12.05.00 using attachments

Attachments are special Count objects that attach to existing Linear or Area takeoff objects (referred to as a Parent condition) and usually affect the quantity results of the Parent Condition.   Attachments cannot be used by themselves, they must be used with a parent.

Perform Attachment takeoff by selecting an Attachment Condition from the Condition List window then clicking on a linear or area takeoff object to attach the Attachment to its Parent Linear or Area takeoff object.

Attachments Rules

• For Linear Objects, the Attachment must FIT horizontally on the linear object.  For example, a 4' wide attachment cannot be placed on a linear object that is only 3' long although a linear Attachment CAN exceed the height of the linear object to which it is attached (it is acceptable to place an 9' tall door on a 8 foot linear because the height of the linear may not be the height of the entire wall, just the finished wall).
• Also, Attachments cannot be placed on a Linear segment has been set as a "Curved Segment" (even if the segment wasn't curved).  You can simply remove the "Set as Curve Segment" for the particular takeoff object, if it hasn't been curved, and then you can place the Attachment.
• For Area Objects, objects must fit completely within their parent object.  
• There are additional considerations to keep in mind, as shown in the example below, when an attachment is placed on an aligned grid - the attachment may not match the grid alignment.   Use the Rotate Takeoff function to rotate the Attachments to the grid.   Also, when a grid is aligned, sometimes, the attachment objects no longer snap to the grid.   Turn off Snap to Grid on the Advanced tab of the Attachment's Condition Properties, then hold down the <Shift> key and move the attachment anywhere within the grid area.  

  

• When using Attachments on aligned grids, it's important to remember that if the base Area takeoff was rotated 90 degrees (for example, to make a 2x4 grid a 4x2 grid) rectangular Attachments will not work correctly.  The orientation of the base takeoff and the Attachment object must be the same.

Copying and Pasting Objects That contain Attachments

Depending on HOW an object is selected, Attachments may or may not be copied when the Parent is selected.

For Example: 

The first image shows both the Parent and the Attachment selected - indicated by the yellow highlight surrounding both takeoff objects.  The easiest way to do this is to using Roping to select both of the objects (see the next article for information on the various ways to select objects).

When copied, both the Parent and Attachment objects are pasted to the new location.

This example shows only the Parent selected (notice the small boxes at the end of the takeoff object indicating that it is the only selected object on the current page).

When this is copied, only the Parent (the linear object) is pasted to the new location.

• Attachments cannot be copied/pasted separately from their Parent objects (you cannot copy/paste a 'door' for example because it has to be placed on a specific piece of Linear takeoff).

Selecting Takeoff and Other Objects