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Scott C. Parker

Vectorworks, Inc Employee
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Everything posted by Scott C. Parker

  1. VW creates many XML files in the background. What XML file are you looking for? I suspect you want to use Lightwright. If I'm right, you need to check the "Use automatic Lightwright data exchange" box in the spotlight preferences dialog. If you need a different XML file, let us know.
  2. Oh... Here's one that has surprised my EU colleagues here at VW. Dimmer Doubling from ETC. Single cable, TWO DIMMING circuits. I used these in a theater with only 12 circuits to the front-of-house cove position to give me 24 dimming power circuits. Great device. From ETC: "Dimmer doubling uses the ability of a SCR dimmer to separately control the top and bottom halves of the voltage waveform. A dimmer doubler uses a high power diode arrangement to split the output of the dimmer into two halves, controlling two separate channels. This allows a single power cable to control two lights, but special 77V lamps must be used. ETC's Source Four fixtures have a keying pin arrangement to prevent 77V lamps being accidentally inserted into 110V or 230V fixtures. Dimmer Doubled circuits typically use NEMA L5-15P connectors to differentiate them from 110V stage circuits. Dimmer doubling is only supported on US (110V 60Hz) power types."
  3. We almost always use the same size wire for both ground and neutral in entertainment via rented temporary cable sets. When needed, USA power distributors are available with double neutrals. With the increased use of gear that causes phase harmonics, which throw balances off, the neutrals are carrying more power than many electricians are used to dealing with. It's becoming more common to meter the neutral and adjust the neutral wire size/need. In a 208V 3-phase electrical system, current can be present in the neutral wire due to the imbalance of loads across the three phases. In a perfectly balanced system, where each phase carries an identical load, the currents in each phase would cancel each other out in the neutral wire, resulting in no current. However, this ideal balance is rarely achieved. Here's why current would flow through the neutral wire: Imbalanced Loads: If the electrical loads connected to each of the three phases are not equal, the differences in current will not completely cancel out, resulting in a net current flowing through the neutral wire. This is common in the entertainment industry, where lighting, audio equipment, and other devices may not be evenly distributed across the three phases. Harmonics: Electronic equipment like LED lighting, dimmer packs, and audio amplifiers can introduce harmonics into the electrical system. These harmonics can cause neutral currents even if the fundamental loads are balanced because they do not cancel out like the fundamental frequency. Single-Phase Loads: In many practical systems, single-phase loads are connected between one of the phases and the neutral. If these loads are not evenly distributed among the three phases, there will be a current in the neutral wire. We have several distributors offering 120V & 208V power from the same box. Thus, the 120 uses the neutral, and the 208 supposedly does not. Switched Loads: In an environment like a concert or show, loads can be switched on and off frequently. This can lead to transient imbalances and varying neutral currents as different equipment is energized or de-energized. It's important for electrical systems to be designed to handle the potential neutral current safely, as excessive current in the neutral wire can lead to overheating and pose a fire risk.
  4. I've looked at the file, and I think there's something about the corner blocks not seeing the drape all the way to the outside end. I'm reporting it as a bug. The different names didn't matter in my test. The good news is that the calculations are actually continuing, even with the note about the drape length. Here's a screenshot of my test. On the right, I removed the offending drape, and the calculations show a difference between the two systems. I haven't double-checked the math, but the different numbers tell me Braceworks is seeing the outside drape despite the yellow warning. If you select all the hoists and turn on the display hoist ID via the checkbox near the bottom of the OIP, you'll see the numbers I'm seeing. hth, Scott
  5. Hello Christopher, Did you ever figure this out? I'm working on some schematic view workflow improvements. Thanks, Scott
  6. Hi Rob, First, I agree with everything you've said. As a career entertainment person, I find many things in the current (new) cable planning workflow fall short for entertainment electricians working on intricate projects. The team in Germany does actually understand. We regularly meet with distributors; cable tools have been a hot topic. To recap your post: The primary issue with the power planning software is that it does not allow users to copy work, including all the connections and data, from one file to another without losing the patching information. This is a significant problem because: The software is prone to crashes, and while there is an auto-save feature, it doesn't help with preserving power planning data. There are practical needs for duplicating projects, managing different versions, or sharing with other companies, which necessitates the ability to copy content without data loss. Manually repatching many instruments and power sources is not feasible and undermines workflow efficiency. #1: I've tested, and my backup copies retain all the connections to the point of a crash. I set my backups to save every ten operations and I save two copies of the file. If your backups are not working this way, we'd want to see both the actual file and the backup version made via the VW preferences backup setting. #2: Like you, I've tried to reuse connected systems from one file to the next. In my work, I save entire systems or past show files as favorites to grab what I need. This doesn't work like we want, as you've noted. I have a workaround that I've tested and that works. Instead of favorites for the patched systems, use template files. I've taken a few files of my past shows that tend to have systems I use repeatedly and saved them as template files. For each new project, I start the file with the appropriate template with a system closest to the new show's needs. Using the template retains all the connected systems. This doesn't help when combining gear from two files, but it's a start. #3: Totally agree. I'm working on several improvement tasks for the development pipeline. In my opinion, the cable tools need more than simple fixes to this and that; it'll take longer than either of us would like. Keep the comments coming. Thanks, Scott
  7. THanks. It's a bug. I'll put in a report.
  8. What happens if you copy/paste these items into a new/blank file? What happens if you update the symbols with symbols after you have refreshed your resource manager libraries? Would you please share a test file?
  9. Can you share a sample file to test?
  10. @Cristiano Alves I'm sure we'd like to see examples of what you're describing. At the end of the day, communication is about what the listener understands.
  11. You can filter by many things. Unfortunately, classes are not included as many items have many sub-classes within them.
  12. If you can post a file, we can take a look.
  13. I'm with @Mike Rock on this. Larger viewports for the details. Here's a rough example. You can make as many and as large as needed to give your crew the necessary details.
  14. It should compare to all inventories with a check in the use column. However, the comparison is looking at the plug-in version of the symbols vs. the symbol version at the moment.
  15. Hello. 1. Are you speaking about the resulting key or the list of items available to be included when you have the dialog open? Either way, the list will always show you what it being used in the drawing. However, it should show only one of an item even if you're using dozens. If you have 100 TC1212 truss, the list should only show one TC1212 to be included in your key. 2. the category is based on the object type and is not editable. We can't call a light a rigging object. You -could- remove the records from symbols to make them non-PIO symbols, but then you'd remove all the functionality of the symbol. If you have a sample file to help us understand what you're looking to do, it would help us understand your needs. Thanks, Scott
  16. The units' outline likely has lines in a class other than "Mistral TC." Change that to ALL and you should see results.
  17. You should be able to do a rotation by selecting all and rotating with your start point at zero,zero.
  18. Hello Damien, These are great comments. I will add restore "hide unused equipment" as an enhancement request for further development. The collection of available GDTF profiles is increasing in the shared resource library, and we're working on making it easier to incorporate them. Currently, the proper GDTF mode is displayed when adding the Plug-In version of the light. The symbols are getting the "1" and are on our list to remove or replace with the mode. Grabbing the channel count is tricky. If you have one type of light but use some with one mode and others with another mode, they get split in the Key into different items. This presents a conflict when using the same symbol. We're collecting comments and working on solutions. DMX footprint could replace the GDFT mode, and I'll put in an enhancement request. Perhaps a setting to choose what data field to show which would pull from the attached GDTF file. Yes. Thanks, Scott
  19. The truss shouldn’t be a sub part of the light. Can you share the file with me?
  20. If you open the resource manager and search for "table," you'll see hundreds of results. Once you find the table shape you like, you can duplicate and edit the style that closely matches your needs and insert the table of your choice.
  21. If you make a worksheet for lighting devices and include the DMX column, you can sort by DMX, and those items 'should' appear at the start/end of your worksheet.
  22. The new Equipment Summary Tool filters are in the build window, and you can create a filter-by-layer filter. Once the filter is active, it shows all items available within the criteria selected. You are correct, however, that we currently do not have a way of filtering the key again after it has been built. This is on our list of improvements.
  23. The only way to get an approximate weight of those two vertical trusses would be to add hoists to the corner junctions and calculate. The calculation would estimate the selected system and NOT give you accurate deflection calculations for the corner blocks relating to the gear hung on the horizontal spans. Engineers would do their structural analysis of the overall system once you give them the lists of gear placed on the system. Braceworks reports are a great place to start the conversation with structural engineers, who always have the final say.
  24. Hello @matteo17 Can you post a screenshot of what you're trying to do? As for objects on the ground, Braceworks does not currently calculate loads without using hoists.
  25. This is what I do with one extra step. If you edit your Label Legend and duplicate the fields you want to magnify the text for, you can control what is shown in each viewport via classes. Let's say you want the channel and unit numbers to be huge. Make a new class for each, i.e., label/channel-huge and label/unit number-huge In the LL, duplicate the channel and unit number fields. Assign them to the Huge classes and change their text size. Once done, you can show/hide the classes in the viewports. I ignored the containers, as you can see. It's about the clarity of the numbers for the crew to read.
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