simbob

Preferences => Session => Serial nos

One point to note in ref to point 1: "Are the symbols universal, meaning if I edit the symbol does it update everywhere I have used it?" Only within the same file, if you create a new file with the same symbol in and alter it, it only affects the instances within that file. Think of symbols as a reference, you are essentially placing a block of instructions, when the drawing is opened it pulls the info from the symbol source drawing and displays it in your block, rather than storing the same collection of objects multiple times, thus saving huge amounts of data and keeping file sizes down. Records are the same in that they are held separately (but within the file or symbol) or as a database and pulled to wherever you instruct them to. Start basic, personally, I use a new blank sheet every time (tried templates but found different jobs needed different things), i have an separate VW file i have saved as a resource palette favourite, which contains all my symbols and text presets and border symbols, hatches. I access all those things via the resource palette toggle and import as i need them - or can use it as a template - this leaves the master file untouched. Title blocks can be symbols with record formats or not, personally i use a symbol with certain fields like title and date left out, i insert these elements manually and group it all together in the Sheets area only - not in the drawing space. Select the file you are using from the resource palette toggle and it displays the symbols/attributes in that drawing only.

I am fairly new to 3D working in VW and am self taught and so wanted to hear others opinion on what is the best way to do things. I work mainly in the Architectural Interiors field (although not an architect, nor to that level of detail), I usually start a drawing using the wall tools and for speed i will use the inbuilt widgets for certain elements like baths, WC's some furniture, but these are fairly limited and i often then have to then find a 3d Symbol or draw something from scratch if it is not available as a widget. As the design develops and changes many of the walls and widgets can become a hindrance and I find myself swapping out walls for extruded Polygons and 3d symbols, as many of the 3D tools don't work on these elements either. This is also true when you get into Renderworks as many of the widgets are very basic in appearance. I want to know how others, who work in similar fields, approach this and is there a accepted norm to the way you may produce 3D interior drawings and Renderings. Do most people ignore the in built tools and start from scratch and build up their own libraries of symbols (as i have done in 2D over the years)?

When using 3d Mesh objects they look messy in plan view, I don't need to show all the facets in a layout plan and at larger scales they just look like blobs of black. Is it possible to show them as outlines only in 2D plan mode?

thanks Jim

I noticed there is a 'Curtain wall edit tool', but I don't seem to have the actual 'curtain wall' tool in the palette, nor any option in the wall types, where do i find this tool? Using 2015

Thanks Jim, got them now, the RW libraries add-ons weren't there originally as i just updated the serial rather than do a full install with the RW serial.

Just been venturing into Renderworks and on doing one of the online video tutorials it casually tells you to go and import from the textures library... but on looking i don't have any textures default or otherwise. I installed all the add ons when i installed 2015, but there are no textures, not in 2013, 2014 or 2015. Is there some way i can get these so i can finish my tutorial? :crazy: Also interested in any other textures

Many thanks Jim

I've noticed there is no option to export 3d files as .obj. I thought this was supposed to be the 'common' 3d format. Does anyone know what's a quick and easy way to convert to .obj via 3rd party or otherwise?

Hi, i have just created some 3d shapes using the sweep command around a locus point, but when they become 3d shapes the wireframe outlines disappear, they shapes are still there as i can see them in GL, any ideas why this is? Attributes set to black outline white fill.

Yes, just another of the bugs with VW2014. Snapping and constraining in 2014 is massively flawed for some reason (apparently the lack of shift key constraining 90 degrees is a known bug!). I just came on here looking for an answer to this same problem, trying to draw up a survey is impossible, employing the same example as Jonathan, the angle at which a line ends up is relative to the point you pick and not the point you wish to rotate around, which is useless as it requires you knowing the angle of a line end point in relation to the last line end point you drew, rather than the length of it. Benson: unless i'm wrong your method works, but if you need to add a length to the line then it snaps back to the angle constraint. I'm going back to 2013 if they don't sort this soon.

YES, YES, YES. It's driving me mad. I haven't yet managed to pinpoint what the problem is but there is definitely something inferior about the snapping and constraining of lines in 2014. The shift key no longer constrains to 90 degree increments for a start, but i keep finding lines i though i'd drawn straight are at random angles like 89.03 instead of 90, or i try to move / duplicate something in a straight line and when i let go of the mouse button it is no longer aligned, especially if you are not zoomed right in close, or the cursor appears to be snapping to a point but when you look closely it isn't. This is costing so much wasted time repeating the same processes over and over. ...and breathe.

I wonder if anyone may be able to shed some light on a problem we are having with Vectorworks to Autocad 2013 conversion, our US based client is unable to open any of the 9 different files we have sent and is receiving the message: "Foreign DWG file This DWG file was saved by an application that was not developed or licenced by Autodesk" Options are then to continue to open or Cancel, when they continue the program crashes for every file. We, nor they have ever had this issue. I have been in touch with Vectorworks directly and having tried a few tests (i.e. 3rd party CAD viewer, importing back in to VW), they have advised it does not look like a VW problem. I have also sent a test file to a colleague in the UK and he has opened it without issue, therefore the problem must be with something at the client/Autocad end, I wondered if maybe there is a US version of Autocad that differs in some way from the European version. Any thoughts on what may be causing the issue would be appreciated, thanks.

All hatched and 2d in Top/Plan. Copied from another file working fine. And since copied to another file ok. Should also point out there are six objects on their own class with different hatch fills, one of the objects is behaving normally the other 5 are doing this.

Is there a reason why i can only select the outline of a shape and not the fill area? I've copied a bunch of shapes from one drawing (working normally) to reproduce in another but i can't manipulate these in the same way. Is there an explanation for this? I've looked through the prefs and found nothing.

I know you can use the number stamp tool to do Consecutive Numbering, but is there away for these to become 'intelligent' i.e. if you are to remove a number the others renumber accordingly, like in word when you remove a bullet point? When numbering an entire floor of desks and then the layout changes you don't have to renumber everything. Or, can you create a symbol which would do this?

Cheers guys, i reckon you've hit the nail on the head. I didn't know there were shortcut keys for these. I use shortcuts all the time, i suppose you only have to miss the apple key once or twice, plus i have an apple keyboard which requires a certain level of accuracy.

Anyone else have this problem where the snaps options in the palette keep changing? I have always used the same config (4on/4off), but every now and then i notice something behaving oddly and realize my snaps options have completely changed. I'm using VW2013 Arch SP5 latest build, i had the same problem in previous versions but much more regular now.

Thanks for your reply, but i'm a little more advanced than that! this is something either much more technical or a bug either in the program or file, the symbols are literally disappearing i.e. no where to be seen in the file/resource palette. Had hoped someone may have had the same experience

Symbols in certain drawings keep disappearing, i think it must be something to do with planar objects and 3d elements in the file but i don't know what is causing certain symbols to keep being removed from the drawings. They even disappear from the resource palette and i'm just left with a locus point showing where it once was. The drawings are 2d but i think once were 3d and converted, but many of the symbols affected are ones i have created from scratch. I'm wondering if it has something to do with 'layer plane' and 'screen plane', but i'm not sure of the difference.

Is there a way to check in/out of files when multiple users are using the same files so you don't overwrite other's work? We sync via google drive which will save a 'conflict' file if two users change the same file, but it can't tell you directly if someone is using the file when you open it

Thanks, i would try this if i could find the mythical 'Go' button it speaks of! Any pointers? Managed to switch hidden folders on with 'Terminal', deleted all prefs, working better but not solved. Still quits when switching docs especially if copying elements between.

Thanks, i would try this if i could find the mythical 'Go' button it speaks of! Any pointers?

Thanks, but i only get 500mb for all 4 files!