Tom W.

Yes if you set up a new Data Vis + under Display Criteria choose Objects using Function > Material, then it will list all the Materials used in the file. Go through them one by one setting the fill to whatever colour you want it to be in each case giving you a single Data Vis that will apply overrides to multiple Materials at once. Create the Data Vis in a file containing all your Materials + set up all the overrides you will ever need to use, then that Data Vis will work in every case in every file.

No the Material has a single fill + the Data Vis overrides it. A bit like class overrides. But it works on the design layer too. Once you've created a Data Vis you can save it in your user folder + access it from any file. You can apply multiple Data Visualisations at once.

Easily done if you assign fill using Materials rather than classes. Or using classes can you set up VP styles to quickly apply/remove class overrides?

@Bruce Kieffer did you consider getting a trial version of Interiorcad? 🙂 It would be perfect for what you're doing.

I thought it was just a case of importing the version before the VW version you're using. So for VW2021 you'd need to import a SketchUp 2020 file. But looking now they are only going back to SketchUp 2021... Which I guess is the problem you're facing... Import to newer version of VW then export as VW2021 file?

Why? See: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2024/eng/VW2024_Guide/Structure/Organizing_the_drawing.htm#h https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2024/eng/VW2024_Guide/Structure/Concept_Layers overview.htm#h https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2024/eng/VW2024_Guide/Structure/Concept_Classes_overview.htm#h

This is new to VW2024. In VW2023 the only thing which is greyed-out when you edit a symbol on a sheet layer is the render mode drop-down. But you are better to edit the symbol whilst on the Design Layer, then nothing will be greyed out. There was a discussion about this recently elsewhere: the fact that it would be far better if when you are editing a symbol on a sheet layer you are automatically taken to a design layer mode then returned to the sheet layer afterwards. Bit like when you edit the design layer from a SLVP.

The RW Plants all have 100% Glow Reflectivity applied to the textures the Image Props use which is why they look illuminated in a dark setting. The Glow prevents one plane of the Image Prop casting a shadow on the other plane when Crossed Planes is enabled (which it is by default). The advantage of crossed planes is that it produces fuller, more realistic shadows. If you are doing night time renders you can edit your Plant symbols so that they include a 2nd version of the Image Prop which uses a texture that has had Glow turned down or turned off completely (turning down will reduce the self-illumination but they won't receive external light; turning off will mean they will only gain illumination from Light sources in the scene). So create a duplicate version of the prop texture; edit the 3D component of the Plant + duplicate the Image Prop in place; apply the new texture to the duplicated Image Prop; place each prop on 'day time' + 'night time' classes then you can control which version is seen at any one time depending on the nature of the scene. Depending on the lighting in the scene, the problem if you have zero Glow can be that one plane of the Image Prop casts a shadow on the other plane which looks pretty awful. In order to disable crossed planes for some crazy reason you need to Group the Image Prop first, then enter the Group + disable 'Crossed Planes' in the OIP. Leave the Image Prop in a Group. If you don't Group the Image Prop it will show one plane in the symbol edit mode but back in the drawing it will return to crossed planes. I am pretty sure last time I tried this a couple of years ago even Grouping the IP didn't work + so there was no way to disable crossed planes...

If you place a Data Tag inside a symbol you should enable 'Use world-based units' in the tag settings.

Correct. So presumably when it worked on the Design Layer you weren't tagging a symbol...? You can tag objects inside Groups but not inside symbols... Another option in your case would be to place the tag inside the symbol + control its visibility by class i.e. turn it on in VPs as required.

Yes it should work in a VP too. Not sure why it's not working for you. You can use the object function #MATERIAL# or the worksheet function #WS_MATERIALNAME#: they will both do the same thing.

It varies. Generally within a day or two but there have been times I've had no reply at all but that might have only been the main US bug submit rather than the UK one... If you don't hear anything after 3 days you could email them directly: ukpremiumtech@vectorworks.net

The exception being the worksheet functions for which only a selection are listed: for the full range of options you need to refer to the function reference like Pat says. Plus I think Pat did something very clever with a worksheet script which opens up even more possibilities, but I can't remember what it was...!

I would place the Plants on dedicated Design Layers for each construction phase, then you can create viewports for each phase separately + report on each phase separately (by including the Layer in the criteria).

I feel like I get this message more times than necessary. I always click 'Update' but I have no idea what, if anything, is being updated. But this is not just since Update 2, it is periodically over several versions.

Like Michael says, edit the Wall Style then the changes will affect all the Walls in the drawing plus all future instances

Thank you! (Good to know there's three different ways to return the sheet number!)

You're absolutely right sorry! I was trying it out using 'Eligible Object Mode' when I should have been using 'Label Mode'... #L# works the same as #WS_Layer#. Similarly is there a way to return the sheet title without associating it with a TBB?

Ok I found the thread I was talking about: Looks like I submitted a bug report on 7-Mar-23 but going through my emails it doesn't look like I heard anything back after doing so... Unless you get an initial email reply off someone (which I generally do to be honest) I'm not sure how you chase it as you have no record of your submission or reference no. for it.

According to the thread I'm talking about but can't find, you used to be able to do this without issue then by the time I tried it out for myself the functionality had developed a bug or whatever + no longer worked: I think the components displayed fine on the cut plane but the textures on the rest of the model displayed incorrectly (as demonstrated above). So yes, currently no way to do it + don't remember getting a response from VW about it when I brought it up that time...

#L# does the same. But I think I'm right to say you need an object on the sheet first to associate the tag with. Also, this returns the sheet number rather than the sheet title. #WS_'Title Block Sheet Data'.'Sheet Title'# will return the sheet title if you associate the tag with the title block (i.e. insert it using two points mode).

Paul I am intrigued to know how you came to use Vectorworks based on the type of thing you do. You are using a tiny fraction of the capability of the programme. There's nothing wrong with that, I'm just interested in the context. Was the choice of 3D modelling software far more limited at the time you started out? Or was there something about the 3D modelling capabilities of VW at the time that set it apart from other software?

I'm pretty sure this issue was discussed elsewhere several months back but I can't find the thread... Basically it was established that this technique (creating a design layer section VP then creating a SLVP from it) used to work but at some point stopped working (the rendering problems you identify). I can't remember what the outcome was. I'm pretty sure I filed a bug but without being able to find the thread I can't be sure! BTW the intention with this technique was to have a 3D section (like a clip cube VP) but with wall/slab/etc components displayed on the cut plane. Otherwise like @BartHays says you can just use a clip cube VP.

I have no idea! But someone else might e.g. @Pat Stanford, @michaelk Again can you post a screenshot of the kind of thing you mean? Be interested to see

Maybe post a file or at least some screenshots. It works for me. But maybe I'm totally misunderstanding what you're asking for. You have a file with Plants in it + a database report which is returning data from those Plants right? You have the 'botanical name' field of the plant record being returned in one column + the 'remark 1' field being returned in another column yes? If so you can use concat to combine those two columns into a single third column + add additional text or punctuation in the process then hide the original two columns.