willofmaine

I haven't had this problem, but... I do know that when you have groups within symbols, sometimes it leads to unexpected results (particularly the bounding box being excessively big when you select the symbol). So it's a long shot, but maybe something for you to check...

And groups may be larger than they appear, especially if they have callouts and/or callouts with leaders on an angle...

Thanks for the responses; I feel better knowing I'm not the only one that appreciates the potential of a functional notes & callouts database. In the meantime, on top of the other issues I previously listed, it turns out that I can't even attempt to reconcile a database (with hundreds of callouts) that is associated with a project originally started in VW 12 (VectorWorks just freezes). Tech Support confirmed that a VW 12 database won?t work properly in 2008... I have not had a problem with the "Description" randomly changing, as Peter indicates, but carriage returns do disappear (though no little box). Jeffrey suggested that these bugs need to be filed, which I have done. I may also add something to the Wish List: Get rid of ?reconciliation? and simply ?automatically update instances of notes from a central database? as Peter suggests. A system not unlike symbols, at least as far as the text goes, in that if you change one, you change them all (after being prompted to either actually change them all or create and add a new callout to the database base on the one being edited). But it?s late? maybe I?m completely missing the benefits of reconciliation? Will

In plan, the angle of intersection between two different roof pitches is the ratio of their numerators (assuming both pitches are given in terms of the same denominator (or "run")). For example, the angle of intersection between a 10:12 roof and an 8:12 roof is 8:10.

Does no one use databases for callouts and general notes?...

Aside from its inability to reconcile callouts in viewports, the Notes Manager in VW 12 seemed to work a lot better. At least in 2008 it will reconcile notes in viewports, but... 1.) I reconciled a bunch of General Notes, or so I though. When I went to double check, they hadn't been reconciled. 2.) If I click on a note in the right pane, I get the "Edit General Notes Filter" dialogue box (though I did discover that if I right-click, I don't get that). 3.) Often the "Notes Text" is a very light blue that is barely visible. 4.) In Preferences I've selected "Save Database Changes when clicking OK" but it always asks if want to save the changes anyway. 5.) Is there any way to select more than one callout and update them all at once? I guess the main question is, how does the notes manager and reconciliation work? Is it as buggy/ineffective as it seems, or am I completely missing something?? Any thoughts greatly appreciated! Thanks, Will

I can't seem to set the attributes for the human figure tool with any useful success. Using "Solid" and selecting a color doesn't seem to work; I did get the skin color to work by creating and using a class for that; textures maybe kinda work; and in some cases things that worked only did so, in the preview pane, after I'd moved on to another setting. Has anyone else experienced similar difficulties with this tool? Am I completely missing something?? Thanks.

I rarely if ever use the Roof Object; for anything but a very simple hip or gable I would pretty quickly reduce it to its component Roof Faces anyway, which are both easy to use and very capable. Once one Roof Face is create, it's easy to mirror and/or duplicate it as necessary, reshape it, and change its pitch and elevation as required to create a complex roof. Regarding the 'math' of creating valleys and hips in plan: the angle of a valley or hip can easily be established by the two roof pitches. For example, the angle (in plan) of the valley or hip of a 7/12 roof and a 9/12 roof is 7/9. The angle of a valley or hip of a 2.75/12 roof and a 7.12/12 roof is 2.75/7.12. (The base run needs to be the same, whether it's 12 or 10 or whatever...). To determine the intersection, in plan, of a conical and hip roof, the involved components can be duplicated and added together as solids. The intersection can then be traced from a hidden line drawing or, for more accuracy, the solid can be converted to a hidden line polygon and the desired intersection lines copied out of it. HTH!

Ok, well, at least it's not just me, then! Amazing how much time a 'quirk' like this adds to the learning curve!... Thanks for your response.

It seems the legs of 3D loci are counted in establishing the perimeter of a Group, so that if they're on the edge of the group, typing in "0" for the group's center location doesn't necessarily put the center of the physical objects at 0. In a previous project I spent a bunch of time trying to figure out why my windows were off by a fraction, and again more time just now until I stumbled upon this. Why, can anyone tell me, are the 3D loci included as having a physical presence in groups??????!?!?!

Found it! One of the little movies. Thanks for bearing with me during my little brain cramp!!

Thanks. So, I need to order it and send a credit card number in order to try the demo version?

I have downloaded what I hope is the demo version for WinDoor, but there appears to be no software or installer function, etc. Do I just drag the various files into the VW Plug-Ins folder? Or am I completely missing something?... Thanks!

Hi johnb, Thanks for your response and for the image; I'll try your system. Will

I can't believe it's been one major upgrade and several maintenance releases, and all the discussion here, and still a stair can't be duplicated without endless difficulty, such as visibility problems and then, because invisibility isn't acceptable, upon deletion the original stair is also deleted. Terribly AutoCADesque.

The 3D grid component does not seem to show in rendered 3D views, even in VW 2008 SP3. So... unless I'm missing something, my original request still stands... Thanks.

No, I mean, in rendered 3D views...

Excellent! What good timing; thanks.

It would be nice if the Ceiling Grid Tool, which already has a 3D slab component, also had a 3D grid component, so that it's not necessary to create a grid separately (and revise/re-create the grid independently as changes are made). Thanks!

Thanks, I will check that out.

Okay, thanks. So, more tedious than necessary, and best done after the design is finalized. Guess I'm off to the wish list! Thanks, Will

How does one get the T-Grid of a suspended ceiling to show up in a 3D view? Thanks!

wivc, If you want to control the line weights of windows (and doors) in Top/Plan View, have you tried the "Use Part Line Styles" option (Settings>View>Use Part Line Styles)? I think "Special Classes" apply to 3D only. The help box at the bottom of the Settings dialogue box says that "Use Part Line Styles" will override the window's attribute settings, but they won't unless you set the pen attribute for the window to "None." HTH, Will

Ah, I see (about the difference between custom modification and selection. I remember that, now, from the tutorial CD). Then is the inability to use the Field Value a bug that they are working on to resolve?... Thanks for your response!

As far as I can tell, the only difference between custom modification and custom selection is that custom modification brings up a new edit properties dialogue box, where as with custom selection modifications can be made in the OIP. Am I missing something? Using custom selection and/or custom modification, I couldn't select windows within symbols (even though I had the box checked). Also, I couldn't seem to make window selections using criteria such as "overall width." Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Will