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2D Rotate is opposite to 3D


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So this is a new one for me.

 

I am using VW 2024 DS on a windows machine, designing a show in Spotlight.

 

I just added a few Elation DW Fresnels  directly from the library.

 

I then switch to a 3D side view, double click the fixture and edit its 3d component to rotate the fixture to a focus angle to suite the drawing.

 

I have done this many times in the past as it is the easiest way to "focus" a fixture symbol that doesn't have those parameters in the OIP. Not sure why any professional lighting manufacturer would have a VW symbol that cannot be manipulated as in the real world, but that's ammo for another rant.

 

Once I set the angle I wanted I went back to Top/Plan to place another fixture and noticed the 2D symbol was now pointing in the opposite direction as the 3D.

 

Can anyone shed some light 😏 on why this has happened

 

I have attached the VW file.

 

Thanks

Fresnel 1.vwx

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

I have questions... But first, to answer yours. You also need to edit the 2D version of the same symbol and rotate the 2D geometry to point in the same direction to match what you did in the 3D version.

 

When I place the fixture from the library, the OIP offers both Pan and Tilt controls that do what I think you're trying to do. Using these in conjunction with the Z rotation field gives you control over all unit focus and rotation and works for both 2D and 3D.

If you don't see these fields, please open the Spotlight preferences dialog and look at the Parameters list. When I'm doing a lot of focusing work, I move the Pan and Tilt parameters to the very top of the list and they show in the OIP right under the Z rotation field. 

This picture is from 2025 where we've added sliders.

 image.png

One more thing. Be sure to use the Lighting Device insertion tool to add the light so the OIP shows all the controls. The sample file you shared had the simple in the design layer as a static symbol vs. an actual lighting device.

 

If I misunderstand your needed workflow, please explain a bit more.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Scott, 

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

When I tried to use the symbol with my VW design suite 2024 on my 64 GB RAM / 12 GB GPU windows desktop there was no pan or tilt options, I will try the parameters route you mentioned though.

 

This is the first time in the 10+ years i've been using VW I have had a fixtures 2D not rotate with the 3D which is why I posted.

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