Pat Stanford

The new Data Tags in VW2020 (or maybe even the 2019 version) are probably your best best. I don't think you will have much luck with VW2016. 😞

=CompAreaByClass(((L='Design Layer-1') & (T=WALL)), 'Class-1') You can use the Insert Criteria function in the Insert menu of the worksheet to create just about any criteria combination that you need.

As with all of the Always/Never dialog box preferences, your can reset it to default from the Vectorworks Preferences:Session tab:Reset Saved Setting... button at the top right. But there is not way to undo just the one, you have to reset them all back to default and answer the questions again for everything. 😞

I have downloaded the file, but I don't understand what exactly you are trying to do. Do you maybe want to delete the bottom surfaces and then do the equivalent of Shell Solid to give it thickness?

That sounds worth automating. 😉 How are you going to define the permutations? That will help define how you will need to script what you are doing. Is this every object with every other object in batches of 2? Every possible combination of X objects? Something else?? Give us a better understanding of what you are really trying to do and we can offer better suggestions.

Not really a criteria for what you want. Easiest way I know of to see the available criteria is to go to a worksheet and Insert:Criteria and look at the options in the first pull down menu. In a script, you could use something like: DSelectObj(L<>GetLayerName(ActLayer); This should DeSelect everything not on the active layer. For Manual use, make a script with a single line of: DSelectAll; Then run that script before you start a big selection process to run a script.

I don't have a lot of time to play right now, but it seems to work OK for me here. Tested in VW2020. Create a Database with a criteria of Type is Title Block Border. In Column A use the disclosure Triangle to show the dialog box and choose Records Sheet Data and the choose Sheet Number as the field In Column B do the same but choose Sheet Title as the field. Strangely enough, the record name is note Sheet Data but rather Title Block Sheet Data and you end up with a formula like ='Title Block Sheet Data'.'Sheet Number' Ask again if this does not help

How many objects and how many permutations? That would make a major difference in how you script it also. Since you have to define all the permutations, unless this is a repetitive operation that you are going to do often. I would probably just set up a Sheet Layer and Viewport and then Duplicate it as many times as are required. Go to each sheet layer and change the Class (or Layer) visibilities and you are done. You could actually do this even easier from the Viewports tab of the Organization Palette with it set to Visibilities mode. That way you can change everything in one place. And this gives me a great chance to post one of my favorite comics from the great xkcd.com https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/is_it_worth_the_time.png

Is the bar there but blank or not there at all? If it is blank, is there a black disclosure triangle at the right end? Click on that and see if somehow all of the options got unchecked. Have you restarted VW? If so the next step is probably to try and reset the preferences. Are you on Mac or Windows?

Are you using database rows (i.e. 3.1, 3.2, etc)? If so it is getting the right combination of Summarize Items and Sum Values checked in the database header row. If you Summarize based on a column by default you will get the value of that field if all the summarized records have the same value. If they have different values the cell will return a dash (–). If what you really want is the values of all the summarized subrows added together you need to check the Sum Values box. You probably need another column with a formula of =Count that will return the number of items that are combined into the summarized subrow. You can then multiply that times the wattage of one item to get the total. If you don't care about the wattage per fixture, you can skip the Count and multiplication and just Sum Values on the column with the wattage to get the total wattage of that type of fixture. Ask again if this is not clear enough.

Then see if you can submit a sample file with a manually drawn floor that shows the problem. Probably easier for them to troubleshoot.

Submit a bug. Include the short script. Does this happen to manually drawn floors also?

It is not your script. Even a really stripped down version has the same problem. I would suggest that you set the pen thickness to zero then you will only need single click to switch it to ByClass. Procedure Test; Var CounterTopH: Handle; BEGIN NameClass('Countertop'); SetClUseTexture('Countertop',TRUE); BeginFloor(4"); RectangleN(0,0,1,0,60,24); EndGroup; CounterTopH := LNewObj; SetFPatByClass(CounterTopH); ResetObject(CounterTopH); End; Run(Test); And by the way, patience is not always a virtue. 😞

The biggest advantage of a separate Price record is that it makes it much easier to generate and edit the pricing in a worksheet. Worksheets are only two way editable for fields that contain a single Record.Field value. If you want a single list of prices from three different record formats you can certainly AND them together and get them to display, but they won't be editable from the worksheet. If you are working entirely with symbols and just a single record format this is not an issue. But if you are working with different types of objects (lights, truss, cables, or Doors, Windows, Floors, etc.) and each has a separate record format with a price field you will have a much harder time getting where you want to go than with a separate price record.

STEP is my favorite import format for 3D mechanical parts. I have found it works better (cleaner objects, better colors) than the other options. But it all depends on how the original model was made. It can be too detailed or just a bad export and not work well. With most suppliers, I test all of the formats available and use the one that works best for my needs. Pat

VW has always been picky about dragging past the edge of the screen. You have to stay within the edge do the drawing window at least if you are working with Use Application Windows turned on. You need to be within the ruler bar (about 3/16 inch / 3 mm) of the edge to get the window to scroll. If you drag outside of the drawing window VW assumes you want to make a palette selection or something similar. HTH

Sum Values and Summarize Items can be confusing, but are very powerful once you figure them out.

I agree that either a constant field or constant record format would be useful in some situations. Here is another maybe easier work around for you. Add a second record named Price to your symbols that has a single field, PRICE$. Create a worksheet. Create a database row with a criteria of Record = PRICE. Put a formula of =SymbolName in Column A. Set the Summarize Items Option. Put a formula of =Price$ in Column B. You should now have a single place where you can enter the price for each symbol definition. If you need more option for a single symbol definition you can use additional fields in the PRICE record or in another record. When you recalculate the worksheet it will display a dash (–) instead of a number if any of the PRICE$ fields contain a different value. HTH

What are the formulas in B2 and C2?

Almost certainly this means that one of the data values is stored as text instead of as a number. Try using a formula of =value(b2)*value(c2)

Grasping at straws. Could the wall hatch have an unfilled background and the mirror is actually behind the wall? Stacking Order?

I'm sure you know this already, but do the objects that are being shown through have a fill or are they just the outlines?

If VW does not do what you want it is always a Feature Request. That is the only way to get it on the radar. But I don't think I understand your problem. If you only want a single category, just enter it once. If you use for Type >< Rectangle Type >< Circle you will get no returns because the item can not be only a rectangle and only a circle at the same time.

I definitely agree that 3D Constraints would be a great benefit for me. I keep struggling along doing things that would probably be better off in Solidworks or Inventor. Mostly because I know VW and I don't do that much of it. Please enter a wish. I have already asked for this many times.

If you want/need more information about Container Classes, take a look at this post and the posts it links to: