[Can anyone suggest a reliable method for 3d scans of venues?]

On 12/16/2022 at 9:11 AM, Kevin McAllister said:

Has anyone ever managed to integrate a Vectorworks model with a Matterport model? Lots of theatre companies have virtual tours using the Matterport front end. It would be interesting to integrate a set design into one of these venue scans.

 

Kevin

 

 

It's an absolute nightmare. MP is designed for real estate. I've had countless MP scans from professionals that provide that service, and the scans were more trouble than they were worth. I could get a more useful scan myself with an iPhone and a giant selfie stick (iPhone LiDAR lens is limited to 5m).

 

If you need a venue scanned, reach out to Kellen at POP: https://www.entertainmentsurveying.com

 

Also, they can provide a 3D model in whatever file format you need. In the screenshots below, I had less than an inch of tolerance to fit projectors, speakers, etc between MEP, HVAC, W-beams... Couldn't have done it without them.

 

 

I requested a topo of the slab, so I could see how / where it fell off because we had a ground stacked LED wall the full span of the space with some zig zag returns, and that stuff has to be perfectly level. I was able to convert what POP provided into a DTM. It was actually pretty level but at least we verified that before we got onsite, and were able to start in the correct high corner.

 

 

 

With the Clip Cube, we could also see that the ceiling followed the same (very slight) slope:

 

 

 

I affectionally called this Saved View the Clip Cube RCP (ortho top view), so I could isolate all of the beams, MEP, HVAC, and other obstructions in the air:

 

 

Then start nudging the PJ's around where they would fit. You can see the cones from ProjectionViz:

 

 

Then checking for clipping (shadows) using Projection Viz and the 3D model provided by POP. This is a WIP screenshot, so the speakers and subs were still clashing with MEP before we moved them into final position:

 

 

[Layer Scale question - why not just 1:1?]

On 12/16/2022 at 9:48 AM, yasin2ray said:

Does anyone just set their layer scale to 1:1?

 

2 types of layers:

• ConnectCAD Schematic Layers (default stock template)
• AutoPlot Truss Tape layers (autogenerated)

These have to be 1:1

 

However, I would go nuts if the rest of my design layers were 1:1 for all of the reasons others have pointed out above.

 

The great thing about VW is that if a user wants to draw exclusively on 1:1 design layers for some cadforsaken reason, they have that option. It's not a "one size fits all" solution.

[Layer Scale question - why not just 1:1?]

2 hours ago, bcd said:

Convert to Annotation Object command

 

The what now?

[Layer Scale question - why not just 1:1?]

22 hours ago, Tom W. said:

 

Andy what exactly does enabling 'Dominant' do? I've never noticed any difference one way or the other...

 

From memory (of the device currently sitting in a drawer), only one axis at a time will rotate.

[Can anyone suggest a reliable method for 3d scans of venues?]

On 12/13/2022 at 11:32 AM, EAlexander said:

 

I like using Productions on Point for this kind of thing - the final product ends up being an AutoCAD file that can easily slip into VW or they can provide a Vectorworks file. 

I can vouch for Kellen and Austin. This is the way.

[Drawing List Interactive?]

The Story of Vectorworks:

• One is a short term workaround
• The other is a long term wish

If you can't be with the one you love... 

 

BTW I live for Vectorhacks, workaroundflows, cheat codes... lots of smarties here in the forum and in the user groups.

If you can swing the west coast time zone, I would encourage you to add Santa Barbara to your user group list. That's where we attempted to crack Kevin's TOC idea. Los Angeles is another good one, especially if you're getting into scripting. You can sign up for email announcements here:

 

https://www3.vectorworks.net/community-group

[Drawing List Interactive?]

6 minutes ago, trevorgooch said:

I think that there's some room for some linking in my Mini plots - I can imagine an overview page that links to each detail, and on each detail a link back.  Perhaps what I'm *really* trying to solve is making very granular detail drawings most effective in the hands of production leads who still have yet to get their heads around the overall show.

 

I think this can be accomplished a few different ways today. The first, with hyperlinks but, as Kevin said, it would be pretty maddening.

 

The other ways would be using smart markers and back referencing (to a plan or plot, so linking back to a drawing/sheet index might turn into a workaround):

 

 

 

[Drawing List Interactive?]

34 minutes ago, trevorgooch said:

@Mark Aceto Decade old documentation, and yet here we are.... did you have any luck?  

 

I have an idea about having both a hyperlinking TOC, and some kinda navigation block, so that in PDF form, it's more useful.  I keep publishing mini-plots, or small detail sheets, and the end consumer is dependent on dropbox and my clear naming to find the info that they need, which is sketchy at best.

 

We did not. We ran into some logical challenges, and got stuck within the current constraints. However, I think we got the message across in the NYC user group meeting. @Kevin Allen would you agree?

 

That said, I've become a fan of the QR code on plots. Super easy for crew to hold their phones at your plot (or any screen with the code) to instantly download it to their devices. The code can link a specific file or a folder that contains multiple files. The latter is my preference. Totally different topic than TOC links but you might find it useful (if you haven't already).

 

[Mac Silicon OS and VW]

7 hours ago, zoomer said:

I don't know how long it will take for a final ARM/Metal native UE

but I expect it to need even a bit longer for TM.

 

Let's say, best case scenario, UE is ARM-native by the end of 2023, and optimizations continue indefinitely... TM is ARM-native by 2024. I'm not sure what to expect with Apple shipping hardware optimized ray tracing but I'm guessing they'll need it for their silly AR glasses, so let's say it works its way to the Mac by 2024.

 

By 2024, NVIDIA will be onto the 5090, Intel will have the 15900, AMD will be on the (9000?) series... and Epic will have released new technologies that are not compatible with Apple yet.

 

At this point, I'm looking to the mythical ARM Mac Pro to predict the future when it's eventually released in this timeline. Whatever it's packing (or not) should shed some light on the path forward... 

 

[Mac Silicon OS and VW]

4 hours ago, zoomer said:

 

There is already an Apple ARM Beta for UE.

But you need to compile it yourself from Github, like you need

for a Linux installation .....

 

 

But yes, not much has changed.

 

I’m not sure how to read the tea leaves of TM 2023.1 being Intel native. Obviously, UE is the rendering engine, so that makes sense. But it seems like TM won’t be ARM native until 2024?

 

Also, there’s this weird thing with the Mac Pro and M2 MacBook Pro’s being delayed until March 2023 and tied to a macOS 13.3 update that makes me foolishly hope for a M2 chip with hardware optimized Ray tracing… 

 

When that doesn’t happen, there’ll be WWDC... And when that disappoints, there’ll be the Fall releases… And when that… 

 

Forever chasing that carrot stick like Sisyphus with Stockholm Syndrome. Meanwhile, NVIDIA, AMD and Intel continue developing at their own pace… 

[Mac Silicon OS and VW]

On 7/2/2020 at 8:33 PM, Mark Aceto said:

Final final thought: I may be f*cking 50 before I finally have a Mac that runs like I've needed it to since 2004 (and I'm not even counting the ones I used in the 90's), so I'm asking myself some real career-changing questions during the pandemic... Therefore, what I want to know is will VW still be stuck on 3 cores because of some old library before I turn 50? Because that will be the tipping point for me in this waiting game.

 

 

 

Following up on this... Turned 50 a few weeks ago. Still no ARM Mac Pro. Still no hardware optimized ray tracing. Unreal Engine and Twinmotion are still not ARM-native (running on Rosetta 2)... And Apple Silicon is now handily beaten by both Intel and AMD performance again, so... not much has changed.

[Update Smart Option Display to be more process inclusive.]

23 hours ago, Tom W. said:

 

I love my SpaceMouse but I find it so temperamental. It's working fine on VW2022 but I rely on being able to use the 'Switch Navigation' command to set it to:

 

 

(I have 'Switch Navigation' mapped to the MMB on my CadMouse Pro).

 

And in VW2023 this isn't working: for some reason the MMB is giving me 'Fit to Objects' instead. So I checked what driver I was on + I was two versions behind so I updated to the most recent version + things were even worse: none of my macros were working either. So back to the old driver + no 'Switch Navigation' in VW2023 which basically means I can't use the SpaceMouse for navigation in the way I'm used to because I have no way of setting the target object (the point of origin is permanently set to the Internal Origin).

 

 

Yup. Been like that for years. The fix status is “someday / maybe”. Until that magical day comes, it sits in the drawer.

[Update Smart Option Display to be more process inclusive.]

6 hours ago, zoomer said:

 

 

That is already a great pain for 3DConnexion Space Mouse devices.

Those "Fly-Over" for me in any other App, just like a Rotate View by Mouse,

just in VW, Space Mouse Center will always just be on File Origin ....

(And I'll get ill by Walk or Helicopter mode and such things)

Another example of VW—and, to be fair, 3DC—getting it mostly functional in 2017 or 2018, and then abandoning it before it became fully functional (and on par with other 3D design apps). How many of us have a 3DC Spacemouse sitting in a drawer, waiting for the magical day it will be useful to us for 3D modeling? And as for that advertised “6 degrees of freedom”… not holding my breath for VW to add roll functionality.

[Update Smart Option Display to be more process inclusive.]

On 12/9/2022 at 10:13 AM, Tom W. said:

 

I wouldn't say it pops up instantly. It does a little emerging-from-the-centre animation thing which I would be happier turning off given the option. In contrast, when you right-click to bring up context or document menu it really does appear instantly + you can wave your cursor around to your heart's content + it stays there!

 

Yeah, I just tested assigning a hotkey, "S". No difference.

 

I also tried to force it with a macOS Sys Pref setting (Accessibility / Reduce motion which does exactly what we're describing here but on a system level) but there was no difference. I imagine it's hard-coded into VW, and an engineer would have to rewrite that animation time (or create a new UI element to give users control).

[Update Smart Option Display to be more process inclusive.]

54 minutes ago, Peter Neufeld. said:

 

Hello,

If you mean by 'Navigation' the Pan tool, the space bar does both by default. Pan and SOD.

 

Cheers,

Peter

VW can also use MMB to pan which is what I do. Makes SOD less conflicting with spacebar.

 

I wish VW could do Shift+MMB for flyover because Shift is an easier target on a Mac keyboard layout than Control. Or spacebar+MMB? What does that do?

[Update Smart Option Display to be more process inclusive.]

9 hours ago, Andy Broomell said:

I'd be curious to hear if a single soul actually uses this idle feature.

It’s the same person on an 11” MacBook Air that makes their Attributes palette as narrow as possible and loves the text size in palettes.

 

I would venture the number of users that ignore the SOD when it pops up after idling is second only to the number of users that ignore autosave nags (instead of disabling them in VW Prefs).

[Overhaul of graphical projection]

2 minutes ago, zoomer said:

without question.

That is a standard in architecture.

And I had it in CADs since I started mid 90ies - until VW ....

 

Yeah, I don't need my buildings to look like Spiderman Turn Out The Dark set pieces:

 

[ConnectCAD toolset icons for your custom workspace]

Should be able to ignore that error. If you click OK, and then save the new workspace (maybe duplicate an existing one for testing purposes), does it look good? That's how it worked for me.

[Overhaul of graphical projection]

1 hour ago, zoomer said:

OK, I learned my favorite Isometric is called "Trimetric"

 

Great to know it has a (nice) name.

So that means it is official !

 

+100 for Trimetric View in VW.

 

Dimetric for me.

 

Btw "Lower Right Rear Parallel Orthographic Auxiliary Dimetric" just rolls off the tongue, so I think we should rename the views accordingly. So much more accurate and helpful... 

[Data tags - ability to choose "insertion point" or "center" for auto placement.]

I think I mostly get what you're hoping to accomplish, although I have some question about the groups. I'm gonna send you an invite the SB user group meeting tonight at 5pm because there are some folks there that should be able to help you solve this.

[Overhaul of graphical projection]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:42 AM, Christiaan said:

3. Custom Parallel Projection settings

Even better would be a new Custom Parallel Projection settings window, allowing us create custom axonometry, which we can save as Styles. Vectorworks could then include all the most common ones as Parallel Projection Styles, including Dimetric and Trimetric.

 

Would kill for 2-point perspective as an option:

 

[Add some wiggle room for Smart Options targets.]

9 hours ago, Tom W. said:

2. SOD should remain on screen until you positively deactivate it, in same manner as right-click menu (or at least have the option for this behaviour).

 

Possibly hit the space bar a second time to deactivate it.

[Dividers for Layers and Sheets]

6 minutes ago, Andy Broomell said:

(It might be better thought of as "Annotative Scale").

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

 

(I'll see myself out.)

[Update Smart Option Display to be more process inclusive.]

10 hours ago, Peter Neufeld. said:

Also the SOD is already mapped to the Space bar which I find is easier to get to rather than another key.

 

The great thing about the space bar (other than being a bear claw sized target) is that it's ambidextrous, so both right-handed and left-handed users can keep their other hand on the mouse, which is especially helpful for tool modes (while a user is drawing a poly with multiple bezier modes) or if they forgot to suspend snapping before they started drawing.

 

10 hours ago, Peter Neufeld. said:

I do turn off the default option to appear after 10 seconds of idling so I only see it when I hit the bar.

 

Same but that animation time is excruciating. Is there any way to make that zero latency? Every time I smash the space bar, I feel like that guy in Interstellar that spent 24 years waiting for the rest of the crew playing in the waves for 7 minutes.

[Dividers for Layers and Sheets]

2 hours ago, _James said:

(Whilst we're at it, lets get rid of design layer scales too...)

 

You had me up until here. I'm guessing you only annotate on sheet layers. There are loads of users that also annotate on design layers with world-based objects that need to have a certain range of scales available.

Likewise, there other use cases with ConnectCAD, AutoPlot, etc. that design layers need to be a specific scale for the purpose of that workflow.