Kevin McAllister

Not coming from an architectural background, I'd be curious to know a little more about your architectural workflow. Are all of you primarily working in 2D or 3D? Are you dimensioning in 3D? Over the last year I've moved to a full 3D workflow. My dimensioning almost exclusively is done in sheet layer viewports. I think I would find dimensions in the design layers in the way. Cheers, Kevin

I would save a copy of the file to work with. Using that I would toggle the Save Viewport Cache checkbox off in the Document Preferences. Resave, close and re-open the document. Then try updating the section viewport. Often dumping the Viewport Cache shrinks the file and solves some viewport regenerating issues. What rendering mode are you using to render the section viewport? I often set problematic viewports back to wireframe while testing. Kevin

The easiest way to actually import layers from another file is using the new layer dialog - - In the layer dialog, select New. - choose Import Design Layers, select Choose and navigate to the file you want to import layers from. - choose the layers - make sure the Import Layer Objects checkbox is checked - hit OK Your chosen layers will be imported into your file. Kevin

I entirely agree with Christiaan here. I have been using Vectorworks for a similar amount of time and for years I've been a strong advocate. Now there are so many other user friendly packages at a comparable or cheaper price point. The competition may not have the complete overall package yet but its not far off. Vectorworks has unfortuately become a collection of old technology, half implemented ideas, user workarounds and beta versions. Kevin

If you're using the drawing label on a sheet layer, you need to put it into the Annotations "layer" of the Sheet Layer Viewport. If you double click on the Viewport the edit options should come up, choose Annotations. Alternately you can right click on a Viewport and choose Edit Annotations. The drawing label is designed to show the scale of its current layer. The annotations "layer" is the same scale as the Viewport it is connected to so it shows the correct scale. Hope this helps. Kevin

Their website gives you all info you need - http://www.pinkincdesign.com/pdfs/Pink_Specs_StdWW.pdf I would download and import the PDF into Vectorworks (File>Import>Import PDF). You don't say what version you are running so this may not be possible. You might consider adding a signature to your forum profile detailing your Vectorworks version and setup (Under My Stuff at the top of the forum page). If you scale the PDF to the right size it gives you everything you need to build one. Someone also posted this link yesterday which visually shows a variety of implementations of the various lofting and NURBS tools - http://www.youtube.com/user/Archimodul Essentially you want to create three curves in 3D, as Jonathan describes and use the Loft Surface tool. You will need to use the second mode (Loft with one rail). Select the spine first, then the top and bottom curves. Note that it will not work if the top and bottom NURBS curves are not going in the same directions (Object Info Palette when the NURBS curve is selected, check the Show Direction checkbox to show the arrows and the Switch Direction button to change the direction of a NURBS). See the attached. Good luck, Kevin

Yes, this would be awesome. I almost wrote a wish for dividers the other day. It would also be great if groups of layered classes could be opened and closed in the Navigation Palette, expanding or contracting the list. KM

The challenge is the cycle through key in the instance I am describing needs to be defined as a left hand key. I almost never use the U key because of this (and for some reason I've never reassigned it either). Part of an efficient interface is not having to continually remove your hand from the mouse.... Perhaps Tab as it currently is cycles through the Heads Up Display, CMD Tab or Option Tab to cycle through the tool options.... Kevin

I ultimately think a combination of things are needed to clean up the interface. I can definitely see multi-key shortcuts being part of that. Other programs also allow an index of tools and commands to pop up by hitting a hot key and then the letter of the alphabet. Or favourite tools by right clicking or another hot key. But I also think the tool options in the mode bar should pop up next to the tool, much like the heads up data display, so you can cycle through them using tab (should be the right click in my opinion). Direct, visual. Like the attached image. So you can quickly change the number of duplicates etc. just as you would anything else in the heads up display. KM

A great wish. Look at the implementation in Cinema 4D or the new FormZ beta 7. Simpler, fast and more efficient..... that's what's needed. KM

John, The only way I know how to do what you're looking for is with NURBS surfaces or planar surfaces. With NURBS, you can use Stitch and Trim surfaces in the Modelling menu (3D Power Pack I think, my menu is customized) to make the NURBS into a solid once you have all the faces. I have been playing with a beta version of FormZ recently that will do what you want pretty easily. See this wish list thread for examples - http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=163641&Searchpage=1&Main=33196&Words=formZ&Search=true#Post163641 The advantage it has over something like Sketchup is that it is a true solids modeller. I've been playing with a back and forth workflow between it and Vectorworks and things translate pretty seamlessly. If you do a lot of blocked in models it may be worth checking out, especially at the moment as its a free public beta. Let us know how you make out. Cheers, Kevin

It would be great if when it was inserted, the crop object was automatically assigned to a crop object class. KM

Are any of the elements scaled symbols? I've had issues with how they appear in Viewports.... KM

Yes, that's a workaround I use all the time. I am wishing for a proper tool. FormZ essentially adds these elements to a surface as breaks in the object, allowing you the option to push/pull them, texture them differently etc. KM

I would like an "Imprint" tool like the one found in FormZ 7. (Yes, there are work arounds, but a proper tool would be great.) I often find myself wanting to "imprint" 2D lines and curve geometry into the faces of 3D objects. Kevin

Zuken86, What version of Vectorworks are you using? How did you "join" the two arcs together? It seems to work as expected in VW2012. In your case it is actually working but its acting as if the polygon is a closed shape (the circles are evenly spaced around the figure 8 the closed shape creates, the centre circle is actually on the invisible straight path). Kevin

So I think there's an easier way in your situation. Draw each of your rectangles as per your layout. Extrude them all together as one extrude. Map your image texture using planar mapping. You should be able to use the attribute mapping tool to align, scale and rotate your texture. Note that "top" in texture mapping seems to be the plane which you extruded from, not necessarily the top view. Once you have the texture the way you want it you can choose ungroup. Each of your panels will become an individual extrude but the image mapping will hold position so each one will still be the correct piece of the whole image. Kevin

Benson, I used to feel the same way and avoided solid additions, especially multiple additions or subtractions nested into each other. I have found that in the last few versions of Vectorworks solids operations have become much more stable. I too have changed my workflow accordingly. Kevin

I'm not sure that I understand how those things figure into this equation. They should not get in the way of an efficient working environment. If the programming is such that they do, it should be re-written in a modern way. People are interacting with their 3D models on iPads and mobile phones, computing power shouldn't be the issue. I've only scratched the surface of FormZ so I can't tell you its full capabilities (I've noted its shortcoming in presentation above). It does have layers, attributes, accurate size, location, components (symbols), scenes (save views), and an animation timeline. It also has a history of how an object is created. It seems to me in some ways its actually tracking more information about its objects. I also discovered many of these features are available in its little brother Bonzai, which is under $500. It couldn't replace Vectorworks in my workflow but has caused me to want more for my money. FormZ is certainly not alone (Spaceclaim and others have already been mentioned). Compare something like Cinema 4D. The information and parameters it tracks about objects are many, yet modelling is fast and efficient there (though its polygon modelling, not solids modelling like FormZ). My guess is the parasolid engine is capable but much of the legacy code between it and the end user is holding things back. This is a great discussion to have. Ultimately the wish is for Vectorworks to catch up and become competitive. Architecture is only one of many industries that Vectorworks is used in. The base program needs to be competitive in a more broad based way. Kevin

Ultimately my point is Nemetzchek needs to be fearless in jettisoning what doesn't work, fixing the user interface and getting current. I too have been using the beta of FormZ and its so easy to figure out and quite powerful. Its not quite ready for prime time and as far as I can tell it lacks many of the presentation/workflow management tools needed to use it for a full project end to end. If you look at the price point difference, Vectorworks should be all that at the basic level plus so much more. The parasolid engine must be at least as powerful as the 3D engine in FormZ, mustn't it? The challenge in my business is that every project has different needs. I need to model architectural stuff (venues and realistic set pieces), 12m high draped cloth mountains that I can unfold, and the head of a sphinx that I can produce contours for. But I also need the sheet and presentation tools to create detailed drawing sets. Kevin

Bruce, This is exactly why I keep reverting back to working in Screen Plane only. I wish the \ toggle toggled Automatic / Layer / Screen instead of just turning Automatic on and off. It totally is a mess. The screen mode snaps are so much more useful than the 3D snaps which are really only half functional. And of course anyone who worked in 3D before the screen/layer plane addition is totally dependent on these snaps as part of a workflow... Kevin

Some more examples in this second video - http://www.vectorworking.com/video/discover-formz-7-part-2-visualization-rendering-fabrication-and including unfolding, dynamic sections, etc. As a long time Vectorworks user (since Minicad 5) I am starting to feel like we are being left behind as all these other products leap frog ahead in usability. Ironically I found these FormZ videos posted on the Vectorworking page. From them it looks as though it actually could become a Vectorworks competitor at a $1200 price point.... Kevin

Sam, I couldn't agree more. I was fighting with both stair tools earlier today trying to get the result I wanted. Even in the new FormZ beta there is a parametric stair that seems to update instantaneously - It really is time Vectorworks caught up with the crowd.... Kevin

There are some amazing things in this video of the beta version of FormZ 7. I love that they were fearless enough to redesign their interface, clearly something Nemetzchek could learn from. All of the parametrics seem so easily adjustable in real time and in 3D. Imagine a workflow where modelling was this simple and paired with Vectorworks sheet layers and presentation capabilities. Kevin http://www.vectorworking.com/video/discover-formz-7-part-1-parametric-modeling-in-a-modern-interface

A good wish. I was recently able to create a EAP containing multiple object and was surprised that it worked. This may be a new thing in VW 2012. Kevin