Phil hunt

Thank you gentlemen .

If I choose for instance the circle command which of the top of my head on a mac is shortcut 5 button it then bring up 5/6 options once in that mode can you scroll across to choose the option you want , circle from cente , circle by 3point for instance or do you have to choose with a mouse click .?

Thanks jim of to try this one out cheers

thanks all so what about sketchup models do we have the same problem with the textures on the import. If i have a 3ds with textures can it exported to another file so it keeps it textures and will then come into vectorworks with the textures attached.... the reason for the question is that i have various cars that i have been using as 3ds models (that i have in my library as i work for a well known manufacturer) that i want to bring into renderworks.

What's the best way of importing a .3ds file into vectorworks. I have tried to import a file but seem to loose the textures. When I import in form z the file comes in with the textures with no problem but into vectorworks the model imports ok but I seem to loose the textures although I check the import textures box, if I do manage to import the file can I then save it as a symbol to use in a model and will it keep its textures ?

Thanks Tom had a look at the tutorial on how to model sheets on the bed ......wow.... But at my age do I have the brain power and the memory to handle such an amazing program....I may need to download a model from sketchup and import........

Superb advice....... Thank you so much guys that's been a great help, have a great weekend and thanks again.

Hi Matt that may be a solution I will have a look at the patterns to see if I can find one otherwise I'll just make a grid in Photoshop and map the whole thing onto the floor I know this will work in the meantime can you space a duplicate texture if I could find the command I could use it but thanks for the tip. Cheers

Hi mike can you duplicate a liner that has been applied as a sort of decal on a texture? I have some glass squares cut out of the floor so I don't want to see the grid line when it passes over these sections as it's a different texture I have created a black,line in Photoshop and applied this as a single line all I need the achieve is to repeat the mapping with a 1m gap I know when you apply say a texture you can repeat it so it would cover a wall but using this command I can't seem to find a button that will allow you to repeat with a space so for instance if I has a section of glass and wanted to map a section of etched film I could make the texture in Photoshop and apply it as a texture to give the illusion this is the same principal for the line......thanks for the tip tho. Phil

Hi peter I think that's the best way of doing this, it's just a shame that you can't map a single line to the width of the floor and then repeat it with a 1m gap I just can't believe that there isn't an easy way of doing this, it will be so much easier than creating a piece of artwork to achieve such a simple task, I am really persevering with renderworks against artlantis, my current render program, all I would need to do in artlantis is map the line onto the surface, repeat and give it a space of 1m. So simple to do but in vectorworks it seems a major deal....there must be a way in VW but how.......I have posted a few questions on applying decals and graphics and VW must at least do some tutorials that explain in more detail this most important part of a rendering program. As an exhibition designer my freelance friends never seem to have these problems I guess it's because they use different programs.....to VW......

Thanks jim but i have some glass sections cut out of the floor and if i did it this way you would see the lines over the top of the glass, i really want to apply a line out of photoshop set say to 1400mm x 6mm and then map it on the white platform and then repeat it at 1m increments so when rendered it would not show up on the glass which is another texture in a separate class, i just need a way of specifying the line to duplicate 14 times at 1m intervals i guess i can set a piece of artwork up with the grid set to 14m x 15m and then knock the background out leaving the grid in black exposed. i know you can repeat a texture but don't the way to set a distance between the repetitions.......

i am having problems in mapping a line to create a grid on a floor is white 15m x 14m and i want to map a 5mm wide black line across the surface to create a grid to show a 1m sq tile. i can get 1 line on the floor but don't know how to repeat the line to give it a 1m space across the y and x planes i'm sure this is a simple fix but i can't seem to find it !

Thank you all for you comments and advice I'm downloading the trial so I can see how things go. If I just want to use this for rendering what package would you advise I've been told visualize is the best one for me ?

i am interested to see if anyone exports to cinema 4d and uses there render engine to render vectorworks models, and if so what were the results like. i understand that vectorworks uses cinema 4d render engine within the program, but have been told that the renders are even more superior when exported to cinema 4d. your comments and advice would be appreciated.

hi by the way, i did create a face in v/w and apply a texture and then export as a .3ds it takes with it the texture into a file that i can use in artlantis they do tile extremely well to ......

no carlos, its a bit pricey and for my kind of work exhibitions and events artlantis has alway been ok...but i am always on the look out to improve the final renders. i wonder if the rendered images differ to much from artlantis do you use maxwell in your line of work ?

hi carlos its different but very interactive you can know see the beam of a light source and scale a graphic say on a wall with pull handles well worth the upgrade, i had version 4.1 so the cost was ?190.00 so i guess 250 us dollars maybe try a demo to see what you think before you buy cheers

thanks that's useful i was wondering when exporting this way it retains the applied material that was used in the render works side before export as renderworks has some great looking textures. or can i use a texture from renderworks in artlantis, the source material must be somewhere, say a .jpg but where would i find these in vectorworks so i can copy say into photoshop to save as a texture that i can use in artlantis, do you export your lights into artlantis and if so how do you retain the settings that was created in renderworks....i exported my lights but had to adjust the power once in artlantis, many thanks

At last the export plug-in files from v14 to artlantis 5 installed and working fine Do any of you artlantis users use class to export to artlantis. I have been using pen fills and naming the object as a material, but is this the best and fastest way?

As an experienced user of artlantis,and as work has gone a bit quiet i thought i would try and learn renderworks, with good results until i had to apply a decal. well folks after 2 weeks of renderworks...unfortunately i have given up with trying to apply decals quickly and with little bother. i need speed and flexibility and artlantis i'm on my way back....drag and drop from my files straight onto the surface hit the alpha channel button and its done, resize in real time add ambient light,shine and reflection on screen. As an exhibition designer i need to have a program to be able to do this and at the moment renderworks is not that easy. i have used vectorworks for 12 years for my workshop drawings and 3d models and love it...... but if the vectorworks expect to really challenge the render market...for me...they really need to change the mode of applying textures like graphics and decals. the video tutorials....for applying a decal in renderworks look so easy, buts it's not.....come on vectorworks this must be a must for the future to improve this feature........

Thanks Jim maybe an opportunity for vectorworks to create library's that can be purchased as dosch designs do, just a thought Cheers

i watched a tutorial and it mentions entourage items, is this simply another word for 3d objects that are created for vectorworks or are they just another word for 3ds/dwg/dxf models or similar....can you specifically buy these kind of entourage libraries. i work a lot with a car manufacturer and have a library of the vehicles in sketchup and 3ds models that i can use in (my render package that i am currently using), but when i try to import these into vectorworks i seem to loose the textures/materials and i am unsure if this import mode will significantly increase the size of the file i am working with?

yes i have but i must see if i set the indirect lighting option, i'm new to renderworks been using artlantis with good results for the past 15 years but like the idea of working within one package i struggle with the lighting as i have to re-render to see the results as with artlantis its real time.... but i'm enjoying the challenge.....i hope vectorworks will add this real time option in the future, i use open GL but its really not the same. thanks for the advice phil

many thanks tasmin thats saved me a load of time many thanks again

i have created a line light to show a neon glow around the base of a wall when i render the scene it gives me the effect i want but you can see the line, that i created for the line light. is there any way of removing the line so you get the effect but not the line. the one thing that does solve this problem is if you create a symbol and then place this as desired when rendered the line disappears.....but not always do i want to create a symbol as its easier to see the line light on the design plan...