Jeffrey W Ouellette

Check out the BIM in Practice pages of the website: http://www.nemetschek.net/bim/index.php

Has anyone submitted this as a bug with an example file? http://www.nemetschek.net/support/bugsubmit.php

Wow, Leave you guys alone for a few days and you come up with some real doozies... . Rub?n, VWX is just an reflection/alliteration? of Vectorworks. Please don't read too much into it. XML is a file format that VW uses to store preference files. More research is needed to understand using XML schemas to exchange relevant BIM/CADD/file data. XML schemas are NOT universal or interchangable. gbXML is NOT the same as ifcXML. They use the same syntax, but not the same content.

Anders, Are you sure you want to change the text rotation angle while in rotated plan mode? What everyone needs to understand is that the rotated plan mode is NOT meant to be an "AutoCAD-like" UCS system. It was meant to be a temporary VIEW rotation mechanism to facilitate drafting/modeling at multiple, non-orthogonal angles. The user should ultimately always return to the absolute, or 0 degree, view.

Bill, Please submit a bug. This should not be happening. http://www.nemetschek.net/support/bugsubmit.php

Yes.

David, Bite your tongue!! VW is a "true" BIM package. Contrary to what others may think or tell you, the differences between BIM authoring packages are NOT that fundamentally different. Some exploit certain features/workflows more effectively than others, but in general, they all work toward the same purpose/goal.... information modeling. That means, not just 3D, not just automated drawings, but an integrated, virtual construction where geometry understands "what" it is, "where" it is and has relevant data attached to it. I don't know of any of our competitors that "automatically" fill in all the details. This is NOT a requirement of BIM. I think that there is a misunderstanding between what "detail" means in the BIM vs. an architect's expectation of detail is. In many cases, you can control the level of modeled parts in a BIM, where more parts make it a more detailed model and thus get richer automated views. But even with a more robust modeled BIM, the level of construction detail needs to be controlled by the user/designer/architect in a separate view. In all cases, the user supplements the automated sections/views with 2D linework and notation to create the drawing details everyone is familiar with. Why? If you literally modeled every piece and part of a building, all the way down to flashing and fasteners, you would have an extremely large model and incomprehensibly complex database to manipulate (read: REALLY BIG=REALLY SLOW). Then, you would have to determine the best automated notation (notes/dimensions) system to further enhance views (details, plans, sections, wall sections, etc..). The best BIM system give the user the power of the information modeling and the flexibility of drawing, when needed. Until the requirement (and need) for paper CDs is completely eliminated, the power of drawing will be very important to the transmission of information from the designer to the rest of the world.

Tad, I would offer that using the wall tool is really the best way to handle foundations and footings. In the end they aren't any different than most above ground monolithic walls and can be reshaped and connected to database functions accordingly. Typically, my own experience has been that footings are poured first and then stem walls/foundation walls second. They are connected by reinforcing and sometimes a keyway. I say, model it as close to reality as you can...

Bruce, This does appear to be the case. I would add to the Wishlist forum a desired Polyline mode and offset behavior for your desires. I understand your issue and see its relevance, especially for road layout.

Instead of filling in the Quick Reply at the bottom of the page, select the "Reply" button within this post. A new page will open up. There you can add a message AND, if you'll notice, there is a "File Manager" link that will allow you to attach files.

Lucylou, Can you post the file?

Try looking at the BIM sample projects: http://www.nemetschek.net/bim/projects.php Alexandria Lofts is a single file setup. Ellicott Heights is large multi-file setup. I believe that if you use a fully integrated modeling approach, then it is not necessary to divide a project up into as many pieces as most people do in a "drafting" workflow. In a 2D drafting workflow in which the views of a building are not really connected in any way, dividing a project into Plan vs. Section vs. Elevation is a "divide and conquer" methodology that I call a "division of labor". That is, it takes a lot of labor to produce end result drawings because each drawing is entirely independent collection of lines. In an integrated modeling workflow, as a user "builds" the model, the foundation of the drawings are simply views (top/plan or section viewport). Less time is spent constructing the view, in addition to the needed annotations. In this way a project can be less fractured, in terms of number of files, and any division may be by discipline or expertise/knowledge (arch, struct, MEP, exterior, interior, core, etc.).

Could be an origin issue? Check to see where the X,Y origins are in each of the source files and the main project file. By default, the workgroup reference "inserts" so that 0,0 from each file aligns.

Manfredi, Use the "Create Reports" command instead. You should see the default standard Door and Window Schedules there.

Mike, Submit a bug for the "fake wall" in the Window PIO Settings Dialog. This should not be happening. File another regarding the way extra lines are showing between closely spaced windows. In addition to filing the bugs, I'll be sure to bring this topic to the attention of an engineer. The bug submittal from you is very important as it generates an official, properly channeled "paper trail". The glazing in a door IS handled by setting both the INT/EXT panels to be a glass styled class. Make sure they are set to the same class. They make look a little darker than other glazed objects using the same glazing class. The sidelights for doors are controlled by the Transom Glass settings (I know, I know, doesn't exactly make a lot of sense, but is the case, for now). I would be sure that all your viewports have their class settings set to revert back to their original (global) settings. I almost never use white as a fill color for objects that I wish to view in 3D rendered modes. I can never seem to get it to look right. Try using the lightest grey colors or very feint off-whites from one of the new expanded color palettes. I'll ask Dave Donley (our Rendering Guru Engineer) for his opinion.

Give me time to check that out. He's working on version 12.5.2. I'm in 2009. I've got to dig for answers.

Scott, Look in the Design Series Vectorworks online help manual for "Creating a Referenced Design Layer Viewport". Starting with version 2008, VW now has a referencing scheme that is more reflective of how AutoCAD XREFs work.

Scott, Are you using Fundamentals, Architect or Designer?

Matt, With VW2008 & 2009, the other option is to simply import the AutoCAD file, as is, as a separate "reference" file, then create a DLVP in your desired project document to point to this AutoCAD "reference" file. That way none of the AutoCAD layer/class names are imported, you can draw over the top of them as needed and if the info changes, you simple re-import the AutoCAD data into the "reference" file, save and update the project file reference link.

Bruce, Unless I misunderstood the problem, from what I can tell in examining your file, VW2009 is able to work perfectly well. I opened your file in VW 2009, selected the road centerlines, and offset them (pick-drag) on top of the road edge you had drawn. The new offset lines matched perfectly. The new Parasolid engine adds much greater fidelity to 2D offsets and boolean operations.

Mike, I think for the best results you need to go back into the model and select the windows and doors and adjust the "Special Classes" under the "View" tab of the "Settings..." dialog. Note there is also a pull-down for "Glazing". Then, I would adjust the global class attribute settings for the Style classes assigned to these parts and try to re-render. You should get better results.

Frank, This shouldn't be happening in SP3 of VW2008. It looks like a Window PIO setting error/bug. Can you post the file?

Jim, This shouldn't happen. I would submit a bug and get both the 2008 and 2009 versions of the file to us. http://www.nemetschek.net/support/bugsubmit.php

Grant, VW2009 has not been explicitly re-engineered as a 64-bit application, but will work in 64-bit OS environments.

Ben, As I said before, it can. You can pick any pre-defined shape or create your own profiles.