Walls: top and bottom constraints

[mmiles]

I know this is saying the same thing:

Wall: base constraint- 2nd Floor; top constraint - 2nd Floor; top offset 6.5FT; and
Wall: base constraint- 2nd Floor; Top Constraint - unconnected; Unconnected Height -6.5FT;

but, what is the rationale for choosing one over the other? Is there a reason not to describe a wall as having the same base and top constraint?

[Gadget Man]

I know this is saying the same thing:

Wall: base constraint- 2nd Floor; top constraint - 2nd Floor; top offset 6.5FT; and
Wall: base constraint- 2nd Floor; Top Constraint - unconnected; Unconnected Height -6.5FT;

but, what is the rationale for choosing one over the other? Is there a reason not to describe a wall as having the same base and top constraint?

The "Unconnected" setting should ONLY be used if you don't want the wall height to change when you change the room height (by moving 2 nd Floor level line).

If all the walls throughout the whole floor are bottom and top constrained to their representative bottom and top levels, when you want to change this whole floor's ceiling height, all you have to do is to move (drag, re-type elevation value, etc.) the top level line (the top constraint). All the walls will follow, because they are constrained to the top level.

In the same scenario, if one of these walls is set to "Unconnected", its top will not change together with all the other walls - it will stay the same as it was before, because it is... unconnected... You would have to manually change its height to make this change.

Now just imagine that all the walls would be set to "Unconnected", than you would have to manually pick each and every one of them to change their height (rather than just to move the top constraint for all of them at once).

[Gadget Man]

Sorry, on reading again your post I realised that you were asking a different question.

Yes, in your example it's one and the same thing, I think...

However, why would you attach both the bottom and the top of a wall to the same level is beyond me...

How I teach my students is: create two levels - one for the bottom constraint (e.g. Floor Level) and the other for the top constraint (e.g. Ceiling Level or Top Plate or similar).

Then if you connect all the walls on this level to the bottom and top constrains then when you want to change this level's height (say the Client changed his mind and wanted it different now) all you have to do is just move one of the level lines in elevation (or section) view. All the walls will follow (except these to set to "Unconnected") and assume their new height.

To assign the same level to bottom and top of wall (with an offset) to me is counterproductive...