Mike Wright

There is now a bug filed for this. Expected fix in SP2

Do you know where I can get VW 2020 SP0? Doesn't appear on the downloads page

Strangely, you can only change the trim height with one truss object selected, it will move the rest of the system as well though as long as you have it all connected properly

You need to change the trim height of the truss system not the hoist hook. The hoist hook will adjust to the new trim height but not the other way round

I haven't rolled back yet but I can confirm that the problem does not manifest in VW2019 so I'm just going to take the whole project back to that

I am also having this problem Interesting that it is an SP1 problem, I will roll back.

When trying to connect the circular truss in the attached file to the top tri truss, i get a repeatable instant crash. I am using a hoist symbol as the connection. It does not matter if the truss circular truss is flat or at an angle. The connection I am attempting is this: Also on the rare occasions that it does not crash, the low hook of the hoist does not appear in the correct position, it sits directly below the circle as if it was not at an angle. The Z value of the hook is the same as the centre of the circle truss or possibly the Z value of the start of the truss section it is attaching to1: Looks like another annoying bug that us paying beta testers now expect to come across. VW 2020 SP1 Windows 10 truss connection crash.vwx

if your pipe and drape is directly below a truss it is probably adding it to the truss as a load and therefore giving it thew same Z value. The same happens if you move lighting fixtures that are perhaps part of a floor package under a truss and all of a sudden they are flown! I believe if you hold 'ALT' whilst you drag it will not attach to the truss (not 100% on this, it works for rigging objects like hoists) A work around is to hide your truss layer when you move the p&d or perhaps use the clip cube

You need to make the base and clamp into a group with the 'Parts' record format applied and 'Base' ticked. Have a search for videos explaining how to build custom lighting instruments, this explains the roles of the parts record

Not sure it's everything Would be interesting to hear what people's experience on this is. You cannot rotate a video screen object for instance.

Hopefully a fix soon. There is a similar manifestation of this problem I think in the below. I am trying to draw a 2 point bridle from two structural members to be in line with the truss. The bridle always draws at a slight angle: Maybe this is something I am doing wrong?

It is pretty common tor bridle off a beam or house points parallel to a truss if say you need to distribute your load or avoid HVAC/lower steel work. This would seem to be a pretty big over-site. And if the house points tool doesn't do parallel two leg bridles and you cannot attach a single hoist to it in a striaght drop then what on earth is it for?

Also take a look at this in V2020. I'm only just migrating from 2019 and this seems it may solve some of your problems:

Hi Brad WYG and VWX are very different tools, I understand your frustrations but I suspect with some training and help from here you will get over it. How are you creating your custom image for the blended screens? Have you created a lighting position form your truss? I believe if you have, you can no longer rotate on the Z axis as the position contains 2D geometry. Perhaps this should be a feature request? A work around is to create your truss then with the whole system selected click the 'Draw 3D only' box in the object info palette. You can now add lights as you would normally and the truss will appear in 2D plan view as a wireframe model like this: Now you can view the whole rig from the side and rotate it in the Z axis like this: Thanks to the recently added fixture rotation features they will still appear in 2D plan view as normal which is great for plots and labeling: Unfortunately if you need to add more fixtures you will need to either adjust their height and rotation manually or adjust your truss back to flat first Hope this helps

Gladly Attached is a clean file started from scratch. I am attempting to create a 2 leg bridle (V2019) Bridle test.vwx

Definitely a bug It mirrors but does not seem to mirror the focus point of the section either so any section with an off centre focus does not mirror correctly.

I'm still nowhere with this Trim height setting makes no difference, it is only referred to if you are in 2D plan view All I want to do is create a 2 leg bridle from a truss to two house points. The simplest of things. Below again the difference between what is predicted and what is actually drawn. Also How can I connect a truss to a house point in a straight drop? Single leg bridle does not work, it will not select automatically or manually. I really am extremely disappointed with braceworks. I spent some time persuading my employers to make the not inconsiderable investment, why should I now have to explain why it will not perform calculations for the simplest and perhaps most common rigging practices in the entertainment industry?

I have had the same when resetting the IDs with nothing selected, It seems to try to set an ID for every object in the drawing

You are correct that you need to use the ATT symbols, they come in various length but be aware that the stock symbols often have incorrect/incomplete truss records. I have modified mine for S52, 40V and 30V ATT along with building my own symbols for CCS6 female couplers in set's of 4. Frustrating but has proved worthwhile as no-one seems to want simple truss structures!

Does anyone from vectorworks monitor this forum? Unless I am missing something there is very little training/support documentation available for braceworks and I don't always have time to pester VSS support.

I was hoping to get more response to this! Never mind. I'm pleased to report that Braceworks reports compared extremely closely to real world readings from load cells on the 4 points to the roof and measurements of deflection on the circular truss.

When I create a bridle (simple 2 leg to a structural member in this case) the auto select tool picks the correct objects as below: But when the bridle builds it is at the wrong height: Am I doing something wrong? VX2019 SP3.1 Windows 10

you have the 'simplified' class visible for your truss. Hide this class in the viewport proprieties and your truss detail will return

*similar disclaimer* I am also not an engineer Here is a demonstration of my theory. On the left is a truss object created to be the same weight and dimensions as a theoretical screen . It has a rigid cross section because as near as damn it that is how an LED screen behaves. This is coupled to the truss using a truss link with a rigid cross section (mimicking say a half coupler*). All but the end two links are in compression and have failed. In reality this would prevent the truss from deflecting as expected unless you were using a pliable method of supporting the screen (spanset etc). On the right is a distributed load of the same weight showing the correct deflection of the truss. So in theory: If I use a rigid connection between header bar and supporting truss, I prevent the truss from deflecting. Which braceworks cannot model. If I use a soft connection between header bar and supporting truss the load will be almost exclusively applied at the outer most connections where the deflection of the truss and the screen are equal. Now in answer to my own original question: I have spaced my mother grid and the hoists that support the circular truss to minimise the variance in deflection around the circumference. I have achieved this without the need to apply any chain shortening as without load cells this will be wildly inaccurate in practice. This means that in theory none of the supports between screen header and circular truss should be wildly in compression (the screen here is modelled as a distributed load applied direct to the circular truss) : There are factors like for instance adding additional hoists which can cause this deflection to vary massively and in this case chain shortening is the only option to restore the desired flat support truss: My conclusion has been that to most accurately match theory to practice, my truss deflection must be as uniform as possible under FEA like Braceworks. Excuse the lengthy rambling post but (especially given recent events) I am taking a personal (and have been asked to take a corporate) interest in the rigging of LED screens and am interested in peoples opinions. I'm happy to have holes picked in any of the above or to be proven completely wrong! *Pro Burger for those on the other side of the pond

I've a relatively complex rig where I'm very close to my loading limits for the roof. One of the key elements of the rig is a large circular LED screen suspended from a circular truss. Currently I have the screen modelled as a series of point loads, one for every pick up on the screen header bars. My though is that this in no way reflects how a screen actually behaves as it is an inherently rigid structure attached to one which deforms under load. Could I produce a custom 'truss' which replicates the screen header bar but has a rigid cross section and the same weight/m as the screen itself. This could then be 'attached' to the circular truss using multiple pliable truss cross points to give a more accurate transfer of forces (the screen header will be rigged using round slings from the truss) Any thought would be gratefully received