Assembly

I have finally got this working- to an extent. I created a new user folder. Then added each plug-in individually adding it to the work space. I have most things working. The Run Test Tool and Build tool do not work. I created my own menu command to create the Dialog Builder Test Run tool. I think I have recreated all functions that did not install correctly.

I have now tried this on 3 of my computers + 1 reinstall. I get the exact same problem as above. So there is ether some thing a miss with 1) OSX permissions as Josh suggested. 2) VW package on the website. 3) Something else that I have no idea about. Any help would be appreciated. Can someone using VW2011 on mac please try install the DB6 Tools with the build currently at: http://developer.vectorworks.net/index.php?title=SDK:Dialog_Builder Basically Download the tools: Copy them to your user folder. Link to the Mac Tools http://developer.vectorworks.net/images/6/68/SDKTools%28137708%29.Mac.zip Download the Workspace and copy to your user workspace folder. Link To the Workspace http://developer.vectorworks.net/images/6/68/Dialog_Builder_vww.2011.zip Restart VW, the plugins will get generated in your user plugins folder. Select the works space: Dialog Builder. Click on the third & fourth icons in the 'Sample Pallet' if you don't get the error message then I can rule out any problems with the installer of the DB packets.

A cut Section is a process of breaking down a 3D model into 2D lines. These lines are editable and not connected to the model at all. You need to create a design Layer VP. In the VP turn on all layers you want to cut. Then use the Cut 3D section- this should create a new model of 3D objects. Change your view to be looking into the section. Then use 'convert to lines' this will collapse the model into a group of 2D lines.

The last few projects I have done have been with a 3D work flow. Lots of model layers section VP annotated. This is really good for coordinated drawings sets. However as the model got complex the rendered VP took time to render. When editing the annotation of the VP the render gets lost. Hence resolving a detail in the annotaion layer of the VP is impossibe (of course there is a work arround, you add a new VP over the Section VP and edit the annotation layer of that one). But there are far to many lines. Thus snapping to lines has difficulty. The current project I'm working on I have a tight turn around and have opted for a 2D workflow. The project is simple so I dont need a 3D model to identify complex areas for detail. Thus the catch 22. For simple projects a 2d workflow is faster. A complex project warrants a 3D workflow but the more complex the model the slower the Section VP are to work with.

If only there was a PIO app store.

I've tried everything I can think of except reinstalling VW itself. VW does not think the two plugins are in the folder- but they are. I note that there is a strange naming thing going on. The PIO that I'm clicking on in the Dialog Builder Workspace is named 'Dialog Builder Tools'. In the workspace editor there is a 'Menu' object called Dialog Builder Tools. When this is added to the work space it includes all the 9 but no 'Tools' I notice that every time that VW starts the plugins get regenerated. I tried creating a new plug in with the same name so that the PIO gets registered. This allows me to click on the PIO with out getting the error message, but on restart the PIO is regenerated and I get the same errors again? Josh, what is the permissions checking that you mention?. I will try a reinstall of VW when I get a free chance.

Thanks Kevin- I had put the files in a secondary user folder. The packet has expanded, all the PIO's are now in the user folder. The workgroup loads fine. The menu commands are there and work. However I have trouble with three of the plugins. Dialog Builder Test Run & Dialog Builder Tools return an error that says they are not in the plug in folder. The Plug Ins are in the Plug In folder. Using the VectorScript Editor- they do not appear in the editor list. Nor can I see them in the workspace editor. This is repeated on two of my laptops. A 'Fresh' user folder has been created, and the process repeated. I assume that the Programe Folder does not have edited files- thus this would be similar to a reinstall of the software?. Can you please check on the fresh install you did on your mac that these PIO's are working?. Thanks for your help

You could try use 'COPY' to get the first chr of the string. Use AlrtDialog to help you see what the actual string is your getting Then use your logic IF... ie TestString:=Copy(CurrentFieldName,1,1); AlrtDialog(TestString);{This will alert you to what the actual value is for testing} IF (TestString='~') THEN

What does it mean that 'VectorWorks starts from the Dialog Builder Library' When should these Plugins get created?. I can't find any in my plug in library. It would be simple to provide a .zip with the plugins which need to be copied to the plugin library.

Maybe I am a muppet here, but it does not work. This is what the workspace looks like. I can't find the plug in objects anywhere?.

Kevin I'm on VW2011 How do I set up the DB6?. Can you upload a zip file of all the plugins and the work space?.

Does anyone know what the Revit equivalent to the VW techboard is?.

This one is so obvious, it should have been there from the start

The developer page says: What does this mean?. Is DB6 suitable for VectorScript or only SDK?.

Amen

It would be useful if the both slabs and walls call be pinned to a guide line. We often have outdoor areas, semi exterior spaces or simple 'fin' walls extending beyond the slab.

A couple people noted the work required to take a 'Private' tool to prime time. Many of these private tools are developed to address specific tasks that speed up the workflow. I have dozens of tools that I've used in my office going on 10 years. These have never caused an issue in my files. I would happily share the tools, but I can't see myself going the extra mile to polish for prime time. Hence a 'beta' section in the app store would be good. A place where it is known that a tool might be a bit rough. with all the disclaimers that come with it. This gives a place to let others test tools and give feed back. I am also interested in seeing what other priviate developers are doing. Hence I would test other peoples tools- provided there was an easy way to access them like the app store. If a lot of people liked my tools and thought they should be core tools- I would happily give the code to NV. As it means I would no longer have the maintenance issues at upgrade time.

Thanks Kevin. That is not it. What is happening is that there is a number of lines being drawn inside my PIO. I can't get to object snap to the endpoints of any of the lines. I've check my constraint snaps are on. The PIO I'm looking at is not one I wrote. I taught a guy in the office. I've read the 2500 lines of code and did not see any specific settings being changed. So I though I would ask here.

How do you turn the snapping to objects inside a PIO on and off?. IE inside my PIO I have 2 lines. I want to be able to snap to one of them but not the other. I read about it once but can't recall where.

bensen is onto it. online converter please

I would make the array 'flat' in a symbol. Then 3D rotate the symbol to get the roof pitch. Thus If you need to change the pitch you don't have to keep reassessing the array offset values. BUT one of the VW bugs is that if you edit the 3D symbol all instances loose the rotation.

Here is a function I wrote to create an offset polyline. I draw flashings regularly. This code makes it easy. All you need to do is set the thickness, use the Next Point to give a distance and angle and this will create a closed poly line. PROCEDURE Offset; {Code by Justin Wright 14 July 2012} {Open to anyone cheers} TYPE Level1=Structure hTemp: Array[1..4] of Handle; GroupHandle:Handle; RectHandle:Handle; DirectionAngle:REAL; END; Var ArrayStore:Array[1..10] of Level1; PolyLocus:Array[1..100] of Handle; iPolyLocus:Integer; X1,Y1,X2,Y2:REAL; ArrayPoint:Integer; iCount:Integer; iTotal:Integer; Thickness:REAL; bTemp:BOOLEAN; PntA1,PntA2,PntB1,PntB2,PntIntersect: Point; PROCEDURE NextPoint(LineLength,ObjAngle:REAL); {This function creates a rectangle of locus points and stores the locus handels in an array} {The array also stores the direction angle} BEGIN ArrayPoint:=ArrayPoint+1; BEGIN; BeginGroup; Locus(0,0); ArrayStore[ArrayPoint].hTemp[1]:=LNewObj; Locus(LineLength,0); ArrayStore[ArrayPoint].hTemp[3]:=LNewObj; Locus(0,Thickness); ArrayStore[ArrayPoint].hTemp[2]:=LNewObj; Locus(LineLength,Thickness); ArrayStore[ArrayPoint].hTemp[4]:=LNewObj; EndGroup; ArrayStore[ArrayPoint].GroupHandle:=LNewObj; ArrayStore[ArrayPoint].DirectionAngle:=ObjAngle; iTotal:=iTotal+1; END END; PROCEDURE UsePointsMakeShape; BEGIN; {Get the hanel of each group of locus/ Rotate the group / Get the position of the previous group to move the current} hRotate(ArrayStore[1].GroupHandle,0,0,ArrayStore[1].DirectionAngle); {Get the position of a locus from previous group to move the current group into possition} For iCount:=2 to iTotal Do Begin; hRotate(ArrayStore[iCount].GroupHandle,0,0,ArrayStore[iCount].DirectionAngle); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount-1].hTemp[3],X1,Y1); hMove(ArrayStore[iCount].GroupHandle,X1,Y1); End; {Use the Locus in the group to find the intersetoin of the lines. Create a new set of locus which will become the polyline points} {First Point} PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=ArrayStore[1].hTemp[1]; {Cycyle up through the group to the the inside} For iCount:=1 to iTotal-1 Do BEGIN; GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount].hTemp[1],PntA1.X,PntA1.y); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount].hTemp[3],PntA2.x,PntA2.y); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount+1].hTemp[1],Pntb1.x,PntB1.y); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount+1].hTemp[3],PntB2.x,PntB2.y); LineLineIntersection(PntA1,PntA2,PntB1,PntB2,bTemp,bTemp,PntIntersect); Locus(PntIntersect.x,PntIntersect.y); iPolyLocus:=1+iPolyLocus; PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=LNewObj; END; {Get the two end points at the top of the polyline} iPolyLocus:=1+iPolyLocus; PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=ArrayStore[iTotal-1].hTemp[3]; iPolyLocus:=1+iPolyLocus; PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=ArrayStore[iTotal-1].hTemp[4]; {Cycle down the array to get the right hand side intersection points} For iCount:=iTotal-1 downto 2 Do BEGIN; GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount].hTemp[2],PntA1.X,PntA1.y); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount].hTemp[4],PntA2.x,PntA2.y); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount-1].hTemp[2],Pntb1.x,PntB1.y); GetLocPt(ArrayStore[iCount-1].hTemp[4],PntB2.x,PntB2.y); LineLineIntersection(PntA2,PntA1,PntB2,PntB1,bTemp,bTemp,PntIntersect); Locus(PntIntersect.x,PntIntersect.y); iPolyLocus:=1+iPolyLocus; PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=LNewObj; END; {The final two points at the end of the poly} iPolyLocus:=1+iPolyLocus; PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=ArrayStore[1].hTemp[2]; iPolyLocus:=1+iPolyLocus; PolyLocus[iPolyLocus]:=ArrayStore[1].hTemp[1]; {Now create a new poly line} BeginPoly; For iCount:=1 to iPolyLocus DO Begin; GetLocPt(PolyLocus[iCount],X1,Y1); LineTo(x1,y1); End; EndPoly; {Delete all the locus now note needed} For iCount:=1 to iPolyLocus-1 DO BEGIN IF PolyLocus[iCount]<>NIL THEN DelObject(PolyLocus[iCount]); END; For iCount:=1 to iTotal-1 DO BEGIN IF ArrayStore[iCount].GroupHandle<>NIL THEN DelObject(ArrayStore[iCount].GroupHandle); END; END; {Now create the actual Geometery of the Flashings} PROCEDURE WINDOWHEad(FlashWidth:Real); BEGIN; NextPoint(5,45); NextPoint(15,90); NextPoint(FlashWidth,15); NextPoint(35,90); NextPoint(1,180); NextPoint(5,-90); UsePointsMakeShape; END; {***MAIN FUNCTION BODY***} BEGIN; iTotal:=1; iPolyLocus:=1; Thickness:=.55; {To use the fuctions simply NextPoinst then usePointsMakeShape} NextPoint(5,45); NextPoint(40,90); NextPoint(20,180); NextPoint(30,90); NextPoint(120,-10); NextPoint(10,-45); UsePointsMakeShape; END; RUN(Offset);

Christian While I agree VW should do what your after with ease. Your greyscale drawing reads very well. There should be equal preasure on contractors to up their game. . The increases clarity of color and renders amplify a drawing. We use box.com for drawing issues, contractors can share the link to all sub contractors so little need to photo copy. Box has a pdf viewer so drawings can be viewed on ipad. Our drawings are mainly A3. Color laser printers are pretty ubiquitous. I find using class for texture and color fill controll helps me see that the building is correctly classed. Live sections with color fills are clear and fast to produce. Color and texture has sped up my workflow. So while the output is not traditional and has some reproduction issues, it has helped me create improved coordinated drawing set by focusing my time on the model. I feel more in control of the building. The hybrid render / hidden line drawing reads more clearly to clients and contractors alike. Moving to BIM means testing different methods of output also.

I have done a couple of fully live model projects now. That is most 2D drawings are generated from the live model. Quite happy with the ability to chop up a model with the section viewport tool. It even works for details. For me it is about access to the information. As I have modelled most things all I need to be able to do is get the info out. The Wall Cost index record is returned as text, not a number, which does not allow one to use it in a function. Try getting the permitter of a floor object it is double its real value. The framing tool does not return its actual length only it plan span length. I can't help but wonder what I could do with Revit compared to VW...

Please come back and tell us how the change goes.