colby

I can't seem to find any bamboo in the resource files as an image prop or otherwise. Before I go and create a bamboo image prop, does anyone know if there is one included in VW2008 and if not, has anyone made one that they're willing to share?

Thanks Bill, that helps a lot. I've narrowed the door problem down to the "passage lockset without closer" hardware that I included under the data tab in the door settings. It worked fine in vw12 but in vw2008 it sends parts of the hardware about ten feet away. As a work-around, I'll have to make my own hardware and not try and use the sets that come with VW.

In the US.

Katie, I will email the file to the above addresses. Yes, they are standard doors that originated in VW 12, not an earlier version. I assume I'm using the US version but I'm not sure how to check. The application version says: 13.0.0(76681). VectorWorks 2008 Designer and RenderWorks.

Peter, I just tried updating the PIO's and it didn't work.

When I open a file in 2008 that was created in 12, some of the doors become corrupted. Parts of the hardware end up around ten feet away and the wall space between the door and this strange hardware becomes an open triangle. See attached screen shot. Also, does anyone have any tips on how to search this forum effectively? I find it very difficult to narrow my search to what is pertinent and almost always end up scrolling through dozens of postings that do not help. I'm sure this door issue has already been discussed, I just don't know how to get to it.

After this ordeal, I wrote this "how to" for our office. Some of you may find it helpful and I welcome any changes/criticism. Steps to create an existing Digital Terrain Model (DTM) from an AutoCAD survey: Decide how you are going to make the model and most importantly, what will be ?existing? and what will be ?proposed? when it?s complete. The following steps should be used for the existing site only. Later on you will use site modifiers to change parts of it to ?proposed.? Import .dwg survey into a new VW file with ACAD layers>VW classes. Sort through the classes and see if anything is already in 3D that you may be able to use. If everything is in 2D, carefully trace over the topo lines with the polyline tool, starting from the lowest elevation and working up; if you trace out of order, the 2D contours>3D polys command is more tricky, but not impossible. When tracing, do not create arcs (do that manually by creating many vertices with the straight line part of the polyline tool) and do not create vertical ?walls? or inverted ?caves?. Avoid this by offsetting the traced topo lines by a small amount (1/2?) to make very steep, but not vertical walls. At no point can the lines touch or cross. Cut and paste only the newly traced topo lines into a new VW file and put everything on the ?none? class. Select all and pick ?2D contours>3D polys? command from the AEC menu. Use the tool to change the Z coordinates (elevations) for each of the topo lines. Select all and use ?validate 3d data? command from the AEC menu. If it reports any errors, use the loci to find the problem and fix it. Select all and use the ?create site model? command from the AEC menu. Change the settings appropriately and in 2D, make sure the ?smoothed? option is not selected as this can sometimes create problems. Also experiment with the ?keep source data in the same layer? checkbox. If you leave it checked, make sure the class attributes of the 3D polys have no fill.

Boxjoint, It turns out the grey "bridging" is the source data poking through (the 3d polys were set to the "none" class with a grey fill). You can get rid of it by changing the class attributes before creating the site model or by unchecking the box that says "keep source data in same layer" but I don't know what the ramifications of doing that are. I'm still new to the program. Your suggestion of using a pad is a good one, though that may deem the excavation as proposed work, rather than existing like it should be for my particular case. Thanks again.

Boxjoint, It seems to happen in all render modes (even final quality renderworks) and in all 3d site model display settings other than 3d extruded contours. There aren't any holes in the vertices and, after getting a tip that I actually may not have enough vertices, I added some to the topo lines that are giving me trouble and that also didn't fix it. I'm about ready to give up and only display in unsmoothed 2d and extruded contours in 3d. That would be a shame because this tool seems to promise so much.

Boxjoint, Thanks, that fixed the 2D display... but when I display the site model in any 3D mode other than 3d extruded contours, I still get these grey zones at flat areas and some strange grey "bridging" at the steep slopes. Thoughts anyone?

J Lucas, Your post helped me get to this point but not beyond. The 3d polys are all set to the correct elevations and the "validate 3d data" command reports no errors but still the site model comes out wrong.

I'm having trouble creating a site model from 3d polys. I've learned that using "convert to polygons" can make too many vertices so instead, I traced the topo lines with the polyline tool (so I can control the number of vertices). I've also learned that VW site models cannot have vertical walls or inverted "caves" so I've offset all topo lines a few inches so there are no vertical walls, just a few steep ones. The 3d polys look great (see attached) but when I turn them into a site model, VW randomly changes some of the topo lines. Please help.

I'm working on a house project in 3D and when I rotate the model for different views its slow to render in openGL and very slow in hidden line. I don't believe its a hardware issue (I'm working on a new MacPro) rather an unorganized and large file issue. Does anyone have any suggestions for setting up a file so that it renders quickly as I work?

I'm new to VW. I've done the CD's and understand the basics pretty well but when I do anything more advanced (like DTMs from surveys) I end up spending hours getting tripped up on things not listed anywhere in the CDs or manuals. This forum helps but it seems somewhat limited. Are there any other worthwhile online user forums or tips and tricks, not on the nemetschek website?