Andrew G. Buck

I have an auto cad file that I have imported into vectorworks 12. I would like to create a DTM with the elevation data. I have all the elevation points available, but they have imported as text with the elevation showing up as the text. Can I convert these to 3D loci that I can you to build a site model? Can I export the X/Y values of the text and the text(elevations) itself to create a survey input file?

An apply button on pop-up windows. It would save several steps when testing choices. Now we need to select okay, see the change, not like the change, open the pop-up window, make another change, select okay...etc. Choosing an apply button, would make the change instantly visible and leave the pop-up window open for additional changes.

I had a similar problem when intalling VW12 on windows. It seems that the install package is not working as the readme states. When I called tech support, Katie pointed me to this Knowledgebase article. It worked. http://kbase.nemetschek.net/index.php?ToDo=view&questId=83&catId=21 Its a good product and a good company. Both get better the longer you know them.

re: It creates a hip roof when the sloped roof option is chosen because a hip roof is the most "generic" style of sloped roof. A hip roof is not the most generic roof style in New England, especially in an urban residential setting like Boston. This is disappointing. A "generic" model builder should at least have the ability to build a shed or a gabled roof. It's kinda hard to get a model taken seriously if the roof is wrong.

I have 2 shape files that I would like to import into VW12. When I import either one by itself, everything works well and looks good. But when I try to import a second file, I only see one selection handle, an am not able to do much with it. The odd part is that the OIP does show the appropriate number of polygons. Do I not have a setting correctly set? Is there a problem with scale? Or is this some kind of bug? Thanks.

How can I reuse a saved stipple?

oops I mean it should NOT be there.

I've got a point that appears on both design and sheet layers, but I can't select it. When I roll over it the smart cursor say's, "Point" so I can snap to it. But it should be there I don't know how I created it, and can't come up with the righ incantation to get rid of it. Any pointers anyone?

Katie, The reference marker tool has all the data fields that I need: choices in the configs, data items that point to an off page reference etc. It would be nice if the leader line options that are available in the call out tool were connected to the reference marker tool. As it is, I don't think they are. I've chosen to use the reference marker tool and add my own leader lines. A good enhancement would be to make the leader line options available to the reference marker tool. Does this make sense?

This has happened twice, though on different sheets. The the second time was from a saved set of sheets. I have a batch of about 8 sheets which I have sent to my printer. Some random page in the middle of the batch is printer with a reduced line weights. It sorts of looks like the line weights on the screen when the Zoom Line Thickness preference is unchecked. I can immediately print that page again and it prints just fine. Thoughts? Maybe the printer is getting overloaded? (canon i9900)

Thanks all. These are all good ideas and provide some ideas to solve my simple problem. Katie, I had not seen the Bezier Leader Type. That is nice, for call outs, but too complicated for my current needs. I'm just trying to add a nice curved leader to reference markers. Maybe that goes against current document convention. The ability to add arrowheads to polylines sure makes sense to me.

Okay there has got to be a simpler way to do what I'm doing. I want a simple curved line with an arrowhead. The only way I can think to make on is to draw a line with the polyline tool, then tool-->convert to lines ( it makes a zillion), select only the very last segment, attach the arrow head, then group all the peices so they act as one object. Why can't I add an arrow head to the end of a polyline?

Weird. In several files built from scratch in 11.5, the text of my callouts has become inverted. If I edit the text, it puts itself right side up. Am I haunted?

I doubt its the folder name. I did the rename and mine still crashes. Wait, I just checked and the folder is still 11.0.1...and protected. It seems to be too rendom to be so simple, but hey? Pharr, I'll try my best to be my erratic self and get the problem to reoccur. When it does, I'll send you some info. Sign me, Crash Buck

Yea, I've had seemingly random crashes with 11.5 on a brand new XP machine. I'm working with an imported AutoCad file. The weird part is that VW just disappears...no messages, no lockups, no post cards, no nothing. The bad part is I can't recreate the problem. This last time, I was trying to do model setup on my existing document. But after the crash and opening up with a backuped version, I cannot recreate the crash. Is there a memory leak somewhere?

I find the three pulldowns at the top of the resource browser awkward to learn. I can never find anything. Even if I read the manuals etc, I'm still fumbling. Any clues? In addition, it would be great if there was a catalog of symbols. For instance, I'm looking for a nice north arrow, and have opened several documents looking for one. If I had a catalog, I could flip through the pages and say, yea, that one; then go get it. Has anyone ever created such a catalog? Is this something that I could get a script to do?

After all these good suggestions, I think the clipping idea is the one that I've been looking for. 1) Make a polygon that represents the area to be filled. Be sure to extend the polygon beyond the freehand edge. 2) Draw the freehand edge. Clip the polygon with the freehand line. I'll give it a try and report back if I run into a snag. Thanks, all.

Okay here is what works to solve my problem: 1. Draw the polyline, or polygon, that contains the area to be filled. 2. Draw the freehand line that is going to be used to trim the filled area. 3. Make a copy of the trim line if it needs to extend past the area to be filled. Move it aside. We'll bring it back later. 4. Use the trim command to a) cut the polygon/line and b) cut freehand line that extend beyond the object to be filled. 5. Use the compose command to combine the shortened freehand line and the trimmed polygon/line. 6. Move the extra freehand line back into place, if you moved it away. This is a mix of peices from most of the replies to this message. Thanks to all for posting. This is a tough program to learn how to use well, but everyday I find myself becoming more convinced that this is a very capable tool. This forum is a wonderful asset. Thanks for the help. I look forward to gaining the ability to return the favor.

No, my question is not about closing a polygon, nor is it really about fills. My question is about finding the best way to match the edge of a polygon to a freehand line. I can match if I zoom in real close and add lots of points to my polygon, but was hoping to find a tool similar to the offset tool that would make a perfect fit in a few keystrokes.

Yea, but. Your technique yeilds, for me, little slivers between the fill polygon and the freehand edge. Maybe I should be trying to learn how to make one edge of a polygon (polyline?) freehand.

That is what I was looking for. Thanks. I feel like I've got a new program!

Is there a preference that needs to be set that will allow me to see the relative line thickness in a drawing? Every line I draw appears with a thickness of 1 until the line thickness is set to about 40. The only way I can judge the relative weights of my lines is by printing or by reviewing each line in the object browser, both of which are time consuming. Thanks.

I'm not sure I have the right term, and that is why I can't find the right tool...maybe: I have drawn a free hand line and would like to use that line for the edge of a stipple, or a hatch, or another polygon. For instance, I have drawn a heavy silhouette line for the grade and would like to make a polygon to show the soil below. Is there a way to match the edges of a new polygon to the edges of a freehand line? BTW the smoothing feature of the 11.5 freehand tool is really nice.

I've imported a document from AutoCad. There are a gazillion classes in the document. I would like to delete the ones that don't have any thing in them. Is there a way to issue a command to delete all classes that are empty? Or maybe I need some kind of reporting mechinism. Is there a way to produce a report listing all of the classes including the number of objects in each class? Thanks, Andy: Landscape Design in VW 11.0.1

From Katie Roberts at NNA Tech Support: The Windows XP Service Pack 2 software contains additional Internet Explorer browser security that prevents the VectorWorks help from displaying immediately. Each time the browser is launched, the VectorWorks help content is temporarily blocked until the Allow Blocked Content option is selected from the Information Bar. To disable this setting and view the help without the additional step, select Tools > Internet Options from within Internet Explorer. On the Advanced tab, under the Security heading, select Allow active content to run in files on My Computer. Click Apply and OK. Note that disabling this setting may allow harmful active content access to your computer. Works like a charm. Thanks, Katie!