David L

I have been using VectorWorks since 1994 (MiniCad 4) and I'm currently on 2009, all on Macs. Most of that time I administered VectorWorks in networked offices of up to 15 seats and consulted several firms of similar size mostly all Macs too. We have never had any real problems transferring drawings to consultants running Autocad. We also have to provide DWG final record drawings on state projects and have had no problems exporting and submitting them. In all that time, I have never (that I can rember) lost a drawing due to VectorWorks instability (although there have been a few close calls) and that's with quite a few novices in the mix. I would say I have VectorWorks crash about once every 2-4 weeks, and that is usually on processor intensive tasks, like performing an operation on hundreds or thousands of selected objects. I've never used a version that was particularly more crash prone than any others. Of course that?s on Macs. There have been some problems, but they were usually fixed in subsequent minor upgrades. I sold an architecture firm on VectorWorks and they are all Windows (4-5 seats). I talk to them occasionally and they have never expressed having stability problems. Other VectorWorks Benefits: ? Novices learn VectorWorks much faster and produce better quality drawings. ? People coming from Autocad usually bitch for a while, but almost end up preferring VectorWorks. ? VectorWorks 2009 has workgroup production capabilities that compete with anything on the market. ? VectorWorks has excellent interface customization and scripting capabilities that allow you to implement office CAD standards and create custom commands, tools and databases as needed. ? Its easier to produce drawings that are more readable and elegant. I have had many contractors and owners comment that our drawings were the clearest and most readable they had ever seen. Mac OS X Benefits: I would DEFINITELY recommend switching to OS X (I don't know how feasible that really is for your firm?but you put the question out there). OS X is extremely stable (after all its UNIX with an interface for humans), has much more consistency across the interface and most Apple and 3rd party apps, has excellent stable and full featured networking capability, etc, etc, etc. Besides you get ALL of the features of OS X plus lots of other software free with every Mac (or you get ALL of OS X with the retail version for $130 - to get all of Windows you pay $320 for Ultimate). Macs and Mac networks also take much less administration and babysitting. Of all the offices I've worked in and consulted for, none had an dedicated IT person, and most needed little to no outside assistance, except for my consulting, which typically amounts to 0-16 hours per year per firm.

I'm not sure how Tobias got the worksheets to work for Space PIO's (without editing the datbase and column criteria). When I assigned the record formats to Space objects the areas always showed very tiny areas like 0.004 s.f. I discovered the problem is a bug in VectorWorks 2009, because the areas listed for Space objects at the bottom of the Object Info palette are correct in 12 and 2008 but in 2009 they are too small by a factor of 82,500 to 1. I also discovered that the Area Evaluation worksheet only showed the name listed in the Area Calcs record format, so if you were using Space objects you have to reenter the Name in the record format. Attached are revised worksheets for Area Calcs and REScheck data that work for Space objects or polygons. The reference to attaching the record format "Area Calcs (Sheet 2F)" was incorrect?see the revised worksheets, below. The attached worksheet for VectorWorks 12, should also be used in VectorWorks 2008. The attached worksheet for VectorWorks 2009 has somewhat different worksheets that take advantage of a new CONCAT( ) function, that is not available in previous versions of VectorWorks. NOTE: The attached files were to big to attach as VectorWorks files so they are compressed ZIP files, with the extension changed to TXT. They should automatically unzip on a Mac, but you may need to change the extension to .ZIP on a Windows machine then unzip them.

There appear to be no DoMenuTextByName Selectors for Batch Print... or Export PDF (Batch)... Is there any way to call these menu commands from a script? I see several Functions and Procedures related to batch PDF exports but none of them seem to get you to the Batch Export PDF dialog, and there appears to be nothing for batch printing. I have a script that runs a couple of processes on a file then issues the Print... command and I want to create other scripts that do the same with the Batch Print... or Export PDF (Batch)... commands, but I can't get the last step done.

Thanks to Pat Stanford for showing the CONCAT( ) and IF( ) statements. I've been using a RoomName/Number/Finishes symbol (to do Finish Schedules) with two title lines, for years and have had to resort to a separate line in the Record Format for the on-schedule name that uses a third manually entered line to combine the two title lines for the schedule listing. The statement looks for a name-top entry and if it exists it concatenates it with the name-bottom entry to display the full room name on the schedule. It could have been done more simply by using only the CONCT( ) statement, but it puts a space in front of the room name if there is no name-top entry. It took a while to get the syntax correct, but here it is: =IF(('room name/no/finish'.'name top'<>''), CONCAT('room name/no/finish'.'name top', ' ', 'room name/no/finish'.'name bottom'), 'room name/no/finish'.'name bottom') Thanks again Pat?that's bugged me for years.

JHEarcht, For your VectorScript education, the Concat( ) function takes 'text strings' and variable values (separated by commas and inside the parentheses) and stings them all together into one text string. The items between the single quotes are literal text strings and the variables display their actual values?thats why your string 'Print Date: ' needs to be inside the parentheses, as Pat said. BTW: If the bullets ( ? ) in the text strings don't showup correctly in Windows, then replace them with a dash or some other character that works.

I've been using a palette based class/layer system since about MiniCad 7. Its incorporated into my sheet template do its available whenever you start a new drawing. All standard Classes are available from the PLANS and SITE palettes. Just double-click in the class and it is activated. If the class does not exist it is created with all of the standard attributes defined in the script. This works great for Office Standards because whenever someone uses the palettes the class always uses the same names, line weights, colors and other attributes. The template also has many other features, like automated layer setup for site, plans, elevations, etc. and automated sheet setup for print output. The template is setup for residential or small commercial projects but could easily be adapted for larger projects. Check it out and see what you think. The scripts are all unlocked so you can look at them and edit them. The template is setup for a 24" display (1920x1200). I included a screen shot to show how the palettes should be arranged on screen.

I have been using a VectorScript for years that updates a Date/Time/File Name text block on my title block whenever I print a file. I place this "Date Stamp" vertically on the binding edge of my standard sheet template. That way its on all drawings and updates automatically whenever you print. All the stuff you need is posted on the Vectorworks Resource Share - VECTORSCRIPT forum page at: http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=113571&gonew=1#UNREAD Check it out and see if it works for you.

The plain text VectorScript code for the above Plug-in files are attached here.

The Data Stamp tool provides basic date, time and file name info, but must be updated manually and the layout cannot be modified. Dworks' DUpdateTitleBlocks updates similar date and file name info but only works with the Drawing Border PIO. I prefer to have this information displayed in one continuous line, so I can put it vertically on the binding edge of a drawing. I also want this date stamp to update whenever I print a drawing. I also want all worksheets in a drawing updated before printing so they contain the latest data. The attached VectorScripts gather information about the drawing and update the Date Stamp (and optionally recalculate all Worksheets), then issue the Print command. To try it out without installing anything, use the attached file "Date Stamp Sample.vwx". You are free to modify the attached VectorScripts (the .vsm files are unlocked) to change the way they work or change the info that they display. To install the commands, drop the attached .vsm files in your Home/Library/Application Support/VectorWorks/200?version/Plug-ins folder (for Windows check the Manual). Then, open the Workspace Editor and install the commands in the File menu. I reassigned the shortcut key for the Print command to the Print-RecalcWS-Date? command, so typing Command-P recalculates all worksheets and updates the Date Stamp. You can assign your prefered shortcut key to any of the these new commands. To use the commands, create a text block in the drawing (put some filler text in it) and Name the text block "Date Stamp" (select the text block, in Object Info/Data tab enter name in box just below the tab row). You can only have one instance of a named object in a drawing, so I put the Date Stamp text block in the drawing border layer of my sheet templates. This drawing border is viewported into each Sheet and is always available when you start a drawing from a template.

You can do this. Issue Print command then select Save As PDF? from the PDF button and you can enter Author and other info, as well as set security options.

If slow printing your problem then the solution might be to use a third party plotter driver, X-Rip from Microspot. It smokes anything else I've ever used on my ancient HP 650C-PS. Printing usually starts within a few seconds of the spool window closing. The quality is as good as Postscript. I am currently using it with VectorWorks 2009 in Leopard 10.5.5 and it is working fine. I recently had some friends with a 15 person firm and an 800PS switch to X-Rip and it was a big improvement for them. Large color presentations in VectorWorks and large PDFs were taking hours to print, now they take minutes. Even if you get a new plotter, you can get the non-PS version and save a $1000+. Microspot is a UK company, but I couldn't find the price in ? or ?. It was $299 US. Check it out and download demo at: http://www.microspot.com/products/xrip/index.htm PS: Two caveats, it DOES require a security dongle on a "server" machine (I'm using and old G4-533 MHz ) and it will not run on OS X Server.

The attached worksheets make it easy to calculate and keep track of your REScheck Data and Area Calculations for a project. You simply draw a few polygons to define your areas then enter area names or set a few energy related parameters and the worksheets do all of your calculations for you. When changes are made to your areas, you only have to adjust the polygons and all of your information will be updated (after you recalculate the worksheets).

Christiaan, I just made a post with and attached ZIP file and it was downloadable from the forum post. I hope this is not a violation of the forum rules. http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=113206#Post113206 Create ZIP file then change extension to TXT. When I downloaded it (on a Mac), it automatically unzipped and showed up in my Downloads folder as a folder. I don't know what will happen on Windows. You may have to change the extension back to ZIP manually.

If you are like me, you have 2-3 versions of VectorWorks on the Dock and they all have the same icon. If you have shortcuts on the Windows desktop its the same problem, but at least they have titles below them. To help this problem I have modified the VectorWorks icons for each version, so you can easily tell them apart. To install these icons on the Mac, select one of the attached icons and Copy it. Then select the VectorWorks application in the Applications folder, issue Get Info, click on the icon in the Get Info window to highlight it (sometimes this take two clicks), then issue the Paste command. The Dock icon should eventually update when you launch VectorWorks, but if it doesn't remove icon from Dock and add it again. Also included are icons I use for my Symbol Library folder. These are handy when you have your Symbol Libraries listed in the Sidebar of Finder windows or if you put them on the Dock. I don't know how you change icons in Windows or if the attached icons are compatible, but I have included folders with the icons that you may be able to use. If someone wants to convert the icons for use in Windows and repost them, feel free to do so. NOTE: Since icon files and folders cannot be uploaded, the attached .ZIP file has been renamed with the .TXT extension. After downloading change the file extention from .TXT to .ZIP and you should be able to open it.

I have been using QuicKeys for years to do the same thing on the Mac. I had no problem updating to VW2009. I have [ ' ] mapped to [page down], [ " ] to [page up], [ ? ] to [home] and [tab] to [end]. You might try mapping shortcuts to the [page up] [page down] keys. I don't know if this is possible in Windows.

Here are 6 stone hatch patterns that originally came from Eldorado Stone as DWG hatch patterns. They are intended for building elevations but some work well as plan view hatches. BTW: The "Make Hatch" command in the Dutch version of VectorWorks does not exit in the US version. It must be an add on that the Dutch distributor provides. It would be very useful for creating complex hatches like these. The hatch maarten created with that tool had 300+ levels as do most of the hatches in the attached file.

This is a graphic template of the keyboard locations for the standard tool shortcuts for VectorWorks 2008. A customized template that I use, is also included. The template is a VectorWorks.vwx file, so you can edit it as you wish. I recommend you print it and attach it to your keyboard, the front of you display or computer (in the case of an iMac). You can rearrange the location of any tool to your preference, just make sure you use the Workspace Editor to assign the correct key to that tool.

Here is a standard ADA Details drawing (VectorWorks 12) that we use on our drawings. Its mostly fixture and signage clearances. We don't include egress clearances, because these are dimensioned on the plan. The ADAAG is available online in HTML or PDF format at: http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm

After reading Pat Stanford's script "Rotate objects by individual centers" I discovered the Count procedure, so I revised the script. Now it is basically only 3 lines of functioning code. {=================================================================== ??This script sets the line weight of the user-selected object(s) ??to value indicated for the CONSTANT - w. ??If no objects are selected the default fill pattern is set to the ??CONSTANT value. ??This Vectorscript may be freely distributed. No warranty ??provided. Use at your own risk. David LaBarbera, 2008 ====================================================================} PROCEDURE SelectedObjLineWeight; CONST ???w = 2; { <----------- Line weight in mils.} FUNCTION FillObject(h:HANDLE) :BOOLEAN; BEGIN ???SetLW(h, w); END; BEGIN ???ForEachObjectInLayer(FillObject, 2, 1, 4); {---IF no objects are selected, then default attribute is set} ???IF Count(SEL=TRUE) = 0 THEN PenSize(w); END; Run(SelectedObjLineWeight); {========================================================================== ForEachObjectInLayer(Function Call; objOptions; travOptions; layerOptions) Object Options 0 = All objects 1 = Visible Objects only 2 = Selected Objects only 4 = Unlocked objects only Traversal Options 0 = Traverse Shallow 1 = Traverse Groups 2 = Traverse Deep Layer Options 0 = Current layer 1 = All layers 2 = Visible layers 4 = Editable layers 8 = Snappable layers ===========================================================================}

This is a graphic template of the keyboard locations of the standard tool shortcuts for VectorWorks 12 (works for 2008 too). Also included is a customized template that I use. The template is a VectorWorks.mcd file, so you can edit it as you wish. I recommend you print it and attach it to your keyboard or display. You can rearrange the location of any tool to your preference, just make sure you use the Workspace Editor to assign the correct key to that tool. I will post another template for VectorWorks 2008, when I finish revising all the icons, but the standard tool shortcuts are the same as VectorWorks 12.

The following is a VectorScript for setting an attribute for one or more selected objects. It uses the "ForEachObjectInLayer" procedure which is very powerful and customizable. It can do, in one line of code, what it would take many other lines of code to do. This script can be applied to setting almost any attribute for selected objects. The best use for it is to create a menu command from the script and assign it a key command (See Robert Anderson's "What do I do with a VectorScript, anyway?" in this topic). That way you can select some objects and type a key command to change their attributes (line weight, dash, fill, pattern, etc.). To set other attributes enter the procedure(s) you want in the "FUNCTION FillObject" subroutine. You can customize what objects are worked on by adjusting the parameters in the "ForEachObjectInLayer" procedure. Using the Constant for entering the attribute parameter makes is easier to create multiple copies for each line weight or other attribute. This script also sets the default attribute for the drawing if no objects are selected. If you don't want it to do that, delete all of the lines with countObj in them. Please copy everything including the comments if you distribute this script. {=================================================================== ??This script sets the line weight of the user-selected object(s) ??to value indicated for the CONSTANT - w. ??If no objects are selected the default fill pattern is set to the ??CONSTANT value. ??This Vectorscript may be freely distributed. No warranty ??provided. Use at your own risk. David LaBarbera, 2008 ====================================================================} PROCEDURE SelectedObjLineWeight; CONST ???w = 2; { <----------- Line weight in mils.} VAR ???countObj : INTEGER; FUNCTION FillObject(h:HANDLE) :BOOLEAN; BEGIN ???SetLW(h, w); ???countObj := countObj + 1; END; {---IF selected objects exist, they will be ????counted each time Function above is called} BEGIN ???countObj := 0; ???ForEachObjectInLayer(FillObject, 2, 1, 4); {---IF no objects are selected, then default fill pattern is set} ???IF countObj = 0 THEN PenSize(w); END; Run(SelectedObjLineWeight); {========================================================================== ForEachObjectInLayer(Function Call; objOptions; travOptions; layerOptions) Object Options 0 = All objects 1 = Visible Objects only 2 = Selected Objects only 4 = Unlocked objects only Traversal Options 0 = Traverse Shallow 1 = Traverse Groups 2 = Traverse Deep Layer Options 0 = Current layer 1 = All layers 2 = Visible layers 4 = Editable layers 8 = Snappable layers ===========================================================================}

You can download a demo, directly from Microspot at: http://www.microspot.com/products/xrip/index.htm

Mtarx Inc., Your 800PS probably has a a lot of life in it. I'm still using a 650C-PS thats over 12 years old. A cheaper solution would be to use the third party plotter driver X-Rip from Microspot. It smokes anything else I've ever used. Printing usually starts within a few seconds of the spool window closing. The quality is as good as Postscript. I am currently using it in Leopard 10.5.1 and it is working fine. Check it out at: http://www.macroenter.com/Microspot_XRIP_17_p/mxrs15.htm

Hugues, That works like a charm in my original script, using the ForEachObject procedure. Please try and get NNA to add info like that in the VectorScript Function Reference. It would have helped me if that info was listed in the description of the RecalcWS procedure. I will post some of these scripts in the Resource Sharing section. All of my VectorScript knowledge came from analyzing other peoples scripts, so I think it would help others to have more scripts available to learn from, especially for people like me with no programming background.

Pat, Thanks, that script does the job. I added a count statement after the RecalculateWS statement and a dialog that comfirms the recalc and reports the number of worksheets recalculated, but it reports 434 while there are only 7 in the drawing. With the count incrementor in the GetType IF statement, it should only count the worksheets. I don't know what it is counting. Guess I'll use a dialog that confirms but doesn't count. BTW: With my original script all worksheets where visible on drawing, but it still didn't recalculate. Love the PodCad Podcast - never miss an episode.