Dan Kessler

Walther, I agree that we could all benefit from Nemetschek including those options within the "scale objects" command and scale tool. More importantly to me, though, is if they would add the scale lineweights option to the layer scale window. Often I find myself drawing something and later changing it's layer's scale. Dan [ 02-13-2003, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Dan Kessler ]

Jason, Nice work! Very helpful.

Does anyone have, or know of a script that would allow me to select multiple entities in a drawing and scale their lineweight up or down by a percentage that I specify? As an example, if I created a drawing at 1/4" scale and decided later that I wanted it to be 1/8"... Is it possible to have a script that would allow me to scale all lineweights by a factor of 0.5 so that the lineweight aren't twice as thick as they should be? Maybe this is more easily done through Classes? Could it be possible to have a script scale each Classes' lineweight up or down by a factor that I specify?

I'd agree that a layers palette would be a nice feature. It could be out on the desktop allowing for layers to be turned on and off with one click.

Yeah, I'd have to agree with Peter. There's "something strange going on here". I think I can understand what Katie is describing, but I'm not buying it. With a blank document, or even without any document open, VW is causing my CPU meter to be on full tilt. So is Nemetchek going to replace my PowerBook when VectorWorks melts it?

I'm kind of worried about this. I use VW on a PowerBook 800, usually for 6+ hours at a time. As noted, VW 10 consumes almost all of my processor even when sitting idle. The fan is constantly running on high mode. VectorWorks is going to melt my computer!!!

Rob, I also am using a PowerBook 800. It's interesting that it's not happening on your 500... Dan

Raymond, You're a VectorWorks Wizard. It definitely will help me work around (one of my) frustrations with this program. Thanks! Hey while you're at it, I'd love a way to modify the offset tool... I want to offset an object and have the resulting object be deselected while keeping the tool active. This would allow me to offset a different object the same distance without having to go to the selection tool to deselect all, then re-activating the offset tool. Up for the challenge?

Everything in the attributes palette is set to use the class attributes. In other words, all of the attribute fields show the little "hooked arrow". The object is definitely on a class set to use a blue pen color. It doesn't make a difference what color I change the class pen color to, the drawing label stays white (on a black background, that is.) I am using VW 10.0.1, Mac OS X 10.2.3, and a PowerBook G4 800.

Katie, Thanks for the response. Although, I see it more as a problem than an advantage. And, it probably applies to more than just the trim tool. 99.9% of the time I want to remain in the tool I've selected. If I ever need to go back to the selection tool, I'll use the "x" key. Why should I have to remember a bunch of keyboard shortcuts if I don't need to. Perhaps the icon should be unique for the tool I'm using? If I accidentally trim a line I didn't intend to trim, I'll use undo. The way it works now, I'm being punished for miss-clicking an object.

Bruce, You could still do that if the "dimension" class was named whatever you want. All I'd like to see is the option of naming the default dimension class. The AIA standard is A-ANNO-DIMS. I always have to move my dims to that class after they're created. This would save me the extra step.

Katie, I'm having a hard time with this. If I have a class set up with a color of blue, and I move a drawing label into the class, the drawing label stays white. Even if I select the label and change it's attributes to use the classes, it still stays white. What am I doing wrong?

Katie, What's the easiest way to change a PIO's attributes? For example, I want to use the "Drawing Label" PIO, but I want it to use the classes' attributes that it's on (line color, weight etc.). It seems like the only way for me to have the label to use the classes' attributes is to ungroup it. This, of course, means I lose all of it's editing capabilities.

I hate how the trim tool reverts back to the selection tool if you "miss" when clicking on a line. Is there any advantage to this?

I wish I could change the class in which dimensions are automatically placed. I'm using the AIA standard "layers". I want my dims to automatically go on the A-ANNO-DIMS class. No can do, Magoo! What the @#$% is that?

I totally agree.

I noticed the exact same thing with VW 10. It's a bigger issue for us PowerBook users. My battery is draining much faster, the machine is too hot for my lap, and my fan is constantly running. Somethin' ain't right.

JNR, Man, you're not kiddin'. Once docked on the right side of my screen, the attributes palette looks ridiculous! It's big enough to be read from 20 feet away. I've had to resort to disabling palette docking, but that leads to other issues with the workspace. What's the deal NNA? Aren't you going to respond to this issue? It's OK to admit that this is a problem, you know.

P, Thanks for the reply. I'm glad it's not just me. NNA, please respond to whether or not this is a bug, and/or how to work around it. Thanks, Dan

I'm fighting with the palette docking feature only available in the Windows version of VectorWorks 10. I can't seem to be able to have two palettes docked above and below each other. For example, I have a 2-columned palette docked correctly on the left side of the screen. There's plenty of room for another 2-column palette below it, but when I try to put one there, it always docks to the right of it. I can't move it below the other one. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a "modifier" key or something I need to hold when docking another palette? On a related note, it kind of seems like the Windows tool buttons have extra space around them that the Mac tools don't. In other words, the same palette in VW for Windows 2000 takes up more room on-screen than VW for Mac OS X. Is it just because Windows is a clunkier operating system, or was VW engineered that way? Dan [ 12-23-2002, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: dkessler ]

Using xx to deselect all is a nice feature, however it still changes your active tool to the selection tool. Still frustrating. Take the offset tool as an example...if offsetting multiple objects to the same distance, you have to deselct all somewhere during the process. Right-clicking is ok, but a key shortcut would be better. The best solution, though, is to have an option for the offset tool to deselect all automatically. Seems like a very easy option to add for the tool.

Set up a Virtual Printer. See this page on how to do this.

When deleting a class or layer, I'd suggest that the class or layer should delete without a warning dialog only if the class or layer is empty. If the class / layer contains objects, a warning should come up telling me that the class / layer contains objects and deleting it will also delete the objects within it. Currently, the warning dialog only asks for confirmation to delete the class or layer. It does this regardless of whether the class/ layer is empty or not. Also, I know about the "purge unused objects" from within the edit menu, but I think there should be a "purge" button within both of the class and layer windows. This would purge the empty (or unused) classes and layers. And (yes, there's more), there needs to be an easier way to load classes and layers from other drawing files. Perhaps another button should be added to the class and layer windows to do this. This would allow you to load the class / layer structure from a template or another drawing, and VW should indicate which class / layer settings are different and ask me if I want to keep the class / layer's current settings, or use the one that I'm loading in. For an example of how this is done, see how form-Z does it.

I'm glad VectorWorks 10 now supports the scroll wheen on my mouse. Although, I'm a little disappointed with how it works. Specifically, I don't want to have to hold down modifier keys to get it to do what I want. I'd like to have the scroll wheel zoom in and out instead of pan up and down. The zoom should center itself wherever the cursor is. And, I'd like to have the scroll wheel pan when clicked and held while dragging. This is how the scroll wheel is supported in AutoCAD. It seems a lot easier to operate than in VectorWorks. Does anyone know of a way to modify VW's scroll wheel support to be more like AutoCAD's? Dan

Katie, No. The standard level is the default setting. I think the enhaced level is for printing things like photographs. Both settings convert my colored lines in VW to shades of grey. Jim, Thanks for the info. I discovered the "RGM" tools, which I think is what you're describing. It's a menu that allows me to toggle the color on and off. An improvement over the preference setting, but I still have to remember to toggle the color off before printing. That, of course, is my problem. Dan