[Lighting Accessory Alignment and Changing Device type 2022]

So.  ...You're saying the work around is still needed, but not much longer.  While it is needed, how will it work if I want to anchor a template holder at the nose of the light but inside the symbol graphic and I want to anchor iris at the gate that is not at the insertion point.  I'm assuming 2 loci won't work, because the tool won't know which locus to use for which accessory.  This all being the case, I assume the workaround won't work for more than 1 errant accessory.  Right?  If wrong, how would that work?

[Lighting Accessory Alignment and Changing Device type 2022]

Can you tell us how this would work with more than one accessory attaching to a single light?  Color scroller, Top Hat, and Iris?

 

[List all symbols in Resource Manager]

AutoPlot Tools for Spotlight, www.autoplotvw.com, has such a command.  There is a fully functional 2 month trial period, which should give you time to do the export.  Let me know if you have questions or need help finding the command you need.

[Hoist Data Display]

You can use the old hoists.  They're called "Legacy Hoist" and you have to add them to your workspace with the workspace manager under the "Tools" tab.  Unfortunately, you will need to replace the ones you have already drawn with the legacy hoists

[2021 'Find and Modify' Lighting Accessories]

Doh !!

[2021 'Find and Modify' Lighting Accessories]

I'm sure there is an obvious answer, but I can't think of it.

 

19 minutes ago, mjm said:

Just yesterday I wrestled with attempted to put 2 C-clamps on a lighting device. That did not go well. But maybe someone knows

 

Why would you want to do this?

[2021 'Find and Modify' Lighting Accessories]

The find and modify functionality seems to exist, but I find it very difficult to use, and I have not find a way to select with it unless I want to modify.  I'm willing to admit that I am very set in my ways, and maybe a little dull, but I can't figure out how to do any useful work with accessories and the Spotlight Find and Modify... functionality.  But then, I don't have to; I made my own.

 

BTW, I heartily recommend the Savvy Select Similar Instrument  tool.

[2021 'Find and Modify' Lighting Accessories]

I don't think you can select by accessory type in 2021.  Maybe Kevin Linzey or Jesse Cogdell can enlighten us.

 

You can do it with AutoPlot Tools for Spotlight.  It has a 2 month fully functional trial, so if you can get your task done in 2 months it's a free solution.  Let me know if you want to Zoom and I'll demo it.

[Updating Object Geometry during execution]

Damn!  I've been wanting to know about this for 20 years.

[Data tag text field bidirectional with worksheet]

Pat points out the problem.  How would VW know which number from the Excel sheet goes to which Truss object or Hanging Position?  If you make a database worksheet of the objects typing in the numbers should go pretty fast, but you have a similer problem.  How do you know which number goes with which row?

[Getting started with VWorks SDK 2022]

And people wonder why I don't jump into the SDK.

Moses led the Israelites through the desert for 40 years to kill off the older generation.  I'm feeling like that older generation now.

[Data Manager and assigning records]

Does anyone know answers to the following questions:

1. Can the Data Manager assign records to instances of PIOs already in the drawing?

2. If it can do #1, can it assign the same record to different instances of different PIOs at the same time?

 

Thanks,

 

Sam

[Multicell fixtures in worksheets and datatags]

Don't worry you did not offend.  I just worried about the possible loss of label legentds.

 

On topic:

What multicell fixture did you use, or did you make one?  I would like to play with it.  If there is more than one, pick one.  Thanks.

[Multicell fixtures in worksheets and datatags]

On 12/6/2021 at 1:08 AM, JeroenSnoeijen said:

legacy fixture legends of Vectorworks Spotlight

 

That's a very scary phrase. Since when did Label Legends become "legacy"?  Many thousands of workflows are based on them.  Adjusting individual fields is easier to do than with data tags.  With the right tools, moving graphic edits among selected fixtures is easier than with data tags.  I have know issue with people using data tags instead of Label Legends if it fits their workflow.  I do not know data tags well, but the loss of Label Legends is a truly frightening thought.

[AssociateLinearDimension() does not work. (For me)]

 

16 hours ago, MullinRJ said:

but have you played with AddAssociation()?

 

I have played with AddAssociation with the kOnDeleteDelete and kOnDeleteReset flags in several other commands.  There don't seem to be any other flags that I can find, although I'm sure there are some.  I doubt that there is a flag that would replace  AssociateLinearDimension() routine.

 

The most frustrating thing is that I got AssociateLinearDimension(LNewObj, FALSE); to work 10 days ago.  I have both recreated and retrieved from Time Machine the code from then, and still nothing works.  The example I sent dimensions the selected symbols and PIOs from center, adding an association to each.  Why doen't it work.  I guess I'll submit a bug, but I did get it to work once upon a time.

[AssociateLinearDimension() does not work. (For me)]

Why does the script below not associate the created dimensions with the selected symbols and PIOs

(line 33)

The dimension are created and seem to be correct, but when I select a dimensioned object and move it, the associated dimension does not move with it

I have attached a file that contains the script, "Dimension Test", and selected Lighting Devices to dimension.

 

{Line 1}   PROCEDURE AssociateDims;

TYPE
    AnObject = STRUCTURE
        ObjHdl    :HANDLE;
        X            :REAL;
        Y            :REAL;
    END; {AnObject}
    
VAR
    ObjArray            :ARRAY[1..10] OF AnObject;
    Obj                :HANDLE;
    ObjCount            :INTEGER;
    Index                :INTEGER;
    
BEGIN
    ObjCount := 0;
    Obj := FSActLayer;
    WHILE Obj <> NIL DO                    {Fill ObjArray with selected objects}
        BEGIN
            IF ((GetType(Obj) = 15) | (GetType(Obj) = 86)) THEN
                BEGIN
                    ObjCount := ObjCount + 1;
                    ObjArray[ObjCount].ObjHdl := Obj;
                    GetSymLoc(Obj, ObjArray[ObjCount].X, ObjArray[ObjCount].Y)
                END; {IF ((GetType(Obj) = 15) |}
            Obj := NextSObj(Obj);
        END; {WHILE Obj <> NIL}
    
    FOR Index := 1 TO ObjCount DO    {Place Dimension from X=0 to Object X}
        BEGIN
            LinearDim(0, ObjArray[Index].Y, ObjArray[Index].X, ObjArray[Index].Y, 24, 0, 770, 514, 1);
{line 33} AssociateLinearDimension(LNewObj, FALSE);
        END;
END;
RUN(AssociateDims);

 

 

 

Associate Dimension Test 2021.vwx

[Getting Line Type Names]

"SetLineWeightChoice()" It was a sloppy cut and paste job.  I was always referring to "SetLineTypeChoice()"

 

Critical things I needed to find out.

 

1. "Name2Index('ISO-08 Long Dashed Short Dashed')" would find the index I needed for SetLineTypeChoice()

2. In the expression,

       resList:=BuildResourceList(96,14,'Attributes - Line Types',numLineTypes); 

      The values of "96" (type), "14" (default folder), and 'Attributes - Line Types' (subfolder name) were the values I needed to build the resource list.

3. That I might need to use the negative folder number.

 

When I go back, and look at the appendix, that those were the values needed seems so obvious to be embarrassing.  It would be best if I worked harder to investigate the VS functions that I do not use often, but which become critical for certain functionality.  I could do that, or I could come here and benefit from the good graces of those that peruse this list.  I will try to do more of the former, but I will see you all next time.  It's kind of like copying a friends homework.  It's a little embarrassing, but the dog ate my homework.

 

Thanks all.

[Getting Line Type Names]

Thank you Jesse.  You have answered many questions; some unasked but should have been.

 

[Getting Line Type Names]

I can create a line type choice list box with the "CreateLineStylePopup" VS procedure.  I would like to set the initial selection With the "SetLineWeightChoice(dialog, kLineWeightMenu, #)" command.

First, when I set the "#" to "2", it does not select the 2nd or 3rd (0 based) item in the line type list.  So, what goes where the "#" is.

 

Second, the line type I actually want to set I only  know by name, "ISO-08 Long Dashed Short Dashed", and it comes from the VW application resources.  I don't mind polling a list to find that line type, but what list?  Once I find the named resource, how do I specify that line type to be the default selection in the menu.

 

I was hoping this would be easy.  It probably is, but the answer is arcane knowledge.

[Rotating PIOs, Hybrid symbols, and 2D objects in plan view.]

👍

[Rotating PIOs, Hybrid symbols, and 2D objects in plan view.]

Is there a way to set the rotation of an object in Top/Plan view?  "SetRot3D" and "Set3DRot" require a 3D object and do not seem to recognize a PIO using a Hybrid symbol or just a hybrid symbol unless I'm in a view that is not top/plan.  Essentially I want to use VS to set the value of the Rotation parameter in the OIP.  Anybody got a way to do this?

TIA

[Detect invalid handles]

1 minute ago, JBenghiat said:

So extra tricky for those of us crossing over to c++.

True, as with all things C++, but you get to drive an all terrain Corvett, and I get to drive a 10 year old Corolla.

[Detect invalid handles]

Scary.  Do you know if this is true in the VS environment.  I check for NIL handles, but have never initialized any.  From what you wrote, it would seem a collection of:

HandleVar := NIL;

statements would be required at the beginning of every script command or contained in any initialization subroutine.

 

[New Cable Suite - Preview]

Don't worry about hijacking the thread.  I think power planning is a high priority the new cables.

[Can I reference OIP data in a Record Format field?]

AutoPlot has a simpler, less powerful, lineset tool that would probably work for you, but the real question is: what is the workflow you would like to achieve when you work with linesets.  I'm a collector of VW live entertainment workflows, and I would very much like hear about yours and how you want to improve it.

 

Sam

Samuel L. Jones
Developer of AutoPlot Tools for SpotLight, and AP Cable Tools
E-mail: sjones@autoplotvw.com
(310) 993-4172 (cell)