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Good morning folks, I'm having a weird issue with VW 2025. I've setup my grid lines on their own layer (my usual practice) and then turn that layer on in my plan / section / elevation viewports so the instances of the GLs show up. Everything works great until, for some reason, it doesn't. Randomly, one type of viewport will stop displaying the grid line instances. Either a few or all of the plan VPs, section VPs or elevation VPs will be affected but never a mixing of VP types. Digging further into it, when I select the GL on the DL and check "Grid Line Instances..." in the OIP they're turned off for the affected VPs. This is odd because I've never turned off the instances for these VPs. This is happening between sessions. They're in the VPs when I save and close for the day, then they're missing when I open the file the next morning. It's random and doesn't happen every time. I can make them visible again if I turn the grid DL off and on again but then all my adjustments of the GL instances reset and the dimensions tied to them goes funky. Sometimes saving and closing the file brings them back, but then they might disappear from another VP... Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this or is it a bug with the file? I'm trying to remember if I've encountered this before in other files but I can't for the life of me remember if I have or if this is just unique to this particular project. It's been incredibly frustrating as every time I need to publish a drawing set, I'm having to triple check that all the gridlines are visible. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks folks, I'm looking forward to the day when I know enough to contribute to answering questions instead of just posting them! - Dylan

Hi folks, We have a variety of ways to track the completion status of viewports (specifically detail viewports) regarding they've been Blocked Out, In Progress, For Review, Approved. It involves a lot of random notes outside of the viewport on the sheet layer that get mixed up and everyone in the office seems to have their own system / nomenclature. I'm hunting for a way to have the drawing label show the status of the viewport, ideally with a colour fill or graphic, that can be set outside the viewport. I can get it to work with custom record formats attached to the drawing label and entering the annotation layer to change the status but it would be ideal (and really, properly adopted throughout the office) it this was something that could be done from outside the annotation space. If I could attach a record format to the viewport and have the drawing label reference that, it could work but I don't know if referencing a record format attached to a parent object is possible. Maybe it is but viewports might be their own thing. I think I could do this through Data Visualization but I run into two problems. Firstly, you can't apply a data vis so a sheet layer otherwise I might be able to change the graphic qualities of the viewport itself (probably not though, what could that even look like?). Secondly, a data vis within the viewport would need to be baked into the viewport style for every iteration of those styles. It's an added layer of complexity that would still require entering the annotation space and updating a record attached to the drawing label. Another way I've thought of is creating a data tag that attaches to the viewport and displays the info. Again, this would be one more step in the process and when we move viewports around, the data tags could / would become separated. It would also be asking everyone in the office to make sure they attach a data tag to every viewport... My hope is that I can implement a standard, built in system that folks with varying Vectorworks knowledge can use. Any tips / advice would be very appreciated! Thanks, - Dylan

I have a camera view set up, final quality, and I'm trying to create a viewport of that view. When I did this yesterday, the viewport was cropped exactly to the camera view. Now today, when I go to my sheet layer, it is showing my entire model, and not cropping to the camera view. I know I can crop the viewport, but I have multiple sets, and I wanted each view/crop to be the exact same, so I set up a Saved View for this exact reason. Also, it should be working just like it did yesterday. What's the fix? Thanks.

1. Needs to have length shown and alterable in the OI palette like any other linear construct. 2. Needs to have the Axis alignment in the OI using a radio button concept similar to that which is implemented for rectangles. The image used in the geometry settings window is well suited for the purpose. 3. The Angle profile should be rotated 180° so the top axis default alignment is to a leg face, not air. Most structural elements are installed utilizing Top of Steel elevation concepts. 4. There needs to be an edit mode to permit addition components and subtraction subtraction components. The insertion of one or more creating selection node(s) which can be dragged outside of the edit mode to relocate the component's position along the member's axis. I would suggest that the axis the components nodes snap to be the top centre axis. These components being 3d symbols or possibly 3d plugin geometry. The former is suited for adding stiffener plates, saddles and connection plates or angles among other things. The latter might be suitable for tools that arrange holes in the flanges or the web or for coping ends of Wide flanges. The ability of a component to remain either plumb to the layer or perpendicular to the axis of sloped members is also a consideration. 5. Being able to snap to those nodes with dimensioning tools. 6. The ability to lock in a slope angle when altering the length of the member is also valuable for sloping steel roof and canopy structures; As is being able to set an angle as an alternative to setting an end elevation. 7. Component edit mode being accessible from the resource palette similar to how symbols are handled. That way all beams can be seen and their member IDs are also available for editing. Beams when placed in a plan layout may start out as being multiple instances like symbols but may need to be duplicated and edited as the development process continues. 8. This is a very useful one and should be a wishlist item of its own. Have a Viewport type which can generate a beam or symbol from the definition. (for placement on sheet layers) Talking 3d here and all the various views that the basic Viewport can display. This creates an easy means to annotate each beam and symbol. Avoids possibly hundreds of classes and or layers being required to control visibility. The current process of laying out beams for a structure is still required but all the layout of each beam would be tremendously simplified and can utilize templates for annotation. One only needs to remember that all symbols and beams be created at their internal origin for best functionality. 9. Having the Viewport mentioned above being able to tap into the member id and or symbol name to facilitate automatic labeling. Or would that be the other way around where labels in the Viewport tap into those ids and names? 10. Profile size should be editable as a pull down at the root level of the OI, not embedded behind a shape selection button. 11. The technical data that the individual members currently provide should be displayed in the OI or accessible from the OI via a button. Weight characteristics for the basic member is a useful piece of data that is currently not provided. 12. Custom sizes as currently provided in the individual member tools is also useful for those sizes that are not in the predefined setting. This is helpful when using bar angle, bar channel and some tubing sizes which are currently not in the selection lists.

I navigate to a place inside my model in 3D view, create viewport and select a style, then when the viewport appears on the drawing, the camera is in a totally different position. I manually go in and change the camera, save and its correct, but then i edit the crop or change the scale, and the camera is again at a totally different position. what gives? I havent had this problem before Using Vectorworks 2025, update 4.1

To reduce file sizes with graphical elements I often export an image of a viewport (or a group of elements), and then reimport that image file. As VW’s image file export dialogue is idiosyncratic at best I normally place two locus points (at top left and bottom right in enclosed graphic). I set them out a mm or so (from the corners) to produce a slight oversize image (with a mm or so of white space) and avoid a pixelated edge, and then use the loci to snap to a precise window via the image export dialogue. The loci also provide a way to accurately measure viewport width, again to be able to produce a quality file via the image export dialogue. I’d be quite happy with a script that drew locus points, one at each corner. Has anyone written or is there already a script to place locus points to define the bounding box of an object in this case a view port? In my screenshot of the viewport I have left the view port crop on as a visual guide as this defines the viewport bounding box.

Hello, I cut a section through my project and the resulting line drawing is showing arrowheads at the corners and edges of the walls, I'm not sure why this is happening and I can't get rid of them.

It would be very helpful if there were some solution to interior elevation viewports dis-associating with their markers when copying to different sheet layers. It would be fine if the move had to be accomplished by going to the elevation marker itself and specifying a new sheet layer, as long as all viewport annotation items are retained. As it is, if I want to change the sheet layer for an interior elevation VP, I need to create a new marker pointing to the desired sheet, and then copy all annotation layer items and any crops to the new viewport, which is irritating and time consuming. It's pretty common that we end up needing to reorganize our elevation sheets as we move through the phases, usually as new elevations become important due to finish choices.

Hi I have been having issues with worksheets on sheet layers. I have tried playing the worksheet on a sheet layer duplicating it as it won't fit on one landscape page. The other option I have tried is placing the worksheet on the design layer and use 2 viewports. The second viewport doesnt appear when published. Screenshot attached.

Hello. How can I make window hinge markers visible in hidden line viewports? I want them to be visible in elevation, but they don't display in any of my viewports. I have ticked Show Interior and Exterior Hinge Markers in the object settings. The hinge marker class is also turned on in the viewports. When I look at my model in 3D wireframe mode the hinge markers are visible but as soon as I switch to hidden line mode they disappear. They disappear both on the interior and the exterior side. Same thing happens with the window preview when I try to edit the window settings. Surely there must be a way to display the hinge markers in elevations (hidden line viewports). Alternatively, is there any other render mode I can use for my viewports to get a decent line drawing elevation? Thanks

Helo, I've got a camera linked to a focus point. I've made a camera viewport out of it (copy camera option). Is it possible to make this viewport accept new camera focus when a focus point or camera itself changes its location on a design layer? Thanks

The new Viewport Styles will allow you to save custom viewport settings as styles, making them easily transferrable between viewports and project files.

Hello, I have a graphic representation problem. I would like to show the plan in TopPlan view in order to see the wall detail (default at wireframe) (image 1) However, I'd also like to show the hatch of the floor finish below. (image 2) Is there anyway to achieve this in a single viewport without layering by using the background/foreground options? So far I have not found an answer. Any ideas?

I've got an artifact in a viewport, it looks like a shadow - but from what? • There's nothing above this space to cast a shadow • Nothing in drawing with an opacity setting other than 100% • Viewport has no objects within it • It is not from a 3D object as I've changed all 3D to 2D poly If I zoom right in in sheetspace, it disappears. When I click through into the model, I can't see it at all and can't see what could be generating it. I've drawn a red rectangle and put it on the bottom, and it looks like this artefact is on top I can't load the model up on here client confidentiality.

Hello all, I have a Sheet Layer that looks like this: The two sections are views from the design layer space, and the set (drawn blue) and high steel (drawn light grey) is from a further Section Viewport of the 3D scenic/house model in the draft. When I Publish, the Section Viewport does not show up, but every other object in the file publishes correctly. The PDF invariably looks like this: I have restarted vwx, switched computers, switched operating systems, and checked every option I can think of. The vwx file in question is attached. Am I going crazy? Thank you, Stephen LFN 2024 Lighting Plot SJS.vwx

Helo. I would like my equipment list to referr to a viewport which is filtered by a layer. Equipment list unfortunately shows total number of fixtures instead of an amount which populates one specific viewport. Filter in Equipment Summary List does the job for a viewport but not for Equipment list. What am I missing? Thank you.

I created a horizontal section viewport to show an interior plan. Hadn't noticed I'd checked Background Render Settings/Shadows /On ground only "on". See image below. Which causes a random grey background in the VP....Removed by checking "off".

Can the Visibility tool be enhanced so that it can also toggle VP Class & Layer visibilities while annotating a Viewport please?

Hello Everyone, I'm starting my 3rd or 4th project in VW and the section markers (the triangles and bubbles with the numbers inside) look oversized in some viewports and tiny in others. It makes sense since I'm specifying the marker size in inches but I never had this issue before. Is there a way to keep them relative to the drawing like the Grid bubbles? There must be something I'm missing. Thank in advance! I'm using VW 2019 SP2 on macOS 10.14.3

Hi again, Another feature request! Would it be possible to create viewports from a schematic layer by selecting the items you want to include in the viewport and click create viewport (I have a shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+V). This would be instead of having to create a rectangle and then using that as the crop border. It may require a degree of crop 'margin' )say one or two grid squares or may be a %age of the length/width to give some space around the objects being cropped nicely, and the viewport laying on the sheet layer centred 🙂 But this would speed things up nicely !! Thanks as always, R

Hi, I am working on exporting a shadow drawing with Shadow Catcher Texture, and VW generates a strange shadow display glitch and I can't figure it out. The viewport will correctly render shadow in a perspective viewing angle, but when I switch to plan view it will go off - buildings on plan bottom will be covered by glitching shadows. Please see attached images. The working file is also attached, I am using Landmark 2023, please let me know if you have comments. Thank you. 1118363379_testfile.vwx

Hello, Anyone seeing issue with shaded render in viewport/design layer display some textures in color even if 'colors' option is off...? We started to have this issue just recently...so it was definitely working in SP0, SP1... VW 2023 SP4. Thank you!

Has anyone encountered this issue where if I create a section viewport, it created a cut 2D plan and the option to change the projection is greyed out? I have also tried copying other section viewports lines that show the building correctly, but the results are the same. The projection options are also absent in the OIP. VW2022 SP6 MAC Monterrey 12.6.3 M1 MAX

I am proposing two additional functionalities for Advanced Section Properties: 1) Hatch Style Assignment for Objects where none are assigned. When selecting "Use Attributes of Original Objects" in Attributes of Advanced Properties - allow assignment of a section style to any objects that have not been assigned a section style. In attached screen grab I've assigned materials to glass and aluminum of windows. The column tool was used and displays a hatch. But the pipe extrusion I've drawn (and pointed to in purple) I have not assigned a material or a class and so it appears white, or without a hatch. I would like the ability to assign a default hatch to any non assigned objects. 2) Scale Hatch In a top plan viewport you are able to scale not only line type and weight but also hatch style. When Sectioning the Hatch Scale does not appear in Advanced Properties Display options. This is critical as hatches, especially in a full size detail, can become very tight and need to be scaled. Choosing an appropriate hatch for the object can work well for one scaled viewport but not another and should be adjustable for each viewport.

I am requesting the ability to control the appearance of my 3D model beyond the extent distance. Currently you can set a distance you would like to appear in your viewport for a section line drawn in relation to a 3D model. Sometimes it is helpful to show objects or walls in the distance that are beyond an arch for intance. I often want to show walls in the distance in a light grey. Referencing the attached image I propose the ability to: 🟧 Show objects within the orange area as a foreground element 🟨 Show objects within the yellow area as greyed out background 🟩 Hide the objects within the green area I have only been able to do this so far by stacking viewports. Thanks!!!