[Electrical Symbols in Spotlight]

These features and symbols are part of Architect and Designer only.

[Speaker Array Tool]

@DeJaVu With Vectorworks 2021 importing speakers is no longer necessary and you can use detailed symbol geometry if you need to show all the details of the speaker.

 

[Had some questions on accurate Photometrics]

Check the values we have in our symbols. We assume a certain lamp type when we create the symbol and use the data that is available when we created the fixture. I know that some specifications have changed over the years and manufacturers have correct/updated their specification.

We have verified that that calculations we report are correct based on the methods in  Robert C. Mumm's Photometrics Handbook 2nd Edition.

The manufacturer's report probably uses actually measurements so they will always be more accurate.

[Had some questions on accurate Photometrics]

Make sure the data you are supplying the Vectorworks symbol is in candle power or peak candella, not Lux, Lumen or some other value. (It does NOT use the value from the VW light emitter.)

With that said Vectorworks uses a very simple cosine squared falloff calculation based on the distance from the source.

It does not take into account dimmer value, color, shadows, reflections or any other objects in the drawing.

[A3d Patch from ETC]

You can contact support but I think we only support 1 or 2 version back for the educational version.

ETC will have to update the plug-in to be compatable with the current version.

[Lighting Pipe/fixture insertion question]

Set the profile to Square (or Hexagon). When the profile is round there are about 32(?) faces of the circle that you can snap to, when it's Square there are 4 faces, Hexagon will give you 6 faces. Tick marks are just for marks along the length of the pipe.

[Spotlight- Instruments insertion problems.]

Try starting with a blank file rather than from the template file.

[fixture ID]

Fixture ID was removed from the OIP because it was being used incorrectly and sending incorrect data to Vision and other applications. Users assumed that the Fixture ID in Vectorworks operated the same as the FID in the grandMA console.

The Vectorworks Fixture ID allowed users to filter the Fixture Mode popup. We have added search capability to the Fixture Mode popup so the Fixture ID filed is no longer necessary.

You should be using the Vectorworks Channel as the FID or FixtureID.

Visualizer data mapping

[Vision 2021 SP2.1 - UPDATE]

We released Vision 2021 SP2.1 today.

The primary focus with this service pack was to add support for MA-Net3 and the grandMA3 viz-key.

The connection requires the latest version of the grandMA3 or the onPC software and some additional steps to setup and configure.

For additional information about connecting grandMA3 with Vision 2021 SP2.1 click HERE

If you encounter any problems connecting Vision with the grandMA3 or grandMA3 onPC using the viz-key please let us know.

 

The grandMA3 viz-key is available from your local MA distributor.

 

This service pack also includes multiple improvements and fixes in the following areas:

• The Disguise and Absolute DMX Cameras DMX patch will be maintained and will automatically disabled when a document is opened to allow proper navigation.
• GDTF fixtures that use default geometry will not display properly in Vision.
• Vision fixtures with customized gobo and color data are stored and recalled properly form the V3S file.
• Issues editing with multiple selected objects have been fixed.

 

This Service Pack is available for all licenses as a downloadable updater. To install the Service Pack, please select "Check for Updates" from the Vision menu (Mac) or Help menu (Windows).

[Spotlight cable tool wish list]

@Geddy This is possible with the new cable tools. Cable types are independent of connector type and you can add connectors to the list if we don't include them by default.

[Help with executing the tool command]

All tools require a click in the drawing, menu commands can be run without clicking in the drawing.

[DMX Connectivity Articles]

We have seen the same problem before on the ETC offline software.

We are not quite sure why it happens but it appears that some software sees there is not valid network address and then doesn't broadcast the data over the network or it's internal communication protocol requires multiple valid IP addresses.

The easiest solution we have found is to connect it to a router that will give it an IP address. It doesn't need to be connected to the intranet, just a router or other device that will be able to distribute IP addresses.

Vision listens to all interfaces for for data, so if it's being broadcast Vision should see it.

[How to get parameter values from SDK objects]

@Sam Jones "Load Trim" is the localized name, the call should be

 ok := GetLocalizedPluginParameter('BrxHoist', 'LoadTrim', localName2);

 

You can get the parameter values or record information form SDK objects the same way you get them form VS objects.

Easiest way to see the parameters is using Debug List View or you can see the parameters if you make a worksheet that looks at the hoist.

 

If you want to do it in code you would.

NumFields (BrxHoist Record)

For I := 1 to numfileds

       FieldName = GetField(BrxHoist Record,I)

       GetLocalizedPluginParameter('BrxHoist', 'FieldName', localName);

[Hide Cable Extra Label]

Please try the New Cable Suite - Preview Features and post your comments in the forum.

[Spotlight cable tool wish list]

Please try the New Cable Suite - Preview Features and post your comments in the forum.

[people in vectorworks]

Take a look in the Resource Manager in Objects - Miscellaneous_Entourage\Entourage People

I think the location is the same in 2018.

[Video Camera Tool Link]

This was considered in the original design but there some technical restrictions that preventing us from setting up the link this way. It may be possible in the future and it is on our wish list too.

[Lights not working in VW2020]

There are a few things that can make this happen only in Renderworks because OpenGL does not use some of these options.

Usually there is something very close to the light that is blocking the light.

1. Each light has it's own cast shadow option. If it's turned on then geometry will cast shadows. (Obvious, but keep reading...)

2. Each Texture has it's own Cast and Receive shadow options for Renderworks. So there is a second level of shadows at work on the object level.

3. Objects without a texture will always cast a shadow, so if there is an object in front the light that does not have a texture non-shadow casting texture assigned it will block the light. Objects will usually cast shadows in openGL but not completely block the light.

 

You can put lights in a symbol and the symbol will have an additional brightness control. You can NOT put a Spotlight lighting device in a symbol and have it work. Lighting devices must be unique instances in the drawing.

[DMX viewer does not work with sACN]

Try setting the Vision DMX provider to sACN, quitting Vision and then relaunching, then opening the DMX viewer.

I think I have seen issues where the DMX viewer doesn't work when you change DMX providers.

 

[Update Problems]

@AlexSawaya I suspect your dongle may have died. They will probably give you some additional steps to try but if you want a quick answer and you have time it's best to phone support.

[Update Problems]

@AlexSawaya Please contact support directly. From the error messages the dongle driver may have failed to install properly or your dongle could have failed.

Quick solution is to run the Vision 2021 installer again and see if the dongle driver install succeeds.

(All versions of Vision use the same 3rd party dongle driver, so if fails for one it will fail for all versions.)

[Lightwright with 2021]

@Coby Beck The problem with your file is a little different.

None of your accessories have the Light Info Record and this gives all of them a blank filed for the Device Type.

Vectorworks sends all of these over to LW as as regular accessories (rather then static accessories) so they get their own row in LW.

Because the accessories don't have a device type VW gets a little confused when the data comes back from LW without a device type.

I sent you a direct message with the details and hopefully a filed file.

[Spotlight instrument numbering tool missing 2020]

It's there. It's now called "Spotlight Numbering".

Try switching to the default Spotlight workspace.

If you migrated your workspace from a prior version you may need to use the workspace editor and manually add it.

[ETC Source 4 19 deg Not Hanging Correctly]

@carterdesigner I suspect the symbol came from someone else and you have it in your file or a favorite. If you use the symbol provided in the Vectorworks file it should be fine.

[ETC Source 4 19 deg Not Hanging Correctly]

Your 19deg symbol is probably drawn incorrectly. If you edit the symbol is the light pointed down? You can open one of the other symbols that works for comparison.