FRED JOHNSON

I am just a little crabby... vw 9.5 upgrade now requires a $350 (discounted)"sidegrade" to macplot graphicpak, just to maintain the same vector output I've been enjoying for years. At this point I really must examine 9.5 feature by feature to see if the upgrade is really worth +$700 to me. fjjRA

Postscript output is fine for those with medium to large plotting demands... I plot maybe 4 24 x 36 sheets a month and Macplot pro & hp/gl2 driver to my hp330 has been flawless up to now. When I upgrade to wva 9.5 I will have to upgrade to macplot graphicpak also, just to plot from my now carbon application. There has got to be a reasonable non-postscript plotting solution from someone, without going into debt. fred johnson

Katie, The link brings up an error - no info for an updater. fjjRA

Now THAT seems to be a definite improvement! I would move on to 9.5 in a heartbeat if the plotting problems, as I understand them (plotting from a carbon-based application using system 9.x) can be resolved...or has it been resolved?? Thanks, fjjRA

Mike, I'm using Macplot Pro to plot to my HP330, under system 9.1. If I upgrade to VW9.5 only, everything else staying put would there be a plotting problem?

Has hatches been improved in 9.5?. Last night I came face to face with the problem of scaling the VW earth hatch, what a hassle, never got it right, why is it so @@#-%^&* big in the first place. Just how does one adjust the $$#-##@! slider things anyway? At this point I've come to avoid all hatches as a matter of course--not good.

Yes, metal deck! Both floor and roof types wouold be great as a modifyable linetype, similar to PowerCadd WildTools which has just this type of tool. fjjRA

Robeert, Thanx... don't know how I missed it!

Can someone direct me in locating the standard ceiling grid fills or hatches for inserting into reflected ceiling plans... can't seem to find them. VWA1.0

Not to be dense, but I have never quite understood this either... what is "select layer link"? exactly or specifically WHAT is being selected? fjjRA

Robert, I would not draw the interior finish at 1/4" or smaller plan drawings either. For the sake of industry/construction correctness I would think that both or neither should be deplected in the standard wall types... dimensioning to face of stud at requires a zoom so at not to hit the sheetrock. This is no big deal but I really would omit the interior rock. fjjRA

I started drawing a floor plan last night using the 2 x 6/brick veneer wall type and noticed something I did not see before: There appears to be no provision for the sheathing on the exterior face of the studs (brick veneer side). Is this an oversight or intentional? Where I come from sheathing would be applied to the studs before the veneer. Do I need to manually update this and similar standard wall types: VWA 1.01, OS 9.3. fjjRA

quote: Originally posted by CEA: Thank you for your promt reply. Unfortunately, this font does require ATM. We are using the font with VW 9.0.1 and MAC OS9.1 and have had no problems (it also worked well with VW8). Rotated and vertical text print well on our HP488CA. I am concerned that we will have a problem if we switch to OSX. I have read the previous topic regarding fonts, but I am still uncertain whether this font will work or or not with OSX. Thanks for your help. I use Graphite for all my drawings but it is the true type version, which is available all over the place. Must you have postscript?

quote: Originally posted by CEA: Thank you for your promt reply. Unfortunately, this font does require ATM. We are using the font with VW 9.0.1 and MAC OS9.1 and have had no problems (it also worked well with VW8). Rotated and vertical text print well on our HP488CA. I am concerned that we will have a problem if we switch to OSX. I have read the previous topic regarding fonts, but I am still uncertain whether this font will work or or not with OSX. Thanks for your help.

Plotting is very important. Having to open a 9.5 file in 9.x would not work for me as I would be upgrading from 8.x which is not the same. And, upgrade from microspot of vw for the pdat resource is currently up in the air in terms of what, how and cost. I think my upgrade will wait until there is a definite, working solution here. fjjRA

Are you saying, bottom line, if one upgrades to 9.5 and is not, cannot, or will not upgrade OS to X that one can forget about plotting via macplot drivers for the forseable future? This is extreamly important news to those of us who would upgrade VW for the features but don't need or want the bells and gongs of OS X. fjjRA

The bar joist tool is one I have asked for before. Even the library that ships with MacDraft has this. Thanks for the reminder. fjjRA

jnr, I simply cut from word and paste into VW. I'm on a Mac but I don't see where that should make a diference. fjjRA

I recently downloaded a scrip which generated 2D elevations from the building model and placed them on a separate sheeT. This capability would really inhance VW if it were to be included say in VWA.

I do quite a bit of spec writing and my masters are in word format. I simply cut and paste into a blank VW with 1:1 layer scale and locate the various pages. Sometimes I use a guide on another layer to place the pages correctly. A simple cut & paste lets me edit the text if needed where as paste as picture loses this feature. HTH, fjjRA

I may be a little slow here, but I have seen several scrip files here and elsewhere to do some really useful things... How do I actually write, insert, call-up, use Scripts? Can someone give me A to Z Kindergarden level instructions, my head is made of precast concrete. fjjRA

Is there a way to stop the renering (final hidden line removal, quick, etc..) in progress? I have noticed that sometimes I decide I do not want that particular effect and the program continues to keep going until the operation is finished or I "force quit". I have also noticed that unless I reset the rendering type to "wireframe" before quitting the program will render the model whenever the file is opened or whenever "model layer - perspective" is selected. VWA 8.5, Mac, 9.04

I have been using MacPlot Pro to drive my HP330 - good output and NO PROBLEMS in +3 yrs since new. fjjRA

I just downloaded a scrip which makes 2D elevations from the model. I don't know if it will work, but this is something which should be included in the next version of VWA. If someone else can do it why can't NNA?

One thing I would like to see in the next upgrade to VW is automatic generation of files in PDF format listed in the save as or export to functions. This format is the future and would be a better solution than having a VW "viewer" in my opinion. fjjRA