Attachments over layres.

[AStein]

Hey guys.

Is there a way to get hoists, truss and instruments to connect and communicate with each other on separate layres?

 

Basically, the workflow is this: I create a dropbox folder where each department gets a sub folder and a master file. Then we all reference each other with reference layres. 

 

I would love to keep all the hoists on a hoist layer rather than having to import other departments layres then work inside their layres with my rigging stuff, and then having everything break when they make a small change that I then have to re-import.

 

Thank you.

[klinzey]

Right now this is not possible because data can not be saved to a referenced layer/file.
The 2 objects need to read and write data to and from each other in order to maintain a connection and allow structural calculations.

[Stefan B.]

Have you considered trying project sharing?

[AStein]

@klinzey Copy... I think my workaround will be to have a special layer where I import everything I want to calculate, then dump the hoists into to rig layer after they calculate. They seem to retain their numbers if I do that.

 

@Stefan B. You know, I've really run into headaches with that. if it were just my office and/or I was working with the same people a lot more I might cement that workflow, but using a dropbox folder that I set up for them is almost too much of an ask half the time... I actually run into this sort of VWX wrestling match a lot. I'm on a project right now where I'm integrating and was excited because other departments seemed on-board. LX said he used VWX symbols and truss so I'd finally get to use Braceworks as intended rather than replacing everything with BRX-friendly truss, manually adding up the lights and doing a UDL... Then i import his layer and it's all customized symbols from enough versions ago that nothing works or connects...

 

It's kind of my larger frustratioin with Vectorworks... In theory, these are some awesome and easy tools, but they're too engineered. Like how we still can't hang a torm from a single hoist?!?! Literally every show I do...