LyleBrowning

Is there a script for 3dLoci to Circles. I have subbed 3d for 2d and gotten an error.

Is there a script or other means by which the center of a polygon can be obtained and then transformed into a locus? Thanks in advance, Lyle Browning

I've got a set of polygons in several different layers that have converted to shapefiles and have been imported to QGIS with no issues, all appearing where they should in relation to one another. Except that a set of 2d symbols, when converted, are 3d symbols and about 40 times the scale of the originals in relation to the other objects. Any ideas on why this is happening and how to fix it? Thanks

I"m working on a 3D model of a concrete gravity dam. I have subtracted several solids to place holes in the structure, to create the spillway and so forth. Just now I wanted to add a piece by subtracting a solid. I created the rectangle, extruded it, placed it and selected the 3d rectangle and the rest of the dam which was listed as a subtracted solid. But when I went to the Model menu, all of the choices were greyed out. What's going on? Thanks, Lyle Browning

That Worked. What Happened? Lyle

I've just tried to import a shapefile and got an error message telling me that Menu ID-191 is no longer available in Vectorworks. This absolutely cannot mean that shapefiles are not longer importable in VW2012, does it?

Is there a way to put a scale bar in a viewport legend, as in on the area on the page that surrounds the viewport that one puts captions, north arrows and all the labels on? What I've been doing is creating a scalebar and placing it in a design layer that is visible within the viewport. Those results have to be resized for each one and a lot of what should be unnecessary work ensues. Thanks, Lyle Browning

The question is how do you measure the 'bottom surface' of an archeological strata without first removing all the upper layers prior to surveying the bottom topography. One way is to use ground penetrating radar ... is that what you are doing? We do single context recording which is basically excavation by trowel, one layer at a time. We will record the top and extent of the layer, excavate it and then record its bottom shape as well, which may be one or multiple different layers that it formerly lay upon. So yes, we would remove the layers above the one in question.

Thanks to all who have replied thus far. What I have seen and infer from discussion is essentially a single 3D object. Archaeological sites are essentially layer cakes, but the layers of the cake are not uniform at all. They slope which VW can handle. They have uneven upper surfaces, which VW can also handle. It's the uneven bottom surface that's the issue. VW can handle a perimeter set of points and can model the top surface but the question is can it also on the same solid, show the bottom surface accurately? If the survey data comes in as a DXF file, then it should work after rendering. Part of what I want to do is to show standard profiles through layers which Landmark can do. Next I want to take layers and separate them vertically and show them in isometric view so that their relationships to layers that a single layer touches can be visible for illustrating our typically arcane arguments about temporal affiliation and spatial relationship. As I would be bringing in survey point groups daily, conversion time is going to be an issue. I had hoped that with a DXF file and a small amount of fiddling about, I could get something out for the next morning's excavation aids. Any thoughts or am I in cloud cuckoo land?

I do archaeology for a living and am about to embark on a large urban excavation where large numbers of stratigraphic units of non-uniform shape will be excavated. Typically, these are measured in a single-context system wherein the outer perimeter is mapped and the shape of the layer is also recorded. I've used VW for years to accomplish my work and now want to extend it a bit. Also, I'm looking at buying a total station to record the info from the site and upload it into VW for graphic display. What I need to create are layers, features such as walls (wall tool or extruded rectangle), Postholes (extruded rectangles or cylinders) and pits (arc tool), etc. My question is whether VW can create a 3d shape from a set of coordinates and elevations such that I can re-create the layers and have a virtual excavation later as part of the public presentation. I've done 3d modeling of timber framed barns but that is just a matter of creating extruded rectangles and manipulating them into position. On the site, I can create a wall as an extruded rectangle, or as a wall, depending upon how I choose to do it. A flat layer, such as the top layer of asphalt on the site is also an easy extrude, but how does one do, for instance, a flattish bowl shaped layer that is not evenly flat on top and is not uniformly curving from a center deep point? I have done it the hard way by subtracting solids but with the total station, is there a way in VW to create the 3d solid from the info it provides? Imagine an inverted umbrella infilled and with a side dented and that's a pit feature. I have VW-09 on a MacBook Pro. Thanks in advance, Lyle Browning

That works superbly. Thanks so much.

I've created a map of the USA with state and county outlines, and added a set of layers for each prehistoric pottery type I've got with the aim of doing this on a national basis showing pottery type distributions. Each county polygon is copied into the layer if prehistoric pottery is found there and given a distinct color fill. Is there a way to export the layer names to a file? Thanks in advance.

I can bring in shapefiles, but how does one convert DEMs or DLG's to SHP? Also, how does one convert DLG or DEM to XYZ?

Is there a way of importing either DLG or DEM filed into VW?

VW will import shapefiles and wonderful as that is, are there any plans to go the next step and do DLG's and DEM's? Site modeling is already there. The advantage would be in being able to utilize parts of the two in turning off and on various layers to achieve clarity and impact.