[What happened to File Type (Kind) listing in Finder?]

Finder > View>Show View Options > Version

That is , of course, if there is a version available to show .

[3D Modelling - Other than Architecture?]

Reasonable ... inspired ... cogent ... provocative ... prescient ...

[plotting in 3D]

1) DesignLayer>create ViewPort>assign to a Sheet

2) Set the Sheet attributes to the page size & DPI required.

3) Render the DL via the VP settings ( OIP ) & Crop / Annotate>within the Sheet

4) Print or Export the Sheet image.

[Creating Something Parametric?]

Check out :

http://www.vectorlab.info/index.php?title=Category:VectorScript

[Viewport Scale is Wrong!!!!]

Check your Document Settings>Units ... make sure that fractional/decimal is selected.

[two questions]

Check your Class assignments. You may have a Group/Object Class conflict.

[PDF export = zero kb]

You can check those pesky Fonts with Font Book... try to fix 'em with FontFinagler.

[Reducing huge file size]

If you are rendering those 3D objects then... depending on the page dpi ... Viewport Caches can be relatively large.

Also, modeling with additions & subtractions will produce 'history' until they are converted to Generic Solids.

Use of Symbols will economize, too.

[Text Size Control]

Agree with DWorks .. text origin & placement is often an after thought .. but crucial to a predictable product.

[Very strange section rendering...]

My bet is that you have conflicting Sections on different layers all pointing to the same VP.

[Running VW 12 on OSX Leopard]

Pursuant to Ray's sage advise:

familiarize yourself with VW 12 .. then upgrade asap to the latest version to avoid OS conflicts and future problems.

[Running VW 12 on OSX Leopard]

When installing Snow Leopard ( 10.6.2 ) use > Optional Install> Rosetta> Restart .

Then you should not have issues related to older apps ( at least thats my experience anyway : ).

[2d DWG objects not importing right]

Garbage in = Garbage out

Objects that are programmed properly normally translate predictably.

[Water Closet Plug-in Symbol acting strange]

Just a guess ... it could be related to:

SymbolObjects set 3D to the WorkingPlane elevation whereas WallObjects default to the Layer Z.

[SYMBOL font displays only square boxes]

Yep ... a significant problem ... probably related to the way UTF8 is handled.

A Quick fix :

Launch > Font Book.app > Menu > Edit >Special Characters...>Math

At the bottom is a button > " Insert with Font"

This will insert the selected character into the text field of VW.

Noting that VW font > "Symbol" is broken... a new font called "Apple Symbols"

will be installed...

and this should miraculously correct the font problem for you .. fixing both Symbol & Apple Symbol !

[The Corporate Social Networking Manifesto]

Thanks for that link ... brings insight and perspective.

The headline: "jump on the social networking bandwagon!... pic shamelessly stolen..."

... says it all !

[2D Arc - Divide along path of Arc]

It's not so hard to understand..check out this tutorial:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radian

[Symbol to show Y coordinate and update automatically]

Check out:

http://www.vectordepot.com/downloads/BenchMarkXY.zip

[Modeling plumbing runs in 3d]

Or just use ViewPort > isometric view> Annotations

then simply add the 2d Lines ( with Class attributes ) constrained to 30? to indicate the Runs to match the isometric projection.

You can also drop in various notes & symbols along the way. Nobody will be the wiser ; )

[2D Arc - Divide along path of Arc]

Recall that Arc length is determined by multiplying the Radians of the angle x the radius of the arc.

A 90? arc = 1.57079... rad

times a R=100 , Arc Length = 157.079..

If you require Arc Lengths = 136 mm

then say that you use 4 segments @ 22.5?

22.5? = (22.5 x 0.17453.. ) = 0.392699 rad

136 / 0.392699 = 346.32123 = Radius

[framing members (rafters)]

I've had similar issues over time ... did you try >Quit & re-launch .

Sometimes that will cures it....

or the WGR trick from a new file.

[Windows, sunlight, and different render types]

To save time & frustration testing the various settings...

try running your rendering tests using a Sheet with a low dpi ...

and crop the View Port to only display a representative 'slice' of the final image .

[Worksheets - material take offs]

Have you tried the Reports>'Create Reports' > Records & Schedules Procedures, Create Bill Of Materials ?

They are very easy to use and easily modifiable for most uses.

[AutoCAD Architecture vs Vectorworks Architect]

Wayne...

come on over to the bright side ... you will enjoy the ride : )

Vectorworks Architect has what you need ... your team will be up & running in no time ... producing stunning CAD as if by magic.

VW isn't perfect ... but it sure is a proven professional product.

If productivity & profitability are essential to your mental health, you will be most pleasantly rewarded...

and backing up the world-class code is knowledgeable dedicated community of really great people.

[Symbols are acting up.]

Hybrid symbols have both 2d & 3d components. Perhaps, you may have inadvertently created 2d objects while in the 3d FrontView and then converted to symbol Top/PlanView.