dovermyer

The objects are just vanilla AutoCAD objects. The sales rep talked my boss into paying for the Architectural stuff...which I avoid like the plague. I don't draw 6-panel doors or stud walls. I design modular, multi-level exhibit structures using regular solids...hoping for a seat of Inventor soon

Thanks for the suggestions. I've already tried exporting as .SAT, to no avail. I'll look into converting to generic solids. That sounds like a possible solution. Thanks!

Hi folks, I created a curved staircase in AutoCAD with regular solids. The stringers & handrails are sweeps along helices. When I try to open the file (as either dxf or dwg) in VW, it loads the treads & other simple solids, but it seems to completely ignore the objects swept along a helix. I'm using AutoCAD Architecture 2009 SP1 & VectorWorks Fundamentals 2008 SP3. I even tried to explode the helical objects into surfaces, but that didn't work either. I just need to import it so my colleague can include the staircase in his VW pretty-picture. Thanks in advance! **Reposted into appropriate forum...after I noticed there was an appropriate forum**

I'm going to assume that general silence here indicates that I'm trying something weird

Thanks for your suggestion. However, it achieved the same results as the DXF. I always save to v2004. I even tried exporting to a R12 DXF. Nothing works...which leads me to believe that VW doesn't understand an ACAD helical sweep. Anyone else have suggestions, ideas, or thoughts on the matter?

Anyone have any advice?...

Hi folks, I created a curved staircase in AutoCAD with regular solids. The stringers & handrails are sweeps along helices. When I try to open the file (as either dxf or dwg) in VW, it loads the treads & other simple solids, but it seems to completely ignore the objects swept along a helix. I'm using AutoCAD Architecture 2009 SP1 & VectorWorks Fundamentals 2008 SP3. I even tried to explode the helical objects into surfaces, but that didn't work either. I just need to import it so my colleague can include the staircase in his VW pretty-picture. Thanks in advance!

Yeah...I suppose that could be it too...but my limited knowledge doesn't lend me to understand how a crappy grahics card can cause insufficient system RAM when it's not shared memory. This system was purchased at the same time I was hired...I really wish they'd saved $40 & went with an 8800GT. The other problem I've noticed with this PC is that the RAM is DDR800...but CAS6.0 uber-generic. I'm going to be submitting a 'wish list' soon.

I had the same issues with a 3Ghz Core2 Duo with 4GB RAM, 256MB Quadro NVS 290 video card, XP Pro, and VW 2008 SP3. The only thing I can assume is that VW is a horrible program which shouldn't have any rendering software bundled with it... I'm using AutoCAD 2009 now...waiting to see if there's a solution out of sheer curiosity.

Or...you guys could just use ANY OTHER CAD SYSTEM which allows accurate operations without having to resort to an elementary-style grid system.

One tried & true solution...export to DWG/DXF & open in a real CAD program...

I'd be interested to know this as well. Maybe VW can't & it's just not talked about...it would explain why there's been 24 views & I'm the 1st reply.

*scratches head* Sounds like AutoCAD 13 a little bit...maybe VW is going thru the same growing pains? Condolences on the lost work. I think we all know how terrible it is to have to redo design work because of power/hardware/software failures.

Mark: If you create the PDFs with CutePDF Writer, then there shouldn't be any issues. Just completely bypass the internal VW options & print to CutePDF as if it were a printer. But, again, this doesn't appear to help the white toasters.

I hadn't tried that approach visard. Thanks. I assumed that it wouldn't work, since neither open nor closed polylines are 3D in VW and not all objects can become polygons. Guess I shouldn't assume all terms are used properly...

Hehe, sorry. I forgot that this is a den for the "White Toaster". Good luck to you.

Bairdg...I'm in that same boat. I just started this job a month ago & they use Vectorworks for custom structural assemblies. I'm in the process of evangelizing the benefits of AutoCAD/Inventor. VW looks like it would be perfectly fine if you're drawing houses or pretty pictures for presentation...on a tight budget. But when it comes to making accurate 3D assemblies from a library of parts quickly, it seems to fall flat on its face. The killer for me is that 2D objects do not retain their XYZ locations when you're in a 3D view in VW. That's simply unusable in my opinion. This means you can't sketch a layout in 2D, then use that 2D to place your 3D accurately while in an isometric view...something I consider to be a basic function in any 3D package. Good luck chopping down the mightiest tree in the forest with a herring!

CutePDF will get around the usage rights issue. It installs as a system printer, so you simply print to it. It will prompt you to save a PDF instead of spitting paper out of your printer.

Foxit Reader will open any PDF & allow you to mark it up. However, the free version will toss an "evaluation version" stamp onto the PDF. If both parties are fine with that...side-effect, then it will be a workable solution. Just make sure to tell them to right click the toolbar area & turn on: -Commenting Tools -Drawing Markup Tools -Typewriter Tools Good luck!

Great assessment! Thanks for your help Gytis. I'm on another project for most of today, but I'll definitely post my results after I've had time to clean that drawing up. I've already begun switching groups to symbols where practical. I'm new to VW & this drawing pre-dates me. Everyone's help has been greatly appreciated.

Thank you for looking at it Gytis. The file I uploaded is 44.5MB. I'm not sure how it grew to nearly 20x as large for you. The rendering you posted looks pretty good. Any ideas why the file grew like that? I'll see about purging some items to see if it helps.

Bairdg... What I'm finding is that the more I attempt to learn to use VectorWorks...the more memories I have to suppress from geometry class & 15 years of AutoCAD usage... My Mantra: Pretty Pictures Pretty Pictures Pretty Pictures...

I defragmented again, with all programs closed. It's now at 0% fragmentation, as good as windows knows how to get it. I still ended up with the same results, so I'm not sure what else to try. As always, ideas & suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Yeah, the hardware was purchased without my input...I would have told them to grab an EVGA 8800GT 512MB for $150 instead of this NVS 290 256MB (Not Very Strong?). IMO...you don't touch workstation cards under $200...stick with gaming cards under that. Disk fragmentation is only at 3% and was defragmented a week ago. Though, I'll give it a try once more since I did recently do the SP3 install. I did get OpenGL to work ONCE. I don't remember the exact settings, it was only on one viewport, and the system hard-locked 2 minutes later...

System Specs are listed in the 1st post. I have 4GB of RAM (3.48GB in WinXP), which is far more than VW can utilize. I'm making the render attempt immediately following a fresh load. VW RAM usage sits around 270MB until I attempt to render a viewport, then it shoots for ~1.5GB -> 1.7GB, where it gives the errors. I assume it's failing while trying to allocate a final, large memory block which is between 300MB & 500MB & that's why it's hitting it's head on the 2GB process limit. I just don't know why it's using so much RAM to do something ,which appears to be, very simple. I can do Final Quality RenderWorks on the entire drawing w/out viewports...but as soon as I try to render just 3 of the entities within a viewport, VW sets its hair on fire & runs around the room freaking out. http://www.mediafire.com/?pmdymmrmyly (44.51MB) Design Layer Rail is the "model space" I'm able to render just fine. Sheet Layer D Rail contains the 8 viewports. The bottom right viewport has been my primary test subject. Thank you all for your tips & suggestions. All are appreciated.