Robert Anderson

It's even simpler than you realize. The Wall Tools create wall objects, which differ from double lines in the following respects:1. They are hybrid objects (i.e., they exist in both 2D and 3D space simultaneously);2. They will auto-join using the Join command or by simply dragging them over each other;3. They accept the automatic insertion of symbols and other objects;4. They will by default take on the height of the layer that they are drawn on. (Take a look at the Z and Delta-Z settings in the Layers... dialog);5. The height of the wall can also be set using the Object Info palette;6. You can add "peaks" to walls using the 3D Reshape tool;7. Walls can have cavities (lines or linear fills) that reshape with the walls; ...whew! Walls are one of the very nice features of VectorWorks and require no additional extruding to exist in 3D. Welcome to the world of object-oriented design!

Reinstall your 9.01 product from the CD. Make sure you don't have duplicate copies of the VectorWorks application on your HD. Then run the 9.5 updater again; see if this works.

Regarding the fonts in the ID tool, you change them by changing the fonts of the linked text objects in the symbols used by the ID tool. This is explained in the appendix of the Landmark manual about customizing the ID tool.

Net Area Polys creates "net" room area polys from the walls on the active layer. Not a bad trick, but not what you were looking for ;-) To create a report of polygon areas, you must first create a database of all the polygons of interest. See the VW9 manual beginning page 16-13 to see how to do this. Use a criteria [T=POLY] for all polygons in the file, or a criteria [T=POLY AND L=<<LAYERNAME>>] for all polygons on a particular layer. (See the section in chapter 16 on Search Criteria.) Then, to return the area, go to the database header row and in the column you wish, type =AREA . That's it. I know this isn't simple to learn, but once learned, it's very simple to do.

That's why I used the qualifier "If you have a consistent record attached to your plant symbols" in the previous post. Use the Create Report command with the "Objects with a Record" option selected. Then you can return all the objects in your drawing with your Plant record attached. If you want to count planting beds separately, you'll need to assign the plants in the beds each to their own class, e.g. pBed1, pBed2, etc, and create a series of separate database reports, each of which returns only the members of that class. This, however, you cannot do with the 'Create Report' command which is useful for simple reports only. You'll need to create a custom database report. See the VW9 User's Guide, chapter 16, particularly the section on database worksheets starting on 16-13.

If you have a consistent record attached to your plant symbols, you can use the Create Report command on the Organize menu to create a plant list.

ID symbols have to be created to work with the specific type of record they will be tagging. You can custom create your own ID symbols and assign them to records. This process is described in detail in the Appendix of the VWL/VWA manuals.

For the ID tool to recognize 'new' record and ID types, you must run the VectorScript that is in the palette in the ID_Symbols.MCD file. Do this and see if your new item is recognized. PS: why don't you want to use the plant tool?

JNR, the classing problems which you bring up with regularity have been dealt with in the following way, at the request of a majority of users, which I will explain once again: -Objects placed with the object tools will enter the drawing in the default class, unless you change their auto class property using the Properties dialog in the Edit Plug-in command; -Objects placed using the predefined libraries available and automatically installed in the Object Browser will auto-class exactly as they did in earlier versions.

JNR, this problem was first reported on Dec 14 and was fixed and checked in to our source control system on Dec 18. Unfortuneately this was after the 9.5.0 release on Dec. 6. Look for it in the next update.

Glad to be of service!

Go to http://www.nemetschek.net/downloads/Architect/index.html and about 3-4 items down the page you will find exactly what you are looking for.

A DTM can be used as a solid (and have holed punched in it) if you enable the 'Mesh Solid' sub-option of the 'Triangle' option in the DTM View Options... command.

ErichR, This is a known problem due to the OS. We have added a printing feature to compensate for this: Choose the "Print Patterns at onscreen resolution" check box in the print dialog. HTH

See page 5-29 of your VWA 1.0 manual for location of these hatches and tips on using them.

There is a 'stipple' hatch created by the Select Wall Type... command (in the Edit Wall Type dialog) but like all repetitive hatches, the repetition of the pattern is relatively easy to discern over large areas. I recommend instead using the "Concrete Fill..." command on the Drafting Tools submenu of the Tool menu. This provides a true random gravel-type stipple.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean a symbol based on one of the plug-in objects: "Simple Window 2" or "Complex Window 2" that come with VectorWorks or VWA? If so, I'm unable to reproduce the problem. With one of each of these objects inserted in a wall, I'm able to select either and change its fill color at will. (Of course, I'm not on Win XP, I'm on Win 2K) Can you provide more data?

Since I'm being "quoted" here ;-) I thought I'd clarify: Objects placed **with the object tools** are set up not to auto-class in VectorWorks 9.x or VWA 9.x. Objects placed **using the Object Browser libraries** are set up to auto-class, unless you install the non-classing version of the libraries. For more information, see page 3-11 in the VWA9 manual. We have chosen to make the "raw" objects non-classing to provide standards flexibility for those users who wanted their own classing standards (as opposed to those standards promulgated by VWA.) The fact that we were setting classing standards was a ***major*** complaint about VW 852 and VWA version 1. If you want to set your own classing standards for the plug-in objects so you can use the tools to auto-class them, this can be done using the Edit Plug-in... command. For more information about setting the default class of an object, go to the VectorScript Language Guide found in your on-line help, page 12-5. HTH.

Which object?

Erich, it's fixed in the Windows version I'm using. Make sure you have a release version and not a late beta. Can you email me (randerson@nemetschek.net) a document that displays this problem, just so I can confirm?

defjef, I do not believe the list price of VectorWorks has increased; however, there may have been introductory specials when you first bought. I believe we have some end-of-year specials in place; call our order department at (888) 646-4223.

defjef, both Excel and Word will copy and paste properly formatted text objects (and gridlines in the case of Excel) to VectorWorks 9.x. If you're copying from Excel, be sure and use the shift-copy to enable Copy Picture and make sure you choose the picture option "as shown when printed".

You could add the exterior sheathing layer if you wanted to. It's not been drawn in any office I've worked in (in plan, anyway.) The five "cavity" layers of your wall could be: 1-Exterior masonry veneer;2-Air space3-Exterior sheathing4-Wood framing5-Interior sheathing Up to you.

1. Select the lines bounding the area; 2. Choose the "combine into surface" command on the Tools menu 3. Click within the area forming the polygon. 4. Delete your original lines (optional).

Neil, we inadvertently shipped some corrupted textures with VWA v.901, and this is why you are seeing the "lovely" message. These textures have been fixed for VWA 950.