Jodyb17

I am not sure what would cause your problem, but it probably has to do with the fact that the symbol is in separate file. Another way to get your desired result would be to create a file for your drawing border with title block, workgroup reference that into a design layer of your plan drawing, and then for each of your sheet layers use a viewport for your drawing border and another for your plan information. I cannot test here at the office since we don't have autocad. Let me know how it turns out. I think this is the method we will be using in the office rather than referencing symbols. Somebody speak up if this could cause issues, we have a little case of the blind leading the blind here I think... Jody

One note about LCD's is that they don't typically look good (particularly with text) unless you run their native resolution. Be sure your video card can run the resolution recommended by the monitor you chose.

Your explanation does help. I see the value in referencing repeat snipits rather than the whole file/layer. I would say that the ability to workgroup reference within sheet layers as well as design layers would only increase VW's flexibility. Jody

Katie, Again let me preface, but this time it is that I have never found a helpful help menu in any program. I am always amazed but never surprised by this fact. I literally stumbled onto getting the symbol referencing to work, but after I know how, I see that in this instance (with an understanding of the "program vocabulary") "Referencing Resources" does describe the process. That being said, I have yet been able to use the help command for VW without help from this forum. I have alot of experience with computers and many different programs (cad and otherwise), but I have to say that learning VW has been the most difficult to date. The help menu for VW would more helpful if it were in a step by step format supplemented with screenshots. Also, ( I know this may seem redundant), but there should be a separate index items for each iteration of a command. For instance, to learn how to reference a sybmbol, I think most people would type "reference symbol" or "symbol reference". With this search, "Referencing Resources" is not an option. If the description of referencing a symbol was used, rather than the catch all of "resources" I probably would have made the connection. If the help menu stated directly that the user must create a file, create a symbol in the file, activate the target file in the resource browser, then click on the little down arrow thingy in the resource browser (found this by accident), select "browse", then right click and pick reference, then go back to the symbol pallete in the target file.... I think I might have figured it out more quickly. I suppose I am really looking for a tutorial...and I will probably end up buying one in the near future. Also, the help menu does not mention that the file with the symbol being referenced must be in the same folder as the target file... As always, thanks for your dilligence and patience. Jody

Katie, First, let me preface by saying that I am new to Vectorworks and the Mac environment. My difficulty probably stems from an unfamiliarity with the Resource Browser in VW. I guess it is convoluted to me because the process for referencing a symbol is wholly different from referencing a workgroup. Conceptually, at least to me, these commands result in a similar desired effect. Beyond that, having a command that was obtained by "Tools > Symbol Referencing" doesn't get any more direct. Ideally, the program would allow workgroup referencing within a sheet layer. Having sheet layers is great, but I do not understand why referencing within sheet layers should work differently from design layers. Jody

Thanks Katie, I was able to figure it out. VWHelp was no help as usual, but knowing it was possible helped alot. It seems to me that the process to reference a symbol is pretty convoluted. It would be much more intuitive if it were a command similar to Workgroup Reference. I am unable to figure out how to get the Drawing Border tool to function (ie., Edit Title Block and other options in the Object Info pallette) with our office's title block. I probably need a tutorial in symbol creation to get that to work. This is not such a big deal as long as the symbol updates, and it does. Thanks a bunch, Jody

Wouldn't inserting the title block as a symbol require editing each file that has the sybmol in it to update the title block for the drawing set? Is there a way of referencing symbols similar to a workgroup in which updating is automatic? Thanks, Jody

Just curious about the average response time from tech. Crashed 3 times today and I still can't figure out why.

I am having an issue with VW crashing when inserting a door. Happened twice this morning and several times in the past. It does not happen everytime I perform the insert, but if it does crash it is when I click on the wall for insertion. I have not noticed any other commonality in the crashes other than the point of crashing. Any ideas?

Driver update seems to have done the trick, thanks.

In some of the files that I have been working in I have encountered an issue in which the size of text is displayed larger than it is set to. This only occurs at certain zoom levels. If I zoom in or out it displays normally. Also this behavior seems to come and go, which leads me to believe this is potentially a hardware issue. We use the font Arial predominantly. I have an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro video card in my machine. Anybody else notice this behavior? Thanks

This is the simplest and most obvious solution! I didn't really want to start a discussion about a "better" way to work. I'm just wishing pasted items didn't assume the current layer. I suppose conversly classes could assume the "stacking" ability of layers, which is pretty much the only reason we use various layers. But that still misses my point. Why resort to work arounds when the method could be simplified greatly? In what instance would you even want the paste command to perform differently depending on an object's characteristics?

I understand that I am currently not using the layers as probably intended by the VW folks. In our office we tend to limit the use/number of layers in our files. Our typical cad file structure uses a layer for "drawing items" such as doors, walls etc. We also use a layer for "graphic" items such as text, notes, and dimensions. Grahics are on another layer to ensure that they are always "on top" of other drawn content. When pasting various items on various classes from one file to another they retain the class assignment and even create new classes when they are not present in the destination file. But, the current layer of the destination file is attributed the the content that is pasted. This requires multiple copy/paste commands when moving content that is on multiple layers. So if for instance I wanted to copy an enlarged plan detail from one file to another, I must copy first the "drawing" info then the "graphic" info to retain layering status. And must I also make sure that they do not get moved in relation to each other in the process (paste in place). Retondo's workaround would work well, albeit circuitous. I just don't see why classes and layers should behave differently within the copy/paste command. As always, thanks for the input...

I find it frustrating that when I need to move objects that are on multiple layers from one file to another I must perform the copy paste command as many times that I have layers. Classes perform this way, and I cannot think of a reason why layers shouldn't.

Thanks guys for pointing me in the right direction. I need to remember to experiment with those mode tools when encountering various behaviors. Is there somewhere that these mode options are decribed? I would have never figured that out on my own. Jody

I can't seem to figure out why symbols in my drawings snap to random places within the walls that I am placing them, rather than staying where I put them. I am probably missing something simple, but this is really frustrating me. Pointers would be much appreciated.

Another overlay method that I have used is to render as a hidden line and export as an EPS file. Then, render in final radiosity and export in tiff or jpg. Next I combine these files in photoshop. Worked pretty well back in my studio days.

Is it possible to copy a color of a shader from one texture to another without editing the other components? If so, how do I go about doing this? On a side note, why is it that the choice for materials is listed under the "color" shader?

I managed to figure out that by unchecking "stacked layers" brought back the ability to modify multiple layers. So I guess the abiliy to view the model and edit the model at the same time is not an option. That makes a lot of sense.

I have been working in a file, and for some reason the Show/Snap/Modify Others Layers option is now grayed out and not selectable. Anyone now why this is the case? Classes options is not behaving this way. All of the layers have the same scale, there are no sheet layers, no viewports, and no saved views, no workgroup references.

Try using the wall component join tool to get individual wall components to join.

I know that grips appear when an object is selected, but these are not helpful if the object is displayed larger than the screen. Other programs I have used indicate selection by changing the color of the object or the lines become dashed. This way, the user is aware whether or not he/she is actually going to edit something. It also prevents the user from editing objects without knowing it.

Has this been discussed already? Did a search but didn't find anything. Is there a system variable I'm not aware of?

I also wish this was resolved. Having to continually change your view is time consuming and clumsy. I have resorted to not even looking at what I am modeling.

I agree Joe. I think this is a serious flaw. Other Cad programs I have used don't even have a "Wall Join" tool. If wall components are created correctly, walls join automatically without a problem. With VW on the other hand, after a wall is moved, you are required to perform the wall join command to get the drawing to display correctly. And even then you never know whether or not the wall will join or if it is going to shoot of into the stratosphere or if will look correct. I could draw the same work with lines and circles quicker, but then it wouldn't be in 3d. It really irks me to have to repeatedly redraw work that I have already done. That being said, turning off auto join worked for me. Christians other suggestions prevented the infinite walls as well. For walls that will not join, sometimes using the wall heal tool and then doing the join command again works. Sometimes it doesn't work, and I just redraw the work. Frustrating, I know. Jody