visard

I have had a similar problem recently with files originating with imported dwg files. When the class menu is opened the application crashes. Using 2008v13.0.0. Any thoughts?

That's a nice suggestion, Christiaan - linking the saved view setting to another view such as the viewport. I also don't like the fact that saved views are somewhat difficult to use, specifically, if you use the document setup command at the beginning of the project you end up with a bunch of bogus saved views which are the programs best guess at what you will need, to which are assigned even worse visibility settings. As you know, saved views are not particularly easy to edit. I use significant amounts of time fussing with visibilities - time which I don't feel justified billing for, and lost time that keeps me from thinking about how to put my building together.

Visibility is relatively easy to control in sheets but design layers are another story. When bouncing back and forth from sheets and saved views, I find that class settings will reset upon returning to a design layer depending on the sequence of work. Other that saving views is there a way to set current visibility in a design layer?

dovermyer - Have you tried to layout your sketch and convert all to 3d polygons, which sets their positions in XYZ, then review in isometric?

PIO = Plug-in object OIP = Object Info (information) Palette

Is it possible to select multiple symbols and replace in total?

Thanks, all. When doesn't new work align to the working plane? This happens frequently, is this a preference issue or something else? Also, the 3D text and text along a path is a perfect example of how the help function and manual do not support the software. After figuring out the 3D text issue I find that when selecting a group of extruded text and a polyline (or polygon) I get the error message 'Only one path object and one text object are allowed in text along path. All others are deselected.' - not particularly useful if one is trying to place a text group.

Thanks, Pat and MCH. Tell me though, how does the page orient itself when going into plan view. I keep assuming that the origin will be at the center of the screen which it frequently is not. Is this a preference setting issue or other?

OK, so you don't think I should get complicated when it's easy to align to a simple thing like the vertical face of a wall, I agree. But, the question is 'when the working plane is set, all new work will orient to it', yes or no?

I'm placing text on a wall. Have aligned the working plane with the vertical face of wall and converted to polyline and extruded. I've assumed that when the working plane is set all new work will orient to it but it's not happening. Are there additional controls, settings, etc.?

I frequently go from elevations to plans and would like to snap back to the position I was just in - say the front of the building. I find that changing from plan to elevation and back again, with key commands, will cause me to end up in an arbitrary location. I assumed that the plan command would favor the origin and reestablished the origin near the area I was working in but no luck, I was still being sent off the map when changing to plan position. Anyone have a better understanding of how this might work? Thanks.

Kudos to gmm18, nicely done. I have a related problem - perhaps. I have found that when I make a new wall type, in this case by altering a stock wall, and save, it will often eradicate all previous wall types, any guesses why this might be?

First calm down and take a breath. Exit without saving. Do you have any previously saved versions of the file? Will they open? Give us a little more information on what you have done to this point.

I'm doing an urban project and have just been handed a dozen 'surveys' for urban plots which need to be compiled. These range from simple property line descriptions, to descriptions which reference the curb line and/or neighboring land and direct me to follow wall lines from land granted by William Shippen in the 18th c. which have long ago been removed, and at least one proper surveyed plot plan. An interesting problem. I would like to have a better understanding of how our survey tools work, though, i.e. can we assume that surveyed north is a constant, are the 'Survey Bearings" given in manual, this sounds idiotic, based on a universal convention, and how are survey bearings converted to geometric angles? Thanks for your insights.

I've recently run the model setup on an existing file trying to setup a mixed use six story (5floors +roof) building. I had three-four design layers setup for preliminary schematics and wanted to convert the preliminary file to a proper drawing set. After going through the setup procedure I find myself with 31 (!) design layers, some labeled with the mod- prefix and others labeled with the, design layer #, prefix. The floor heights were adjusted to suit the software and resist correction presumably because the: floor heights change frequently, (due to use and structure) and ceiling heights vary for the same reasons. This is a tower of babel, as far as I'm concerned. Is there some way to delete the unneeded layers and establish only the floor heights in order to rough out a model for design studies and set ceiling heights, slab depth and foundation details, at a latter date?

Do we have any tools for making handrails, such as pipe rails, and/or decorative perforated panels?

Nicely done, Peter. One last question, I'm not aware of a triangular offset. I used the 3D polygon tool to trace the opening. V.

OK. So, Peter, what are the triangular "clippers"? And one problem I seem to be having is the inability to draw any guides in the Modify>Edit Group mode. In this mode 2D tools like lines disappear once drawn. I would like to trace the hip with a polyline and inset some dimension but so far no luck. Will try the ExtrudeAlongPath.

Walls in VW don't like to accept symbols which are inserted/placed with the mirror tool, unfortunately. Is there anyway we can use an insertion command to force walls to accept symbols?

Does anyone have a suggestion for constructing a shallow glass hip roof to skylight an interior atrium? Thanks.

Thanks, Bill. I appreciate your work. I'm currently working on a mixed use building which is four stories, the fourth being the roof which will have recreational uses. Floor to floor heights change between the first and second floors. As you have indicated the stairs would stack and be set on the lower level. This presents a problem with visibility in plan when the upper stair is smaller or changes position. The more vexing problem is that there doesn't seem to be a convention regarding stair location as indicated in the OIP. A second floor base stair is identified as residing on the second floor, whereas the same stair at the top is identified as residing on the third floor. Not complicated until you need to identify the stair at the base of any floor and somehow get the upper level of the stair below. Or for some reason the stair below disappears and the operator assumes the visible stair is on the current floor level. My current favorite is when the stair below does not show up for reasons still to be determined. This all is part of the fun of working with VW until you start to think about the amount of time lost with issues of visibility. I conservatively estimate that I lose 100 hours a year, approximately the amount of billable time required to fund my SEP.

Hey Bill: So, I take it that you don't do multistory buildings because if you did you would see that stairs on top of stairs is very unsatisfactory. I'm thinking that we have all gotten used to tools that don't work particularly well and we work around - is it that or am I just impatient this morning?

I could use some help with the stair tool regarding placement and visibility. When stairs are placed referencing upper and lower floor levels the lower stair shows on the upper floor. Do you then place the stair of the next level on top of the stair from below which shows on the plan? And how do we deal with stairs on the next level which are different sizes or do not stack? Is it possible to disable the 3D or otherwise alter the visibility?

I'd like to pile on here, but first...to quote Gerrit - "Delete the content of the object name box (the top one), and eventually click the stair settings button from the OIP to have a new name generated." I'm puzzled by the "object name box" - the first box in the OIP is the ground plane - anybody care to comment? Secondly, the issue of the stair occurring on the upper and lower floor is problematic. Do you then place the stair of the next level on top of the stair from below which shows on the plan? And how do we deal with stairs on the next level which are different sizes? Is it possible to disable the 3D?

Keith - I'm typically rendering with Fast Renderworks w/ shadows for quick studies but I will need some final renderings within a few weeks. Do you have any recommendations? visard