Skia_D

Hi. I'm looking for some system recommendations. I have for a number of years used BeamChek on an old PC laptop. It's great software which handles all of my simple beam design requirements (no, I don't like VW's "Simple Beam Calculator"!) But since I have an iMac I know I don't need the PC anymore what with the Intel chip, Boot Camp, etc. But my knowledge ends there, with knowing what I don't need. BeamChek is the ONLY Windows-based software that I use or need. So that being said, what would any of you recommend for getting it running on my iMac, in terms of Windows emulation software? What's the most cost effective, lowest hassle, most stable route to go? Additionally, as you can see from my signature, I'm still using OS 10.5.8. Are there any outstanding issues I should be aware of with regard to stability, speed, functionality in moving to Snow Leopard in conjunction with VW2010? Thanks!

No worries. Just wanted to clarify for others who may come along with the same question/issue.

Jonathan, Just to clarify, is your response, re: the texture, assuming having Renderworks? Regarding windoor, yeah, I looked at that. Looks great, but alas I couldn't see justifying the extra expense for the small company that I am and the very rare occasion for needing something that standalone VW can't handle. Larger volume companies ought to be all over that software!

Eureka! to myself. I just need to set the Int. & Ext. Panels to either Style Glazing 1, 2 or 3, and turn the class invisible when viewing models. (Now why didn't Tech Support suggest that?)

So, I've "upgraded" to 2010, Architect without Renderworks, and whereas before I could get glazing in doors to be transparent via the "View / Parts" method, setting Interior and Exterior Panels to None class, phone tech support tells me I can no longer do this. All I'll get is a solid "panel" instead of pretend transparent glass. Is this right? If so, bummer for me! And a ridiculous thing to do on Nemetschek's part. Any workarounds? Kind of a pain to want to model a 4-panel sliding door to illustrate the outdoor views?kind of makes a room feel claustrophobic, y'know? Can the glazing be clipped out somehow?

I just ran into the same issue, thus finding this thread. I discovered that the error message came up when I tried to put a dutch hip (really a full greek return) on a gable end that was at the end of ridge line along the short axis of the rectangle. In other words, for your 20 x 50 rectangle the error would occur when the ridge was 20' long, but not if the ridge was 50'. To compensate I made my roof longer than it needed to be, made the greek return, and cut the roof to the correct length in the edit mode.

FWIW, I discovered the problem was similar to a problem mentioned in a post about stairs: http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=105339#Post105339 Apparently duplicating a window or door with a record attached does a similar thing to duplicating stairs. After selecting one of the problematic windows, you have to delete the content of the object name box (the top one) under the Data Tab of the OIP.

I just posted a request for help in the dwg import/export forum regarding some window and door parts going missing upon export to dwg. Then I remembered this post and wondered whether there was a similar issue at work. I had a data record listed under that Data Tab that said 1OF2-1OF1OR2OF2. I deleted it and Voila! the problem went away. So do I understand correctly from a previous thread that this is an ongoing known problem which Nemetschek hasn't fixed?

OK, I've tried most everything, but no matter what I do, when I export a model (whether as a model made with layer links, DLVP, or stacked layers), most, but not all, of the door leaves and window sashes (but not the frames, jambs, sills) go missing. An unanswered post from February mentioned similar issues. Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong here?

Thank you, Ariel. I don't have RenderWorks, and exporting to dwg worked well. I also learned in the process a little bit of SketchUp, and realized what kind of rendering can be done with it.

That's good stuff, islandmon. What does it mean? Actually, I kind of followed that. Now, having read some of your posts these last six years I've been using the Forums, I know you're fairly sophisticated in all things VW (in other words, you really ARE an expert). So maybe I should ask you, what do YOU do to export a model that is user-friendly outside of the VW world?

Anyone?... Anyone?...

Thank you, MCH, but in the meantime... I really need to get something to the client today.

I'm trying to understand the export to SketchUp process. Someone else posted awhile back asking the same thing but got no response, to wit: (Post97761: "I am attempting to export a VW2008 model to SketchUp and I'm not sure the best way to do this. I tried to export as a .3ds but then all the surfaces are drawn triangulated and there is a tremendous amount of cleanup especially around the window frames. The model also doesn't import in scale. I then tried to export as a .dwg and import that file into SketchUp, and everything looks okay and to scale, but I lose the windows and doors (the openings are there, but the frames are missing). Is there an easier way to do this?" I understand the comments on this thread, but I'm encountering the same issue of triangulation. How does one go about exporting so that the model has real faces with which the client can try there own hand at visualizing different wall finishes? (The User Guide is worthless for educating me on the process!) Thanks!

Aha! I had the components aspect understood. It was the selection handle that was new to me. Thanks, Pat.

Trying to figure out why I can't get door wrapping (splay) to work correctly. I need it to look almost exactly like the example in the Help guide under "Inserting Doors" which shows a door in brick veneer-on-cmu wall. Brick shows a perpendicular wrap to the door, with masonry opening at exterior of exterior brick mould trim. I can get it perpendicular, but I can't get it to set outside the brickmould. The M.O. is flush with the door jamb. What am I missing?

Nevermind. Apparently it's a memory issue of some sort. I quit out of VW and restarted; problem is gone. This seems to be similar to when I was in 11.5 and machine got bogged down, and OIP would not show objects selected.

Been using VW for 7 years, new to 2008 (from 11.5), and wondering why when I duplicate something, whether through offsetting, option-dragging, etc. the duplicated object doesn't stay selected? What simple little toggle switch am I missing here? You'll save me thousands and thousands of extra clicks of the mouse if you can answer this question. Thanks!

Thanks to CRSA_890 & Pat. Good suggestions. And thanks, Pat for reminding me of the axiom I've used myself at times.

Help! I'm trying to put together a string of animated models for a display at a Home Expo. Having some format issues. Here are some basics: I'm on a Mac G4 with 1.5 RAM. I'm still in VW11 (I have 2008 but haven't switched yet, and won't until I upgrade from Mac OS 10.3 to 10.5). But due to time constraints, please don't advise me to upgrade first. Please work with me on the system I'm dealing with. Thanks! When I make my animation I usually use the Video compression setting, and run them on QuickTime for my clients. I plan to run QuickTime at the Expo. But I want to string together various models with fades between. Using iMovie 4 I can do that, but it imports the models as NTSC (or PAL, but I'm not in Europe) and loses the crispness of the original animation. And when I export the movie back to a QuickTime format it still looks degraded. And no, I don't have QuickTime Pro and would rather not sink money into it. So, with all of that being said, does anyone have suggestions on the best way to get to the end result, given these parameters? Thanks!

I need help purging an invisible DTM. Help. (VW 11.5.1 on a G4) I attempted to create a site model using 3D loci and ended up getting an error code (Misc. 20,2). I discovered I had some overlapping loci, and got rid of them after Cutting and Pasting-in-Placed the loci in a fresh drawing. Then I made my DTM in that file, then Cut and Pasted-in-Placed back into the original drawing. I DID delete the original DTM, DTM classes, and default mod-site-civil layer before importing the correct DTM. I also checked the resource palette to make sure there wasn't anything showing there. But when I imported the correct DTM, it is listed in the palette as Existing DTM-2, and when I tried to rename it to Existing DTM, it says that name is already used, telling me that somewhere in the drawing is the original DTM attempt. I can not find it anywhere, whether in the Resource Palette, or turning all classes and layers on, selecting all, etc. I had to create the new drawing file with just the loci because I kept getting that error code which made me suspect that there was still DTM info somewhere in the file that I couldn't purge, and it just wasn't a matter of overlapping loci. Any thoughts as to how to clean this up?

Katie, Regarding my question in the other post (http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=12&t=004671): quote: In 11.5 can I keep the original notes and dimensions [created on a design layer] invisible in a viewport, but still use the annotation function with the same "notes" and "dimension" classes? Am I right in understanding then that the answer to this question is No? If the answer is Yes, what am I not doing correctly to achieve what I want. (If the answer is No, that's unfortunate, at least for the main reason I suggested for wanting to do this. I can see where the fix makes things less confusing as far as knowing what's on or off, but I prefer not having to multiply classes and layers if possible.)

Thank you, Travis, for the suggestions and the confirmation that it's not just stupidity, that there are limitations. Incidentally, your first suggestion (which I've actually done before) works fine for my 2D way of thinking, but when you get to 3D modeling, how do you put one window or door in two (or more) parallel walls? The alternative suggestion makes more sense for 3D, but it grates one me that my 2D plan will show additional lines at the intersection that a contractor may read as a special joint. Ah, the philosophic problem with CAD - with its precision it lulls one into believing that perfect is possible in this world!

OK, tried it. The veneer of wall 2 (the one coming from the east) runs through the other two walls to join up with the west veneer. I tried cavity join to clean that up to no avail. Also tried cavity join in that order as well to no effect. Also, are you, Kristen, saying that VW won't cover it all, that there is cleaning up of walls in plan view with lines & fills?

OK, I tried it. Thanks. But I couldn't get that to work with the example I provided. My example has three distinct walls coming together, whereas the online help describes only two walls coming together. Try my example and see if I'm just stupid. And if I am I'd appreciate it greatly if you could help me move up a class!