Copying the attributes of an object for a new one

[HMichael]

Hey hey

 

If anyone could help me with this fast I would greatly appreciate it.
I'm using Vectorworks 2023 on a Mac - let's say I want to draw a rectangle in the same color and filling as an existing rectangle.

What I always did was holding down OPTION & CMD, click on the existing rectangle and Vectorworks copied the attributes so I could draw identical objects.

 

Now, for some reason, it doesn't work. No matter what I do, it always draws Text, shapes, lines with the same attributes and I cannot change them beforehand.

Even when not selecting any objects, I cannot change any attributes. I always have to to draw it first, then change it.

Please, help.

 

 

Thanks

Michael

Edited March 7 by HMichael

[Andy Broomell]

One scenario in which this might be happening is that your Active Class is one that has "Use at Creation" checked, meaning the class's attributes override the current Attributes Palette whenever you create an object directly on that class.

 

For context, the Create Similar Object command (Opt+Cmd+click) just loads the relevant attributes into the current Attributes Palette, but it can't override the function of the "Use at Creation" option.

 

Try using a different class or unchecking that option for the current class.

[Elite Exhibits]

@HMichael - Try the eyedropper tool - 

 

Double click the eyedropper tool to get the preferences and set them accordingly - see attached

 

as Andy suggests above - include Class and see what happens when you use the Bucket (...option for the eyedropper tool) to apply these Attributes to the new object.

 

Peter

Eyedropper tool Attributes _1.pdf

[HMichael]

Thanks for your responses!
Unfortunately changing classes or editing my active class doesn't fix the problem - the issue expands across multiple files and classes.

 

The eyedropper tool works fine, but I don't want to use it every time I draw a new object, this is very frustrating.

I want to be able to draw a new shape instantly with the correct attributes...

[Jeff Prince]

14 minutes ago, Andy Broomell said:

For context, the Create Similar Object command (Opt+Cmd+click) just loads the relevant attributes into the current Attributes Palette, but it can't override the function of the "Use at Creation" option.

 

It also sets the Active Class to whatever you click on with the Create Similar Object tool.  So, when someone has a class that is set to Use At Creation, the tool loads the Attribute Panel with the "by class" attributes and sets the class to active, hence the behavior.

 

2 minutes ago, HMichael said:

Thanks for your responses!
Unfortunately changing classes or editing my active class doesn't fix the problem - the issue expands across multiple files and classes.

 

The eyedropper tool works fine, but I don't want to use it every time I draw a new object, this is very frustrating.

I want to be able to draw a new shape instantly with the correct attributes...

 

I'm guessing Andy's suggestion is your problem because the tool works correctly in 2023 & 2024.  Post your file for folks to look at, maybe it's something else...