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Benson Shaw

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Everything posted by Benson Shaw

  1. Screen refresh is quick for hand tool and scroll/key pans , but lags about a second with scroll wheel zooms. The image pixilates then recovers. Turning off VW pref for Zoom Line Thickness speeds things up a little. The Anti Alias pref does not seem to affect refresh rate. Magnify Glass tool, Fit to Objects/Page and Click to Zoom commands have no refresh lag. Design layers and sheet layers behave the same. Good luck. -B
  2. Thanks for the ref, Islandmon Side issue here, The CM of a 360? sweep should be on the axis of rotation. Attached is a fresh VW2009 file with a swept poly. Sweep axis is left edge. Volumetric Properties places the CM off axis. Bug? Pilot error? Precision issue? Anyone else experience this? CM is offset with sweep segment adjusted to .25? CM is offset with a locus at the left edge to force the axis location. -B
  3. That's what I thought. I was hoping to manipulate the sizes and locations of several objects in the group for visual effect and easily know the CM for each iteration. Wouldn't it be great if the textures or other graphic properties contained the densities of the various materials they represent. One could then see weights when needed and VW would calc the CM directly. I may take a crack at your worksheet suggestion. Many thanks, Pat -B
  4. The Model>Volumetric Properties command offers a center of mass locator. Is there a way to assign different densities to the various materials in a multi material group/object so that the center of mass will be placed appropriately? -B?
  5. Another way to control vertex count is to duplicate along a path. Path is any contour, 2d, 3d, dwg contour, VW trace or any other source. Dupe object is a 3d locus. Choose how many verticies or spacing in the DAP tool prefs. Assign each dupe group to a new class named as the z value of the contour. If necessary, raise the whole class to appropriate z. Place the contours and loci on separate layers. Create the DTM from the loci, not the contours. Add loci, 3d polys, etc to trouble spots if necessary -B
  6. Submitted per my experience with pasting objects to the DL circle center in SLVP annotation. -B
  7. I am noticing similar effect in 2009 viewport annotation mode, esp snap for paste from clipboard to center of circle where circle is on design layer. Cursor remains black arrow, but red box snap indicator shows circle center as snap location. Pasted object misses the DL circle center even at extreme zoom. Direct draw, line tool for example, snaps to DL circle as expected - Cursor changes to cross, red snap indicator shows center of DL circle, snapped object is exactly located. Seems like a bug. I will submit. -B
  8. Rescale by percent? I can't remember where it is in V11. but select the extrude and find the Scale Objects command (in Edit or Modify menu I think). You may want to use the asymmetric scale option to preserve panel thickness. or, if it works, just apply the symmetric at 50%. Or extrusions have OIP options. Select the extrusion and change the delta x or delta y value or extrude value (whichever it is) from 12' to 6'. -B
  9. Are you creating dimensions in VP annotation? They should show up if the dimension class is set to visible in the VP Classes tab. Exit the VP annotation mode, select the VP, and in the OIP, click the Classes button which reveals a list of classes and shows visibility. This is not same as Sheet layer class visibility which is controlled in the Nav palette and elsewhere. You probably know this, but: VW has almost no 3d linear dimension tools (there is a way to get the length of a NURBS curve), so using the dimension tool (it's a 2d tool) to snap 3d edge end points gives the length as projected on the screen plane. Such dimensions are accurate only if the 3d edge is parallel to the screen plane. -B
  10. Please create a signature for your forum posts showing your Vectorworks version and computer OS. VW 2008 and 2009 include flat head machine screws in the fastener list. At least in Landmark, I assume Architect has same or expanded options. Older versions have fewer options. Look in the workspace editor, you may have options not shown in your fastener list. Also, there is a donationware plugin with loads of fasteners in the plugin section of vector depot: http://www.vectordepot.com/plug-ins/ -B
  11. May not be relevant, but objects, including DTM, sometimes deteriorate if far (miles) from drawing origin. I had a DTM do that patchy thing. When relocated to origin, the patchiness went away. The distance from origin was many 1000s of yards due to ACAD ref points in survey data. This may be fixed in 09 - Haven't investigated. -B
  12. Beats me why the conversion resolution affects NURBS objects in this manner. I think the programmers will tell us that it is computational overhead. Trading faster redraw, render and navigation for precision in surface continuity. Or? It never really bothers me in appearance or measurement. Perhaps wish list a user controlled conversion factor for NURBS objects? Or an additional, ultra, super high option in the prefs? -B
  13. Malte - Just to confirm your findings: This is not an issue with your computer or VW preferences. Any VW NURBS curve displays as a faceted element. Zoom in to reveal a series of straight "segments". The NURBS curve is not composed of active vertices at each segment end. This condition obtains in all the 3d resolution modes, although the higher modes have shorter "segments". -B
  14. A loft creates a surface from curves, not from surfaces, so it is unclear what you are trying to do. If you need to extract some NURBS curves, say the edges, from an existing surface to use for a new loft, use the Extract tool in the 3d modeling toolset. Use it in Extract Curves Mode. If this does not help, post a file or image, or try to explain more what you are trying to do. Good luck! -B
  15. Single tool would be OK, but a key modifier and/or mode bar option would be necessary. When moving 3d objects, the 2d Selection tool moves things in a plane parallel to the screen plane. The 3d tool behaves the same way except when it moves objects to snap points "up" or "down" from the screen plane. This is useful. -B
  16. Yes, Cmd~ toggles open VW windows in V2009 and earlier. Also, in Mac OS10.4 and above search Mac Help for Expose functionality. For example: F9 (or on portables, F3 or Fn-F9) key tiles all open windows to the desk top. Click one to activate it. F11 key minimizes all open windows to reveal the desktop. Click again to bring them back. One can also establish hot corners for some desktop management. Look in System Prefs>Expose -B
  17. Congrats, and you are welcome. This is probably deep geek stuff, so I am just guessing. I think that Print as Image rasterizes the file so some objects, such as hatches, are treated as unintelligent points, lines and fills rather than software adjustable objects which confuse the print process. Print as Image can cause the print spooling to take for ever, so it is an option rather than a default. The Print Patterns at on-screen res can make a real difference for some objects at some drawing scales. It may not make much difference in other instances. Did you also try the more robust Export to PDF rather than the Mac Print to PDF? That can make a difference in the output files, and perhaps the prints. -B
  18. A few things to look at: In VW, Mac there are two ways to make pdf - Print as PDF from the print dialog and Export PDF from the File>Export menu. In either method, tick the check box for Print Patterns at on-screen resolution. In Adobe Reader, Mac or PC - In the print dialog, open the Advanced options and select Print as Image. On a Mac this needs to be checked for every print order. Your output resolution may also affect the print out. There are several places to change the resolution in VW. Here are the common ones: Print dialog options Sheet layer prefs - Edit Sheet Layer in Nav Palette or Tools>Organization File>Document Settings>Document Prefs>Resolution Hope this helps -B
  19. The v2009 designer series includes the Unfold Surfaces command - I think its default location is in Model/3d Power Pack. This command works well on such rhomboid shapes made as a collection of NURBS surfaces, including many curved surfaces. You may need to punch some ID holes in each face so you know which panel goes where, and whether it is face up or face down. Colors for each plane can also help. I recently modeled some similar objects (but the sides are all planar) and found that it was way easier to rotate the object to a convenient view than to establish working planes. This is because it is difficult (for me anyway) to know and trust the WP view. I built a tool consisting of 6 NURBS rectangles which I could move and rotate to enclose the desired volume. Select all, Intersect Solids, and delete the outlying bits. -B
  20. A channel of water in a river bed has some tilt to it. Many rivers are sort of podium/fall, podium/fall. A closed poly with proper tilt and z value can represent the surface (or a group of polys can represent the various podia). These polys need only be wider than the channel at water level. You can cut them at the water edge, but then they are difficult to identify. When rendered, the parts beyond the water edge will be embedded in the channel sides revealing only the water surface. Worked for me, anyway. The falls are difficult, esp if there are a bunch of bolders. Perhaps an image prop with falls photo texture could pass through the bolders of the fall. -B
  21. Thanks, michaelk for bringing this topic forward. The WP tools and commands seem unpredictable. WP manipulation with the WP palette probably works as intended - VW just does what we tell it to. It cannot know what we intend. But WP manipulation is not user friendly. For instance, it seems to me that the click to "Look at WP" button in the WP palette, and the "Yes" answer to the "Switch to usable view" can result in a view looking in the opposite direction than intended - eg up at the screen plane rather than down. This might have some relation to the order of points picked or view of plane picked to create the working plane. Is this a Bug? Dbl click to enter any custom working plane, choose working plane mode, and choose Top in the drawing window View pulldown menu. So far OK. Now choose Front from the drawing window view pulldown. Answer "yes" to the Usable View question, and change view with the pull down again. Many views selected from the pulldown show "Top" in the pulldown indicator, some just say "Custom" - eg drop down the menu to Front, release - the view changes, but the indicator says "Top". Drop down to Left view or Right view, release - view changes, but indicator says "Top". Not user friendly. I often choose object rotation to work on an object rather than jkl WPs. 3d object rotation combined with ground plane view changes (front, right, top, etc) is easy and almost intuitive. The view is predictable and reproducible. Some guide points or lines allow me to return the object to its default position. I know ...its a workaround. -B
  22. The manufactured ones start at about $14K. The reprap link (Thanks, Christian!!) shows rather inexpensive equipment. I, too, would really like to hear from someone who uses one. -B
  23. FYI Digital 3d manufacturing technology is getting better and more accessible. Link accesses 8 minute video of US TV host Jay Leno touring a shop which demonstrates the relatively inexpensive scanner and printer. No assembly required. Now can the printer operate from CAD models as well as scans of existing objects? http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/498ebd00a62edaa0/47fe70d4555df05a/9e46bd46/-cpid/ba4377d3bfd6c81? -B
  24. Lots of ways to go, and much to learn. Take a look at capabilities of the loft tool in 3d tools. Draw guides/rails with the NURBS Curve tool (3d tools) and use the Loft Tool (there are several modes) to make a surface. Examples demonstrate objects lofted in No Rail mode from NURBS curves. Keep Curves in the Loft options, preserved the edge and mid guides if you want to check that out. Swanish one was lofted in upper and lower sections. -B
  25. Mine is working as expected. Could this be a corrupt file? If so, the classes should behave in other files. If the Use at Creation function is inoperative in all your files, trashing the VW prefs may help. I do not use a networked system so cannot speak to that, but there may be multi-license or server issues here, too. Beyond that, I'm out of ideas. Hope you find the cure! For users unfamiliar with the preference replacement process: 1. Make sure you have your VW license number(s) handy for all VW versions installed on your hard drive. - write them down, or keep them in a keychain note, or paste them into a text file (not a VW file), or have the product boxes available, etc. VW will ask for key entry of VW license number(s) on first launch after trashing the prefs. You may also need the administrator password. 2. Save and close all active VW files and quit all active versions of VW. 3. VW 2009 preferences are net.nemetschek .plist items in User Folder/Library/Preferences and in HardDrive/Library/Preferences. There may be several such items in each location. Additional prefs may be found in these preference folders for earlier versions of VW. 4. Drag all the net.nemetschek plist items from both locations to Trash (or just the 2009 ones if that is the only problem application). 5. Relaunch VW and fill in the license number when required. VW creates new pref files during this first launch. 6. Empty the trash. -B
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