When "overall" does not mean "overall."

[MGuilfoile]

In all versions of VW, in the Door and Wall Settings or the OIP the user can pick that a texture be used "overall." To me, or anyone, that means that the texture you put in this field will be mapped OVER ALL of the door or window frame members. The glazing would be excluded, of course, because glass is, you know, usually clear. It is always different from the finish coat put on the rest of the window or wall. 

 

So, when I select "overall" it does not change the wall or window as it should. As far as I can tell, it doesn't really do anything. Each face of the wall and each part of a window frame (and there are LOTS of parts on the window frame!) have to be textured individually...but not directly. You have to make a class called that texture. What a crazy work-around. That would not be the end of the world, but if you turn off the paint class you created it makes the whole door or window invisible. It doesn't just hide the paint coating, as it should and as one would expect. Who thought that was a good idea? Surface finishes like paint don't really lend themselves to being controlled by classes because of this flaw.

 

But, I'd be happy is someone would just explain why when I select a texture to be applied "overall" a window, door, or wall it doesn't get applied overall. Am I doing something wrong somewhere, perhaps missing a box to tic?

 

Thanks,

MHBrown

[Matt Panzer]

Where do you see the term "Overall" for textures in the Door and Window Settings dialog or OIP (and in what Vectorworks version)?

[MGuilfoile]

Thanks, Matt. Please see attached. I must be missing something simple.

Mike

[Matt Panzer]

Thanks for the screenshot.  Ok, so you have the wall selected so these setting only affect the wall and I would recommend using "Component" mode (the setting near the top of the Object Info palette) rather than "By Object" mode.  As for the "Overall" texture (only an option for "By Object" mode):  That sets the texture for the wall object itself and each part of that object can override it with their own.  To get the parts to use the overall texture, right-click on them in the ObjectInfo palette and choose the "Remove Texture Override" context menu command.  After that, you should see their texture in the palette shown as "from Overall".

 

As for texturing of doors and windows.  They are a bit different.  If you're using Vectorworks 2024, the texturing of their parts (via the Settings dialog) is far more flexible than in past versions.

[MGuilfoile]

Thanks for the quick response. I'll definitely follow your advice and revisit the 2024 doors/windows settings. I'm glad to hear they've had some refinement.

 

But my question still remains. When I put a texture into the "Overall" field it does not "set the texture for the wall object itself" at all. The wall remains the default gray color; it doesn't change at all. The only way I can get colors on the walls is to fill in all the other fields: right, left, etc. This is very handy, of course, because usually partition walls are different colors, but sometimes I just want the walls to have a paint color as a starting point. Perhaps the "Overall" field should be removed since it has no effect on the wall color?

 

Regarding "object" and "component," those two words are synonymous in normal usage. Has Vectorworks given them some sort of proprietary definition? Is one a subset of the other? Is an "object" an isolated thing (this wall) where "component" means something more akin to "category of thing" (all walls)? Since the words have the same meaning I'm not sure what to make of it, but I don't need to understand everything. I'll play around with it and see if I can tease out the distinction.

 

Thanks again for the tips!

Mike

[Matt Panzer]

40 minutes ago, MGuilfoile said:

Thanks for the quick response. I'll definitely follow your advice and revisit the 2024 doors/windows settings. I'm glad to hear they've had some refinement.

👍

 

40 minutes ago, MGuilfoile said:

But my question still remains. When I put a texture into the "Overall" field it does not "set the texture for the wall object itself" at all. The wall remains the default gray color; it doesn't change at all. The only way I can get colors on the walls is to fill in all the other fields: right, left, etc. This is very handy, of course, because usually partition walls are different colors, but sometimes I just want the walls to have a paint color as a starting point. Perhaps the "Overall" field should be removed since it has no effect on the wall color?

 

I believe each part is textured "from Overall" by default so the Overall texture does have an effect.  You can select multiple parts and remove the texture override. to get them back to the overall texture.

 

40 minutes ago, MGuilfoile said:

Regarding "object" and "component," those two words are synonymous in normal usage. Has Vectorworks given them some sort of proprietary definition? Is one a subset of the other? Is an "object" an isolated thing (this wall) where "component" means something more akin to "category of thing" (all walls)? Since the words have the same meaning I'm not sure what to make of it, but I don't need to understand everything. I'll play around with it and see if I can tease out the distinction.

 

The "object" is the selectable wall object in Vectorworks.  Wall components are the different layers of material that make up the wall.  When you texture "By object", your applying textures to the overall shape (more of a schematic representation) of the wall and components are not visible but texturing by component textures each component which is a more realistic representation.

[MGuilfoile]

Got it! thanks!

Mike