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alanmac

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Everything posted by alanmac

  1. Don't forget for awkward shapes/areas you can change the cursor to lasso mode as well to avoid touching those items you don't want to include. Alan
  2. I know its not ideal but one way round it is to maybe use SketchUp to dimension the 3D view of your object. Export the model to SketchUp, do your required 3D view with dimensions then bring it back into VW, say as a pdf, which I understand you can do in VW latest versions. Maybe use the 8 hour trial version of SketchUp Pro or the free version just to evaluate if this is possible or suits your needs. Its not going to cost you anything other than some time experimenting. As I said in my first line, not ideal but another possible workaround. I'd love to see dimensioning in 3D capability in VW. Alan
  3. For my part apology accepted, but no need really. If you want any help when the manual or training guides don't give you the answer please drop a post here, we'll see if we can help. I was going to save my experience in case you came back with further comments about VW's suitability for the work you are undertaking, but it seems you now realise that, as with all new things from a new software program to a new mobile phone, things work different, designed with different priorities, different perspectives. I've been an exhibition stand designer for twenty years, before that I worked in graphics. Being the dinosaur I am I started in the days when we nearly all used drawing boards, tracing paper, artboard, marker pads and magic marker pens. After seeing what was available many years ago I decide for my needs Vectorworks (Minicad as it was know in those days) was the best for the job. Its capability to create in 3D was the all important factor. Had I wanted to create just working drawing for the Carpenters to build from I'd probably be still using the drawing board. But that all important "pretty picture" is what starts the ball rolling and for that the move was clearly towards photo realistic computer generated images rather than the hand drawn visuals that had served me so well for many years. With little or no computer knowledge and experience and even less using a CAD program I remember sitting down in front of the screen one Saturday morning, the wife and kids sent out to spare their ears and I made a start. After a mornings clicking and tapping I'd managed to draw some shapes. I laugh now at the effort it took compared to what I can do with the software. But I'm even more amazed at what others can do with it. It is different, and it does do things better and worse than other programs, just like any software. I even started using it without rendering, taking my hidden line perspectives out in print, on to the board and used this as a guide for hand drawn visuals. But everybody wants the computer stuff these days, so I export and render in Artlantis. I create anywhere between two to four exhibition stand designs a week, depending on complexity, in the program, custom built and modular systems. I also create working drawings which are used to construct these all over the world. Funnily enough what program I really want to learn more of (amongst others) is Illustrator, so I can improve my graphics. Photoshoping a few logos with some lines of text is not graphical design in my book, certainly not for print ready stuff. Got to go, deadlines, deadlines. You'll know all about those in the exhibition industry. Alan
  4. I've just re read the first post "wireless apple mighty mouse" Is there such a thing? I know there is a wireless mouse and I know there is a corded mighty mouse as Apple likes to call it, but is there a cordless version of that mouse? Could this be a problem related to interference etc. in that case. Just a thought. Alan
  5. I think if you check with the main NNA site you'll see that they offer a money back within a certain number of days from purchase if you are not happy, so no need to flog it on ebay. Good luck with Autocad, not a route I would take. I wouldn't swap but accept, as with all programs, there is room for improvement. The difficulty comes when users want to try to use one programs methodology to operate another. Also in many cases its just not knowing the program well enough or lack of proper training that many blame the software rather than their lack of knowledge and experience. I fail to see what you intend to achieve from your rant on this forum. We are hardly likely to suddenly jump up and agree with you, having lifted the veil from our eyes as it were. But if it makes you feel better go ahead. In my opinion Vectorworks is one of the best programs for undertaking the type of work you describe. You could also look towards SketchUp for quick modelling and the attractive semi hand drawn rendering style it offers. Although in beta at the moment they have introduced a layout module to the program in Pro Version 6. If you want to go to a higher level with rendering than either SketchUp or VW can offer both will export direct into Artlantis Studio, or in the case of VW, into Cinema 4D. Have you asked what others in this area of work around you are using? Alan
  6. Christiaan Safari being an Apple product I guess they made sure it worked okay in that. I do feel you are stuck in the middle in this sort of situation. I have read of people having some problems with the Apple mouse, but you never know what else is installed on individuals machines that may cause conflicts, software and other hardware so I'd be loathed to point the finger straight at the Apple mouse. I have to say I've never experienced problems with alternative mice in VW. Hope it gets sorted out one way or the other. Alan
  7. If you are happy to use an image rather than a 3D model there is a palm available here complete with alpha mask, as a free sample. http://www.realworldimagery.com/Samples/sample.html Alan
  8. There was detailed information posted by NNA, but I can't remember what it said. Do a search of the forum and main site, the page still exists somewhere I would have thought. You'll be running it under Rosetta (check spelling)so that's another key word to include in your search if Katie doesn't jump in and tell you exactly were it is. Alan
  9. I think what Christiaan wishes for was also touched on in a similar wish by mikeoz (Mike Moore), made a while back that when editing an object it would jump back to its original location/orientation when created within a drawing rather than remain in its current location/orientation for editing. Hopefully both wishes can be achieved Alan
  10. It is Darrell. You have the option to view other objects whilst within a group. See in preferences. There is a handy utility, I can't remember where I got it from, maybe Vectordepot, but it allows you to toggle this on and off rather than going the long winded route. I've assigned it to my right mouse button drop down menu. You can also get one to toggle your line thickness zooming on and off. Again saving a long winded route when checking line weights. I think what Christiaan wishes for only exists if you ungroup the symbol and then recreate it, but to be honest the symbols I've made I've not changed other than colour or line weight since making. Here are a few links to sites to look at, listed also by NNA on their main site as well I think. http://www.vectordepot.com/index.shtml http://vectorbits.com/ http://www.vectorplugins.com/vptools/index.html Alan
  11. From Sketch Up Support Center http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/a...opic=&type= Also see the online manual Look under the Input Output heading http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphelp/gsu6_win/gsuwin.html Look under the Input Output heading Alan
  12. Wow, you must look on with a mixture of awe, wonder and envy at a touch typist. The Secret Grip is only used on the Logitech Freemasons model I think. If the final paragraph was refering in some way to me, thanks, at my age somebody refering to me as young in any shape or form is a compliment as far as I'm concerned. All the best Alan
  13. When you say you upgraded your machine, was this a new machine or you upgraded certain components within your existing machine. Are you experiencing any faults with any other programs. At this point it could be a problem with your install of Vectorworks or a fault within your machine, its trying to narrow it down at this stage. Sounds like the file size should not be an issue, but out of interest what is the amount of RAM do you have? I can sometimes get the "not responding message", but in fact its just that VW is doing something heavy on processing, like a hidden line view or convert copy to lines on a complex 40/60 meg file for example. Eventually it kicks back in. When you say it freezes do you mean everything stops responding, like the mouse etc. or is it just within VW nothing works? Check through the tabs in Task Manager, see what your CPU activity is, and check under the Processes tab to see what VW is using. Alan
  14. But you can't "right click" anyway because you've only got a one button mouse isn't that right Petri ;~) Damned if you do damned if you don't. Go on, take a fresh look, you might find a comfortable one or even go for a Kensington Trackball type arrangement. Alan
  15. Jonathan I was looking through the manual I have and can find the shortcut keys listed. Am I missing something, are the hotkeys the ones on their own, is there a list somewhere of "hotkeys" or is it a case of looking in the workspace editor, to see them in some way there. I guess you could do trial and error and note them down. Alan
  16. Ray and George are of course correct Spacebar C gives you Zoom In, Spacebar V gives you Zoom Out and it does give you the marquee option you talked about. The two methods seem to replicate the same two ways the zooming functions work in the main workspace, by marquee in the tool palette and by steps in the little view bar. Quote "The constraint seem to be what you can remember & manual dexterity." So true George so true. Alan
  17. Yes command on Mac, of course. You do have some control, for example if I'm using this function when using the rotate tool it zooms in or out to the point were the cursor/indicator is on the drawing for more accurate alignment and new location point. Alan
  18. Hi Do you mean like holding ctrl and pressing 1 or 2 to zoom in and out whilst using another tool. Alan
  19. Thanks for the replies. It comes in now and I can see it, as I mentioned before, but as a low res image. I must have dreamt it but I thought it came in as vectors, perhaps I'm thinking the other way, Vectorworks exported as a eps comes into Illustrator as vector lines. I know using Coreldraw I had the option to export as dwg/dxf and bring stuff into VW that way. Another option I'll try latter is Illustrator ai file into Cinema 4D then exported as dxf, then into VW. Bit long winded but I don't want to reload Coreldraw 6 back on my pc. Just have to get my head around Illustrator for these sorts of graphic panel requests. Thanks all Alan
  20. Hope you can help. It's a long time since I 've done this and I think I've forgotten a setting or something. When I import a eps file all I get is a grey square with diagonal lines to each corner, not the image. What do I need to do. It's a clients logoname downloaded as an eps to open with Illustrator. Do I need to have it opened in Illustrator and ungrouped then sent as an eps? Edit - update. I ungrouped it in Illustrator and can now see logo, but its really poor quality. How do I get it to come in as vector lines as in Illustrator. Using Vectorworks 10.5 on Windows. cheers Alan
  21. I'm getting this set up soon. yeah right, in my dreams http://www.stefandidak.com/office/ Alan
  22. No problems here. What you are talking about is a function of the "free" version. Each time you use it the program connects to the web site and shows a pop up window with an advert for one of their other products. To get rid of this you have to buy the program or just, as I do, put up with it and then just close those windows when they appear. It depends how often you use it is how much it gets on your nerves and you buy it. I've got the whole suite and find it great for single pdf's, combining pdf's, watermarking proofs etc. It may not have all the bells and whistles of Adobe Distiller but it does not have the price either. I use Adware filters and virus filters as well and its not an issue with using this software. It's just like any other program inserting a link to their web site for whatever reason, just with a little more to it. No need to worry. All the best Alan
  23. You add it as a printer and go through the print dialogs to print it, but of course this is as a pdf rather than a actual physical print. A free one is avaiable at pdf995.com and will go up to Ao size. Alan
  24. From the Rhino web site File formats supported: DWG/DXF(AutoCAD 200x, 14, 13, and 12 ), SAT (ACIS), X_T (Parasolid), 3DS, LWO, STL, OBJ, AI, RIB, POV, UDO, VRML, BMP, TGA, CSV (export properties and hydrostatics), uncompressed TIFF, STEP, VDA, GHS, SLC, Deep Paint 3D. IGES (Alias, Ashlar Vellum, AutoFORM, AutoShip, Breault, CADCEUS, CAMSoft, CATIA, Cosmos, Delcam, EdgeCAM, FastSurf, FastSHIP, Integrity Ware, IronCAD, LUSAS, Maya, MAX 3.0, MasterCAM, ME30, Mechanical Desktop, Microstation, NuGraf, OptiCAD, Pro/E, SDRC I-DEAS, Softimage, Solid Edge, SolidWorks, SUM3D, SURFCAM, TeKSoft, Unigraphics), NASA GridTool, Yamaha ESPRi, Tebis. That's not to say any of these will give you what you need, but I hope something works out for you. Alan
  25. Yes they do work well "together" but I'd say you'd either use Vectorworks and Artlantis or Vectorworks and Cinema, depending on your specific needs. I did write a long reply, but got the annoying "this form is no longer valid" whatever message from the server. Please sort NNA, its been mentioned on the wish list. I also own and use Artlantis, more so than Cinema, because of the reasons you state. I'm sure you know how to get round this requirement using Vectorworks and Artlantis, by image use, the same as you would in Renderworks. Anyway, better go before the form times out on me again gggrrrr... Alan
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