Jonathan Pickup

you need to have Renderworks. that's it. you just have to get RenderWorks. It will open up a world of opportunity for your presentations though, you can add textures to your models, have better lighting and the solar animation will work better.

this works for me in tiger... but I did a clean install of everything...

yes, i think you are missing something. If you use the Issue Manager then you can correct all the title blocks from the issue manager. the issue manager allows you to add an issue note to all the drawings at the same time as well. as for the font size and style, these are set in the symbol. if you want to change the font, change it in the symbol. But if you are in an office, surely you should be having the title blocks consistent, so you want everyone to use the same title block... If you have access to my Architect Tutorial there is a section there on how to make your own custom title block and then make it issue manager friendly.

BG, don?t forget the user group this week in Auckland. We have a workshop on Viewports...

yes, BG, that would be useful. Could this also control the title that the viewport uses? So that you could use this to reference your drawings and details...

drag the whole VectorWorks folder to the trash

I insert all my titleblocks manually, but I use the Issue Manager to control the information on the titleblocks. I have made a custom title block, but I made it Issue Manager friendly... If you have my Architect Tutorial Manual you will find all the instructions for doing this.

John William?s posted this to the VectorWorks List: - create a class, create a viewport crop if you don't have one already, and set the class as invisible. Due to differences between AutoCAD and VectorWorks, you'll need to make sure the class is invisible both in the viewport and on the sheet. Finally, don't use a rectangle object for the crop - convert to polygon if you already have a rectangle.

i have ordered tiger and should have it soon. As a teacher of VectorWorks my clients expect me to be at the front of the upgrades, so that I can tell where the problems are....

yes, I use it mainly on demolition drawings.

what version of OS are you using. I used to have this but not for ages...not since OS 10.3

then remember that it is important to back up your work every night...

this is also available from : http://www.vectorexpress.com/

you could draw the side view of your object then extrude it use rectangles and arcs to draw the side elevation. Use the add surface command to add them together then extrude then in elevation

also, all my roof tricks are in my Architect Tutorial Manual... https://vesta.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php

it pays to keep the roofs as simple as possible, both for VectorWorks and for the builder. When you select the walls and use the auto-roofer, VectorWorks does it?s best, but it?s best to check and simplify the roof. I edit the auto roof using the 2D reshape tool. This technique does a great job of getting rid of the bits that can stop the auto roof. then if you still need to edit the roof more, then ungroup it and you get roof faces. I've had a lot of trouble with the roof framer on roof faces, does anyone else have trouble with this?

sorry I should have read more carefully, this is an Architect only feature.. There is another way, and that is to select all the walls that you want to change. Select the 2D Reshape tool. Drag a marque around the walls that you want to move. Then drag a wall, or use the move command to stretch the walls. If you have my Essential Manual this is covered on page 82... manual available from: https://vesta.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php

this is a new feature called the connected walls mode. To toggle this off and on, use the last button on the mode bar when you have the 2D Selection tool.

could you export standard viewports as dxf drawings (with little information on the design layers) then import the dxf file to make the viewports for you

I recommend that you DO NOT decompose the walls. Leave then as walls, even at the end of your project. Decomposing the walls will cause you a lot of trouble, it could change the graphic style of the walls, and if you have to move a door or window, it will be a hassle to move it. And yes, use the 3D model to create your elevations and sections... You may find some advantage in reading my manuals: https://vesta.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php

Chris, this doesn?t sound right. VectorWorks symbols always retain their real world sizes. For example if you draw a rectangle 1? square on a layer that is 1:1 and make it into a symbol, then use this symbol in a layer that is ? scale, it should stay at 1?, although it will look smaller...

if sketch is really not to be part of the base VectorWorks, why not make it available to people like Lucid, that have Renderworks? There are a lot of people that do not need the full architect (thing of all the interior designers out there) but they use renderworks a lot and could sure do with sketch...

the sunlight is nothing more than a directional light set to the right azimith and elevation. You can set this yourself if you have sunlight tables. A fair way to do this is to set azimith and elevation to 45? each. Change the strength of the light on the Object Info Palette.

can?t viewer show the sketch rendering? Surely it?s important that it shows the sketch ability...

I like all the OZCad resources and support Julian whenever I can. Julian has made some wonderful tools. One of them that I like is animation works which allows VectorWorks to make moves that you wouldn?t believe. Look at this one for an idea of what can be achieved: http://www.archoncad.co.nz/images/ultimate.mov this is a reduced movie, the original was shown on a TV show here a couple of years ago. The company that name it is shown on the copyright notice.