Monadnoc

I actually prefer the way VW handles bezier curves. They are easier to edit/reshape for me. When I'm in Illustrator and I zoom way in on a curve, the reshape handles are off the screen and I have to zoom out to use them. VW let's me zoom in much closer to reshape at a much finer level. I feel like I have a lot more control reshaping in VW than Illustrator. Of course, I may be doing it wrong in Illustrator. Wouldn't be the first time. Monadnoc

I didn't know that. Very useful information. I was wishing for that ability. Thanks. Monadnoc

I should add, the "Black and White Only" setting applies to everything, including design layers, saved views, etc., as well as Viewports. So if you're used to printing from a design layer, you can easily switch to B&W just to print. Monadnoc

Use viewports on Sheet layers to print. Then either activate the "Black & White Only" option, or set all your classes and/or layers to Black via Class and/or Layer overrides. The latter will provide greater flexibility and allow for grey lines and fills if you set those specific classes/layers to a grey or a color. Monadnoc

I noticed that too. Is it possible to add in additional custom North Arrows to the North Arrow tool? There are several I'd like to add. Monadnoc

Here's a link to a free online converter: http://www.babel3d.com/ I just tried it yesterday and it worked great. I had a .skp 7 file that came into VW as an unusable, grey mess (parts of the model were missing). I converted it to .3ds via Babel3D and it imported fine, all parts were there, and with all colors intact (not really textures, but at least it wasn't grey). They ask for your email to notify you when it's done, but it converted it as I waited and I was able to download it right away. It only took a few seconds. Monadnoc

Here is an article about Photofly, a new (free) program that takes a boatload of photos and turns it into a 3D model. I think the resulting model is a point cloud, or a mesh based on a point cloud. I wonder how "heavy" it would be, and slow down your file? Too bad it's from Autodesk (I can't stand Autodesk, but they are expert marketers). And Windows only. Here are some links: (news article) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/transform-photos-models/story?id=13707171 (Photofly web site) http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/photo_scene_editor/ Monadnoc

Do you have Renderworks installed? I have just started playing with the Cinema 4D workflow, but my impression is you are supposed to assign materials/textures in VW/RW if you want the mapping, etc. to transfer. If you choose "Send to C4D" it will launch C4D with your file open, and I believe it is only available if you have Renderworks installed. Regarding transferring channel settings within Cinema 4D, you should be able to use the "Copy Channel" and "Paste Channel" function to apply your settings to other channels. It is usually found in the little drop-down triangle/arrow right next to "texture" in (almost?) all the channels.

Paola, Here is the main Webinar page from Nemetschek (for upcoming webinars), plus the Landmark Bootcamp page which has some very good recorded webinars/presentations. I'm also including some links directly to some past webinars Nemetschek has emailed me after the webinar was over. I tried searching their website to find a few but no luck. It would be nice if they put all past recorded webinars on one page somewhere. Also, there is an OpenBIM part 2 floating around (I downloaded it to my computer a few months ago) but I couldn't locate it. Here they are: Webinars page http://www.nemetschek.net/news/events.php#webinars Landmark Bootcamp page http://www.nemetschek.net/landmark/bootcamp.php Site Modeling http://download2.nemetschek.net.s3.amazonaws.com/www_movies/webinars/Site-Model-Webinar-Tamsin-Slatter.mov Managing Plant Data http://download2CF.nemetschek.net/www_movies/webinars/Managing_Plant_Data_In_VWL.mov Vectorworks Architect 2011 with the Beta Testers http://download2cf.nemetschek.net/www_movies/webinars/2011/AR11_Beta_Tester.mov Landmark 2011 with Beta Tester, Tamsin Slatter http://download2cf.nemetschek.net/www_movies/webinars/2011/LM11_Beta_Tester.mov Top Tips & Tricks in Vectorworks Landmark 2011 and Renderworks http://download2.nemetschek.net/www_movies/2011/Tips_N_Tricks_LM2011.mov Top Tips & Tricks in Vectorworks Architect 2011 and Renderworks http://download2.nemetschek.net/www_misc/2011/Tips_N_Tricks_AR2011.mov OpenBIM part 1 http://download2cf.nemetschek.net/www_movies/webinars/OpenBIM_Part_I.mov Also, just as an aside, CAD is a generic name that simply refers to Computer Aided Drafting and/or Design. It is not the name of a specific program. Vectorworks is CAD. Microstation is CAD. PowerCADD is CAD. AutoCAD is CAD. Plus dozens of other programs. They all have their strengths, weaknesses, and frustrations. Sorry to sound all soap boxy about it, just one of my little irritations is when someone refers to a specific CAD package (usually AutoCAD) as if it is the only CAD program. Humor me.

Did you try "Send to Cinema 4D" instead of "Export to Cinema 4D"? It shouldn't make a difference, but you never know ...

Tamsin, Very good webinar, thanks. Here is the link to it: http://download2.nemetschek.net.s3.amazonaws.com/www_movies/webinars/Site-Model-Webinar-Tamsin-Slatter.mov Monadnoc

I actually like the option of two planes, layer and screen, and the way it was implemented. I think it was a good attempt at keeping the old users happy and the new users/old users who want to be able to work in a 3D view happy. The problem is that it doesn't work. I can't count how many times it arbitrarily has changed from screen to layer plane all by itself. And I've given up trying to edit extrudes, etc., because when you enter them it flings you all over the place. And even if the original object was created as screen plane, once inside the extrude it turns into a layer plane object on its own. It is way too buggy. But if they ever can get it stabilized and working properly (which isn't going to happen for version 2011 - I've been a user since minicad 5 and I've never seen a mincad/vectorworks release that didn't take a minimum of a year and a half to have even a semi-stable version, and with one year releases, you can kiss goodbye any chance of ever having a stable version again, period). But, bugs aside, I still think it's a pretty good, and powerful, idea.

Very nice.

I have the same problem. And I have for years. No matter how I enter something in the Forum search box, it returns tons of posts that don't apply to my problem. I've tried entering words with and without quotes, with and without "+" between words, single words, but nothing works. I've pretty much given up on searching the Forum. If anyone has any tips or suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks. I have been able to reproduce it in other files. Every file I tried, in fact. Although I'm still not sure it isn't operator error rather than a bug. It seems strange that no one else is experiencing it. But I can't figure out what I'm doing differently now that would make it not work. And only on Sheet Layers. It still works fine on Design Layers. I think I will email Tech Support first and see if they can come up with an answer. If not, I will bug submit it.

After installing sp3 I just noticed that the "Hide Wall Components" setting has stopped working in viewports. I tried in on a design layer and it works, but it has no effect on a viewport on a sheet layer. Has anyone else experienced this? I am new to VW2011 so it very well could be operator error. But I was using it before with no problem, but maybe I changed a setting somehow? I have noticed a few other problems since installing sp3, selecting objects when in annotation mode of a viewport is very buggy, sometimes it just won't select anything. Didn't have this problem before sp3. Also Layer overrides don't work in Section Viewports. Pick Up attributes doesn't seem to work in viewport annotation layers either. So far, sp3 seems to have introduced way more bugs and instability for me than it has fixed. Or is it just my imagination? Thanks.

I am a returning user to Vectorworks (the last version I used was 11.5). It's been a while. I've recently purchased VW 2011. I am doing a remodel of a house and have all the existing elements on several "Existing" layers (walls, roofs, floor slabs, etc.). I have a Section Viewport on a Sheet Layer, and want to display the existing building as grey, leaving the proposed addition as black lines. I have tried using the viewport Layer Overrides > Layer colors and changing the "Existing" layers to grey. But when I activate "Use Layer Colors" and update the section viewport, everything is still black. I'm not sure what the "Layer overrides" and "Layer visibilities" check boxes do, but I've tried it with them checked and unchecked, with no effect. I have also tried using the Layer Overrides to turn the desired layers visibilities to grey (vs. visible or invisible), which also doesn't work. According to the Help file, both should be possible. So can you use Layer Overrides with Section Viewports? Or is there something I'm missing? Or is it a bug? I've also tried directly changing the "Existing" design layers colors to grey and using "Use Layer Colors", thereby omitting the need for overrides, but still no luck. Everything stays black. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Monadnoc

Thanks for the welcome, Farookey. Sorry it took so long to respond. I try to browse the Tech Board every day, but it seems I never have the time to make a post. I am a returning user, and just re-learning VW, so I'm sure I will have a lot of posts in the near future asking for help. Monadnoc

I haven't used MicroStation in about 15 years, and I don't remember ever using that feature, but if I'm understanding what you're trying to do, I think the closest thing in Vectorworks would be the "Clip" tool. It doesn't do exactly what you're looking for, but you can get to it with an extra step or two. Use the "remove areas outside marquee of selected objects" option, and the polygonal fence mode (or rectangle or circle). Then it's just 5 quick steps: Select All Draw your Fence (everything outside the fence will disappear and you'll be left with your interior objects selected) "Copy" Hit "Undo" (so everything comes back) Then "Paste", and just the objects and pieces of objects inside the crossing fence are pasted. I'll admit it's not as easy as what you're used to, but it actually goes remarkably fast once you get the hang of it. Although Moving the items instead of Copying them will take a little more effort (Paste in Place, Group, then Move by whatever technique you prefer). HTH. Monadnoc VW Designer 2011

That's because that's the Slab plug-in object off of Vector Depot, if I'm not mistaken. It is not the one provided by VW. I used to use it in VW 11.5, as it was much more flexible/powerful than the Slab object that came with VW. The new Slab object in 2011 is much more powerful now, and I would suggest using that one instead, and you'll be wall-styling in no time. (I meant SLAB-styling in no time. Thank goodness for the Edit button.) Monadnoc