Ken

Problems occur only with DXF. Not with DWG. And for either binary or text export. In fact, random tests by importing the same files directly back into Vectorworks show group objects (that were converted from 2D symbols) haphazardly rotated 90?. Maybe somebody can confirm? I sure hope I don't have to explain it to a client or consultant on a different platform who can only import DXF and not DWG. The clients currently reporting these errors have had poorer results (greater problems) with DWG; hence, they prefer DXF.

Previously (in v2010), I was able to measure the distance between two 2D lines drawn in a side view of a model. Side view is either Front, Back, Left, Right. Orthogonal view also includes Top and Bottom but rare in architecture. Now (in v2014), I have to first be sure that the 2D lines are converted to "screen layer" plane mode in the Object Info palette. But still, I cannot hold constraint to measure between two lines. What am I missing? 3D precision is impossible! How can I measure the distance otherwise?

In my line of work, I export to multiple other CAD formats for clients and colleagues. I do this on a weekly basis and almost robotically following the same procedures and parameters. Now, since upgrading to v2014 (from v2010), the DXF export to Autocad 14 is not working for my clients. Two people, one running ac2002 on Windows XP, the other running ac2004 on Windows 8, have confirmed the same error ? something like "premature end of object... invalid or incomplete DXF input... drawing discarded" error message. Anybody else? What possible solution is there if I haven't done anything different? Seems to be a bug?

Oddly, this morning the solid addition worked, creating a monolith, and it took a fillet edge at the top rim okay (the circular cap). So the solid version (lower object in illustrations) is good all around except underneath where the rim cap was added. Which makes it unusable again. Just for exercise...

Further examination seems to reveal something to do with Layer Plane mode. Not sure exactly what at this point. Maybe a different topic.

I'm about to submit this bug... unless I'm doing something wrong? How to fix the reverse mirrored dimension text? See step-by-step in attached file.

OK, Benson. I now have to give up on this 3D model. I believe it cannot be done. You've given an idea on the underlying concept ? essentially, that this is one of those forms that, if it cannot be stretched in digital space, then it cannot be manufactured period. The "stretch" of the material is killing it. A draped material might be better, or I might have to get more drastic in redesign. The side "flare" is most important. This is a tall cone+barrel solid converted to NURBS surface, then Fillet Surface, then shelled, then chop off from above. Totally sacrifices the top circular cap.

I'll submit it as a bug. Also the objects I'm drawing are very small. I'm using thousandth of an inch (0.001 inch) as edge fillet for example. I didn't know it was also a factor.

It's a good exercise, Benson. Wouldn't it be funny if the goal was just to sketch a nice looking frying pan with a nice round hole? :crazy: Actually, the cost of an injection mold even at prototype stage can exceed twice the price of full retail Vectorworks. Or get cut in half with good clean modeling. I can't give up yet.

Kevin, you?ve nailed the precise issue again ? 3D conversion resolution. When I set it back to High (from Very High), it renders okay. In fact, Update All Viewports (I have 47 viewports) now take only 35 seconds instead of over 2 minutes. Most are Hidden Line render. I went further and tried the Medium setting. While Update All Viewports is even quicker (20 seconds), there are some jagged octagon-looking shapes where I have extruded circles and circular solids. So it seems the High setting is the good balance for me. I probably had ambitiously set all my 3D prefs to their max thinking my hotrod 3.5GHz i7 iMac can handle anything. And in this document that lags, I have a good number of circular-infused polyline extrudes and curvilinear geometry. It?s a bit disappointing that geometry with many circular forms can affect a fast desktop computer. But what a relief. Thank you both for looking into it.

Just about to submit a bug report, but wanted some confirmation. I cannot render Hidden Line for an extrude of a polyline containing circular segments. A 3D viewport of it on a sheet layer won't update, and when a bit more complex with many other viewports, there's a huge lag in viewport updating. Perhaps related to the other discussion: http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=193724#Post193724 See attached file. What am I doing wrong?

There's definitely something wrong with my installation or with this latest v2014 SP2. It's not just slow in viewport updating. Sometimes flyovers in OpenGL lags, sometimes not. It may have something to do with my particular document. But Purge doesn't show much to purge. And the current layer is relatively sparse. I invested in hardware trying to avoid issues like this in software upgrade, which is always known to tax the processors. Only Vectorworks does this. Not any other app. Don't know if it's a related matter.

I use a worksheet with database that calls a separate set of Classes dedicated just for areas. Then assign those classes to polygons that represent the materials or edge of walls or the materials themselves if they're polygons with no object name yet. Setting up the worksheet will take some time depending on how familiar you are with general spreadsheet and cell formulas. But reloading and recalc each subsequent time is quick. Version 2014 is new to me, so hopefully still applicable.

One trick is to find somebody who has another version of Vectorworks that may be able to open that DXF file, then export it back to VW 12.5 for you. Not that I'm volunteering. :blush:

Interesting, Mike. I'm assuming you did a variable radius fillet using a secret formula? I've tried it again too. Sometimes I could not get the upper flat circular rim to take a fillet. Sometimes I could. Here's your Step 4 which takes the fillet okay. It looks decent. But while that upper fillet is important, the transition "flare" is more important. I'll have to go back and take my chances with Fillet Surfaces. Here's a silly attempt at a hybrid or "half this, half that" ? also known as a Frankenstein (stitching two dead pieces together).

Probably not the "hat" part taller. I've just now tried a much larger radius for the fillet. Seems the issue is more like the bottom positioning of the cone solid ? specifically how it aligns with the edge of the other object. Or not align. I think you're right. This 3D geometry may not be solvable in Vectorworks.

Jim, I suggest that you inform your Sales team to NOT ADVERTISE it as a way to view Vectorworks drawings away from the office, like on an iPad. Viewing drawings include interactive flyovers of 3D models. Nomad was described to me as a powerful feature available only in Service Select. Now I'm disappointed.

I was about to post a similar problem. New iMac (3.5GHz i7 with 8GB memory) is blazingly fast. Current version of Vectorworks (v2014 SP2 Build 209336). For example, Flyovers in Final Quality Renderworks actually feel snappy. I know it just renders quickly after I release the click. Except it chokes whenever I Update All Viewports. In this drawing I have about 45 viewports on about 15 sheet layers. Most are Hidden Line renders. Update All Viewports takes over 2 MINUTES sometimes. It's not right.

The problem with Fillet Edge on a solid (or on a Boolean addition) is the seemingly hit-or-miss transition at the lip for this particular form. Here's the closest I got. Then, at the end, it still doesn't take Fillet Edges all around. The most important edge to fillet is the top of the conical platform, to get a big fillet. All other edges just need to get a micro eased edge. Attached is the VWX file (disregard scale).

Mike, How did you apply "Fillet to join surfaces" in your Step 4? It's not the Fillet Surfaces tool? I had to do the steps in a different order. Fillet Surfaces require NURBS surfaces, so I had to convert the solids first. Then chopping off the the conical shell from above left me with no top piece. So I had to add back a sweep object. But problem is that the upper outer edge of the conical shell won't take Fillet Edge, before or after the Solid Add. The transitions are wonderful though. Just some minor surface blemishes. OpenGL set to show edges for emphasis. Not sure if my requirement of the top surfaces having to be horizontally aligned makes this form impossible as a singular resulting object.

But no access to Vectorworks 3D models and the associated FlyoverTool, etc.? I've been having to export models as STL files via DropBox to i3D Viewer. http://www.meshformsolutions.com/index.php/i3d-viewer

YES! Fillet Surface is indeed the tool. Good step-by-step, Mike. Good suggestions, Kevin et. al.

Good tip, Mike. For some reason, my document is drawing new lines, circles, rectangles, etc in Screen Plane mode by default. The Document Prefs / Plane Mode is set to Screen Plane or Working Plane. But the same pref settings in another document (or new blank document) defaults, as desired, with drawings created in Layer Plane mode. This is the problem causing my Tapered Extrude from not working. What other factors influence the pref settings?

I've also tried a shelled loft as connector piece. But Add Solid doesn't work to smoothly combine with the other pieces. It's 3 CSG solids. The bottom is also still messy.

It's a good exercise. But I'm finding Tapered Extrude not working sometimes. This is just a simple circle drawn on a layer that has many other objects. Besides, the desired taper is reversed on the inside.