Jump to content

shorter

Member
  • Posts

    3,079
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by shorter

  1. Can you give an example? Do you mean add a colour to a wall to identify wall types on a drawing? If so, use Data Visualisation.
  2. It's the trees. Do you need trees of that resolution everywhere? The view is at a scale/size that makes seeing every leaf a bit redundant. When zooming in try hiding some of the trees that you do see in the view.
  3. Like the Visibility Tool, when hovering over an object, the Select Similar tool needs to show a hint. The hint should be based on the selection criteria, i.e. if 'Symbol Name' is selected the hint should show the symbol name.
  4. how are you viewing the IFC? This is probably a property set in the ifc viewer, rather than native to the ifc entity.
  5. If you want textures to export use a different file format like .fbx. IFC is a BIM format, not a rendering format. Geometry + data only.
  6. @Barb S. The equivalent of xrefs (both attachment and overlay, though only simultaneously if you use 'layer referencing') are possible in vectorworks architect, and highly effective and efficient means of reducing the overhead you describe of chasing your tail when information changes on many drawings. Xrefs (the process is called 'workgroup referencing' but I will refer to it as 'xrefs') will always be necessary and recommended for coordination with consultant data (you should never import a dwg directly into a live VW file), or for refering to survey data, etc, as well as working between large scale plans and details. Xrefs can help keep files sizes down which is something that should not be underestimated as a critical factor in the efficiency of any cad system not to mention reliability. Xrefs like autocad are the glue to an efficient cad system, but there are 'idiosyncrascies' you need to be aware of. Xrefs can help manage many things too, like symbol (i.e. block) libraries, graphics via the equivalent of pen and style tables which includes hatches and line types, notes databases, and of course 2d and 3d data. There are some notable exceptions like the inability to update data visualisation settings via referencing or saved views or class and layer filters... one day, perhaps. Xrefs help enforce spatial coordination but take care if using design layer viewports as they can be moved and often move of their own accord if the coordinate system of the files have not been set up correctly and consistently throughout the dataset. Some find systems using xrefs 'complicated'. This is usually because there has been no strategy, no structure to the dataset, and no patience. I recall seeing someone present at a conference and judging by the diagram they presented of their 'structure' I am not surprised they had problems. They singularly failed to understand what xrefs were for. Coming as I do from a microstation background, discipline was drilled into me from an early (cad) age. You need rigourous cad standards, and folder structures, and protocols, and you need to stick to them. This is true of all efficient cad systems, though this in turn can be a bone of contention with other members of staff who may have their own way of doing things, and things tend to go awry if staff do not follow the script, so management, monitoring, and maintenance (my 3 'ms') are essential. We have been training and supporting architects for many years, and have used xrefs in anger in vectorworks since they were introduced in Vectorworks 8 (?). We have helped large teams deliver huge projects with great efficiency (I have been quoted by one client that they deliver projects 40% more efficiently using my 2D system than when using BIM, over 300% more efficiently than old school drawing board approaches, and in one case 15x more efficiently versus an unstructured approach using design layer viewports...). In short it is perfectly possible to use Vectorworks on projects usually only considered possible using Microstation or AutoCAD but only if the approach is right. My advice would be to set up a system as you would in AutoCAD, and if you have any problems, or would like me to review what you are proposing, to give me a shout. Sorry if the above looks like me blowing my own trumpet, but I am in effect giving VW a backhanded compliment for being capable of delivering large projects when it's set up correctly and not used like a drawing board! 😉
  7. Oh, ps, using XX exclusively for the spatial field would not be compliant. 😉
  8. That's fine when the project is limited to a single building. We try not to use XX or ZZ since unless there is only one building, rarely does 'ZZ' adequate describe what the file contains. The later codes suggested by the ISO guidance involves 4 digits, where 099L is the basement floor level and now magically lists above 100L, the ground floor level whereas it didn't when it was 'B1' and the ground floor '00'.
  9. FYI, here are the latest status codes: ISO19650 'The UK 2021 Mix' has modified the status codes in the original ISO19650 documentation and A1, A2, etc, are now used to denote 'Authorised for Stage 1', 'Authorised for Stage 2' etc. Note they do not use the word 'Approved'. The status codes and revision numbers are supposed to be metadata and not to added to file names when issued to a CDE, so should simply be noted on a drawing sheet or 'model data sheet', and added only when uploading to the CDE. Bit of a pain this since you will need this on the file name for your own records/sanity. The file naming sequence is now: Project-Originator-Functional Breakdown-Spatial Breakdown-Form-Discipline-Number the rest is meta-data, and status comes first, i.e. -S4-P99 The underscore is not a permitted characters according to the UK NA 2021. Note the caveats and contradictions that litter the guidance notes for ISO19650-2. For example, 'XX' and 'ZZ' probably shouldn't be used on complex projects.
  10. Any UK planning authority will have PDFs of planning applications. You could use those? Set design layer scale to the same scale as the PDF drawing and drag and drop the PDF in. Make sure you have 'snap to geometry' ticked.
  11. @Samuel Derenboim We have yet to be asked to use 'Uniformat' on any project in the EU and UK. We have been asked to use it on projects in other part of the world, outside of the US, e.g. Riyadh. UK is firmly aligned to Uniclass 2015 now, and this is definitely linked to the specification system used by the NBS who ostensibly created Uniclass in the first place, but typically, uniclass is not like uniformat although shares some similarities.
  12. There was once upon a time a security breach so they now consider Dropbox a risk despite using Vodafone's mobile network, no doubt, or Huawai phones? On that basis the entire UK electoral system should be avoided.
  13. I would be happy to discuss Box off list. I cannot put anything into writing on a public forum.
  14. @TaylorK Symbols cannot 'see' outside of symbol 'world' so it is not surprising this has failed. It is a long standing wishlist item; for objects inside symbols to be storey aware. however, be careful what you wish for because if the implementation is as bad as Revit 'Groups' it is best finding a workaround. All parametric objects inside symbols are best laid manually, with no reference to layer wall height, or storey level. In fact, we find it is better to place them as 2D and then create the symbol before then giving the walls height. By the way, we have BIM projects in Vectorworks with well over 200 units, and do not use project sharing.
  15. It all depends... Is it scenario.. a, a site plan with multiple buildings all of which are identical or b, a site plan with multiple buildings, all of which are different? or c, a mixture of the two? In scenario a, the viewport route works well, as @zoomer suggests, though we also use symbols. Viewports do not need necessarily to be from referenced design layer viewport. You can also use layer referencing and use what I refer to as an 'internal design layer viewport' i.e. dlvps created from local active and referenced layers. In this scenario the dlvps of the building(s) are behaving like symbols, or components of the site, and can be placed, duplicated, rotated and moved, in all dimensions to suit. We find site storeys particularly useful when building up a site like this as the viewports are placed on layers that are linked to strategic site levels. However, we would also use symbols too either as parts of buildings or floors of buildings if there is a lot of repetition although there are limitations to this approach necessary to avoid disappearing up one's own BIM orifice! In scenario b, each building 'should' be drawn/modelled in the correct place on the site, including where it sits in the Z axis, since unlike scenario a where you are dealing with repetition and the model of the 'typical' unit is used for construction of that unit, you need to be able to reference the site to it. All building models in scenario b should ideally be located around a common internal origin so that when you reference them together they all arrive in the right place and at the correct height, or more importantly when you export them as individual buildings they are issued to others in the right place. DLVPs will also export but you have an extra level of management naming each viewport, otherwise they get exported as 'Viewport-1', etc.
  16. We have had lots of issues with day-to-day sync failures with One Drive so do not recommend using it for any other purpose than as a document transmittal system. Some CDEs are based on Sharepoint, and that's probably as good as it gets. You have to remember it is free, provided free of charge with Office 365, so you get what you pay for really. Clients that have used it (most notably those that were sold it by their IT consultant who coincidentally were also selling them 365 licenses...) have moved away from it due to issues on the Mac One Drive app in particular. I don't know if it's the same for Windows but the MacOS One Drive app is being updated almost daily by Microsoft, or it feels that way. Whereas we have had less of an issue, or almost no issues with Dropbox, other than the usual cloud/mac issues on monterey/ventura where files must be local or Vectorworks complains. I have some using Google Drive and seem happier. Steer well clear of Box. Project Sharing in the Cloud will always be at the mercy of the internet connection. I would always err on the side of caution and set up project sharing on a local server e.g. a NAS, if there was no requirement for remote working, but even then some NAS have their own built-in cloud serving solutions. We are preparing a presentation on this so watch this space. Of course, there is Vectorworks's own cloud serving aka VCS. You don't get much space though, but at least it's free if you have VSS or a subscription. I must admit to not using it in anger because clients do not want to split their project data on to multiple cloud platforms, and we have no projects where the design team are all using Vectorworks. So, if you are not investing in your own server, my recommendation would be Dropbox, and simply accept the cost for a solution that is probably the best in class. Others may have a different opinion/experience of using Dropbox.
  17. There are additional problems with the integrated cill and lintol (soldier course) when exporting as IFC. Most of the time a cill needs to be identified as a separate object for scheduling if it is not part of the window frame. VW window does not offer this. You cannot export the window unit and cill or lintol separately via ifc. Anything non-standard has to be modelled manually and it is possible to model bespoke window arrangements with subtle use of the 'wall hole component'.
  18. edit the file you have referenced and untick 'automatically update references' when the file opens.
  19. Hello @JuanP Could you please clarify/confirm, for all those selling and buying, if the Transfer Fee levied in the UK, is still applicable, and also how much it is and who should pay it? It was £150 + vat, and was collected by Vectorworks. We would normally recommend the buyer pays the transfer fee as they are then certain that it has been paid and the license is officially theirs. Also, if a UK license is sold to someone in the US or AUS does the situation change? Some clarification would be useful as I have just been asked if the transfer fee is still applicable. Thanks.
  20. I would agree with Scott, that ideally you need to model a solid, not extrude a line if you want it to export reliably. I would add my vote to a ceiling object, like a horizontal curtain wall tool. There is precedent in the competition. https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-DA92880A-0A23-4EB4-A20B-CC70966B7C36
  21. I would be interested to know if anyone has encountered IfcSystems in their Architectural model and if so, how were they used.
  22. We have extensive experience of using OneDrive as a cloud storage solution for CAD and BIM. All I can say is that we no longer use OneDrive, and do not recommend anyone use OneDrive for CAD and BIM.
  23. Hello Playing catchup after a very busy 2023... Here are class libraries up to date to Uniclass 2015 Table EF, April 2023 (July 2023 made no changes to EF table). They include the additional codes added in July 2022. As before they are 2021 file format, so please convert to which ever version you use. PM me if you need an earlier version. The ISO13567 variant now includes filters. Classes-AEC-Uniclass2015-EF-v1-13-Complete-2021.vwxClasses-ISO19650-Uniclass2015-EF-v1-13-Complete-2021.vwx Classes-ISO13567-Uniclass2015-EF-v1-13-Complete-2021.vwx
×
×
  • Create New...