Hello all, I am a new Vectorworks user, and new to the forum. I am also eagerly awaiting VW2010, and thought I may as well throw in my two cents worth on some of the VW and 3D solid modeling issues discussed. I usually model furniture/products to produce both presentation graphics, documentation (documentation, in my workflow = technical drawings which will inevitably be revisioned by clients or manufacturers, schedules etc.) and part data (DXF for CAM, STL for RP, occasional models for FEA). When I first sat down with VW2009, I was a little disappointed with the 3D "feel", however after a couple of weeks of use, I'm starting to understand where the power lies in VW.
Before VW, I had been using both form Z and Ashlar Vellum Xenon, these have a very different 3D feel, almost a "digital clay" type of directness, with direct 3D space manipulation of the model on screen. This is all wonderful, you rapidly build a 3D model right there in space...and then it comes time to produce documentation, so the thing can actually get built, and the pain begins. Extracting part data for schedules, revisioning, managing viewports. In my experience, programs like Xenon and FormZ simply cannot deliver when it comes to dealing with the "go make it" end of the design workflow, and so far, I am blown away at how well VW deals with this, even for non-architecture/non-BIM type design sectors.
Apples with Apples: VW Designer with renderworks is a BARGAIN for its functionality (at least in Australia) when compared with AutoCAD, NX, Solidworks, and is similar to something like Ashlar Vellum Xenon, which can't compete when it comes to managing revisioned documentation.
I kept Xenon for those occasions where I need to really quickly model up a bunch of variations of a solid, and I can recommend it for this type of work. Lots of workflows in graphic design and engineering rely on multiple software packages to achieve the end results. I use Adobe Creative Suite (at least 4 different applications packaged together), and I know several engineering outfits that use stand-alone FEA despite using Inventor. As long as vectorworks keeps an eye on interoperability and round -trip fidelity, which they seem to be doing quite well (C4D, pdf and dxf import seems strong to me, compared with FormZ and Xenon), I am just happy to be able to use a versatile program with a good solids kernel at a fantastic price.
With the correct layer set-up, use of layer stacking and saved views in Vectorworks, I am finding that I am getting very close to the feel of a program like Xenon/FormZ. I actually find the DL/SLVP system much more versatile than the layer system on Xenon and FormZ. For example, you can set up layers to review and interact with several different options for a relationship between two parts much more elegantly than by simply turning on/off discrete layers.
If I had one big wish: PLEASE get rid of the pixelated proxy graphic that replaces the model when zooming and 3D rotating. My old PowerBook G4 would seamlessly zoom and rotate a solid model in perspective, with multiple light sources, full of parts with transparency (ACIS kernel & open GL), surely VW/Parasolid on a new MacBook Pro can handle it without needing to proxy and re-draw the screen for EVERY SINGLE MOVEMENT. This would be a big step forward in creating a smooth modeling feel. (This might be a newby problem - have I missed something in the preferences settings?)