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stmlandplan

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Everything posted by stmlandplan

  1. I've answered my own question. With teh help of Frank B. at VW it appears that VW Spotlight is capable of producing Light Density plots. My problem however is that the upgrade to 2010 is cost prohibitive at this time. I have finally come across a $100 lighting design software that does exactly what I need. www.visuallightingsoftware.com Its not a robust drafting package but once you get the hang of it you can pretty much control the essentials. Hey for $100 for the professional edition this is the best value I have seen in a long long time. It's even set for LEED credit analysis.
  2. Thanks to everyone for all the input. Is there a way to vary the level of gray when specifying a grey layer? I have been able to specify this when exporting to a PDF
  3. Thanks for all the helpful responses. I plan to take some time over the next week to do some more testing. A few questions still confuse me.... 1 - Should I or should I not use the transparancy feature to lighten lineweights when the final output is b&w? 2 - If not what do you use it for? 3 - Are the screened VW colors in the color pallet not the same as screening a color with the attributes feature?
  4. Do I just uncheck all of the 'PDF Conversion' boxes to do this?
  5. It is exported from an 11 x 17 page size sheet layer (300 dpi). If I export to a different resolution than the current sheet layer is that changing the final pdf size? How do I control the pdf layers so that they all upload to this site?
  6. Once again my pdf upload is missing the full data that is in the actual pdf and showing only the topo lines. I exported it using batch export with exporting all classes as pdf layers. The attached is the actual pdf saved asa jpg. I don't know why it is refusing to upload in full to this site. My apologies for the problem but I don't know what is happening.
  7. Question: Are you using "export PDF" from within Vectorworks or printing to PDF using a feature of Acrobat or other software? PDF EXPORT FUNCTION WITHIN VECTOR WORKS Question: Are you exporting in Top/Plan or Top view? TOP/PLAN Question: Are you converting Vectorworks classes to PDF layers when you export? I'VE NEVER SPECIFIED (LEFT BOXES UNCHECKED) THE ATTACHED PDF IS COLOR AND THE TOPO IS A GREYED X-REF LAYER, I AM SPECIFYING 50% FOR GREYED LAYERS. THE HATCH IN THE BUILDING ENVELOPES IS A 50% TRANSPARENCY (SPECIFIED IN THE ATTRIBUTES PALLET). THIS PDF SEEMS OT HAVE A LITTLE MORE PREDICITABLE REUSLTS WITH LINEWEIGHTS BUT THE FONTS STILL SEEM LESS BOLD THAN ON MY DISPLAY OR WHEN I EXPORT IMAGE FILES.
  8. Now this is getting strange. I still get a blank pdf when downloading form this site but trust me it is populated. I can take the screwed up pdf and convert it to a jpg and it looks as good as the exported jpg. I can then save the jpg to a pdf and the line weights are ok but it picks up the background. Maybe I should just ask what the best proceedure is for using achiving grayed classes/layers that will be exported as final pdf's.
  9. Sorry about the blank pdf. I'll try again. It was populated when I open it with Acrobat but downloading it form here i got the same blank image.....hmmmmmmmm. Are you using opacity to lighten elements? YES, ESPECIALLY FOR B&W FINAL PLOTS. If so, how are you applying it? I SET THE CLASS OPACITY TO SCREEN THE OBJECT OR OVERIDE IN THE ATTRIBUTES. SOMETIMES I JUST GRAY THE CLASS IN THE VIEWPORT AND THEN EXPORT TO PDF SETTING THE 'GRAYED LEVELS FOR GRAYED LAYERS AND CLASSES' CONTROL. If precise graphic output is critical I suggest you consider using a color based approach with named colors such as Pantone-uncoated, etc. I'M NOT USRE I UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THIS IF I AM PRINTING IN B&W Set the colors using over-rides in a sheet layer viewport
  10. Thanks for the basic user education Ray. I don' t know why I didn't see that before. The atttached jpg shows a fairly true representation of the image I see on my dislay (i.e. font weight, lineweights for the building envelope outline, building hatch line weight, etc.) The pdf however shows a lighter line weight for both Arial and Mr. Hnad fonts and the building outline and hatch seem to be off a bit. I often also get very heavy line weights for leaders for callouts enven though I have the class and callout set to .05mm line weights. Teh image expports (jpg, tiffs, png's etc seem to do better) Any thoughts on why this is happening would be greatly appreciated. Vector Works 2008 SP3 (Build 88670)ck in touch - Landmark, Renderworks Windows XP Pro - SP3 NVIDIA Quadro FX 2700M Intel ® Core 2 Duo CPU 2.53 GHz, 2.99 GB RAM Intuos 2 Tablet
  11. Ray, I'm not sure how to post the pdf and jpg that illustrate the problem. The instructions suggest I have to post it on my website or an FTP site first (which I don't have access to). Is there another way to do it?
  12. I meant to also note that it works if I turn off GDI + imaging but then I loose the transparancy attributes.
  13. I have been struggling with my exports to PDF and have never been able to get the line weights, etc. to look the same as was displayed on my screen. Usually the lineweights come out very light and some of my fonts (Arial, Mr. Hand) they too are very lght. Nothing I can do seems to work. I end up trying to export an image file (jpg, tiff etc.) but it is frustrating and I want to know what I might be doing wrong. Has anyone else had this problem? I am using Adobe Acrobat 9 Vector Works 2008 SP3 (Build 88670)ck in touch - Landmark, Renderworks Windows XP Pro - SP3 NVIDIA Quadro FX 2700M Intel ® Core 2 Duo CPU 2.53 GHz, 2.99 GB RAM Intuos 2 Tablet
  14. Over the past two years it looks like several requests have been made for adding a feature that enables one to produce a simple plot showing the photometrics of a lighting design. This is a basic requirement in many jurisdictions these days and it seems that the info is already there but we need to be able to get it out. This post is written in frustration because it seems the requests have gone into a black hole........Is there any way to find out if NNA has heard the request and what their position is on the issue? I don't want to go purchase another program and try to learn how to integrate it with my work only to find out an update is coming out from NNA soon.
  15. Any recommendations on where to find a 3D dog object (free of course)? Everyone needs a dog or two or three......
  16. I just hung up with NNA and after trying several exports to pdf and image formats (jpg) as well as printing to pdf is seems that the ARCHtitl and ARCHtxt fonts are not compatible with pdf with the GDI+Imaging enabled. Sadly this is the only way to preserve the transprancies. Oddly enough sometimes it does work but that is the exception and I am told there is no way to diagnose it. When I disable GDI+ imaging I can export the font to pdf's but no tranparencies. This seems to be a problem with the font and my older Graphite font (which experienced the same problems) is apparently notorious for this. Stay away form Adobe Graphite fonts (even though they are beautiful). I also am told by NNA that open type or True Type fonts work best. It is my undertanding that ACAD can only recognize OT fonts so I may need to try that. I checked the Linotype font set recommended above but before laying out more $$ for another font can anyone test the export or print to pdf feature with GDI+Imaging on using the Linotype fonts? This may be a problem inherent only to my graphics card so I may jsut have to roll the dice anyway. Thanks in adance for the help. Maybe this thread will help someone else too.
  17. I may have uncovered a bug (at least in my system). I have numerous drawings that are not exporting the ARCHtxt or ARCHtitl, (text or callouts) located on the Design Layer but will do so on the Sheet Layer. Funny thing is that it exports these fonts if used in dimensions on the Design Layer. It doesn't seem to matter if GDI+Imaging is enabled or not. HOWEVER when I do a simple test with a new drawing as J Lucas did everything exports fine from both layers (text, dimensions and callouts). I can copy my problem info into a new file and the same result occurs. I will send this in to the NNA Tech guys but wanted to include it in theis thread. The same thing happened with Graphite when I used to have that font on my old machine......hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
  18. Thanks guys. I really don't expect them to review all but it seeems there is a lack of info on the 'open face' vs 'true type' issues and the pdf export problem still lingers. I'll give this a go and appreciate the input.
  19. I'm still confused. Which architectural lettering font will export to pdf with the GFI + imaging enabled? Does Auto Cad recognize only open type fonts? and Why does it take so long to get any formal recommendation form VW on this issue. It would seem that an architectural hand lettering font is not too much to ask. It is the first skill taught in Drafting 101 and to still be struggling with this after several years iof using VW is simply unnacceptable (to use the polite word). Does anyone know a fool proof architectural letteing font?
  20. I've downloaded the Architxt and Archtitl and have the same problem with the pdf export (all text disappearing). Is there something I am doing wrong? VW says they are owrking on the Grahhite Font but i need something now. Seems like a pretty fundamental issue....having a hand lettering font that works properly.
  21. You have a tool you've been hiding? Can you tell us more?
  22. Correct on the Quadro 2700M. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll keep trying to troubleshoot. It worked fine all day yesterday. I think it is the sensitivity of the tablet that may be the root of the problem.
  23. I've check for updated driver from HP/Nviadia and had HP update Bios. Still no luck. I am using a Wacom tablet and it often seems that when picking an object it doesn't like my hand movement (like it may be double clicking) and then if freezes. I have to hit the power switch to turn off and reboot. I've even download updated Wacom driver. Does anyone else using a tablet have this problem?
  24. The GDI + Imaging option in the Tools menu is probably to blame. This happended to me and I was told to uncheck it to get it to display properly. It stil prints fine but doesn't display. Trouble is that when I uncheck it I don't get the ability to use the transparency option that I love so much. No Solution there as far as I am aware.
  25. IF the on-site training is logistically impossible (as it was for me) then the on-line option can be a very efficient way to tackle some of those real problems. It's best to create a few of your own files and an class agenda and then get one of the experts on a Go-To-Meeting training session. I recommend the 3 hr. special and was amazed what Doanld and I covered in 2 hrs. I still have another hour credit and for the cost it's the best approach to cure fumbling.
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