billtheia

Newbie here again. Can someone out there tell me how to undo mid-process? While drawing a polyline or series of walls, I occasionally click in the wrong location and would like to undo the last click without having to start the entire process over again. In ACAD, I'd just type "u" (undo) and hit enter and the last vertex would disappear leaving me with a "rubber band" line between the cursor and the second-to-last vertex. Can VW 12.5.2 do something like this?

Does anyone know VW's plan for 2008 training materials? I JUST purchased VW (12.5.2 Designer w/ Renderworks) in August and am still getting up to speed on it. Now that 2008 has been released, I think that I'm going to return 12.5 and purchase 2008 but I don't see any new training materials on their site. The training CDs, for example, appear to be the CDs that I bought with 12.5. Does anyone know if archoncad is updating his manuals?

Sorry - I'm wondering if we'll be able to set the origin point of associative hatching (hatching as graphic attribute) in VW2008. I'm also wondering if ANY improvements have been made to hatching in '08.

Can someone from VW tell us if this has been changed in upcoming VW2008? Thanks.

Newbie - I'm having trouble moving doors & windows to a line or guide. I'll occassionally drop a window or door in the wrong place and then try to move it to the right location but I'll lose the wall cut. I'll draw a line or guide across the wall at the correct location. I'll grab the door or window and snap the jamb to the line or guide. The door or window will move but will no longer cut the wall. What am I doing wrong?

P.S. - DON'T BE TEMPTED BACK TO THE DARK SIDE!!!! Stick with it.

OK, I'm a total noobie here (still working on my first VW project) but I'll chime in with my 2c. It took me a while to get my arms around VW after working in ACAD but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I found the VW training CDs ( http://www.nemetschek.net/training/trainingcd.php ) to be pretty helpful. The cost was well worth the time saved. Be sure to start with the fundamentals (I know it doesn't seem like you should need to but it really helped me understand the VW paradigm.) The other training materials that might be worth looking into are from Archoncad ( https://plus36.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php ). These are supposed to be more like a step-by-step guide for an architectural project. That being said, I think that you were on the right track with the Model Setup "wizard" (File>Document Settings>Model Setup.) You specify the number of stories and basement as well as heights for each. Then you need to set up your drawing sheets (and classes) by using the Create Standard Viewports wizard (File>Document Settings>Create Standard Viewports.) This process sets up your layers, classes and drawing sheets for you. THEN you need to use the Saved Views (right most tab in Navigation Palette) that are created by the Model Setup when you draw each floor plan. This makes sure that you're drawing on the right layer. AND you need to be sure that the walls you're drawing are set to take their height from the layer (Insert Options tab in Edit Wall Style palette.) You can check on (and set) the layer and wall height of a given wall by clicking on it and looking at it's properties in the Object Info palette. You can check on (and set) the layer Z and height (delta Z) in the Organization dialog box (Tools>Organization.) I assume that you've already grasped that VW classes are roughly equivalent to ACAD Layers and that VW Layers are (generally speaking) containers for each floor's elements. As I said, I'm just getting started but I felt your pain so I thought I'd try and help.

Are you able to do live sections and VP elevations with a WG Reference?

It's me - the newbie - again. I'm transitioning from ACAD to VW. I've been using AIA layering standards and was hoping to continue doing so. How well do the AIA/NCS Naming Standards work? Are they true to the AIA/NCS standards? Are there any problems using them? Will I be giving anything up by using them? Thanks.

I knew I was leaving something out. I haven't done any Workgroup Referencing yet. I guess that this is really the closest thing to ACAD xref. I assume that this will limit my ability to use associative dimensioning. Are there other issues that I should be aware of with this approach? Will I still be able to cut live sections and create VP elevations and wall sections?

I'm a new convert to VW from ACAD. I'd like to find out how all of you handle new / proposed vs. exsiting work. In ACAD, I had separate files that I'd xref together. It looks like I can do the same thing in VW using layers. Unfortunatley, the "Model Setup" doesn't create these layers for me so I'll have to create them myself each time unless I set up a template file. I like the idea of using "Create Standard Viewports" to add drawing sheets as I need them. WIll I still be able to do so if I use template files? Another option appears to be using classes to separate new from existing. This creates trouble for me because I intend to use AIA Layering Standards (which do not appear to contain any provision for new vs. existing.) Or I could use wall types for each new and existing but this seems to be the worst possible solution because it only helps with walls. It doesn't help me separate other items like window, plumbing fixtures, stairs, etc. I guess my last option is to not separate them at all but I've been separating these things so long that I don't know what to make of this idea. So, what do you folks out there in VW-land do?

I've just started using VW and am running 12.5.2 on a 1.83 GHz Macbook w/ 2G RAM. I use an external monitor and am pleased with the performance. I haven't noticed any performance hit when using the external display. I haven't worked on any really large files yet or done any extensive rendering so I can't say how this set up will perform but, for me, so far so good. As I understand it, the only rendering that is really affected by the video card performance is OpenGL - all other rendering is processor dependent. If my understanding is correct, then you shouldn't see a huge performance difference going to a MB Pro (assuming similar G Hz and memory.) I upgraded to 2GB RAM to make sure that there was always enough memory for the integrated video card and the rest of the system. My only "problem" now is that I'm beginning to run out of hard drive space. I had been using ACAD on a PC so I didn't upgrade the HD in the MB. Easily fixed though - I just pop out the battery, loosen a few screws, slide out the old HD and slide in a new one - try that with the MB Pro. I used to be of the opinion that you should always buy the "best" computer that you could afford. Now, the performance differences don't always justify the cost. I doubt very much that a MB Pro is going to be twice as fast as a MB but it's still twice the cost. I'm starting to think that I'll be better off buying a less expensive machine with the intention of replacing it more regularly than I would if I spent more. Just my 2c.

Yes, "position at next click" is checked

Here's some more info. about my problem. It seems that my data display bar will reappear if I hit the space bar. Here are some images to better illustrate my issue: 1. Here's the screen at the beginning of the process 2. Then I double click on the rectangle tool and enter the dimensions and snap point that I want (notice that the data display bar (near top of screen) is now blank 3. Then I click OK in the Create Object dialog box and am ready to place my rectangle but there are no fields showing in the data display bar in which I could enter distances 4. BUT if I tap the space bar, the fields reappear 5. Then I can enter my distances (from a floating datum) in order to place my rectangle in the desired location 6. Then I can click on the screen and the rectangle is placed a desired distance from the corner of the existing rectangle SO - am I supposed to hit the space bar to make all of this work or is this a bug? I'm running VW 12.5.2 on a Macbook with OS 10.4.9 and 2GB of memory installed

Yes, "Use Floating Datum" is checked.

Thanks, Katie & Vector but I think that I haven't sufficiently explained my problem. The VW tutorial shows a series of steps for placing a fixed size rectangle a specific distance from a point already on the drawing. The instructor double clicks on the rectangle tool and enters the size and snap point. He then clicks OK and uses a floating datum to place the rectangle by entering distances in the data display bar. I try the same thing but my data display bar is blank after I click OK in the rectangle object creation dialog so I can't use it to place the rectangle. Does the windows version (or the version that is in the VW tutorials) behave differneltly than 12.5.2 on a Mac?

Hi all. I'm a new VW who needs some help. I'm trying to create a rectangle of fixed size (by double clicking on the rectangle tool) and then place that rectangle using a floating datum (per the "Building the 3D Model" tutorial on the VW Fundamentals CD.) My problem is that the data display bar disappears when I double click on the rectangle tool in order to enter the create object dialogue box. The data display area stays blank until I place the rectangle. The tutorial shows the display bar as active when placing the object so that a relative distance can be entered from a floating datum. The tutorial is based on the windows version of VW. Does it not work the same way on the mac or am I doing something wrong?

FYI - I posted a very similar question in the General Discussions Area: http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=83733&page=0#Post83733 I also found a poll about this topic on Architosh: http://architoshforums.forest.net/showthread.php?t=2492 Good luck with your training.

OK. I ordered VW 12.5 today. I decided to start with the VW training CDs ( http://www.nemetschek.net/training/trainingcd.php ) and then get Jonathan Pickup's Architect manual if I think I need it. I'll report back when I can. Thanks for everyone's help.

I am preparing to purchase VW Designer & Renderworks and would like to know how best to invest in training materials. Can anyone recommend one set of materials over another? Are the VectorWorks Designer Learning Series Bundle and Renderworks training CDs any good? Would I be better off with the VW Training books? Is the Step by Step with VectorWorks Architect manual useful? Should I skip it all and just get the Jonathan Pickup tutorial book(s)? I'm a sole proprietor (architect) who currently works on residential projects but is planning to also work on commercial projects. I have been working with autocad for 10+ years so I'd really like something that can make the transition easier. I'm looking for something that will help me understand how best to organize files/layers/classes for an architectural project. I currently have a great ACAD template set and plan to do the same with VW. I will eventually need to have multiple people working on a project so I'd like to set up my template files now with that in mind. I'm planning to switch to VW for several reasons: 1. I want to start working in 3d for ALL projects - VW looks like it makes that easier than the other options. 2. I'd LOVE to get rid of my PC and work only on my Mac. 3. The price of purchase and upgrade (not to mention associated hardware costs) is very attractive to me as a sole proprietor. Thanks in advance for any help you folks can provide.