Tom G.

DWorks: I agree classing is a great way to control attributes ONCE you integrate that skill into the other skills one needs to succeed. Beginners and others could absolutely use a way to easily convert lines and add lines in a way that doesn't place the added burden of mastering the classing system. Let them work into it over time. Tom

From HTH: "but the solid data (required by the engineer) in AC & VW is lacking,ie, centere of mass,stiffness,Ixx, resultant forces." For fun, watch Dan M's video on Scia from the NemVwks website: http://download2cf.nemetschek.net/www_movies/VW_Scia_Presentation.mov He begins to speak to HTH's concern about 4 minutes in. Tom

When you say "2D" you mean you've drawn your project manually without using Unified View (Stacked Layers) to derive the model? And by 3D, you mean when you are rendering your 3D or Section view via Unified View in Hidden Line mode? If so, see the following: For me, there is too great a management load to keep everything controlled by classes since, as you've seen, the choices from within the software to control all line-work are complex. This coupled with rendering (in Hidden Line) that sometimes does not complete*, along with my own errors in line management and model completeness, means that the final 3D Hidden Line render requires quiet a lot of post-processing work to get it to look its best. I Convert Copy to Lines of the rendered Viewport and transfer this block back via the OIP to a Design Layer. There I typically need to ungroup and scale it up (48 times if working in 1/4" to the foot). If the model changes, I update my Viewport and repeat the process. Converting the refreshed line block to red or blue prior to ungrouping helps me change only those lines that have been revised, allowing me to pick up the colored lines that remain unchanged and delete them. When happy with the line revisions, make a new Viewport representing the elevation or section. This process gives me ultimate line control while allowing me to get the most out of the automatic model-refreshing that Viewports provides. I'd love there to be a one-button process for this--an Explode Model button, perhaps--but at this time there is no simple, official** means to reliably convert a model comprised of Unified layers into an exploded lines view. Tom *In VWks 12, this tendency to not complete lines during Hidden Line rendering, seen frequently around roof volumes, has been fixed per the What's New docs on the website. This will be a most welcome improvement. **"Best Practices" in the parlance of NemVwks.

My best advice to Nemetschek is to fight fire with fire. In other words, especially with interior-design based elements like cabinets, those tools must be made way smarter, one way or the other. Having just spent the morning watching a live demo of the kitchen/cabinet tools within the latest version of Chief Architect, I have to think that NNA is leaving real money on the table by losing buyers to this and other programs when they see what CA can do in this regard. In 2002, Chief Arch had a far better set of cabinet tools than Vwks does today (not considering interiorcad which is a game-changer). Yes, Vwks contains many more tools than CA. Yes, Vwks handles bigger projects more effectively. Plans look way better. I live and breath Vwks and am not advocating changing. Ultimately it's not about Pat's preference or Jon's preference (luv you guys). It's about selling more boxes to more users. If the core tools are not in the box, unless the user has someone hand-carrying them through the process of understanding what' possible, NNA may lose that purchaser. Seasoned users will buy the add-ons. New users, off the street, will often keep shopping when they see smart objects in action elsewhere. Buying WinDoor and interiorcad outright and including them may not be the best plan. The best plan -is- to create something in the same ballpark and soon, especially in cabinet-land. Tom PS. Remember that C4D technology has been added to Vectorworks as well as the push-pull technology from Siemens. These should also be considered core tools. Would your advice be to go outside to buy those add-ons--pretending for a moment that that were an option--rather than have them included in the main program? No, of course not.

Or make the vent (window) into a clerestory (via the Object Info palette) which creates a little H shape to denote the unit which might not be too objectionable. Or create a class and hide the vents by turning them off on your Top/Plan sheets (via the Object Info palette again) but leaving them on in most other instances. T.

I'm mixing my terms again using dropped cord/raised heel out of order. I'm going back to "raised heel". Thanks, Peter. Here's a URL for a 10 page list of truss terms, oddly, including neither of the above. http://www.truss-frame.com/truss-glossary.html

Roof truss tools seem to be really popular in other residential CAD programs If you do do a PIO, make sure you add in dropped heel style to provide extra depth at the plate to satisfy our new (WA) energy code.

Reader 9.4.2 on a Mac reads win B's model quite well. Check out Transparent Bounding Box Outline as an interesting rendering choice. Tom

Thanks, mk, I think you are right about this. I tested the size of an older file that I'd uploaded to offsite storage and it was 82 mb so I don't think I've got a real concern. I did freak a little with the odd behavior of the spinning ball but the following day found the file quite usable with one weird exception: As I type out text, it dissapears or jumps to the side changing to a smaller font size, but then appears correctly if I quit text or do some other primary action. Tom

Somehow I went from a 23 mb file earlier today (as shown in my backup folder) to one that is 113 mb. I was barely able to get out of the file with the spinning ball of doom taking its own sweet time to finish. I'm wondering what my day will be like tomorrow.

What Digitalmechanics has done is to show me that I can model foundations like I've modeled roofs and other key elements of my projects in order to be certain that things fit. I've not taken on footings and stem walls because it's been too time consuming but I've got a feeling I'll be changing out my old methods for the new in V2011. Tom

Fantastic

Chief is designed to do residential design primarily so IFC estimating is not likely to occur especially since they have their own system. The builder giving up on learning Vwks is the larger, more important issue and the solution to that problem is the difference between keeping and losing a customer. And the first rule of this discussion is don't blame the customer.

I just watched a 30 minute video on how to begin in Vwks that I created in Sept. 2009 and uploaded to Viddler. It is good and free and I encourage anyone thinking about learning Vwks to review it and at least the following three videos that flesh out how to design in 3D using the simplest methods possible. These videos are not two-minute teasers nor do they teach you the official method of using Vwks--there are other (good and important) sources for that. You do not have to own Vwks to get something out of these videos. http://www.viddler.com/explore/Tguy/videos/1/ The other videos can be found listed at the lower right hand of the screen.

I'm having the same problem with disappearing camera icons. Same OS and Vwks version.

Gerard says "One last thing: I noticed the default setting of the plane is Layer plane in case of a new file. I would suggest to default to screen plane as it used to be." I agree. It is not always good to turn a tool on just to show it off and I think this is a case in point. A newer user is going to have 2D linework showing up in in 3D in their drawings and not have a clear and simple means to disable them.

How about going right to the source and using their online browser reader!! https://www.autocadws.com/?mktvar002=knc-div-amer-us-nc-ggl-acadws-acadws-a Or download TrueView from ACAD and do it on your desktop or in a partition. http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=12423405&siteID=123112

How about going right to the source and using their online browser reader!! https://www.autocadws.com/?mktvar002=knc-div-amer-us-nc-ggl-acadws-acadws-a

Nicholas: Two questions: is the HDRI shown included in Designer and is a virtual rear end comfortable in those chairs? Thanks for your inspiring renderings.

NVwks can take a big step forward by 1. Buying Interiorad and rolling it into Designer. 2. Improving workflow so setup isn't so daunting for the beginning user or those used to programs that aren't tailored to multi-person, industrial, commercial style projects. There, they expect you to suffer for your art. 3. Improve tutorials, webinars, manuals, etc. for this segment. Or include Jon's books as part of the price and be done with it. 4. Improve objects and textures--we want more, more, more. Don't expect a new user to be taking photographs and making their own or trying to learn import of someone else's poorly scaled objects with missing textures. And why do we still have console tv's in the Residential Furniture folder? Dodge Neon? Really? The residential segment needs to be freshened, then bulked up, in my opinion. Having said that, I left CA partly BECAUSE I hated having to make each space conform to the requirements of the RULES (for instance, each enclosed space triggers a raft of options including informing the roof as to what shape to take). But really, willofmaine, do you think, after mastering the creation of the capitals in your enclosure, that you'll be happy with CA? I think you have too much power already to go back to simpler days. Nice work, by the way!

Singh: You say in a previous post: "The development rate at NemV is ridiculously slow." Can you tell me what version of VectorWorks you use? You don't list that info in your posts?seems to me you were back on v.12, am I wrong? I'm wondering how much knowledge you really have about this program beyond having skimmed the demo 2011 download. This is important as you continually, in your history of posts, note the shortcomings of VectorWorks. As opposed to what, exactly? Yes, I have viewed your website and vitae. Thanks!

I thought it was a tongue in cheek reply. Just my type of humor! Tom

HDR images are really important to me and while Renderworks was difficult in many ways, adding an HDR scene was not hard. Hopefully we will be able to continue this in Vwk 2011 and not take a big step backwards in this regard. Speed won't matter if a key feature is missing, is substantially more complex to use or costs lots more to buy as an add on. Here are some C4D HDRI tutorials: http://www.maxoncomputer.com/tutorial_detail.asp?tutorialID=241 http://cinema4dtutorials.com/rendering/hdri-lighting/

When I have a roof fail, I find that if I draw out a series of polygons individually (typically squares and rectangles, being sure that each contacts the edge of the other), then Modify>Add Surface, that the resulting polygon generates a roof which does not fail.

Here is the specific link. http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/766/Error%3A+There+was+a+problem+with+the+LayerNameStds+worksheet Thanks, Vincent.