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Kevin McAllister

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Posts posted by Kevin McAllister

    3D Modelling - Other than Architecture?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I am curious to hear how others are using Vectorworks for 3D modelling in non-architectural applications. I have been following the various threads here about Vectorworks vs. Revit, the quality of Vectorworks as a freeform modeller, BIM and Vectorworks etc. for a while now and have some concerns about the perceived future of Vectorworks.

    I have been using Vectorworks since Minicad 5. At the time, I chose it for various reasons, not the least of which was its design intuitiveness. I would say its design based approach has gotten lost in the complexity (clutter) of the last few versions, though Vectorworks 2010 does get marks for pushing back in that direction.

    I work in the Entertainment Industry where every project is unique and different. The things I design live within architecture but are not architecture. I have experimented with most of the tools in Vectorworks (I am running Designer w/Renderworks) and more recently completed a project where I pushed the limits of the 3D modelling in terms of tools and shapes. I would say there are a few key things that I would like the future of Vectorworks to hold:

    Interoperability - On my most recent project, I interacted daily with a technical department using Autocad, visualization being done with 3D Studio Max. Photoshop and Maya, and projection and lighting departments using various versions of Vectorworks. I interacted with Rhino for some more difficult modelling challenges that Vectorworks couldn't handle. Many of our subcontractor were using other products including Solidworks and Cinema 4D.

    Object Consistency - Treat all objects equally. Unified view is a step in the right direction, but it needs to be seamless, not just another layer of record keeping. All objects (lines, shapes, images, dimensions, text, gradients, hatches) need to be either screen plane or 3D.

    Powerful modelling - look at the likes of other 3D modellers that are appearing. The Parasolid core needs to be fully implemented and leveraged, even at the demise of legacy tools. I have been experimenting with Cinema 4D. Imagine Vectorworks with Cinema 4D quality freeform modelling tools while keeping its own 2D drafting/detailing toolset and graphic presentation capabilities.

    Unified interface - No more tools or menu commands. So many things are duplicated. Design the interface for efficiency. Combine tools and functions so they are accessed with Control/Option/Command/Shift modifiers, not new tools. Other packages have boiled down to the basics - Move, Scale, Rotate - and the many variations there of. Work on the core first as it will benefit all of the Industry series.

    I suspect this may be a unique view of the Vectorworks future because non-architectural users are the minority, but I thought I would at least start the discussion.

    Kevin

    Center of a Triangle

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    My understanding is Vectorworks doesn't see triangles as triangles but rather as polygons. The centre you snap to is actually the centre of the bounding box for the "polygon". Try rotating the triangle and you'll see the "centre" moves.

    I would agree that the true centre is found using the bisectors as you've shown in your second example. I have also used Model>Engineering Properties to place a locus at the centre of objects. It seems to work in the case of your triangle.

    Kevin

    3D views

    in Entertainment

    Posted

    As Michael says, you need to switch on Unified View (called Stacked Layers in versions earlier than VW2010). It can be found under the View menu or in the first row of the mode bar at the top of the screen. I have attached an image of the icon.

    For it to work properly, all of the layers you want to see need to be in the same scale and you need to select Show others, Show/Snap Others or Show/Snap/Modify Others from the Layer Options menu (Also under View or at the top of the Navigation Palette).

    Please consider adding a signature to your Community Board profile (above under My Stuff->Edit Profile which includes your system setup and version of Vectorworks.

    Kevin

    Why does Vworks 2010 not show page breaks

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    I believe there is a checkbox to turn this on and off under Page Setup. (Its there in VW 2009, I don't have VW2010 on the machine I'm sitting at so I can't confirm for 2010.)

    Choose a Sheet Layer in the Navigation Palette, right click and choose Edit, then click Page Setup. This setting is custom for each individual Sheet Layer.

    KM

    Lock Proportions

    in Wishlist - Feature and Content Requests

    Posted

    Certainly you can hold down Shift to constrain proportions (I use it all the time), but it doesn't give you the accuracy of the Object Info Palette.

    On the topic of using shift, it would be nice if adding Option always scaled around the centre point of an object (try it, it works with a rectangle as an example, but not an octagon).

    KM

    Lock Proportions

    in Wishlist - Feature and Content Requests

    Posted · Edited by Kevin McAllister
    Added tags

    I would like the ability to lock/unlock an objects proportions in the Object Info Palette much like you can in Illustrator. This option should default on for imported images. Then you could enter an x dimension and have the y change in proportion. It would also be useful for all sorts of geometric objects, both 2D and 3D.

    This functionality already exists for Image Props with the Lock Aspect Ratio checkbox.

    KM

    • Like 2

    3d component of symbols disappearing

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have had similar problems with 3D symbols. It often seems to happen when things are "nested" (when I say nested, I am referring to anything that you double click on to edit. I would consider extrudes nested, as are things like solid additions/subtractions and groups). Do the culprit symbols behave the same way if you convert the extrudes to generic solids?

    Kevin

    Section/Vertical Scale

    in Site Design

    Posted

    I am guessing the "vertical scale" you are creating is a grouping of 2D objects you have created on the screen plane while working in an elevation view (front, back, left, right) on the design layers. This may not get you what you want. Dimensions, text and other notations are not 3D objects and live in the screen plane. They can be transferred to the new layer plane of VW2010, but they will not display as you expect.

    When on the sheet layer, make sure that "project screen objects" and "display planar objects" are checked for your viewport. You'll probably find that your 2D "vertical scale" that you drew doesn't display the way you expected. You are better off to mark vertical dimensions and references using annotations for your viewport. Double click (or right click) on the viewport and choose annotations. Anything you draw in the annotations area will be in scale with your viewport.

    HTH,

    Kevin

    Drafting overview question

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    My guess is that you're drawing something other than architectural work. Your workflow is much like in my field, set and exhibit design, where each individual element is detailed on its own and also shown together in context.

    The symbol approach will work for you but can become unmanageable if you have a lot of individual elements. I have often wished that you could choose an individual symbol from the layer pull down of a viewport, much like the symbol becomes a "layer" when you edit it. It would make detailing individual symbols very easy.

    With exhibits I've found that I put each individual exhibit area on its own layer, much like Vectorworks encourages architects to put each floor on its own layer. That way I can still use classes for object types (ie. graphics, display cases etc.). By turning the layers on and off in various viewports I can get all the required views of a given exhibit area without other objects in the overall gallery obstructing them.

    With my set work, I organize by classes instead, since there would never be a need to turn off all the doors or individual elements. Each scenic element would have a class. In this instance there would be very few layers, perhaps one for the theatre architecture, on for the lighting, and one for the set.

    What type of application are you drawing for? It may help others give you their own perspective.

    Cheers,

    Kevin

    3D Crop

    in Wishlist - Feature and Content Requests

    Posted · Edited by Kevin McAllister

    Imagine that the existing shape you want to crop is a complete model that is referenced in or an existing symbol that you want to crop part of away without actually editing the symbol.

    As you say, there are work arounds that actually involve working directly with the object you want to crop. I am suggesting a bigger picture sort of approach. One could always crop Sheet Layer Viewport items on a Design Layer by masking them, but most people wouldn't choose too.....

    The more I think about it, it is somewhat like an interactive 3D section or cutaway.

    KM

    3D Crop

    in Wishlist - Feature and Content Requests

    Posted

    I think that a way to crop in a 3D model would be immensely useful. Either directly in a model or in a 3D design layer viewport. Essentially creating a 3D masking shape and doing the equivalent to a Solid Subtraction. I often find myself wanting to experiment with options that involve cutting away to add new design elements. The crop would want to be able to be turned on/off via classes.

    (I guess ultimately the behavior would be like objects that cut holes into walls.)

    KM

    Section viewport bug or what?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I've often encountered this with section viewports. In the end of drawn over the offending bits in the viewport annotations, which is a terrible work around.

    I have experimented a bit and I think some of these problems occur when sectioned objects are grouped in one or more layers of grouping (ie. a group within a group). This "grouping" issue affects some rendering modes as well, displaying extra lines etc.. I've never reported it as a bug because its very random and hard to isolate.

    Kevin

    Extra lines in OpenGL

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Its all in the method of constructing the 3D model. Instead of slicing holes in the shape and then extruding it you need to create all the shapes in 3D including the holes and then do a solid subtraction. This will create the same shapes without the lines. For whatever reason the lines only appear in OpenGL.

    KM

    A bit of a Vectorworks Newbie Needing Advice

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Very true. When you work with Vectorworks, it helps to think of most 2D objects as surfaces, not as collections of lines and curves. This way of working is what sets Vectorworks apart from Autocad.

    I would suggest going back to your base three objects and giving them all a very visible fill or hatch. You will see they are three distinct objects and don't form a surface. Join them together using the Compose menu command as Mike suggests and then extrude. You could also use the Paint Bucket mode of the Polygon Tool to create a shape within the boundaries you've drawn, and then extrude that.

    You can edit your existing shape but double clicking on the bottom object, and then double clicking on the extrude. This will take you back to your base shapes.

    KM

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