Neil's in...

This link is dead, is there an updated link?

Hi all, I'm working with a roof face... I have made a window symbol as per usual to insert as a dormer. Two Issues: Floating invisible window some distance away from dormer. If you reduce the dormer width (closer to the window size) the dormer becomes asymmetric and the window is off centre. Pictured attached.

Mitch Brooks the windows are all unique around the listed building, however the common denominator is the leaded windows which is the same everywhere.

Hi all, current project we're working on has leaded lights (which in other countries may just be: leaded windows). I have tried to draw up the windows with glazing bars/muntins that are 2mm deep and 10mm wide (sorry imperial guys). Problems arise, when there is a top sash that isn't the same size the ratio of the bars comes out wrong. Basically it's a golden ratio arrangement. Therefore I thought in my wisdom to make a Renderworks Texture and assign that texture to the glass class for windows that use this, however, I've drawn up the leaded light template as an extruded object... I'm guessing this isn't possible to make into a texture. Can someone confirm this... otherwise explain how to do it. Many thanks!

Hi ray_isaacs that was it! Many thanks!

I've noticed this today, and not sure what it's called to be able to look it up and ultimately get rid of it... or at least do something about it if it's requiring something. It's the same border you get on a viewport when it needs updating, however I'm just panning round a white renderworks projection of my street-scape. Bottom half of my screen is occupied by this border. Advice what it is, what it means, and how to fix it would be much appreciated.

Hi JimW I repeatedly rebuilt this roof this morning and finally got round to getting it to rougly display! Firstly, The steps I had done to make it not work before: (while drawing is rotated in 2D) Draw the shape of the roof faces in plan over the floor below one by one convert each polygon into a roof face turn the flat roof in the middle into a floor and set the elevation to the correct z height grabbing a window from the Building Shell dump it down into an un-walled white space in the drawing, select convert to symbol (name it front dormer) delete symbol from drawing, set the opacity of the roof face down to a low value so I can see where the window needs to be inserted. drag from the resources browser the symbol of the window I want to use into and over the window I wish to create a dormer Turn roof surface back to 100% opacity. Select the dormer options and change it from gable to shed... boom!.... everything falls apart. Mostly the roof face disappears and dormer remains Re-click on dormer to change a setting, and press OK and both dormer and roof face are gone. Other observations during this are that once inserted the dormer and trying to select it, the fill and stroke attributes tool box will be flashing like an underground rave! (and usually between clicks is a high probability that VW may crash about 5 times). My solution: similar to above but the window I wish to insert I start with making the window tiny... far smaller than the one on the floor level, and once the window is a dormer, start editing the symbol settings, upping the dimensions to suit the one it is meant to be in the dormer. This makes the dormer more reliable and will not disappear. ~This ugly but makes the thing work~ Once done, re-create the roof face and reinsert.

JimW, did you have any luck with that file?

JimW I've emailed you the file, it's 15MB in size.

Hi JimW, We work off a file server (which for the time being is updating to windows 8.1 pro... and taking forever).. I'll be able to check as soon as that's done. We have had issues with file locking lately so it could be relating to that. Any advice on the dormer issue? Aside from starting again?

Hello all, I'm experiencing a once every 20 minute crash in Vectorworks Architect. Generally crashes when I hit save, or create a new class. The file which I've reset all plugins, purged all ... and updated plugin objects. I'm at my wit's end with this. Additional flaws in this project is in wireframe roof surfaces show dormers, in OpenGL they do not show, nor do they show in any renderworks mode. As you can imagine my week is ending on a foul note. I would appreciate anyone with a magic bullet for this, or even pointers to deal with stress! Many thanks

Wes, after much toying I succeeded somehow the floor levels was the answer which ultimately made it not display at all to display changing the wall from floor/floor above to slab/slab above... I'm now stumped with meeting this wall to a wall that does not have the string course and them displaying poorly. Due to it filletting non-string-course-wall to extents of string-course-wall Illustrated is what I'm getting both in rendered and in plan. It's not ideal as you can imagine,

Wes that's so obvious why did i overlook that? Many thanks! I'm having a bad day with walls today!

Hi there, I'm figuring I'll have to fudge this myself but how would you guys go about putting in a string/belt course a maisonry wall? The current detail acts as a sill to the windows on that elevation.

Hi there, I followed the documentation here: Creating a Custom Title Block in Vectorworks Fundamentals Is that something I've done wrong? Would you want to see my titleblock?

Hi there, I have a 2-fold question: 1) I have created a custom title block. I've then created a sheet border and attached the title block to the sheet border, however when I double click the object to modify the information, I can edit it but it does not show. What am I doing wrong here? I've noticed if I insert the title block seperately on the sheet and edit the fields it changes. 2) This is cursory; however, the format for our practice's revision table is ascending, is there any particular way to make the revisions list upward rather than downward? Image attached should show the two snags.

OK I found a way to do it using Modify > 3D Power Pack > Stitch & Trim Surfaces. Next would be to make my own custom dormers! Thank you for all your support thus far Wes! Is there a way to make vectorworks to interpret the extruded polygon as a roof face? Or ..would I need to subtract out of the "roof" to create a dormer? I'm surprised there isn't much on youtube or online documenting how it is done.

Hi Wes, I've been trying to recreate what you've done there, and have got stumped at the subtracting of solids, tried looking up this online and the subtract command doesn't seem to be doing what I want it to. Can you talk me through it?!

Wes, thanks for that, it looks great!... all of it... that dormer is very close to what I'm trying to achieve! *raises a fist*

Jim I've uploaded the file however, I did manage to have more luck later in the day after reducing 3D settings, purging and lowering the UNDOs. However, I'd love to know why the file is so bulky

Hi Jim, I did upload as requested, what happens next? Many thanks

Wes, unfortunately that doesn't work with my 2013, any chance you could save as 2013? Coincidentally is 2014 out of beta? I should really upgrade if it is!

Hi Jim, Everything is default... I have since been reading up on optimizing performance and reduced the 3D res settings and lowered the 100 undos back to 25. You'll have to be a little patient with me, I have 15 years experience of AutoCAD and 2 weeks experience of VW, however it's rather intuitive! I found purging reduced the file size by about 50MBs however it's still 120MBs for a single 3 storey house which is only preliminary without detailing. Is that normal?

Is that achieved with NURBS and the loft tool? (I think I'm capable of that much)... however still very green around that area.

Wes, my 3D skills aren't that good to get round to doing a dormer yet... however I am curious how one would draw a sprocketed roof, any ideas?