blimey

I'm working on reconfigurating VW12. If I have plans that I will never use (eg stormdrainage Plan), can I just erase the entire columns in the LayerMapG worksheet? will that affect the program if I reduce the layermap to only the columns that I use? Thank you

Kingram, I've tried to use the Task Manager without to much success. I've then been told that the TM is more a legacy and the advise was to use the AutoClassing. That's what I'm trying to do now. I do not have enough experience/organization yet to reach a conclusion yet, but it seems nice so far.

quote: Originally posted by Mechanix: i went to the web site below and cut & pasted the list class utility. how do i get it to work? http://www.panzercad.com/VW%20Freebies/VectorScripts/Utility/ This was posted in the general discussion and I'd like very much to be able to use that tool. So i've tried to make a script with the txt file provided, it worked fine and compiled succesfully. Then I don't know how to use the tool. I expected it to output a text file with the classes, but do not know how to run it or were it saves the file... Can someone help me? Thanks

MacLaugh, I've battled quite a lot with the DTM. I had the same problem. I never found the solution (why it would work in a file and not in another) so when it doesn't work, I just paste stakes in another (brand new) file and generated the DTM there. Then I workreference the layer. It's quite frustrating as my feeling is that it has no logical path. Just some lack of stability with the DTM. I some how came to the conclusion that the only way to have the DTM work without random crashes (if you have a larger and more complex site) is to have the stakes in a perfectly virgin clean file and generate it there. Referencing it works ok. I do not know wheter it helps but it is advertised that VW12 made huge improvement on DTM.

quote: Originally posted by Ramon PG: quote:Originally posted by mclaugh: I am becoming increasingly frustrated by NNA's technical no support. This is the fourth or fifth issue I've contacted tech support with directly by phone and by email in the past year that I've received ZERO response to. Even here in this thread, when I asked for a clarification, I'm not even given the courtesy of a response. I'm sorry, NNA, but that is simply unacceptable. I must second the post. Tech Support for me has been totally ineffective. I say it with the most positive of intentions. It has to do with a defective manual, improperly sequenced tutorial CDs and my distance to training seminars. I bought VW because I was offered 18 months of "free" tech support. If it weren't for the Tech Board and all of its super generous powerusers I would have gone back to PowerCADD in a few weeks. I know now it would have been my loss because VW is a fantastic tool but you can afford to loose some money, but time is of the essence. I endured thanks to some great moral and technical support from the Tech Board users (and practicing at home up to 2-3 AM many days). Hi Ramon, I appreciate very much your post, as i feel very much the same. I'm very thankfull to the tech Board users.

Mechanix, I also find that function very useful, I tried to create a new plug in tool in the vector script, it compiled well but I didn't find an output file... May be we should post the question in the vectorscript area. Best

[ quote: Originally posted by Christiaan: On the other hand I don't think Nemetschek would be right to draw a rigid line between concept-construction data and actual construction data. Robert, I don't know about the U.S. but certainly in the UK and NZ architects drawings are not only used to produce more detailed construction data but they are also used on site by site managers and builders to build from. In the link you provide, it says, "[architects] documents do not contain sufficient information to construct the project, and much more information is required before the work can be done." This may often be the case but it's an oversimplification in many cases, and in some circumstances even incorrect. For instance, in the case of a light timber frame building in New Zealand, the architect produces a set of drawings that may well be the only construction data ever produced, especially if the builder is an experienced one. (Such drawings are produced with the aid of a national standard for light timber frame construction.) The main point I'm making is that there is some crossover between concept-construction data and actual-construction data and Vectorworks needs to reflect this. I quite agree with christiaan. And I've practiced in China, UK, the nederlands and Belgium. I don't think it is only a question of region. It is also a question of philosophy of work. In our office, we do draw some of the shop drawings, I'd say most of them. I understand Robert's point tough. for exemple, we try to avoid drawing the aluminium windows' detail as assembling those pieces is worse then making a giant puzzle. They all look the same and there's no point in drawing them anyway since they are completely standardized. We do draw wooden windows though, down to the nailing details... The reason why we do this is because the contractor do not draw them the way we want them (they think money and ease of construction, we thing concept and aesthetic). And detailing is very important for the final feeling of the building. We believe that they are wholy part of the concept. Without them, you don't get the same coherence in the building. That's what I admire most in the work of architect such as Herzog and De Meuron or Peter Zumthor in Swiss. Even when we do let the contractor provide the shop drawings, we ask them to send them to us in exchangeable format (hence the importance of export) we correct the drawings and send them back. I also agree with Alan : huge files. My files have an average of 50Mb. I blame the windows :-)... Even in 2D, the fact that striked me most when I started with VW was the size of the files. Take the exemple of a single window's detail : it is 2MB (Autocad equivalent was 500K)... So I don't think that modeling the building to the last nail is reasonable, nor usefull. But I also would be fairly interested in a compromise, say having sections that do have the general details (wall cavities, since I've defined them) but not the windows, since i've got to draw them anyway, and can be then turned into clean 2D's section that I shall then improve manually. Something close to what we do with elevations... (Thought I'd like those one to be cleaner). Talking about the elevations, It would be nice to keep only the visible line (being able to remove the hidden line and drastically reduce the size of the file and the number of line)... I don't agree with you Alan (sorry) when you say that you don't need that many section, computers help us to conceive complex geometries and those need quite a lot of section to be correctly described in plans. being able to generate a model that would then issue all the needed section with just the need of some cosmetic improvements would be highly usefull. (sorry for my drastic english)... I find CipesDesign's comments very close to what we do for the moment. 1) in 3D and 2) 3) in 2D. Would be nice if the 2D's could be pregenerated...

quote: Originally posted by mike m oz: Allplan is there for those who want Construction BIM, and it would be pointless to try and replicate its capabilities with VW. Do you mean that VW is best for design BIM and Allplan (I don't know it at all) is best for construction ? So we start with VW and switch to Allplan? Or do you suggest that if one has to go in construction one'd better go to Allplan directly (as it does it all)?

ohoho... Well thank you very much Alan (though I'm not sure I have the ability to catch it all :-) I'm not very technical). About HT : I've heard about Hyperthreading but do not quite know what it is. How can I check I my machine does it? About AMD : Everytime I go and ask to be advised on a computer they told me not to by AMD. They say I'm an architect and the soft I use (but which they actually don't know) needs a lot of calculation ability. So they sell me Pentium (I'm always attracted by AMD for the prices). The last AMD I had was years ago (AMD K6)... It has huge problem of heat. So I'll take your advise and by an AMD dual core next time. For now I'm afraid to be stuck with my pentium motherboard...The good news is that it is fairly recent (new socket)... so I think HT is possible (It rings a bell somewhere...) Thanks

quote: Originally posted by KQ: What I would like to see though, in the sections (maybe 12.5, maybe 13) is the ability to pick up hatching in walls and plug in objects automatically. mmm... yeah I agree. I'd like the hidden lines "removed" not "hidden".

Totally agree with Pearl.

quote: Originally posted by Sean Flaherty: My intention with those comments in Architosh was to reflect the fact that VectorWorks remains a design-phase application. [...construction ]fall only peripherally on our future path. [...] This does include more and more detailed information about the construction technique inside VectorWorks, but not the construction process itself. I'm also looking at the problem from a Design AND Building point of view. It is very important to be able to design freely and efficiently but also to be able to conduct the phase after. To be more exemplative. if we take the project I mentionned before (50 accommodations). VW helped a lot to generate the "concept"; visualize it, confirm some precise point etc... All the BIM like fonctions were very usefull till the introduction of the plans for the authorisation (a set of 15 A0 with mass implantation, plans, section at scale 1/100). Now that we've entered the "pre call for tendered" phase, pushing the concept further and designing the "constructive" aspect : how the window are (hidden behind the wall), plugged in windows and doors are a litte uneasy to manipulate as our design is not classic (can't easily get them the way we wan't them). So we dropped de "BIM" thing that doesn't not work to well from now on. and started to draw thing entiraly "manually", splitting the files in 2 categories : 3D rendering and objects and 2D detailing. I have no complains, that's basically what we were doing with other softs before we started with VW. But when it comes to future perspectives I'm dreaming of a software that could carry on further after the "design" phase. I haven't tried them yet but I'm eager to test how easy/flexible the new windows are in VW12. We need a program that helps us continue to design things and "invent" details as freely as the overall shape of the building. We do put a lot of strength and effort in the design in our office (more than most we know) but it still represent a very short period in the whole process (let's say for a project like this one that'll last probably 3 years in total, it represents 6 months - a lot more then what others companies do)... So if VW decides to specialise mostly on the design phase, would I need another soft for the rest of the 30 monthes process of my project... I'd rather not. Other people go directly for the option of splitting the desing/building phase and start with Sketch-up for the design and then switch to Allplan or Autocad or Microstation... I like the idea of a unique soft from start to end...

kq, I read somewhere earlier in the post that the section could easily be converted into 2d. so I guess the 2d can then be brought in the design layer for detailing. Or do you mean you'd like it automatized as a reference that would update by itself?

quote: Originally posted by KQ: VectorWorks is no where near the BIM ideal at the present time - there are still a lot of manual non parametric steps to be taken to get production drawings out to satisfy everybody. Its a question of balancing efficiency for profit and efficiency for being state of the art. Personally I'd opt for the profit. Whats the sense in spending 2 days modelling up a building when you could have combined modelling with 2D drafting to get results in 1 day? Hmm yeah... I somehow spent sometime modeling a site with alarge building on top af it last summer. It took quite a lot of time, but then it was very useful to generate tons of section throught the site. Trouble is that it is ok for that scale of detailing (mass approach of the site). you then indeed have to combine with 2D drafting... Also BIM is a very elastic terms right now... I just try to read more to see what has/can be achieved in our field... Also wondered why Sean Flaherty's interview splited the BIM concept into 2 directions, one for VW and the other for Allplan...

I've been surfing quite a lot these days. First I run accidently into a interview that has been given by Sean Flaherty in june (in architosh)about VW desire for the future to stay more on the "design-side of the BIM equation" while Allplan would be more developping the "construction BIM technology". I felt a litle worried by this dichotomization of the job... Then I found some past topics that interested me quite a lot; especially in relation with all the post on VW12 and live sections. One of the topic was posted by G?rard Siero in april this year and intitled "Architects = visual people need visual tools + training"... I found it very interesting for Gerard Comments but also for other people add in about the future direction of VW and various consideration on BIM being a hype... I personnaly find it a very powerfull concept and read NNA white paper on this with interest. I would like to read your comments on this, together as you view on the future perspective of VW.

thanks Nicholas I will check for multiple processor, I'm no sure my motherboard can take it though. i'll try to upgrade the pentium anyway. Li Mei

Hi Peter, If you have Adobe PDF installed you can go in "printer set up" and chose the PDF printer. When you'll print, it'll create PDF files. Li Mei

Hi, I see that you all have Mac's (I have a PC). And very powerfull. I agree with Alanmac, saying that one would never regret having a more powerfull machine. It is so true when you just wait for the machine... I've got 1Giga Ram. I thought it was a lot. But it seems that it doesn't when I read you. I've got a Pentium4 do you think thatadding 1 more G would speed up rendering? I've got problems with the hidden line. I think it is due to the windows (I have a lot). Everything is slower after I add the windows...

"woohoo". I'm very impressed by the demo. Also notice the fact (as said in another topic) that the lines between floors do not appear any more. That's really good. I was also very impressed by the speed of the action. I guess the demo is in "real" time. I runs really smooth. What is the configuration of the computer (it seems to be a mac, what should be the equivalent pc configuration?"

Hi everyone! i haven't made any post since monthes... So the release of VW12 seems a good moment to this first post... (hope you wont find it TOO long) I've of course read all your comments on VW12... and found them all really interesting. So I thougth I could ask a piece of advice : All of us here starded with vw11.5 4 monthes ago. so we're far from expert yet, and on top of this, we had to work very much under the pressure of some awfull deadlines and we could'nt explore the soft as we whished we could. So the fact is that we're still not using the soft as I think it can be used (better). and we still have a lot to learn. Then there is this release of VW12... and we don't know wheter we should consider an upgrade. On the one hand, the acquisition of 11.5 was a big expense for us (we're young, started the office.. etc) and we haven't yet assimilated the software, so why not skip the upgrade and wait for the next release, so in the meantime we can get more use to VW ? On the other hand, since we have to learn it all from scratch, why not make a complementary effort and upgrade to learn it all together. we're anyway setting everything up and this would save time for the future? We aren't old enough for any experience about upgrades. The only comparison we have is the decision to buy VW coming from an Autocad educational background... that was a change of habits.. but I guess upgrades should be easier... So I'd be really please to hear about your experience regarding updates? Does that need a lot of effort ? How long does it take for a whole office to convert (file organisation, old files vs new files?) Do you feel it is better to do it sooner... or later? Then is it better to upgrade with XX.0 version or should you advise to wait till XX.5 version so to let the software some time to mature? I've also read about VW12 requirement 2GHZ seems huge to me, our computer are running with 1GHz and Pentium4 2.8 to 3.2... Lot of people use to say that 11.5 was slow... will VW12 be more demanding (means slower?) Ok. Sorry if this was long. I'm really looking forward to read your comment. Thanks.

Hi! The files print well without the png image. It also prints with the png image (that I use as a background) but excludes the image which is replace by a gray crossed rectangle. This phenomenon is identical whether I do the real print (on the HP) or a simulation (using the Adobe PDF printer) to a pdf file... The PDF file also prints the drawing and a gray crossed rectangle at the back instead of my backround... I don't get it... The Ricoh is a postscript printer, it prints the image non postcript thought (I answer yes when VW prompt for non postscript printing). I've tried printed postscript or non postscript printing when using the Adobe PDF printer... Same result big gray crossed box... I've tried rasterizing the image... same result. I'm currently running various tests. I've realized that the problem is linked to the size of the image. If i scale the image by 0.5 it prints... yet I need it bigger. So it seems to be linked with memory but pdf uses my computer memory (I've got 2G ram and 80G hardisk...) so it can't be that? and the Ricoh prints it well without scaling it down... A3 is smaller than A0 though, so I've tried printed a A3 PDF... still gray box... ... I keep trying and trying... I just don't get it...

Hi, Does anyone have a clue for me to solve the following problem : - I've use an imported imaged (png) as background behind sections. -I've got to printer, a A3 Ricoh laser and an A0 HPDesignjet500. When I send the print on the laser, it comes out perfectly. Then I try the HPDJ500 and the image doesn't print. I've got a big cross on top of a grey box... -I thought first that it was a memory problem. so I tried to print it first in a pdf file. There again the raster doesn't come out. any idea welcome... have been searching for hours... i'm getting pretty discouraged...

Hi Robert, I've been working day and night lately so didn't had time here... To answer your questions : 1) No problem doing it per object in one file..., just did not feel like going through all the referenced file.(It is not only for mapping, but also setting classes... etc..) lot of time waisting... As for now I've decided to go Islandmon's way (I've posted the question in Renderwork few days ago): unreferencing the stuff while keeping them in the client file as a copy 2) Task Manager. I shall send the file. Huge. Do you have an ftp? best. Li Mei

Great idea! Thank you! Li Mei

HI! Does Any body has a better way of doing this? - Say I have a file with 8 referenced layers from 8 different files. 1 file is for the site (DTM model), the 7 others for the floors. - In all layers I create objects by using their class attribues. - In my final file, I reference all the layers to obtain a 3D model. I create a model view in a local layer with all the layers linked. - then I want to use RW in that final file to render my model. So I assign texture to each classes : DTM triangle class is assigned a grass texture with an jpg image. Walls classes are assign with a jpg image of bricks... and so on. - Now the problem is that I cannot map the textures on e.g. the wall because my walls (that are on the referenced layers) are locked. So I cannot go in the Render tab and use the "mapping". Therefore the jpg never match the object and the rendering is very bad. - The only way I've found to do is to assign the texture to the object in the original file. Then it appears correctly mapped in the client file. The problem is that if I have to do so : 1) it is a lot of work as I have to do it per objects in all the referenced files. 2) That ruins the whole concept of the class attribute by creation. ... Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!