Davide

That's what I want: as the cursor glides over objects on a layer at a different scale, a hint would specify layer name and scale, a right click of the mouse would open a menu where I could decide whiter or not switch to that layer and keep my working session smooth and continuous without having to go to the layer pull down menu. Please do that and use it as a philosophy for any other action so that using VW is like playing a piano.

Another (very slow) way to do it. Create a third standard with no markers. Use this one every time you need 2 different markers. Then add a short line per side and thru the attributes palette assign to one line a circle marker and to the other a slash marker. It's cumbersome but at least the dimension keeps working, no need to ungroup it to change its markers. Reality is we need a dimension line that will use different markers at the same time. We can't just change office standards to follow the program.

I've noticed that my default text size keeps changing, sometimes even to 0 creating problems with text-notes plug-ins without me setting it.I have a shortcut for format text, but I'm aware of when I use it or not.Is there a hidden key combination that makes me change it or this erratic changes are a mulfunction?VW 9.5.1 Architect Win XP / 2000 Pro Thanks

It's the main VW drawback. Solve that and we are back in business for the race with the big guys.

Even PowerCadd can publish with Excel!! It's gettingt too tought to deal with Vw spreadsheets, automatic yet not flexible enough to manipulate them. Future is only data display. Graphically is viewports, numerically is database exchange. We need it. VW will never be mature without it.

What I found out with new VW users is that at first they are confused about sheets, in particular with regard on knowing on which sheet they are at the moment. It would be a useful feedback (and a cool looking feature) to have a nice display on the top bar stating the name of the current sheet (if any). And many little names on which you click and switch sheet. In fact pushing the concept, proper locations are psychological related:Something as important as sheets, shouldn't be accessed thru a hidden small button down below.The classes pull down menu shouldn't be so close or so identical to the layers pull down menu. I think that location and look is at the origin of the confusion for new user on what?s the difference between classes and layers. They are tempted to put object on layers and/or on classes ( as opposed to assigned them to classes). One last suggestion on sheets: you are working on a specific sheet. You turn on a class or create a new one or layers etc. A little button by the sheet title would allow the user to save the sheet (not save as, but to save the actual sheet with the latest configuration). The save with the same name to replace it, is not the most elegant way to do that.

Right Joe, that's why in my own personal experience with many programs and in the ?3D CAD Cup?, VectorWorks ends up among the firsts (and once the first too) and AutoCAD the last ones. Even Minicad 6-7 could do better (or faster) than the AutoCAD of that time.But It?s true , we need a real feedback from the program as far as in which 3d cube we are moving and creating. Microstation is by far the best in this.We really need multiple views and more 3d snaps. When I started using Minicad I felt I was using a toy but in a month I was able to do beautiful 3d models. Programs like AutoCAD and Microstation have a very scientific approach toward geometry. So everything is in the 3d space and has 3 dimensions. They are very precise. Vw approach has always been the one of a hybrid situation, 2d and 3d. And this is exactly what makes it faster; the user is like a kid in a playroom touching and moving toys all around himself. I feel you can touch the things with VW and put them where you need instead of wasting time typing a lot and always readjusting working planes. I rather focus on the objects.Still with its idiosyncratic playfulness and own philosophy, VW is more flexible and all in all faster in creating 3d. It?s geared toward the end result (a plot) more then the actual law of physics. RenderWorks just adds rendering options; it?s 3DpowerPack that adds a lot of tools.I?ll suggest you a great guide : 3D Drawing . . . in VectorWorks from ?The Electric Exhibit?. With that you?ll be able to precisely locate/position any object before creating them. If you really want to, that is.

Greetings.This is more a subject for the suggestions list, but I think is interesting forthe general discussion as well. I was explaining some 2d polygon editing with VW to an AutoCAD user. She at firsthad some difficulties drawing a polygon typing lengths and angles in the data fields.Then she saw how easy is to directly resize a rectangle by stretching one side of it andinteractively typing the final length for that side. With the rectangle as an object you get the initial length the moment you start modifying it in the data field. With polygons you cannot.So she asked me if there was a way to edit a polygon the same way so that she could roughly draw a polygon and then with the Obj. info adjust length and angles of each segment. Right now, in the Obj. Info we have absolute coordinates of the polygon so we don?t know the length of each segment, just the position in space. I guess it would work best with a preview of the polygon in the Obj Info palette. I think is a good idea; it would make 2d editing even more flexible.

VW Architect 9.5.1 Windows 2000After working for a while on drawings originally created on VW 8.5.2 (on a Mac too!)I get these extra sheets : "tempview" which are copies of existing sheets. 9.5.1 is smooth but we really need to fix the following problems:conversion from 8.5 to 9.5 and relative problems:Sheets (see above) Classes (see my previous classes submenus disappearing post; big problem to be fixed asap) Classes (classes taking names of window records and symbols and other strange names). Doors : using previous door symbols and referencing the plan, somehow and only sometimes will get the doors in the receiving file to disappear. Replacing the original symbol with the new one, will fix the problem.(Classes have nothing to do with the problem)Yes I updated to V2 object. Printing pattern: if you use a colored pattern you might get (on the HP Plotter driver 4.4)a total different color. Checking the print pattern at screen resolution fixes the problem sometimes and sometimes doesn't, even on the same identical file. Going to solid color will fix theproblem for sure. Printing Pattern with the latest HP driver 4.6. It would be great if pattern wouldn't print solid black. Stuff to work on very quickly with a patch or something Thank you.

Well, I don't know if this is what you are asking, but if I have 2 files, open, one referenced to the other, I can still update the referenced one. I just tried with 2 test files: one on my machine, the other on the server. Edited one, saved,kept open, refreshed the other. Unless it doesn't work if the 2 files are opened by 2 different machines. Windows network.

Hi, I believe the class-material-color assignment (graphical attributes) in the referenced file are different from those in the original file. Check if they match.

Right; either you assign specific classes to different buildings so to turn them on and off on the referenced drawing (but this won't save file size and can be awkward organization-wise ) or you create the parts in different layers and layer link them back to one layer that shows it all or to a referenced file that reads just some layers. In VW the approach is the opposite of what usually done in other programs: here you first create the parts and then assembly them in a single place. You cannot easily create the whole thing and dynamically dissect the parts.

It is surprising to see that a program with much quieter, 2d only, features then VW such as PowerCadd has a publish link to Excel. Anyway, for the money, VW Architect is the best around. Every time we plot something, users from PowerCadd or AutoCAD like a lot the way drawings look. They just come out nicer if you use the proper classes/attributes. And it can be incredibly fast if you really know it. Most powerful Cads in the world regardless of how many times they cost more then VW? I think, please correct me, Microstation Triforma, Archicad, Revit and Allplan, am I right?

The stair landing not user-defined is the main reason why I don't use that otherwise very powerful tool. Handrail too should continue around the landing and or pass the stairs. It?s very easy to set up a PIO that really works for an industry: Take a few architectural projects already done (better if hand drafted) by any architect in that area; look at the stairs. Use VW Architect and try to redraft the same stair (same sizes for everything, railings graphics (round corners), break line where needed, appropriate line weight controls. You?ll find out how much more customizable that tool needs to be to exactly copy those 2-3 stairs.

Are there any PIO or symbols in VW Architect for cabinets that would show the door swings in floor plan view? Most of times we really are just drawing 2D stuff and it's probably more important to get nice looking 2d objects then very detailed 3d objects. The cabinets tool and the symbols from the millwork libraries seem very useful just for 3d to me. Is there something I don't see? Thank you

Matthew, unfortunately it happens with any file, old or new, very few classes or many. The subclasses are only visible in the classes menu and sheet creation dialog. No symbol default class list or spreadsheet criteria list or custom selection list. VW Architect 9.5.1 Win 2000 Others in the office have the same problem.

I think this is happening after the latest upgrade, VW 9.5.1. Create a symbol and try to assign a default class in the create symbol window: you will not see the subclasses listed, only the generic one, before the -. Same thing from within the spreadsheet when as criterion you want to assign a specific class. Only the main ones are listed, not the subcategories. Is it just me?

Every time I built a 3D model with VW in an office where other people used AutoCad or 3D Studio for modeling, they were amazed by the speed I could do stuff compared to what it would take to them. I agree only on the fact that it should be much easier (a la VectorWorks 2D ) to move objects vertically , just typing in the OIP the new Z value. This only works with few kinds of objects. Cad like Autocad and Microstation where everything exist in the 3d space make this easier.

stop using Microstation, Bryce and TrueSpace to compensate for the modeling shortcomings of VW. This package has almost everything. Let's put some real lighting ( radiance), atmosphere simulation, tapered extrude along path and we'll never leave the program to get the final image. Thanks, now I feel I drive a Ferrari.

Katie, DWG drawings: I cannot find anything assigned to these classes, yet they cannot be purged. I even did a custom selection to find them, nothing. I don't think they came with the DWG because their names are in Capital first letter and then lower case while usually the imported layers became all upper case. Also I doubt the DWG file has layers called Saved Sheet : 7 Saved Sheet: 8 etc. The referenced files: you are right, they were done in VW 8.5.2.

Yes, those are the classes' names : Saved Sheet: 9, 8 etc. The saved sheet happened with an imported dwg, the window symbol name was just a reference of a floor plan on an elevation sheet. Doesn't seem to be anything in the Saved Sheet classes, yet if you purge the file, they don't go away.

After importing some dwg site plans and reorganizing the classes, I get classes such as:saved sheet 1,saved sheet 2, saved sheet 3, etc. Also if I reference a floor plan to another drawing, I might get classes such as: window symbol "W etc." window symbol "W etc." ( names of windows symbols from the floor plan). What are they? Gremlins?VW Arch. 9.5.1 Win 2000 Pro Thanks

I cannot believe that you allow VW 9.5.1 users to download it for free. Thanks, now I can do everything. You guys at NNA are great.

Greetings, just upgraded the HP plotters with the latest driver, HP V.4.61 Designjet. Doing that solved my previous "required resource was missing" problem but now every time I have a pattern (hatches plot fine) I get the polygons as filled black, even with the ?print patterns at on screen resolution? setting is checked. Printing on the laser printer doesn?t cause the same problem. VW Architect 9.5 Win 2000

Hi, I created a custom workspace adding some extra tools from custom plug ins. When I e-mailed and/or networked the workspace file to my colleagues, the 3d palette disappeared (which I didn't modify at all). Even if they turn it on, it won't show up. It works on mine machine and on another P4 but not on the P3's.Any suggestion on how to fix it?Thank you WV Architect 9.5 Win 2000.