Keith W

It's a split-level house, and I want to do a stair section that is actually an overlay of 3 different sections, in order to get the right depth to show all of the stairs. I couldn't think of any other way to do it. That's a big part of what I was talking about. Very helpful, I didn't realize you could do that. It would be cool if there were a way to deselect from there... I can't find any further info about that feature in the Help. Is there any more to it? It seems that there's a button to select "all" versus "one" object info edit mode, and that enables the next/previous selection buttons... Thanks for pointing this out. Keith

Thanks, that makes sense. What about the more general question, when things are stacked on top of each other, and it's either difficult to figure out where they are (in layers) and/or they are all in the same class. Is there any way to select from amongst a bunch of stacked objects?

I have a couple things that have been bugging me conceptually, and occasionally get it my way. If I've got similar objects stacked on top of each other (say, three identically-cropped viewports), all in the same class and on the same layer, is there any way to select one or another? I end up changing their classes in order to hide them and select others, but it's very tedious... I suppose send to back might work too... There's no way to puck from a list of stacked objects or anything like that, right? Similarly, I find myself wanting to know the class/layer of objects that aren't on the current layer sometimes, and I can't figure out any easy way to do that. Any thoughts? Thanks!

I hope you get some answers to this question -- I'll be interested in hearing other's thoughts! I'm a newbie, but why would you save the sheet view you'd created as a viewport on a design layer (thereby creating a DLVP)? Seems to me you'd either start with a DLVP on a new design layer, adjust the view etc, then create a SLVP from that. Or perhaps just create a SLVP and adjust that directly? I guess I'm missing the subtleties... Keith

Wow, what a great thread this has become! I'm a bit confused: Vincent was asking about creating two DLVPs with different views on the same design layer. It sounds like that is impossible? However (just to state the obvious), I could create the DLVPs on different design layers, and then insert SLVP's of each on a single sheet, for the purpose of printed output... keith

Ok, I think it's an optical illusion. It's incredibly convincing though. Wow. Never mind. It has to do with turning the model over and spinning it and turning it back. My mind loses track of the orientation, and so as long as it is in wireframe, there are two interpretations and my mind settles on the wrong one. Then when it renders in hidden line, I'm shocked. It's actually pretty neat.

I've done this so many times and it still never fails to amaze me. Let's say I've got several layers, walls/roofs etc. I stack layers, select flyover, and flip the image around a few times. If I rotate it just so, it "flips" itself such that it has mirrored itself horizontally. Now I can continue flipping it around, and it remains mirrored (that is, a dormer that was drawn on the right is now on the left). Eventually I will flip it just so and it will unmirror, and return to it's proper configuration. I have done this in many different drawing files, and I always stare at it in disbelief for 5 minutes, so I'm quite sure it really happens... Is this a known bug? Anyone else see this? Keith

Whew! Thanks so much to everyone for all the clarifications. I think I've had my fill for the moment, time to go "back to the drawing board" and mull all this over. I think this has helped clarify things for me. I really appreciate everyone's help and insight. Keith

Hmm, thanks Vincent. Maybe I didn't understand something: why did you say "Layer linking doesn't allow layers moving in relation to one another"? Are the layers locked with respect to each other in a way that is not true in DLVPs? Also, I think I'm understanding one source of my confusion: when you create a DLVP or SLVP, I believe, the layers are AUTOMATICALLY "stacked", so most of my comments about stacked layers are sort of not pertinent... at least that's how it appears to me. k

Thanks Mike: actually, I never edited any class list. I THINK stack layers applied the current-layer-class-visibility to all the stacked layers, and then didn't restore them, so everything was a mess. Fascinating... Keith

Oops: apparently most if not all of the problem had to do with my simultaneous experiments with Stacked Views, and so now I've checked the "restore original views after unstacking", and I suspect the problem will go away. Never mind... Keith

I'm just beginning to play with DLVPs. I created one on an empty layer, turned on a bunch of layers on it, and (I think) they inherited the class visibility of the layer. But then I went to the various design layers I'd made visible, and apparently they had been modified by this action: their class visibility was changed, and their views were changed (I'd changed from Plan to Front in the DLVP). Am I hallucinating, or is that supposed to happen, or what? It doesn't really make sense to me, it seems to negate most of their value... perhaps I just need to flip a switch somewhere... Thanks for any help. Keith

Isn't Vectorbits' Level Dimension superseded or duplicative of the elevation benchmark tool? keith

Well, I THINK I knew all that about viewports, but I'm new enough that I may be missing a subtlety you're all trying to explain. I am trying to make sense of an argument a more experienced user was making for layer links over DLVPs, so perhaps I'm missing some part of the picture, or perhaps he was. Is it possible to select and edit objects (from multiple layers) in layer links in ways that one can not do in DLVPs? I think that's what it boils down to... For example: if I had two objects in two different layers, and I liked their z-axis relationship to eachother, but I wanted to move them into some relationship with an object on a third layer... Keith

Yes, I think the dimensions and polygon issues you mention are the type of issues I'm talking about. I guess it has to do with stack layers, not really layer linking and DLVPs... or, was it easier to do such things with linked layers than stacked layers? Maybe that's the question I'm getting at. k

Still new, still learning... I was talking with a more experienced user the other day, who said he didn't like and didn't use stacked layers often, because it didn't offer some of the advantages of layer links: the ability to dimension and thereby move things more precisely and understand spatial relationships better (the example given was running ductwork in a house). Furthermore: I notice that layer links aren't completely "supported" in Designer, but you can convert design layer viewports to layer links, so it seems like they are still available... I'd be very interested in any clarifications or opinions. I'd also be interested in hearing any related work habits/preferences. Keith

Thanks Chad! 1)ok 2) yes, except that it seems like ballusters always have to continue to the ground with the handrail tool. In my world, ballusters stop at the bottom rail (or at least above the ground) about 80% of the time. 3) Thanks for clarification, I'd read something to that effect shortly after I wrote this... But since I'm not yet really rendering, I'm not too familiar with textures etc. In due time... Thanks for your help! Keith

If I want to create a roof over part of a floor (for example a building that has a smaller second floor, or a porch or something), and there is therefor NOT a closed set of walls... I think I can: 1) create a polygon where I want the roof, and then "create roof" there and adjust, or 2) create a polygon and use it to create a "roof face". Are there other and/or better options?

I'm new to VW, so maybe I'll change my mind (or maybe I've missed something), but... I like the drop-down select list for walls, and the way it gathers currently-used walls at the top. I would like it more if there were hierarchical levels ("folders") available within the list: i.e. one might create external/internal, or even ext.wood/ext.masonry/ext.SIP/int.wood/int.cob etc. This same multi-level organization would be nice for resources too, which get a little unfindable when dumped into only two levels of organization. Similarly, it would be REALLY NICE to have windows and doors like the wall tool, with a drop-down list to pick from, those currently used at top (optionally in a folder, for big files with too many currently-used) and multiple levels of organization (why limit the levels?). If I've been less than clear, please ask questions. Keith

Thanks: I think I'm too broke for Windoor for the moment, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the suggestion Peter Keith

I don't see how to do this, nor does it appear to be mentioned in the manual, or here on the forums. Again, am I missing something? Thanks! k

These are for permit & construction drawings. I guess you're talking about 2-d representations, which is certainly a starting point, but I am inclined towards 3-d modelling, so I can do sections, etc. easily. So I think you're suggesting importing or referencing a pdf or cad file, and then tracing it... Am I missing anything? Keith

I'm still early on the learning curve... I need some railings. Pretty simple. I can use the straight handrail tool, and sorta get something a little ok. But it leaves me a mess'o'questions... First, is this the best I can do short of creating my own custom railings? I looked through the included resources and didn't see any railings. Second: if I wanted to create my own, how would I go about that? I'm sorry for such a general question, a general answer will suffice for the moment... Would one model it piece by piece, then create a symbol? Would you do it in a separate file, assuming it might be something you're going to use again, or is there no real advantage to that (since you can share resources amongst all files...) Third, if I use the handrail tool, how do I assign materials/textures etc. to the various pieces? Fourth, with the handrail tool, I can pick amongst many styles of top rail, uprights, and intermediate rails, but they are simply identified as style 1, style 2, etc. Do I have to try each one individually, or is there some way to get some idea of what these all are? I'll stop there, since I could probably go on and on. Though these Q's are about handrails, I am (obviously) still figuring out basics about the program, so I'm pretty sure that these answers will help me much more broadly. In any case, thanks for your help. I THINK I've watched every tutorial, etc. that there is, but I am a professional forgetter, so if you want to point me to some resource I might have missed or forgotten, feel free. Sorry for the long post. Keith

Duh. Thanks. Great!

So when I'm turning layer's visibility on and off in the Navigation pane, and changing the active layer, the visible layers keep being grouped at the bottom of the list. This results in all kinds of annoying things, like selecting the wrong layer because they rearrange themselves between double-clicks and such things. Is there some way to turn this off? Or am I missing something obvious?