Kevin McAllister
-
Posts
5,224 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Articles
Marionette
Store
Posts posted by Kevin McAllister
-
-
Hello,
It would be great to get some filtering options for the Purge command so it's easier to preserve our own content while removing unwanted content from imported DWGs etc.. I know it's possible to preview the purged items and be selective but sometimes the list is daunting. Often I want to preserved my own class structure even if the classes are empty, or preserve my own symbols. These items can all be custom named or tagged but there's no way to filter them out using Purge.
Thanks,
Kevin
-
3
-
1
-
-
On 3/5/2026 at 11:37 PM, Christiaan said:
Now, instead, I prefer to use the iMac to extend my MacBook display and it works great.
How do you do that? I'm super curious. I'm still using a iMac Pro and thinking about a Mac M5 laptop.....
Kevin
-
The challenge with the Vectorworks tool based navigation is that it's outdated and so different from every other piece of software. I often find myself right clicking to try and flyover....
Everything else I use has added inherent navigation, even the simple slicing software we use for 3d printing or quickview in the Mac Finder.
Kevin
-
On 2/27/2026 at 6:49 PM, Peter S said:
Hi everyone, new VW user here. Unfortunately finding the very simple act of orbiting (flyover?) to be very cumbersome to activate. (Shift+c or click scroll wheel + control button) A two handed action to orbit? Coming from Rhino where you simply right click and move the mouse. Am I missing something?
Yup, the Vectorworks tool approach to navigation is cumbersome and outdated. Feel free to upvote my long time wish list item to have proper navigation built into the UI instead of being accessed through tools you activate. You can upvote here -
Kevin
-
2
-
-
23 minutes ago, Tom W. said:
I raised exactly the same thing in a recent VE. I have some tags that I use as labels with user entered text (like callouts) + I can place them initially without them associating with anything but if I then go to reposition them they suddenly want to start associating with everything + anything + it's a real pain.
That's exactly the problem. There doesn't seem to be a way to turn it off.
Kevin
-
Is there a way to stop existing Data Tags from trying to associate with objects when copying them and then editing their leaders? I often option drag copy existing object to make new ones. I am working in the Annotations of Sheet Layer Viewports and each time the Data Tag tries to associate it forces all of the Viewports out of date. I don't actually want the Data Tags to associate, I'm just collecting manually entered data into a spreadsheet.
I know I can insert new Data Tags without association but then I have to re-enter data each time instead of just making small edits.
Thanks,
Kevin
-
1
-
-
Elevation Marker leader lines should have an offset option like dimensions for consistency.
KM
-
2
-
-
I just started using VW2026 on a project this week. A client provided a VW2026 file so it made sense. So far it's going ok though I find 2026 a bit sluggish (slight pauses after each action) so it may be time to upgrade my machine. I've been running a iMac Pro so it is a bit dated, but I'm not sure what the step forward should be. Anyone have good experiences with VW2026 on a specific Mac system? I work entirely in 3d, mostly modelling from scratch, with some use of the theatre resources. I'm mostly producing drawing sets and not finished renderings.
Kevin
-
1
-
-
I'm going to get my renewal soon. My biggest concern is nothing else opens Vectorworks files, so once you're on subscription you can't stop as there is no other option for opening your existing native Vectorworks files. I have a lot of time invested in native assets.
Honestly, the subscription model is also a little ominous given the state of the world. If you're in a country someone doesn't like they might just turn off all your subscriptions. Obviously not directed at NV specifically but subscription for everything gives over a lot of control (subscription cars? subscription printers?).
Sigh, I can remember how excited I was out of theatre school when I bought my $1000 Minicad package.
Kevin
-
2
-
-
1 hour ago, Andy Broomell said:
I have no official knowledge of what those bullet points relate to, but in regards to trimming complex polylines, I submitted a specific bug fairly recently that was addressed in Update 3, and I wonder if perhaps the fix that solved the issue is what that bullet point alludes to. So probably not a "rebuild" of the tool but some finessing of the code so that complex polylines with arcs get trimmed correctly.
Here's the image I submitted for my specific bug, and the problem is indeed solved in Update 3:
That's a good fix. I've seen that issue. I wonder if they fixed where one side of a symmetrical object always ends up with a seam point and one does not. I'll have to try....
KM
-
Do others struggle with unwanted cropping of Shaded render mode edges in Sheet Layer Viewports? It's an issue that comes and goes with various updates. The default (no crop) crop box always crops off a few pixels of the draw edges mode. I often have to add a crop that's bigger than the default crop to get them back, which is not ideal.
I have bug submitted this in various versions but it often returns after the next update. I would think this would automatically be on someone's radar. @Dave Donley?
These examples are in VW2026 Update 3.
Kevin
Using the default (no crop)... the top of the curve is missing.
Adding a bigger crop, the top curve is restored.
-
1
-
-
This improvement in Update 3 caught my attention. It is very specific and sounds like a rebuild of the Polygon tools. Does anyone know more? Does it carry across to the 2D Polyline tool? I use that almost exclusively since it's more flexible than the 2D polygon tool (other than the paint bucket mode, which actually makes polylines most of the time 😊).
Kevin
-
1
-
-
- Popular Post
Bumping this again. Other programs are leaving Vectorworks' navigation in the dust. I've been playing with Blender on a Mac and it easily has the best implementation of navigation I've ever used. Flyover by finger scrolling on a Magic Mouse. It is so good. So good.
Ironically, I don't think Blender has navigation "tools" like Vectorworks. Its just inherently integrated into the program.
So good....
One can only wish that Vectorworks catches up.
Kevin
-
6
-
On 12/4/2025 at 11:49 AM, Tom W. said:
Another way to get what you've shown is to leave the Offset unchanged + set Insert to Wall - Left Edge.
That's an easy solution too.
Thanks,
Kevin
-
48 minutes ago, cberg said:
If it's an unstyled wall you can offset it in the OIP. Otherwise, you need to go to the Resource Browser and select the door style plug in options and adjust the offset.
Awesome, thank you! I love learning new things.
Kevin
-
Often in theatre I want to give a door depth even though a standard theatre flat wall is only 4" thick. Is there a way to offset the door in the thickness of the wall? See image. I feel like I've done this in the past but I can't find it as an option now.
Kevin
-
I suspect the reason it has never happened is because NV has been slowly modernizing the code to VW and the snapping module still hasn't been updated ( @JuanP ?). There's probably a long list of snapping improvements that are waiting for that update to happen. But it's still weird not to be able to snap to the origin in views other than Top/Plan ten years after the original wish.
Kevin
-
1
-
-
Bumping this long ago wish. I still don't understand why the origin is only snappable in top/plan view. The drawing origin should work like the origin in a symbol, where it is snappable in all views.
Not being able to snap to the origin in 3d views sort of makes it useless.
Kevin
-
2
-
-
22 hours ago, rDesign said:
According to the Vw2026 Help file, both Flip Horizontal and Flip Vertical should both flip on its center.
I've never used this keyboard shortcut before but I'm curious as to how the same short cut flips both horizontally and vertically 🤣. I think maybe the Help also needs updating.
Kevin
-
1
-
-
19 hours ago, Dave Donley said:
Seamless patterns are something that can be improved, we are looking into it for the AI Visualizer right now, but for very regular patterns like this you might want to use a purpose-built pattern generator. I know you do not want half-height or broken bricks at random in your walls normally.
Hi Dave,
Just looking at the options you selected and wondering why you didn't select the checkbox "Enable seamless tiling"? If it's not used for this, what is it used for?
I have tried making seamless textures in the visualizer before without much success. Ironically, seamless tiling textures are one of the few uses I can see for AI in regular use.
Kevin
-
1
-
-
Edit the polyline using Command [. Select the interior void polylines and either copy or cut them depending upon the desired outcome. Exit the polyline edit mode. Paste in place. Change the colour of the polylines.
Kevin
-
1
-
-
10 hours ago, Luxedavid said:
I'm trying to use a rounded rectangle to crop a viewport in one of my sheets, but every time I drag out the size, the corners change from rounded to straight as shown in the picture attached, even though its still showing in the basic tools that I do still have the rounded rectangle selected.
It worked fine when I did a test. What's the corner diameter? For a viewport crop, the corner diameter will need to be big enough to show in the scale of the viewport. I suspect that making the corner diameter much bigger will solve the issue.
Kevin
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
7 hours ago, line-weight said:My next renewal is a little while off but this is what I have just been sent by my UK retailer:
It's fairly clear that the final off-ramp for the option to own perpetual licences is now being built.
I received this email from Vectorworks today too. I would guess eventually their pricing will align with Autodesk.
At the rate they're going they will price themselves out of the entertainment market I work in. Fees aren't big enough to cover a Vectorworks subscription and pay yourself.
It's funny to me they still use the Buy Now button on their website. It should really say Rent Now.
Kevin
-
8
-
17 hours ago, cberg said:
Doesn't the view VW2025 Onscreen View Control Cube address this issue?
I'm pretty used to using VW on a laptop trackpad when I need to. The View Control Cube helps facilitate projection views and simple rotations. You can always assign the flyover tool to a key that's easy to reach on the laptop keyboard.
All workarounds. If you don't have a middle mouse button there is no temporary way to invoke the Flyover tool. In your example you're still activating the Flyover tool and disrupting your workflow. The View Control Cube is good but still means an extra mouse move to access it. And how about translating in and out? Basic tool-less navigation is not baked in like any other 3d program.
Kevin
-
1
-
Purge Filtering
in Wishlist - Feature and Content Requests
Posted
Upvoted your wish.
KM