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FYI, I submitted the following bug report regarding the workspace editor in 2021: I recommend double checking with the feature matrix before adding a tool to a custom workspace. I also recommend checking in the "legacy" items lists to make sure the tool/command you're adding is current, unless you are sure of what you're doing. Think they'll hire me for the quality control team? EDIT: Additional obsolete tools/commands in workspace editor. Many are not in the matrix or help system at all: 3d Symbol Insertion Joist, Board Cone Object Pyramid Object Torus Object Site Model Section Extruded Rectangle Extruded Polygon Cylinder Nurbs Arc Nurbs Circle Model View Tons of fasteners (& machine parts?) - too many to list.

I appreciate your explanations in this thread, but while it might not seem complex to VW employees who have been working on these features for a long time, it is all very new to users, the help files are not very clear, and there are no support files showing best practices as to how to implement these in a real world architectural project. I don't know who at VW decides these things, but it would be super useful for users to have tutorials, project samples, guides, webinars, VW University resources, etc published at the same time as the release.

@Wes Gardner This post & your attached files might be the best resources VW has available to explain project setup & sheet layers. PLEASE can we get updated versions showing best practices for using the 2021 material resources and generating & annotating SLVPs? Adding coordination between DTM & building model (through references?) would be a bonus. This could be as a post here, VW University, a webinar, etc... Thanks

I recommend rebuilding the workspace from scratch with each release. The time spent troubleshooting corrupt workspaces is much more than the tedious task of rebuilding a clean workspace.

VW staff have lots of "secret" support documents. Here's a wishlist item with a request that management makes it all available: VW University is a start, but with a problematic interface and not all of the content available.

Nice idea. To be honest, I don't use the resource manager that often. I'm much more likely to just copy and paste. Not always the most efficient thing to do, but I get to avoid away from Resource Manager overload.

These might help (from VW 2021 help system). The slab drainage tools are not intuitive at all and have some wonky behavior: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/index.htm#t=VW2021_Guide%2FFloors_slabs%2FCreating_slab_drainage_systems.htm I remember seeing an explanation video somewhere out there (YouTube? VW website?) but I don't have a link for that. Adding & subtracting to slabs is a bit easier: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/index.htm#t=VW2021_Guide%2FFloors_slabs%2FEditing_slab_geometry.htm Good luck.

To clarify @Andy Broomell's post. Note that his screenshot has the "Untitled 1" document selected.

My favorite post to recommend in the forums is:

I believe Associative Dimensioning works in Viewports but did not double check: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/index.htm#t=VW2021_Guide%2FDimensions%2FAssociative_dimensioning.htm EDIT: I just noticed your signature showing version 2012. The link is for VW 2021 help files.

I know, I do it with each release... In the long run, I think customizing my workspace improves my efficiency and earns the 10 hours back and more. And I hope that your recommended improvements make it into an upcoming release. I put together a workspace editor wishlist & bug post here:

You might want to take a look at this: There is a basic decision that needs to be made when you set up your file - using stories or not. I've decided that for my work (primarily custom single family homes) I'm much better off going with the "no stories" system. While you lose some automation, for me it's much easier to set up. It also handles split levels and double height spaces better.

@Mark Aceto Can I ask why you don't create a single custom workspace that includes only the tools and menus you use, organized in custom palettes and menus that suit your workflow, instead of switching between workspaces? I like the current workspace system, but then again I'm only working with Architect and use a customized workspace. Once in a blue moon I'll have to switch to the generic Architect workspace to use a tool I've removed, then bounce back to my custom workspace. I agree completely with your suggestions for improving the workspace editor interface, and the need to be able to save palette positions.

I believe the landscape tools I mentioned are not usable at all with an Architect license, so they are bloat. In general, I agree about the large overlap between Architect & Landscape, although I'd just as soon not have to wade through irrigation & plant database items. On the other hand, I think Landscape has a retaining wall and site grading features that would be very useful for architectural work.

In the Resource Manager, there are items that are installed & visible, that are not relevant to the license being used (Architect in my case). It would be nice for resources that are only relevant to other license types to not be installed or visible. 1. For VW libraries on my local machine/network I understand that there's a workaround to set up User/Workroup libraries and ignore the VW library. However, those items shouldn't really be there in the first place. 2. For cloud "Premium Libraries" - please provide an option to hide all resources that are not usable by the licensed user. There is already a wishlist thread for more comprehensive installation reform:

Customized installers would be great to eliminate bloat. My wishlist for installation choices: Imperial/Metric/Both Legacy tools & commands - Include/Don't Include If not a Designer license, include/don't include features of other license types, for example: Libraries Workspaces Plant Databases Vision Another action that would clean up the interface and reduce bloat - Resource Manager Cloud Libraries, don't show resources for unlicensed products, or at least rework folders so all Spotlight resources can be collapsed in a single folder for Architect users, etc. There are also a few straggling tools & commands from other versions that made it into the VW 2021 Architect BIM workspace editor that shouldn't be there. The ones that I found so far are Tools: existing tree, foliage, grade. Commands: Hoist Origin. I assume these are things that fell through the cracks. EDIT - I added a separate wishlist thread to deal with the specific issue of resource manager bloat

You might want to submit here: http://www.vectorworks.net/support/bugsubmit rather than relying on the forum.

@digitalcarbon Great video. Keep them coming. They should hire you for the 2022 release videos.

Looks like there are some minor changes, but I haven't looked at them yet: Taken from:

I learned the lesson the hard way that creating a new workspace, rather than migrating, is worth the time & effort. Corrupt workspaces can cause strange crashes, and the migration process adds risk of corruption.

Tool: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/index.htm#t=VW2021_Guide%2FAnnotation%2FStructural_grids.htm%23XREF_62146_Structural_grids And here's the link to the new documentation: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/index.htm#t=VW2021_Guide%2FLandingPage%2FNew_features.htm%23TOC_Documentationbc-1&rhtocid=_0_2 And 2021 shortcuts PDF: https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/VWKeyboardShortcuts.pdf

Agreed. For the time being, I posted a custom icon last year for manually changing. Here's the link and the file is attached again: VW Logo Inverted.ico

I agree. I have always assumed it's about the cost of buying externally developed tools. It seems like a shortsighted decision, especially for tools with a long track record like Windoor. Perhaps the developers are unwilling to sell? Any VW employees want to explain?

The forum is not always the best place to get support directly from VW. You might have better luck with https://www.vectorworks.net/support/help I tried & gave up using the spacemouse and cadmouse. If you do find a fix, please post a followup.

@thomas dine Apple's Time Machine doesn't overwrite files, keeping hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily before then, etc, and saves as many past versions as your drive has room for, thinning out the older versions and keeping the newer ones, so you should be able to get previous versions https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209152 However, I do rely on the VW autosave feature, saving every 50 operations. I use a "junk" external drive that only has VW backups, so that they don't clutter up my machine. That way I don't really care how many versions are saved (though I'm set to 20). You can set the location in VW Preferences->Autosave->Autosave a backup copy to -> A custom location