Kevin

You can also have a service bureau scan your plans to disk and then import those scans into VW. With your scanned sheet in one layer, you can then trace in another layer.

The info on scaling a hatch in 8.5.2 is in a NNA Technote. It is #38-Scaling Hatch Patterns, May 1997. http://www.nemetschek.net/support/technotes/038.html

Yes you can scale a hatch in 8.5.2. There is a post on this board that tells you how. I do not remember the exact method. It involves changing layer scales. I did it a while a go with the VW soil hatch. I created several versions in different sizes. Do a search in this board for hatch and you will probably find the solution I am speaking of.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Oh how quickly we forget that 3d Power Pack was offered for FREE. Did we already forget how the staff at NNA scrambled to solve, fix, and issue patches when Apple changed its OS?. Have not all of us benefited from the expert advice and help of the Tech Support Staff? How many of other software companies have such a robust message board where we can turn to for help from our piers and Tech Support? I know that the last time I looked, I found the price of Archicad to be quite expensive. And for those of us who are Apple users, how many of us have seen our favorite software programs abandoned in favor of Windows? I don't see too many people using AutoCad on a machine running Apple OSX. For me I say "Thank you NNA".

Andrew: I agree with your position on dual processors. I have a G3/233mhz. I was always frustrated with the wait time for anything to happen. I then got a G4/466mhz. That solved my problem for everyday use. A faster computer would be nice but would not make a great difference over the 466mhz one I use now, except for rendering. My speed frustrations now center on just what you mentioned, rendering, etc. Allowing me to choose a rendering function and still be able to use my machine would be huge. As it is now I keep both computers running. I use the G3 to print spooled print files while I work on the G4. If I did not have the G3 as a backup, my frustration would be greater. Allowing the second processor in a dual processor machine to run in the background would be the equivalent of having a second computer on your desk.

Kerry; How did you do that? What program(s) did you use? I use VW Architect and have no idea of how you could draw those trusses and connections.

In reading the list of new features for VW 10, it appears that this function is now a part of the VW 10 program.

Erik; I was also having this problem and posted to this board on 8/23/02. I was guided to changing the 3d Coversion Resolution setting. For a solution that does not involve buying the upgrade, try going to File>Preferences>Vectorworks Preferences>3d>3dConversion Resolution. Set to Low and see if this helps. I had this set to high and ended up with hundreds of lines on my curved walls. Setting it to Low solved the problem.

What is ODBC?

Thanks for the input. I am using Microsoft Outlook Express on a Mac to email. I tried setting it to Mime Base 64 but that did not work at all. When I used Apple Double it worked only on the files as described in my original post. I set the compression to none. In the VW Export Dialog, I set the following: Export 2D only (plan view) Map lineweight to color Convert class to DXF layers Invisible classes, do not export Objects in invisible layers, not exported The floor plans that are original Mod layer plans. They are not layer linked sheets. (It took me a while to figure out that layer links do not export). [ 09-12-2002: Message edited by: Kevin ]

I am trying to send my VW files to my engineer who uses Autocad 14 & 2000. When I exported and emailed he said he could not open them. I then made a simple test file only a single rectangle and a three word block of text. I exported this to Autocad Version 14 in three formats:1. DXF, Text2. DXF, Binary3. DWG He was able to open the DXF, Binary but not the others. With this information I then exported my floor and roof plans to him in DXF, Binary. He now says he can only open the roof plan, (which is the simplest of the plans). The two floor plans, he cannot open. I am sending these to him by email as an attachment. If anyone has some suggestions, I would appreciate it.

See my posting on 6/7/2002 on the Printing/Plotting Board.

Fred;I am in that VW 8 & VW9 transition. I use both and use the same plotter and driver as before. HP 455CA plotter with HP RIP. I use both versions with OS 9.2. Even if I go to OS 10, it is my understanding that I can send the file to another computer running OS 9.2. I do that now anyway, (both on OS 9.2), so that I can work on one computer while the other runs the RIP and spools to the plotter.

When I "Dead File" a job, I make a .pdf copy of it and put it in my archive folder. On the Mac, I have that folder as an alias in my Apple Menu. If I need to look at an old job, I simply go to the Apple Menu and pull up that job in Acrobat. I can read it, print it and email it. And I do not run the risk of accidentally altering the original by opening it in Vectorworks or Minicad.

CipesDesign;I just tried your suggestion and it works great. This is helpful and approaches the intent of the original "wish item". Question: How did you figure this out?

Robert asked for more feedback in one of his posts. I was hesitant to add anything to this board because I do not understand what you guys are talking about. Then I realized that very issue by itself is an important point. I have used this program since Minicad 7, (now use VW 8.5.2 & 9.5.2). I DO NOT USE the door, window or finish schedules because I do not understand them. I have tried to figure it out and make it work, but in the end I find that it costs me more time than saves. Instead I do it the same way I did when hand-drafting. I enter the information cell-by-cell into a spreadsheet. I thought that I could enter the information in the door and window's OIP and have a schedule spit out the results. Perhaps VW can do this, I just have not understood how. Likewise I schedule my lighting plan. I label all of the lights as A,B,C,etc. and then schedule them in Excel. I show Manufacturer, Model, Trim, Light Bulb, Accessories, Notes. 99% of the lights I specify come from a group of about 20 different lights. I always wished I could sit down one night and imput those 20 lights as symbols. Then as each job came along I could use those symbols and have them automatically show up on a schedule with all their attributes and quantities listed. I know nothing about the VW Landmark product or Spotlight. However I would think that this function would have to be the backbone of those programs. A landscape plan is mostly plant symbols and a table of those plants. This is the very thing that I want to do with lights, doors and windows. Am I missing something or am I having the same trouble as the others on this post?

Brett; If the file is still ".sit", then it is compressed. It needs to be expanded to its original format using a tool such as Stuffit Expander.

quote: Originally posted by jfmarch: ... the keyboard shortcuts (T for Text, L for line, etc.) will not respond... Jim;I am not familiar with these shortcuts. What are they and how do they work? Thanks.

Katie;I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for all of your hard work. I also would like to comment that you have shown great patience with the vast array of questions thrown at you. Some of the posts on this board are out of frustration and anger yet you always are diplomatic and responsive. I start every day reading this board. It has improved my abilities as a user. I would not be half as satisfied with Vectorworks if it were not for this board. It lets me know that there are people at NNA that do care and are listening to what we need and want. Thank you to you, Katie and to the other techs, (and users). As for the previous post about circuit board design. Vectorworks is clearly marketed to Architecture, Landscape, Mechanical and Lighting. It sounds to me that a circuit board designer needs a different type of software. I doubt that the folks at Intel or Motorola are using Vectorworks to design their next chip. In my drawings, (I am an architect), I cannot tell the difference between 2 mil and 3 mil and I don't care. My drawings are 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 mils and I am happy as a clam. If I need to draw a thick circle, then I would draw a solid circle and do a "clip surface with another circle. Thank you again Katie. Sometimes you post to this board after your normal working hours, (as has Matthew), and I would not be surprised if it was done out of the kindness of your heart. Many a time you have gotten me out of a bind because I could not figure something out. My productivity as an architect and my statisfaction with Vectorworks is in part due to your kind and expert efforts. Keep up the great work!!

Matthew;Thank you for your reply. As I described earlier, the 3d conversion tab worked great for fixing the problem. However, this only worked on curved walls. As part of the model I have floors which of course have edges that curve to match the walls. In the elevation view, these curved floors still have the hundreds of lines. Will your Vectorscript example solve this problem? Thank you.

Thank you to all for the helpful input and the quick responses. After reading the suggestions I tried changing the 3d conversion setting. It was set on "Very High". I tried another "convert copy to line" using the opposite setting which is 3d conversion "Low" It was like night and day!!! The rendering time was drastically shortened and the problem was solved. Now instead of hundreds of lines on the curve, there are 10 to 20. It is exactly what I needed. The rendering now looks normal, like I would have drawn it by hand. I only wish I had known about the 3d conversion tab sooner. I just assumed that higher was better. (Bad assumption). Matthew: Thank you for the vectorscript advice. I have never tried Vectorscript and frankly have no idea of what you are describing. I am interested though. How do I go about starting to learn the fundamentals so that I can implement your suggestion? Katie: Thank you too for your quick reply. You asked why I would use "convert copy to line" to create an exterior elevation. I must of course now ask you how you would create an exterior elevation. I am anxiously waiting to see if you have an even better way of doing this. Thank you to all for your current and continuing help.

When i try to draw exterior elevations with curved walls, they come out a black solid. This is due to hundreds of lines that are produced to show the curve as a shade. I am making the elevations by using the convert copy to lines tool on a front, back, etc. view of the model. I choose hidden line rendering. Is there a way to create these curved wall elevations without the shading?

Katie;Thank you for the offer. The file is rather large. it is 90 meg. It contains several layers of scanned sheets. Obviously I cannot email it. Should I just "copy and paste" first and see if that fixes the problem? The file is working fine otherwise. Thank you for your offer to look at it.

I have heard the phrase "copy and paste" quite a few times now. Just exactly what is the protocol for doing this? Do I create a new document with the same layers and then layer by layer copy all items from the original document to the new document? If corruption is the issue, is there anything to do in the future to help insure against corruption?

Katie;Thank you for your help. It worked great! It took me a while to figure out why I could not find the new file in the Object Browser after converting and saving. I had to click the ADD button. Thanks again.