Wes Gardner

I'll need to make a couple of assumptions here...assuming you've used the wall tool to create your plan, it's a simple matter to include "Layer Wall Height" in your Layer set-up, then, in your wall style(s), include "Layer Wall Height" as the top bounding condition and "Layer Elevation" as the bottom bounding condition. You can then just introduce those bounding conditions to your already-drawn walls in 2D and you'll get 3D walls at the proper height. It's then a matter of creating viewports and placing the various views (plans, sections, elevations) on sheet layers. But wait, there's more....don't forget, in your wall styles, to include any necessary offsets for the various wall components as well as setting everything to be "by Class" so you can control and over ride line weights. etc in your viewports. I highly recommend taking a bit of time to thoroughly understand what bounding conditions, layer wall heights, etc, etc mean and how they come together to create a building information model. This is explained in the instructions. I'm at wgardner@vectorworks.net or here on the Community Board Wes

Here's a simple model....the first floor walls are in a symbol. If you go into the Class structure and adjust the Wall-Component-Int Finish 1 class, you can change the line weight and color from the very thick red, back to something a bit more normal. Is this what you mean? Are your wall styles set up to provide changing stuff "by Class"? Wall Symbol test.vwx

@creatrix, Zoomer is correct...you may want to take a moment and look at the thread "No Stories, No Problem". I talk you through setting up a model that does NOT use stories. If you'd then like to try stories, you can have a look at the thread "Model Set Up". Alot of issues are related to not having your wall and slab styles consistent with your model set-up scheme (either layer bound or level bound) Wes

Hi Everyone, Ever have a large project (or maybe even a not-so-large project) requiring you to enter lots of finish information and then having to change it and update it again and again from each individual space? Ever wished for a worksheet where you could edit the finish information, change the space name and/or the space number and do it for either one cell or the entire column? Well, now you can… First, I’d like to thank all the folks who had a hand in creating this as it’s taken quite a few hours to create, document and test the functionality. Are we there yet? Nope…but this a HUGE workflow improvement for anyone who has struggled with the Finish Schedule. Enclosed is a Vectorworks file containing two worksheets and a pdf file containing instructions and set-up information for managing finishes from a worksheet. Of the two worksheets, one is a fairly standard Finish Schedule (in fact, the one from Tools>Reports>VA Create Schedule> “Room Finish Schedule”) will work just fine…, the other is what we call a housekeeping worksheet, “Custom Room Finish Housekeeper” that pushes the information to the actual Finish Schedule. This system is set up to take advantage of Project/Workgroup folders for use over a server but could be simplified for local use and still maintain the ability to edit from a worksheet. I’ve also included Pat Stanford’s worksheet (thanks Pat!!!, sure made this easier…) that returns all the variables from a given plug-in object and a little secret script letting you change the speed of the new view transition. Bonus! So please, read the instructions once or twice, take the worksheets apart, see where the information comes from and goes to, give it a try and report back so that we can continue to improve the workflow. For the Industry Expert Team Wes wgardner@vectorworks.net

Hi All, I haven't looked at this third party app in a while... http://www.vectormep.com/page/vectormep Wes

@CMaxwell, the Curtain Wall tool can do this, the Window tool cannot. Like you've suggested, you'll need to place the muntins manually.

Hi All, Several folks have asked about model set-up and how to get started when moving from 2D to 3D and on into a BIM workflow. Here are some instructions describing how to set up a blank file and create layers, walls, etc. without the need for stories. There are two example/practice files that I highly recommend you "reverse engineer" the wall styles, slab styles, etc. so that you can see how the offsets work, etc. Also, read the instructions all the way through first. Oh, by the way, PLEASE let me know if there's a mistake or if something isn't clear. The Vectorworks files are in 2019...I can certainly back save them if you need. You may want to compare this set-up scenario to the one(s) described in the thread "Model Set-Up" where the set-up, which I call a "Level-Bound" set-up REQUIRES the use of stories. Enjoy Wes Layer Bound Simple.vwx Layer Bound Special Slab.vwx Layer Bounding.docx

@James Corbett, I think I'd use the Stair tool initially to get the rise/run correct and then either "explode" it or just over-draw with extrusions as you've suggested...

@James Corbett, I'm pretty sure the answer is no. I'll put in an enhancement request.

@Matt PanzerHidden Valley...I thought you were selling salad dressing at first 🙂

I might be mistaken but the unfold command will only work on developable surfaces...

@tismacfan2, I tried using both the twist tool and the bend tool from the 3D Modeling toolset. The window DOES loose its "windowness" (no longer a PIO) and if you mess with it enough, you can get it to insert into a wall (sort of). I think if I spent a little more time, I could get the "fitment" a little better and I suspect, if your client is willing to pay for true curved glass, you'll be given enough time/budget to draw it correctly 🙂 Bent Windows.vwx

Of course, for handling DWGs, you can either reference the dwg into your active file OR use the shuttle file approach...either way you will NOT get all the classes in your active file...

@ThreeDot Short answer: No Long answer: Nope

@Boh Seems to NOT do it in 2019??? Group in VP.mp4

@LeeElston, short answer: No Long answer: you might be able to make a symbol for "ends" of insulation. It wouldn't be automated or anything and would consist of linework designed to be "layed over" the end to mask the termination. Wes

For sections, in the OIP, down near the bottom is the Attributes button for that viewport. I believe, for 2019, there was an option added wit ha check box to "Add Profile Line". This is what you see in the image below, I have it placed in a class called "2D Profile Line" and can control its lineweight or toggle it off. This might be what you are seeing in your sections. It does NOT always work under all conditions. Wes

Here's a screen shot of my Resource Manager...I'm on 2019...I just looked in my 2018 Resource Manager and that folder structure was NOT there...can you have him grab some of them for you in 2019 and "back save" them to 2018 so that you can use them? Or get on his computer when he's not looking (Ha!) and grab some of them... Wes

For me, I'd use the "Create Section Viewport" command and set the section cut line outside and looking at the building. This will generate an elevation that is COORDINATED within the set. The markers for that elevation can then be shown "automatically" in any of your plan views by going to the elevation on the sheet layer, making it active, going to the OIP, scroll down to the bottom and find "Section Line Instances". Select the "Viewports" tab and then place check marks next to the plan viewports you wish to have your elevation or section markers appear in. Seems you've discovered some of the issues with modeling/meshes/etc. and how to limit the view and/or turn off classes in the viewports to decrease rendering time.

Hi Victor, I did a quick one with NURBS curves...I'm sure there're other ways but I'm pretty comfortable with NURBS modeling from elsewhere. I just modeled the entire ramp at some percentage...the real one would probably end up being three separate segments???? Or you could play with the rail curves maybe and get the correct percentage of slope and THEN run the LOFT command. Either way Create NURBS curves for the outer "rails" ( I used your polygonal curves - MODIFY > CNVERT > Convert to NURBS Create a NURBS curve for the Profile curve (I just used a straight line but in reality it would have some crown I suspect) From the 3D Modeling ToolSet - LOFT > 2 RAIL Shell command for thickness I originally tried the NURBS roadway but.... The sub-D tool might also help in this... There're some helpful videos, etc. floating around and Vectorworks HELP can point you to some of the modeling tools and their capabilities if you need help with modeling. Wes Ramp NURBS.vwx

This one could be metal or wood with a few tweeks... Stair Example v2019.vwx

You can check yours against mine if you'd like...this is a "Solid Stair" I adapted this from a wood framed stair so not all the classes are applicable. Solid Stair.vwx

@ lgoodkind, So far, you're right...dunno if you can tell from the image below, but it seems that the initial hip roof that the tool creates has the desired clipping but once you ask it to create a gable end, it doesn't know what to do...I'll keep looking for options and/or submit a bug/enhancement request. Wes

Hi All, Let’s look at a little more Working Plane magic. First to invoke the WP, I use the shift key and the number 1. I’m not sure where I learned that, but it works...in the video, that’s what I do to set the WP on the Ground Plane – just do Shift 1 and click in white space the WP will be set on the GP. The next sequence describes how you can set the Automatic Working Plane...the trick here is that you MUST select a 2D tool FIRST, then as you mouse over faces, you’ll get the AWP snapping to those faces. The next sequence, I take those funny looking nodes and change the axis of the WP. To do that, just click on the edge of the pink WP and you should get those nodes. When you go back to Top/Plan view, the WP disappears. A helpful modelling trick might be, if you need to return to some sort of wacky, off-axis plane, create a Saved View and that’ll let you return to that view. That’s all for now, Enjoy Wes WP Magic.mp4

Here's a bit about the Working Plane...you can invoke the WP by hitting Shift 1. You can see it snaps to the various faces. If you go to Top/Plan view and back again, it'll be gone until you hit Shift 1 again. It works kinda like the C-Plane in Rhino. There's also the Ground Plane which is at Z=0 of the layer. You'll see it right at the beginning of the video over to the left. Some AutoCAD folks have had troubles with multiple Design Layers (that equate to their singular Model Space). You can also go to Vectorworks HELP to discover more... Oh yeah, there's something called Unified View. If you are modeling it should always be ON. In fact, I don't ever have the icon showing so I don't accidently turn it off - it's left over from years ago, but some folks find a use for it... Working Plane.mp4