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Taproot

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Posts posted by Taproot

  1. Tagging on to this engaging subject:

    How about using the keyboard shortcuts for moving up and down layers only for active layers? Currently, moving up or down layers will activate all undisplayed layers, require you to go through each and every one, and go sequentially (based on layer order) rather than by the visibility settings in the Nav. palette.

    My 2 cents...

  2. I wasn't able to find a way. In fact, I had so many difficulties using the title block tool that I finally abandoned it in favor of viewports.

    This is the method I employ:

    I keep the titleblock information as objects on a design layer

    I make a viewport of that layer and apply it to all of my sheets.

    I put page specific information such as Sheet # and Sheet Title as text overlaid over the viewport (on the sheet layer).

    Then, when I want to update the whole set, I change the design layer i.e. "issue date"

    Or, if I want to change a number of the viewports but not all, I add another design layer superimposed over the original with the revised data. I can then edit the selected viewports through the navigation palette all at once to display the new layer.

    It may sound cumbersome, but after the template is set up, I've actually found the results to be a lot more predictable.

  3. Mayt,

    In short, VW Architect can't do what you're asking. Unless you are willing to model the window manually i.e extruding the frames and the glass, then you are best off taking Jonathan's advice. The demo version of Windoor will allow a few objects per file without purchase, so if you only need one window...

    Good luck.

  4. For a simple window, hit the "flip" button in the OIP. This button toggles the window setting; first flip = left to right; 2nd flip = exterior to interior and then left to right, etc...

    For a custom window, go into the window settings->General Tab->Custom Sash Options-> and set the "operation" to either Left or Right Casement.

    Good luck.

  5. My guess is that the default viewport settings aren't currently available to the user. I do believe the eyedropper tool can be set to transfer attributes from one viewport to another. So, at the very least, once you set your settings once (within a document), you can transfer those settings to all future section viewports.

  6. I'm noticing the same thing, only in my case the favorites revert to the shipped defaults every time the program crashes. My favorites are local, so I don't have the referencing problem.

    Perhaps a work-around could be found by replacing the "default" file information with my "custom" favorites. That way when VW resets itself, it would reset to the correct settings. Does anyone know where the default favorite settings are stored?

    Mark, this might work for both of our issues...

  7. I couldn't agree more. Openings, walls, and slabs (i.e. floor and roof objects) make up the core of what most of us (the architectural community) depend on. These elements need to be absolutely tight in their functionality.

    The windows have improved dramatically in recent releases, but they still have quirks that routinely require me to explode them and recreate them manually!

    In addition to Christiaan's examples:

    ? Trim will cause the Section viewports to notch out a cavity of the adjacent wall.

    ? Texture mapping on the perimeter of the window opening is out of synch with the siding.

    ? Accessing the window controls is cumbersome i.e. changing the class of the ID is a multi-step process, and any meaningful universal control over windows and doors is lacking ...

  8. I'm working on a fairly large house with a complicated DTM - last I checked, the file size was over 300 MB.

    What suggestions do any of you have for reducing the size of files ... you know making them more compact so that they remain responsive?

    Thanks,

  9. Is there a way to set up a worksheet so that it will automatically List the Sheets in a drawing i.e. a drawing list for the cover sheet? Ideally, it would behave somewhat like the batch export, where you could select from the available sheets and create a "saved set" which would display as a Drawing Index.

    Is this ahead of its time or ... is there a method (other than the manual one) to make this happen?

    Many Thanks,

  10. Michelle,

    Yes of course! Once you've set up the image as a texture, edit the texture. This will open a window with a number of settings. In the lower left corner, you will see "size" and a radio button with "set to image." Tap that button, and it will let you draw a line and apply a length to it.

    It will likely take some fine tuning i.e. in the OIP, under the Render tab is image "mapping" which will let you set the method of texture mapping and any horizontal or vertical offset adjustments that you want to make. Good Luck!

  11. I've been adapting the titleblock to our office needs and have found a couple of interesting insights:

    If I set the width of a text string and apply "wrapping", the titleblock tool will ignore the setting and the text will just run on out (in my case past the page margin into no-mans-land). Any solutions to this??

    If you group text objects, they will not reset themselves to a font (if one is applied to the whole symbol). This is good in that if you want static text of a different font, you need to group it within the symbol.

    OK, main question::

    I've been trying to create a master template with four different formats of the same titleblock - one for 8 1/2 x 11, 11x17, 18x24, and 24x36 which all utilize the same text fields in different formats as is appropriate to the page size. So far, I've found that the symbols don't truly share the same "variables", so "Project Title" in one symbol won't translate to "Project Title" in another (within the same file). How can this be achieved??

    Most Curious...

  12. Robert, Is there any way to get the Graphic Scale object included in the Drawing Label? I've tried constructing various arrangements of the two, but when you change the viewable scale of a viewport, the two items become rather confused.

  13. Tom - Unfortunately no, that will change the symbols in the drawing, but any future symbol placed will revert to the auto-class settings.

    Petri - We need to tap that brain of yours! How's this for an idea: We start a new category in the forum titled: Community Projects (or locate these ideas in the "VectorScript" section)... any worthwhile ideas that can be reasonably accomplished through scripting could be located there. You (or someone else with scripting knowledge) could estimate how much time i.e. cost would be entailed in making it available and members could pledge contributions until the goal is reached. If it fizzles - well, oh well, but for those ideas with strong support, this could be a way of enhancing the environment for everyone.

    I would guess that we could talk VectorDepot into handling the financial and distribution side of things.

    Your thoughts?

  14. Is there any way to make changes to multiple symbols at once? For example: I would like to select 30 symbols in my furniture library and have the insertion option place all of the symbols in the same class. Another common one would be adding a prefix to the name of a group of symbols so that they match a company naming standard. Perhaps Vectorscript can do this?? Any clues or ideas would be appreciated.

  15. Don,

    It probably depends on what mouse you're using. I've posted solutions to a similar problem several months ago. If you're using a third party mouse, look in your mouse control settings and verify what button number is associated with your scroll / scroll button. Then see if changing the button number activates the one VW is calling?

  16. I also appreciated Mike's breakdown of Archicad vs. VW. I've used both programs in reasonable depth - and thought I would add a few more:

    Archicad benefits over VW:

    -Parametric objects are superior and easier to adjust i.e. a couch can be 4', 6', 8' long and still retain its correct proportions in all other dimensions.

    -Framing and layout is better tuned: beginning points can be specified, o.c. versus face to face, end conditions, etc...

    -Walls are handled better: angled, battered, Intersections.

    -File Structure - Breaking the file into sub files allows for better workgroup referencing and multiple project users.

    VW over Archicad

    - Artistically, the hand of VW's 2D drawings is much more elegant.

    - I vastly prefer presentation sheets within the file rather than exported to a separate layout book in a separate program (I believe Archicad has recently revised this, however).

    - In VW, there is a tool for everything ... and if there isn't, one of us had made one and is willing to share it. In Archicad, there probably isn't one, but if there is ... it'll cost you at least $500 (probably more).

    - The customer service and attitude is much, much better.

  17. Petri,

    xTime does both GANTT and PERT. Unfortunately, as I've been using it, I've run into some erratic behavior. Since I'm new to it, I give the software the benefit of the doubt, but, in the meantime, I wouldn't recommend that anyone follow my lead just yet.

    As to Kevin's earlier question. MS Project would auto update tasks and slip the schedule unless the tasks were declared completed. There may have been a way around this, but at the time I was using it, I couldn't find one. Soon after, MS stopped releasing it for the mac platform.

  18. Thank you all for chiming in. Just figuring out what was available was quite a puzzle. Mike's list is pretty thorough. After evaluating a bunch of different software (about a dozen in all), I finally determined that what I wanted was:

    A software that didn't require a lot of maintenance! One that would let me quickly lay out the big picture without getting into the trap of analyzing every micro-task. I also wanted to look at numerous projects simultaneously. Most task managers are set up to study SINGLE projects in great detail ... so this proved to be a challenging criteria. I also wanted something that was EASY! Us mac folks have gotten lazy in the effort department, so I was looking for something that dovetailed with my working style i.e. dragging out timelines (rather than keying in the number of days, etc...).

    What finally worked for me was xTime Project. It is somewhat simplistic, but it does do all of the things I was looking for. Plus, it has native interaction with iCal, Address Book, etc...

    Cheers,

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