Mike_M

Maybe it is just a Windows/PC thing at this point.

Before discovering the need to engage "NumLock" to use a numeric keypad to control views I tried a quick fix of modifying the shortcuts for "ctrl+1" and "ctrl+2" for a top/plan view and front view. I've learned that these shortcuts are "hardcoded" to be zoom in and out functions. Forgive my potential presumption but as most users likely have a mouse with a scroll wheel, is it necessary to prevent these two shortcuts from being re-mapped?

Thanks for the insight Pat. I think I will add it to the wishlist. I'm imaging most users these days have a mouse with a scroll wheel function for zoom. One would think the need for a keyboard shortcut for a zoom function is less of a priority let alone remaining hardcoded.

Hi all. I created a new workspace in order to change some of my hotkeys. I wanted to set ctrl+1 to a top/plan view, ctrl+2 to a front view, ctrl+3 to a right view, and ctrl+4 to right isometric. I've had success with the second two hotkeys. ctrl+3 shifts me the right view and ctrl+ 4 to a right isometric view. The first two do not work however. ctrl+1 zooms in and ctrl+2 zooms out. All 4 hotkeys show as being set up when I look at the view options from the pull-down in the tool bar up top. For example, if I click View > Standard Views > Top/Plan shows as being set to "ctrl+1". Anyone have any idea why? I'm using Vectorworks 2024. I have a second question in case anyone has any insight. I have a numeric keypad on my keyboard. At the moment, these numeric keys move around my model space like directional controls in a video game. Shifting left, right, up, down etc. It seems that in some version of vectorworks, these keys should be switching my views like I was trying to set up above. Has that changed for some reason? Could it be an issue with my keyboard? Third queston, not a priority, the answers to my above questions might make it irrelevant. If not, I'll make another post in the general discussion forum. It's less troubleshooting and more of a question. From what my quick research is telling me, I probably can't use these keys as custom hotkeys/shortcuts. It seems the most I could do is turn on/off the functionality of them for use in the data bar. Am I correct or is there a work around? A guy I used to work with had a separate numeric keypad, plugged in via usb, that he used with Vectorworks 2021. This second numeric keypad was set up with shortcuts. 5=top/plan, 4=left, 8=front, 6=left, 2=bottom, etc. I thought this was super cool and am hoping to set up something similar. Said previous co-worker was a little more tech savy than I am and that setup could have been a little more in depth. I'm curious if anyone has or knows anything about a similar setup? Edit: After digging further than perhaps should be necessary I found the simple solution to my numeric key pad question. In order for the numeric keypad to change views one simply has to turn on number lock key first. This doesn't explain why the shortcuts I initially setup in a custom workspace for "ctrl+1" to be top/plan view isn't working. I much prefer using the numeric keypad for this however so I'm not super concerned about it now.

Hey all! This is something that has confused me for awhile now. I had a level of success in the past, it worked and I let it be for awhile. At the time my goal was to create some 2D/3D symbols of certain stock items that I would re-use over an over. Then take those symbols and get them into the Resource Manager so I could easily access them this way in future projects. A couple people here helped me navigate this and suggested creating my own folders and files within the User Libraries on my computer. This way, I wouldn't be at risk of losing anything in future updates or upgrades of Vectorworks itself. This all worked out really well for the few things I had time to draft and work with. I created a main folder (ProVision) and then sub folders for items (Jacks). I drafted the item or items I wanted symbols of, created the symbols, named the Vectorworks file accordingly, and saved the file into the corresponding folder in my User Library. This is all working well and making a bunch of sense to me. I could draft different variations of items in the vectorworks files, create the symbols and have them show up via that file in the Resource Manager. While this all seemed fine I'm running into a few more questions now. I can see how "my method" here would make less sense if I had tons of different types, kinds, model, makes, etc of certain items. I could end up with very cluttered files and folders. Like if you search for "People" in the Resource Manage search box and then have to scroll through the seemingly 100+ symbols to find the one you really want. So a potential solution I envisioned was to create a number of different VectorWorks files. Sticking with the Flats example, lets say I had 50 different sizes of stock Jacks built from wood and 50 different sizes of Jacks built from Alumium. I would have one Vectorworks file named "Wood Jacks" and another named "Aluminum Jacks". This would help and work for my needs. 50 different sizes of stock Jacks is an exaggeration in my case. It wouldn't be that hard to sort through the more reasonable amount that I would have. But say I do have 50 and I want to break it down even further. I want to further divide up my files/folders for subsets of Wood Jacks and different heights and lengths? At this point, I think my method becomes a little messy. I would have a number of "source" folders/Vectorworks files to create symbols in and save to my User Library. All in all, not necessarily terrible but I thinking this could be made easier by creating Resource Folders within the Resource Manager. This is where I start to get confused again. I recently came across a Vectorworks file that had a ton of symbols organized in Resource Folders within the individual file. I'm not sure what files these symbols were originally created in by the guy before me. Unfortunately I can't ask either. I'd like to copy the symbols I came across into my files/folders in my User Library. In attempting this I'm realizing Resource Folders can only be created within a Vectorworks file and not like on the desktop or my User Library. So this clashes a little bit with my "personal" organization method mentioned above. I can drag and drop the Resource Folder with contained symbols into my Vectorworks files but I'm kind of doubling down. Now I would have User Library > Provision (folder) > Jacks (folder) > Jacks (Vectorworks file) > Wood Jacks (Resource Folder). If this is the best method I'm thinking I can just eliminate the "Jacks folder" in my User Library. Leaving ProVision as the parent folder and just having a variety of Vectorworks files for parent groups of items. The from those Vectorworks files, create the necessary Resource Folders in the Manager for organization. My follow up question is will all of my symbols need to be in the "main" Vectorworks files? Would I be able to draft a specific type of Jack in a brand new file and just drag and drop it into the Resource Folder I've created in Vectorworks file via my User Library? If so how does it save the source draft? Does the draft get copied into the Vectorworks file automatically? If i deleted the brand new file would I lose the symbol? Would I need to copy and paste the symbol from my brand new file to the parent Vectorworks file in my User Library, create the symbol and save it there? This seems like a lot to me and thanks for taking the time to read. If this makes sense and you have some advice or links to videos/articles explaining this better I would appreciate it. It makes a little more sense to me just typing it out. I might have to simple spend some time re-organizing, copy/pasting symbols/resource folders I want to save and figuring out what makes sense to me.

@Kevin K 🚍 Guilty as charged. I realized I had come up with a question of my own and thought who better to ask? 😄

Hi Richard, I'm not sure if I will have all the answers you are looking for but might be able to help. I don't use interiorCAD but have designed some furniture both for fun and to be cut on a CNC. If you have an image file/screenshot of what you are looking to replicate I could walk you through what my process would be. My basic process is generally one of two methods. 2D modeling > clipping surfaces > then extruding or creating 3D/"mass models" > then subtracting solids. Depending on the situation, one can more sense the other. Here's an example of both. If I'm creating molding I will draft the profile in 2D and then extrude it as needed. Sometimes this will involve composing profiles created from polygons/polylines/arcs or converting them to what is desired after. Then in a 3D model, where profiles overlap/join, I'll do just that and subtract solids. The subtract solids command has the option to retain subtracting objects. Again, I don't use InteriorCAD. My workflow resembles AutoCAD in some ways. I do have the custom cabinet tool via Spotlight but haven't had a need to utilize it a whole bunch. I know it's great for throwing together cabinets very quickly and believe it can generate cut sheets. I'm not sure how specific InteriorCAD can get in terms of joinery such as rabbits, dados, dowels, mortise/tenon, etc. Let me see about tagging someone else here who is more familiar with InteriorCAD. @Kevin K

Kevin, Lol, will do. And no sweat regarding the 2023 file. I would definitely be using InteriorCAD if I had access or was working for myself. That could be in the future. I'd love to take a look at the file you shared if adapting it to the 2021 version isn't a hassle! Thanks!

Kevin, Apologies I was out of the shop Friday and had a nice but busy weekend. Glad to see yall having a good time here! Gave me a good laugh to start off my Monday. The cabinets actually were a side project that I designed and built for a small shop/makerspace in my area. For the past 10 years my 9 to 5 has been within the entertainment/scenic industry. A lot of custom fabrication for museums, theatres, conventions/events and even cruise ships! I've only been working with vectorworks for a little more than a year. Most of it has been focused on event/venue layouts, creating shop production drawings for custom fabrications and plotting out elements via vectorworks/Vcarve to run on a 5'x10' CNC machine. I've dabbled with AutoCAD in the past but never had a need to use it "day to day". Working with Vectorworks on a regular basis has been a lot of fun. it's pretty versatile. I've been doing a little 3D modeling/priniting with it as well.

Kevin, I'm beginning to believe in Tom W's conspiracy theory 😄. Thank you, it did take some time. I was able to speed things up a bit by copying/pasting viewports and changing views/classes. Still time consuming. If I had access to InteriorCAD, I would definitely be using it. I hope to be utilizing Vectorworks for more personal projects in the future and would get the full Design Suite and InteriorCAD in that case. As I'm working with Spotlight/Fundamentals 2021 for now I can't open the file you were kind enough to send me! If it was created in 2022 or 2023 I won't be able to open it.

Kevin, In a way I was going for some of the functionality of the custom cabinet tool but with the ability to have my own unique framing structures. This with was mixed with a general curiosity of what might be possible. So if I could design my own cabinet, including drawers, doors, face frames and then manipulate it in ways that the custom cabinet tools offers, that would be pretty cool. I figured this was asking a lot and is pretty much the point of the cabinet tools. They aren't bad tools either. So I was wondering if there was some way to design just the cabinet frame (no doors, drawers, face frames, etc) and be able to resize the widths without the size side panels being affected. In that they would remain the same thickness and reposition automatically. Whether this size change was controlled by clicking and dragging or through the object info panel. I drafted and built the cabinets attached here for a MakerSpace I work with. It's a bench for a miter saw and I created the drawings in a way that if I myself, or someone else wanted to build a similar bench they could use them. I got to thinking that if I could create a symbol of one base cabinet with the framing I used and just resize it then it would be easier customize a similar setup with different sized cabinets. Using symbol settings as you suggested isn't far off and a great idea. I imagine I could create the "horizontal" framework (stretchers, bottom panel, rear panel) in different design configurations and save them as symbols. If I want to use said configurations for a project I could import in the corresponding symbols as many time as I want, change them to the desired widths, draft just a few side panels and place them as needed. I could also create symbols for the matching side panels and drop them in as well now that I think of it. It's not the biggest shortcut but a shortcut nonetheless. Again, call it a combination of general curiosity and probably thinking to much along the lines of "mass production". In utilizing any CAD software I just love the ability/convenience to reference previous builds for something similar in the future. If I take the time to do it right the first time, why not re-use it where and when I can? Thanks for talking this one through! I'll probably create some symbols and see how convenient and useful they are with other projects down the road! 8ft Miter Saw Bench and Cabinets.pdf

Kevin, by "walls" I meant the walls or more specifically side panels of a cabinet. So yes to the first part of your question as the items in question are extrusions. I'll attach a pdf to this although it seems like what I'm going for isn't quite possible without the use of Marionette, Vectorscript, etc. I'm not quite there yet. The idea would be to create a group of the items and then be able to resize the overall width. In doing so, only the extrusions in green would resize, leaving the side panels the same width (in this case .75") The cabinet tools in Vectorworks do have this capability. I use Spotlight or Fundamentals 2021 which is just what I have access to at work. Spotlight has the custom cabinet tool which seems to utilize InteriorCAD. This works really well to quickly get a visual/rendered idea of what a set of cabinets would look like. In my case I've been designing some cabinets, storage units, etc with different/custom framing structures. I was curious to see if there was a way I could create some custom frames that could be scaled the same was the cabinet tools/InteriorCAD permit. Again, seems like doing so could be possible with some custom graphical scripting but might only be worth if it I'm producing far more of this stuff than I am. Hey Pat. I was thinking this might be the case. c'est la vie. As you suggested it might not be practical for the smaller projects I'm working on for now. Good to know however. I'm still learning a lot everyday and I'll add some graphical scripting to the list! Box Test.pdf

To be more specific, I wanted to design some custom cabinet styles. The framing being unique in the way they are built. My thought was to create one basic framing layout and be able to adjust the overall width of the cabinet frames as needed. With my limited understanding, if I create a simple box with 3/4" thick walls, group it and adjust the size via the object info palette, the walls themselves will change thickness. Every element of the box will resize relative to the new overall dimension. Would there be a way to perhaps create a symbol where only certain elements will resize? The goal being to have a box where the rear and face panels will adjust in size (width) while the left and right walls maintain their thickness?

Hopefully a quick/easy question here but something that has been bothering me for awhile. I'll often use the slab tool over an imported reference images. Once the slab exists, I can't see my image anymore. I put the slab into a class and turn it off/grey it out. Ideally I'd like this class name to be "Slab" but I cannot do so. The error message I get reads, "That name is already being used by another object. Please us a a different name." Typically I just name the class something else and it's no big deal. I've always been curious though, why does an "object name" clash with the name of a Class?

... yes, yes it was. No idea how or why it did active or get selected but glad it was something simple. Looking at it now, clip cube somehow activated around that one hybrid symbol that was still visible. Wasn't even part of the project I was working on. Thanks so much!