portamigra

First off, thank you all for your input. I've always created my sections from the design layers...until just now. I actually didn't realize I could make the section from a viewport. I created the section I wanted from a floor plan viewport and it worked like a charm. This is curious because it hasn't been working. So, just to verify, I went back to my design layer (from the viewport) and the section tool messed up again. For whatever reason, I can only create the section from the viewport. I guess this is a bug? This is definitely not the first time I've had issues with VW and big files. Often times, everything will 'disappear' when I'm zooming on a design layer. They are gone until I navigate away from that design layer and back to it (thank God for saved views...). I'm assuming this new issue is related to VW's inability to manipulate large files. I must also save frequently because VW likes to crash when I'm doing heavy renderings, manipulating whole buildings, or just because it's tired. I have to say that, although I love VW compared to other drawing programs, there is something wrong between my VW and this mac my boss loves. But, in the end, this forum is once again my saving grace!

The VP scale is set to 1/4" = 1'-0" The two story building only has an 846 SF foot print. The reasons for the big file are a DTM and custom symbols.

I'm trying to create some interior elevations using the section viewport tool. I select the tool, draw my line, and make sure the arrow points toward the wall of interest. I changed the options to fit my project (limited the section to the line length, etc) and hit enter. When VW finishes the rendering, I have a blank VP with insane dimensions (7.340097489377e125'). I have done this several times, changing options in the section viewport pop-up, and the only thing that changes are the numbers above, but they still end in some multiple of 10 (e283, etc). If I immediately update the section viewport, the dimensions go to 0" x 0" in my object info palette. Any ideas? My file size is 49.7 MB. I'm using VW 2010. Thanks in advance! Zach

so i just spent some time applying the polyline technique to a file, and there are a few problems: 1. i can't use our standard office font, and 2. it slows VW down soo much it's not worth it. our office standard is helvetica neue bold condensed. when i use the truetype to polyline on the helvetica, VW leaves out the insides of a's, o's, d's, etc. it also looks really pixelated (even at a higher dpi). to combat this i changed the font to arial (a more common font) and VW seems to not have deleted the insides of my letters. even with arial font truetyped to polylines, VW runs insanely slow. this g5 is half decent, but with hundreds of polylines, it still lags pretty bad. there must be a simpler way!!

i've basically done what you described ronman, and it looks...moderate at best. the polylines are just not as defined as real text. the real problem with extruding all those polylines is that now i can't change the text when the project changes and i have to recreate the pieces and go through the process again. my first attempt was as you've described john, and the texture was sooooo pixelated you couldn't hardly tell what you were looking at, much less read anything. (even at 500 dpi...) thanks for the ideas fellas zach

A few concerns... first off, look at the picture from the link. what i would like to do is make everything flat (delta z=0) and then stack three floors like this in the same viewport. the problem is that, although i could delete all 3d information in the drawing, i don't want to. is there a way to 'smash' all the 3d information into a '2d projection' for a single viewport? the walls are all flat because delta z=0 and i've turned on project 2d to get the gray polygons (areas) to display on the floor. i would like the doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures to all appear as they do in top/plan view, but at an angle. i was even eccentric enough to make new textures out of pdf's of each floor and apply them to surfaces, but the pdf's are not crisp enough, you can't read any of the writing. thanks in advance! zach 2D Projection Inquiry

the code compiled before just fine, but thanks mullin, it works great now

No matter how amazingly cool of a 3D program VW will get to be, a little 2D drafting will always be needed for some quick details. It's fun (and reads better) if you can add some character to your details and I like to add those couple of lines to make the 'ground' line appear more like ground outside. I was messing around and put the hangar tool down along my ground line, made the parameters really small, colored it green, and then covered the bottom half with a white box. The result was a pretty neat grass effect for a 2D detail. I hope this helps someone, and if you have any other ideas, lemme know! zach

Here is a simple code i've created to have an interactive cable tray tool. I've created 'pop-up' and 'dimension' parameters for the variables and the tool compiles successfully. i'm having issues with the section for the ladder RUNGS. the rotate3d command doesn't seem to be working. the tool creates the rails of the ladder correctly and spaces them right. The rungs are spaced correctly, but they are created along the z-axis and according to the rotate3d, they should be rotated 90deg along the x-axis to put them along the y-axis. I have tried using pi/2 instead of 90, but it doesn't make any difference. any ideas?? Procedure CableTray; var a1, b1, c1, d1 :Real; Begin; a1:=Str2Num(pWidth); b1:=Str2Num(pDepth); c1:=pLength; d1:=Str2Num(pRung); BeginXtrd(0,a1); {RUNGS} Oval(0,0,1,1); Rotate3D(90,0,0); {Rotate about x-axis} Move3D(d1,a1/2,0.5); {Move for spacing} Duplicate(d1,0); {2nd rung} EndXtrd; BeginXtrd(0,b1); {RAIL 1} Rect(0,0,c1,1); EndXtrd; BeginXtrd(0,b1); {RAIL 2} Rect(0,0,c1,1); Move3D(0,a1-1,0); EndXtrd; End; Run(CableTray);

Thanks maarten. After being gone all weekend I guess this silly mac wiped the error output file automatically, so I got the right error. I was able to fix it w/ one line of code and now it compiles successfully. Now, I know where that is and I can clear it if I need to. and thank you miguel, I'll have to experiment w/ that command

So I'll start w/ saying that I think I'm pretty code savy, but I can't seem to figure this problem out: I'm running into this issue after successfully creating a plug-in object (PIO). But, my second vectorscript (VS) doesn't seem to be working properly. I run it and get an error....we all do. So I look into it, figure out what's wrong, and fix it. Then, I run it again. So on and so on until it compiles successfully. The problem is this: After I correct an error to one of my variable names from 'RungOC' to 'Rung'. The compiler for whatever reason is still seeing 'RungOC' (like it didn't recognize the update to 'Rung') and thus I continue to get the same error! I've restarted VW multiple times, and I just restart my machine and still it seems to have 'cached' this wrong var name. Is there some way to clear an invisible 'cache' I don't know about? It's not an issue w/ the var names being different. They are the same, but vw keeps seeing the old name and it won't take the update! I've copied the code from that VS into a new one and the problem still persists. Help please! zach

If anyone else is trying to make a line with x's, I'll let you know I successfully made the repetitive unit tool work fine. Do not ungroup the line after creation. In order to easily change the way it looks, just edit the symbol that you chose to repeat. Use the 'pitch' field on the OIP to adjust the spacing along the line. Presto, problem-o solve-o the address below is a print screen with two repetitive unit lines that i joined at a right angle. As you can see, the left line has more spacing (15') than the right line (5'), AND the X that is repeating has a box behind it (I edited myself) to created a 'break' in the line. The box has no outline, but it does have fill. With this method, the line is still a repetitive unit object and not a billion different pieces. http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii261/portamigra/RepetitiveUnitToolforFence.png

And just for the record, I do want a splay, I want 30 degrees, not a right angle.

I'm trying to splay walls in a few different ways. 1 - Is there a way to get the door jamb to automatically change to fit a splayed wall opening? Or do I have to manually set the thickness and offset the object (door/window)? What I've found: It's a hassle, but it can be done. 2 - Is there a way to splay the wall above a door radially instead of just square while leaving the door square? What I've found: seemingly can't be done w/out some intense 3d modeling. 3 - Can I splay the wall to the sides of an object while leaving the top and bottom 'flat?' For instance, to insert a lintel above the window, but to have a splayed wall under the lintel and stop at the sill. What I've found: seemingly can't be done w/out some intense 3d modeling...again. So, my scope on the splay tool is that it's way 'under-done' Works great for the little bit it can do. I've read a lot of posts and nothing pertaining to 'splaying' in regard to these issues has come up. Is this a known bug? Is there no demand for such customization? If not, these are wish list items I guess...Thanks in advance!

I went into the title block symbol and reset everything to not take class attributes. I also checked for a duplicate text by showing everything - which all happened to be in '0' because I'm using AIA/NCS standards. Worked like a charm, thank you! It's still curious that it decided to double the text instead of just change it's typeface. Here's a pic for you to see the 'fixed' TB. Thanks again Title Block Fixed zach

I?m having an issue with my custom title block in VW 08. The link below shows a print screen of the same title block. The one on the left is in a border and the one on the right is just pasted next to it for comparison. Why am I getting a ?double? in my company logo? This title block has worked for me in the past ? made it in 12.5 and have used it in 08 on different projects. I?ve deleted all borders and title blocks and their symbols in the file and started over. This is that recreation and as you can see, it still doesn?t work. I do know that this has happened twice. The first time I had to refer to an earlier file and recorrect/update drawings. I?m not sure what caused it the first time. The second time (this time) I made all the classes in the file ?Use at Creation.? After I hit ?Ok,? all my title blocks and borders were in a different typeface and size. I went back and unchecked the box, but it?s still not correct. This time I don?t want to lose all that work. Please help! Title Block Dilemma zach