About Space Properties

The properties of space objects are illustrated and described below. Note that some properties are limited to specific space types. For example, a 2D space does not have any height properties.

General Category
Property Space Type Description
Description All User-defined description of the space.
Layer All Specifies the layer on which the space is placed. By default the layer assignment is defined in the space style.
Style All Specifies the space style. The style defined in the space tool is the default.
Name All The name of the space. If a list definition has been specified in the space style, the defined list of names is available as a drop-down list.
Tag All (only available during space add and in tool properties) Specifies a space tag to be inserted when adding the space. Space tags are available in the sample drawings shipped with the software. You can also create your own space tags.
Associative All Indicates whether the space is associative. The geometry of an associative space is dependent on its boundary objects. You can disconnect the associativity of a space after adding it.
Note: If you insert a non-associative space, the Associative field reads No and is read-only.
Offset Boundaries All Specifies the calculation type by which the 4 space boundaries (base boundary, net boundary, usable boundary, and gross boundary) are calculated.
  • Manual: you use the grips on the individual boundaries to generate offsets between the individual boundaries.
  • By Style: you define the boundaries by defining offsets between them in the space style.
  • By Standard <Standard Name>: the space boundaries and their offsets from each other are determined by the area calculation standard listed.
Calculation Modifiers All Identifies any calculation modifiers for the space. A calculation modifier is a formula that modifies area and perimeter values of the boundaries of the space.
Note: To apply the modifier to the net, usable, and gross boundaries of a space, you need to create and apply a property set definition that contains properties for the calculated area and perimeter values for those 3 boundaries.
Space/Zone Manager All Accesses the Space/Zone Manager worksheet, in which you enter information used to process spaces in engineering applications.
Create Type Non-Associative Spaces (only available during adding a space and in tool properties) Specifies the type of space to be created:
  • Insert: inserts a space according to the target dimension settings in the space style.
  • Rectangle: lets you create a rectangular space with user-defined dimensions.
  • Polygon: lets you create a space composed of user-defined line and arc segments.
  • Generate: lets you generate a space from boundary objects. The space is associative to the boundary objects.
Segment type Non-associative polygonal spaces (only available during adding a space and in tool properties) Specifies whether the individual segments of a polygonal space are lines or arcs.
Generate Space Category
Property Space Type Description
Allow overlapping spaces Associative spaces (only available during adding a space and in tool properties) Specifies whether you can generate spaces from boundary objects that already contain a space. By default, this setting is set to No.
Component Dimensions Category
Property Space Type Description
Geometry Type All Specifies the geometry type of the space to be created:
  • 2D: creates a 2D space.
  • Extrusion: creates a 3D space with a height extruded from the 2D geometry. Extruded 3D spaces have floor and ceiling components and can have room above the ceiling and below the floor.
  • Freeform: creates a 3D freeform space. A 3D freeform space can be generated from boundary objects or be converted from a mass element shape.
Overall Space Height 3D spaces Specifies the overall height of the space, including floor to ceiling height, floor thickness, ceiling thickness, space above ceiling, and space below floor.
Note: This value is read-only for 3D freeform spaces.
Ceiling height 3D spaces Specifies the ceiling height of the space.
Note: This height is calculated from the top of the floor to the bottom of the ceiling. You can define additional floor and ceiling thickness.
Floor thickness 3D spaces Specifies the thickness of the floor.

If the floor thickness is set to 0, no floor is displayed.

Ceiling thickness 3D spaces Specifies the thickness of the ceiling.

If the ceiling thickness is set to 0, no ceiling is displayed.

Height above ceiling 3D spaces Specifies the distance between the top of the space ceiling to the top of the space.
Height below floor 3D spaces Specifies the distance between the bottom of the space floor and the bottom of the space.
Default surface height 3D spaces Specifies the combined height of ceiling height, ceiling thickness, and height above ceiling.
Justification Extruded 3D spaces Specifies the relative vertical position of the space insertion point on the space as one of the following:
  • Top of floor
  • Bottom of floor
  • Bottom of space below floor (available only if the height of the space below the floor is greater than 0.)

3D freeform spaces are always justified to the top of floor.

Actual Dimensions Category
Property Space Type Description
Length All Specifies the length of the space.
Width All Specifies the width of the space.
Base area All Displays the base area of the space.

When inserting a space based on target dimensions, you can enter a base area value if you have not chosen to constrain the area.

Base Perimeter All Displays the base perimeter of the space.
Base Volume 3D spaces Displays the base volume of the space.
Advanced Dimensions
Property Space Type Description
Calculation Plane 1 + 2 Height 3D freeform spaces Specifies the height for calculating the areas of a 3D freeform space on 2 different calculation planes. This would be useful to calculate the rentable area of a room directly under the roof at 2 different room heights.
Target Dimensions
Property Space Type Description
Target area Non-associative spaces based on target dimensions Displays the target area defined in the space style.
Maximum area Non-associative spaces based on target dimensions Displays the maximum area defined in the space style.
Minimum area Non-associative spaces based on target dimensions Displays the minimum area defined in the space style.
Location
Property Space Type Description
Rotation Non-associative spaces Specifies the rotation of the space.
Elevation Non-associative spaces Specifies the elevation of the space.
Additional Information Non-associative spaces Specifies the location and coordinate system of the space.

In addition to these object properties there are a number of schedule properties that can be attached and calculated for a space.