unearthed

Mainly just importing the increasing amount of data files that are becoming available - it is very useful that VW can read the data attached to shp files. I wouldn't think of doing any analysis in vw tho', far too cumbersome and not open enough to the world. Also in the past I have found VW is less than reliable and locks up when site dimensions exceed about 2kilometres. With QGIS I routinely work with spaces 40km or more across. How does VW handle tiled images? In the past I've had to class each one which gets old really fast. QGIS stores each image re as a single, queryable object. It's a pity you have partnered with Esri - almost all offices I know now who use gis are using QGIS. ArcGIS is completely un-affordable for small offices, and it's closed source, which is a serious disadvantage for the sort of work typical in GIS; at this level we REALLY need to see the algorithms.

Ok, looks interesting, but will this also enable topological editing? i.e. when editing adjacent polygons in for example the subdivision tool (landscape) other polygons would autoupdate - along with their annotations. Survey packages do this, along with most GIS' and there's a way to do it in Sketchup. Hope this is now the case with VW.

I guess no one's doing much with worksheets then

I have a worksheet with a column which has some colored cells (contents are calculated from other areas of worksheet if relevant). Is there a way to use say an IF to test if a cell is a given color and add it to a total? There don't seem to be any functions dealing with accessing worksheets. VW 2012 SP4, Win64

Thanks, When I unchecked it midMouseWheel enabled me to scroll up and down, on checking it again I still had no pan.

I've always used the mouse middle button / wheel to drag with no other keys used. At least I think this is how I've been using it for a decade (false memories can be so real tho'). This is a pain as before I was able to draw to edge of screen and just depress mid-mouse button, drag a bit and keep drawing. I know about the spacebar middle button method. Has anyone else seen this, solved this, thanks.

Congratulations and thank you Jim, your input and relaying of information is really helpful to us out here. When I'm seeking software an active, well-designed user forum is (almost) as important as the software itself. Most of what I know of VW has come from this group. Again thanks. And just for once I've come in the top five - whoopee; in 2014 unearthed posted "“Agree totally, this has to be the least ..." The site is so much better now. VW is still 'in spite of ware', altho' I'm still on 2008, but it is really the only good software for landscape work.

Plan for the worst,; rain, wind, no wireless, no cell access. I make pdfs available and normally take plans to site. (and jpgs sometimes (easier to scrol around with phone). Many of my sites are out of cell/wireless range so that should be a consideration. Contractors are tactile, so give them something to feel, people still love paper, and people can scribble on it - and in my experience, when the network dies paper still works. Contractors tend to be a wide mix of ages and you don't want older folk tuning out with a whizzy presentation. I have done simple 3D live presentations to contractors using Sketchup, last one was showing a guy 500km away where I wanted a track dozed across a hillside (using Joinme), I also do client and contractors remote sessions and it works a dream. But on site paper is best. If you use A3 stiff plastic envelopes you can markup on the outside and scan/photo as you go.

Hi All I need a part-time contract CAD assistant for my landscape architecture business. Ideally you will be a New Zealand Tax Resident, although this is not a prerequisite. Capability: Vectorworks - I use VW Landmark 2008, but you would be able to do what I need using Fundamentals, you would only need to be able to save back to a 2008 version. If you know any of Sketchup Pro, BricsCAD, Autocad and MS Word/Excel that would be great. My CAD style is straightforward and focussed on producing plans to construct, plant and maintain landscapes. I also do some site assessment/court work. I typically carry out initial design in watercolour pencil and then take that to CAD to produce details. You would be supplied with annotated pencil drawings from which to work. I only use VW's 2D capability and when I want planting schedules I just use VW's worksheet. I do not use VW's plant database as have found it less than useful for custom projects. For labels I just use text blocks and manual keylines but if you are happy using key that would be fine. Where I want 3D I tend to use Sketchup Pro - 2008. I also do my cut and fill in SU using a plugin and then reference any graphics into VW. A new job may entail some/all of the following: - Site address supplied to you - Get data from https://data.linz.govt.nz/ and export as dwg or other if required (data may also be sought from Google Earth as well as a list of NZ urls that will be supplied where needed). - Import shp/dwg and imagery into VW - Produce linework / polys from supplied artwork - Make table and link to polys and calculate numbers from plant spacing and density data as supplied - Make up sheet set as per notes and template supplied and place tables on sheets Likely to be 5-10 hours/week. Example plans avail. on request

I use VW (I use 2008 and see no reason to upgrade) in 2D mode only after trying to do an open-cast staged quarry some years ago and finding VW poor on large complex cut and fill operations - and such work is key to my career so my CAD must handle it. I've also found when sites get large (>1km across) that VW's accuracy falls off compared with other products (BricsCAD, Sketchup). It is a problem with CAD generally that so few CADS are designed with LA's in mind. For me VW's strengths are: internal spreadsheet tool (I do a lot of large planting plans), straight-forward print/output tools and nice clean vector output. I use Sketchup for cut and fill, organic 3D work and online presentations (as I can draw easily in real-time). I too am continually hoping that Rhino will finally get there but it lacks some core features for an LA. I understand the vertical curve issue has not yet been solved which makes kerbs and edging difficult. I was using the lot layout tools but as they lack topological editing each lot has to be updated manually which is a real pain. I have this automated in Skecthup now and just reference pdfs in from SU > VW. Also not being able to get superscripted 2's in makes for very ugly and unprofessional outputs - I understand Apple versions do handle this. I don't get hung up on fancy graphics as they don't usually help with client comprehension; they tend IMO to make clients say yes when they should think a bit more before building.

wow, I'll put that up Saturday, or maybe Friday.

Thanks Pat, If I do that I'll put it on here, or somewhere else as a job as I can't code at all and have landscape work coming out my ears.

Thanks Pat, Would you be able to point me in the directions of " not (easily) on a line by line basis " solutions. Then I'll go and ponder awhile and see how this can work.

Thanks Pat, I've been underwhelmed/seriously confused by vw's DB in the past. Your outline sounds promising. I'll come back to this post. In the interim can a vw db read from a vw worksheet?

Hi I have a worksheet which count plants (I don't want to use the DB as I understand it can't link with other DBs), but it could count doorhandles or ducks. Is there a way I can use IF (or something else?) to add up totals for each 'botanical name' as per the format in the attachment? My worksheet would have a dozen or more sub-tables like this one and some plants would be repeated across some/all sub-tables. The T units for each record (each botanical name) is what I want to sum. So I want something that'll step thru each sub-table and spit out a list saying I have e.g. 5013 Coprosma Taiko, 7351 Haloragis erecta and so on.