[A Beginners Experience Building Vectorscript PIOs]

Ciao Kevin,

So here is a bit about the process. First I looked around for some resources

Kevin, please also look at the Developer Wiki. It reproduces the shipped VS documentation but is more actual. Fixes are reproduced faster there. There are comments.

there are many errors in the Vectorscript documentation.

I would be careful, if I was you, in stating this. It is not true. There aren't many errors in the Vectorscript documentation. I won't exclude some errors, but wait until you have some more experience in Vectorscript before stating such a thing.

If you have the feeling that something is erroneusly described, please file a bug report or write a warning in the VS list. Someone will take care that the error will be fixed.

ciao

Orso of Vectorlab

[AppleScript Fail - A Mystifying Conundrum]

Hi, there are on VectorLab two variants (pre Unicode and post Unicode) which you can use to create your own scripts:

run script through AS

the first is somewhat more extensive and perhaps inspires you, but you need to fix it for Unicode as the second one.

orso

[hExtrude replacement.]

Ciao Assembly,

you are right, if the mouse is already at 1,1 then the routine fails with handle NIL.

I fixed now the sub-routine using relative:

http://www.vectorlab.info/index.php?title=Han-Create_3D_object.

I can't fix also VSFR of Charles since is not editable any longer, but I fixed the entry in the Developer list (which copied the entries made on VSFR by Charles in April 2008).

thank you!

orso

[VW 2010 Callout Arc Leader Type, HATES IT. - Is there a work-around?]

You can add "& INVIEWPORT" to the search criteria of your database.

Yoginathaswami, the power of VW resides in Worksheets and criteria, the greatest power. You can use them as "console" for parametric objects. When you have many objects in a project, worksheets are a fantastic batch-editing tool.

orso

[Callout Tool Crashing Vectorworks 2010]

Never saw this issue, even with largish databases. Perhaps you could check the path of your callouts to the database loaded. Might that be too long?

orso

[Callout Tool Crashing Vectorworks 2010]

Please disable the option "Break Note Text Across Column" in your Keynote Legends. All of them.

best regards,

orso

[Copy Paste issues in Vectorworks 11]

Hi, your copy stopped working, that's why you paste always the same.

I had this also on WinXP in the past.

Is no VW issue, is a known WinXP issue. Please check this in google.

Probably.

Would you post a file here? I think that we all by now wish to try...

orso

PS

You have no "Center.." in that dialog because you have VW11, I told you wouldn't have it there.

Consider upgrading, is really better to work with VW15.

[Drawing Disappears When Zooming]

People on VW 2010 can also try following fix. There is an issue related to dash styles which might cause the problems described, unregarded the graphic card.

* open the dash styles list in the Attributes palette.

* rename all dash styles.

The lines should re-appear.

orso

[EAP elements as symbols]

Assemblage, did you try the Chain Extrude object?

that's what it does: extrude along path using any form which is retained and editable in the profile.

orso

PS

Now I understand your wish. I notice indeed that this object doesn't resolve symbols in the Profile group. This could be a nice wish item, it wouldn't be such a big effort and would be nicer for the user.

[How to control "walk line" on VW2010 stair object?]

Sure you can!

You'd have Orso screaming and shouting, if not.

Please download my styles. Is a whole folder. Place them in your "User Folder > Libraries > Defaults".

Mind, I tricked the attachement into a "vwx" ending, but is actually a zipped folder.

You can do with the graphic ANYTHING you want. For having elements by class, simply use "As Object". This sets the inheritage from the parent container (which is the stair object). Then set the fill, pen, Line and so on to "Class Style".

You have a control which is unparalled.

After doing your settings, save them as a named style.

Mind, use the circular stair to set up your graphic styles, since that has all parameters enabled, so you won't miss something.

orso

[How to control "walk line" on VW2010 stair object?]

You can set the "Walk line offset" parameter.

Mind, these new stairs might be a little more time consuming to set up at first, but as soon as you have some settings done, you can save them as "Styles". Each setting separated (railings, construction, graphic...).

This will allow you to compose stairs by previously stored settings, which is simply faster than anything else.

Particularly the graphic attributes can be ruled wonderfully. Just make yourself your own saved settings.

orso

[Referenced DLVPs]

Exactly Mike.

Assemblage,

to make the usage of symbols efficient (no copy, no lack of sync), we need to reference them from a common source. Thus the need to have the working files with the new reference system.

Even then, you don't actually really need this, you can "Export" them just as well at each edit. But it helps specially in multi-users projects.

I post here an "acquisition" for a small project where everything are symbols. The 3D that you see is constructed by references old style. This document has all attributes optimized for 3D (fills everywhere, textures...).

Just a few symbols to combine the variations of each floor. Which only rely on the terrasses.

Now if I want to see some plans, I just change the attributes of my document, and everything changes face (obviously I have templates for this and simply reload the references).

Actually to "publish" your drawings you have no other choices than use the old reference system. Because this system allows you ONE feature, whose advantages are so overwhelming, that you cannot renounce to it:

you can change attributes of a whole document simply loading by reference a prepared file and this reference has the option "Update Class Definitions" activated.

In our office we have 4 such files, which deal with the appearance. We store them in the Workgroup Folder>Defaults>Standards.

They allow you to override the appearance of a whole document on click.

Being them in Standard, they are also accessible from each file whenever the user needs to create a new class.

Each class is present on drawing using all its attributes. When I reference this file and the above mentioned option is checked, this file will override the appearance of everything.

The recommended workflow has this lack: it doesn't offer a good solution for managing the appearance. A project will need very differently appearing files according to the project phase.

A project contains hundreds of differently displaying VPs. I cannot go on changing their attributes every time I want.

It makes me furious and I also am prone to errors, without mentioning errors of my eventual colleagues working at the same project, who, in the rule, don't feel as comfortable with this application as Orso does.

orso

[Referenced DLVPs]

Assemblage, I will send you your files "fixed" later, so you see.

Look, DLVPs are what I call "byzantine". I am a scripter, used to deal with visibilities, attributes and all their quirks since many years, but DLVPs are on my opinion one-two levels above average comprehension. So definitely above my comprehension.

Let's see if I can explain to you what is all about, in deep, it might be easier for you to understand what's happening to you.

DLVP are the same thing as the old reference style, but they hide the resources (including classes) and rename them in the background.

A huge apparatus of management then activates, in order to give you the impression that these resources aren't there. But they are there. You just don't see them.

So if you want to display certain classes on a DLVP whose content is again a DLVP and these classes are not enabled, AND these classes don't exist in your document (they do, but renamed), you just need to

Alternative A)

Enable the class visibility one by one, as you need, in each DLVP

Alternative B)

* click on the option "Use current document's class visibilites"

* import the classes which are missing in your target document by clicking on the 4th radio button with the small icon. This will make the classes sync to those of your target document.

At this point you can manage half-way easy these DLPVs and their visibility (and above all their attributes).

But actually you are back to the situation where you used old reference imports (the resouces are now imported).

And you might then just as well save yourself this pain and use straight off the design layer import system.

Mind, you can always use DLVPs, also with the old ref system, but on sheet layers you won't be able to display them (which is for me absolutely irrelevant, since I have all in desing layers).

All in all the complication of the DLVPs, their attributes, eventual overrides, and their resource management is such a monster, that I gladly renounce to it.

I might add that is seldom, very seldom, that I declare something too complicated in this application. But this is one, perhaps the only complicate thing available at plain user level. Still, is powerful, and there are circumstances where this power is the only solution, be it so cumbersome or not.

This happens when you need to deal with ACAD users and puzzle together drawings with different orientations. The new reference system masters this excellently, and ACAD recipients are happy.

[Referenced DLVPs]

Ciao Assemblage,

to fix your immediate problem: simply fix the class visibilities in the files where you load your DLVPs ("Plan" and "Sections"). Visible what should be visible, invisible what shouldn't.

Is no workflow problem, is just that visibilities are always related to the VP showing them. The attributes are another matter.

No, I won't make a diagram of how we work. Is too complex.

In this sense I am probably a tiny bit of a rebel, I don't think that the recommended workflow is apt to fit our needs. Which are simple needs of the banal architect. The recommended workflow has been developed with immense care. Who am I to state is wrong. I just observe that is not good for me and my environment.

I need things that Americans don't need. Such as loads of 2D details and permits going on up to 30 variants, while we are building. And we are responsible for all what's built, not the general contractor, so we draw a lot more and preciser than you need to do, you lucky ones...

In short:

MASTER FILES

All reference kinds are by "Design Layer viewport".

I need to use referenced resources. They to stay in sync. Personally I don't care much for DLVPs.

* one file for each floor

* different layers, where you put everything related to the floor.

(so for example dimensions 1:100, 1:50 each in a separate layer, and so on)

PUBLISH FILES

All references by "Layer import".

These are catch all files which display my master files. They also toggle the visibility modifying the attributes of the singular classes.

This allows me to have at the same time permits drawings (color coded scale 1:100) and construction drawings (strictly black and white, scale 1:10).

I just need to reset the attributes of the document.

These files make all but I don't work on them. They make me 3D, presentations, whatever. Just toggling the attributes.

Whenever I need a new issue, the whole set of files lands in "Archive", I upgrade the references and issue a new one.

mind, I use records (and scripts too), to achieve my needs, one could almost say that I draw using worksheets. I don't model. Only parametric.

hope it helps

orso

PS.

Before someone to state the false, I draw everything in 3D too. Just don't model it. And add up the 2D infos.

And I can't use generated sections above scale 1:100, because the cavities are not according to what my working environment expects them to be. A pity, because I am the greatest admirer of generated sections.

[Undo content]

Actually I use this all the times.

And would go nuts if I had to read some log instead.

I'd feel compelled to read it constantly.

orso

[Undo content]

No. But you can undo-and-redo as many times as your undo-max-value is set in the application preferences, thus sort of seeing what you are a undoing.

[Referenced DLVPs]

Hello Assemblage,

it's just that the classes are all enabled in the "Plan" and "Section" files. You seem to think that if the classes are invisible in the original VPs then they should be invisible also in files referencing these VPs.

EACH original DLVPs in Master_Model states: show me the layer "Elements on many storeys". Then each DLVP enables/disables the particular classes.

"Use current document class visibility is disabled", so you have different class visibility sets for "Building Storey 1, 2, 3"

This doesn't happen in the files Plan and Section. So you see all you have in "Elements on many storeys". All classes enabled.

Look, you seem to have an awfully complex construct there, we use references all the time, multi-user, large projects, no problem whatsoever.

If I might give you an advise, use one file for one floor. Use the layer Z and dZ for constructing models. You instead shift the objects' Z, which actually all reside in "Building Storey 3".

That would make your life much easier.

I hope I understood your problem, I am really not intelligent enough for a construction like you do there

ciao,

orso

[Ability to set rounding precision for stake objects & similar PIOs]

Agreed.

This should apply for all parametric objects using and displaying primary document preferences, while one would expect at least them to use primary dimensions preferences. Since this cannot be done, please allow for custom units pop-ups, thank you.

Orso

[Copy Paste issues in Vectorworks 11]

This might be a shifted user origin, if "Paste in place" is your problem.

If you import your dxf files the user origin might shift. In VW11 you have no control over this.

In order to have paste in place work reliably you need both files to have the same user origin.

Orso's Golden Rule (LOL):

Whenever you do an import, please observe this sequence:

* Create a new file

* do your import from there

* make sure you are in a design layer (not sheet layer)

* do Ctrl +9: the "Set origin" dialog appears.

* click on "Set origin to drawing center" and confirm with OK

Now the drawing where you imported the dxf/dwg file has the user origin restored to the absolute origin. At this point pasting should work as expected.

Paste is always relative to the user origin: during "copy" the coordinates of the copied objects are loaded, then by "paste" these coordinates are used to determine the insertion point.

In later VW versions, there is the option "Center after import". If you uncheck this you are always sure that your user origin is preserved.

Most user origin shifts are due to the option "Center..." activated.

----

Then now set yourself to work and make sure that ALL files you use have a proper user origin. Use the dialog "Set Origin > Set origin to drawing center" on all your files, while on a design layer. Do this. A shifted user origin will cause you a huge amount of troubles. Specially if your work with references and Viewports.

If you don't need this shift of the origin (because you work with certain landscape files, for example) you surely have a shifted origin that you don't need.

[Please Help! - is there no line snap??]

Which cad do you come from? If it's not a parametric cad such as VW you might be kind of lost at first.

orso

PS.

There was somewhere the "Getting Started" guide, search for it in the help.

For me the best to learn an application is to systematically try everything, menu item by menu item, tool by tool, and read the help along, but everyone is different.

[Please Help! - is there no line snap??]

In VW they are called "Dimensions" and there are some variants.

Such as "angular", straight, slanted...

Please activate "Window > Palettes> Tool sets", you should be able to see the "Dims/Notes" palette as below.

Then click on one the icons resembling a dimension object. When you click on it, you can observe that the "Mode Bar" (below the menu) changes. Here you can choose some options for the currently selected tool. In your case for the chosen dimension kind.

orso

[Please Help! - is there no line snap??]

Hello Smegan,

yes, we also find snaps an important function.

You must have disabled them by mistake. Please click on "Q", you should reactivate "Snap to object" in this fashion.

The snaps in VW are great, please click on "Ctrl + Shift +C" to activate the snappings palette (is named differently in VW 2008).

Please now that you see the snappings palette also make sure that other important snaps are activated, like in the screenshot below.

Double-click on all buttons that you see to learn more about them.

Use the help, is too much to explain in a single mail. Simply click on one of the snap buttons and then choose "Help > What's this" in the upper menu. The help appears automatically.

Welcome on VW, Smegan.

orso

[Can't find door PIO in VS Plugin Editor]

Ciao Pat,

yes, standard naming allows the user to change the default classes also for the door.

Actually is probably easier and more secure for the average user than editing the pio default class. Which, by the way, shall be edited at each update. And for *some* people this is really not feasible, too often.

Standard naming is good. Personally the main problem I have with standard naming is that

* it takes some settings to be done in each file (but do use templates and off your are)

* it uses worksheets, which, since they are resources like any other, arise name collisions while working on multiple files and referencing old-style, or fill your files with hidden worksheets while using new style refs.

On the other side I imagine that the common user won't go about editing, twisting and turning upside down out anything he can put his paws on, like I do.

So it might be only a problem of the user Orso.

I'd see standard naming rather being resolved through look-up files. XML or tabbed, whatever. But who am I to suggest improvements.

orso

[VW 2010 Callout Arc Leader Type, HATES IT. - Is there a work-around?]

Hi, it might be late for you, but you can download here a file where you see a worksheet. This worksheet permits you to batch edit the faulty Callouts.

* Import this worksheet in all your files containing callouts converted from previous versions.

* Recalculate the worksheet.

* Find the cells in the worksheet showing a yellow background, these are all values related to the parameter 'Leader Radius" in your callouts. Edit any value where you see a huge number. Set something realistic. You can experiment.

In this fashion you can fix all converted callouts file-wide.

PS

If you see a "Line Length" of zero, you can edit that as well. It shouldn't be zero.

orso

[Could not edit the Plug-In objects like Doors & Room symbols]

Nagesh, you can contact them here. As I said, don't think that you can buy their plug-ins as standalone. But is worth asking.

Their plug-ins are part of the German Vectorworks. You need a standalone version of the plug-ins to be able to install them anywhere you please. ComputerWorks is the German distributor and they also develop a wide number of additional plug-ins for the German-speaking market, which needs far more detailing than the American does.

orso