Kevin McAllister

The easiest way to get a snap point that is on the ellipse is to cross it with a horizontal line through the furthest right or left point. With the ellipse and the line crossing you can use the Snap to Intersection to find your snap point. Keep in mind that the point is only as accurate as your placement of the horizontal through the extreme point.... As far as I know there is no exact method for doing what you want... and the rotated ellipse is really only an approximation of the perspective. You may get a better arc shape by creating a custom polyline. Kevin

I have had a similar workflow on projects. I have found that its more about managing what you're importing and exporting. I would suggest building a test file and swapping your layers and classes (ie. everything you would normally put on a layer, make a class, and vice versa). I have had fairly good luck working this way when exchanging files using DWG. It can also be helpful to limit the number of classes you are importing/exporting after the initial exchange. I tend to only send or import changed items from then on. One of the best things about using classes for import/export of DWG is the ability to add a prefix to the imported classes. If you uses this consistently, then layers from a given consultant can easily be grouped. Its a bit of a different mindset from layers, but it actually works better in many respects, especially if you do anything at all in 3D. Also I recommend using a viewer to check what you are exporting. I have been using the Solidworks viewer to look at exported DWG files. Its free and works well. Hope this helps, Kevin

How are you trying to open the MCD files they sent (double-clicking or File>Open from the menu)? I have had instances where you need to force them open using File>Open because double-clicking doesn't work. Kevin

JBC, Thanks for catching that. Its good to know it was only operator error :-) Kevin

After thinking about this thread again, I went back and checked an anomaly a shop discovered on one of my own drawings. I think there actually may be a scale bug affecting sheet layer Viewports. Here is my example in both PDF and VWX formats. The Viewports are the same scale and true views, yet the dimensions are different. Both Viewports look at a single 3D model so things should be the same. Kevin

I'm not seeing a scale problem either. When I open the file, the viewport is in 3/16" scale. I also checked the viewport scale manually by comparing some dimensions. Perhaps you could post a PDF of the sheet layer that shows the anomaly. It may be helpful if you added a signature to your profile that details your version of Vectorworks as well as the system you're running it on. Kevin

The Viewport reads as 3/16ths when I click on it. This may just be a case of confusion between the Drawing Label and the Viewport. Someone has over-ridden the automatic scale function of the Drawing Label. Proper practice would be to put the Drawing Label in the Annotations of the Viewport and have the scale set to "numbers only" or "scale label" in the drop down menu. If set up this way, the Drawing Label scale will automatically update when the Viewport scale is changed. Kevin

It should be noted that you don't need to trim your overlapping rectangles before using Add Surface..... K

Ray's method is interesting because it gives you individual control of each segment and it can easily be combined into a polygon using the paint bucket mode of the polygon tool. I think the real point here is its next to impossible to do a good tracing the first time using the polyline tool directly because its not very intuitive. It is possible to get a good shape after the fact by using the reshape tool. All of these options still require significantly more steps than it would take using the tools in Illustrator..... Kevin

This would be brilliant. I agree that the learning curve for this task in Vectorworks is steep. Kevin

Tom, You may be specifically looking for architectural schools. I know there are a fair number of Theatre/Exhibit programs around that teach Vectorworks. Here in Vancouver I know of three specifically - University of British Columbia Department of Theatre Douglas College Stagecraft Program Langara College Display & Design Program Kevin

I think I would just make it a two separate multiple extrudes - the top shape to the middle shape and the middle shape to the bottom shape. That way you can easily use the handles in a side view to reshape each section as needed. If you them to behave as one piece, add the solids. That way there is a full history. Kevin

When I was working on the Olympics, we had specific practices in place for tracking digital design documents. Two suggestions that may help in your case: - make up a basic drawing release form and have him sign it before sending the files. It would basically state that the intellectual property is yours and that you are releasing it for a specific purpose (ie. tendering). You don't need to make a big deal, just state its standard company practice. - use the watermark feature of the full version of Acrobat to custom watermark drawing sets for individual contractors who are tendering. It only takes a minute to do but allows you to track an individual PDF back to its owner if there are problems later on. We made the watermark quite large but mostly transparent, placing it diagonally across the page, and used the individual/company name and the date as the watermark. Kevin

I agree Tobias. I actually Bug-Submitted the issue with the Sheet Title column a few weeks back. Benson, I suspect that while people may react if the user interface were overhauled completely, things do need to change for them to get better. Ultimately some people are already making that choice by learning a new interface in a new program. I would rather learn a new interface in an existing program first... Kevin

I have done this by exporting to Rhino and back with good success. I used the IGES format for the exports. This would be a great thing to add to Vectorworks. Kevin

I have always wondered why there isn't an online translation resource. Upload your old file and get emailed a link to your converted file. I can't imagine it would be hard to do and would save all of us long time users from having to have older systems (ie. Classic Mac OS) to translate certain versions). Kevin

I agree. Better sorting in of both Viewports and Sheet Layers would be great. And fix the double naming of Viewports that has been created by the drawing co-ordination feature added in 2010. It should of been implemented with a check box allowing the use of the Viewport name as the drawing name, not by introducing a whole other name field, especially when the PDF bookmark option uses the Viewport name. Too many things to name in big files.... especially when its double entry. Kevin

Here's what Rhino is doing for the iPad/iPhone platform - http://www.irhino3d.com/en/ KM

Donald, I think you'll find the boxes are created because the Draw Edges option is turned on for OpenGL rendering. If you are looking for objects with outlines in a Sheet Layer Viewport, try using OpenGL with Draw Edges turned off for your Background Render and Hidden Line for your Foreground Render. I've attached an image as an example. The Draw Edges option can be turned off for a Viewport by clicking the Background Render Settings button in the Object Info Palette while a Viewport is selected. If you are working in a design layer, it can be turned off in the menus under View>Rendering>OpenGL Options Hope this helps, Kevin

After a long time of being a Vectorworks champion (since Minicad 5), I am finding myself starting to agree. I have just completed an entire project based on a 3D workflow and using Sheet Layers to detail it. I've used many architectural tools (ie. walls) that I've never spent much time with in the past. While I think the workflow has great merit, the number of frustrations I've encountered have been greater than ever before. With tools that feel ill thought out or incomplete, a disorganized interface, a few bugs, and too many workarounds now part of the workflow, I'm beginning to look around to see what else is out there. It's very disheartening and frankly it should just work. My two cents.... Kevin

Gregory, You can do something like you describe using the Split Tool (it looks like an Exacto knife) using the third mode, Trim by Line. It will cut through various types of objects, including 3D. Kevin

With the line selected choose Modify>Drafting Aids>Line into Segments KM

Ok, so here's a discovery that was new to me, so I thought I would share it. If you give the Pen of a 3D object a pattern, it will appear as though the line is dashed or dotted. The result can vary somewhat depending on your render mode. I've posted an image and a sample file as well. I am rendering in Hidden Line Kevin

Thanks Pat. I will submit it. Cheers, Kevin

I agree that its all a bit confusing. I must admit I've never used the Join menu command. I use Compose and Decompose all the time. It is especially useful for joining Nurbs curves in 3d. I also use the surface (add, intersect, subtract) constantly. It feels like there could be some house cleaning to streamline things (ie. add surface and add solids could (and should) be the same command by adding 2d/3d awareness). In the vain of this thread, I found: Trim (Menu command) Join (Menu command) Compose Decompose Trim (Tool) Connect/Combine (Tool) Split (Tool) which all perform related functions to lines. As I said before, Vectorworks has unfortunately become the Microsoft Excel of the CAD world. Powerful features hidden by an out of control interface. Kevin