[Dynamically rotate text to align to screen]

This would be great if it could be made possible.

[Cabling for rigging]

Anyone? 🙂

[Cabling for rigging]

Bumping Andy's post as I am also eager to find some sort of work-around for hoist distros.

[ability to lock a 3D file?]

I tried searching for an existing topic to bump it, but couldn't find it. I wish there was a way to send out a Vectorworks file that had 'no edit behavior'. In other words, whomever opened it was unable to modify it in any way.

[create a file with no edit behavior?]

Thanks Pat.

 

much obliged,

Chris

[create a file with no edit behavior?]

Is there a way to create a file to send out, referenced (?), that has no edit behavior? I have received/imported dwg files that have had the Union command performed on them prior to them being sent out. When I import one of these files and click on the item(s) in it, it says there is no edit behavior. I'd like to be able to do this to a Vectorworks file.

[Can I 'save' Vectorscripts that I create in a single file to the Resource Manager?]

Pat, thanks very much for that. I appreciate the help. That worked.

 

Raymond, thank you for your help also. I'll explore your suggestion later, but for now, I have it working as I need.

 

much obliged,

Chris

[Can I 'save' Vectorscripts that I create in a single file to the Resource Manager?]

7 minutes ago, Pat Stanford said:

Or you can put the files into a Library file in your Favorites.  You will have to Import the scripts when you want to use them, but you can access them from the RM. 

 

That's is what I thought to try to do, but I couldn't figure out how. Could you walk me through it?

 

[Can I 'save' Vectorscripts that I create in a single file to the Resource Manager?]

1 minute ago, MullinRJ said:

You can save your master file as a template (.sta) and when you open new files using that template your scripts will be included. Use menu File > Save As Template...

 

OR

 

You can create Menu Command plug-ins from your scripts with the Plug-in Manager (Shift-Cmd-Z), which are subsequently added to the VW interface with the Workspace Editor (Option-Shift-Cmd-W). Hot keys can be assigned tour scripts in the Workspace editor so you can quickly access them, too. This is the more tedious route, but the more flexible one

 

If you need help with either of these options, please write back.

 

Raymond

 

Thanks Raymond. As I normally 'inherit' my files from other users, I think the your second suggestion may be better for me.  How would I start by going this route?

[Can I 'save' Vectorscripts that I create in a single file to the Resource Manager?]

Can I 'save' Vectorscripts that I create in a single file to the Resource Manager so that I can run the same scripts in any file I'm working in? The scripts I am using are ones that I've created through the Custom Selection tool. 

[Add a 'Stage Reference' to a drawing that will export with/on a Hoist Worksheet?]

Ah, nevermind. I 'figured it out'. After I've made a duplicate, and renamed it as whatever I want Stage Ref, in this case), I go back and select it from the Hoist Symbols folder under Open Files. 

[Add a 'Stage Reference' to a drawing that will export with/on a Hoist Worksheet?]

I am trying to figure out a way to be able to have points in my drawing that will export on/with a Hoist Worksheet so that I can print them with my layout stickers, which are generated from the Hoist Worksheet export. I want something that exports its data as if it were a hoist (X & Y coordinates), but isn't.

 

I've seen that I can create a custom hoist that I can rename, but in the export it obviously still shows as whatever Hoist Type it was created/duplicated from.  Any ideas?

[truss color change?]

17 hours ago, jcogdell said:

There are two ways to edit the color of truss symbols

• if you only need the 2D geometry changed, go to the Spotlight Preferences 'Loads and Rigging' section (in File>Document Settings) and activate the 'Modify Truss Object Color' check box. This allows you to use change the color of truss symbol using either the attribute palette or based on its class.
• If you want to edit the truss symbol definition itself to create a custom colored truss library then you need to do the editing from inside the resource manager.
  Import the truss symbol or symbols you want to edit in to the active file resources, right click on the symbol and select edit 2D component.
  You can now edit the 2D geometry's fill and line color
  exit the edit interface and repeat the process but select edit 3D component.
  Again use the attribute palette to make the changes.
  Make sure to save the edited symbol with a new name so that you don't accidentally overwrite it if you need to re import the original library version.

Live data viz works in a similar fashion to setting up a report or worksheet, you have to set up the criteria to define what objects and bit of data it will work with
for this example make sure you have at least a couple of truss objects of different lengths inserted

• to access live data viz look for the glasses icon at the right hand side of the view bar and click on it. if its not there use the triangle at the end of the bar to turn it on
• once you have clicked on the icon select new Data Visualization in the menu
• You should now be in the New data Visualization dialogue, first give the the new data vis a name
• Define the object criteria for what is going to be affected, this could be an all objects, by name, by class etc...  There is a long list of options. For a trusses leave this as all objects
• Now set the display criteria, this controls what data will be colored and how,
  First set the color drop down, this defines the type of data that will be worked with for example object using record or object using parameter. Your choice here defines what options are available in the drop-downs to the right of the colors drop-down. For trusses use object with parameter
• Use the 2 drop-downs to the right to define what specific bit of data you will color, for this example set the top one to Truss and the bottom to length
• You should now see several lengths in the list below the drop-downs corresponding to the truss lengths in your file, hit the auto color button to assign each a color override, you may need to check the color settings if only the fill gets assigned a color.
• Hit ok to save it and exit
• now click on the dat avis icon and you shuld see your new data visualization in the bottom half of the menu, click on it to activate it. In the design layer the trusses will be colored based on their lengths. You can also use data vis in sheet layer viewports and it will provide a handy legend saying what each color corresponds too

Here some links to the Vecrtoworks university about data vis

 

https://university.vectorworks.net/mod/page/view.php?id=282

 

https://university.vectorworks.net/mod/scorm/player.php?a=173&currentorg=articulate_rise&scoid=346

 

and the help page

https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2022/eng/VW2022_Guide/Views/Viewing_the_drawing_by_data_or_by_attributes.htm?rhmapfs=true#h

 

 

 

Thank you *very much*. I'm going to play with this tomorrow.

[truss color change?]

17 minutes ago, Michael Schroeder said:

You could use Data Visualization to accomplish this or edit the symbol

 

Could you educate me on the Data Visualization? When I double click on the truss it bonks and I get a message at the bottom of the screen that says "The selected object has no edit behavior".

[truss color change?]

Is it possible to change the color of truss (wireframe) that does not have editable behavior?

[Tools >>> Custom Selection >>> Select Only >>> Select Objects Whose...]

20 hours ago, michaelk said:

I don't think it has anything to do with the way you made the symbol.  Unless you made it a blue symbol with a symbol inside a symbol?  Seems unlikely.

 

Open the file you posted. Not sure if it was intentional, but the symbol was inside a group. 
 

So if you did a select all the oip would tell you that you have selected one group. 
 

Go inside the group and select all and the oip would tell you that you have selected one 3D symbol. 
 

The criteria is counting both the group and the symbol. 

 

I think that when I originally drew it I made it a Group. And then when I figured out that to give something a height (Z-dimension) it needed to be a Symbol, I converted it.

I just went back in and took it back to just an Extrude and then created the Symbol. Now it shows up as 1 when I select its Class.

 

Many, many thanks!

[Tools >>> Custom Selection >>> Select Only >>> Select Objects Whose...]

21 hours ago, michaelk said:

You have a group and a symbol, both in the class I-beam spanner.  So you are getting the correct count:  1 symbol and 1 group.

 

So you either have to move the group to a different class or add Type is not Group to the criteria.

 

For the same reason, make sure you don't have Include components of Symbols checked.  If checked, then anything in the symbol definition that was in that class would also be included in the count.

Thanks Michael. Please pardon my ignorance, but could you explain to me why I have a Group and a Symbol? Is it because of how I originally drew the I-beam?

 

[Tools >>> Custom Selection >>> Select Only >>> Select Objects Whose...]

.

[Tools >>> Custom Selection >>> Select Only >>> Select Objects Whose...]

I drew this I-beam and when I run the aforementioned "Tools >>> Custom Selection >>> Select Only >>> Select Objects Whose..." Class is this I-beam spanner, the count is incorrect.

 

If I run the tool with Symbol as the qualifier, the count is correct. 

 

Can anyone explain this to me? Is there something I can do when creating the Symbol, or modify the existing Symbol, to get an accurate count using Class?

PSI 4x6x75%22 I-beam v2021.vwx

[Tru-Roll Series 1000 track?]

Does anyone know if this track exists in a Vectorworks library, or as a dwg that could be imported?

 

thanks,

Chris

[Is it possible...(worksheets question)]

7 minutes ago, Thomas Peters said:

Perhaps this will be useful? Keep us updated on your progress please!

 

 

 

 

Thanks! I'll take a look at that.

 

C

[Is it possible...(worksheets question)]

2 minutes ago, Thomas Peters said:

It may be helpful if you tell us what you're trying to achieve with a 2-way link. 

I've got a wishlist item open to be able to bulk edit record fields easily, and I suppose a live-link with excel is sort of in the same train of thought: a mass editing of cells.

 

 

 

 

I/we use Vectorworks for entertainment rigging and although we have Braceworks, all of our load calcs are done with an Excel file. I would like to be able to have the results from that Excel file displayed within the Vectorworks file and update as the data in the Excel file changes.

[Is it possible...(worksheets question)]

3 minutes ago, Thomas Peters said:

Excel files are 'static', as are VW Worksheets. A 'live' link would be a database, in which case, you'll want to look into Database connections: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/index.htm#t=VW2021_Guide%2FDatabase%2FDatabase_connectivity.htm&rhsearch=Database&rhhlterm=Database&rhsyns=

 

If you figure it out, please make a tutorial for the rest of us, because we want this sort of functionality too. 

Thanks Thomas. I doubt if I'm the guy to be able to figure something like that out, but I'm going to take a look. I'll report back if I make any headway.

[Is it possible...(worksheets question)]

Is it possible to import a worksheet (Excel file) into Vectorworks, save it into a drawing and then give it the ability to update its data as the Excel file is updated? 

 

It's the last bit I'm curious about. I'd like to be able to have the data from an Excel file in my drawing and somehow have it update what it displays as the data in the Excel file changes.

 

[Vwx 2021 docking the Attributes palette]

And so I got it to dock by bringing up, and docking, the Snapping palette first. Once the Snapping palette was docked, all of a sudden the Attributes palette could be docked anywhere I wanted. 

That

was

strange.