Offset

[jbresner]

I'm new to Vectorworks so sorry if this is the easiest thing in the world to do, but I just can't figure it out....

I first offset one line, which works fine, but next want to offset a completely different line. But the first line says selected. How do I deselect the line and hit that next line to offset it?

[propstuff]

Holding down the Space Bar will temporarily suspend the current tool for as long as you hold it down. You can then hit the X key to get the Selection tool (or any other) and select the new line you want, and let go of the space bar to go back to the Offset tool.

(You can also offset multiple lines if you want)

N.

[Michael_Eschenbach]

been using VW since early minicad days and never knew that tip..... thanks so much

[Jonathan Pickup]

this technique is called the Boomarang mode and is really useful for this sutuation. It?s been there for a couple of versions.

Another useful tip is the wheel button on a standard mouse is pan....

[Ken]

Space bar to temporarily suspend a tool (and to release that tool to switch back to 2D Selection or X key) is so good that you would hopefully use it often enough to notice a bug -- that the first mode for the 2D Selection tool (Enable Interactive Scaling Mode) gets deselected randomly! I'm now suspecting it's caused by just these key combinations, maybe with one other keyboard shortcut in various combination. The eyedropper tool also erratically swaps pick-up for put-down as a result, which I think is related. It is very frustrating. If you find this to be the case, please confirm and submit a bug report. We need to have it fixed soon.

http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubbthrea...;page=&vc=1

As for jbresner's question, a more direct answer is a double click on the X key if you don't want to click on blank space to deselect something.

[David Bertrand]

propstuff,

Thanks for the tip. I had relegated the offset tool to the "useless tools" bin because I thought that it was awkward to use.

Also, I've discovered that I can change the offset distance by typing "i" while still in the offset command.

I have been using the duplicate - move commands to do my offsetting.

[Biplab]

Duplicating and moving is not an offset operation - if you offset an arc for example, you will get a arc with smaller or larger radius but with the same angle span - which is different from just moving it.

The ofset tool also behaves diffrently when a number of connected objects are offset - e.g. offsetting a number of connected walls.

[David Bertrand]

Duplicating and moving is not an offset operation

So true. But I've been using it anyway. For offsetting of vertical and horizontal lines, it works fine.

Those of us who come from AutoCad are accustomed to using the "O" all the time. In fact, it's common to draw only two original lines in an AutoCad drawing: one horizontal and one vertical. All other straight lines can be derived from these two.

When we arrive at Vectorworks, we run into a wall. The VW offset command seems like a real pain by comparison.

I've been told on this forum that we should draw with shapes in VW. So I've been avoiding the offset command and have been adding and clipping surfaces. This sort of works, but then I end up with a zillion nodes.

But now the offset command doesn't seem so forbidding. Maybe someone should write an entire chapter on the boomerang tool in the next user guide.

[propstuff]

Hi David,

So many handy new things that the team introduce often slip by without us noticing them.

Try this one:

Say you want to move an object -or a duplicate of it (eg an angled line) perpendicular to the existing?.. You don't need the Offset tool.

With the Selection tool still active click and hold down on the object and drag it in the direction you want to go, so that the Cursor says "perpendicular".

With your finger still down on the mouse button, use your left hand to TAB to the L (length) field and enter the distance you want, hit Enter, and let go of the mouse button. Bingo.

The same sort of procedure also usually works for resizing rotated rectangles and other objects with the 2D reshape tool.

You wouldn't believe how happy I was when someone on the forum showed me that one. :-)

As for your comments about the "i" key; along with the u,o,andp keys, thats true for many tools :-)

and finally;

The advice about using surfaces instead of lines is sound. I think they are far more usefull than lines. I now find it irritating to work on other peoples drgs with a whole bunch of "loose" lines. ;-)

cheers.

N

[Christiaan]

I now find it irritating to work on other peoples drgs with a whole bunch of "loose" lines. ;-)

I'm just in the process of altering some elevations that were created using lines (for brick coursing) instead of polgons and hatching. It's painful.

[David Bertrand]

With the Selection tool still active click and hold down on the object and drag it in the direction you want to go, so that the Cursor says "perpendicular".

With your finger still down on the mouse button, use your left hand to TAB to the L (length) field and enter the distance you want, hit Enter, and let go of the mouse button.

This is a great idea, but it's the very kind of thing I find so frustrating about VW. Do something with your left hand while doing something else with your right hand...etc. Some of us have a real problem with this.

I now find it irritating to work on other peoples drgs with a whole bunch of "loose" lines.

I've been working on a floor plan, strictly 2D. I've found that it's faster to lay it out with lines and then "compose" them into polygons, so there are no loose lines. Doing it with shapes is slower for me and leaves lots of stray "handles."

This is a very interesting topic. Thanks for all the input.

[PeterT]

The ofset tool also behaves diffrently when a number of connected objects are offset - e.g. offsetting a number of connected walls.

Just curious, what does the offset tool do to connected walls? In fact, what does it do to walls at all?

[propstuff]

Just curious, what does the offset tool do to connected walls? In fact, what does it do to walls at all?

Well for me it seems to do nothing at all to Walls -connected or not. Although it used to.

I just get a "Click on the side of the object....." message.

Looks like a Bug.

[propstuff]

This is a great idea, but it's the very kind of thing I find so frustrating about VW. Do something with your left hand while doing something else with your right hand...etc. Some of us have a real problem with this.

I now find it irritating to work on other peoples drgs with a whole bunch of "loose" lines.

I've been working on a floor plan, strictly 2D. I've found that it's faster to lay it out with lines and then "compose" them into polygons, so there are no loose lines. Doing it with shapes is slower for me and leaves lots of stray "handles."

In the case of moving the sides of Polygons; you don't need to hold the mouse button down, and can let go of the mouse to enter the numbers in the data bar. Then click to finish.

I still frequently use lines as guides and set them up in the way you described except I use "Cmd D" to duplicate in place and then enter +or- the dimension directly into the X or Y position in the OIP. It's much faster for me that way than Offset or Move. After that's setup, I then use Add Subtract, compose and the surface tools and dispose of the guides later.

cheers

[David Bertrand]

then enter +or- the dimension directly into the X or Y position in the OIP.

Of course, great idea. Saves having to open the "move" dialogue box.

Also, if you want to copy something at an angle, you can duplicate in place and then move it using Polar angle and distance settings in the "move" dialog box.

These kinds of things need to be documented and available so that users can refer to them.