Art V

I do like the move by point tool to have a copy option as often I start moving something into place before copying, so only having to use a modifier key to toggle the copy functionality on/off is quite handy. Though I can see the use for an option to split/combine the move by point and copy functionality for those who like to keep this separate. With some tools the modifier keys can be a bit cumbersome if there are too many sub-options so some simplification would be useful. I like all suggestions , so upvoted the ones I like the most.

This would be nice, as it makes adding subclasses a bit easier. Maybe there could also be an option to use the navigation palette where clicking on a class that has subclasses, the class prefix will be automatically used as a start for the new class name. e.g. there are already two classes Office-ground floor and Office-First floor. If in the navigation palette I would click on the Office level of the class hierarchy and right-click and then in the pop-up menu select new it would start the new class name with "Office-" or "Office-ground floor-" if there are subclasses to the ground floor and I'd select the Ground floor level of the class hierarchy. The same could then apply to other things where such levels/prefixes are used.

Am I understanding correctly that this happens when you create a viewport without a crop, i.e. it automatically uses the extents of the visible objects to create a sheet layer viewport and set the outline of the viewport to none? In that case it is a bit similar to what I have experienced in AutoCAD too at times as the viewport outline happens to exactly overlap with one or more of the objects and it truncates part or all of the object's outline. It should be quite simple to fix in VW by having such automatic viewports to add a and extra space of twice the largest line thickness around the objects when creating this automatic viewport. That way there shouldn't be an overlap anymore.

Thanks for the support for Revit import as well as moving it to the wish list, that saves me from creating a wish list item. Even though I'm not really using BIM at the moment I can see the potential benefits for being able to directly exchange files with Revit as there seems to be a push to incorporate BIM technologies outside architecure (e.g. for civil constructions/infrastructure objects) so it is only a matter of time for this to become an issue for non-architects as well. I'd rather use Vectorworks than Revit just like I prefer VW over AutoCAD for some of the work. If I understood it correctly the current version of the ODA API for Revit files is for converting it to DWG files, so I'm not sure how much of an issue this would be for Vectorworks as it may mean importing/exporting DWG files before conversion from/to Revit. Vectorworks could do this internally during the import/export of Revit files but it may put some constraints on objects that can be used. It would also require improving some DWG compatibility as well, which is always welcome. Jim, do you have any idea what the issues could be when trying to implement this Revit import/export option as it is now?

Yes LandXML would be useful to have, even though originally it is mostly for exchange with AutoCAD Map 3D. That being said, quite a bit of the generic Map 3D functionality is incorporated into Civil 3D so LandXML would still be a preferred route. In the meantime you could try to split the file into dwg and shapefile for exchange with Civil 3D. Shapefiles would be useful for contours etc. for the DTM as well as other polygon/polyline objects that have data attached. That way you could keep some of the data to objects. All other objects still would be exchanged through dwg files. This is one of the reasons why I asked for an option to have VW records attached to objects/symbols to be exported as extended entity data (EED) into DWG files so that at least the associated information is maintained with the objects. And to create records to keep EED info in dwg files so that they become visible in Vectorworks. (there were quite a few more wishes/requests but I'll wait until after VW2017 has been released to see which ones should be resubmitted into the new wish list forum for voting up (or down)).

Are the VW2017 serial numbers for the US version of Vectorworks provided by VW US or by the local distributors for those outside the US using the US version?

Apparently ODA (Open Design Aliance) that also programs the Teigha libraries used for read/write of DWG and DGN files has now libraries that can read/write Revit files (RFA and RVT) according to this blog about the ODA conference. http://www.worldcadaccess.com/blog/2016/09/open-design-alliance-opens-up-the-revit-file-format.html Is there as chance that Vectorworks will implement this into e.g. VW Architect? Though Autodesk is promoting the use of Revit for Civil Engineering design as well, so it would make sense in that case to also implement it in VW Landmark to keep up with the competition.

Do you have an indication how how much lines are skewed on average or does it vary? Does this apply to all lines or just some lines? Did you check in the OIP if the lines are truly horizontal/vertical? You may need to set the number of decimals to the max if necessary. Are you exporting from design layers or a viewport? Is it possible to upload a Vectorworks file that has a small part of your drawing (or new drawing with a few lines) that shows the issue after export? One possibility is that (grid) snap settings are causing your lines not to be straight if a nearby snap overrides the snap you're aiming for if they are close but you may not notice it because Vectorworks works at scale, but upon export to dwg it becomes noticable. Sometimes a line has an angle of 0.01 degree due to a wrong snap or a failing snap. E.g. when working to scale 1:1000 in Vectorworks a small deviation may not be visible on screen, but after exporting to dwg it may be more clearly noticable.

I know you can't get specific about everythig, that is why I asked about this in general. But one can always hope it might be something you would be allowed to be a bit more specific on.

This means we'll have to make it a wish list item then. Before I do that, have there been any improvements made to dimension text handling/options for VW 2017? If so I'll wait for 2017 before making a dimensions wish list item.

I don't think it is possible to remove the default dimension styles in an easy way. If you open the file in a different language version of VW you may be able to get rid of these defaults (it works for classes, don't remember for sure about dimensions) but upon opening in the original language at least the default none class is put back into the drawing. It would be nice if defaults for dimensions (and if possible classes as well) could be removed or at least made invisible and unselectable in the various dialogs and panels.

Will there be Microstation DGN file import in VW 2017? I know it was put in the wish list and submitted to the software engineers but that is no guarantee it will be implemented. I noticed some ODA/dwg based software is now starting the include this in their programs after the updated ODA libraries were released earlier this year and was wondering if Vectorworks would do the same. It would save me a few software/file format detours which is always welcome.

With Windows it works that way too, as I noticed a popup in the lower right corner where the notification area is, though it depends a bit on the browser. With Google's Chrome browser it seems to work, but with Firefox maybe less so but I do have more script and add blockers in stalled in Firefox than in Chrome so that might account for the difference.

Sorry to hear it did not go well. Maybe next time when you have such an interview you could bring a tablet to show what you do like you do with your youtube movies? Some things are just a bit hard to explain to people who are not in the "production process" themselves.

In addition to the above, it would also be nice if it would be possible to set the size of a grid area by setting a limit/dimension similar to AutoCAD's "Limits" command. The grid would then only exist within these limits. This can be useful when you are constrained to a certain area and the grid ending would indicate such area limits.

Yes, the way you can pick date and time in e.g. Android applications with clickable/rotary calendars and clocks works quite well if it is also sensitive to the speed of the scroll wheel. I.e. when it scrolls fast you go fast through years/month/day or hour/minute and when the speed is slow it is more precise. Even then I would still like to have the option to use keyboard text input, or have the pickers be responsive to typing numbers as well instead of scrolling/picking only.

Some DWG based cad software for tablets seems to have that more or less solved, I think it was Gräbert's mobile cad program (Ares commander for the tablet) that had some autozoom etc. to improve precision and selection depending on whether there are other objects close to your finger. If you want I can try to find it. That being said, tablets and the like are imho only suitable for light drafting and in addition reviewing/commenting/marking-up and making minor corrections for the near future. The screen is just too small to work efficiently. Walking around with a 17" tablet could solve that but doesn't sound too enticing either because it negates the size and weight advantage of tablets.

To boldly go where no Vectorworks user has gone before?

In addition to Tim's suggestion, did you also check if you have the latest video card drivers installed in case it is a glitch in the graphics display? Often display issues can get solved by making sure you have the latest graphics card driver installed for your system) Maybe you could add the specs of your system (operating system, processor, RAM, video card type and video card ram as a minimum) in your signature line (can be set in your account), it could be that you are low on RAM or that your video card might be underspecced for VW 2016. Unless it is something that started just recently and there were no problems before.

At least it would live up to the moniker of "mean machine"

If you are going to get new graphics cards, the nVidia 10 series is said to be noticeably more powerful than the nVidia 9 series for the same last two digits. I.e. a 1070 is noticeably faster than a 970, even a 1060 should outperform a 970 whereas in the past this difference would be smaller between e.g. a 860 and a 960.

It should work, but nested references is something I have been avoiding for a long time as they need to be loaded sequentially and this may slow down things considerably when opening the master drawing. If this is on a network then this may further reduce the speed, but this will also depend on network speed, servers etc. Not to mention that things may get messy to edit. I hated it in AutoCAD if nested references were used and you had to hunt down the proper dwg file to change something, at least until they allowed editing in place for xrefs. This assuming they looked beyond the first level of xrefs and included the sub-xrefs as well. Often this was not the case. You could try with a typical file and see how well it works (or doesn't work) in your office situation.

Yes, GeForce graphics cards are ok for office and 2D cad use, but for good performance you'll need a GTX card as these are aimed at gamers who need power. If you don't want to pay big bucks for a powerful nVidia Quadro card then a GTX x50 or higher is the way to go. Especially because there are no Quadro drivers for Vectorworks as far as I know the ROI on a Quadro card gets a bit lower than you would like, so a GTX card would be the better choice for now. If you are using other software for which Quadro drivers are available then you could still get one.

This sounds like you might be printing to PDF using the Acrobat DC printer, as you say you are exporting to Acrobat DC? If yes then the page settings in the Acrobat Printer will override the page size in Vectorworks. You'll need to set the page size in the Acrobat printer to match the page size of the Vectorworks document or sheet layer that you are trying to print. If you are using File>Export to PDF or File>Publish (and then to PDF) then the page size defined in Vectorworks should be used and the Acrobat Printer settings should not have an impact. The printer setting in the sheet layer settings dialog does not affect Export and Publish as far as I know, only when you actually print (in this case to PDF) it does affect the output.

Good luck with that if you have to use a 10+ GB aerial background image in your project Though your ISP or mobile internet provider might be happy to have you as a client for what they can charge you for data transfer.