Equipment Summary Tool bugged? Spotlight 2024

[LiteDoctor]

The Equipment Summary Tool (which replaced the Instrument Summary tool) appears to be bugged in Spotlight 2024.

 

When I create a new Summary, the "Column Width" defaults to over 2' long, the Name Width is 2", and the text appears to the left of (and covering) the Instrument Symbols. No amount of adjusting the widths or spacing will correct the appearance of the table. I've included a couple of screenshots to help illustrate the problem.

 

I also included my Test file. The Test was created with 2024, but I have also seen the issue in files created with 2023. Fortunately, objects created with the older Instrument Summary tool do not seem to be affected.

 

I never had these issues with the Instrument Summary tool in 2023.

Autoplot Test File.vwx

[jcogdell]

If this is happening on sheet layers then its a known bug that is currently being worked on.
There is a work around, insert the sumaary key on a design layer and then use a viewport to add it to your sheet layer.
 

[Peter Smith]

I am having this problem in sheet and design layers. I will send a test file this week

[Peter Smith]

test file 240129.vwx

This is clearly a bug. I have always wished for a better GUI for Symbol Key formatting, but never thought it could get hardedr to do.

 

I am on a MacBook Pro (Apple M1 Max) running Sonoma 14.2.1

 

 

Edited January 29 by Peter Smith

[Peter Smith]

Bump

This is still a major problem. The default values for the Equipment summary are quite incorrect and very cumbersome to edit. 

 

. 

[techecc]

I figured I would chime in here as of March 2024 that this behavior is still present as of 2024 Update 4. 

[Peter Smith]

Yes, very much so

[BScott]

This new equipment summary tool is a total disaster.  I don't know why VW replaced an imperfect but functional tool with this mess.  Formatting is impossible to keep clean.  Text and symbols don't line up. It always puts wattages on a second line forcing you to use too much vertical space. When I add multiple headers they now all have the same text. 

While I guess it is useful to gather all the info together in one place, I now have to break the summary apart and reformat it manually to make it look comprehensible, which largely defeats the purpose.

[DukeC]

Still broken in Update 6.

 

[JRush]

Along from the formatting, is anyone else having trouble with inaccurate counts?

[asukse]

8 hours ago, JRush said:

Along from the formatting, is anyone else having trouble with inaccurate counts?

YUP...... 

Luckily i have an old instrument summary object in my working file that is healthy

Edited July 28 by asukse

[CeliaL]

Still having these issues in October 2024. Honestly unacceptable, it's not possible to create professional-looking paperwork with the instrument summary tool unable to be scaled, the inventory system is completely broken without the ability to properly filter by layer, my "typical" symbol just refuses to show up...

[esteimel]

Still an issue in November 2024. I have also downloaded VWX 2025 and the issue persists.

[Jesse Cogswell]

For those pining for the old Instrument Summary tool, you should know that it hasn't been removed from VW2024 or VW2025, it's just been removed from the Spotlight workspace.  If you open up the Workspace Editor, select the Tools tab, and open up the Legacy category, you'll find the good ol' Instrument Summary.  Just add it to your workspace and you can continue using the reliable (if not dreadfully slow and often frustrating) old tool.

 

But for the record, while I see the horrific mess of the Equipment Summary tool in VW2024, it works as I would expect in VW2025.  Frustrating that it always puts the wattage on a new line, though.  And you should be able to apply layers, it's just buried in the Build List dialog box instead of being present in the Object Info Palette.

[Scott C. Parker]

On 1/29/2024 at 9:08 AM, Peter Smith said:

This is clearly a bug.

Hi Peter, this particular bug was fixed in 2024 update 4. Here, I've clicked on Update and the layout was fixed. With that said, a new issue has arisen in 2025 where the text distance is not reading the correct anchor point. This is seen in 2025.

 

 

On 7/24/2024 at 7:08 PM, DukeC said:

Still broken in Update 6.

Duke, do you have a test file? Peter's file is working for me in update 6.

 

Thanks, Scott