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Diamond

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Everything posted by Diamond

  1. Hi all, Interface seems to be one of my favourite forum topics. This is a conversation I am having with my local distributor. I would consider myself a master user of the app, and I am by no means asking for a dumbing down of the software. What I am asking VWI for is to start reviewing the usability and legibility of the tool. I love the new features that are added from year to year, but I feel that features are being added without proper consideration to layout and interface design. Some examples of what I believe poor interface/usability are - : The new titleblock tool (too many front facing options), The slab tool (editing is no where near a s simple as the Floor command object), Rr the structural member tool (confusing in layout and how it relates to Framing Member and Columns Tools). I may go into these at a later date, but for now a perfect example is the Pilaster object's preferences dialogue window (See my attached markup below comparing the pilaster object with an app that I believe uses better design technique in this area). I would suggest with some input from a inclusive design consultant, and applying simple graphic / UI design techniques Vectorworks could bring more order (and approachability/usability) to an app that year by year becomes more laden with long lists of parameters in dialogue and palettes. Yes, with the complexity of modern architecture, we need more settings. But the settings should be as simple as possible to comprehend quickly. Deeper settings can be nested and revealed as required. And with the use of styles, the more complex settings are often not required to be seen most of the time. What do you think? Cheers.
  2. Heya, I am having the same issues on some large files even using meshes and turning off textures. I sent the files to my local distributor, and he had the same issue. Is this where we submit bugs? Cheers.
  3. Yes, to get around this we will take a screen shots (and sometimes use saved views – which can save clip cube settings), but that doesn't get around the availability of other render styles (or at least I don't think so because I haven't tested anything other than OpenGL with Clip Cube).
  4. Heya. A number of people from my studio have requested this. So +1 from me. Cheers.
  5. I agree. I think Microsofts Hololens has been the leader in this area. The real issue is having hardware that can access it. For Apple's implementation, any iPhone that is 6S or newer with run ARkit, which, when iOS 11 is released in September, makes it automatically the biggest AR platform by far. With the announcement of ARkit, I suspect Apple put a number companies out of business overnight.
  6. Hi, This article shows a couple of simple examples for what could become a fantastic preliminary site measure tool. https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/26/15872332/apple-arkit-ios-11-augmented-reality-developer-excitement Vectorworks iOS team, yes please?!
  7. Hi People, We are still looking for new staff. Please read the copy above for some information of our firm. Our website is www.pmdl.com.au. As mentioned above, if you are interested, please contact me via private message (hover over my user name and select message). I look forward to hearing from you. Warm regards, Troy
  8. And so… Whilst we are always searching for team members with the right fit, at the moment we are looking for candidates with solid Vectorworks experience in our Sydney and Melbourne studios. Specifically, we are looking for –: Strong Project Architect/Leaders (Vectorworks experience is preferable, but role does would not require a high Vectorworks proficiency. Must be willing to learn the basics of Vectorworks). Architects/Graduates (High Vectorworks proficiency is preferred, but exceptions might be made depending on fit. Must be willing to learn Vectorworks to a high degree of proficiency). Interior Designers (High Vectorworks proficiency is preferred, but exceptions might be made depending on fit. Must be willing to learn Vectorworks to a high degree of proficiency). Some information about us… We are a medium sized design firm. We work across three key disciplines: Architecture. Interior Design. Masterplanning. We focus on the following market sectors, bringing diverse expertise and experience: • Consumer: Retail, leisure, hospitality, entertainment. • Community: Education, residential, community, leisure, retirement. • Commercial: Workplace, commercial. If you are interested, please contact me via private message (hover over my user name and select message). Warm regards, Troy
  9. Thanks for that Jim. I'll take that as a green light.
  10. Heya, We are looking for Vectorworks users at my day job. What is the forum policy on seeking out potential candidates on the Vectorworks Forum? I have a quick scan through the guidelines and couldn't see any issue with it. Is this correct? Thank you. Cheers.
  11. Hi Guys, Have been looking at the import attributes dialog (select Viewport > OIP > Classes… > Import…). What is the purpose of the Viewport Class Properties > Import Attributes dialog? There are some features of this dialog that make sense. These are – : Importing attributes from referenced Viewports. Maybe having referenced viewports take on the attributes of their residing document? Transferring Class overrides between Viewports. Any others you can think of? But what I am trying to get my head is, "Why would want to import Class attributes from the document Class attributes? Isn't this the same function as the Revert button? Any clues as to it's purpose?" Thanks. From Vw Help Opens the Import Attributes dialog box, to import the class attribute settings from the file. The attributes can be imported for the classes selected in the Viewport Class Properties dialog box, from corresponding classes, or from a specified class in the file or a specified viewport. Click OK to import the class attributes into the selected viewport. (The Eyedropper tool can also transfer class override attributes between viewports.)
  12. Yup. They have had a roasting on this recently. Trying to unify the core code of their OSes. Released way before it was ready. I use occasionally use PDF Pen for OCR and markup. Great for working with text. Can convert PDF to Word for editing and back to PDF. Both on Mac and iOS. But for detail sketching, marking up drawings, site measure, note taking and document signing – by far my favourite is Notability. Great on both iPad and Mac. Can also record meeting audio. See image below of a old detail sketch for a structural engineer.
  13. More in this space… Astropad have just released their new product – Astropad Studio. This is a $65 per year subscription (iOS app store fees were never going to pay for pro requirements). Regarding Duet Display… Whilst I am not sure this Astropad gets around having two cursors, it does have support for multi-touch.
  14. Great point. Love this idea. But what about the track pad? It has a form of multitouch doesn't it? Have you requested it from them? I am writing a request email to them right now. Maybe they can come up with a solution.
  15. A good video showing the some workflows here… Edit: In fact, this is not the same product, but get's the idea across much better.
  16. Not sure if you peeps saw this. http://www.theverge.com/2017/1/5/14128434/dells-canvas-touchscreen-display-announced-ces-2017 Whilst I think Microsoft's Surface machine is great, I think this is a more appropriate response. Especially for pro users, who like to upgrade their hardware. Not sure that I like the virtual keyboard, but for some stylus heavy workflow scenarios , I could definitely see it being faster. And having a keyboard nearby is easy enough. Obviously with apps like Duet and AstroPad on the iPad, the Mac can already do this.
  17. The Microsoft Surface is great for certain mark up and drawing tasks, but compared with a mouse, it's use in Vectorworks is mostly going to be slower and harder to use. Similar to the mouse, I see the Touch bar as a tool with an interesting blend. Both delighting the user and increasing productivity. With the iPad, often things take longer, but delight the user more and are therefore more enjoyable. Productivity is great, but it is not an end unto itself. I did notice last night that Duet Display (duetdisplay.com) has released an update which includes the touch bar as well. (FYI Duet Display allows you to use your iPad as an external display). Effectively having a touch screen Mac with touch bar. It is a little slow on my older Mac, but works well in newer ones. Will have to test over hols.
  18. I think it is more than just emoji access. But how much more remains to be seen. People are just starting to use it, and so we will find out its real value over the next year. On this forum, a number of members have shown links to various input devices, which mostly are too narrow in their abilities. The good thing for the Touch Bar is that it is far more flexible. Often with interfaces, the slow down is having to take ones hands off the keyboard to use a mouse. The touch bar can certainly help with that. For drawing interfaces (using mouse or stylus), often the slow down is having to change mode to select/search through palettes and commands, or enter a numerical input. If for instance, you can use the Touch Bar to quickly access tool palettes or tool mode bars, and it can change inputs depending on the tool/mode/OIP state, I think you have something may be very powerful. But it will be up to developers to support it.
  19. There was a rumour of Apple exploring the possibility of working with an Australian company that creates keyboard with E-ink keys. But it appears that may have just been a rumour in order to boost the third party stock price. Because of touch ID, I would say that you can expect a touch bar keyboard on all Macs with the next release. Becasue of the scale pf their production, Apple usually releases a feature on one device first, while they ramp up production, then rolls it out to other devices. As with stylus integration, and using the iPad, I would want Vectorworks to have a solution for the touch bar. I would love to sunset my Apple extended keyboards.
  20. Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but it is highly unlikely that Apple would release a surface-like Mac. And because of the production ramp time, they certainly would not have had the time to create a response any time soon. They will have been spending all of their time on the Touch Bar - which Apple have gone all-in on. Almost every Apple Mac app supports it. If you were wondering why macOS Sierra was light on, a likelihood is because their software teams spent some time working on Touch Bar integration. They will let Wacom create the touch screen. They will focus on Macs with good I/O (USB-C, Thunderbolt 3). As was mentioned earlier, no one wants to pay that amount of money for a touch screen that is not upgradable. Remember, the best stylus out there is the Pencil, and for at least the next few years, will be way too expensive to place in a 27' iMac. But I am sure Apple does have a iMac prototype knocking around. Now that would be very nice to play with. For some Pros, the most important things they need (besides the new superfast I/O) are things like; multiple CPUs; and graphics cards that are able to be used with OpenCL and CUDA. If Apple doesn't release a new Mac Pro, I wouldnt be surprised if they partnered with a third party to create an external GPU box that runs over Thunderbolt 3. Similar to what they have done with LG and their new Ultrafine displays. That way it would be upgradable. In fact, even if they do make a new Mac Pro, I wouldn't be surprised if they announced s similar solution. Additionally, I wouldn't be surprised if their new iMacs ar able to be used as external displays – like the old 27" ones were able to. If we as Vectorworks users want new ways of working, Vectorworks needs to use the iPad as the stylus. Boost the Nomad app's capabilities for sketching and editting. Get them right there, then bring them back into Vectorworks.
  21. Not speaking of Mac Pro's exactly. But at least some good news for the desktop. Tim Cook Assures Employees That It Is Committed to the Mac and That ‘Great Desktops’ Are Coming
  22. Nice. This is the kind of stuff I wanted to come out of the woodwork when i started this post. Thanks for posting. I think I like the form of the taller one, with the colour of the smaller. But they do look great together. It is possible to have countersunk fixings to the legs on the taller model? That would be my only nitpick. But I like the way you are letting the material be what it is. Well done. PS Are they both anodised? If I had to guess for the black model, it looks like it is polished inside with black powdercoated on the outside.
  23. Yep. For all of the complaining we in the Apple community do about the Mac Pro's, it is really just Thunderbolt 3 and GPUs that are seriously lagging behind the latest tech. But with CUDA, what a huge lag that is! Although, I am sure some would like a multi-CPU option.
  24. Yes, I agree. But at least they are looking in the right area. We can hope right?
  25. All of the other physical widgets shown earlier in the thread, are used for very specific editing modes, with no where near the complexity faced by most Vectorworks scenarios. Does anyone know of a CAD system that does perform well with a stylus or other physical input device?
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