Steelbreeze10

Thanks for the solutions, they are both creative work-arounds for a function that seems overlooked. GWS, I must've missed that possibility. When I right-clicked on the dim, I only saw the option to 'unlock'. I thought by selecting this I would be accomplishing the 'ungroup' you mentioned. Thanks, though, I'll look harder next time. Monadnoc, thanks for this also. One of my biggest problems w/ VW is that I've had some very simple problems that I've had to 'trick' the program to get right. I'm really holding my patience with this program, but it seems there's a lot to be desired, and a lot of the issues are ones that ACAD has addressed for years. This program could be WAY better than ACAD with a little more intuitiveness. And maybe it is past the '08 version I'm using now, but from what I've seen so far, I can't justify spending money to take that chance. I'll just have to keep clunking through and resist going back to the dark side with all my might.

A few more dimensioning questions for everyone: 1) How do you override the text of the dimension? Meaning, even though it says 418', I want it to read 453' without moving the witness lines from the endpoints of the object. 2) How can the units for only the dimensions be changed to decimal? I normally work in feet/fractional on my projects, but sometimes for permitting purposes, the municipalities like to see feet/decimal dimensions. Thanks in advance. ***EDIT*** Found the answer to #2, but wish it could be done on a per-item basis in the Object Properties box..

Wow, yup. Just noticed that solution seconds before returning here to see if any answers arrived. I was about to edit my post to apologize for wasting everyone's time and saw the speedy reply. Thanks, Pat. Needless to say, I'm a newbie and am learning lots each time I open the program.

I stumbled upon this thread while seeking an answer to another dimensioning related question. First of all, thanks for the great opionions on this one. I've also had ginormous witness arrows that have caused some frustration. My separate question is how to override text for one dimension? For example, if I'm showing a series of lines that are all 2' offset from each other, I would prefer to indicate 2'(typ) so I don't have to dim each one and so that I'm obvious in my intention. Editing the properties won't allow normal text, only numerals. Any thoughts? Something obvious I'm missing (probably)? Thanks in advance. You all are great resources and make my transition from AC much smoother. Best, Brian

That's all great info, thanks so much. I really should be using the hardscape too, and after your description, I certainly will on my next project. Edit: I just messed with it a little and see it's fairly easy to use, at least the converting/hatching part. One more question arises now. Why is the field transparent, but not the border? When I go into 'Hardscape Settings', I can select a color for the background, but there doesn't seem to be an option for 'no background color'? I'm so glad I learned a little more about these tools and settings. I'm self-taught in VW, after teaching myself ACAD, and am pretty frustrated sometimes with VW's quirks, but always trying to see the light at the end, since I really don't want to switch back. And you all make it a little easier to keep learning.

Thanks all, I'm still getting dialed-in, but I'm well on my way. Tamsin, yes I'm using Landmark and I tried using the hardscape tool once or twice and haven't warmed up to it yet. It doesn't seem to have the same flexibilities as using poly's to define weirdly shaped areas. I've been joining and trimming arcs and poly's and then hatching them for my hardscaped areas. Btw, trimming and joining poly's and arc's has been a real point of contention, to the point of shutting down the program spontaneously on my more than a few times. Back to the Clip Surface command, though. It doesn't seem to work with hatches that are implemented by gong through the Modify>Hatch process. Why is that? Is it a difference between Associative vs. Non-associative Hatches? The pont is, one method of applying a hatch allows me to rotate it at inception, but not clip it, the other method allows the exact opposite. What am I missing here? Thanks

Thanks for your response, mar. I'm still not getting it, could you add some description? After applying the hatch to the larger/outer boundary, I click on the inner boundary or on the hatch itself and 'clip surface' is grayed-out and not selectable. I'm not sure what that does from there either. Thanks again for you help. EDIT: Ok, the 'VW Help' explained it fine and I got it to work. The problem was that I wasn't selecting ALL the objects, just the outer one. This seems cumbersome, especially for a larger, more complicated set of objects, no? Is there no way to select 'islands' like ACAD? I guess this works fine, though. Thanks again for you help.

I've done quite a bit of searching here for this specific answer and haven't found anything that answers the questions specifically already, but pardon me if the answer already exists on this forum, or if it's just a REALLY easy solution that I am overlooking. Problem: I have designed a curvy path (think: park) made of concrete, with lawn in the center of it. I would like to hatch the path using the standard 'concrete' pattern without hatching the lawn also (essentially, I want to hatch the donut, but not the donut hole). I have no idea how to select the 'island' and remove the hatch from it. So far, my only work around is to select the inner polygon and fill it solid white, then just arrange the layers/classes to cover the hatch in the unwanted area. I did read something about the 'island' principle, but that either didn't apply to my situation or was above my level of understanding. Thanks in advance for any help. VW 2008 Win7, 64-bit

Great topic. Now that it's apparent to me, I dig the symbol too. Have any of you found a way to create/add custom north arrows to the library? I'm using VW 2008, Win 64-bit. Thanks in advance..

Even after double-clicking on the appropriate snap icon in the snap palette to set 'extension lines' as active, I am still not able to get this to work. What I am trying to do is continue along a property line in a uniform/straight direction from an adjacent property boundary that follows the same bearing. However, I am doing this from a hand sketch and not from survey data. And the property line that was drawn is wavy, b/c it is drawn by hand. I set all smart points needed (I think) to activate this, then click at the intersection to begin the line (I've even tried polyline to see if that makes a difference -- it doesn't). Then I hover over the point and line (and even opposite beginning point of referenced line) then expect to see a dashed line that says 'extension line' or something like that, but nothing. Very frustrating. Please advise. Thanks in advance!! Oh, and I'm working in VW 2008 Landmark on a PC.

Hi fellas, Thanks for this thread. I too was beating my head off of my desk trying to figure out where they hid the special line styles. Letters and symbols will be a very welcome addition. I was very used to Auto CAD line types before switching to VW. I could use lines for utilities, such as gas (-----G-----), But also for fences (----X----), and even one type had a small square to represent a fence post. Until then, is there a way to adjust the scale of each type? So that a property line dash pattern can be longer or shorter depending on the scale? I know that it will be adjusted according to the scale of the sheet/layer, but I'd like to be able to scale it at will to whatever size I think looks right to me. Is this possible now? Also, from the post above, I have no idea to get to the 'Red Symbol' or Replicate Unit command. Can someone clarify this process for a newbie? Thanks in advance, you are all awesome. I'll tell Bob you said hi, and miss him dearly..

Hi Jonathan, I just found your reply, thanks so much for getting back to me. I was able to get the hatches into the drawing, but not sure if I'm using the fastest/best method. But, at least they're working now. They do show up in the resource palette, and I am able to right-click on them and select 'apply' from the list. However, they do not show up in the Attributes Palette each time. I have to got to the Resource Browser each time and 'find resource on disk' to get them to appear. Then, it's not just the one I want, but all in that particular folder. Is there an easier way than this? Thanks again for your help. Brian

I'm trying to figure out how to use the hatches that I just downloaded (as .vwx files). I've copied them to the hatch library folder in my program files, but am not sure what to do from there. Any help? VW '08 Landmark Windows XP Pro Thanks in advance!!