Vectorworks classes

[shorter]

How do we eradicate for good all non-compliant classes automatically generated by vectorworks objects?

[markdd]

I spend a miniute or so deleting them and assigning the objects to the None Class. Personally I find the Vectorworks Classes too restrictive and wish they would put everything in the None class and let us decide where they should go. I am sure there is a much more sophistacted way of going about this but my workflow works for me!

[zoomer]

25 minutes ago, shorter said:

classes automatically generated by vectorworks

 

I would really prefer most Classes being created automatically.

If there would just be an easy way to customize Naming

(and their other Settings)

to our liking or office standards.

 

 

[E|FA]

1 hour ago, shorter said:

How do we eradicate for good all non-compliant classes automatically generated by vectorworks objects?

And in the meantime have VW publish a comprehensive list of what they are.

[Andy Broomell]

I've often wondered.. does anyone use those auto-generated classes? Is there anyone that desires a class called "Furniture-Main" (for example) and actively uses it? I suspect Vectorworks has inadvertently caused hundreds of hours of unnecessary labor over the years for users to clean up class lists. I'm sure the original intention was to be helpful with auto-organization, but most users that I'm aware find it to be a paint in the butt. 

 

Additionally, my biggest pet peeve is that auto-generated classes are invisible by default in all existing Saved Views & Viewports. This trips up users constantly. I can't even count the number of times I've helped fellow users on this topic.

[Kevin McAllister]

4 hours ago, Andy Broomell said:

Is there anyone that desires a class called "Furniture-Main" (for example) and actively uses it?

 

This made me laugh out loud. I hate that class 😊 only because I move things out of it all the time. When something doesn't show in a sheet layer viewport, its usually in an autogenerated class and I've forgotten to move it....

 

Kevin

 

[spettitt]

I think it depends where you are in your Vectorworks journey. As an office of newer (<9 months) users, we haven't gotten to that 'very experienced/power-user' phase where we've gotten tired of the auto-classing and wanted to override it. At the moment, I've expanded our classes on in/around/on top of the default classing structure and it seems to work OK.

 

Of the large group of new users in the office who don't want to get to the Power-User phase, especially those for whom CAD isn't their primary job role and just need to get a drawing done, I feel like the auto-classing has given them a level of structure they wouldn't have had if they had just started without it.

 

I feel like it would be better as a preference toggle - Use Auto-Classing or not, or to have some better control over what it does, so a CAD admin can nudge it in line with office standards.

[Tom W.]

35 minutes ago, spettitt said:

I feel like it would be better as a preference toggle - Use Auto-Classing or not,

 

Isn't that what this does?:

 

I've never had it turned on + so get very few VW-generated classes, unless I import a symbol from the libraries (which I don't often do)

[Andy Broomell]

5 hours ago, Tom W. said:

Isn't that what this does?:

 

I've never gotten that to do what it sounds like it should do. But if someone else has made it work I'd love to hear about it.

 

 

For me, auto-generated classes are typically coming in from symbol libraries via the Resource Manager.

[Kevin McAllister]

Just now, Andy Broomell said:

For me, auto-generated classes are typically coming in from symbol libraries via the Resource Manager.

 

^ this. Ideally when adding a symbol from the library added a class VW would ask if I'd like to use the symbol's classes or assign them to my own.

 

Kevin

 

[Tom W.]

2 minutes ago, Andy Broomell said:

 

I've never gotten that to do what it sounds like it should do. But if someone else has made it work I'd love to hear about it.

 

 

For me, auto-generated classes are typically coming in from symbol libraries via the Resource Manager.

 

Hence: 

5 hours ago, Tom W. said:

unless I import a symbol from the libraries (which I don't often do)

 

I tend to only use my own resources (from Favorites) where I've set everything up the way I want it in terms of classes. I only tend to use the VW libraries as 'raw material' from which to then create my own stuff + that happens in blank files. This isn't to say that I don't agree with the point being made that we should be able to import library resources into any file + choose which classes are brought in with it. I think being able to elect to have everything go into None class on import like @markdd says is a good one.

 

[shorter]

On 4/16/2023 at 11:42 AM, spettitt said:

I think it depends where you are in your Vectorworks journey. As an office of newer (<9 months) users, we haven't gotten to that 'very experienced/power-user' phase where we've gotten tired of the auto-classing and wanted to override it. At the moment, I've expanded our classes on in/around/on top of the default classing structure and it seems to work OK.

 

Of the large group of new users in the office who don't want to get to the Power-User phase, especially those for whom CAD isn't their primary job role and just need to get a drawing done, I feel like the auto-classing has given them a level of structure they wouldn't have had if they had just started without it.

 

I feel like it would be better as a preference toggle - Use Auto-Classing or not, or to have some better control over what it does, so a CAD admin can nudge it in line with office standards.

 

Once you have an office standard, then you will discover the true horror of auto-classing... 😉

[TomKen]

@spettitt interesting comment.   I would be willing to put my VW skills up against anybody else's,  and I use the auto classing feature all the time.
I do have two issue with auto classing

-More objects should be automatically assigned to classes.  I want to spend time drawing not sorting objects or remembering to change my active class.  ( Per the SNL skit I want more cowbell)

-I wish I could assign dimension styles to different classes rather than all going to the one dimension class. 

[Benson Shaw]

Some of those auto classes have dark magic with un expected and wide ranging effect. Eg Ceiling Main (always something unexpected it reveals or hides), and Site Dtm Mods. Ya gotta know what they can do and either embrace or ignore, but you can’t  just create a new class with that name and generate similar function. 
 

-B

[Andy Broomell]

Correct - I'd say any "functional" classes that are actually controlling sub-parts of Plug-In Objects (such as Ceiling-Main being used by the Door PIO) are understandable and should be kept. Another example is that the Plant tool seems to always come with a bunch of "Plants-XXX" classes which are controlling sub-parts of the plant graphics.

 

So for me, the spirit of this thread is more about non-functional top-level classes that aren't necessarily controlling attributes of anything. But others might have differing opinions. That's always the hardest part with software design: finding a middle ground default that pleases everyone 😅

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2023 by Andy Broomell