Razzman

Something I've always wondered. In the Design Layer Navigation window, is there anyway to group, expand and collapse Layers? AutoCad lets you do this when I import projects. Even graphic programs like Photoshop has a similar method to organize layer after layer. I look at that window now and it's one long list.

I'm having a symbol scaling issue. I receive DWG files from my factories with items to drop into a floorplan. Everyone uses AutoCAD. I typically, Import these into VW and take the view I need and Create Symbol and keep these in a file with represents that particular manufacturer. When I go back to my floor plan which might be in 1/4" scale, I would go to my resource browser and bring in that symbol which would be rescaled to that layer. Recently, on some of these (not all) symbols I've created, they don't rescale. They are giant. Not a real dealbreaker, because I'll go to Scale Objects (if I remembered the original actual dimension) and this works. The other day, even this didn't work and the symbol remained as a giant. I notice that up in the Obj Info box, these items are listed as "World Units" Is there a way when creating these and or using these symbols that they just rescale automatically?

I received a file from a client today with a .DWF suffix. I see it's an Autodesk format. I can't find any posts that are recent if these can be read on the Mac, much less VW. Any success reading this format?

Ray: Thanks. I can now see by just changing my import setting option from "automatically" to "feet" right there improved the import quality. I also had struggled with Scale Object, so this was helpful tutorial. Thanks, Bill Rzasa

Here is a sneeze guard structure that is 12 feet. If you see anything, it would really help me get this into 1/2" scale. I have dozens of files from this factory that I use to design cafeteria counters.

I have updated my signature. I do have a very small file to post if someone was going to review. How do I post this? Sorry. New to this forum.

I live in a 99.99% AutoCAD world and can't figure this out, or get help from my manufacturer. One particular factory send me DWG drawings which will not scale. If I bring in a piece of equipment from one of these to a 1/2" or 1/4"th scale plan, these show up as little postage stamps. I have tried to create symbols, copy and paste, but still get the same thing. They have sent me DXF format and it's the same thing. They design everything in ProE and convert to DWG, so it's something in that process. Their answer is "it works in AutoCAD", but I can't import these successfully. Is there something I can adjust in the Import process? Is there something they can do in the Export? Thanks.

Frank: I'm anxious to look at this file, but I think the file named DLVP.vwx is incomplete. The only file that downloads is "1379.vwx" which won't open and is only 2KB

No Viewports, yet. I figured out the first problem. I had "Stacked Layers" check "yes", so I unchecked that option. Then, 2 Design Layers (#1-2D & #2-3D) to Create Viewport while layer #1 is active and Create on Layer: Layer #1 then on visible layers, I would only have one choice and that's Layer #2, click OK Even though my Layer #2 elevation is set to Rear Right Iso, the Viewport on layer #1 views it as Top/Plan. Your suggestion was to go to the other layer and reciprocate the above. When I do that I get an error message which looks like I am making a circular argument. What I don't get is that when I am in the Create Viewport option box, all of the lower options for rendering are always grayed out. That's what I think is wrong

Frank: Your suggestion is what I am trying to do, but here's what keeps happening: I have 2 - design layers. One is the 2D view (Top/Plan) and the second is 3D or Right Rear Iso. It seems like the chosen elevation view for one design layer, affects the other, almost as a document default. If I set the elevation to Top/Plan for the 1st layer, the 2nd layer also changes to Top/Plan. Then I set the 2nd layer to Right Rear Iso, which I want, and go back to the first layer and it switches to Right Rear Iso. I can't even get to the Viewport trial

VW2008 Architect - I am drawing a piece of sheet metal with 3 of the 4 sides turned up at 90 degrees. Pretty simple. In 2D this is a bit difficult to view since the opposing sides are turned up .75" and the third is 1". On another layer of the same drawing, I rendered the view and showed in in an isometric view. My thought was, on the original, 2D layer, to create a viewport to show the rendered image. It doesn't seem that easy or even possible. Can this even be accomplished?

I figured that I was going to have to trash the Application. Thanks for the heads up on the pref file. I'm not afraid of going into an app bundle, but the Save dialog just keeps pointing there and saves just the hatches as a folder within the app bundle. The folder with the dwg just vanishes.

Mac OS X.5.2 on a MacPro 2.66. I drilled down to Contents for VW2008 and found a file named "MacOS-dwg" and threw it out. Then I tried to Export another file. I did not get the error, but I don't get an exported folder. I have VW2008 on my MacBookPro (OS X.5.2) I then move the VW file to that computer and it exports fine. Also, in the Export dialog - why does the file name appear as "MyExport." The file name and a "dot" no suffix? This is the same for a successful and unsuccessful export

I get a constant error upon trying to export to any format: "MyComputer:Application:VectorWorks 2008:VectorWorks2008.app:Contents:MacOS-dwg:MacOS.dwg This file already exists. Do you want to replace the existing file?" No matter which folder I direct my export to be saved, I get this error. If I choose "Yes" to opt for the overwrite, my file never gets saved where I direct. Therefore I can't capture any export at all.

"Convert dimensions to groups" on the Import options was the answer. I don't understand why it worked, but I get the arrowheads that were intended instead of giant slashes. Thanks for a great suggestion!

quote: Originally posted by jodawi: VectorWorks uses the units and dimension settings of the VectorWorks document when importing. If you want to ensure you get the same look as the original document, you can use the import option to convert dimensions to groups. If you want to preserve the dimension objects, you can set the document to the correct units and dimension standard before importing. (The PDF, or importing first as groups, or use of a DWG viewer, can help you determine what the dimensions look like in the original.) The size of the markers is determined in part by the layer scale. You can adjust this in the import dialog (model space scale), or you can change the size of the drawing area on the design layers first. Big markers indicates that the scale is probably too high and drawing area is possibly too small, and VectorWorks is zoomed in on the objects, making them look large.

Using VW 11.5 importing AutoCAD DXF or DWG files. I've noticed a lot of excessive lenght dimension lines when importing. If I view the PDF of the imported file the dimension lines contain arrowheads. However they import as "slashes", similar to the Arch standard. and the slashes are real long and you can't alter the lenght at all, just the size of the corresponding witness lines. If I change the dimension standard, I get giant arrowheads. Any ideas as to how I can fix this import issue? Thanks, Bill Rzasa

Mac OS 9.1. I am having a problem outputting some work to PDF using Acrobat 5.0 and the Create PDF driver. Usually it's drawings that I have imported (dwg) format. It seems when the pdf is distilled, some layers do not show up even though they appear in the VW drawing that I distill. Never had this happen in VW8.5.2. Any similar problems?

My entire world (restaurant equipment) uses AutoCAD and PC's. I use VW9 on a Mac. I have no problems importing their drawings but there are usually font differences. VW remaps these, usually to Geneva. Because of this I have to do a lot of resizing so items numbers keep inside of balloons, etc. Is there a basic, default set of fonts used by AutoCAD that I can get for the Mac to keep these more true to their size? I see a lot of "ARCHI" and "Roman" in the remap window. Is there just a better Mac system font?

I downloaded the VW 9 update. During the installation process it askes to find VectorWorks 8.5.1. When I go to install upon browsing to my Vector Works app. I keep getting an error since it is trying to find v 8.5.1 and I have 8.5.2. I tried renaming both my folder and the name of my VW application to 8.5.1. I got further along in the installation process but I still eventually get an error.

I keep getting an error message more often when trying to import DWG files. "OpenDWG Library Error 8: This DWG version is not supported" Using v 8.5.2 on the Mac

I'm learning to create 3D drawings and I am trying to figure out how to dimension them. If I place dimensions while in the Top/Plan View, even with an extruded item. When I switch to Right Isometric. The dimension lines stay in the exact spot where they were placed in the Top/Plan View. How do I get those to also view in an Isometric mode?