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HEengineering

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Posts posted by HEengineering

  1. Well it looks like for now the 27" Imac is not available for sale. With all this new jargon on the M1 max vs M1 Ultra which one is the best value for Vectorworks? Will the base model be able to handle large models and renderings, or should we be looking at the high end spec'd version with the M1 ultra. I think the studio has some real potential. 

     

    Cons- Not user upgradable. No monitor. So I would have to purchases another monitor as the 27" has served as my main monitor. The 1500 display looks nice, but Id probably be more inclined to go with the M1 Ultra and just try and ultra wide 32 from another supplier. 

     

    Curious what others do with their machines and how the studio is being received. Anyone planning on getting their hands on one soon?

  2. On 3/13/2022 at 8:03 AM, digitalcarbon said:

    Ex: you will note on the example below that the ribs have a "square" profile. this is actually round in real life (i do it to keep poly count down)...but lets say one day i wanted to make it round to be more like real life...all i have to do is change the one master product (Pipe N-12 WT 600) and then all the hundreds of parts that are derived get updated in every project...

    On 3/13/2022 at 8:03 AM, digitalcarbon said:

     

    On 3/13/2022 at 8:03 AM, digitalcarbon said:

    128663767_ScreenShot2022-03-13at7_58_48AM.thumb.png.0ef79f4efd6c6834d5985761035fd83b.png

    This is really cool. I like the Onshape interface and tree. VW should take note....I could almost see doing a similar workflow. Its not cheap to have both! Its always cool to see how others tackle stuff. Its one one the best aspects of this forum IMO.

  3. I have a bunch of 3d poly contours all with Z heights around 700 feet. When I copy these into a new file then all seem to drop about 650 ft bc all my coutour z heights are in the 60's then? This happens if I even if I create the model in the original file. Its correct, and then when I copy into a new file same results.

     

    This has to be some kind of file setting Im missing. Ive never encountered this before. Done this work flow about 200 times. What Am I missing?

  4. Another point worth noting here is that you have to have the favorite file open in order to do certain things with the symbols. Editing the symbol. I wish this were not the case but it is.  I wish there also was an option to create the symbol and store it in the library right away vs making it in the current file and then having to export it to a "favorite.' This thread has been helpful for me and I think if some of this were more clear it would be good for all users. Either way a powerful tool that should continue to be developed.

  5. While VW can be intuitive one of the more challenging items Ive come across is making the path that has not just x,y but also z axis?

     

    Anyone have pointers for this?

     

    I often do it in an iso view. If you have a path that goes on an angle like like x,y that is the hardest of all. Often I find myself resorting to applying a working plane. Or drawing each segment prior then composing "the path" 

  6. On 2/5/2020 at 4:51 PM, bcd said:

    It really depends on how it will be built.

     

    2d section Contours are ideal if you're going to 2d CNC.

    Jigsaw it and Export as STL for 3d Print

     

    image.thumb.png.887f7505e8e42fed6a9bc5af82c81217.png

     

    That is a neat tool that Ive never used. I see so many referencing 2d CNC. and STL. Can STL be converted to and SVG? What is the file format that you use for exporting 2D CNC?

     

     

  7. Mattao, If you have questions or files you need to trouble shoot feel free to send me a message. I am by no means and expert but I have used this workflow substantially over the last 2-3 years with many variables and have been able to make just about anything work.

    I would be happy to share how I "place my camera" and how I use images to put models into realtime photos taken on site. For our firm, this is hands down one of the best things VW has brought to the table. It's a great addition. 

    • Like 2
  8. I use the same one mark. Tho I find I have to turn of some of the smart scrolling features specific to VW or the Zoom becomes laggy and unpredictable.As soon as I turned that stuff off it otherwise works great.

  9. On 4/3/2018 at 2:00 PM, Marissa Farrell said:

    Hi Jim!

    Export to SVG is actually one of my current personal research topics. Currently we don't support a direct workflow for exporting to SVG, however it's possible to export to PDF and open the PDF in a vector editing software to get some SVG elements out of it. (Save the PDF as SVG)

    To do this, you cannot rasterize the PDF on export from Vectorworks.

    Also, this is not foolproof. Sometimes it works well, other times it will fail, but it's the best workaround I'm aware of.

     

    I'm working on a Marionette script that can export to SVG, but it's in a primitive stage right now where it exports things upside down, and I cannot cut holes out of objects. If I ever get that working better, I'd be more than happy to share.

     

    Marissa

    I'm curious were you ever able to solve for this? Something that I could see come in handy.

  10. Looking at trying to migrate our workflow to use sheet layers. Looking for the best way to approach created a border for several sheet views. Obviously as with any border some info appears on every sheet and items such as Rev blocks are sheet specific. Im looking into this as we speak, trying to leverage the forum tho as I have limited time slotted for this over the course of a few weeks.

     

    Better yet how do make one of the borders custom so that it looks like our typical borders or meets the requirements clients may ask for?

  11. Now that Im revisiting this topic I remember some of the other obstacles that come with this workflow. I recall having some issues with border tools. So our border is literally a drawn border with not interactivity. Its all done on the DL. I can make this a viewport but then I have to make one for ea. sheet view. Maybe a ew topic on borders would make sense here.

  12. Maybe trying the opposite of set by class and just add the texture via the object info. or maybe try taking the objects putting them in a new file setting them to none and then bring back in and try to class? Im just tossing out ideas that have helped me with this in the past.

     

    I have often had to resort to the eye dropper tool at times even to get a texture that I sent in the class that wont take. So I get the eye dropper tool grab that txture from another object and they apply. I will admit textures has me scratching my head at times as well. Best of luck!

  13. Pat you are filling it a lot of blanks here. Still seems like a huge leap for a team, but Im grateful for you unwavering support here! Like any big undertaking, I will continue to chip away when I can. Im kinda on my own with this one when the free time permits. I Hope you don't mind if I reach out again in the future. You are an invaluable asset to the forum!

    • Like 1
  14. 6 minutes ago, Pat Stanford said:

    Yes, but you will need to edit the layer and class visibilities as what I have suggested to you is putting dims and notes into the design layer(s). When you duplicate a viewport and switch from Front to Right you have to change the visibilities.  Just about as easy to go to your saved views and generate new viewports from there.

     

    I don't know what you model look like, but I would NEVER consider what I have suggested to you for the models I make.

     

    Influent Strainers 9-22-20.pdf 3.07 MB · 0 downloads

    Thats a nice model. I have some similar that show the 5G poles that are deployed all over the US. I like the idea of putting the notes into the design layer and I see why you are suggesting each has its own saved view. That alone is a huge leap in understanding the best workflow. However; I find that if I have to reduce/increase the scale of the viewport all my annotations and dims are now scaled as well. That mean I must go back into the DL and ratio those items to scale or increase txt size or change scale bar. Is  there a better way to handle this? I guess this gets back into the annotations area existing for obvious reasons. 

  15. 1 hour ago, Pat Stanford said:

    Saved Views are basically a script that will take you to the view and visibilities that were set when you save the view.  So you can have a saved view to take you to the Top/Plan view of the model, another to take you to the Front and then another to take you to a sheet layer showing viewport of all of your elevations at the same time. And you can recall the view to go to any other view at any time.

    Could I not just create one viewport and then duplicate it and just change the view of the VP in the object info? I suspect you can but maybe not the ideal workflow. Regardless while this may speed things Its going to add a lot more DLs, VPs, SLs and classes. Feels like the file overall would simply be heavier in a sense. I need a nice small project to work with to attempt.

     

    Nobody seems to talk about DLVP's much these days which I have used effectively in a few ways as well. Is that considered legacy workflow? Often I crop something from one plan and move it to another saved view and simply play with the classes and layers. to get the outcome I desire.

    1 hour ago, Pat Stanford said:

     

     

     

  16. So let's say in the model area that I want to show some soil under the shelter. Should that be a 2d Poly fill/hatch under the model in the model space or a true 3d extruded area for gravel/soil fill?(You cant use a hatch as a 3d fill)

     

    I did toy around with the what you proposed and made some head way. How about things like grounding leads and conduits going into the cabinet? Do you draw those as 2d planar?  In my mind I guess You model it all. Our biggest struggle is when the client changes equipment and details ripple thru. I would also need to add extensive classing to be able to show the cabinet or shelter in areas without things like conduits and cabling.

     

    I could see a workflow where we model only the clients equipment in design layer in a separate model file and reference that in to a design layer in the master file, then make sheet views with details as needed. Let me know if Im way off but I think thats the general idea.

  17. I think I follow what you are saying. Id like to send you a file of ours in a pm just so you can have a better idea of what I say when I say we utilized saved views in the way sheet layers are used. When I publish its saved Views T-1 thru whatever. There are not sheet views. However I think like you said there may be a way to do a little bit of 3d where it matters.

     

    Im going to experiment with this idea. and see how far I get.

     

    A few questions of course.

     

    1. Where would I put the 2D linework? Another DL with 1:1?

     

    In short it sounds like in general you can draw 2D or 3D in DL and then use that as a viewport. The modeled items would then update across all viewports if we were to use sheet views. 

     

    2. We usually referencing in the legacy way which is pic a file and the design layers you want maybe leaving a few DL referenced for global updates.

     

    I put a few more direct questions below next to the specific statements to make it more easy to read.

     

    1 hour ago, Pat Stanford said:

    IMNSHO you are fighting yourself in not wanting to use VPs.

     

    You don't have to use them the way VW suggests, but I think they are still the best way to get your final output.

     

    Think about this option.

     

    1 Design Layer for your model. Does it have to be on 1:1?

    1 design layer for each of your "elevation" views.

     

    Make your model however you want.  Switch to a Front view.

     

    Switch to the "elevation" layer for Front. Click the button to set the working plane equal to the screen.  Draw whatever annotations you want on that plane. As long as you go back to the same view they will effectively act as "screen plane" similar objects.

     

    Set a Saved View

     

    Create a viewport on a sheet layer. Put your title block and any other 1:1 type items on the Sheet Layer. If you need or want to change the scale, just change the scale in the viewport. It will get bigger or smaller without effecting the paper size.

     

    You can put multiple Viewports on a single sheet layer, even at different scales. So for me, composting your details onto a sheet layer this way is much easier.

     

    And you never had think about using the Annotation Group. You will probably have to crop to get just the portion of the model you want to display.

     

    And you can still use Saved Views to get to and from both the DL and SLs. (Not sure I follow this?)

     

     

     

  18. The idea is the shelter is shown on the overall site plan if we're using generic terms. Then you might have another saved view that would be like another page for us where many use sheet views we use saved views. There you would see elevations and callouts about the shelter in its various views, the views would just be generated by the same 3d modeled shelter on the A-1, copied, then placed on a design layer on say a Saved view S-1. I could then rotate the object(shelter) around its x,y.z axis to give the view I want. Duplicate the shelter and rotate again for each view desired. This would be for a set of construction drawing CDs.

     

    It's more of a conceptual idea to integrate 3d components where we could even tho we mostly work in 2d without using viewports, especially if the shelter were to be a symbol that may morph as we work ahead.

    The rationality for this thought is often our equipment configurations are ever changing and maybe working this way would allow us to update views as we are forced to move forward with unknowns, but the office as a whole prefer to stay away from viewports,  which I would guess is probably the recommended workflow most would suggest, but you cant blame someone for trying to find a workflow that suites their exact needs.

     

    You will have to forgive me. I have high regard for VW and many years working with it. I simply only know what I know, and there is still a lot I don't know about VW! 

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