Kevin McAllister

In tracing complex curved shapes, its often easier to rough it in and then refine it using the reshape tool. The various vertex types behave differently than many other programs and take a fair amount of practice to get consistent results. When adding and subtracting surfaces, extraneous and overlapping points are often introduced, especially where curved segments meet straight segments. Kevin

If your ellipse can be drawn with the arc method, you could try using a curved wall for each segment. KM

Same problems as Christiaan. KM

I noticed this too. Very annoying. I submitted it as a bug through my distributor and would encourage you to do the same. KM

Nice model, though I would tend to agree with Guy that its not particularly complex. (And I was reminded how bad "draw edges" looks in open GL when I opened your file however.....) Kevin

Perhaps there is something in your geometry that the export routine doesn't like. If you create a simple file (ie. an extruded cube) will it export ok to IGES? You could try posting your file here for someone else to try. Kevin PS. Maybe add a signature to your profile that describes your system and Vectorworks version. Click on My Stuff at the top of the forum page. Are you running the latest Service Pack?

I just did a test of the IGES export in VW2013 and it seems to work fine so its likely a problem with your file. A couple of things you could check - - are you on an empty layer? I think IGES only exports the active layer. - do you have 3D geometry? I think IGES only exports 3D geometry. 2D geometry gets discarded. - you may need to be in a 3D view. I know this was true of some export settings in older versions and is probably likely if your objects are hybrid. Kevin

This thread has gotten confusing. If you use Command Shift 4 (Capture by Marquee), release the keys and then drag the crosshair to capture there would normally be no problem. If that's not working, that's a whole different problem. You can certainly change the screen grab key combination on your Mac if you want to, but it shouldn't be necessary to solve the problem in the original example image. Kevin

Works fine in 2013 for me too. KM

Are you sure you're using Command, Shift 4 (Capture by Marquee) and not Command, Shift 3 (Capture Full Screen)? Once the crosshairs appear after pressing Command, Shift 4 you can let go of the keys you're holding. The shortcuts switch back to text and you can drag around the area you want to capture. KM

Yes! This is a must. KM

Ed, This thread answers your question - http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=180600#Post180600 KM

I would approach it using NURBS curves, most likely using the "Revolve with Rail" command (Model Menu>3D Powerpack>Revolve with Rail). The command requires 3 objects - - a vertical NURBS "curve" (I put curve in quotes because its actually a straight line converted to NURBS or a NURBS curve drawn using a degree of one which means its straight) - a rail curve, in your example the oval converted to a NURBS curve - a profile curve which could be your existing profile you used for the sweep, also converted to a NURBS. Centre the vertical axis in your oval, align your profile with the axis and the edge of your oval and choose the menu command. Select the axis, profile and rail in that order. Kevin

Now that's really interesting to know. I always assumed that when I changed the 3D conversion res value, all the 3D objects in a file were rebuilt using the new value. Am I wrong in assuming this is what it does? I didn't know it directly affected a value that once set, never changed again automatically. This leads me to a wish for the sweep, a check box that says "adjust dynamically to reflect 3D conversion res value". Just as Michael, I would never use a segment value less than 5 or 10 degrees. Kevin

When using the sweep command, be very aware of the segment angle. Vectorworks sets it to a very small angle, making a sweep very resource heavy. A small segment angle may be necessary for very large diameter sweeps, but more often than not you can get away with a larger sweep angle, saving you valuable processing power. KM

I've been struggling to get some hidden line rendered sheet layer viewports to render in a project file. The project has some decorative gates with a fair amount of detail but I haven't had any slowdowns while working with it in the design layers. After many failed attempts at rendering the viewports (Vectorworks crashing, I assume because I was impatient and crossed in and out of Vectorworks) I sent the file to my Vectorworks distributor to see how to solve the problem. They took at look at the file and gave me some ideas on how to make it more efficient and told me when they had left the viewports rendering for a long time they would actually render. As part of my exchange with them, they asked about the processing power of my machine. I was reminded I have a top of the line Retina Display Macbook Pro - top processor, maxed out memory, solid state drive. I realized I was being asked to simplify my file so that it can render yet three of the four cores of my processor sit idle while rendering a hidden line viewport. The failure in this equation is not on my end, but on Nemetzchek's end. Five years after implementing a new modelling core they still don't support modern chip architecture. I must admit it seems ridiculous even to me. My old Macbook Pro that I retired in October had two cores and it was made in 2008. I feel like the failure to use all the processing power available should now be considered a bug. I will be bug submitting it for Vectorworks 2013 and I would encourage others to do the same. This needs to change and is more important than any other improvement that can possibly be made to Vectorworks. Kevin

I'm sure its off by default because it doesn't exist in Fundamentals. That said, I agree with Alan H, why would I ever turn it off. Kevin

I would like a better array of STL output options. I have had issues with the STL files exported by VW2013 causing errors in the slicing software for my Makerbot 3D printer (bug submitted). In doing some research I found that FormZ 7 has an array of really good options for exporting to STL that show a great understanding of how these files are used. I wish that Nemetzchek would put the same care and attention into their STL export option. Kevin

Ha ha I totally agree. Peter, I think Joerg is referring to the sticky posts at the top of various forums. The first announces Vectorworks 2012 SP1, the second Vectorworks Viewer 2011, and the third is an FAQ. Kevin

I did as well, in various font formats. I used to regularly include the font when I sent drawings to be printed at service bureaus and never had problems. The main weakness is that Cloud Services is entirely PC based. I would guess almost every user that has trouble is Mac based. KM

I agree. I never could get the font I use to work with Cloud Services. I've used it for years making Cloud Services almost useless. KM

I don't think Callouts can have their class defined by the VS Editor... KM

I've had good luck in the past going back and forth between VW and Rhino using IGES files. Recently some one sent me a Rhino file to work with and I tried the Rhino import in 2013. I ended up using the IGES instead. KM

The perspective crop toggle added in VW2013 should automatically turn on cropping when editing a camera view and then restore to its previous setting when done. This applies to editing a camera view attached to a sheet layer viewport or when you choose "Fine Tune Camera View" in the OIP while a camera is selected. Kevin

If you hit undo after moving a group of sheet layer viewports around on a sheet they need to be updated?!? I agree with all of MichaelK's observations, they often need updating for no reason at all. I have seen weirdness after a batch PDF export in 2013. Once it piled all of the viewports from all of the sheet layers visually on top of each other in their wireframe form. When I refreshed the view, all of them disappeared again except the ones on the current sheet layer. There is something not right about the update viewport command in 2013, but I haven't seen anything repeatable to Bugsubmit. I actually wish there was an Update Viewports on Current Sheet command. Kevin