What's the logic behind the cut plane for the new wall tool? And landscape specific wall/step thoughts.

[Jonk]

I don't really understand the logic behind the cut plane to control the graphics of walls from a landscape design perspective. I guess it's not that big of a deal for most retaining or free-standing landscape walls, but I also use the wall to create steps, and as you can imagine, in order for me to show the graphics of each step, I have to change the cut plane every time. I use the wall tool for steps for a few reasons: 

• Reporting: It's nice and easy on my schematic pricing and takeoff worksheets that I've created to pull data from the steps (walls) and get that into a worksheet. 
• 3D modeling: It's very easy to set my steps (walls) at the correct heights and have them display graphically in 3D. 
• Varying length steps: Often, when I'm creating stairs in the landscape, I am using a length of step that's not always regular in length. I'm not going to create a symbol for every potential step length that exists, so it's nice to use the wall tool to draw it to the length I need and then report that back. 

 

Perhaps this is part of a bigger request for Landscape specific tools for walls and steps. Walls in the landscape have completely different parameters than architectural walls, and I don't feel like that's addressed in the current tool. Furthermore, I think a specific individual landscape step tool would be great, or possibly a setting within the wall tool that allows control for steps. 

 

I guess just something to think about for the programmers. Maybe I'll put in a feature request. 

[Jonk]

Also, having an issue with rendering on the walls. The top of the curved wall is not rendering like the sides or the top of the straight wall. 

 

One wall is curved, the other is straight. Same wall style and both are rendered "by component." 

 

The curved wall is set to "cylinder" Map Type. I've tried all of the map types and it still won't render the top of the wall. 

[Tom W.]

44 minutes ago, Jonk said:

I don't really understand the logic behind the cut plane to control the graphics of walls from a landscape design perspective. I guess it's not that big of a deal for most retaining or free-standing landscape walls, but I also use the wall to create steps, and as you can imagine, in order for me to show the graphics of each step, I have to change the cut plane every time. I use the wall tool for steps for a few reasons: 

• Reporting: It's nice and easy on my schematic pricing and takeoff worksheets that I've created to pull data from the steps (walls) and get that into a worksheet. 
• 3D modeling: It's very easy to set my steps (walls) at the correct heights and have them display graphically in 3D. 
• Varying length steps: Often, when I'm creating stairs in the landscape, I am using a length of step that's not always regular in length. I'm not going to create a symbol for every potential step length that exists, so it's nice to use the wall tool to draw it to the length I need and then report that back. 

 

Perhaps this is part of a bigger request for Landscape specific tools for walls and steps. Walls in the landscape have completely different parameters than architectural walls, and I don't feel like that's addressed in the current tool. Furthermore, I think a specific individual landscape step tool would be great, or possibly a setting within the wall tool that allows control for steps. 

 

I guess just something to think about for the programmers. Maybe I'll put in a feature request. 

 

Show us how you normally display your stepped landscape walls in Top/Plan: with individual components or single fill?

[Tom W.]

1 hour ago, Jonk said:

Also, having an issue with rendering on the walls. The top of the curved wall is not rendering like the sides or the top of the straight wall. 

 

One wall is curved, the other is straight. Same wall style and both are rendered "by component." 

 

The curved wall is set to "cylinder" Map Type. I've tried all of the map types and it still won't render the top of the wall. 

 

I am seeing the same thing in VW2026. Works fine in VW2025 + VW2024. I never use circular Walls. Are you happy filing a bug?

[Jonk]

20 hours ago, Tom W. said:

 

I am seeing the same thing in VW2026. Works fine in VW2025 + VW2024. I never use circular Walls. Are you happy filing a bug?

Not sure I've filed a bug before. Where do I do that? 

 

[Jonk]

21 hours ago, Tom W. said:

 

Show us how you normally display your stepped landscape walls in Top/Plan: with individual components or single fill?

Sorry @Tom W. I'm talking about actual steps, like stairs. Not steps in a wall. When I use the wall tool in this way, the steps are shown as a solid fill. Just one component because it's a monolithic stone step. 

Edited December 3 by Jonk
Clarification.

[Tom W.]

5 minutes ago, Jonk said:

Sorry @Tom W. I'm talking about actual steps, like stairs. Not steps in a wall. When I use the wall tool in this way, the steps are shown as a solid fill. Just one component because it's a monolithic stone step. 

 

Sure but I assumed you were saying that they looked the way you wanted in VW2025 but not in VW2026. If they are all below the cut plane you can use the Below Cut Plane Attributes class to control their appearance + give them the fill you want, that way you don't need to fuss around with the cut plane on a wall by wall basis.

[Tom W.]

13 minutes ago, Jonk said:

Not sure I've filed a bug before. Where do I do that? 

 

 

Try this link:

https://www3.vectorworks.net/vectorworks-bug-report

[Jonk]

2 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

 

Sure but I assumed you were saying that they looked the way you wanted in VW2025 but not in VW2026. If they are all below the cut plane you can use the Below Cut Plane Attributes class to control their appearance + give them the fill you want, that way you don't need to fuss around with the cut plane on a wall by wall basis.

Interesting. Typically the walls are all above the cut plane because I set them at actual elevations we work at which is around 500' above sea level. Where dod I find the "below cut planen attributes" option? 

[Tom W.]

12 minutes ago, Jonk said:

Where dod I find the "below cut planen attributes" option? 

 

For a styled wall it's in the Wall Attributes dialog (Definition pane). For an unstyled wall its the Bel Attr Cls setting in OIP.

[Jonk]

24 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

 

For a styled wall it's in the Wall Attributes dialog (Definition pane). For an unstyled wall its the Bel Attr Cls setting in OIP.

Ok perfect, I got it figured out. For my steps I'll just set the cut plane to way higher and make the attributes below that read correctly.