rdrines
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Posts posted by rdrines
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My VW2008 Installation is working fine with QT 7.4.Ok... but VW08 should work with QT 7.4 - mine doesnt! It ONLY works with 7.1!After all this hassle with trying to get this to work and not succeeding, you might find that the problem isn't with QT or with VW2008, but instead with another program that is running on your computer. It could also be a problem with the Windows' registry, or a problem with a faulty MS patch installation. I'm mentioning other things here because I succeeded in making the process work after it failed. Here is the posting where I explain what I experienced and did to solve the issue:
With all that said, Windows XP PRO has an Event Log where you can find what might be going on with your installation. If VW or QT is trying to start and failing, there should be details in the Event Log you can communicate to Tech Support to help you get over this hurdle.
Another approach you should consider is to remove both VW & QT from the computer, restart it and then re-install both again with QT being the first process to be re-installed. Once you get QT working, and you know because you tested with some QT movies that play without any problem you'll be ready to install VW2008 again.
Should you consider following the above, turn off any Virus software after you do a complete Virus scan. With the Virus scan done, do a SpyBot scan to clean up any potential gremlins that might be operating. When you know everything is clean, then turn off any Firewall type software, like ZoneAlarm or others, before you do the installations. Also, if there are other programs running in the Lower-Right portion of your Taskbar, terminate all the NON-Windows-Operating programs so you'll know there won't be an installation conflict.
Where this is pointing you is to get the operating system as clean as possible before making another attempt at it. While you might not be able to emulate a new Windows XP PRO installation without the help of a skilled technician to also cleanup any problems in the registry, this should get you as close as you can get to what is called a "Clean-Boot" with technical person helping you with probable Windows issues.
Report back your results as this has been a puzzling post to follow and there may be more we can suggest if we know more.
Good Luck,
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After I re-installed my QuickTime I had received the same message, but it allowed me to continue working and it didn't affect the operation of VW-2008. At least not that I've noticed.
At this stage of the game, I would first be sure that QuickTime works by running some type of QuickTime file with it. If that test of QuickTime proves successful, I would then try running VW-2008 again to see what happens. It is crashes this time, it is time to remove it from the computer and do a fresh install of VW.
In my note referenced in my previous posting, I found myself replacing VW because it wouldn't start because of the bad installation of QuickTime. In my case my attempts were with a brand new drive with almost nothing but the WinXP-PRO_SP2 installed. Even with that little on the computer, the process of doing a complete and fresh install got messed up for some reason. Because it got messaged up I removed and installed VW-2008 a few times because I didn't know QuickTime was causing me the trouble. From what you've written here, that seems to be the only thing that is different than what I did to get running.
My message here is don't give up yet as the combination to this issue might be close if you can keep at it. Which means Uninstall VW and then re-install VW after a Shut-Down after the uninstall.
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I reported similar problems in a posting above that can be reviewed here: VW-2008 QuickTime Problem
My QuickTime installation works fine most of the time, but it will sometimes crash when it checks to see if there is an update. A few minutes ago I noticed they are showing 7.4.1 on their web that I might try using to see if the update crashes will stop.
At a minimum, if I were in your shoes I would remove all of QuickTime and only install a fresh version of QuickTime with iTunes after you get happy with VW-2008. Short of that it seems like you'll be frustrated until Apple gets a better version released. I would also try to grab a fresh copy of QuickTime as well so you can be sure your download didn't get messed up during download.
Good Luck!
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Good news on getting yours to work as well. I've noticed that QuickTime 7.4.093 isn't as stable as I had seen previous version demonstrate. For example I'm noticing it will occasionally crash itself when it tries to check for updates. This crash isn't too big a problem, but it does stop everything and it requires the user to deal with the "Send This Report" to Microsoft Error Dialog.
Hopefully QuickTime will publish an update soon and I'll be able to reinstall to stop this distraction
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I recently had a similar problem with VW2008 right after it was installed on my computer. In my case the problem was associated with a bad installation of QuickTime.
If you go to this link and scroll to see my postings, you'll see what I originally posted and what I finally did to solve the problem.
In summary, I have QuickTime version 7.4 working fine with the latest release of VW-2008, although I've not had much experience with VW-2008 as it was only recently made operational.
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I've been able to solve this issue. In a few email exchanges with VW Support, they mentioned what the minimum QuickTime version needed to be and that comment lead me to the solution.
In my case VW & QuickTime were not previously installed on this disk because of the disk crash required a disk replacement. Because QuickTime wasn't present, VW-Install forces the installation of QuickTime. For reasons I'll not understand the QuickTime installation wasn't done properly and that was keeping VW from running.
Because the problem was caused by QuickTime, uninstalling VW and reinstalling it again didn't change the problem condition. To make it work, QuickTime needed to be removed from the disk and installed again.
In my case, I didn't trust the QuickTime installation process on the VW-Install CD so I went to the Apple site and downloaded QuickTime. Unfortunately, Apple bundles iTunes with QuickTime so they both get installed together. I have no need for iTunes and was able to uninstall it after the bundle installation completed.
Once QuickTime was installed I tested it with an old QuickTime file and it worked fine. At this point I tried the last VW-2008 installation and VW appeared and seems to be working fine, although I've not spent much time in it yet.
My QuickTime version is 7.4 and VW sends up a Flag that it doesn't match the needed version of 7.2. This is a concern, but I've not been able to find an earlier QuickTime version on the Apple site and I don't trust the version installed on the VW-2008 CD. Hopefully having a version that is two tenths higher than the recommended won't come back to haunt this installation.
This problem tells me that VW is overly dependant upon QuickTime. Having an important piece of software like VW so dependant upon a third-party doesn't make much business sense to me when the applications major functions don't need QuickTime to function.
What was very trouble in this case was the lack of error reporting that created an excessive amount of down time because of how the QuickTime dependancy is handled and because VW doesn't say why it refuses to execute.
Down time was also extended past what it could have been had the first person in support known that when VW refuses to start on a new windows installation, that the user should be checking to see what version of QuickTime is installed.
Hopefully this issue will shed light to NNA Engineering and any VW users who find themselves with the symptoms I show above.
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Here is the same story different place.
Today I installed VW2008 Designer for the first time into a fresh install of Windows XP PRO SP2 with all the current updates except for IE7.
During the installation everything went fine and no Event errors were reported on screen or recorded in the computer's Event log. Even the registration went without a hitch.
After the registration completed, I tried to execute the software so it would run, but nothing happens. Really, nothing happens no error messages, sounds or any visible signs of life on the screen appear during any of the attempts to run VW2008.
Not knowing what to think as this type of problem is rare here, I rebooted the computer and tried again. That didn't work so I found the VectorWorks2008.exe file in its install location and tried to run it directly. Same result, nothing.
Opening the Windows Task Manager to show the applications and processes to watch what might be happening, and nothing ever appears in either the processes or applications tab listings when the exe is executed.
Hmmm, this is a puzzle. No event error and no running program. Opening the Properties tab of the EXE shows a product version of 13,0,1,83388.
Computer here is a workstation running 2 XEON 3.2 Nocona CPUs on an ASUS NCCH-DL motherboard. Video Card is NVidia 7800 512MB with the latest drivers and seems to work well with another CAD package. Memory is 2-Gigs and nothing else is running when these attempts to run were tried.
Can anyone help with a solution?
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I've never found the VectorWorks SketchUp Plug-In to be useful. In its place I just export a DWG/DXF file from SU and import that into VW and go through the process of assigning materials and colors in VW.
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Don you might be right. I just went to the download page and it sports a new look, so they might have dropped the reasons for version 2 of the 12.01 update. In its place it shows a date of Feb-21 over the Download button for the MAC, and no date for the Windows version. My windows version shows a file date of 16-Feb so I might need to update as well.
This is the page where this is listed:
http://www.nemetschek.net/downloads/fundamentals/version12/12.0.1.php
In any event it will be interesting to see what you find as the problem.
Good Luck,
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After reading your message, I was reminded about a message I believe was on the NNA download page talking about the initial release of the Update had a problem with files and users should download the repaired update.
If you haven't been to that page recently, poke around on it to see if you can surface any clues as to whether I'm working too late on Saturday evening, or if the message exists.
I find responses from NNA often take any where from a few days to a week. I'll bet they don't have enough people to handle the spike of a new release and this latest one seems to be generating a lot of questions.
Good Luck,
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Hello Don,
I'm sorry it didn't work. I had hoped it would be hiding in the Workspace Editor's listing under a category that didn't seem relevant and you could pull it out to the Import menu.
I guess with it not hiding in the listing, you might be at the point where you'll need to chat with Tech Support.
Good Luck,
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Have you tried to follow the PDF instructions to see if the Plug Icon in the Menu is all that is wrong?
http://www.megapathdsl.net/~rdrines/VW/images/ImportSketchUp-PDF.gif
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Hello Bruce,
I'm not sure if you're referencing my post, but I have the VW-12 CDs.
I really wish the training CDs were intended to provide a solid training foundation by covering a broad range of topics, but that hasn't happened yet and it isn?t possible with one or two CD disk trying to cover an industry. Click on this link to get a glimpse of what I think would give VW a significant boost in sales and customer satisfaction: Training by Topic Categories This topic list covers a lot of ground in how to layout a design in residential construction drafting and 3D illustration. In all there are 9-CD disk providing 30-hours of training just for this one industry. To get a sense of how I use the other CAD program?s CDs, this morning I needed to look up some information for dealing with a terrain issue. To get there I double-click on the terrain topic and a video appears explaining various details for me to consider in solving my issue. This on-demand training ability provides a tremendous resource of information and only cost $395 from the CAD developer.
It is my belief that VW hasn?t had the internal talent to focus on user education and this is really unfortunate because VW is a great CAD program that is important here. However, in the field of residential architecture, and all of its other industry based approaches, it doesn't provide enough training support to drive it sales because VW is so extensive in its abilities, there isn't anyone internal driving education or management hasn't listened, that new and migrating users find learning to be overly error prone and slow. This lack of training is so obvious from the questions that are being asked by the new and existing users on this forum that I hope VW finds the resources and interest necessary to get serious about helping new, migrating and current customers become really proficient in VW.
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Beginning with version 8 of VectorWorks I?ve had the training CDs sent with the upgrade. When the upgrade arrives, I?ve methodically worked through each CD making notes of what is different and which lessons I want to understand better. When I?m finished I usually have an outline of the changes I want to try again and go back and replay the associated videos while I try different models using the approach used in the video.
My CD exposure has shown they are good videos for getting a general sense of how to work with VW. Each year there isn?t much change in the videos so if I missed a year I?m not sure it would hurt much. If I hadn?t had previous VW experience, then the videos certainly wouldn?t be enough to learn VW as they are far too general and limited in scope to give anyone a good understanding of how to work with VW, but I still recommend them because if you don?t know VW, you need some place to start and they do provide that level of understanding.
Because you are coming from AutoCAD, they?ll give you some insights on how VW is different in how it works with models. Most notably is VW?s use of Classes for group segregation and Layers for Class grouping, which is significantly different for an AutoCAD user.
What these videos don?t show is how to do specific modeling task that are most often the basis of my questions. This is unfortunate because understanding various approaches for laying out a foundation, building floors, aligning wall, modifying doors and windows, designing out sprinkler zones, cut and fill, terrain layout, etc. go unanswered until you ask the question on the forum, and then you only get a problem limited approach that often leaves a lot of information out.
As for accuracy, there are some places where the video is misleading and the information needed to approach a topic has changed, and there is a missing file that is necessary, and a corrupt file that can be worked around. There are also some areas where topics are covered quickly that should have been provided as tutorial lessons, but in general the video lessons flow fine. For the missing file, send Katie a message, or drop me note and the file will appear.
If I could dream, the VW video collection would expand beyond being general introduction movies, to being real a tutorial resource on how to approach the various challenges that each industry faces. The videos would be organized into short learning sessions that would be designed so that chapter topics could easily be identified and accessed through a digital table of contents a user could easily double-click to look up something quickly. Another CAD developer has used topic based training videos and I find it so easy to go and review information that I?ve copied all of the CDs onto my computer so they?ll always be available.
Learning VW is a process that takes patience because training material is so limited, and because the program is so capable and extensive in its ability that a handful of videos just don?t do it justice, but they are better than nothing.
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Don,
Take a look at the discussions listed below to see if they can help you get this solved:
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Take a look at this thread to see if the additional information helps: Topic: 12.0.1 Import SketchUp
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As a long time VW owner and now a SketchUp user, I find the paradigm that SketchUp provides to be very intuitive. I now exclusively create all my components and many models in SketchUp before bringing the output into VW-12. For those not familiar with SketchUp, if you want something taller, pull it up. Want it shorter, push it down. Want it wider, pull it out. Want it thinner, push it in. It is those intuitive working methods that makes 3D work so much faster, and in most cases requires less edits, because the drawing environment is so supportive of how people see, view, and handle 3D objects.
Another area I especially like about SU is the ability to work in a 3D environment where surfaces are easily seen, removed or X-rayed while items are being shaped. In that shaping environment surfaces can be shaded, removed, monochrome, textured, or colored with a simple button click all while the vector drawing and render mode is active. This visual environment provides so many helpful clues that 3D work becomes fun because the work gets done so easily and fast.
From a new planning approach, if a user wants to create a building on a site where trees or obstacles can not be adjusted, create the plot, adjust the elevations using the SU?s Sandbox tools, place and size the obstacles where they are positioned and your ready to see how the building will see and be viewed from the surrounding area. SU also makes it easy to understand how the model?s layout will be affected by the Sun?s position for any date or time of any year.
SketchUp isn't a final drawing package and maybe that is good, but with VW so good at creating CDs, the marriage of the two programs has been a tremendous improvement to getting stuff done in much less time than anything comparable I've done in VW alone. Where the SU-VW marriage falls apart is in the transition between the two programs. Anything created in SU, needs to be tweaked for color, texture and layer when it is brought into VW, and sometimes that clean up takes a lot of time. When NNA created a SU-Plug-In, it seemed like maybe the colors and textures would survive the VW migration better, but in fact DWG/DXF works better than the plug-in right now.
I think what this wish list item means is that if VW had a more intuitive and consistent approach across it toolbox, then 3D work would be a lot easier than it is right now. All too often the approach one VW tool takes is different than how a different tool is applied to an object. In the early days, this was acceptable for a while, but with SU being such an intuitive creation tool, it is time for VW to make its tools more intuitive, and there are hints in VW-12 that just might be the direction VW is heading.
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I agree this has been confusing. What I find more worrisome is that this SU-Plug-In doesn't work as well as using the DWG/DXF option. Clearly NNA missed something along the way when this was created and will probably look at fixing the Plug-In if enough people cry about it. Still, it is great to see some support for my favorite 3D tool.
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When I went through those CDs after the release of VW12 (I always get the CDs with each upgrade because it is too hard to second guess what happened), I found some problems with the Architect CDs that might not have been corrected yet.
On my CDs, the Survey.DWG file was missing and the Finished 04.mcd file was 0-bytes. There are also some confusing areas in the CDs that take some experience to second guess what is intended.
In any event, Katie jumped in when I reported these issues and she worked with the CD developers to obtain the missing file and it is available from her or by sending me an message. You can make your own Finished 04.mcd from the Finished 05.mcd file so the loss isn't critical.
As for your problem, be sure the Class Options show the setting to "Show/Snap/Modify Others" is selected and make the Annotations Class active and the Grid Layer Active.
If you are having trouble at this point, be sure to scroll in on the area so you can be real accurate in selecting the last line. You should see the cursor change to the slanted arrow with a pair of pentagons on each side and have no trouble making the this step work. I'm sorry to say that this is one of those confusing areas where previous VW experience helps.
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Where you found the SketchUp Plug-In is the same place that the PDF file mentions it would be found so that it could then be added to the "File -> Import/Export ->" menu structure.
When I went looking for it the first time, I found it under the SketchUp Plug-In section. After your message arrived I also found it under "All Menus" but not under "Import/Export" commands.
I'm not sure why this has turned out to be so confusing, but it might be happening by evolution over the decisions on how this should be presented to users.
[ 03-05-2006, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: Roger... ]
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Hello George,
You are correct about them needing to be added to the workspace templates. I had to do this when VW 12 was just released ahead of when the SketchUp Plug-In was released. Thanks for mentioning it because I had totally forgotten about having to make that step.
I think in this case, what has been confusing is how the Update is mentioned as having the Plug-In as part of the upgrade. It might be there, but if the template has been modified in any way it might not over write the template file on the computer with the one in the Update, thus leaving out the template reference link the template needs making it impossible to find for a user who doesn't understand why it might not show up.
For certain it won't be changing any existing worksheets so those might also need to the step you mention if they aren't using a default and original template.
This was a good insight George!
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Here is a link to a recent thread where this problem was discussed: Topic: Sketchup
If you also need to download the Plug-In, this link should get you there: SketchUp Plug-In
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A couple of things not mentioned that I find very helpful in creating an ?As-Built? is to decide early on which corner to consider as the starting point. From that location all measurements are taken in a sequential series that creates a flow of how each level?s layout will be created back on the ?Drawing Board/Screen?. As each room is documented, including elevations and ceiling, molding, window, door, nook, etc. details, I find that pictures/digital images significantly improve the room notes and do a lot to help me remember what is going in the areas that are difficult to detail in measurements. Images also help me remember more clearly any special treatments that the owner wants preserved or even changed.
After the building is documented, I use the same process that generated the information as the process used to put the details down in the model?s layout. By starting in one corner and working my way back to the other ends, room, wall, window, etc. tweaking later on doesn?t happen often because the process builds on the previously entered details, and it doesn?t get affected because something got forgotten or misunderstood. Once the lowest level is completed and checked, any remaining levels use the same process and starting point for entering details until all the information needed is completed and checked.
By following a process in the field that is then later used for the actual layout, I?ve found the number of errors discovered late in the process becomes rare.
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I believe I noticed an Update to the Mac Update for VW 12.01. I think this means something was fixed because they talked about the updater not updating some files.
So, if you haven't solved the issue yet, give that some thought.
For what it is worth, my efforts with the SketchUp (SU) Plug-In have not been satisfying. When I've used the SU Plug-In, the imported models don't show any of the original colors or textures applied to the SU model that were originally applied in SU. However, if I use DWG Export from SU, and then use DWG Import in VW, I get colors that are somewhat representative of what was used in SU when the model was exported. While the color transfer isn't very good, it allows me to see the components better and then make some color adjustments in VW so that the transfer looks better.
Nothing seems to transfer the texture maps, so those have to be applied again.
My installation here is a Windows XP PRO and VW 12.01(53930).
If you are still waiting for an answer to this problem, consider using the DWG approach because it works better, and because you won't be waiting for an answer that may not meet your needs when it arrives.
Vectorworks and iTunes/quicktime conflict
in Troubleshooting
Posted
Ok on the strategy. It sounds like you're on your way out frustration.
This morning I kept getting update notices to update Quick Time Player when I clicked on a web site's QT link that spelled out the CAPTCHA code required for access. Each time I clicked, it would crash FireFox 2.0.0.14. This meant I needed to upgrade to QT 7.5(861). QT's Upgrade link kept crashing in 7.4, so I went to Apple's QT site and downloaded a complete QT w/o iTunes install and that went fine. As soon as the version install finished, I tried VW2008 SP2(Build 83388) and that went fine as well. So far I don't see a problem using QT 7.5 and VectorWorks 2008.
If anything relating to this issues shows up, I'll post it here.
Good Luck,