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bclydeb

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  1. bclydeb

    Railings

    Islandmon, You are certainly one of the VW virtuosos. Regarding your comment, "it takes what it takes"? My wife thinks I spend too much time per project - I'd make better wages at MacDonlds, she says. But as your handiwork suggests - the clients know what they are getting. Many Kudos - put some more work online so the rest fo us hoi-poilloi can be inspired!
  2. Michael, re: Managing the upgrade to V12. I am an architect in the USA so my experiences should be similar to yours. What I have done is simply move my customized templates, notes databases and similar plus workspaces into a neutral file. Then installed VW12. I then installed all the items into the corresponding locations in the V12 folders. (Templates in Templates, etc.). Everything seems to work OK except trying to use my customized title blocks in setting up new templates. It seems that V12 changes the database associated with their canned title blocks and I am having to completely redo my custom title block to work with any new project templates I need to set up. The problems stem from using the Issue Manager features. When I use the prior version templates I set up, as long as I do not try to add sheets, the custom title blocks work OK with the issue manager. I hope this is helpful to you.
  3. Laura, It is not that hard. Simply pick one of the attributes in the door features list - say "panel" and as each door is created or later modified, place you "A", "B" "C" in that attribute line. Then in the door schedule rename the column "panel" to style. Voila! Ve haf der door style in a column on the door schedule. In remarks one could point to the location of the "style" views for each type of door. If you want to use all the defaults for the door schedule and also have a "Style" column you could edit the Door Schedule database and add an item for "Style" with say an autofill default of "A". Doing this before invoking a door schedule spreadsheet will give you another column for styles. If the door schedule is too large and clumsy you can edit the spreadsheet (delete columns) to reflect only the data columns you want to use.Or change column widths to reflect the data width required. I hope this helps.
  4. Mechanix I generally concur with Mr. Cipes on what to do with roofs/roof face. However I use a few refinements I prefer to drawing rafters and then extruding them. Simply another approach. At early design stage I use the roof tools to get an acceptable design model. Later I use the rafter tools to get a framing layout, making teaksw and other adjustments in layout by shifting with various moves and revised length. I then convert the original roof design to a thickness which represents sheathing + roof thickness. Textures have already been set in the schematic or design development stage - so unless a roof spec change is necessary I leave that alone. Finally I run the fascia along the eaves using the joist tool feature in plan view. I should noite that rake fascias are simply rafters moved to the edge of the gable overhang. If they need to be deeper - say a 2x8 fascia with 2x6 rafters, I change their depths in the OIP and then drop them a little using the 3D-Move tool to make them algin correctly. To model a gutter I draw a 2D gutter profile, then a polygonal line along the gutter path, select both ad get do an extrude along path. Make sure you are in the correct plan view when you do this, else you get alignment problems. Sometimes finshes are applied to the bottom of the rafters. So I duplicate the roof, thin it accordingly and lower it to the bottom of the rafters so my sections read with finishes. I also put it into the Mod-Ceiling layer. And my interior perspectives reflect a ceiling finish. Note that all the framing tools e.g. Rafter From Roof, the legacy rafter tools for rafters from roof face, and the joist tools all produce 2D/3D hybrid rafters and fascia. When you use the section tools - "old style" 2D&3D or "new style" Live Sections - all the pieces show - making clear the relationship of structural parts. This produces a pretty good simulation of the real world pieces. and when you do a final perspective, with all the 3D pieces colored or textured appropriately it conveys the desired design effect to the observers. A bonus to using the rafter, joist tools (even for ceiling joists) is that you get a piece count and cut list which is close enough to do good estimating.
  5. I cannot help you nmar - because I have the same need to export to ACAD and still retain the Worksheets as "Schedules" in the file and have not found a satisfactory solution. Away back in yondeer times, you could select a worksheet, and select the Ungroup function and lo! a text and lines group appeared which would export. Of course one would save a copy for th file before one did so else the spreadheet was no longer an updating spreadsheet! Somehow Nemetschek regarding this former feature as a "bug" to eradicate and now I have to resort to gerrymandering out to Excel and back into ACAD using the ODBC complexity ACAD requires for getting the schedule in it. Else I just send the schedules separately as PDFs. Which not all clients are willing to accept! So - Nemetschek are you listening? This is a real need for us who have clients, usually major repeat clients, who have "standardized" on ACAD for deliverables to their facilities department and archives. And they want the schedules where the printed sheets (which went for building department and out to bid) showed them!
  6. P Bartoli, Have you tried the Adobe site to look for a utility which acts as a "printer" to create PDF files under PC Windows? I assume you are a Mac user (Virtual PC you mention). I assume that the mac printing choices for PDF do not show up under V-PC? On the Mac - there is the utility (Panther and Tiger) called Grab. It captures contents of Windows, screen areas, etc. The file it produces is .Tif which VW reads.
  7. All the above so far is both an interesting question and a series of experiential opinions. Since I come to CAD differently than most please read this carefully and thoughtfully. I was taught "engineering drawing" as a prep fro a technical career. The old classics of "drafting" study state that draftsmanship (Draughtsmanship) is a means of communication. That is what I learned. The use of line weights, readable consistent lettering, shades, textures and hatches were "letter forms" which aided i constructing that communication. In Architecture school I discovered that if I could draw it in a manner which communicated the ideas and information accurately and make it quickly understood (in the proverbial glance) I would get a high grade. Working in construction to afford my education, I discovered that drawings which made the way to build clear and did not impose problems on the construction workers made the job go much faster and the quality go up. In architectural apprenticeship I discovered that those who made "art" drawings and drawings which did not use "the graphical communication language" in the manner I was taught, were often regarded as imbeciles by the "lesser" educated carpenters. e.g. Drawing wall centerlines without regard to the fact that concrete, 2x4's etc. are not transparent and do not come with centering cross hairs. Drawings which dimension to outside of finished surfaces are a contstruction crews nightmare. The practitioners I worked with who insisted that we draw to baseline surfaces, e.g. face of concrete, outside face of foundation walls, face of studs, etc. were enormously admired. Where am I going? Just that however you are educated, hand sketching or CAD - if you do not understand what you are drawing and who you are drawing for, you will not produce a useful set of instructions for building a widget or a building. It will be gibberish to the client, constructor, material supplier, etc. who will have to "design" it for you, guess at what you intend and curse you into a hell of their choosing for the frustration you have caused them. I believe a balanced view of "drawing" education is this: A hand drawing process to study by drawing objects freehand, still life and "plein aire" to develop understanding of what those objects are. A practical course series on making the information clear - using hand drawing techniques such as line weight variations, textures and hatches to make the point, then transferring those concepts to the appropriate tool use in CAD. (This is why I prefer VW - It allows all the best of the "old" and the "new"). A course series (or Intern Development Program) which teaches how things go together. Hand draw some to understand. CAD create to know how to use the CAD tool correctly. I want an architectural drafter who Knows(!) why a detail for roof flashing will exclude water correctly while being simple to construct and uses currently available "best practices" and materials understood by tradespeople who will build it. I want my apprentice architect (IDP) to Learn why his building should not leak and how to keep it from doing so! Design is not the merely concept - but the execution! I design all the appropriate details of my projects because when the workers build according to my drawings the end result will be the fully realized design. There are far too many "designers" using "CAD" who fail to use the 1D, 2D and 3D of the electronic ether to make showy "design concepts" and fail to instruct the machinist, builder, carpenter and parts assembler in a clear, unambiguous and complete manner. As an Architect, I do not "design" buildings - I get them Built!! CAD is a tool I use to instruct the Contractor/building team partner on what and how to build it. I then go into the field and observe, interpret the drawings and assist in solving the various unknown variables which always seem to come up. Because the hand drawing I learned by taught me how to see my design, improve my design and communicate it, I can now use the CAD tool (99% of all work - schematic to final inspection report) to multiply the "old" principles, and efficiently communicate the design. Anyone who produces those lame reasons given to nw-Vectorworker doesn't know how to teach the proper way to use the CAD tools either!
  8. rcarch - I empathize - I have too many hours in it myself. Tom Urie - Can I send a sample file with the title block I am trying to move into VW -12. By the way - I can use the manager in several files which are converted to VW12. My biggest problem is when I try to move my preferred custom title block and border to become a choice in VW 12. Modifying the VW sample border TBs - these are way more complex and in tiny print than my border. Also I would like rounded corenrs on my overall border line not square. Finally I want to change the orientation of the issue dates and be able to edit issue dates as well. Currently the V12 feature for this severly limits my sheet placement and displays over the title block on my sheet making a mess. I have need to reuse old proejcts to build new projects for the same buildings and clients. For each new project in the saqme building I need to be able to restart the issue log from zero. currently I cannot do this and either must move all the building components to a new file or tediously and meticulously track changes the way we did in the Pre-CAD "good old days".
  9. According to the Books and Help it would appear that one could create a very custom title block, place it into the title blocks folder - either into an existing file there (e.g. Custom Title Blocks) or a file which you create. Then, when you create a new file and setup the sheets - you reference your custom title block instead of the VW canned TBs. This seems to work. Until you try to use the issue manager. The result one gets is an error message which states: "There are differing title borders in this file. Issue manager cannot work under these conditions." What is my problem?
  10. I have been using 11.5 update on my Mac Dual G5-2.5, 8 gigs RAM, and since I got the updater CD in the mail. Until yesterday, I was not having any problems at all. The symptoms of my my problem are - 1. When I switch between saved views I get a notice asking if I want to re render or switch to wire frame. 2. When I switch working layers - the Layer I often discover the layer I switch to has had it's scale changed from 1/4" = 1'-0" [1:48} to 1:1(!) 3.Going through the usual "first aid" routine of repairing the permissions, then dumping the prefs, looking for any thing strange, etc. and restarting the program, I noticed a "SavedSettings.xml file" in my 11.5 folder which is labeled a Final Cut Pro XML File under the Kind column in the directory. 4. Nothing I have done seems to help.
  11. I concur with Mike M Oz that the stair tools should be just like Dom posted. I spend far too much tiome doing work arounds to get the stairs I need and finally do the drafting of the main design elements in 2D, line by line mode. Yes I can get some semblence of 3D volutes and spindles using the solids modeling and spin tools. Well - lets keep putting the pressure on Nemetschek to get us the robust stair tool und schnell too!!!
  12. I want to echo and ditto this request. Also I would like to see a feature as part of spell check which keeps a log of items spell checked and, if a previously checked block or item hasn't been changed, spell check does an automatic skip of that item. Some of my files take a very long time to spell check.
  13. Oh - I almost forgot - I echo, ditto and want to add my support for the OIP flip directional indicators as well.
  14. Thanks to all of your efforts to show how to embed images in posts to this forum. I think this should be spread around so we can make judicious use of illustrating our ideas, wishes, stuff that bugs us and enables those if us who have helpful responses to illustrate solutions to help others.javascript:void(0)
  15. I vote for more features in the stair tool(s) as well. for example the UBC sets pretty specific limits on stair riser and tread dimensions based on ADA and I often get stirs which do not meet eitehr UBC nor ADA requirements in riser heights. So the tool becomes an estimating approximation tool instead of a real tool. And there are necessities for the extension of the rail at the bottom in ADA and other accessibility requirements as well. All this has to be drawn by "hand" in 2D construction drawings. And modeling for rendering and 3D studies for presentations is a C_H_O_R_E. (Please excuse me for shouting there.) And no - I do not want to spend more $ for FormZ just to do stair hand rails. The post about the German version of VW indicates that somebody inside Nemetschek knows how to give us a better tool in the rest of the world - so hows about it Nemetschek! If it isn't too much to ask - I'd like a setting where the stair can be entered on the first floor plan, and be set to apear on all the floors with out having to model the stair in a common layer between each two floors. And for residential work - how aqbout a setting where a single stair object can be set to show a stair break on the first floor, revealing the closet under the stair, and when the second floor references the stair it shows the complete run to the lower floor. Getting really exotic - how about being able to model turned baluster objects and volute turns in the handrail for traditional designs as well as handrails and guardrails of cable, glass, and solid railings with a grab handrail along the inside, below the top as well as above teh solid part?
  16. Kevin, I have used spreadsheets to do door and window scheds. since a long time back. I currently use the door and window schedule features of VW11.x.x in both commercial and residential work. While the "canned" schedules are oriented to commercial they are adaptable to residential. Secrets to mastering the door and window (and for that matter any) schedules begin with setting up the data gathering features of the program. Doors and windows made using the parametric objects automatically relate to the door and window database and to the schedules when you check the "On Schedule" option at the bottom of the door and window object info dialogs. The amount of data you need depends on the depth of what you want to show in the door/window schedule on the drawings. Simply creating a door or window using the door or window object tool and then opening the door/window schedule creates entries in some of the table data columns, for example the height, width and thickness columns. If when creating the object - say a window - you can enter manufacturer identification and model number and fill in other variable parameters, many of which appear on the schedule in the setup dialog and/or Object Info palette. The major key to identifying the door/window object with a particular entry on the schedule is to use the Object ID tool and, as you use it - fill in all pertinent information in the dialog box that you know. This includes head jamb sill detail references, location in the building, etc. The main secret to using this tool correctly is to select the id tool and pick a location point then drag the mouse to connect with the object to be identified with the ID symbol. Several things happen here. One is that you do not have to preselect the type of object you are identifying with an ID tag. The tool is smart enough to figure out that you touched a door or window and then opens an appropriate dialog box for that type of object. The dialog allows, nay begs you, to select ID features such as incrementing numbers and prefix-suffix info like DR to ID a door say - or to suffix the ID number with say a common way of calling out size (3068) or maybe a hardware group ID (A1). Or just be simple with a number, since the ID symbol automatically chooses common graphic conventions like circle for door and hexagon for window. There is a data entry table lower down in the dialog which permits entering items like type of glass, hardware group ID, fire ratings, manufacturer and model number (Windows), etc., including remarks. Modifying the schedule spreadsheet to simplify to a residential type use is straightforward spreadsheet editing. - You can move columns back and forth, select sort orders, retitle any column. Delete any unecessary columns and generally edit it to compose the schedule you'd like to see. If you are familiar with using spreadsheets to create database rows, you can make a custom schedule spreadsheet that fits your unique practice. The question often arises - how do I change the data. Resizing say a door from 2'8" to 3'0" can be done by modifying the door object on the drawing. Editing the ID symbol entails selecting the ID symbol tool again and double clicking the ID symbol on the drawing to bring up the dialog to change schedule items which are not in the object info palette. This allows one to give doors and windows (and other objects) an initial identifying symbol, enter in the known data at that time, then later as more info is known, reselect the ID symbol and add or change pertinent data items, which will then be reflected in the appropriate schedule. The schedule can be displayed on any drawing layer, or perhaps prefereably, directly on an appropriate Sheet as VW11.x.x defines/uses Sheets. The advantage of putting the schedule on a Sheet allows the schedule to be readable using say 10 0r 12 point type, while the drawing is at a scale in a viewport which is appropriate to displaying the drawing. Of course the drawing scale neds to allow the object ID symbol text to be clearly read. I hope my long instructional piece is clear enough to be helpful.
  17. Gentlemen, Install the "old" tool for framing roof faces (it is named: Create Rafters From Roof) from the Workpsace Editor>Menus> Legacy in your workspaces in a convenient place in your menus. I slipped it into the AEC>Framing as it is a framing tool. This works with Roof Faces not with the roofs created with the VW 11.0.x Roof tool. It should solve the problem of framing your shed roof if you create it as a Roof Face. It only creates rafters, however. No purlins, blocking etc. In experimenting I find that you can ungroup the v11 roofs and they will become roof faces. Wipes out the reason for the Roof tool in VW 11.x.x but gives some options in adjusting the roof planes. I hope this is understandable and it helps you.
  18. I have to chime in here. There used to be a program on the Mac which did beams, rafters, multi-span stuff and even columns and footings. However the company didn't have many supporters except for me and maybe a few others so they stopped improving it. If I am not mistaken it was the same company Nemetschek licensed the DTM stuff from - Compuneering. I have found a reasonably priced structural program called "Strucalc" which I run on my IBM NetVista peripheral connected to my Macs. http:www.strucalc.com and read about it. Approx. $300.00 I was running a prior version of it on a windows emulator for Mac - the one Microsoft bought - for awhile with no problems. It not only calcs the basic stuff but does multiple iterations and gives an assortment of beam sizes. It has built in table data for sawn timber, various Glulams, MiniLams, Truss Joists, etc. and it does roof down to foundations, sloped rafters, hip beams and a few other neat things.
  19. I have to agree with Peter - besides the Viewports feature, higher compatibility with digressing drawings out to Ought To CAD, and a couple of nifty 3D and solids stuff - this fit walls to roof and planes below is just what I need to solve roof wall intersection problems. It creates greater accuracy in the "frame walls" feature for convincing contractors that I know what I am doing. Makes for easier rendered views - set up is faster because the walls don't have to be individually connected to the roof. Kudos squared, Nemetschek!
  20. I think what Robert is hinting at is that VectorWorks has title block symbols in the Plug-Ins folder. These are linked to a built in set of sheet management tools and are used by VW when you are doing a setup from teh file menu setup commands. I like the VWA setup tools and have modified the VWA title blocks set in the Plug-Ins file to suit my fancy, taking care not to upset the data fields for placing project information into the title blocks. I have merely moved them around a little to suit my fancy. Some advantages to using the VWA sheet setup system is that you have revision tracking management tools which create a revison record chain. Plus it is somewhat easier to create consistant title block informatin across an entire set of drawings. In the past I have also used my own title block symbol with the various text fields linked to my own record database which gave me similar, but customized features, to the VectorWorks built in title block system. For really simple two-three sheet projects, I prefer to make a custom layer to hold the title block symbol at 1:1. I then overlay title information and such to fill in the blanks. This becomes a standard layer, always turned on for all sheets. Under V11 I think I would try to place this title block symbol on a design layer and turn it on in a locked viewport in the Sheets setup. Then I may be able to make any necessary viewports . Just an idea. Back to the tilte block symbol concept. Having a symbol makes a consistantly standard basic title block easy to use as a resource across your whole office or individual practice sepctrum of projects.
  21. Damon, Thanks very much for your idea: quote: Originally posted by Damon Design: I will make the cabinet 2-3" deep and when the countertop is created with void for the sink it will pop right in- you may have to create thin walls (back) with the same texture if the cabinet is on an island or cabinet is a stand alone Sometimes the obvious is not apparent until one steps back and looks at a different angle. Of course! Thin cabinet fronts - I use them for face frame linens all the time - I just couldn't make the mental leap to the sink base cabinets! Thanks again for the idea. Then again - filling the sink with water or a vase of flowers is a good idea too. Only it takes more time to execute.
  22. I keep getting a message when I attempt to add layers or classes to a file via setup which has had layers and classes previously setup under v10.5. It reads: " The layermap.G worksheet contains more layers than the LayerNameStds worksheet. The names of these layers cannot be changed using Standard Naming unless they are added to LayerName Stds. Do you want to continue? no Yes" My questions include: - - Where is LayerMap.G? - It doesn't appear in the worksheets or other resources. - Is there really a way to add layer (& class) names to LayerName Stds? IF so how? - How do I get side by side copies of the "LayerMap.G" and LayerName Stds to compare so I know what is necessary to change? The other message which has popped up states something to the effect that the layer limit has been reached and some layer will not appear in the layer list. Is there a real limit to the number of layers? The file in question has approximately 40 design layers and 28-30 of the new "Sheet" layers. The above two things have now occurred in at least three different files - two files previously started in v10.5 and one started in v11.
  23. Viper x quote: Originally posted by Viper x: I am making the text in simple Courier font as suggested > copying > pasting as a picture into a file 1:1 > it goes in very big but the text is good > I then shrink the symbol by dragging it from the top dot of the four highlights > and it resizes very close but some of the words split mid word and as I can not edit it I am therefore stuck again ? Any ideas please SInce you are effectively scaling a picture - try Tools>Scale Object?> and enter your calculated percentage for the desired reduction as a decimal (.72 for example) to scale down the image uniformly. Make sure the box for symmetrical scaling is checked. This should scale the picture block without crumbling anything.
  24. Kerpez, quote: Originally posted by kerpez: I'm working on a chair design and need to creat a bent washer shape,( as if you were to put a washer in a vise then bend over the portion sticking out). I thought about subtracting solids from a column but the edges would not be correct. Any thoughts? Try making a bent rectangular plate. Use double line ploygon tool and draw say an 1/8" elbow shaped item in say front projection view. Then extrude it. Using the 3D modeling tools draw a short cylinder taller than your bent plate and the correct diameter for the hole. Use the center 3D alignment tools to line them up. Use the cylinder to punch (subtract) the hole in the washer. Finally create a cylinder taller than the bent shape at the washer outside diameter and center over the hole. Finally do a 3D subtract where the cylinder subtracts the outside stuff. hopefully you will get something close to what you want. Delete the cylinder punches/cutters and ? what is left should be the bent washer. I haven't tried this out but it should work. Don't you just love us armchair helpers who don't experiment before we advise.
  25. Pbody2134, quote: Originally posted by Pbody2134: How, using separate layers or layers links I presume, do you render say four perspective views of the same project simultaneously on a single (cover) sheet from within the same file? I do not want to have to rely on importing high res picts. Final Renderworks will render only one link / layer at a time and turns the rest of the sheet all white? If you are concerned with heavy duty full color rendered views - the export Image, reimport the image (with a possible trip through PhotoShop in the middle if desired) and move, nudge drag or paste it where you most like it to be - method works the best. For simpler views, Here's what I did in VW prior to v11 and teach my mentees and trainees to do in VW prior to v11. This works good for Isometrics and Elevations rendered in hidden line or similar mode. 1. Make a separate layer to overlay the cover sheet - this prevents mistakes. 2. Make a selection of layer links in Plan View of what you want to appear in the rendering. 3. This will appear as a locked set of links. Make sure that all of the locked items are selected and choose Edit>Unlock. 4. Group the unlocked links. Duplicate the group for as many views as you need. 5. Set the view parameters for each group by rotating them in plan view to the desired view angle and use Tool>Move>Move 3D to set differing heights relative to z so models do not overlap. 6. Finally change the projection to View>Standard>Front and render the items. 7. Setting to perspective mode introduces some interesting efffects - your building could look like it is in a neigborhood view with some near and some farther away buildings. Separating each view on a different layer promotes better individual view control. Does this help you out any? I admit is is a simplified step by step list. Compared to the Views feature of v11, the above is a time consuming way to create more than one view. Using v11 one could simply create a view -set its layers classes and 3D view parameters, then copy the view several times and spread arond the sheet. Finally a simple resetting of the view direction in the view window object infor palette creates multiple renderings - even using multiple kinds of renderings -say one full color and five uncolored hidden line views. The combinations are up to your imagination and can be set very fast after getting the first window set up. THe perspectives could all be based on different size Viewports and differently scaled Viewports. Such as a closeup of the front entry door, mixed with an overall view of the entire buildnig, an aerial perspective view of the whole site and maybe even a couple interior "photo op" shots. Oops! I haven't left you enough room on the title/cover sheet to put the project title and drawing index on!
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