Scott C. Parker

Leo, At the moment, when speakers are inside the Speaker Array "wrapper," the Summary key can not see them directly. This is being worked on. A bit of a workaround... Ff you look in the list of Unused Symbols in the Summary Key dialog, you should see the symbols you want to show. While this will show the symbols, they won't show a count. For the counts, you can create a worksheet for just those array speakers via the Equipment List dialog and overlay the worksheet upon the summary key, keeping it in front to remain visible. A hassle, I know. If you need help with this, send me a sample file with just the array you're using and I'll mock it up for you. Thanks, Scott

Obviously, this shouldn't happen. We'll likely need a copy of the file to test at HQ. If you share it here, we can take a look. If you need to keep it more private, please email tech@vectorworks.net so they can set up a ticket and retrieve a copy from you directly. One of the first things we do when testing is to see if it crashes on our machines. If it does, the next step is often to import the items from your file into a clean file and try again. What happens if you import the layer from your file into a new blank file? How old is the original file? Was it created before 2024?

AH! I figured out a workaround for now. You can subtract slack from the cable. In the cable configuration and/or the cable worksheet slack column, you can add a negative number, which will change the cable. In a worksheet, you can select all the cables attached to two-fers or breakouts and place a negative number in the slack data field. You'll need to update and then/reload the cables via the manage cable parts dialog to force a cable refresh.

The breakout length function has yet to be implemented, so there is no data field for the lengths yet. Power loads need to use a distributor device to track power. When you use the included or duplicated and customized versions of two-fers, you can both track power and show them in reports as distributors. What this means for is that the current tool doesn't subtract the lengths of the tails from the needed jumpers yet. It's being worked on.

Can you share a sample VW file with the seating sections to play with?

Braceworks is fussy on connections, especially for items it considers side loads. If you could share a sample file to play with, I and others might be able to offer suggestions.

Hmmm. I think I've always needed to reassign the V to the Visibility tool in my workspaces. Which I always do when building a new workspace.

If you can post or send the file to tech support, we can take a look.

If you could post a sample file and the steps needed for us to do the same thing you are doing, it will be helpful to figure out what the problem is.

PS, the fastest way to show focus for plots with a lot of lights is to use Focus Points. The lights all point to there assign focus point and you can also rotate the 2D version if you check this box.

I have questions... But first, to answer yours. You also need to edit the 2D version of the same symbol and rotate the 2D geometry to point in the same direction to match what you did in the 3D version. When I place the fixture from the library, the OIP offers both Pan and Tilt controls that do what I think you're trying to do. Using these in conjunction with the Z rotation field gives you control over all unit focus and rotation and works for both 2D and 3D. If you don't see these fields, please open the Spotlight preferences dialog and look at the Parameters list. When I'm doing a lot of focusing work, I move the Pan and Tilt parameters to the very top of the list and they show in the OIP right under the Z rotation field. This picture is from 2025 where we've added sliders. One more thing. Be sure to use the Lighting Device insertion tool to add the light so the OIP shows all the controls. The sample file you shared had the simple in the design layer as a static symbol vs. an actual lighting device. If I misunderstand your needed workflow, please explain a bit more.

Can you create a sample layout of what you're trying to do? It would be helpful for future planning. Thanks, Scott

No idea really. But if the position object was deprecated and the internal ID was reused for something else, that would make sense.

This should be helpful for data viz and color coding.

Do you know when the base file was first made? This file looks like it originated six years ago. It's possible some sort of object type code has been corrupted or changed during one of the translations from one year to the next. I've seen this before. I had an object think it was a wall cabinet when it was an entertainment device. Doing a symbol/item replacement fixed the file for me.

On a line? Are you trying to run the symbols from right to left instead of top to bottom? If yes, insert a column break between each symbol. If not, please post an example so we can see what you are looking for. Which values for symbols are you trying to control?

Try these steps before doing the copy and paste. In the new blank file, open the Resource Manager and import the symbols and the records that are attached to the symbols from the first file. After you do the import, try the copy and paste again. What happens? If it worked, what happened is the pasted object was able to find the symbol and record in the current (new) file and placed it as expected. If it didn't work, it's a bug and we would want the file. As @klinzey mentioned, you shouldn't have the issue in 2025.

Making new versions of your symbols and saving them as Red PIO symbols worked in my testing. See DM. Nice file!

Please post a sample file to play with.

Do you have a workflow/use case example in mind? You can obtain so many items via linked text fields inside the title block that it's almost like the title block is already a de facto data tag.

Thanks. Test files like the one at the start of this thread, which includes attempts to use Data Viz settings, would be helpful.

I haven't played with this, so I don't know if it's already supported. I'd need a test file to play with. If it doesn't work, it's a great suggestion to add to our wish lists.

In my main template file, I have several different summary keys, each in different layers for my different departments. Lighting, rigging, electrics, etc. Then, I have them in sheet layers via viewports for each type of paperwork. If I use the same objects/symbol that are in the saved summaries, all I need to do is remember to refresh them and I'm good to go.

I don't know if we have one yet. Never hurts to have more. Thanks.

I think you can do this in the Equipment Summary Key. I would think it should also work in the legend. Can you post a sample file to play with?