Create column from 2D shape

[Archistyles]

Hi There

I am making my first steps switching from 2D to 3D workflow.

I have 300 2D rectangles representing conc. columns . how do I create 3D columns from there?

I was expecting to find it in create objects from shapes , but the option is not there.

thank you fro your help

[Jonathan Pickup]

if you use the structural member instead of the column, you have a lot more control over the shape of the columns and there are several shapes to choose from

 

 

[Tom W.]

6 hours ago, Archistyles said:

Hi There

I am making my first steps switching from 2D to 3D workflow.

I have 300 2D rectangles representing conc. columns . how do I create 3D columns from there?

I was expecting to find it in create objects from shapes , but the option is not there.

thank you fro your help

 

Whether you use a Column or a Structural Member, you can use the 'Replace with Symbol...' command to convert the 2D Rectangles into them.

 

Create your Column/Structural Member then convert it into a symbol (Modify > Create Symbol...). In the Create Symbol dialog enable 'Convert to plug-in object'.

 

With the symbol created, select all of the Rectangles + run the 'Replace with Symbol...' command (Modify > Convert), selecting the symbol in question. The Rectangles will be converted into Columns/Structural Members en masse.

Edited February 3, 2023 by Tom W.

[Archistyles]

Thank you gentlemen

 

I explored the structural member command. Indeed it offers more options to control the object. I am wondering in what case using column (vs structural member) makes more sense?

For my application , I have underground parking levels and tower above . Is it safe to say that structural member is the way to go?

 

I created column and structural member styles (to play with)  and I used convert/replace with symbol and worked great (Tom , I guess when style is created , a plug in object is automatically created and no need to create a symbol before hand?)

 

Now the question is : if I have 300 columns with let's say 3 or 4 different sizes , do I need to create equal number (3 or 4) of columns or structural members styles ?

 

In a bigger picture , I am starting this route of switching to 3D and wondering if Vectorworks is pretty suitable/capable for the type/scale of projects our office is doing : High-rise residential (underground+podium+tower with repetitive floors)

I haven't seen similar project examples in the Vectorworks universty and would love to have a hand on one to see how the file is organized  and how the different components   are modeled (eg: window-wall se up and interaction with the slab by-pass)

What would be the best transition and gradual path ? I heard somewhere 2.5 D which  sounds like what I am thinking.

 

Cheers

 

[Tom W.]

6 minutes ago, Archistyles said:

Tom , I guess when style is created , a plug in object is automatically created and no need to create a symbol before hand?

 

The only reason for turning the Structural Member into a symbol was to make use of the 'Replace with Symbol...' command in order to insert 300 of them in one hit at the specified locations. Enabling 'Convert to plug-in object' in the symbol options simply has the effect of converting the symbol back into a Structural Member again on insertion, rather than having 300 symbols. So converting to a symbol is just a means to an end + what you end up with is the same as if you'd placed the Structural Members individually.

[Pat Stanford]

17 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

So converting to a symbol is just a means to an end + what you end up with is the same as if you'd placed the Structural Members individually.

But if you know that 200 of your structural members are going to be identical, then you probably want to leave that version as a symbol and use the same symbol for every instance. It will make the file size smaller and reduce redraw and render times.

 

If you later decide that you need to change one of the "symbolized" columns, you can Convert to Plug-In Object/Convert to Group. If there is only a single object in the symbol it should be Convert to PIO and you will get the Structural Member back and you can then edit it as needed for that specific location.

 

HTH