Markus Barrera-Kolb

Thanks Pat - that did it! By the way, is there a complete list of the preference codes somewhere in the documentation (or elsewhere)? Cheers!

Absolutely right - it's the click-drag thing. I'm still on the early part of the learning curve, being a recent convert, so I imagine I'll be running into things like this for a while. Thanks!

Does this happen to anyone else: with the polyline tool (5) selected, set to straight-line segment (first option), every once in a while it'll want to draw a curved segment instead of a straight one. If I hit to remove that segment and try again, it'll usually switch back to straight-line mode. Just a random bug?

I haven't been able to find the pref-code to toggle selection highlighting using a script. Generally I like seeing the selection highlighted, especially when the selection handles might otherwise be off-screen, but it seems that when it's turned on you can't snap to a group's corner or midpoint selection handles, which is sometimes useful. So it'd be great to also create a toggle for "Use Selection Highlighting". Thanks & cheers.

Just to follow up: Turns out that the compiler is expecting the boolean operator to be entered as "True" or "False" -- when I tried "1" or "0" I got an error message...

Thanks Ian, that's perfect!

I've found highly useful information on the forum on how to toggle preference settings using Vscripts, for example using something like: SetPref(33, NOT GetPref(33)); However, I'd like to make two scripts that, in one operation each, set the screen background, line thickness zoom, and black & white only preferences to predetermined values, regardless of what they were previously. Basically I'd like to switch betweeen my normal mode of working (no line thickness, black background, with colors visible), to a 'preview-like' mode, where I can see line thicknesses, the background is white, and all of the printed stuff is black. Any help? Thanks!

Thanks Pat! That did it. Seems like one of those funny aspects of VW that you'll only figure out by someone else cluing you in. After all, why would you expect the linetype or color setting to affect the font? In any event, problem solved...

I'm wondering whether it's possible to assign different fonts and font styles to different record fields in a title block. I've tried modifying our existing title block in every way I could think of (changing the referenced text in the title block symbol, deleting the record in question and adding another one in its place and associating it with a new text object in the symbol with the desired font, etc.), but the thing always keeps reverting back to one font and style. If I select the border object and change the font attribute, all of the record field text changes as one. Does this mean you can't use different fonts and styles within the records of a title block? That sure would seem limiting...

I want to be able to have select elements within symbols take on the attributes (line weight & style especially) of the class the symbol is assigned to. For instance, I want to be able to use the same symbol for, say, a lavatory, and then insert it on a class for new fixtures as well as a class for existing fixtures, and have some of the lines within the symbol take on the line weights of these respective classes (bolder for new, lighter for existing). I don't want to have to create separate symbols for new & existing stuff when it's exactly the same fixture or building element -- where would be the efficiency in that? I also want to be able to control the line weight of, for example, door symbols using classes, and still be able to assign different line weights to parts of the door (via "Use Part Line Styles"). Currently this is not possible, and this is analagous to the situation described above. I want to be able to have classes for existing & new doors with different line weights, while still drawing all the doors with very light swing lines, and not have to override the line weights for each door PIO in its object attribute pallette in order to achieve the desired line weight. Line weights are a huge factor in how readable a drawing is, and good control over them is cruical to the CAD workflow...

Just to follow up: it looks like there was a lengthy discussion about this very issue a little while ago. Symbol Inheritance I think this should be one for the wish list. It would seem like a simple function, to allow select elements of a symbol to take on the attributes of the symbol's containing class -- simple and very useful!

Thanks Ion! You're right - I overrode the line style and weight for the door object (so they weren't "by class"), and the swing showed up as a nice thin line, just as intended. Seems kind of silly though: I just posted another question where I asked how I could make the elements (lines) within symbols take on the attributes of the class the symbol is assigned to. For instance, I want to use thin lines for all door swings, but I want some of the door objects to be in a class for existing doors, with a ligher overall line-weight, and some of them in a class for new doors, with a bolder overall line-weight. Sure seems cumbersome to have to override the line weights for all of the door objects, rather than being able to control them using classes...

I've got essentially the same question: how can I use one symbol, say a lavatory, in different classes, say "Plumbing-Fixtures-New" and "Plumbing-Fixtures-Exist", and have it take on the line weights of the different classes -- in this case I'd like the new fixtures to have a bolder line weight than the existing ones. This was easily accomplished in AutoCAD, by simply making sure that the lines within the symbol (block) were on layer 0. These would then take on the attributes of the layer (class in VW) the symbol was placed on. Distinguishing between new and existing elements is something we do quite frequently on our architectural plans, and on a B&W drawing line-weight is the primary way of doing so. It would be silly to have to create separate symbols with different contained line weights to accomplish this!

I'm having trouble being able to specify different line weights for separate parts of door objects. My assumption is that if I specify let's say a 0.05 line weight for the swing (under Door Settings > View > Use Part Line Styles) this setting would override the PIO's line weight, whether it's "by class" or otherwise. However, whenever I print or preview the drawing, all of the door parts print the same. Any help? Thanks!

Thanks Ray, but it's not that I'm having trouble keeping the dimension line in the same place -- rather, I'd like to have greater flexibility in placing the dimension text relative to the dimension line, and to be able to suppress the automatic lengthening of the dimension line if I choose to place the text beyond the witness line.

Cool -- I didn't know that. I guess that means that if one was able to reassign the 2D Select tool to the space bar, another key would have to adopt this functionality. I do think that I'll invoke the 2D Select tool a whole lot more frequently than any transparent command...

As mentioned in the previous post, I'm a newbie, still transitioning from AutoCAD. I also have been using SketchUp a lot, and find that using the space bar to return to the 'default' selection tool is a lot easier and intuitive than using the 'X' key. However, VW doesn't allow you to assign the space bar as a shortcut key. Now that nearly everyone has a wheel mouse (or trackball, in my case), you don't need the space bar for panning anymore. Let us assign it as a user-defined shortcut key!

I'm a new convert from AutoCAD, and one of the things I'm already missing greatly is the ability to place dimension text manually by just dragging it directly to another location, while leaving the dimension lines in the same place. Having to manually enter an offset in the Object Info pallette is quite cumbersome. Also you should be able to use a leader that's not just an extension of the dimension line. Together with the ability to stack fractional numbers and reduce the font size for fractions, this would make it much easier to dimension a dense floor plan (or any drawing with limited space and lots of dimensions). As it is, dimensioning in VectorWorks feels much clumsier than it did in AutoCAD.