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alanmac

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  • Occupation
    Exhibition and Display Designer
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    UK

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  1. Hi Thank you to those who have taken the time to reply. I'm afraid Cinema 4D isn't an option. The company I work for has agreed the change to VW and the render program of choice providing it can be purchased for ?2,000. I have to say I'm also reluctant to purchase what is now a very expensive C4D. I did buy Cinema 4D back in the early 2000's, purchasing version 8.5 and Bodypaint but I found the time it was taking and the pressure of client deadlines had me reverting back to the easy to use Artlantis 4.5 although it did have some issues on stability, file corruption on updating from VW. Whilst I readily accept the output would have been better in C4D I didn't have any clients complain about the quality of my visuals, the opposite in fact, so I remained using Artlantis. Thank you Phil for your offer, I may indeed be in touch. Anybody else wishing to comment please do so, but its really a choice between Artlantis or Renderworks that I'm trying to decide upon. Thanks again. Alan
  2. Hi I've finally joined the 21st Century and upgraded my ancient copy of VW10.5 to the latest 2014 edition. This now raises the question of what render program to use. I work as an Exhibition and Display designer so ideally I'd like to hear from those working in the same field if possible. I should point out I've been using Artlantis, an equally old version with VW10.5, so now's the time to decide to stay with Artlantis or switch to Renderworks. It's a decision I need to make but it's not one that will only effect just my work. I have a client whom I'm contracted to work three days a week for. Having tried to use their copy of Solidworks and find it so unfriendly and hard to achieve results in good time they've kindly agreed to switch to VW. I need to present them with a rendering solution that will allow them to find a replacement candidate once I retire in a short few years time. So I'm trying to gauge, putting aside the quality of output etc. which solution will yield them the greatest number of potential candidates when it comes time for me to hang up my Exhibition Stand Designers hat. Thanks. Alan
  3. Hi Just an update on my situation in case its of help or use to others. I assembled my new machine and found out if you buy Windows 7 Professional you can run a "XP mode" for older programs. I duly purchase Win7 Professional with my hardware parts getting the OEM version for just over ?100. Once installed I downloaded the XP Mode application. It takes a little time to open up into XP mode but its faster than my old XP machine at doing so. Win 7 is very fast but I'm running it off of an SSD Drive. Installed the dongle drivers and Vectorworks 10.5 through the XP mode and it opens fine. I have not tried it in earnest yet but will do and report back on how I fair. Hope its of help. Alan
  4. Hi Jim I've always had an issue with VW that if I put the PC or it goes into sleep mode on its own it never "sees" the dongle upon awakening. Thankfully it does give you the option to save your work before closing VW, although as I save every 10 minutes I would not lose that much anyway. Thanks again. Alan
  5. Hi Thank you both for your quick replies. I'll give it a go. Retiring soon so I don't really want to go to the expense of buying an upgrade as I'm hoping to "hang up the keyboard and mouse" for more pleasurable pursuits. I'll post results. Thanks again. All the best. Alan
  6. Hi It's been a very long time since I visited here so apologises in advance if this is the wrong place to post or has been covered before. I have VW 10.5 which I've happily used for many years here in the UK. My current PC is up for replacement, I'm inheriting my son's Intel i5 based machine, with Windows 7 installed. I've installed VW to test if it will work and it works okay from the point of view using it in evaluation mode but to run correctly in license mode I'm getting a message I have to upgrade the dongle drivers, my version uses the Hasp dongle. I've tried to find the correct drivers but I'm faced with a page full of options on the linked site, most of which frankly I don't understand what the downloads refer to. I'd appreciate it if somebody could tell me exactly (using the words on the dongle web site) what I need to download to update my Hasp dongle drivers. Thanks in anticipation of your help. regards Alan
  7. Hi I been successfully using Vectorworks for a number of years as an Exhibition Stand Designer and been very happy to do so, with no real desire to change or learn yet another program. Recently I've been looking at possible job vacancies and whilst a few years ago these would have contained a mixture of software programs required including Vectorworks I'm finding now most requests are for Designers with knowledge of 3D Studio Max, Autocad (sometimes FormZ.) When did this shift happen and why. Granted they were always part of the list of programs used but now every vacancy I see lists these skills. From what I can see all these programs are not as easy to use as VW and more importantly much more expensive to maintain licenses for. I don't really want to change but if finding work requires me to do so then so be it. So is it still being widely used, has there been in the last few years a levelling out so that for the widest potential of future employment, (to ideally learn one program) it would be to learn Studio Max with it's obvious links to Autocad. If this question is inappropriate or people wish to discuss this via private email I'd be happy to do so. In which case please PM me via the site. At the moment I just feel I've backed the wrong horse. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to change at all!!! I want to use VW !!! but needs must as they say. Thanks Alan
  8. "That was a very sad and embittered post alanmac. Almost spiteful. I found your obvious delight in the potential difficulties Susan may have upgrading though the USA unfortunate." You've got a strange way of looking at things. Merely pointing out the reality of the situation. Sure I'll admit there was a degree of cynicism in my tone, but hey you folks started with the "ripped off" comments, if you want to talk bitter, and started to attack (and continue to do so) somebody who I've found to be most helpful to me and others in the use of VW, without any personal gain from doing so what so ever. What's better - I told you so when it all goes pear shaped or pointing out the potential pitfalls. Both Ozcad and Mike Moore have a proven record in helping many users on this forum and beyond with Vectorworks so I doubt if you'll have any effect with what I'm getting to feel is a hidden agenda going on with you and Ms Shaw. Anyway, I'm out of here. Your types come and go on forums like this. Add very little in the way of positive contributions, if any at all, and after becoming wise to them other users ignore their posts, you go away and find somewhere else to play silly games.
  9. Just to put it into context. I don't use Architect but the basic version. I checked pricing on NNA's site. Cost is $995.00 which equates to ?496.41p at current exchange rates. Pricing on Vectorworks UK site. ?689.00 That's a difference of ?192.59, which is coming close to half as expensive again. What do we get different to the US version - a dongle we must plug in to make the program run. I'm sure it's the same situation for all flavours. I'm not complaining, making a fuss, but it does make your Ozcad is ripping us off seem unjustified in the scheme of things does it not.
  10. "I seemed to have whipped up quite a fuss." Hardly. It's your unjustified description of somebody that sparked the comments, not the content of your compliant. I note no response from you to my question - If when presenting your costs for a project to a client they reply they can get the same done for half or two thirds the price what is your response? How do you justify the prices that you charge? "A number of US members of this forum have offered for me to upgrade through them in the USA." That's going to be good. So it will be registered to them at their office address now then. As you already own a recent copy why do you need to "upgrade"? Also to upgrade you'll need your registration number, which as you purchased in Australia will be linked to there. If you get past those technicalities I hope you can wait for discs to go from NNA to them, then to you. Hope it doesn't get lost in the post over to you as it's going to be a bit difficult to explain why you need another one. Do hope you can go to them for technical support because you've blown it for anywhere else. Hope you don't have too many problems. I imagine emails back and forth to solve issues will soon take the shine of their generosity. I guess you are going to do without any of the additional items used for the Australian market when it comes to your architectural practise. Also going to be interesting if you need to work in collaboration with other Australian architects who own the Australian version, because I would image you'll not be able to exchange files easily. Good luck.
  11. Dear Digby Dart and Susan Shaw If you would care to step back from your suspicion and growing theory that this is some sort of conspiracy you?ll see that people on this forum are trying to help you. None of them, including myself have any vested interest in defending the Australian distributor, rather just pointing out the facts, which is relevant not only to Vectorworks but other businesses that deal on a global market. In these terms whilst Vectorworks is widely known it does not have the market share of other software, and in countries around the world the potential owners of the software vary due to population etc. Vectorworks is a product owned and developed by NNA (Nemetschek North America) so it?s bound to have a large presence their. Australia is different and they rely on distributors to cover the reduced market in not only that country but others. They are also able to customise the product to be more suited to that market. They are also in business, the same as you, to make money, nothing wrong in that, it?s what makes the world go round. Would you not rather deal with somebody who knows your countries particular needs, variations and understands what you require from the software. Do you not want the capability to talk to a human being on a telephone, rather than by long winded emails, about a problem or requirement you have of the software? Someone who can guide you in real time through the situation? This is a users forum, where fellow users of the software come to help each other. I know Mike Moore, from this forum, and if he has a fault, it?s spending far too much time helping fellow users, for free, with Vectorworks. Surely as Architects the added items that have been included in your version are what you need to do your job, quicker and easier. (as in time is money) Just take a look at what Adobe charges for its Creative Suite, downloadable in exactly the same version as the ?American? version, in the UK. Yes it?s identical, it?s far bigger user base than Vectorworks but they still want over 30% more because it?s the UK. Let me ask you a question. If when presenting your costs for a project to a client they reply they can get the same done for half or two thirds the price what is your response? How do you justify the prices that you charge? Could it be localised knowledge, experience and level of service you offer? Alan
  12. I believe somebody wrote a script for this and posted it on the Vectordepot site if my memory serves me correctly. This followed a discussion on the VW list regarding this functionality. Edit - After looking back through old emails it was something written by one of the list users and kindly offered free on his web site. Alan
  13. What's going on Christiaan. When I read this post yesterday, I was number three and it already had a "5 star" rating, with no replies. We are now up to 17 views, mine at this moment the only reply. Then when I look all of your wishes on this list have 5 stars against them irrespective of replies or views. What's going on Christiaan. Is this vote rigging ? A career in politics is calling ;~) Alan
  14. Ben There was a discussion on this in the forum a while back. Do a search to find it. Basically yes, and much easier if you use Mac OS. Alan
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