ThreeDot

Christiaan, Why are you waiting for the next release? Is it imminent?

I appreciate the mention of CUPS -- I did forget about that capability -- but I do need something that is a bit more automated. I've contacted my local vendor about PrintCapture and Sepialine but both may be non-starters if the shortcoming ionw mentioned are true. I need to monitor several USB-connected printers (demerit PrintCapture) and don't have a PC in my Mac-based office (demerit Sepialine).

Hi. Not a Vectorworks-specific question, but can someone recommend OS X print tracking software that will allow me to assign project codes to printed documents. Thanks.

Exactly my point. I too use the Move by Points tool constantly; it's the go-to tool when I need to move something accurately and, apart from the broken option-duplicate function, it is reliable for that purpose. But try also using the duplicate feature, and switching back and forth between the two. The simplicity and reliability of moving by points is lost. If I'm not concentrating on whether my last move was a simple point-point move, or a duplicate, or a distribute, I'm likely to get the wrong mode. Time and time again I change the options to duplicate, say, 20 items then go on working. A little later, I zoom in an activate my trusty Move by Points tool only to realize that off screen I've just created 20 duplicates. So I undo, change options, zoom in, and move again. The tool is only reliable and simple if you don't ever change any of its settings or active additional features. Brilliant! And, even more frustrating is that nearly all the tools in the VW palette have a similar modal function. Pick a tool, mirror. You can't mirror an object without (a) remembering if your last mirror was a regular mirror or a duplicate mirror or (b) taking your eyes off your drawing to look up at the tool bar. ThreeDot

Unfortunately, you are correct. The Move by Points tool is junk, and even more so since SP3 broke the option-duplicate function. You can half use the tool in one mode, or another, but it is impossible to switch back and fourth with any reliability. I cannot help but think it is one thing to be saddled with legacy tools, developed and implemented years ago, that Nemetschek feels has a certain responsibility to maintain (they don't) and another thing altogether to devise and develop a new tool, from scratch, that completely misunderstands modern lessons of usability and non-modal interaction, and is wholly unusable. ThreeDot

Hello, A silly but annoying problem. I recently re-installed VectorWorks 2008 on a new computer and accidentally mistyped the firm name when entering my information. Is there a way to correct this typo without re-installing VectorWorks? Is there an editable text or XML file that VW references for this information? Thanks

Agreed. And, it's incredibly inefficient to toggle between a simple move, duplicate, or distribute. Many times have I zoomed in to move an object only to zoom out and see many copies spread across the sheet. When you're in the move tool, there is no convenient way to tell if it will move or duplicate or distribute the object on your next click. Like most tools in VW,I find the move tool horribly modal and inefficient. I constantly find myself pausing to check if a tool will do A or B in a particular case. The VW designers really need to stop and learn how to design a non-modal interface. ThreeDot

After a few minutes of use I noticed two problems with my update. 1. Holding down the option key while using the Move by Points tool no longer creates a duplicate. 2. When VectorWorks is in the foreground and I command-tab to bring a background application forward, the application icon overlay appears but the application does not come forward. -- Update -- The command-tab problem has gone away. The option/duplicate problem persists. Too bad. ThreeDot

I remember seeing a thread about managing sketches (SKs) in VectorWorks. For the life of me I cannot find that discussion using the forum search or Google. Maybe it never happened... Anyway, I'm looking for advice on how people manage SKs. Mine are usually 8.5x11 drawings clipped from the larger drawing in question. Sometimes I draw over it in VW and send it as a PDF. Sometimes I print and hand sketch over it and send it as a fax. In either case, I'd like to maintain a VW copy for reference in addition to the PDF or paper copy. Thanks, ThreeDot

Sorry, the Move by Points tool.

Perhaps tangential, or not... The move tool options are crap. Moving an item and moving/duplicating multiple items are two totally different functions. I constantly use the move tool to move a single object (or group of objects) from point A to B. On occasion I need multiple duplication which requires toggling a bunch of options. The next time I try to use the move tool in 'standard' mode from A to B I get multiple copies that I must undo, change options, and move again. These functions should be split into separate tools or made easier to adjust on the fly. ThreeDot

I've set up a custom ColorSync filter that *should* allow me to convert all color data in VW to black, while retaining gray data as gray. This is something that VectorWorks "Black & White" does not allow. Here is a screenshot of the filter in the ColorSync Utility: I can't get it to work correctly. This filter seems to convert RGB data to Gray. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thanks, ThreeDot

Like this: PDF

I would like to see this on the VW wish list, but without a checkbox. What's the problem with just doing it the way AutoCAD does? Any symbol object assigned to the None class AND set to inherit class attributes would be subject to class inheritance. All other objects on other classes or with specific attributes assigned would be unaffected. No need to add more toggles, buttons, or whatzits. Matt

AutoCAD has a very simple way to deal with this very problem. Create a block (symbol) on the 0 layer and mark all attributes as "By Layer"; these will automatically inherit attributes from the current layer. Assign a specific color, line weight, dash style, etc. for any object in the block that you want to remain fixed; that is, not assume the active layer attributes. This allows all "By Layer" objects to be flexible while fixing other attributes that have been specifically defined. Matt

Oh, wait. I see how it works...stupid me. It's that AutoCAD stank on my sleeve which prevented me from seeing how VW does it. That, and I can't even spell inheritence [sic] correctly. *Sigh* Thanks, Matt

So, Katie, is that true? While technically the symbol (i.e., the invisible container) assumes the attributes of the class it resides on, those attributes are not transferred to the objects contained inside. Therefore, there is no obvious, visual change to the symbol. Please clarify. Thanks, Matt

So, the container takes on the active class attributes but the objects contained inside do not. There is no transference. A symbol is nothing without the sum of its parts, so... that contradicts Katie's response, no? Matt

The attributes are as you say, with little swooshy arrows. I know the message about class attributes (No, No Always, Yes Always, Yes). In general I always select "Yes Always", but that did not appear in this particular operation. Matt

My procedure is this: 1. Start on the "None" class with all attributes set to "Class Style". The "None" class, in fact all classes, are set to "Use at Creation". 2. Draw a 2D shape and "Create Symbol...". 3. Assign a symbol name and select "Leave Instance in Place" in the Create Symbol dialog box. 5. Double click to edit the new symbol. Confirm that it exists on the "None" layer and all attributes are set to "Class Style". 6. Exit the symbol edit mode. 7. Move the symbol from class to class to test. The Attributes palette shows the correct class attributes for the symbol (stoke, fill, etc.) but the symbol is visually unchanged. What am I doing wrong? Thanks, Matt

Is is possible for 2D symbols to inherit class properties? I assumed that if I created them on the "None" layer and set all attributes to "Class Style", this would work. It doesn't. Thanks, Matt

I've been experimenting with the Callout Tool in VectorWorks 2008 and have experienced an odd behavior. On a Design Layer, the tool works as expected. While drawing, a preview is displayed. The resultant size of note more or less matches the preview. However, when in a viewport annotation on a Sheet Layer, the Callout Tool preview is very, very small. The resultant text is the correct size, but the leader is way out of proportion. Has any one else experienced this problem? Image Thanks, Matt -- PowerMac Dual G5 2.0Ghz, OS X 10.4.10

The whois for VectorWorks2008.net points to Nemetschek North America and their domain servers. A joke on themselves, hilarious!

AutoDesk now requires that users purchase either AutoCAD+Desktop or AutoCAD+Revit. You can no longer purchase a plain vanilla AutoCAD subscription. I'm only guessing, but it seems that this, more than anything, allows them to say to their share holders and the industry that this year they've sold x number of BIM licenses, whether they used are using it or not is irrelevant. Our office for example now has dozens of unused (and paid for) Revit licenses. ThreeDot

And FormZ.