Matthew Giampapa

I don't think that there is a public list, but we do have an internal bug tracking system. If you are curious about a specific problem of group of problems, someone in tech support should be able to give you the bug ID# and let you know what the current status is. If you would like you can email me with a description of the problem and I can try to find out the information for you. (tech@nemetschek.net) Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by TiTaNiuM sAMuRai: This forum is great for discussions of VW problems that arise, but if I have an ever-growing list of items which, after conferring with my co-workers, appear to be genuine bugs, should I be spitting them out -- in some organized fashion, mind you -- in this forum? BTW, I'd kill to have a current open-bug list for VW9. Can I get one, or are only the developers worthy of having access to such a list?

Udi, Rather than have this discussed in every message area I am going to close this topic and request that anyone interested in this follow up at http://www.nemetschek.net/cgi/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=12&t=001199 Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by udi: Hii have a gui problem, when i'm selecting object and try to change his class in the object info palette, the classes button is not active.on the same file in another copmputer it work completly ok.it's really disturbingpls help asap Udi

In the Standard workspace, Align/Distribute, Align/Distribute 3D, and Align to grid are all in the Tool menu. The key commands differ depending on what Workspace you are using, but it should be present in all of ours. If the command is present but not working, try editing your workspace. Remove the Align tools and re add them. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by CADD Nark: I may be overlooking it but, has it been axed from VW 9.X??

Well yes, I made some fairly specific inquiries with our windows developers about this. Most of the speed gains made in video cards over the last few years have focused on accelerating two things, 3D and DVD playback. 2D performance in VectorWorks is not likely to be limited by the graphics card. Now I can't be 100% certain you wont see a speed increase. If you have an exceptionally poor performing video card it could be the case. The only way to find out in that case is to try. I would suggest trying your local CompUSA or other computer store. I know the ones here have a 14 day no questions ask return policy on hardware so you can try it out first. The only other suggestion I can really make is that you consider switching your OS to either windows 2000 or XP. Most of our testing and development is done on the NT/2000/XP platform rather than 95/98/ME (The Mac is a whole different story). So by and large you will probably have better performance and stability using something in the NT/2000/XP family. It may also be a good idea to make sure your system is using the latest drivers and that your hard drive is in DMA mode opposed to PIO mode. Actually if you are using 1st generation drivers supplied by Windows 98 itself, you could also see a speed increase by updating those to the current release as well. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by DWLighting: So, my 450mhz PIII is the bottleneck in terms of redraw speed? Really? It is relatively fast with everything else. My drawings are very symbol heavy and tend to have about 5-8 layers in a given sheet. Any other thoughts on this matter? Thanks,DW

This sounds like your preferences may be corrupt in some way. To reset them to the factory defaults please see this page. VectorWorks 8.x Preference removal If you are using VectorWorks 9, the instructions are the same, but you would delete the "VectorWorks 9 Prefs" on the Mac, and on Windows the folder is called "Nemetschek" not "Graphsoft". Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by udi: i have a gui problem, when i'm selecting object and try to change his class in the object info palette, the classes button is not active.on the same file in another copmputer it work completly ok.it's really disturbingpls help

I know there are a few scripts out there to do this. You might want to post the script to the VectorScript discussion area and ask how to change it so you don't have to press enter at all. However, the ability to print sheets is also a built in feature of VectorWorks 9. But I think our version will also prompt you to hit enter for each print. This is because of how the OS works. We do not have control over the print settings or what your driver needs to know for each print job. I do not think it is possible to bypass that entirely. What I will do is enter a wish list request here so you only have to hit enter once. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by dkv: Hello,we use Mac's white VW 8.5.2. when we want to print layers we have a script but it alway's ask's to enter. If you have 5 layers this is no problem but white 25 layers we have to lock the enter key to make it work. Is the a other way to do this.

The most common problem 8.5 users have had are related to installing the software. VectorWorks must be installed and run at least once using an account with administrative privileges, and VectorWorks 8.5 also requires that Apple's QuickTime be installed with QuickDraw 3D. The catch is that QuickDraw 3D is no longer a default component in the latest release of QuickTime (5.02). So doing a simple install will not suffice, you have to select custom and select QuickDraw 3D by hand. If you are using QuickTime 4.1.2, there is no problem. Other than that, I have been using MC 7 - VW 9.5b here on Windows XP without a problem. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support

9.5 Will have a number of performance tweaks in it to make it faster in certain areas. Not all of these have yet been implemented in the current build however, and some, which are currently there, may not make it into the final if they cause other problems. I would only suggest using the beta if you are currently experiencing a bug in 9.0.1 for which we have no workaround. If you are doing work for a client, or are on a deadline I would recommend you stay away from the beta until it is declared final. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by sicily80: So does anyone suggest installing 9.5 Beta? Is it any faster?

Since this is being discussed in more detail elsewhere, I am closing this thread. If you have any comments you wish to add do so here... http://www.nemetschek.net/cgi/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=20&t=000360 Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support

Sometimes it will take a minute or two for the message to be processed. Also if you are using an Internet service with a proxy server the page may be cached. Wait a few minutes and hit refresh. If your post does not show up then, it is probably safe to post it again. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support

Ok, aside from the obvious do you have a printer installed question, I'm stumped. I will run this by our testing department and let them know of the potential problem. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support -- No we haven?t had this reported yet. Make sure you have a printer actually installed under Windows. If you can duplicate this with 9.5b5 then send an email to bugsubmit@nemetschek.net with the details. OS, Printer, etc... quote: Originally posted by mnelson: no mac action here. pc. p4 1.4ghz256mb ramWin ME [ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Matthew Giampapa ] [ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Matthew Giampapa ]

MFC42DLL is a Microsoft library file used by the OS and many other applications. Since it is always in use, it is difficult to replace. If you really want to replace it with another copy (which I DO NOT recommend) you would need to boot into DOS mode and replace the file while windows is not running. There are other tricks to replace this, but I find this to be the most simple. There are a huge number of things that can cause the error you are seeing. By no means is this necessarily the problem. As for the shortcut list, the closest I can come it this web page. (http://www.nemetschek.net/support/technotes/043.html) I know in VW 9, Appendix A has them listed, but I do not believe we have a similar section in the version 8 documentation. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support quote: Originally posted by defjef: I get a similar message MFC42DLL when I attempt to launch Quickeys. I suspect that this file is corrupt but do not know how to replace it. I downloaded a new MFC42DLL file... but cannot remove the old one, rename or and try to slip the new one in. Any help here?Also... can I download a list of VW 8.52 shortcuts?frustrated defjef

DWLighting, We really don't have an official recommendation for video cards. While you may see a small speed increase in 2D redraw, the limiting factor in VectorWorks performance is probably the CPU. Your upgrade would probably be spent best there. For what it's worth, the old king of 2D performance used to be Matrox, but I haven?t seen any numbers on 2D performance in the last few years. Most video cards handle 2D so well now that they are not the bottleneck. Matthew GiampapaTechnical Support [ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Matthew Giampapa ]

"When it's done!" of course... Actually I can't comment on specific dates, but there will be a press release through the usual channels when 9.5 is declared final and available for download (and by mail for those who request it). AFAIK, we will continue to release updated beta's as the development process continues. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by jnr: thanks for the heads up on the revamping of this board. Question: Where is 9.5 and when will it ship now that the "major release" by an unmentionable software vendor has transpired?

A error code 291, means that there is an object in the drawing which has the same handle as the one it is currently trying to import. Basically, there are two objects which are claiming to be the same one. While some programs will arbitrarily decide how to handle this, we stop and issue the error. To resolve this you can either try to re-save the file from AutoCAD, or email the file to tech@nemetschek.net where we will try to make the appropriate repair. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by lydjanspen: Recently I've been having problems importing drawings from Autocad 2000. I've been getting error code 291. At first I thought it was because the Acad drawings contained a bitmap in the title block but even after the file has been saved without the bitmap it still won't import. Any suggestions? Also, is there a list of error codes in a downloadable form? Thanks, LJS

When you select the door or windows, does it read "Simple Window in Wall" or just "Simple Window"? If the later is the case, the program is not detecting that you are placing the object "in" the wall. It is trying to simply superimpose them. This as you have seen does not generate a hold where the window or door should be. If you are just using a symbol of your own creation, not one of our plug in objects, then you will have to edit the symbol. Under insertion options, make sure that break wall is selected. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by R.K. Davis: On the 8.5.2 system of VW: When I create hybrid door & window symbols, they work fine in 2D, but when I view them in a rendered isometric, they disappear inside the wall (regardless of fill color). I've checked the Layer and Class preferences and they both are set at "show,snap,modify", and all layers and classes are set to visible. In addition, the doors and windows can be rendered and viewed outside of the 3D walls. I can't find the source of the problem. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

We are aware of the time warp; unfortunately it has caused some messages to go unanswered longer than normal. Hopefully it will be fixed by this afternoon (Monday 10-29-01). Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by Chris Manus:

Is the text rotated? Or is it more like mirror writing? It sounds like your dimensions were included in the symbols so that with the rotating and flipping they were moved as well. If you just need to reverse the plan, I would create another layer at the same scale in the target document and put your dimensions there. That way they will accurately show the size, yet still be readable. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by Giovanni: A colleague of mine has this problem: one simple building repeated several times on one area but with different orientations, mirrored, flipped etc. She first made the buildings symbols and then to make the file smaller she referenced the original plan to other files. On those other files she had flipped/mirrored the plans to follow the master plan. On the original plan there are dimensions, which now show flipped too on the referenced plans (which are still symbols I think). We tried fixing the problem in the dimension settings choosing the text to be on the left side,(on both referenced and reference files) regenerating the plug in objects, refreshing the reference. We could not edit directly the dimensions because part of a referenced symbols (and even if they were not symbols we wouldn?t be able to edit the reference/ layer link obviously). Has anybody got in this problem and hopefully fixed it? Thanks a lot for any help.

Right now we do not support many of the more fancy things you can do with the mouse because they would not necessarily be cross platform. What you can do is use your mouse software to map the mouse wheel button (when you press down on the wheel) to the space bar. This will act as toggle for the Pan tool allowing you to grab the page without letting go of the mouse. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by Archken: I agree 7777 times! It would certainly be nice. Did you know that the feature was evolved and originally copied from video gaming? I think that with future hot rod Macs getting the NVIDIA GeForce3 MX video card, the VW interface can use some spice.

Yes, that is a nice idea, but just so you know. In the current version you can use the "Set Grid" command in the Page menu to give the 2D reference grid an angle. While this does not change the coordinate system, tools like the rectangle tool, which draw in orientation with the grid, are affected. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by Archken: Yes! Excellent suggestion. I would definitely second this wish -- especially for a rotated coordinate plane in 2D. Many times I find walls (or entire wings of a floor plan) that need to swing out 45 degrees or some odd angle to parallel a property line. Switching back and forth to a rotated "working plane" with all 2D/3D tools and commands still working the same way would be a tremendous time saver.

9.5 Will be a Carbon application and should run under MacOS X and OS 8.6 - 9.2.1 with the CarbonLib extension installed. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by Archken: Well, I surely hope the lack of official reply is no indication of a negatory response, but if i understand correctly, version 9.5 is 9.5 (not 9.2) because it's native for OS X.

This really shouldn?t be happening, nor can I reproduce this here. I have tried copying doors, windows, combination of doors and windows, and grouped objects. Can you email the file that is causing this to happen to tech@nemetschek.net? Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by mnelson: P4 256MB RAM Win ME VWA 9.0.1 When copying and then pasting into a new VW file a group of objects, including windows within walls, one must regen all the windows and doors in order to have them appear correctly. While the doors remain on the 'Door Main' class windows loose their class designation and revert to 'None' What gives?

Are you using this under OS X? If so you will need to install your printers in X as well as the Classic environment. Since 9.5 is a Carbon application, when being run in X it looks to X for printing and other services. To install a printer under OS X, you should go to "/Applications/Utilities/Print Center". If this error is happening under OS 9, make sure you have CarbonLib 1.4 or greater installed. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by mnelson: Everytime I try to use 'Print Setup' in VWA 9.5 Beta I get a warning telling me "Before you can print, you need to install a printer...." I appreciate VW for pointing out the blatantly obvious, but believe it or not I actually have 4 printers already installed and working properly in 9.0.1.

Mike, We only support print drivers that are currently being supported/maintained by the provider. Since PowerPlot is no longer being sold (and to my knowledge has not been for some time), it is no longer a product we test for compatibility with. If you are looking for a Mac based plotting solution, I would recommend a native PostScript plotter, or MacPlot and a MacPlot supported HPGL/2 printer. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by MikeB: A continuing issue for us from 9.0 to 9.0.1 and now 9.5 is the inability for us to print to our hp 600 using Power Plot on a mac network. In 9.0.1 I was able to use the RTL driver instead of the GL2, although I had to creat a plot file and send it using Send Plot. Now in 9.5 I cannot print at all. I know Power plot is an old printer driver, but it has worked well up through 8.5.2. Does anyone else use Power Plot and are you experiencing the same problems?

Look for a checkbox in the Windows print dialog marked "Disable driver text rotation" and see if that gives you any better results. Matthew Giampapa Technical Support quote: Originally posted by bburnet: Hello, We recently installed VectorWorks v9 on a Windows 2000 PC, reading files created on v8.5 for Mac. We're trying to print 2D building maps to a Xerox Phaser 790 color printer, using an Adobe PS driver. While the building drawing and color all come out fine, all of the text is compressed to the point that it cannot be read. My question: Is there a specific driver or print setting that I have to be aware of in order to print to the Xerox? Sincerely, Bryce Burnet IT Support Specialist Geron Corporation 230 Constitution Drive Menlo Park, CA 94025 Ph: 650-566-7176 Fax: 650-473-7750