Jonathan Pickup

if you want the clients to see the drawings, what about PDF?

i'm not sure I argee with John's comments about rotating reference files and WGR. I agree that you have to follow a strict strategy when setting up WGR and to me creating the layer link is and additional step, but not too bad. think of the WGR as a step in the process rather than the completed reference file.

the viewer will not allow for the creation of things, but it will allow the user to shift an object (i think). I think saving is also disabled, so even if they could change it... Fills are not something that earlier versions of AutoCAD can deal with. With newer versions of VW (VW11) you can export to later versions of AutoCAD (2005). This will support fills, but only if your client has AutoCAD 2005. It's not your fault that VW has better drawing than AutoCAD...

draw the first circle then convert this into a nurbs... Menu Bar > Model > Convert to Nurbs Draw the second circle then convert this to nurbs... Menu Bar > Model > Convert to Nurbs Move the second nurbs up to the correct height using the move 3D command.... Menu Bar > Tool > Move > Move 3D Then use the Loft Surface tool to create a surface between the two of them.

i also use a laptop and mine has the numeric keypad as a modifier key (fn) with letter keys. it takes two hands, but it's still quicker than the std. views menu.

Make sure that VW is not running copy this plug-in to ; c:/ Program Flies/VectorWorks 11/Plug-Ins then restart VW From the Menu Bar choose: File > Workspaces > Workspace Editor Edit a copy of your edisting workspace. Choose tool Add a palette or find the plug-in on the left hand side (under the JDGS category) drag the tool to the right hand side to the palette of your choice. If you need a tutorial that cover this, it is in my Architects Tutorial: https://vesta.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php

Has anyone noticed that when you export a DXF file of a drawing with viewport crops, then when you import the dxf file you can see the crops in the viewports. I have tried putting the viewport crop in a class, but it always imports as none... I have tried making the colour of the line white... I have tried making the line style none...

I would strongly recommend moving away from your current layer pased title block to a symbol type title block. Using a symbol is really easy, and you can make your title block issue manager friendly so that you can use the issue manager with it. If you need step-by-step instructions on making a custom title block and using it, i have written an Architect tutorial... https://vesta.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php

andrew's technique is the one that I use. You can find a PDF file on my web site that will expalin how to use this: http://www.archoncad.co.nz/resources/resources_tips.php look for the tip called: How to Save a Corupted file

I would try to delete adoor symbol then try the rendering. I had a case with the door object (overhead door) that would cause VW to crash. I think it was repaired in 11.1 but it would be the sort of thing that I would check. when you say 4 brick and block walls, how did you make these walls.

maybe the class for the toilet is turned off (invisible)

I find it still best to draw at a scale, and I try to make the scale similar to the scale that the main part of the final drawing will be. As an example, a small house, i would draw the walls at 1:50 if that would fit on the drawing. This allows me to use associative dimensioning directly on the wall layer.

one of my suggestions is to use a template file to start a new project. If you have used a door and set the preferences, the last button on the mode bar, before you save the template file then when you place a door or window in that file it uses the vaules that you entered. If you open all the tools in a template file and set the preferences for each tool the way you want them, then when you use that template file you should find that all the tools have the default settings that you want. Thismight sound like a big task, but it only takes 5-10 minutes and it will save you heaps of time....

to repair a corrupted file I use the Work Group reference method. This is a bit long to explain here, but if you want to down load a pdf file that explains it, you can find the document on my web site. http://www.archoncad.co.nz/resources/resources_tips.php Look for the October 2002 tips. When you are there you can download any of the freestuff...

Also, a general comment I would make is that learning how to use VW well at the beginning is so important for all your future drawings. I don't know how much you know about VW, but to go to courses, user group meetings, reeading manuals etc, can make sure that you are using VW correctly and could speed you up considerably....

When you draw a building in VW you can use VW objects to create a most of the parts that you need. Doors, windows, columns etc. these should be objects because VW has them on the tool palettes as objects and if you draw with them it is quick and easy to draw. other thigs that you want to make that might be special, say lights on a lighting plan, can be made into symbols. The reason you should be using symbols is that it is quicker and more efficient to use symbols to create drawings.

How about right mouse click (control-click) and save target save... also check the download manager to see if is downloading...

if you get the model setup to then open your layer setup dialog and check the layers and heights that it makes. I believe that it makes too many layers and some of these can be replaced with classes. for example, roof layer could be replaced with a roof class so that the roof can stay in the same layer as the walls, but be turned on or off with classes. I like using a few layers and lots of classes. to make my drawings.

Try to reduce the number of layers that you use. If you want a floor pland @ 1:100 and an enlarged area of part of that plan at 1:50, then you only need one design layer. On the sheet layer you can make two viewports, one at 1:100, one at 1:50. the two viewports can show the same design layer at different scales. My recommendation is to use the title block as a 1:1 scale on the sheet layer.

OIP Object Info Palette

Try selecting the wall to see if it has been split.

just in case on-one else mentions it, I write some of the best training manuals: https://vesta.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php you can download a demonstration version of the manual to try out if you want.

no, Bobby, you can't lock the the first page. Like Ray suggests you could use the save view. I think my preference would be to use the viewports, then move them or rescale them to suit the drawing....

Try using the Class Visibilities coomand and the Layer Visibilities commend. both of these have a preview option that allows you to see the changes that you make. These would be nice if they could stay open like photoshop...

I also use a powerbook and it gets very hot. I use a coolpad : http://www.roadtools.com/ to keep the laptop cool. It also makes it easy to move around the table...