Base accessory locus offsetting accessory itself instead of lighting device.

[will_damn]

I am working with clamp accessories that offset the insertion point of a lighting device along both the Y and Z axis. From the manual:

Base accessories such as boom arms may require the attached lighting device to be inserted at an offset from the accessory insertion point. Place a 3D locus point on the accessory at the desired location for the lighting device insertion point.

 

When I do this, rather than offsetting the lighting device along both axes, the accessory is offset along the Y axis and the lighting device is offset along the Z axis.

 

Is this a bug or a feature? It would be nice if the offset was consistently applied to the same target object so that I don't have to find a workaround for the light to "hang properly" on the truss with this particular (Junior Grid) clamp.

 

Software Version: Vectorworks Spotlight 2024 SP5 (Build 757604)

[markdd]

In order for the function to work you need to have also added the Parts record to the locus and checked “point”. You need to do this in the 3D component of the symbol. If you have 2d geometry then you need to do the same there as well.

 

[will_damn]

Thanks Mark, I did this initially in both the 2D and 3D, as well as adding the parts record to the accessory and checking "base". I've also tried alternating deletion of the two loci to see if one was affecting the other, as well as playing around with different parts record piece options, to no avail.

 

The objects offset successfully, so I know it's trying to "do what I asked it to do", but the lighting device offsets on the z-axis to meet the 3D locus of the accessory with the light's insertion point and the accessory offsets on the y-axis to meet the light's insertion point with the accessory's locus location. Does that make sense?

[markdd]

It’s hard to visualise. Can you upload a file with just those two objects?

[will_damn]

Attached. Thanks Mark!

 

PS: I have also tried adding a layout symbol, and had the same issue.

Accessory Troubleshooting_5-17-24.vwx

Edited May 17 by will_damn

[markdd]

Your file has highlighted two bugs with the Offset Accessory workflow. The first is that the Instrument should offset, not the accessory and the second is that only an X and Z-axis offset is available, whereas there should be both X, Y, and Z offsets available.

I will post a bug report and see where it goes.

[will_damn]

Thanks Mark, I appreciate the help especially on a weekend.