poesy

Do the classes and layers have the same names? Wall Furnishing Electrical Plumbing Lighting I only need these for simple interior projects so far. It is a good selection to start with but I am not certain whether it is classes or layers that I would work with.. Do floors go together with walls?

Thanks, I will work on that and not give up!

I have been struggling to understand the best use of classes eversince I started with VW. Due a few bad experience with the distinction between classes and layers, I became terrified with the option Show/Snap/Modify Others. Sometimes things become invisible and I would redraw objects/walls, et cetera. During the completion of my drawings, I find mysterious/unexpected objects floating about because I had duplicated things out of pure confusion. When I resort to using only Show/Snap Others, it becomes really inconvenient. Hence have completely stopped trying with different classes or layers. I am not sure where I went wrong with understanding the basics. This thread is a little helpful for the hopeful me. I am trying to revive the courage to get into the right thinking cap of how classes and layers work, yet again. While I am still working on my own with small remodelling projects, it is safe to learn it now before business picks up and I have to share drawings with a bigger team. What are the few thumb rules that differentiate classes from layers? What are the functions? atari2600 has asked some right questions that probed me to rethinking my deeply embedded fears with classes and layers.. I agree with johnharley about learning from examples.. preferably with a realistic project, and not just with simple objects like spheres, cubes and cylinders as in the manuals.. archoncad has given a few simplified rules that is clueing me in.. .. BUT I STILL FEEL TOO PARALYZED IN UNDERSTANDING!! And I do find the nesting so annoying as it is so inconvenient to move from one class/layer to another.. When it comes to having drawings of demolition and new, I simply have separate drawing for them. One saved as original site and another saved under another name after I have changed things around. I am new to drawing with the computer, and VW is the very first cad program I have ever properly attempted on my own (had very limited experience with AutoCAD many years ago, forgotten everything). Some say that I am lucky to start without the prior AutoCAD knowledge, some would disagree... Please help me with my fear of classes and layers..

OK I changed the rotate field to 0 degrees in Obj Info. Somehow it was at 90 degrees, that was why it always snap to wall on right angles..

My window symbol is being quite disobedient.. but I have been using them by first placing them by the wall then nudging them in.. which means during a 3D view, the windows look like they are buried in the wall.. I don't understand..

I reconfigured a window symbol and created a new symbol from it. When I try to insert it, it doesn't snap to wall. Instead, whenever I mouse-over the wall with the window symbol, it places itself in a right angle to the wall. So far I have been placing the window symbol near a wall and nudging it into the wall. When I select the symbol, the object info doesn't indicate that it is a symbol in wall. Just wondering what I have done wrong. Is there a better way to do this?

I have been using both my iBook and PowerBook to work on VW. The iBook is definitely a lot less powerful to run a few programs at the same time, but it enables me to work on site travelling due to the size and weight. If I were to make another purchase, it would definitely be for another PB!!

When the system crashes, where do we find the recovered files? I can only get to last saved... At what stage does VW Backup does the saving? Is the default location always on desktop?

Is there a way to make the text appear in the correct place when I change to a 3D view? I tried to extrude the text box so that it can be given a value-Z, but it doesn't work. Any suggestions? For simply naming rooms in the plan...

I checked out FormFonts and it is great. Hopefully they will have more VW symbols in the near future..

I want to tile a wall with stone cladding. How do I do that? I found stone tiles in my Object Library but they seem to only work on floors.

Ok thanks Alan!

This portal is a great place to learn and share knowledge. So glad I found it!

Glad to have found this thread. Learning, learning... Thanks for the useful tips!

Oh excellent! You give such great instructions! Will try it out and be back shortly..

I was told it was possible to span my screens.

Okay I managed with the window and door glazings. It was as simple as I remembered it. I think I was trying to do that on a drawing created by VW10.5, if that makes any sense to why it didn't work no matter how much I have tried to adjust the Object Info palette. As for the wall finishes, no matter what colour I apply, they still appear grey/brown with lighting and black without lighting. That's really unfortunate! Many thanks for your tips.

I think it didn't work because the original drawing was created on VW10.5. Does that make any sense? Thanks for your tip!

1. I think I got the site by drawing on side view and extrude! Do I put it in a class of its own? 2. How do I get the floor slabs to rest on the correct height of the site? 3. Are slabs and walls on different layers for each different levels? Thanks! I appreciate your patience.

Sorry I am not getting any of this to put it to work. There is a separate thread in ARCHITECT where I posted up the same question titled "Setting the foundation off a cliff". I got a simpler answer there and am trying to apply it. How do I merge the discussion? Sorry for doing repeats in two separate boards, I am new but eager to learn and understand more.

Will try this out. Thanks islandmon!

Hi Jim, Thanks for your tips. I will try them out. Yes, I have been accused of wanting to run before I could really walk. It is just that when I was in the NNA training class, I was able to do many wonderful things with the guidance of the instructor. However, I can't be sure now what I remember was from VW or RW (as I sat in for both classes). I am pretty sure though that a lot of things was possible with just VW. For instance, I knew how to create some 3D symbols which now I seem to have forgotten. And when I do, I keep losing them because I save them in the wrong places. (This I shall read up and try again or save it for another thread).. I just need practice..

Thanks Peter for your guidance. It sounds a little less intimidating now although I have yet to tackle the problem. To be case specific, this building has already been erected and cut into the slope, hence your suggestion to do the MODEL>EXTRUDE sounds the most viable. What I have been doing so far has been similar, I draw the plans of Level 1 and 2 on one layer, EXTRUDE each respective levels to their correct height, but am stuck stacking Levels 3 and 4 above it. This is a refurbishment of a very old residential home (with very old plans) and there will be an additional 'mezzanine' added at a height between Level 2 and 3 (accessible from Level 3). The 'mezzanine' was originally a small balcony, which will be expanded and rebuilt as an ensuite bathroom cum walk-in. Here is where I get really worked up over the layering. I have yet to explore on how layer link works. It is fortunate I am still ahead of deadline, at least for now. Looking at the bright side of this, I do not think I need to learn how to generate a DTM yet as the slope has been cut into steps accomodating the existing old house. It sounds really frightening. I will retry it by 'faking' for now. Again! I recently traveled all the way to Nemetschek NA to train up and I thought it would be really impressive if I could use what I have learnt for this project. So far I have drawn it from scratch 3 times and have gotten demotivated. It was a godsent that I found some support here, therefore I am determined to persevere. Thank you very much. If there is anymore tips to tackle my predicament, please help.

Thanks islandmon! I have tried this with the default window and door symbols in the VW Architect's Sampler several times for the last fortnight but nothing seem to work. Even copied all the settings of the same symbols from the Training CD. And yes, I have seen renderings done without RenderWorks and feel that it would suffice for my presentations. Would like to know exactly how to maximise that. Will attempt it again. If anyone could give me a step-by-step, I would most appreciate it!

Thanks Chris, I am not sure I understand it all but will give it a try. Before I do that, I need to go through what you just suggested.. 1. "Your site should have its own layer.Then set up a layer for retaining walls.a layer for split slab " So I name layers.. SITE, WALLS, FLOOR (for the split slabs?).. 2. "(Keep the split slabs that are joined by one set of steps on the same layer,you can adjust and move the upper slab up in front view)etc." So its Level 1 and 2, joined by a small flight of steps. On 3D it should look like two flat horizontal slabs? (What I have tried before was to extrude the higher level into a block.. so it looked like a flat slab and a block).. 3. "For the site slope,try a simple approach first use 3D loci XYZ points and the convert DTM.Use classes to define objects within layers.Separate classes for existing ground level,Cut,fill steps, ramps etc.. Tip...Although layer links stack layers, you can unlock them in the Model and move then up and down in the model" This sounds really frightening. I am not getting it, but will try. 4. In what sequence do you tackle a drawing like that? Site first, then slabs, then floor, then stairs, then wall? Thanks a lot for your patience. It is indeed a mindful for me. Poesy