Like a styled window, you can only adjust the values for parameters set to 'by instance'. Once new values are entered, they will become the default for new placements of the window style in the document.

After placing the window, the 'by instance' parameters are editable via the Object Info palette.

You will need to edit the window style if you wish to change the catalogue window's 'by style' parameters or the default values for its 'by instance' parameters. Again, there are two ways to do this.

  1. Locate the window style in the Resource Manager
  2. Right-click the thumbnail and select Edit
Or:

  1. Right-click on an instance of the door style in the model
  2. Select Edit Plug-in Style...
    Once in the Window Style dialogue, you can access the manufacturer's catalogue by clicking the Catalogue icon (located just right of the Style Name field at the top of the dialogue). You can pick a different window from the catalogue, and the relevant settings will be updated to match.

    Below are the icons indicating which parameters are set to 'by style', 'by instance', and 'by catalogue'.

    The icons for by style, by instance, and by catalogue


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