Does Unfold Surfaces Still Exist?

[Guillemot]

I see documentation talking about it existing under the 3D Power Pack menu but it is not there for me. I use Rhino and other tools to do this now, but it would be nice to have a tool available within Vectorworks.

[Pat Stanford]

It is in the 3D power pack in the VW2025 Designer workspace.

 

If you are using a custom workspace you might need to add it using the Workspace Editor.

[Claes Lundstrom]

10 hours ago, Pat Stanford said:

It is in the 3D power pack in the VW2025 Designer workspace.

 

If you are using a custom workspace you might need to add it using the Workspace Editor.

 

It's not there in Fundamentals, so only in some versions. I don't know if has evolved much over the years, since it was released as I never use it, despite using unfolding a lot. It always felt a bit like a half hearted to be honest. 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

I checked as far back as 2018 in Fundamentals and it is not part of that suit.

 

 I am guessing, but as this is a "Hybrid tool" of sorts that the relationship code between 2D and 3D is not there for "Unfold Surfaces".

[rDesign]

1 hour ago, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

I checked as far back as 2018 in Fundamentals and it is not part of that suit

 

 I am guessing, but as this is a "Hybrid tool" of sorts that the relationship code between 2D and 3D is not there for "Unfold Surfaces".

No, based on the lower price of entry for Fundamentals, Vw decides which tools / plug-ins are included with Fundamentals. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the underlying code, it’s simply that Vw does not include that functionality with Fundamentals. 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

25 minutes ago, rDesign said:

I don’t believe it has anything to do with the underlying code

Could be, maybe someone from VW's could chime in.  But, I do think it is simply a programming issue.

[Pat Stanford]

VW has already documented this in the product comparison:  2025 Product Comparison

 

 

[Guillemot]

10 hours ago, Claes Lundstrom said:

 

It's not there in Fundamentals, so only in some versions. I don't know if has evolved much over the years, since it was released as I never use it, despite using unfolding a lot. It always felt a bit like a half hearted to be honest. 

That was one of my guesses. I am using Fundamentals, so that explains it. Between Rhino and my naval architecture specific design tools I probably have better options, but I thought it was something that Vectorworks should offer and when I went to see if it did, I was surprised when I found it as an available tool, but it was not available for me. 

 

I will say that the distinctions between Fundamentals and the others can seem fairly arbitrary. Tools that I used to have such as "Hide" and "Unhide" objects is now "Object Visibility..." and no longer available in Fundamentals. I've been using Vectorworks since it was MiniCad and "Hide" has been available since early days. I don't know exactly when it became a high-end feature, but I guess renaming something is one way to create an upgrade of a feature.

[zoomer]

2 hours ago, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

But, I do think it is simply a programming issue.

 

I do think it is more a marketing issue 😉

[Tom W.]

11 minutes ago, Guillemot said:

I will say that the distinctions between Fundamentals and the others can seem fairly arbitrary. Tools that I used to have such as "Hide" and "Unhide" objects is now "Object Visibility..." and no longer available in Fundamentals. I've been using Vectorworks since it was MiniCad and "Hide" has been available since early days. I don't know exactly when it became a high-end feature, but I guess renaming something is one way to create an upgrade of a feature.

 

I think the Hide command that you're talking about was removed some time ago. The Object Visibility controls were launched in VW2025 + are a new/different feature. I didn't realise they weren't available with Fundamentals but I suppose they're not essential...

[Guillemot]

5 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

 

I think the Hide command that you're talking about was removed some time ago. The Object Visibility controls were launched in VW2025 + are a new/different feature. I didn't realise they weren't available with Fundamentals but I suppose they're not essential...

I wasn't paying attention when they took away "Hide" as I only used it occasionally, but "Object Visibility" appears to be essentially the same concept with a better interface. But I don't know for sure because they decided I didn't pay enough to use it. But again, it is fairly arbitrary that a similar function that existed in the software for nearly 30 years was deemed no longer "fundamental". "Unfold" may be a bit more specialized but it is widely available in competing software, you might think they would want to feature match just to appear competitive. I can live without things like these, but again, its a bit arbitrary.

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@Guillemot  I don't think the tool will do what you want.  Below is a yacht designed/modelled in Vectorworks.  I broke it down in another layer to just the hull.

 

The dialogue box says it won't do surfaces that curve in more than one direction.  Your canoe looks like it has multiple curved surfaces.

 

 

[Claes Lundstrom]

3 hours ago, Guillemot said:

That was one of my guesses. I am using Fundamentals, so that explains it. Between Rhino and my naval architecture specific design tools I probably have better options, but I thought it was something that Vectorworks should offer and when I went to see if it did, I was surprised when I found it as an available tool, but it was not available for me. 

 

I will say that the distinctions between Fundamentals and the others can seem fairly arbitrary. Tools that I used to have such as "Hide" and "Unhide" objects is now "Object Visibility..." and no longer available in Fundamentals. I've been using Vectorworks since it was MiniCad and "Hide" has been available since early days. I don't know exactly when it became a high-end feature, but I guess renaming something is one way to create an upgrade of a feature.

 

I too go elsewhere for boat design, both for basic 3D modeling as well as unfolding (I work a lot with really complex unfolded shapes). VW does however work well for me as a supporting app for example for detailing. Boat design includes a lot of detailing in both 2D and 3D, especially if the project grows in size. I also use VW for solid modeling parts, and preparing parts for 3D printing. The picture shows a 10.5 meter long boat made in stainless steel, where all unfolded parts went directly into production using laser cutting directly from my unfolded patterns, with no problems whatsoever. You just need to trust the output, as it quickly gets to be expensive if it fails. 

 

 

[Guillemot]

On 12/4/2024 at 4:11 PM, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

@Guillemot  I don't think the tool will do what you want.  Below is a yacht designed/modelled in Vectorworks.  I broke it down in another layer to just the hull.

 

The dialogue box says it won't do surfaces that curve in more than one direction.  Your canoe looks like it has multiple curved surfaces.

 

The panel surfaces of the kayak are developable, but that doesn't mean that Vectorworks wouldn't puke on them. I've designed  a bunch over the years and sell the designs as pre-cut kits made out of marine plywood. Maxsurf and Rhino have been very reliable for me, but MaxSurf went subscription based and priced themselves beyond my means. Having another tool available could be useful, but it sounds like Vectorworks doesn't really have their heart in it.