Troubleshooting
Common errors you may encounter and how to troubleshoot and get support from Genia
Common Architectural Modeling Errors
During the architectural modeling phase, Genia's editor will proactively flag common issues to ensure your model is sound before you proceed to structural generation. If you encounter a warning or error, it will typically fall into one of these categories:
- Unclosed Building Perimeter: The exterior walls, windows, and doors on a floor plan must form a continuous, closed loop. If there are gaps, the system will be unable to define the interior area and will prompt you to close the perimeter.
- Missing Roof or Floor: Every enclosed area on an upper level must be covered by a roof element or another floor area from the level above it. The system will flag any un-topped spaces.
- Floating Elements: All elements must be properly connected. An error will be shown if a door or window is not attached to a wall, or if a deck is "floating" in space without being connected to the main building structure.
- Overlapping Elements: The editor will issue a warning if you draw elements that overlap in a way that is structurally problematic, such as drawing a wall that passes through an area already defined as a stair opening.
Specifically, below are some errors on architectural modeling you might see, including potential causes and instructions on how to fix them:
Error Description Table
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Error Description
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Potential Cause(s)
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How To Fix
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Unclosed Building Perimeter
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The exterior walls, windows, and doors on a floor do not form a continuous, sealed loop. There are gaps between wall segments.
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Use the Wall tool to find the gap in the building's exterior and extend the walls until they connect and form a complete, enclosed shape.
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Missing Roof or Floor Covering
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An enclosed area on an upper level is not covered by a roof or a floor from the level above it, leaving it exposed.
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Use the Roof or Deck editing tools to draw or extend a covering over the highlighted, exposed area.
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"Floating" Door or Window
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A door or window element exists on the canvas but is not embedded within a wall segment.
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Move the "floating" door or window and drag it directly onto a wall. The element will automatically snap into the wall segment.
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"Floating" Deck
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A deck area has been drawn but is not connected to the main building structure.
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Move or reshape the deck so that at least one of its edges is flush with and connected to an exterior wall of the building.
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Wall Overlaps Other Elements
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(Warning) A wall has been drawn through an area already designated as a stair, opening, or deck.
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This is a warning. If the overlap is a mistake, edit the wall to remove the overlapping section. If it's intentional, you may be able to proceed.
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Common Structural Analysis Errors
After you run a structural analysis, the system performs a verification check and may flag errors in your structural layout. These must be resolved before you can export your documents. Common structural errors include:
- Invalid Placement: This is the most common error, where a load-bearing element like a beam or joist is not supported at both ends by a valid component (such as a post, wall, or another beam). The highlighted element needs to be moved or extended until it is properly supported.
- Missing Beams on Exterior Walls: The system may require beams to be present at the top of certain exterior walls to properly transfer loads. If one is missing, the wall will be flagged.
- Overlapping Framing: This error occurs if two area-based elements, like joist or truss layouts, are drawn over the same space. You must adjust the boundaries so they no longer overlap.
- Incomplete Framing Coverage: If a floor or roof area requires support but has no joists or trusses defined, the system will highlight the uncovered area. You will need to add framing to cover this space.
Similarly, below are some errors in structural design you might see, including their potential causes and instructions on how to fix them:
Error Description Table
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Error Description
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Potential Cause(s)
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How To Fix
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Element Has No Support
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A beam, joist, or truss is not supported at its ends by a post, wall, or another valid structural member.
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Extend the element until it rests on a support, or add a new support (like a post or wall) underneath the unsupported end.
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Beam is Missing Support
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A beam is only supported at one end or is not supported at all.
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Ensure the beam is supported at both ends. Add a post, wall, or another beam at the unsupported end.
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Structural Areas Overlap
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Two or more joist or truss zones have been drawn over the same physical space.
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Edit the boundaries of the overlapping areas so they are adjacent to each other but no longer overlap.
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Area Lacks Structural Coverage
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A floor or roof area that requires framing is missing joists or trusses.
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Use the Joist or Truss tool to draw a framing layout that covers the highlighted, unsupported area.
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Missing Beam on Wall
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An exterior or load-bearing wall that requires a continuous beam along its top is missing this element.
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Add the required beam along the top of the highlighted wall.
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Beam Overlaps Other Element
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A beam has been drawn directly on top of or along the same line as another beam or wall.
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Delete the redundant element, or move the beam so it is properly supported by (not overlapping with) the other member.
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Beam Length Too Long (Warning)
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A single beam spans a very long distance (e.g., over 22 feet) without intermediate support.
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This is a warning about a potentially inefficient design. Consider adding an intermediate post or wall to break the beam into shorter spans.
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Human-Assisted Troubleshooting and Feature Requests
We are committed to providing you with the support you need. For immediate assistance while using Genia, you can interact with our AI Customer Success Agent. This AI bot is embedded on our website and within the editor and is trained on this Knowledge Center and all our technical documentation. It can answer questions about how to use features, explain calculation methods, and guide you to the right resources.
If the AI agent is unable to resolve your issue, or if you have specific feedback or a feature request, it can seamlessly escalate your case. The agent will record your question or feedback and forward it directly to the Genia support team. We're committed to getting back to you within 12 hours with a response.
For urgent matters, you can also send an email to help [at] genia.design.
Hope you have a pleasant experience designing with Genia!
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