willofmaine

Hi Mike, Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, it didn't help. 20 or 30 seconds into updating a section viewport, the hard drive and color wheel start spinning relentlessly. Any other thoughts? Thanks, Will

Hi, I have a file in which I can't update the viewports. Previously (at 101 MB file size) I had no problem cutting the sections to generate a permit set. Now (at 107 MB file size) I can't seem to cut sections. I get the endless spinning color wheel, and, a couple of times, a message that "One or more operations could not be completed due to lack of memory." Even worse, when I go back to the older file where I'd successfully cut sections before, that file won't work now, either. It doesn't seem to make a difference whether or not I have any other software running. I've shut down as many widgets as it seems OS X will let me in an effort to eliminate a 'memory leak.' Files for other projects, albeit significantly smaller files, still seem to work okay. Problems with cutting sections has been persistent for me. I'm using a top of the line Mac and do my best with maintenance, updates, permissions and so on. It's starting to get very frustrating. Has anyone had similar experiences and/or does anyone have any advice??? THANKS!!!!!!!! -Will Max Pro 2.66 GHz; 1 GB RAM; OS X 10.4.10; VW 12.5.2-71041; Architect +RenderWorks

Hi, I have a file in which I can't update the viewports. Previously (at 101 MB file size) I had no problem cutting the sections to generate a permit set. Now (at 107 MB file size) I can't seem to cut sections. I get the endless spinning color wheel, and, a couple of times, a message that "One or more operations could not be completed due to lack of memory." Even worse, when I go back to the older file where I'd successfully cut sections before, that file won't work now, either. It doesn't seem to make a difference whether or not I have any other software running. I've shut down as many widgets as it seems OS X will let me in an effort to eliminate a 'memory leak.' Files for other projects, albeit significantly smaller files, still seem to work okay. Problems with cutting sections has been persistent for me. I'm using a top of the line Mac and do my best with maintenance, updates, permissions and so on. It's starting to get very frustrating. Has anyone had similar experiences and/or does anyone have any advice??? THANKS!!!!!!!! -Will Max Pro 2.66 GHz; 1 GB RAM; OS X 10.4.10; VW 12.5.2-71041; Architect +RenderWorks

How come when I reverse/mirror/rotate a section line and update its viewport the section itself always skips to the left (maybe a distance that is about the length of the section line)?? Thanks, Will

So I tried creating this as a script in the resource browser, and I think it ran. I think it helped, in that it seems, ultimately, I can duplicate stairs to other locations and/or floors and get their representations to be as expected. However... Their floor associations seem to need to be reset many times before they finally understand which floors they're associated with. Also, it seems running the script in a file that already has stairs 'flattens' all of the stairs (it eems to disassociate them from their floors and send them to the lowest design layer...). Are scripts file specific, such that this one to fix (or that might fix...) the stair tool needs to be run in all files where a fix is desired? Thanks, Will

You can also trim a wall by drawing a line across it and using the Trim tool (Modify>Trim, or "apple + T" on the Mac). Draw the line (at any angle), activate the Trim tool, and click on the wall. Alternatively, many walls can be trimmed at once, even by a polyline or polygon, by selecting all of the walls, activating the Trim tool, and clicking on the polyline or polygon. Not exactly an answer to the question, but maybe helpful to know...

I just duplicated a stair, and changed the floor settings. The original stair reduced itself to a zero width, and the copy, at the other floors, had no upper representation. When I tried to delete the original stair, VW crashed. I tried to run the above script, but just got lots of errors. I copied it into a .txt file, and then used Tools/Scripts/Run VectorScript. Is this not the correct procedure?... The stair was originally created in 12.5.1; I'm now using 12.5.2. Thanks, Will

I was good and only typed in exactly what Mac Help said to do. But, I agree that I am not one to be mucking around with sudos and niceties and things of that nature! It seems like having more control over the Mac's self maintenance, and also being able to defrag the disc, are two things that might be especially helpful. Is there a recommended maintenance utility that might do both of these, if that even makes sense. I know MacJanitor and Disk Warrior have been suggested. Thanks!

Thanks islandmon. I think my next step is to call Tech Support; maybe they can help me track down the right report log and figure out the problem....

You could make a copy of your original file (with all the classes you want) and put it in the "Standards" Folder in the "VectorWorks" Folder on you hard drive. Then, in your new file (into which you want to import the classes) go to Tools/Organization/Classes. Click on "New" and select "Create New Classes from Standard." The copy of your original file that you put in the "Standards" folder should show up in the pull down menu. Select it, select all of the classes, and click "Okay". Note that any classes already in your new file will not show up as importable, since they're already present. Hope that helps!

Thanks, but I don't think it's a corrupted file. After some combination of restarting VW, restarting the computer, daily maintenance, the moon setting, or who knows what, I've been experiencing extremely fast viewport rendering times (interiors averaging 7 seconds, elevations 26 seconds, and the complex cross section 90 seconds - (a four story building with moulding profiles at roof edge, around windows, and even along a curved path at a curved entrance pediment)). I seem to be finding that if I restart VW after the first sign of a slow-down, it's again fine for a while. I went back to an older file (several weeks old) from which I had successfully exported files, but it too now gives me the "Internal Error" message. I assume that if my current file is corrupt, it would not make all previous/earlier/archived versions of itself similarly corrupt... And I've got 40 sheet layers, so your routine to preserve Design Layers only isn't terribly appealing... Thanks! -Will

Thanks for the responses. Though, really, a bit beyond me, I think. Sound's more like NNA's department to me! Yet, looking in Mac Help regarding Mac Maintenance, I did stumble across this "Terminal" thing, and even typed in "sudo periodic daily" to force daily maintenance. I think. ...you know what they say: a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!...

I'm exporting to .dwg files, no problem. Have never had a problem. In a new file, I added some walls to a symbol. Suddenly, when I try to export, I simply get a dialogue box that says "An internal error was encountered. Cannot continue." Huh? I went to the previous file, from which I'd been exporting problem free, and got the same message. In a brand new file, with a couple of rectangles, it will export fine. My client's expecting a bit more than a couple of rectangles. (Sorry, it's late, and VW would save so much time if it didn't steal it all back this way!!). Sorry, now it's even later... Permissions are repaired, and I even forced maintenance. I think. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Will

Thanks Robert, I have sent a file to bugsubmit. In the meantime... is there nothing that can be done to improve things?...

After updating a few viewports, my computer slows way down. The hard drive and color wheel spin endlessly while finishing the update, saving the file, and quiting VectorWorks. Restarting VW seems to help... for a while. And it seems like it's getting worse over time - fewer viewports and longer spinning times... Any suggestions anyone? Permissions have been fixed. Might more RAM help? Is this a defragmentation issue? (I've still got 180 free GB...). Something else?... Thanks, Will

It seems every time I delete something, VW crashes. It seems it may be related to having added symbols that consist of VW Door & Window PIOs. Has anyone else experienced this? The file is very new, not even 2 MB yet. Thanks! -Will

Hi Pete, Thanks for your responses. "I always make my floor slab the actual thickness of the floor sheathing and finish, so I don't run into this problem." I'm not sure how that relates to my problem... basically, in a building section (such as 1/4", where only pairs of lines represent walls, floors, roofs and so on) I'd like to also show at least primary beams. "Merged Cross Sections" does a wonderful job of joining all touching objects at the cut plane into one continuous shape (free of joint lines). I'd hoped that "Create Structural and Non-Structural Groups" would make it possible to avoid having the structural elements merged with everything else, but it seems to make no difference as far as merging goes. "Separate Cross Sections" goes too far... not only does it 'un-merge' the beams, but nothing at all is merged. A 'work-around' that seems like it might work is simply to duplicate the viewport and turn on only the structural classes, as an overlay on the main viewport. "I think the section viewport object has a ways to go before it's firing on all cylinders"... I agree! Isn't there quite a discrepancy between VW's ability to automatically model a wood framed roof, and its inability to model a building's steel frame?... Thanks again!

I have two questions... I am trying to create structural and non-structural groups in the advanced properties of a section viewport, but where the beams are within the floor slab, only the floor slab will show up. If the beam is moved up, it's portion above the floor shows up no problem. Am I missing something? Presumably, structural elements that coincide with other elements can be made to be visible... Also, there seem to be lots of tools for creating wood framing, but what about steel? Other than the 2d steel shapes (WF, etc) and some steel joists, there seems no way to create sloped steel shapes, or use them for columns. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Evidently the Notes Manager tool was not updated, from previous versions of VW, with the introduction of Viewports, such that notes in Viewports can't be reconcilled/automatically updated when changes are made to the database. It would be ideal if these notes could be reconcilled, particularly since the annotations mode of Viewports is a primary means of placing drawing notes, at least in how I'm using VW and (if memory serves correctly) as recommended in the VW tutorial CDs.

I spoke with Tech Support, and evidently the Notes Manager was not updated with the introduction of Viewports such that notes in Viewports can't be reconciled. This will be submitted as a bug submit. My work around is to still edit the callout note, which updates the database. Then to use the Find-Replace Text tool to update all of the notes already placed in the file (under "Look In..." select "Record Fields").

Shouldn't all of the notes in a drawing linked to a particular note in the database be automatically updated if the note in the database is changed? Maybe not; maybe that's what the "Reconcile Notes" tools is for, but I can't even get that to work. If I insert, say, three copies of a note (callout) linked to the database, and then change one of them, the others don't change. If I use "Reconcile Notes" it just says 'no notes found in those layers or classes'. Any thoughts, anyone? Thanks.

I don't know of any simplified 2D door & window PIOs, but it seems you could make 2D symbols for them very easily, and use those. Remember when making them that 'up' on the screen would be the outside of the wall, and 'down' of course the inside. When you place them in walls, they'll take on the orientation of the wall. They won't assume the thickness of the wall, though, as the PIOs will do. HTH

islandmon - that could very well be, the Mayan Calendar! I'm open to anything. Though I did have a crazy idea... (see below) mclaugh - thanks for your thoughtful and thorough response. It (of course) prompted me to dig a bit further. I did some Googling and reading on the subject, little of which conflicted with what you wrote. Then I did a Mac Help search for "Maintenance" and, sure enough, found an article under Support Articles, "Mac OS X: How to force background maintenance tasks," which even included confirmation that, indeed, the Mac does maintenance from 3:15 to 5:30 AM, and also references to third-party software as has been discussed here. So now I'm questioning both my experience with Apple Tech Support, and why basic maintenance is such a difficult thing to learn about. My relentless crashes occurred (of course) during an all-nighter preceeding a deadline. And they suddenly stopped. Here's my crazy idea... is it possible that, since my computer was on, this maintenance took place in the background while I was working and resolved the issue?? Regarding defragmentation and optimizing, I'm only around 25% of my HD capacity, but definitely have lots of VW files over 20 mb. How does one optimize/defrag a Mac?... I have found (maybe due to lack of maintenance(?)...) that after a few hours of heavy-duty VectorWorking, it really helps to restart. Last but not least, and as touched upon by 'eas,' presumably while sleep mode must use some (negligble?) amount of power, certainly it uses a lot less power than when the computer is fully functional (including sitting and not 'doing' anything?)? So it seems sleep mode is recommended, and that maybe in Preferences the computer can be scheduled to wake up at 3:00 AM?... Thanks again, Will

Thanks everyone for this discussion! I called Apple to get their input on the issue of Mac Maintenance, and my understanding is as follows: I was wondering if disk defragmentation is necessary with a Mac, and they said it's not really an applicable question since the two operating systems are so different. Disk Utility (DU) can be run directly from the OS/Start-Up Drive, evidently just as effectively as if run from the Installation CD, for verifying and repairing permissions and for verifying the disk itself. If disk verification fails, then, of course, it is necessary to repair the disk using the Installation CD. Running DU once a week is reasonable. If DU is incapable of resolving a problem, third-party software might be more capable. It seems a Mac should be restarted at least once every two days; shutting it down every night, or even when not in use, are even better options. Evidently the more a computer is left on and/or connected to the Internet, the more issues it is likely to have, and the greater the 'need' for third-party maintenance software. Possibly the crashes I was experiencing were related simply to having too many applications running at once, though I'm pretty sure I'd restarted and shut down most applications prior to the worst of the crashes... but I was rushing with a deadline, so who can know for sure! Sunspots, I still say... Hope this is helpful... -Will

Thanks for your responses! There haven't been any changes to QuickTime recently, so I don't think it's that. I did run disk utility, but it kept getting worse after that. At first it just seemed to be when I deleted dimensions. But then it was other things, too. Maybe it had something to do with groups? It seems like it may have had to do with moving too quickly to delete something while wrapping up a previous command (though no faster than I've done 100 times before). So, I slowed down and saved prior to every delete. Oddly enough, at a certain point, it simply stopped crashing, and hasn't crashed since. Sunspots, maybe??...