VisualARQ helpVisualARQFlexible BIM for Rhino

Stair Styles

Where can I find this command?
Keyboard:
vaStairStyles
Icon:
Stair right click [left click]
Toolbar: Objects
VisualARQ Objects Toolbar
Menu:
VisualARQ > Stair > Stair Styles...
Context Menu:
Stair > Styles properties
Shortcut key:
Select a stair object > (Alt, Shift or Ctrl) + double left click

The stair style defines the stair features. You can define the following parameters for each stair style: Name, Attributes, Type, Steps and Rules.

Stair styles are defined by a Slab component that can be added or deleted at any time.

Stair components
Different parts and components of a stair:
  1. 1: Riser slab
  2. 2: Tread slab
  3. 3: Stair Slab Stair Slab

After running the vaStairStyles command, the stair Style Manager dialog box will appear. All stair styles are created and edited from this dialog.

Stair Style Manager dialog box
Stair Style Manager dialog box

New stair style:

You can create new styles and duplicate existing ones from the different options in the stair Style Manager.

Stair styles can be created as regular stair styles, or as Grasshopper styles (styles driven by a Grasshopper definition).

When clicking on the New Style... button, select one of the two options available, which will open the corresponding new style wizard:

  • Stair style: follow the steps of the wizard to define the new stair style parameters:
    • Name
    • Type
    • Steps
  • Grasshopper style: follow the steps of the wizard to create a new style from a Grasshopper definition:
    • Grasshopper definition
    • Global values configuration
    • Geometry
    • Parameters

Delete a stair style:

You can delete stair styles from the Stair Style Manager dialog box. You can only delete those styles that are not being used by any existing stair in the model.

General style editing
You can use the vaStairStyles command or, alternatively,
  • Use the vaStyleProperties command, then select a stair and press Enter, or
  • Right click on vaStyleProperties (right click), then select a stair and press Enter, or
  • Select a stair and open the context menu by pressing the right mouse button for a while then select Stair > Style Properties, or
  • Press Alt, Shift or Ctrl then double click on a stair object.
The changes applied to a style are applied to all elements with that style.

Edit a stair style:

Select the stair style or the stair component item from the top left panel and edit their different parameters from the tabs that appear in the right panel.

Add a stair slab

  • Context menu: right-click on the stair style name to open the context menu and select New > Stair slab.
  • New icon New icon: select the stair style and click on the New icon from the dialog toolbar. Select Stair slab.

Delete a slab: use the context menu (right-click on the slab you wish to delete and select Delete) or the Delete button Delete.

Attributes

Attributes define the features of each stair style and its components for display and print purposes. The valid attributes are:

  • General: Layer, Visibility and Material
  • Projection: Color, Linetype, Line print width and Line print color
  • Section: Color, Linetype, Line print width, Line print color, Pattern, Pattern scale, Pattern angle and Pattern color

Type

The Type parameter defines the stair type, which can be:

  • Default: A landing is inserted in the stair inflection zone.
  • Balanced: The tread value is applied to the center of all steps.

Steps

The components of a step are:

  • Tread Slab: Displayed in 3D, elevation views and sections, but it does not affect the plan view.
    The tread slab properties are Thickness and Nosing.
  • Riser Slab: Displayed in 3D, elevation views and sections, but it does not affect the plan view. The riser slab property is Thickness.

Show arrow: option to show the arrow of stairs in plan views.

Show step numbers: option to show the step numbers of stairs in plan views.

Rules:

Enable this option when you wish to define the slope of the stair according to the rule: 2*Risers + 1 Tread = "x number".
The "x number" by default goes from 0,54 m to 0,70 m and represents the range of dimension values of a standard human step.

Parameters

In this tab you can create custom parameters by style and assign values by style.

These values can be overwritten by object, from the Parameters section Parameters icon , in the Rhino Properties panel Rhino properties icon.

Stair components

Slab Stair Slab

Stairs can have a slab. Stair slabs can be created or deleted by right clicking on the stair style name (New > Stair slab or Delete the existing one). The slab thickness can be edited from the Geometry tab, when selecting the slab component.

The stair slab can be extended to the starting slab and the landing slab by modifying its thickness from the VisualARQ Properties section (Rhino Properties dialog box Rhino properties icon):

  • Top Slab Thickness: The stair slab thickness necessary for the extension to the slab thickness where the stair lands
  • Bottom Slab Thickness: The stair slab thickness necessary for the extension to the slab thickness where the stair starts.
Stairs examples
Stairs examples
Examples of straight and spiral stairs.

Note

Stair object properties are not part of the stair style and they can't be defined in the insert dialog box.