Eyedropper tool still not working (since VW 2018)

[MGuilfoile]

I asked this question three years ago. Perhaps I missed a notice that the eyedropper no longer works, but is still in the toolbox. In any event, the thing does not work. Will it ever work? Should I remove myself from the toolbox rather than keep trying to use it? It's a little frustrating.

Thanks,

MHBrown

[Pat Stanford]

More clarification please. It seems to work fine for me.

 

You do realize that you can change what if picks up and puts down by changing the tool preferences? If you don't have it set properly it will not move what you want to move. If you have settings you use repeatedly, you can save them as a set and choose that set from the Mode bar.

 

 

[MGuilfoile]

I have everything selected. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. Many users have the same complaint.

[Andy Broomell]

Are you given a warning of some sort, or does nothing happen?

[bob cleaver]

The eye dropper frequently freezes VW for me and a restart is needed - this has been the case for several years and I am now on a Mac Studio with 124GB RAM - go figure 😢

[Jeremy Best]

On 11/19/2022 at 4:59 PM, bob cleaver said:

The eye dropper frequently freezes VW for me and a restart is needed - this has been the case for several years and I am now on a Mac Studio with 124GB RAM - go figure 😢

Let's narrow down the probable cause from this list of possibilities:

1. Software bug. - Nope. Because if this were the case the problem could be recreated by anyone with the same conditions you have and I'm not getting other reports of this problem.
2. Defective computer Hardware. - You are now on a new (recently released) computer and this issue has persisted - according to the OP - for years, so it's not this. 
3. Corrupt operating system. - You will have upgraded your operating system over the years (although certain operating system files do get migrated and can bring forward any problems they cause), but your new computer will have a clean installation of macOS 12 (Monterey) so we can rule this out, unless you used Apple's Migration Assistant. Although it might be a valid possibility, I've never seeing a problem like this caused by corrupt operating system files. 
4. Corrupt Vectorworks installation. - This won't be the case as you've indicated this has persisted over multiple versions of Vectorworks which are each a new installation. 
5. Corrupt .vwx file. - This is a possibility but really only if you have a habit of either: 
   1. Starting all new projects using the same file (a template file or a normal .vwx file) that has been perpetuated for too many years. 
   2. Starting all new projects using the previous project's file as a starting point. (A practice that is highly prone to data integrity issues. Don't do this people!). 
6. Corrupt Vectorworks .plist files. - Will almost certainly not apply to this type of problem behaviour. 
7. Corrupt Vectorworks Settings files. - Now we're getting somewhere. These are the most likely culprit because: 
   1. The Vectorworks Settings files contain data that the Eyedropper tool relies upon. 
   2. These Settings files get migrated by Vectorworks by the Migration Manager every time a subsequent version is installed and any corrupt data in them along with it. 

Based on my experience and the above logic I suggest you do the following: 

1. Quit Vectorworks. 
2. In Finder, open the 'Go' menu and choose, 'Go to Folder…'
3. Paste in the following location: ~/Library/Application Support/Vectorworks/2023 (or 2022 if you haven't upgraded yet). 
4. Inside is a folder called, 'Settings.' Put an 'x' at the start of the name. 
5. Open Vectorworks and test for the problem behaviour. 
6. Report your results here for all to benefit or to receive further assistance. 

Note: You will need to re-do all your Vectorworks Preferences and tool preferences will now be default. They're not lost though. They can be restored although for most users the process isn't worth it. It involves reinstating the previous Settings folder, but to avoid this issue coming back you'd have to do some methodical testing, removing/including files one-by-one to see which files within this folder are responsible for the issue you're experiencing. It's likely to be the 'SavedSettings.xml' file. 

[bob cleaver]

Jeremy thank you for the breakdown and analysis, your review is terrific and supports me without tearing me down and I truly appreciate it

I hope others can benefit from the info 

I am away from the office this week and will follow the recommendations this weekend - 

 

[bob cleaver]

Using version 2023 for a week and eye dropper tool works without freezing

Thank you Jeremy for the advice - before updating to 2023, I deleted the app support folders you recommended and I assume the ‘trouble’ eye dropper tool was not imported from earlier versions -