Garry Dreger

Have a look at "SOFTPLAN". It is made for quick residential, ie. plans and elevations. It also has a 3D componant. The biggest downside is that it only works on a windows platform and of course the software itself is not cheap. I work in both VW and Softplan, and of course find some features in each which I would like to have in the other. As you know, the perfect CAD program has yet to be and of course probably never will be written. Good luck with your search Garry Dreger

Thanks Katie, but no luck. The "Read Only" property was not checked. I am exporting a dxf from VW 9.5.3 [ mac os 10.3.2 ] and e-mailing it to my windows platform and trying to open it in SoftPlan 11.1. When I try opening directly from the file, the "Read Only" message pops up. When I try importing into a new drawing in SoftPlan, I get a " DFX File Error: No Entities". What now ? Thanks, Garry

I hope I haven't tried everthing, just everything I can think of. When I try to open the VW export in SoftPlan, I get an error message, which reads; "This file has it's "Read Only" property set and cannot be opened." Any ideas?? Thanks, Garry

Thanks Katie, The recipient is getting nothing but a message: "dfx error, sorry no entities" I am exporting from VW 9.5.3, running on a Mac. He is using a Windows platform. I can import dxf"s from him, as well as opening the dfx that I am sending and those I've e-mailed to myself. Any ideas? Thanks, Garry

Has anyone had any experience with the topic? Can it be done? If it can work, what is the simplest way to do it? Apparently, it's all a matter of importing "dxf" files, doing what you do, and then exporting "dxf" files. I work on a computer, but I am not what I would call a " computer person" . In short, any and all advice will be appreciated. Thanks, Garry

I'm running 9.5.2 with mac os 10.3.2, waiting for the bugs to be addressed before upgrading. Is it not within reason to create a "stable" VW platform? Instead of a bunch of new features in a new release, what do you think about a new release without any bugs ? May I suggest --"VW 1. no bugs". No new features; well, perhaps one new feature; no bugs. regards, Garry Dreger

Should I upgrade now, or wait awhile? Any major problems? I am using 9.5.3 with mac os 10.3.1. Thanks garry

Is there anybody out there? I'm just trying to attract an answer to my problem. Anyone? Thanks

Thanks Kaare, but I don't understand your method. This is what I've been doing. Import siding in resources pallette Select it ,and then edit Go to transparency and select color filter and then edit Select and edit a color Hit OK and that's where my problem begins. The color I've created doesn't appear "as is" on the siding. Could you try an expanded explanation? Thanks, Garry

I've been trying to change the color of "siding", both wood and vinyl. The best results I've had so far haven't been satisfactory and the worst, pretty strange. I can get the color I want from the crayon box with a bit of editing, but when it applies to the siding, the color I've created does not come out the same on the siding. What am I doing wrong?

THANK YOU ! Regards, Garry Dreger

Add to the above; in wireframe and final shaded polygon.

Right. An example. I've been working on a kitchen, which has the usual objects in it. In plan, front, left, etc. views, the line work is fine. When I go to an iso, the lines become jagged,[ on the screen, not on a print]. Katie, says this is how it is, there is not a problem. I send out a lot of image files [jpegs], to clients during the design process and the jpegs are a copy of what I have on the screen. Jagged line work. Other than printing, scanning and creating a "smooth" copy, to e-mail, I don't know how what else to do. I would appreciate any input. thanks for your interest

All objects; walls , roofs, cupboards,doors, windows, etc.

The subject says it all. Am I alone in this or is it common to all? Vw 9.5.1 Mac G3

KATIE, I've updated to 9.2.2 and the problem remains the same. What now?

I've tried 3 times to send you the file.Each time, the message is, "unable to deliver to destination domain. Cannot resolve. "

Katie: the 2nd of two rendererings in a new startup session. Stopped about 1/3 the way down. The little watch stopped. I left it for 15 minutes. Nothing. I can move the watch around the screen, but it stays a stopped watch. When I "force quit ", the mouse again directs an arrow. That's what I meant about not losing control of the mouse. The rendering was of a simple house elevation, [ front], 3 textures, no lighting. Any ideas? Thanks

Katie; I don't get any error messages. The length of time I let it sit after a freeze depends on how many swear words I can string together befor e I "force quit " . I have let it sit for a few minutes to see if it was just a "hang". .I don't lose control of the mouse but the program is stuck and requires a " force quit " to escape the freeze. Thanks

Katie: no, I shut down after each session.

Katie, Undoes are set at 20. When I do have a freeze, I have to "force quit " and restart . I can then render again until the next freeze, which happens quite randomly : [ hours,days?] thanks

384 mb built in. 264 mb allocated to VW

Me too. VW 9.5.1. Renderworks 9. Mac os 9.0.4. 384mb ram. Intermitent is the word! Once every 30 or so renderings, no light changes, it stops half way [ thereabouts]. I'm glad I'm not alone; however, I'd rather not have the misery of all one has to go thru with a freeze. Regards Garry Dreger

Thanks, Katie and Kristen for your help. I especially like Kristens input, as it leads to the creation of a triangular shaped wall; not just a gable end.

After creating a "peak" on a wall, how does one place a window in that part of the wall? And, how does one place more than one window in a dormer?