Greg_at_ils

I could not agree more. See my thread in the Wish List Forum. http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=95390&Searchpage=1&Main=20404&Words=photometric&Search=true#Post95390

As far as daylighting is concerned, I would think that if they could implement the photometric calcs for light fixtures they could include daylight since it is just another light source and it exists already in VW. That would be an excellent addition.

Here is another question. Is is possible to change the level of gray used for the Gray Visibility setting in classes and layers?

The ACAD files I get sometimes have hundreds of items that have some attributes adjusted differently than what the ACAD layer settings are. So there can be a lot of changes I need to make. It stinks.

I'm trying to use DLVP for the first time and I just can't figure out a few things. I'm trying to use it for backgrounds that I get from Architects. I then do my drawing on top of that. Just like an Xref in ACAD I want to just replace the referenced file when I get an update and have everything fall into place. Am I correct in that, 1) You can't edit object level attributes in a DLVP, only class and layer attributes? So if an object has an attribute that is not controlled by it's class there is no way to adjust this other than in the referenced file? Not to mention that there is no way to select an object to see what class it is on anyway. 2) In v2008 any class and layer overrides of a DLVP will not show up in sheet layer viewport? I think that this was fixed in v2009? Even if #2 is fixed in v2009, without the ability to change object level attributes in a DLVP, why bother? If I have to go through the referenced file every time I get a new updated one and reset all of the attributes each time why would I not just bring the geometry in my main drawing on a separate layer and do the same?

I have pretty much given up on this issue. No matter what I do in VW I can not get it to print right to the 500ps. I print to a PDF and then print it to the plotter using the same page setting as VW and it prints fine.

I'm also using the driver built into Leopard. I tried Gerrit's method already. I made the custom page size 36x24. But you have to change it to Portrait otherwise the page flips to a Portrait view in VW and the plotter cuts off the sides just as it views in VW. Now if I change it to Portrait, it then looks correct in VW and print in the proper orientation but the plotter does not treat the margins the right way and now cuts off the actual top and bottom of the drawing because it thinks those are the sides of the drawing. It's very odd. If I flip the margin numbers around it looks right in VW but it clips the top and bottom of the drawing as if I never changed the margins. No matter what I do with the margins in VW, the plotter wants to have the "top" and "bottom" be that largest margins. The only solutions I can find so far is to make the page size 36x25 but then I get a print size that won't match the project set or use the larger margins all around and loose space. This just may send me over the edge. It should not be this difficult to print.

So far all I can figure out is to change the orientation to portrait and make the page size square so a 24x36 drawing would have a custom page size of 36x36. Strange and frustrating.

Is anyone else having no luck in controlling the drawing orientation on a HP 500PS? No mater what I do every drawing wants to print along the length of the paper. For example a 24x36 drawing on a 36in roll prints the 24in side of the drawing along the width of the paper. There are no driver or on printer settings for this. I'm stumped. Greg

I contacted Lightworks to find out what the story was with their rendering engine and to see what it would take to access the illumination data. Apparently the info is provided by the render engine and is accessible to VW. NNA just has not taken advantage of that. Here are some excerpts from their emails in the exchange I had with Lightworks.

I also do the same thing except I make sure the dwg looks like the pdf. It's a lot of extra work sometimes. I find myself occasionally opting to use ACAD on some projects just to avoid any problems. At the very least, I simplify my VW drawings by not using features or drawing items that don't translate well. It kind of defeats the purpose of using VW but it saves me time in the long run. The last thing I need is for my client to feel like my files are difficult to work with.

I too find it just incredible that he would even say such a thing. Is he trying to convince us or just himself? Who in their right mind would like a lag in performance? This is actually the main reason I switched over the ACAD for several years and only just now have tried VW again. Apparently not.

Agreed, I've never had a performance issue either (ACAD or 3D Studio) as the idea is that it is user scalable so the user can decide how far to take it. Just like many other features such as rendering, just because there are some users who may not have the computer power to do fast high quality renders with all the bells and whistles turned on doesn't mean we should not include the option to do renderings at all. We wouldn't have many advanced features by that argument.

Great idea. I second that.

When I edit an extrude or a symbol VW gives me the object in an otherwise empty view. Is there any way to edit these items within the drawing so you don't loose the view of your other geometry and symbols?

I find it's a great help for both 2D and 3D work especially when you have a nice large monitor or dual monitors. DLVP don't cut it because you can't edit your drawing through them, they are not dynamic so you don't see changes without updating them and you can't just click in them and move around changing the view. It ends up being more work than just changing views or using saved views. I'm taking about having multiple dynamic windows or views that can each be clicked into and used to edit your drawing as well as having the ability to show a different view, zoom level, etc. etc. Now it would be extra cool if each window or view could also have it's own class/layer visibility settings and render mode! One can dream!

I have an extrude that is in two halves and wanted to hide the center edge on each half. I tried going into the edit extrude mode and hiding the necessary edges but it only works in this mode. As soon as I exit that mode I see the edge again. Short of having to redraw the extrude as one object, is there a way to hide a single edge?

Is it possible to set up multiple views for editing (not viewports) within the same VW window or to open more than one window for a file? Such as having top, front and side views visible at the same time and being able to move between them as you work.

Hence why I made the wish list request.

I have to agree too.

Please make the reports/worksheets created via the Generate Paperwork function in Spotlight two way reports or even give the user a choice.

Ok, I did a test. So the answer is both yes and no. What I said above about the Spotlight function to generate paperwork is correct. Those reports don't update in either direction once they are made. You need to regenerate them every time you make changes to the plot. Now, if you generate your own report from the reports function under the tools menu, those work as two way worksheets. Seems kind of silly not to have them be two way reports I have to admit. I'll post it as a wish list item.

I'm not sure that's right. This is a good question and I hope someone who knows for sure chimes in but I think the answer is no. If you use the built in function to generate lighting schedules, these are one way. Any change you make to the plot requires you to regenerate the reports and if you change the reports they do not update the plot. This is actually stated in the manual. Now there may be some other way of creating a report that is two way but I have not been able to figure it out yet.

Thanks. It looks like they do have something for my first question. I made a wish list request for both features none the less. I find both very useful and faster to use than the current options.

1) A way to change the visibility of a class by clicking on an object in that class rather than clicking the object to identify its class and then having to go over to the class palette, find it and then turn it off or grey it. 2) A way to click on an object and have all other classes turn off or grey and then being able to restore back.