Mark McCay-Moran

I've got lots of Callouts in VP Annotation mode. Is there any way to add these to my Callout Database? Seems counterintuitive, but the Text to Database command seems to only work with Text objects not Callouts. Even though I can add them to a Callout Database rather than the Notes Database. I've tried pasting callouts into a Design Layer from Annotations, no joy. Also, even with Text objects, the Text to Database command doesn't seem to recognize text in VP Annotation mode. If there's some easy way to do this that I'm missing, please straighten me out. cheers, mmm

I believe that Sketch-up also has "fore-aft" line wt control. More important than "lines closer are thicker" is the concept of shallow vs. deep relief in accurately showing the depth of an edge condition. I don't know if its just me, but I can't get the polygon by lasso to work right in VPs and SVPs. This is a work around that I use to good effect in Design layers. Control of 3d linewts would dramatically reduce drafting time for me! I'm a perfectionist when it comes to using line wts to accurately and artistically describe elements in space. Maybe its cause I'm just old enough to fondly remember co-workers commenting on my good "hand." cheers, mmm

I've also seen this (and tend to use a lot of key board commands including the boomerang pan). Only since VW12. For the longest time I thought I was inadvertently hitting the u-key coming from another tool. But there's no way that I've been doing this consitently and only since moving from 11.5. I usually have inter-scaling on, so now when grabbing handles to resize and getting no response, I automatically hit the u-key to toggle back. I have no idea what triggers this. I'll start trying to pay attention when it happens. May be right about the boomerang tool, I use it a lot: space-drag for pan, space-arrow for pan by screen and my favorites space-vx2 and space-cx2 (double tapping v or c for zoom out or in). C key is the old legacy zoom out tool that I can't live without. cheers, mmm

Any word on work arounds or solutions to this problem? I got a project file (on a major deadline, of course!) with lots and lots of keynotes. I can deal with the scale issue on the legend, but the slow downs are killing me. In viewport "annotations" simple actions like panning or moving an object will hang VWA for several minutes at a time. Not consistent though. It would take many hours to convert all of the keynotes to conventional callouts so I keep limping along, but at this point I'm working around the clock and still don't think I'll make my deadline. Another symptom: cursor (usually) flickers while stalled. Help! Cheers, mmm

Thanks Michael, that is so cool! Would have never even thought to mod the mullions prior to using custom sashs. In fact could never figure out what that window part did. Tool doesn't work like I would want it to. No line wt control through view tab, adds mullion without jamb or shim, doesn't add trim over mull. VWA needs to differentiate btwn ganged windows (jamb fastened to jamb at factory) grouped windows (separate windows with framing element(s) btwn--often designed as a "whole" i.e. arched transoms, and custome windows structural mullion designed into window frame (like what setting mullion and custom sashes does now). Of these, the latter is the least used, the first is common and can be achieved with work arounds, the second is common (for me) and can't be done to my satisfaction. Although I think I can work around this now by adding jamb width and shim space and figuring that into the Mullion width (then show the framing member and add 2d lines/polgons for line wt.) Thanks for the tip, please comment on anything you can add. cheers, mmm

Fred Stitt is a great resource. However, the CONDOC notes numbering, no matter how great the idea was, has slowly but surely been abandoned by all the practicing architects that I know (if it was ever adopted in the first place). I appreciate bclydeb's comments. Always easy to spot the architects that have either done construction themselves or have spent a lot of time in the field interacting with the trades (I think its easy for the builder's to spot too!). We're all looking for the most clear cut way of relaying information to the builder. Having said that, I think there's a lot of room for improvement int the way that VWA implements notes/callouts. cheers, mmm

I wish custom sash option had a way to leave structural mulls between windows like this, very useful. There are actually quite a few common "groupings" (rather than ganged windows) that VWA has trouble showing and scheduling properly. cheers, mmm

There's lots of things I'd like to be able to modify globally when it comes to doors and window, ID tags being one of them. The eye-dropper tool works when set with "modify plug-in parameters" (or something like that), but changes SIZES/CONFIG of doors/wnds too! More work than editing individually.

Please, please. BM at least and hopefully other quality paints like Pratt and Lambert, Pitsburgh etc.

I have created an "~all on" and "~all off" saved views as a work around. The tilde keeps them at the bottom of the list. Unfortunately, new classes and layers need to be added to these views as created, and some imported objects create classes. cheers, mmm

Similar issue: occasionally stretching a palette (OIP,RB, NAV) while working on my PB with external monitor, when at home (shouldn't be working so much at home!) the PB display is not large enough to access bottom of palette to re-stretch. Being at max res (1280x854) there's no way to reset temporarily. I have to wait til I'm back at the office. For a while I got used to the size required to avoid this, but with the 12.0.1 change in OIP for windows PIOs (longer requiring scrolling if not stretched out) I find I'm again forgetting to down size my OIP before heading home. Inconvenient.

Peter, I place all Keynote callouts in viewports as you do. However, the "legend" that is placed on the sht layer is frequently out of scale (not intially, but when re-visiting the sht layer where placed). It seems a legit bug as it reverts to correct scale when editing margin handle or changing font. Happens in all my files. I figured everybody is working around this. Not seeing it? Maybe its a more specific issue. TIA, mmm

Hi David, All I can say is ARRRRRG! I haven't given up on the wireless network (I like being able to plot from my laptop at the conference room table!) Still I feel like I'm "nursing" the plotter, not to mention the time, paper and ink I've wasted when its not working! My backup is a 25' USB cable that I connect directly when I can't afford to mess around (most of the time). Unfortunately I plot from at least 3 different computers and with all my high tech gadgets, its decidedly low tech to string a cable across the room! cheers, mmm

Nobody using this? Seems like a nice feature.

Thanks for the info! Finally got a chance to try this out and to my dismay no grayed layers or hatches plot! Bummer, its tedious to go andset DOC PREFS to B&W each time I plot (and sometimes I forget). cheers, mmm

I'm now storing project files on a server and to avoid confusion regarding current (and plotted) versions, I've placed a Data Stamp object on a Design Layer that contains my title block. This is added to Sheet Layers via viewports. The stamp only updates by selecting it and changing an attribute in the OIP. I assumed it would update automatically. Am I wrong? Any tips on how to use this feature effictively? Thanks, mmm

EJ, I'm not following. I thought ColorSync had to do with monitor profiling. How do you access the "Copies&Pages" and how does this help with B&W plots? TIA, mmm

Interesting, I have similar symptoms but only when printing over my wireless network (through an Airport Extreme Base Station) which uses the ethernet port. When plotting over the USB port, flawless. This is an intermittent problem for me and seems to clear up temporarily after resetting the base station. Since the problem is intermittent, its hard to say if the ABS reset is really helping or if the plotter happens to prints with more consistently for some other reason (i.e. luck). My files are native VWA 12 running OSX 10.4.4. HP DJ 120nr. Also, the plotter will stall for a while before spitting out the uncompleted sht. then the HP info panel shows the "wrench" icon (call HP). I spent quite a bit of time with HP (paid support) a few months ago and never resolved.

I don't believe Jake's technique works anymore with VW12. Wnd schedules generate info from the DATA tab within WINDOW SETTINGS rather that the DATA tab in the Object Info Palette. Cheers, mmm

I've placed the Custom Selection 2 menu item from the Workspace Editor into the appropriate menu. Its in the "Legacy" subfolder. Tool is still very useful (I like how it tells how many items and "pre-selects" possible subcatagories with pull down menus). Some functions are awkwarkly slow. I wish it would continue to be developed. cheers, mmm

Robert, could you give me a better hint as to where I might find this extremely valuable plug-in? Thanks, mmm

The fact that door and window objects become "one" with the wall forces tedious manual entry for elements that would be nice to change globally. Even with the great (although apparently abandoned) Custom Selection 2 that alows searching inside containers (groups, walls, symbols), once the command is completed one always gets "at least one item is part of a wall, group, or symbol and cannot be individually selected"

I should warn users that in existing files that already have "simple swing" doors, to change the name to "swing" will force you to select all the doors and change to the new name in the OIP. You can duplicate the PIO in the Plug-In editor and play around with the copy. mmm

Yes, I like the components but can't use them unless the dimension is to face of stud. I'm experimenting with a Styled wall called 2x6 stud that has only a 5 1/2 wall component then afer dimensioning replacing with a styled wall with full components. Haven't finished that job yet, so we'll see.

You can modify those names with the TOOLS>SCRIPTS>Plug-in editor. Select DOOR pio, PARAMETERS, edit the "config" line and choose the wording you like from CHOICES. Those names will now show up in SETTINGS and schedules. cheers, mmm