Jump to content

islandmon

Member
  • Posts

    3,358
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by islandmon

  1. To be on the safe side. Export your file as vectorscript then re-import from the text export into a new file. What happens? Any error codes generated? A file corruption usually begins to be recognizable with the seemingly innocent loss of basic functionality.
  2. Over the last two decades I've used Minicad/Vectorworks on many thousands of projects and taught many hundreds of students. i empathize with those who must demonstrate critical functionality to others ( recalling Bill Gates publically crashing Win95 while attempting to print ). My solution to the above mentioned VW tool problems is normally to clip and decompose in lines then recompose into new surfaces. Also keeping in mind that Vectorworks is NOT a drawing program but a programming program. Shifting the paradigm is important especially for those who still most use a mouse rather than a precision pen&tablet for input. Regardless, it's important to develop ways to always check on the parameters and registrations between events. VW offers exceptional feedback loops. I've tried many different techniques and approaches and i'm still developing new ways to do things with the tools available. Nevertheless, at the very heart of Vectorworks there is a critical flaw in the PIO & Class data structures which allows for persistent corruptions in the 'saved' file structure. Until NNA address this fundamental issue all else is nibbling around the edges. The corruptions are always lurking and can cause mayhem with DXF/DWG exports. Perhaps tech should chat with Austin Meyer over at XPlane and let him give them a 'heads-up' regarding calculation leakages, and the benefits of 'OOP'. regards, ejarmstrong
  3. Is this The Death of Vectorworks: Following is a brief description of the file corruption which is killing an otherwise excellent app. Don?t believe me ?? Try exporting your file as vectorscript. >Import the Vectorscript >error message generated : _____________________ Line #1080: FPatByClass; | { Error: Expected a new factor here. } | { Error: Expected a string. } | { Error: Expected ) } | { Error: Did not expect this after end of statement - missing ;? } _____________________ >Now open the text file with a text editor and search for ?objectHandle := LNewObj;? You may be surprised to find the following ?truncated? result in the code: objectHandle := LNewObj; boolResult := SetVectorFill(objectHandle, >every instance of objectHandle: = LNewObj; should read as : objectHandle := LNewObj; boolResult := SetVectorFill(objectHandle, hatchName1 ); ** **{The ?hatchName1? as string can be any ?hatchName(N) }. If the result is truncated boolResult := SetVectorFill(objectHandle, then your file is corrupted and will eventually accumulated enough errors (as new objects are added) to cause a kernel panic ! I regret having to report this on the TechBoard but this issue existed in VW8,9,10,11 and the problem still exists in VW11.5 ! The solution is to either manually rebuild the file item by item and checking each export & import in VW or find&replace the corruption in the text export then re-import into a new VW file. In a relatively small file with a couple hatches a few walls & columns this is no big deal. But with a normal file involving an average project , fixing every instance of a hatch obj is a very Big Deal, indeed. the Good Nooz so far is that v11.5 allows for this serious file corruption to be ?fixed? in vectorscript without all the symbol coordinates defaulting to 0,0,0. The only problem is that the new compiler will import successfully only after ignoring or corrupting most of the Plug-in objects ! Kool ! I am so very very tired of dealing with this issue. I?ve still not found a satisfactory work around. Under the right circumstances even a single object file can ?inherit? this bug ! User since Minicad v1 with floppy security ! Mac G5, OSX 1.3.8
  4. Those were the good old days before symbols, groups, classes, layers and parameters when global parameters were in your face. Efficient programming requires use of embedded symbols. Changing symbol parameters requires classes. I would suggest the easiest way is to export the file to Vectorscript then use a text editor to find and change all instances of the parameters. However, importing the script results in the symbol placements being inadvertently changed by locating them at the 0,0,0 coordinates. Which is what a 'selection script' is supposed to do but often doesn't becuase the symbols have nested groups of boolean class options. I haven't checked if v11.5 finds a way to addresse this 'thorny' problem. Be careful of what you wish for !
  5. There are two different surface elevations to consider. The raw slab or deck and the finished floor. These elevations are critical and require a well thought out approach. Structural walls are always configured on the raw slab or deck whereas the doors & windows in the walls are configured according to the finished floor elevation.
  6. Surveyors use the arc length dimension as a function of the radius and the arc angle as they apply to a closure of a land survey. In this specific instance the Call-out is conventional. When using the arc length for construction dimensions it is essential to also include the chord length and chord distance as an 'in field' checksum. Arc Length by itself is a very loose dimension.
  7. They're stored in the 'Textures' folder > Props Hi-Res.mcd
  8. Check your Plug-ins for old & conflicting types. especially Door& Window PIO. You should back-up existing then do a clean install of 11.1 before the new install of 11.5 ? Then you need to rebuild your various WorkSpace configs and plug-in & objects. Yeah , tis a pain but well worth the effort.
  9. There's a huge file difference between 'linked to' and 'embed in'. A 34kb file is a linked path to a file on the HD or server whereas a fully embedded PDF of a QTVR will be a min. 2mb+. Why use the PDf anyway when you can just embed the QTVR in old html. PDF is for print clarity and page accuracy. The QTVR.mov is a stand-alone module and does not require an embed.
  10. Export both the before & after files as Vectorscript, then try to import into a virgin file ... oops! The error will be readily apparent.... oh yeah ... there's a huge hole in the core database involving class parameters, groups & symbols... Use a text editor to look at the Vectorscript ... gadz what a mess. I spent 1 year tracking this bug between multiple OS & multiple versions of VW ! It's a real Bad Boy... the flapping of a butterflies wings in class parameters can cause a hurricane in symbols.
  11. Balus, Upgrade to Panther OSX-10.3.8 and be sure to install the GIMP Drivers. You will be pleasantly surprised.
  12. Sloped Walls seem to be a 'non-issue' . They are imminently easy to construct in 3D. Use of 2d Hybrid symbol solves the topview issues. I use NURBS whenever possible in the limited situations involving intrusions & extrusions ( converted to symbols). Extruded 3d polys do 90% of the heavy lifting.
  13. Same here ... but if I assign a different class style ...viola' I found this to be the case with 'style glazing 1' , but when I shifted to 'style glazing 2' ( with same parameters as #1) things returned to normal. Since I constantly shift symbols about from older files , it appears to be linked to 'legacy' plug-ins. With 11.5 I've made an effort to 'clean-up'.
  14. The ideal solution is a 'Hide/Show Loci' field on the Object Info Palette. Although, palette 'Bloat' is fast becoming an issue. But for now we must use a 'custom' hide/show script.
  15. May I suggest a 'Force Path' structural connection between the wall and the foundation . And perhaps a Termite shield at the base 'double' plate : )
  16. Also, you may want to export the file > Vectorscript and save the code along with the .mcad file. Embedded within the 'text readable' script are all the 'strings' for the classes, layers, symbols, notes, etc. Export to Vectorscript is a powerful option and requires some 'attentive' tuning by the development teams to achieve full 'archival' functionality.
  17. Set-up the 'Style Glazing 2' with your options including glass texture. Then via PIO re-assign the glazing class style > 'Style Glazing 2'.
  18. Everyone should make it a habit to 'sel all' to look for any artifacts hanging around. As careful as I am, every so often I manage to leave a nasty little artifact lingering somewhere. Artifacts can be anything from invisible text , tiny little polygon, a 1 pixel 'line' ... Regardless, the program tracks the artifact and all it's parameters !
  19. 1) Create 2d shape(s) 2) Convert to 3d ( side view ) 3) Add 3d vertices to all corners and arc handles to match thickness of wall. 4) Create symbol 5) Edit 2d symbol and place 'Top' shape with insertion vertex viola!
  20. Whoa ... it doth appear that someone is 'drawing' instead of 'programming'. Site modeling is very specific as to the mathematics of closure. 1) Make sure the scan image matches the layer 'scale'. Normally one must re-scale the image to get line lengths to match. 2) Program your site survey & topo as a closure of vectors & arcs using the tools described previously.
  21. There will never be a single 'magic' solution for every case. I've found that using the basic roof shape to set-up the frame and then doing all the real work with the Roof Framing is more intuitive ( creating symbol groups along the way). Everything I do is from the structural-material- contractors point-of-view. Hence, the power of the Roof Framing : ) Roof surfaces are ultimately a function of the underlying structural frame.
  22. 1) Use the PIO field > "offset " > as neg '-' or the '+' for the distance offset to position the text on either side of the dimension line. 2) Uh ?
  23. Export your file to Vectorscript and watch what happens. All objects will be lost. This issue's been around for quite some time. "Let's hope that we can come to terms with this critical issue this time around. I've actually spent days, weeks, & months working to resolve this thing from Hell and analyzing the code. But the bug is both transitory and devastating. Pity the poor novice User ! Pity the poor Professional User ! Why the attack on the hatchname string ... when the problem's with the classatrribute array? Obviously, SetVectorFill is getting corrupted by the results of the array causing an open argument ); then VW begins to stall, sputter, and eventually crash. Also it maybe that... the virtual memory / hard memory does not clear properly and when the app is re-loaded the file corruption continues ... In a way this reminds me of the Master Pages bug in Pagemaker v5 that I found a few years back. If a document 'Master ' is active and you click with the text tool anywhere on the pasteboard zone without typing a letter .. Pagemaker would remember it and create an 'empty' container at those 'out of bounds' coordinates. The database engine would struggle to query & sort the 'null' container resulting in trash and the file becoming locked out. Yes ... this was a major issue for Adobe ... and caused them no end of anguish before I found it for them : ) They went from v5 >v6 in a hurry. I think we have a similar little 'null' container bug in Vectorworks involving not artifacts on the page container but within the 'class' container itself. ... the 'class' acting as a 'master' page which is linked to the SetVectorFill container. The linkage is being broken and the resultant SetVectorFill is 'null' . Eventually all the VectorFills get corrupted ... randomly. But the SetClassAtributes is just fine ! "
  24. You just described one of the primary concerns of any transportable database. There are hundreds of apps designed to tackle these issues for the OS but none from programs like VW ! Since all data is 'field' and all 'fields' are declared, how does one prevent the overwriting of data ? Minicad had to tackle these 'naming' issues by setting up exclusionary rules for class, layer, symbol, hatch, etc... Also a corrupted field will take down the entire file structure. This is called programming ... : )
×
×
  • Create New...