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Jeremy Best

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Posts posted by Jeremy Best

  1. 12 hours ago, Blinkglitter said:

    still having random crashes. Thinking maybe it’s a user folder issue as I’ve heard about that on this forum before. Or maybe I don’t have enough ram? Only 8GB. I saw on extragroup German website it says 16gb minimum recommended. Any thoughts on that appreciated

     

    If too little RAM/Memory is the issue this will probably be reflected in your operating system's monitor:

    • On macOS, open Activity Monitor. In the Memory tab look at the 'Memory Pressure' graph at the bottom. If 'Memory Used' gets close to 8GB OR if the Memory Pressure graph goes yellow, orange or red, –at the time crashes occur, then lack of memory is a the probable cause. 
    • On Windows, open Task Manager. In the Processes tab, look in the Memory tab. If the memory graph at the top is at or above 90% –at the time crashes occur, then lack of memory is a the probable cause. 

    If you are using an Apple M1 processor with only 8GB of memory, that is essentially less memory than non-Apple processors because that 8GB is shared with the graphics card. Apple do seem to do a great job at managing memory and you'll see the hard drive being used to extend it when needed. This is body of memory is referred to in macOS as 'Swap.' The greater the quantity of data being 'swapped' per second, the higher the pressure. I would not expect normal performance for Interiorcad with such low specs. If memory pressure is high, to minimise consumption: Close all apps, restart your computer, then open only Vectorworks. Have visible only the Layers and Classes you need and only visit layers you need to work on. The more you view, the more memory will be consumed. 

     

    If you suspect your User Folder, the most likely part responsible will be one of the Vectorworks preference files in the 'Settings' folder. To test this possibility: 

    1. Quit Vectorworks. 
    2. Go the the User Folder: 
      • On macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Vectorworks/ (Use 'Go to Folder…' in the Finder's 'Go' menu). 
      • On WIndows: %AppData%\Nemetschek\Vectorworks (Paste this into the address bar in any File Explorer window). 
    3. Append the name of the Settings folder with the date. 
    4. Reopen Vectorworks and (if necessary) set up your Vectorworks Preferences again. 

    The same process can be used to (at least temporarily) rule out any content in your current User Folder. To do so, repeat the above steps but apply them to the '202X' folder of your version. You will need your Interior XS / Interiorcad activation code in this scenario. 

     

    I'm interested in this case because I have a Windows user experiencing problems with Interior xs, but I can't reproduce them and no one else is experiencing them. Thank you for reporting your results! 

  2. 4 hours ago, JHEarcht3 said:

    I have already requested a new file in an older version.

     

    I believe this will be the solution in this case. –If they can export in a format old enough to be compatible. 

  3. Based on what you've relayed so far, it sounds like the current graphics card driver installed for your Radeon RX 580 is either too old for Vectorworks 2023 or it is partially corrupt. 

     

    Downloading and installing a current driver would only account for the first possibility, so I recommend you perform a clean installation of this driver. As of today's date, this looks like what you'll need. (Verify this yourself using the info on the page). 

    https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/faq/rsx2-install - As mentioned in the instructions, select the 'Factory Reset' option to perform a 'clean' installation of the graphics card driver. 

     

    Please report the results back here so others can benefit. 

  4. 3 hours ago, Tom W. said:

    Should I be looking to update...?

    Yes. 

     

    This issue was not occurring for me on F4.1, but my installation was Interiorcad, not the lesser Interior XS. So either it was affecting Interior XS only/more, or the issue only occurs in the releases between F4.1 and F5.2. We had a customer experiencing repeated crashes who was using Interior xs F5.1. They tried rolling back to F3 and the crashes went away. Later they applied F5.2 and everything has been going great. 

     

    3 hours ago, Tom W. said:

    How?

    Contact your distributor and request the download link. 

    • Like 1
  5. While having gigantic numbers on your rulers is not a problem, they often indicate that files with massively offset geometry have been imported –and this, is the most common cause of 'far out objects.' Far out objects cause a massive variety of symptoms. If your Vectorworks 2021 is up-to-date and restarting your computer doesn't dispel this symptom for an extended period of use, then see the following for info on diagnosing and correcting 'far out objects': 

     

     

  6. On 7/4/2023 at 9:15 PM, designosaur said:

    At somepoint it appears to be downloading from Microsoft. We use Sharepoint for business, but the file is saved to laptop.

     

    Perhaps the file you're working on is referencing other files that are on the SharePoint drive. 'References,' or (ye olde) 'Layer Links' or their modern counterpart, 'Design Layer Viewports,' etc. I can't think of any Resources that would do so, but perhaps there are some objects or resources your file relies on that are in .vwx files on SharePoint. Maybe the Resource Manager is triggered to review/scan files that are in Workgroup folders or Favourites files before publishing. If those files are on SharePoint or any other remote storage and communications are slow, that could be it. 

     

    On 7/4/2023 at 9:15 PM, designosaur said:

    was working fine with other Macs

     

    If your Vectorworks 2021 is up-to-date and restarting your Mac doesn't make a difference, then try using a new/default Vectorworks User Folder: 

    1. Quit Vectorworks. 
    2. Go to: ~/Library/Application Support/Vectorworks/ (on Mac) or %AppData%\Nemetschek\Vectorworks (on Windows). 
    3. Move out or rename the folder for the version concerned. (E.g. rename '2021' to '2021 @2023-07-10). 
    4. Reopen Vectorworks. (You'll need to set up your Vectorworks Preferences and Resource Manager Favourites again). 
    • Like 1
  7. Hi @Blinkglitter, Check what release of Interiorcad you're using. Interiorcad 2023 F5.1 (and perhaps any in between this and F4.1) have two issues that cause crashing. At least one of them is related to graphics, which yours seems to be. Release F5.2 fixes both types of crashes/causes. Apply the update and you might find the problem goes away. Please reply here so others can benefit. 

    Thanks! 

    Jeremy 

    • Like 1
  8. Hi @Elite Exhibits, my expectation was that the 'ever-widening open/save dialog' issue was being caused (sometimes) during an upgrade of the Mac operating system and therefore is not caused by Vectorworks software. I thought this was likely because only some users are affected, but perhaps I'm wrong. Has this issue returned for you after deleting your affected Vectorworks .plist file? 

     

    Regarding @Jen Casa's issue, I second Pat's assertion that enhancement software might be the cause. I say so because the issue only applies to highlighted text inside the drawing area. - It seems the drawing area is the only part of the Vectorworks interface that graphics-related enhancement software affects/controls. Basically, the remedy is to tell the software concerned to 'stop trying to help Vectorworks.' I've linked the steps to this below. Try them and let us know if they work for you. 

     

  9. I'm unsure of the circumstances under which the Resource Manager disappears. 

     

    If you mean the following scenario: 

    With only one monitor connected, the Resource Manager is visible. After connecting one or more additional monitors the Resource Manager disappears. 

     

    Then for Windows users it might be due to either of the following: 

    1. The additional displays have such disparate resolutions that pixel-coordinates the Resource Manager has on the original display, results in it being positioned outside the bounds of the display you're moving it to. This will only happen if your additional display has a lower 'Display Resolution' or a higher 'Scale and Layout' than the original display). Look inside Windows 'Settings > System > Display' and select the display to examine/adjust. 
    2. One of the Vectorworks Settings files is damaged/corrupt. To rules this out, quit Vectorworks, then set aside the 'Settings' folder found inside the User Folder of the versions of Vectorworks concerned, found here: %AppData%\Nemetschek\Vectorworks\2023. Then reopen Vectorworks. If that doesn't resolve it, quit Vectorworks and put the original Settings folder back. 
  10. On 6/7/2023 at 9:25 PM, Blinkglitter said:

    If there's anywhere online that demonstrates what user folder bad practices are I would be interested to see.

     

    I know of no such online resource. I can't recall any verified/reproducible issues with respect to migrating Vectorworks-only data, but here are some things I would regard as suspect (at least) when using the Migration Manager to migrate Vectorworks+Interiorcad data to a newer version: 

    • Having 'VW Backup' folders and files in the User Folder. 
    • Files with unconventional characters in the filename. This is more of a concern on Windows computers so if you have users on both Mac and Windows sharing files, the Mac users will have to ensure they don't use characters that Windows can't handle. 
    • Files that look like they have/have had multiple file extensions. The file name isn't the issue, but when I find files like this it makes me question how they've been handled. Real example: Häfele Moovit - Original.vwx.Tmp.vwx  - The 'Tmp' suggests Vectorworks or some other file-handling process was interrupted while doing something with this file, after which it was opened and saved again in Vectorworks. 

    There will be other conditions I haven't thought of. You can help yourself by just considering the engineers that build the software. What uncommon or unconventional conditions might they not have considered or had the time/budget to accommodate? Consider how an engineer might respond to the proposition, 'Does it make sense to migrate any backup files let alone the '5 most recent backups' created by Vectorworks Preferences?' Etc, etc. 

  11. On 6/6/2023 at 5:07 PM, Tom W. said:

    But I guess that would mean copying the folders over then going into them one by one + deleting the content which isn't really going to save any time...

     

    There are commands you can run in Terminal (on Mac) or Windows Command Processor (on Windows) that can reproduce entire folder structures (including subfolders whilst excluding files) in a desired location. Google it and/or ask ChatGPT for assistance - but if you can't understand/authenticate the command yourself, test it somewhere harmless before running it. 

    • Like 1
  12. On 6/12/2023 at 5:19 AM, Tom W. said:

    Actually, thinking about it, it wouldn't be a big deal at all using the previous version of VW for creating/editing cabinets then importing them into the new version for placement, for a few months until the new interiorcad release came out.

     

    @Blinkglitter is correct, even if it did work it would not be recommended and should not be expected to function normally. I haven't tried it but I expect it won't work because plugins need to be updated to work with new versions. 

  13. I'm not confident it will be the cause this time, but it's worth checking if you have 'far out objects' causing the software to malfunction. 

     

    If you have no far out objects, Vectorworks is up-to-date, you've restarted your computer and the issue persists; Upload a file for examination. If you're concerned about IP, copy the cloud objects and some of the objects seen through them in the second image, into a: File > New… > Create blank document. If the issue occurs in that file upload it for review. If it does not, then the issue lies with your original file. 

  14. On 4/6/2023 at 7:03 PM, Nikolay Zhelyazkov said:

    Yes, workgroup data cannot be edited from within vectorworks.

     

    For clarification, Nikolay are you referring only to ConnectCAD data? Because I can open files that are stored in my Workgroup folder, edit, then save them in-place.

     

    Even so, editing files saved in the Workgroup folder might be bad practice because a) it might prevent other user's from browsing this file's content while it is open, and b) if all users of the Workgroup folder did this practice then two user's might edit it at the same time. 

  15. 21 hours ago, Blinkglitter said:

    Every year having to update and loosing all my custom fittings I have found the quickest way has been to move my previous user folders over and batch convert in place.

     

    If Interior XS / Interiorcad is already installed, the Vectorworks Migration Manager is supposed to automatically migrate all customised content including those of Interior XS / Interiorcad. Historically certain conditions in the User Folder as well as some bad-practices have caused it to fail, but some changes were made recently that seem to have improved the reliability of this process. It should be relied upon from now on, unless or until issues are encountered. If you do encounter issues, report them to your distributor/supplier along with a copy of the User Folder data was being migrated from

    • Like 1
  16. On 6/3/2023 at 3:19 AM, Blinkglitter said:

    You could probably save the time by just going into the custom part folder in vwx folder and copying across all the folders to the user folder? I do this with specific folders sometimes, i think its fine

     

    The Interiorcad Manual specifically discourages this: "Note: The files in the user folder should contain only your changes. Don‘t copy all fittings there. Otherwise, you won't automatically get updates for the libraries delivered by extragroup." 

     

    This is probably due to this Vectorworks convention: When files with the same name are saved in the same relative location inside User Folder Libraries, Workgroup Libraries the Vectorworks [application folder] Libraries, Vectorworks will make available only the content of the former-most of these locations (User Folder > Workgroup folder > Vectorworks Libraries).

     

    You could of course amend the names of all Interiorcad files you copy into a User Folder or Workgroup folder, but then you'll end up with duplicates of all the hardware concerned in the Interiorcad dialogs. The 'Show customer fittings only' option sounds like it should address this, but I've seen issues on user's computers that seemed to be a consequence of migrating libraries that were copied from the supplied Interiorcad libraries, into the User Folder. 

    • Like 1
  17. On 5/6/2023 at 4:23 AM, Pat Stanford said:

    I have seen several attempts to have ChatGPT or similar write Vectorscript or Python. All have failed miserably with the AI making up functions that don't actually exists in the languages.

     

    @twk Tui, I've been trying to achieve things in VectorScript that are beyond my extremely limited know-how. (I understand programming concepts, but lack experience with the syntax and functions to construct anything even moderately simple). Like Pat mentioned, I too have experienced ChatGPT making up VectorScript functions so it's probably cost me more time than a studious approach. I'd expect the same thing to occur when scripting with Python in Vectorworks and that Marionette coding would be subject to the same problems, so I'm keen to know how you have been achieving such success? I might move to using Python in my scripts if it is indeed that much better at composing useable code. 

  18. On 5/6/2023 at 5:01 AM, jeff prince said:

    society generally seems to appreciate commodity over creativity.

     

    I love this reflection and it rings true to me. So much of the AI generated art I've seen looks great but denotes the shallow thinking gone into it. Everyone takes photos, but few know how to produce beautiful, evocative and meaningful compositions. Perhaps, given the nature of this tool, it will enable average designers and profit-focussed developers to produce designs that are also beautiful, sympathetic and harmonious. The best [practitioners] in any field will always be a minority, so they can continue to lead the way, while providing new and better examples to feed the AI with which hopefully will elevate life for all concerned. 🤞 - But I suspect this is all only relevant in the short-term, because some are expecting super-intelligence to emerge within the next 10 years and for which there might be no comparison. 

  19. On 2/18/2023 at 8:45 AM, Robert Anderson said:

    I suspect that the universe of VectorScripts is just too small for ChatGPT to really gain any expertise in the syntax.


    This was my expectation too and it has proven to be true again and again. When ChatGPT plug-ins are available to all, then perhaps access to the internet will help, but I think it will only read individual pages you point it to. But even then, the relatively small number of examples out there will still be a factor. 

     

    @Christiaan, If you have any greater success than you've already shared, I'd been keen to hear from you as I've been trying to use OpenAI's ChatGPT as an assistant for VectorScript quite a lot. Unfortunately, so far I've found @Robert Anderson's parable to be true in my use-cases, but it has been most valuable for getting quick answers to 'beginner' level questions. 

  20. If you're talking about nodes, then you might want to re-start this query in the Marionette sub-forum. 

     

    If you want to automate a lot of repetitive work, then you will want to look at using Marionette (particularly for things in the drawing) or for text/admin type tasks I think you should look at VectorScript which can reach places and do things Marionette can't. 

  21. What method of file storage/sharing are you using? If you have network conditions that interfere with speed or reliability, such as those sometimes experienced when using a VPN, or cloud storage services where internet speeds aren't good enough, then the Vectorworks Project Sharing Server software sounds like what you need. It's very efficient communicates minimal data to achieve 'Save & Commit' and is apparently way more robust. 

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