Cris with no H

Ian, your questions mirror my own. I, too, believe any newer version of VW should be able to read and reach into the resources of any older version file. However, in doing so, an up-conversion is necessary and you would have newer versions of those symbols in your VW2008 file. As for your words on how a jpeg is a jpeg and a Pshop file is a Pshop file...well, there's some naivette I'd like to divest you of. Do some poking around about the history of graphics files and you'll find that a lot of functionality is currently NOT implemented precisely to KEEP bringing you cross-version compatibility in various graphic file standards. JPG is not the same as JPG2000, for what it's worth; that was an aborted attempt at "updating" the file format. Not all programs can read and write it. So we lose it; but you lost functionality you didn't even know you might have had. Same goes for PS. When you save a PS file, it generally asks or assumes you want compatbility levels going back a couple of versions. So it dumbs down the file. You can save certain elements only in CS3 files that can't be read in CS2. So VW is not unique in this. And if this spins your propeller a little too fast, don't even look at the new pdf standard and the fact that, if you don't upgrade your Acrobat or Acrobat Reader in the near future, you won't be able to read what everybody else is sending out... Cris Dopher

I like your ideas, Chris, but have to disagree on #2. I want things to look as they'll look when they print, not have a bunch of phantom objects all over my drawing. I use locus points sparingly for that reason and typically do not want to see associated dimensions' little red boxes, either. I think the OIP info is enough here - or will be when they update the object type as per #1. Cris Dopher "the OTHER Cris D"

Jim, the easiest way to turn your 3D symbols into hybrids is to draft out the 2D geometry you need, copy, then go edit the 3D symbol. Once inside the editing mode, paste your 2D geometry in, line it up as needed, then exit the editing. VW will automatically separate out 2D from 3D and turn your symbol into a hybrid. Cris Dopher

No Vectorscript necessary, JImmy. Your VW should have installed with a series of library files called Defaults. You can open up the titleblock files in there to see how they're constructed. If you have Show Default Content turned ON in Vectorworks Preferences, then you should see these titleblocks offered every time you drop a Drawing Border Object in and click on Titleblock... The help files also have a pretty good step-thru on creating your own custom titleblock. It is no more difficult than any other symbol w/ text record. Cris Dopher

Well, that's the problem. VW does look into each file and records the resources available there. Cris Dopher

Talk to Dobson Organ... they use Vectorworks! Cris Dopher

Just a heads up to those who view this thread, trying to track down the same problems... Think hard about what having the ability to rotate a 2D plan view means in terms of programming. Almost every single tool must have been reprogrammed, some of them I know for sure were completely rewritten from the ground up. This is one of those behind the scenes overhauls that was truly massive, but it is hard for the user to appreciate, since it really resulted only in one new feature, right? I think its easy to forgive NNA for bugginess in higher-order PIOs in the current release. They don't set the release dates, they just do their best to meet them. As for release dates.... what would you do if you ran a software company? Try to make every single thing perfect and watch the competition get way ahead of you because THEY release on a yearly or semi-yearly cycle? Can't be done. This new yearly cycle is ultimately beneficial for programmers and users. I'd rather HAVE the slightly buggy Rotate Plan than to still be working in 12.5.2 and trying to draft everything on a 15 degree incline.... Cris Dopher

Bill, it's a known bug. Hopefully, we'll see it fixed in some upcoming maintenance release. Cris Dopher

Gary, please repost this in the Spotlight discussion forum, where Kevin Linzy (the programmer) lurks and he may be able to give you a definitive answer. It sounds to me like you've hit upon the exact use of that field - keeping track of label positions. Cris Dopher

Making a class visibility toggle script shouldn't be that hard, from what I hear. If you posted more on why you want this, maybe we could suggest other helpful hints. Cris

I wonder if there would be any profitability in keeping some older machines running older versions and running a converting service. Ya know....this wasn't a problem back when we drew things by hand and our archives were sets of blueprints sealed in plastic and stored in a dry place....*snicker* Cris Dopher

Jeff, this is a known problem. It's similar to trying to use the Date Stamp tool inside a titleblock - same cloning problem. I go the .jpg route myself, but I make sure to insert a very high-res version of the image, so that the output looks good. I always set my sheet layers to print at 120 dpi - bitmaps and some linework just look crappy at the native 72 for some reason. You could also spend some time in illustrator turning the logo into a set of vectors, maybe, and bring those in as an imported DWG...etc. Cris Dopher

J Lucas, you must have Snap To Objects on in order for any further object-based snaps to show up. Cris Dopher

You might also consider going offline and taking one of the seminars in Architect or Landmark. Even experienced users find them very helpful. https://secure.nemetschek.net/store/pls/topics.php Cris Dopher

Grouping won't really help. To make individual objects in the titleblock symbol take on the attritutes set on the Drawing Border Object, they must be assigned to use class attributes. To prevent objects from changing, simply assign them (lines, text, whatever) to simple fills and pens with no "by class" arrow badging anything. I keep a few items by class...mainly revision notes and the box around them. When I have a revision, I set my Drawing Border to use a red pen - presto, only the revisions get highlighted. Cris Dopher

Danny, you're looking for "final shaded polygon" mode in the rendering. It can be selected via the little menu under the Render Modes button (view buttons are in the left section of the bottom scroll bar). Cris Dopher

Nope. No symbol in the default libraries. I have been using a modifed Beam Bender symbol, sometimes. You can create your own symbol, of course. An ellipse with little "blinders" indicating the hood looks great in a groundplan. Cris Dopher

You need to check the Unique ID field and make sure it's the correct one when importing the data. Spotlight can't automatically determine which field contains the unit data labels that it relies on, so you have to point it to the right one. It is usually External ID (coming out of LW), so make sure that is selected in the Import Instrument Data dialogue box. You will have to manually map the gobo field, the symbol field...one other I think. If it helps, the import/export macros work perfectly in VW2008 - using 12.5.2's automated actions in LW. Have no idea why. Oh, and if you haven't updated to 12.5.2....you should... Cris Dopher

Haich, you're not wrong on this stuff. The reason no-one has responded is because there's not much to say about it. I can confirm your observations and that they happen on both platforms. I don't, however, have my display grinding to a halt on the Mac. On Windoze, the program freezes for several minutes during any of a whole passel of 3D operations - it's quite aggravating, but something the engineers are working on, I'm sure. At the same time, I see you're running XP - as am I - and I'm sure that Vista is what receives the real attention as far as programming goes. Bugs have been filed regarding all of the above, by the way. My best suggestion at this point in time is to get your positions created (at least this works in Rotated Plan...it didn't in the early stages!), drop in units at the required spacing, then go back to unrotated display and continue with data entry and refreshing instruments. I highly suggest using the Duplicate Array and Duplicate Along Path commands, and the Move By Points tool, for quick unit replication along positions. You don't have to insert a unit manually for every unit needed - Spotlight will automatically assign new data names for each duplicate unit. Cris Dopher

It is also possible that this particular plug-in was recently updated. Taking it out of your workspace and immediately putting it back in may solve the problem. Spotlight users went through this some time ago. Cris Dopher

Pete, I have also noted this in recent days and a bug has been filed. Cris

It is still possible to have your data fields in the old place. In the upper right corner of your screen, you'll see two right-arrow triangles. Click the lower one and you'll have choices as to where the data display appears. I urge you to try the new heads-up-display style - it is pretty slick and a lot of effort has been put into making it work well and work intuitively. Cris Dopher

Move by point allows you to move objects by an offset and direction determined by two OTHER points in the drawing unrelated to the selected objects. In the screenshot, I've moved (and duplicated) the circles by the same distance as between the two locus points by using Move By Points. This is indeed a new capability we haven't quite had before. Cris Dopher

To answer your initial question, Mark: no, there will be no further maintenance releases of 12. You'll have to upgrade to 13 or live with the bug. Cris Dopher

Dropping your image as an Image Prop will get you the results you're looking for, as it is rotatable, resizable, and by default uses Constant Reflectivity. If you need light cast off that screen, drop an area light of the same size just behind the image prop and set the image prop's texture to not cast shadows, as I did in the picture. Oh, and Andrew's VideoScreen plug-in is genius work. Very worth the money, esp if you have to do more than one screen in a rendering, may have to change sizes/types, or need to be able to represent the projectors, stands, etc. Cris Dopher