[Smart/quick way to trace ploygons over open line work ?]

If the linework is bleeding, there's no bleedin' fast way.

[Mechanical animations]

A proper parent child hierachy is still what's really needed.

As long as it is proper (object-orientated, not hierarchical.)

Today I added another item to my long list of disappointments regarding VectorScript documentation: I realised that Object Events are totally missing from VS Function Reference to Mere Mortals, ie. the version that ships (or, as in my case, does not ship) with the program.

Among these is AddAssociation, which could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

There is some nebulous documentation and an example:

VectorWorks Developer pages

However,

CONST

kOnDeleteDelete = 4; {Target object is deleted when owner is deleted.}

kOnDeleteReset = 5; {Target object is reset when owner is deleted.}

suggests that this association is interested only in deaths of its members.

Otherwise, one's crank object could rotate the crankshaft and the crankshaftbone could be connected to the pistonbone of the V12.

[Script to randomise Z-height within a certain amount]

Sent to Surface? No sir, this was purely for artsy renderings wherein a row of duplicated bush symbols are not all exactly the same height, producing a much more natural look.

Yes, a great idea, which I may incorporate into my tool, although the main workflow is that after the forest has been created, trees & shrubs are sent to surface. (I use it to create random tree covers as backdrops.)

[Problem with insulation tool]

The tool seems to be stable in 010.

Petri, I'll try to find out what the intent of the "Size to Wall Length" command is.

By the way, is it convention to draw insulation IN PLAN?

Typically, here in the home of the brave and land of the free, we draw insulation in sectional views.

Wes

In plan and in sections. Batt insulation (or the relevant substitute) shoud be able to defined as a wall style component, shown in plans and sections at least.

Come on, Wes! I could easily simulate a wall incorporating my insulation tool. I could even use your wall style system, just make it better, as a matter of hours. But I can't get it to show IN SECTIONS.

[Script to randomise Z-height within a certain amount]

How would one go about scripting such a thing?

Usage in example:

Ten image prop symbols of a bush are placed at Z0. The user selects the symbols, executes the script, and is asked for a minimum and maximum Z height along with a direction constraint (lower only for example). The script then randomly moves the symbols up or down on the Z plane.

Shouldn't the symbols be Sent to Surface? In the absence of a DTM? Ah-ha! Lower only?

Whatever. I must investigate this in relation to my Forest Simulator.

[Problem with insulation tool]

My problem with this tool is that there is a toggle ?Size to Wall Length?, but that does not seem to do anything.

The fabulous Hot-Air Help does not know that this tool even exists.

[Mechanical animations]

Nice work, bcd, very nice!

(Even 2D-constraints cannot, AFAIK, be used in scripts PIOs.)

[Custom Staircase]

Here's how I would model this sort of stair.

Now, pay attention, brudgers: your stair has little to do with the requirement.

The ?side view? approach is totally wrong.

[Importing x,y,z survey data]

You're welcome, Dexie.

How long did it take?

[Convert to Group.]

Use

BeginGroup;

{ object creation }

EndGroup;

EDIT

What nonsense? I have to learn to read the questions?

[Dump the 2010 Help System]

As comes to saving trees etc., I'm confident that offset printing the manuals is quite a lot cheaper and ecological than using office printers.

The 1800 pages (excluding VectorScript Guide) would consume nearly half of the rated capacity of my colour laser cartridges and a set costs about 400 ?.

[Importing x,y,z survey data]

You are right it is probably the fact that it is trying to create stake objects that is the problem.

I don't think it would have a problem with say 650000 3D loci.

Well, Dexie, try this:

PROCEDURE ImportDTMData;  { ? Petri Sakkinen 2009 } 
CONST 
comma = ',';

VAR 
data, inputfile : STRING; 
x, y, z : REAL; 
commaPos : INTEGER; 

BEGIN
GETFILE(inputfile); 
IF NOT(DIDCANCEL) THEN BEGIN 
	WHILE NOT EOF(inputfile) DO BEGIN 
		READLN(data); 

		commaPos := POS(comma, data); 
		x := STR2NUM(COPY(data, 1, commaPos-1)); 
		DELETE(data, 1, commaPos); 

		commaPos := POS(comma, data); 
		y := STR2NUM(COPY(data, 1, commaPos-1)); 
		DELETE(data, 1, commaPos); 

		z := STR2NUM(data); 

		LOCUS3D(x, y, z); 
	END;	
	CLOSE(inputfile); 
END; 
END;

RUN(ImportDTMData);

If it is slow, you might use a text editor to replace commas with tabs and then use this:

PROCEDURE ImportDTMData;  { ? Petri Sakkinen 2009 } 

VAR 
inputfile : STRING; 
x, y, z : REAL; 

BEGIN
GETFILE(inputfile); 
IF NOT(DIDCANCEL) THEN BEGIN 
	WHILE NOT EOF(inputfile) DO BEGIN 
		READLN(x, y, z); 
		LOCUS3D(x, y, z); 
	END;	
	CLOSE(inputfile); 
END; 
END;

RUN(ImportDTMData);

Tab-separated data files are preferred.

For filtering/reducing number of points, add a READLN; after LOCUS3D(); so every second line is skipped. (The last point is not created then, though, but doing that manually is not a huge task!)

EDIT

Actually, the extra READLN; could be before the actual READLN(); because then you don't need to go to the end of the file to find the z-value!

[Window Schedule (Show Window types Once)]

Nice one! (I didn't know that?)

[Worst things in VW 2010]

As you may know, AIR is a technology provided by Adobe, and it's becoming more and more widespread. It's used by FedEx, eBay, the New York Times, and other mega companies for a variety of web applications (learn more at http://www.adobe.com/products/air/).

OK. If we'd follow this lead, we'd dump VectorWorks and move to AutoCAD, used by megacompanies of our fields.

I'm not even remotely interested who has created the system or who are using it. If anything, the word ?Adobe? rings warning bells: just the other week I received their latest which told that Acrobat solves 99% of problems in businesses.

[Extrude & Maintain An Object's Set Class]

Ohh, I tried to help you??Showed you The Way, my young friend? But you did not choose wisely.

[Window Schedule (Show Window types Once)]

There is. Create a new column, insert this formula to the database header row:

=1

[Extrude & Maintain An Object's Set Class]

Indeed. Like this:

[Extrude & Maintain An Object's Set Class]

So, did you help him? I've only noticed your whingeing and blame-shifting.

[Importing x,y,z survey data]

Then we were both right!

(Except that I was wrong in my claim regarding point/3D-poly number relationship: a rectangular grid is the worst case; in other configs, the number of polys increase slower than the number of points.)

[Importing x,y,z survey data]

My mistake its 4Km x 4Km

Phew. Thought my brain had suddenly forgotten basic maths. Still trying to work out how KA gets 16.25Km2. Thinks he is the one for a basic maths lesson because my calc also gives just over 4Km2 for 650000 points too.

4 x 4 = 16.

km x km = km2

End of lesson 2.

[v2010 stair tool and balustrades below nosings]

Including disabled parking?

Remarkable!

[Extrude & Maintain An Object's Set Class]

But implementing them with something like the familiar interface is more complex than just calling DoMenuTextByName.

Indeed. You'll need 5 or 6 lines of additional code. Far more complex than your skills enable.

[Extrude & Maintain An Object's Set Class]

Modify as in wrapping it with additional functionality.

That's sort of the idea behind scripting

Ahh: you are a Keyboard Sequence Programmer!

[Importing x,y,z survey data]

You are right it is probably the fact that it is trying to create stake objects that is the problem.

I don't think it would have a problem with say 650000 3D loci.

Don't forget that the number of triangles in the TIN/DTM grows faster than the number of definition points.

EDIT

In our grid situation, not faster, but proportionally. Doubling the grid means reducing the 3D-poly count by half.

My original claim may well be incorrect. Have to think about it.

[Importing x,y,z survey data]

If it were a square, it'd be 16.25 km2.

SQRT(650000) = 806,225

806 x 5 = 4031

4,031 ^2 = 16,25

End of Practical Math 101 Lesson 1 for Garden Designers.