wvancampen

Thanks, I figured as much--although it seems like an unnecessary workaround to me. Also, what is the criteria for custom profiles? I assume they have to be 2D, but when I "Choose Profile Symbol..." some can be but some cannot be added because OK is grayed.

I am using the Framing Member tool, and I am working with a steel member that is asymmetrical in section eg a tee (as opposed to say, a W-section). When I turn it upside down by setting the roll angle to 180? and miter the ends, what shows up in Top/Plan view is the same as if the member was in its default orientation (ie roll angle 0?). I know I'm not describing it very clearly, but the upshot is that what happens in 3D does not match what happens in 2D--which is bothersome. If someone can confirm I'm not missing something, I will submit its solution as a wishlist request. The same is true for other asymmetrical members like angles.

As I understand it, you cannot have a sheet layer viewport referenced to an external source (you can, of course, have design layer viewports do so). My questions are: 1. Is this true, or is there some method I don't know about? 2. If it is true, what is the logic behind it? (Seems illogical and inconvenient to me). My workaround is to make a design viewport referenced to the external source, and then make a sheet layer viewport from that. To me that seems like one step too many.

Not that I know of, but I agree it would be great. I have been wishlisting this for a long time.

Is there a way to use the eyedropper tool (or any other method) to quickly transfer class attributes to the Navigation Palette? E.g. let's say there's an object with a complicated fill that I want to be the fill for a class. As far as I know, do define those attributes "manually" in the Edit Class(es) dialog box.

Ok, thanks--I now understand how to activate "Use Part Lines Styles." But how do you give a fill to jambs/trims but not to sills/stoops?

In 2D, how do you make a window appear with a different (say darker) fill for the cut parts (eg jamb, sash) and lighter fill for the rest (eg the sill below)....as per graphic convention? With a door it's straightforward--the fill attribute appears for the leaf and the jamb/trim, and everything else not. With a window everything (jamb, trim, sash, sill etc) gets that fill. As far as I can tell, differentiating parts via Window Settings/View/Special Classes only affects rendering and 3D, not 2D projections. And parenthetically I don't understand the purpose of the Sills class, which is created automatically with doors and windows.

Currently, I believe that door/window ID bubble shapes do not change scale if you change the scale of the viewport they appear in. I wish there was some way to adjust their size. Eg, I have a design layer plan created at 1/4" scale. On a sheet layer I want to show that plan in a viewport at 1/2" scale. All the ID bubble shapes and their labels appear twice as big--which makes sense, but I want them to appear at their original size. So in Advanced Viewport Properties I set Text Scale to .5. The ID labels change back to their original size but the shapes do not and remain and their enlarged size.

I created a record format and a worksheet/schedule derived from it, and then formatted the cells to my liking. I then changed the record format by adding a new field to it, and edited the schedule format to add it. When I created the updated schedule and was warned the schedule already exists, both the choices "Rename new schedule:" and "Overwrite the existing schedule" reflected the new field, but deleted all my formatting efforts (alignments, borders, etc). Shouldn't there be some way to revise record formats without affecting all the worksheet/schedule formatting?

Please confirm that door/window ID bubble shapes do not change scale if you change the scale of the viewport they appear in. Eg, I have a design layer plan created at 1/4" scale. On a sheet layer I want to show that plan in a viewport at 1/2" scale. All the ID bubble shapes and their labels appear twice as big--which makes sense, but I want them to appear at their original size. So in Advanced Viewport Properties I set Text Scale to .5. The ID labels change back to their original size but the shapes do not and remain and their enlarged size. How do I reduce the shapes' size?

Two questions: 1. In VW2008, my section line markers often lose their attributes (fill, line thickness) and revert to unfilled/wireframe--usually when I move them or change their length. I correct this by re-rendering them ie changing their class, and then changing them back again to their proper class. You can imagine it's really annoying to be often doing this. Has anybody else experienced this problem/bug? 2. A thought I had of making this workaround more efficient was to put all section lines on a design layer--the thinking being that I could re-render them once, and activate that layer in all relevant viewports (which would be quicker than rerendering every section line where they appear in every viewport instance). But those section lines don't appear. Or to put it another way, if a section line is on a design layer, and that layer is active/visible in a viewport--the section line doesn't appear. Is this correct?

Thanks, Chad...I understand now. Although to me the "convert copy to lines" step seems superfluous. On a somewhat unrelated note regarding the identification of 2d, 2d/3d, and 3d symbols (eg by the subscript number in thumbnail view): clearly 2d symbols have a 2, 2d/3d symbols apparently have none, and 3d symbols have a 3. I'm confused about the latter, because all 3d symbols I've looked at look 2d in Top?Plan. Or in other words, what is a purely 3d symbol?

As I understand it, the attributes that are applied to extruded forms do not render in Top/Plan view and Wireframe rendering. Since those are my preferred modes for plans (both in design and sheet layers), non-extrudes such as walls obviously "show up" but extrudes do not--except as wireframes. Can somebody explain the logic of this? Or am I missing some method of rendering those extrudes in 2D?

Thanks for pointing out the prior Wish List request....saved me the trouble of typing into "The Void" ....as I sometimes think of it.

I'm trying to show a zoning envelope in axon projection and graphically it would be clearer dashed. It seems like this would be a useful feature. The same goes for the object's opacity. It's also interesting in viewports where "Project 2D Objects" is checked, those objects are not obscured by solid 3D objects in front of them.

Is there a way to show dashed lines in 3D? As far as I can tell, dashed lines in a 2D polygon or 3D solid will always show as solid in 3D.

In plan, I want to show (cut) window jambs with a darker fill and the sill below lighter (as is graphically conventional). But the fill I give to the window applies equally to all parts. I know in Window OIP>Settings...>View>Special Classes you can customize the attributes for different parts, but as far as I know this only applies to 3D, not 2D (why??). The same goes for doors (and their thresholds). This capability to do this would seem to be basic.....is there something I'm missing?

Thanks....that helps. A sort of related question: You have a vertical element that is extruded higher than one story e.g. a flue pipe. Is there a way that each floor plan would show it cut in plan? That would seem logical. I'm pretty sure there isn't--but before I submit it to the Wish List I thought I would double-check.

Unless I'm mistaken, all the steel shapes tools in the VWArchitect Detailing tool set are 2D only. It would be really useful if they could be extruded i.e. given lengths. The Joist and Framing Member tools in the same tool set have this ability.

Thanks Peter--there is a God!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it not possible to measure/dimension in the vertical Z-axis in stacked layers. As far as I know, the only way to do so is to create a section or elevation viewport, and measure/dimension in Annotations mode. I've never understood this lack--the whole rationale for stacked layers is to see layers in their proper vertical relationships, and measure accordingly. It makes working in 3D very cumbersome imho.

Thanks--I'll submit a bug report for my items and you can submit yours as a wish-list request.

Thanks for your help. No matter what special class attributes I set--in Top/Plan view the window shows its general class attribute. In section viewports, the special class attributes display correctly. Couple more questions: Sills don't seem to cut/eliminate walls completely. If, for example, unless the lip (thickness) of a sill is higher than the bottom of the window frame (which of course is not usual), there will remain a sliver of wall. Also, do you know how to create a stool? One can assign a special class to it, and wrap interior trim under it, but I don't see anywhere how to create one.

When I activate a window sill--in the Window Settings>Parts>Sill dialog--the Height dimension--in addition to the height of the sill--creates a zone also at the jambs and head. In section, that zone creates a blank zone at the window head ie it prevents the wall from coming down to the window frame (sort of like a very deep shim space). Why does it do this and how to override? A similar thing happens with trims (also with doors). Also, Special Classes (Window Settings>View>Special Classes) seem to take effect only is sections, not in Top/Plan view.

Is there some way to toggle the Auto Join Walls preference? I think it would be convenient.