Move Drawing AND User Origin to Internal

[jacobjz]

I would like a feature that would shift the user origin to the internal origin AND move the entire drawing with it.

 

Right now you have the option to either: (A) Move the user origin to the internal origin but the drawing stays put, or (B) Center the entire drawing on the user origin but this option does not necessarily place the user origin on the internal origin, it simply tries (and in my experience sometimes fails) to center the median point of the drawing on the user origin.

 

We need this feature because various Vectorworks export options like Export MVR and Export FBX ignore the user origin completely and only the internal origin, which is wrong. My current workaround is to select the whole drawing and use the move by points tool but this is very slow and buggy on big drawings, and can get messed up by things like hidden classes and locked objects.

 

As a side note is there a reason these exporters use the internal origin and not the User? That seems counterintuitive.

 

Thanks!

Jacob

[markdd]

Yes please. Great request.

[Katarina Ollikainen]

@jacobjzCan I ask you for the workflow you need this for? We're working on GIS and origin improvements, and want to ensure all workflows are covered. What do you want to see as a result - do you want to see the User Origin aligned with the internal Origin (so it reads 0,0) or do you want the user coordinates of the project to follow if you move the project (so if you have a point in the project that reads x=291000, y=93000 and that you want aligned with the IO - should those coordinates follow along?)

 

Also, are you using georeferencing, or only the User origin coordinates?

 

[jacobjz]

@Katarina Ollikainen Sorry I'm not totally sure I'm following the difference. 

 

I work in Entertainment, and I never georeference. Generally I set the user origin to be on centerline of the theater and the "plaster line" of the proscenium and all coordinates are relative to that.

 

Once I set my User Origin I'd like to be able to re-align the user origin along with the whole drawing to the internal origin so that they are the same thing.

[markdd]

I would like to be able to specify a point on some imported geometry that I would like to be 0,0. After that, ALL geometry on specified design layers is moved relative to that point/the Internal origin.

Edited July 30, 2025 by markdd

[mjm]

7 minutes ago, markdd said:

I would like to be able to specify a point on some imported geometry that is 0,0. After that, ALL geometry on specified design layers is moved relative to the Internal origin.

↑THIS yes please

[Tom W.]

51 minutes ago, jacobjz said:

I would like a feature that would shift the user origin to the internal origin AND move the entire drawing with it.

 

Right now you have the option to either: (A) Move the user origin to the internal origin but the drawing stays put, or (B) Center the entire drawing on the user origin but this option does not necessarily place the user origin on the internal origin, it simply tries (and in my experience sometimes fails) to center the median point of the drawing on the user origin.

 

The way to do this is 1) to move the User Origin to where you want it then 2) draw a big Circle centred on the User Origin, making sure it's large enough to enclose all of your drawing, then run the 'Center Drawing on Internal Origin' command (+ delete the circle). But I appreciate your wish is for a single command that removes the need to do this.

 

[Katarina Ollikainen]

@Tom W. is correct - you can do this today by moving the project as he describes. Just remember to make all classes and layers visible before creating the circle - otherwise you might miss something.

So for the request above, use the following workflow:

• Set the User Origin where you want it
• Make all geometry visible
• Draw a circle, starting on the 0,0, that encompasses all geometry - this is important!
• Use the command Tools>Origin>Center Drawing on Internal Origin - this will move all the geometry and the user origin coordinates so the 0,0 will align with the Internal Origin.

The 'one-click' function exists if you're using the Survey Point, but for that, the file and layers need to be georeferenced. The difference here is that the move is based on the survey point alone, so you don't need to find all the geometry and draw the circle.

 

This will not fix any later import issues, though, if what you import doesn't have the IO or UO in the same place (depending on your import alternative).

[MarcelP102]

Hi @Katarina Ollikainen the circle hack does not work form me. The internal origin is still off a couple off mm. See:

 

 

Can there be a VW script function to set the iternal origin to the user origin? See also my topic here: