Cadplan Architecture

thanks for your responses, I used to use VW11 to render exhibition stands and with a lot of fiddling around you could get half decent results, I suspected that things hadn't move on since then and it's a real shame to find that they haven't to any great degree. These days clients expect far more and I just don't understand why NNA haven't realised this and developed the modeling and rendering capabilities to compete in the market place. As most of my work is 2D based I simply don't think purchasing VW 2010 makes business sense if it's limited in this way so I will probably investigate an alternative stand alone 3D modeling programme such as Rhino for my 3d work. Having said that does anyone know of a really good user training manual for VW modeling and rendering so I can give it a last shot?! AJ

I was wondering if anyone has any any recommendations about any particular mouse that they find works well with Vectorworks. I need to replace mine, I don't want the Apple mouse with the tiny tit on the top, maybe the Magic Mouse works well. Does anyone know? thanks AJ

I have to be honest I just haven't been able to find free time yet to get to grips with Vectorworks 2008 modelling and rendering, but just came across this company in Swansea who turn out amazing visuals and fly-throughs. Please would someone check out their gallery and say if you think this quality of imaging is possible with VW2009. www.3darchitecturalrenderings.co.uk thanks! AJ

I need to replace my old macally Optinet mouse and was wondering how people get on with the new wireless mice. I don't like the mouse that came with my Imac because the wheel button is small and irritating on the finger. The Apple Magic Mouse looks good but can anyone verify that it's as good to use as the macally one that I find really quite precise and ergonomic. Thanks AJ

I had a look at the various galleries and whilst a lot of it is so-so, there are some very good visuals visuals there. It's a shame that there isn't anything to say which VW release they were created in though. Re modelling the green fighter aircraft and watch by Daniel Smith are impressive. There are some visuals with good lighting, again it would be good to know if this is all VW or whether add on progs have been used.Andrew Norris has some nice interiors on his website. Seems like I need to try more for myself.

Hi can some one explain please how to make 3D paths? thanks, AJ

Interesting. Have you got any similar quality renderings that you have done that you could post? It's still a huge price tag for an add on, it's more than Vectorworks.

Re my previous post about 'how good is Vectorworks' I have never been happy about the rendering quality, however I've just come across a posting in Architosh forums which mentions Vectorworks Interiorcad which I've never heard of before. The images on the website look brilliant, the down side is that the software is around ?2000 in addition to Vectorworks!! It stinks doesn't it as Vectorworks rendering should be that good as well. The technology is obviously there but NNA seem to have found yet another way to split off a prime function and then ask us to pod out for it at a huge price- see http://www.interiorcad.com/gallery.php

Thanks Shaun, could you just explain how to make that 3D path please? Yes Vectorworks is still fairly primitive for 3D which is disappointing. Form Z is brilliant, you can select edges or faces of objects and deform them either by click drag or inputting the x,y,z coordinates, it's a true 3D modeling programme but useless for 2D. As someone said earlier it's horses for courses which is fine, but Ideally it would be nice to have one powerful software programme that would do what VW & FZ does without having to pay out big bucks for both. AJ

Does anyone know if this can be done in 2008?

It seems to work by inserting a door into a wall as a plug-in object then editing as you described. You can then select the door and convert it into a symbol and then drop it in to whichever walls you want. If you want to change the line weights after that you just right click or double click the symbol to edit again. AJ

I think you are spot on there John. I guess basically Vectorworks is what it first started out as and that is a really fast and simple programme for drawing architectural or other floorplans or 2D views. I know it has always had the 3D architectural features, but this side of it doesn't perform as well as the 2D functions in my opinion, the 3D is also a bit clumsy and too time consuming to use for high quality imaging so it's not really cost effective on small jobs where clients want interior shots complete with furniture and lighting. As you say It's satisfactory for building renderings which is fine, I'm at the stage where I want to offer clients interior visuals with custom designed furniture etc which isn't in the standard libraries (I'm Bristol UK), and I know that from my exhibition work in the past that the modeling capabilities are a bit limited particularly with rounded objects, and that setting up views and lighting was very time consuming, I just hoped that the latest versions had moved on a bit more than they seem to. In particular I find that manipulating a 3D model of say a house is very fiddly, in Form Z you can spin it around and zoom in and out instantly and with great control, I have never found it possible to do this with VW. No it's not just about getting super photorealistic images, the frustration with Vectorworks for me is that it is still a very awkward programme for anything other than fairly basic 3D, and considering that they have split the whole thing into separate software packages and jacked the prices right up, it's disappointing. AJ

I'm fascinated about how you drew the balls frame. If I was doing it in Form Z it would be easy to extrude a circle along a path of the shape, but I wasn't aware that you could do this with Vectorworks even 2008. I can't check using the VWonline help as my Firefox crashes on opening, but could you say please hpw you did it as it would be dead handy for drawing things like tubular furniture frames or curved trusses. thanks AJ

You have got some impressive visuals on your site. Were they all created just using Vectorworks? I'm interested in your comments on Parasolids though as surely this is what sets 2009/2010 apart? I'm assuming then that everything you show in your visuals has been generated using the 3D tools that are in Vectorworks 2008 ? The office lobby with the circular desk is a good one, you've got patterned flooring and the glass reflections are very good. On the miscellaneous page did you model the tubular frame which suspends the chrome balls? One thing I find awkward with Vectorworks even 2008, is manipulating the complete model to get precise views. The controls seem to be unchanged from the early versions. I had a quick look at modelling last week and I also found that there are very limited options for texture controls particularly compared to Form Z. Thanks AJ

I might be opening a can of worms here but I want to start using Vectorworks 2008 for architectural modeling but I'm really not sure it's up to the job. The reason I say that is that in my previous job I designed exhibition stands and I used VW only for 2D plans and then modeled them in great detail using Form Z. It was quite a learning curve but I found FZ to be far easier to use for 3D modeling and with far superior capabilities for smooth surfacing and intuitive designing on screen. Also the manipulation of models on screen was dead easy and the lighting controls and rendering quality far better. Can anyone say whether 3D modeling in VW 2008 has improved on say VW 10 or 11, as I'm thinking that I might need to purchase a dedicated modeling program now like Form Z or Modo etc.

Thanks. Do you mean draw them from scratch and not as plug in objects? If so will they still snap into the wall that I've drawn? AJ

The standard option for bifold doors (VW2008) is either 2 or 4 door leafs. Without having Windoor is it possible to have say 6 doors or even 5 doors? AJ

I have used the bi fold doors plug in from the VW 2008 object library, and also imported windows from the same source. The default door leaves are solid but I have found out now how to make them glass with solid frames. The glass just shows as clear though when rendered not like the glass in the windows and I can't see any control for the glass under Settings. I actually tried ungrouping the doors and the glass is not a solid it's wireframe which I guess is the problem. The question is- Can I ungroup then edit and then assemble all the parts again into a symbol/plug in or whatever it started as, so that it will click back into the wall? Also I want only 3 folding door leaves but the option only seems to be for 4. AJ

Cool I got the 2008 Demo download and it works. I wonder why it isn't included in the UK version though.

It seems that it's for VW 2009 not 2008

OK I'm there now, it's a bit fiddly but I'll get better at it. Thanks for your patience! AJ

No that's not it but I have solved it, it's in the Mac OS preferences under Expose/Dashboard. I can scroll effortlessly now! AJ

nope no joy they seem to be plug in commands

I'm new to VW2008 and find that i can't pan when holding down the mouse wheel. Could it be because I'm running Mac OSX 10.4.11? AJ

I just downloaded the demo but the files are for earlier versions of VW and won't open, it looks handy though! AJ