C. Andrew Dunning
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Posts posted by C. Andrew Dunning
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Rich -
Run "Create Color Chart" (Under Tools...Utilities in the Standard 13/08 WorkSpace). A color chart will be created with numbers in the color squares. Create the following script:
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PROCEDURE Color;
VAR
r,g,b :LONGINT;
BEGIN
ColorIndexToRGB (0,r,g,b);
Message ('Red: ',r,' Green: ',g,' Blue: ',b);
END;
RUN (Color);
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Replace the "0" in the ColorIndexToRGB line with the number of the color you're wanting. That will give you the RGB values, which is what VectorScript is wanting.
Make sense?
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Pete -
(Soap-box alert...)
There are two thing in your post that are reoccurring topics - both here and in occasional discussions:
1) Layers and Classes:
I strongly recommend you rethink the way you're using Design Layers and Classes. Having, for example, "Intelligent" and "Generic" Classes AND Design Layers will only serve to increase confusion - and the number of steps required as you create. Multiple Layers can be quite helpful if you're working on, let's say, multiple spaces in the same project (different floors for architects or different performance areas for entertainment lighting designers) but can also add an unneeded level of complexity. For example, let's say you're working on a corporate event in a convention center - and event that involves several rooms. You might separate your work across multiple drawing files, or you might simply create multiple Design Layers and organize your elements into multiple Classes within those Layers:
Design Layers:
Main Session Room
Overflow Room 1
Overflow Room 2
Breakout Room 1
Breakout Room 2
etc.
Classes:
Room-Room
Room-Softgoods
Staging-Stage
Staging-Scenery
Lighting-Flown-Conventional
Lighting-Flown-Intelligent
Lighting-Flown-Truss
Lighting-Ground-Conventional
Lighting-Ground-Intelligent
Lighting-Ground-Truss
etc.
This way, your Class structure for each Design Layer is the same - but with no "purpose overlap" between Classes and Design Layers. Also, within a given space, changing views is much easier than if you had "same-space" elements in multiple Design Layers.
I've also seen lighting designers use a similar approach for designs for repertory productions.
2) Multiple Classes in Groups and Symbols:
Assigning separate Classes to the "sub-components" of Groups and Symbols (which are, themselves, assigned to Classes) is extremely useful. For example, a piece of entertainment truss might be in a Class called "Flown-Truss." The truss might be comprised of "Simple" and "Complex" geometry - allowing you to display truss as a simple box or as a collection of the chords, gusset plates, lacing, and rigging guidelines.
I know I'll be publicly ridiculed by my brethren for my comments, but this is the way I've found things to work best for me...
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Thanks. I had been looking at the wrong VS reference document on my HDD - and neither of the on-line VS resources have any info (that I could find) on the new calls.
I'll have to do a little tinkering now to learn what the different variables do...
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To make it possible to create these objects without having to worry about the aspect ratio (that changes when the coordinate system is rotated), 3 new calls were created: RectangleN, RRectangleN, and OvalN. These allow you to specify the rotation of the object, and then the bounding box of the object within that rotation.
Where can we get more info on these calls - what their syntax and variables are and how they funtion relative to, let's say Rect?
Thanks!
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DWorks -
Makes sense. I hadn't thought of that (though several of my symbols do contain grouped elements).
The thing I'd tried to do (and gave up) was having certain lines within symbols change color (color only - not fill, pattern, or line style) based on which Class on which the symbols are placed. I have symbols that are used in different ways (in different Classes) and differentiating their purpose/Class at-a-glance using color would be a great thing...
Regards -
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And more evidence of why I should think before typing...
Most of the elements in my symbols are already created in different classes. I use class visibility to control which of those elements are hidden or shown. There just isn't a way to control the graphical attributes of those things based on which Class in which a given symbol is placed.
I guess this is one of those "can't have my cake and eat it too..." things.
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I'm referring to an outline feature like we have in a word processor where the subclasses would be indented from the parent class.
Ahhh... Makes total sense. Great idea.
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boxjoint -
Would you care to explain what you mean by "the ability to show hierarchical lists"? Curious...
As to what DWorks was saying about the ability to adjust graphical attributes based on Class assignment, I love the concept but the vast majority of my work is symbol-based (the symbols need to remain symbols when placed) and, as far as I know, geometry within symbols cannot change attributes on a "per-instance" basis. Perhaps something for the Wish List...
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I wonder if you would be willing to post a new topic explaining how you keep them all straight? How do you have your classes organized? What sort of naming convention do you use?quote]
I've taken advantage of 2 things in VW's handling of Class order:
1) I use numbers to group Classes of similar general function.
2) I use VW's Class name tree system to subdivide those functions.
That way, my Classes always show up in a specific order, regardless of what alphabet letter starts a given Class' name.
For example, "5" is a general division for stage lighting elements. ""Flown" and "Ground" are where those elements are placed.
A snippet from my Class list:
5 Flown-Conventional
5 Flown-Intelligent
5 Flown-Truss-Main
5 Ground-Intellig.
5 Ground-Convent.
5 Ground-Truss
Make sense?
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Ion -
I've named most of my VPs. To get a given VP's handle I use GetObject (which looks for the name).
As to knowing what VP will display a given object, I don't know a way to do that - if that's even possible, aside from polling for Class visibilities.
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Ion -
Though I'm in agreement w. others about the value of adding more Classes, I can also understand having drawing conventions that you may not necessarily want to change. To answer the question I think you were initially asking, the call you want to use is:
PortScale := GetObjectVariableReal (h,1003);
"PortScale" is the returned scale of the selected ViewPort.
"h" is the handle of the selected ViewPort.
I hope this helps.
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I think you're right about several Class tools being contributed by Katerina. This could be what you were remembering: http://www.vectordepot.com/market/vm-010_class_utilities.html. Nothing, though, to do with the Nav Palette...
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there are free utilities for the function per se[/] at VectorDepot.
Hmmm... Looked. Nothing like that there. I did check the old Vector Depot as-well, but the newest things there are for VW11 and (I think) the Navigation Palette was added in 12.
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The file is named "LandruNoteBox.vso".
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Katie -
I had the same issue w. a VSO file. 42KB.
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Here are three that return to my list quite often:
1) A Mirror tool (or, an option to the current one) that will copy an entity to a mirror position but will not flip the duplicate object. I'm currently using tools from the old Theatrical Tool Kit to do this, but they could use some updating.
2) Multiple drawing windows - including the ability to start drawing an entity in one window and finish in another.
3) The ability to select all objects in a given Class by right-clicking on the Class' name in the Navigation Palette. This would be a big plus for doing drawing house-keeping.
Thoughts?
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Greetings!
Would any of you care to shed light on making Print Current View work in 2008? I'm having lots of difficulty - blank pages in PDFs - and shifted views and clipped areas in "printer" pages. Is there a 12 -> 2008 approach difference I'm missing?
Thanks!
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Greetings!
Would any of you care to shed light on making Print Current View work in 2008? I'm having lots of difficulty - blank pages in PDFs - and shifted views and clipped areas in "printer" pages. Is there a 12 -> 2008 approach difference I'm missing?
Thanks!
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As an aside, what fonts does everyone out there tend to use?
I've grown to like "Mr. Hand," from the Architect's Font Pack: http://www.will-harris.com/store-h/architect_fonts.htm.
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Yes, "Display alerts..." is checked.
These are messages generated by the "Message" call in VectorScript.
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Is there a way to change 13/2008's default Message Palette position from docked (and eating up a third of the screen) to floating (and a resonable size)?
(Windows version)
Thanks!
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Is there a way to play with the visabilities in a group or symbol?
Absolutely...though, if you're not careful, it can confuse the daylights out of you.
An example of how I do this in my line of work (stage lighting and design):
I have symbols of truss sections. Those symbols get placed in drawing classes like "Lighting Flown-Truss." Within those symbols I have different classes:
- A "simple" class in which the truss is just an extruded rectangle.
- A "complex" class containing all of the lacing and truss chords.
- A class for loci, used for placing lighting fixtures.
- A "rigging" class containing guidelines for rigging.
By working this way, I can place a piece of truss but look at it in different ways. I have a few simple scripts to change visibilities of the classes - simple/complex...rigging on/off...etc.
Make sense?
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Richard -
You're probably right. Setting a view by 3 points shouldn't be that big of a deal - except when you remember that this tool not only changes the view, but also the working plane, itself. A bit more going on here...
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Working Planes dialog?
AHHHHHHH! Yes, when one chooses the (unused & unmodified) Designer workspace there is a minimised palette called WP! I've just closed it every time: I've never liked WordPerfect.
Ahhh...Petri...here's where you're going wrong. In the LANDRU WorkSpace, though kept off to the side and out of the way, the Working Planes dialog is kept open and easy-to-find.
Oh, and BTW, I'm a die-hard WordPerfect user.
Numerical color values?
in General Discussion
Posted
Rich -
A "9" gives you 41120, 41120, 42148. The values pop up in a message box.
Running the script is a matter of double-clicking it - either in a script palette or in the Resource Browser.
Scripts created from within VW can't be opened with Notepad. If you created yours using the Script Editor, you have to use that to edit them. If your script is drawing-specific (created from the Resource Browser), right-click on the script and choose "Edit."
As to a table of the numbers, I don't know of one. The closest thing is either the Utility command I mentioned or the Color Table in the VS Function Reference document - both of which will give you Color Index numbers (the latter if you're using stock colors).