Focus Points

[chstech]

VW SptLt 12 . Mac

In a lot of my drawings, designers and/or myself draw out Focus Lines. Typically they have been drawn using the Line Tool with an arrowhead at the end. This can be very time consuming. It seems that 12 has introduced "Draw Beam." My problem is that I would need to make the "beam" an actual line, and would need to color it, for designating the Purpose.

Now the second problem I am having is, There seems to be no way to edit the Focus Point after it is created. That is the Hexagon symbol that is attached to the Focus Point.

Third on my list is Is there any way to select all the Focus Point Objects? I can not seem to do it with the Find & Modify tool.

Lastly, is there any way to have the Focus Point be assigned a class? I know this automatically happens while using the Label Legend Manager.

Thanks in advance,

Drew

[Jim_Allen]

Drew,

I do not think there is any other option except draw beam in V12.1 for instruments

How do you want to edit the focus point - to accomplish what?

You can select them all by shift clicking them like you can with any other objects - again what are you wanting to do with them all selected?

If you right click the focus point and select properies you can set the class for the object. Its default is none.

How this helped somewhat. With more information I might be able to add to this.

Jim

[Cris with no H]

It will help if you create your focus points on their own separate layer. It would be nice if Custom Selection... listed Focus Points as one of the objects it will look for. Any engineers reading?

[chstech]

Jim,

Some of what i am asking about is for other people.

One person just doesn't want to see the whole beam, just a Line. When a drawing revision comes in, sometimes the focus point changes. In 12 you can move the focus point and any lights associated with it would follow. That is what was meant by that.

Editing. Just want to be able to change the Hexagon, Size, or remove it completely.

Selecting. Again, different people, different drawing styles and habits. Just looking to be able to select all of or some of the Focus Points, which of course are not always on a separate or even on the same layer. I need to select them using Find & Modify or Custom Selection that way I can make the layer and/or class changes. So I also hope an engineer or two are reading this. Kevin are you around and any thoughts??

And lastly, is there any way to change "how" VW creates the focus points. i would like to change the default class.

I hope that helps in understanding what it is 'we' are looking for. Let me know if I can give more info

[Jim_Allen]

You can remove the hexagon by selecting the attributes pallete and selecting none for the line, that will remove the hexagon and just leave the focus name, other than that you can go the the resourse browser, select containers, pick a shape and place it on the plot over the focue name, send it to the back, select both and group them. That will allow you to change the shape - not ideal, but a way.

As Cris said putting them all on the same layer would help when editing them.

I don't think there is any other option other than beam or no beam

Hope the help some more.

Jim

[chstech]

Jim,

Well i will take the 'none for line' & 'group' as a solution for now. Thanks.

As for selecting all or some of the focus points, i agree that a separate layer is ideal, but the problem i am now finding is You cannot create focus points on another layer or the lights actually do not attach themselves to the focus point. You have to go thru the OIP and Type the name in for it to work when on different layers.

Any Ideas??

[Jim_Allen]

Drew,

Good point. I didn't think about that. Focus points need to be on the same layer as the instruments to focus, as well as the same layer as the set for rendering.

I am finding the need to have the instruments on the same layer as the set, to be able to render looks, a hassle. I end up having to do adapted plots - with lights and set on the same layer for rendering, which negates the whole idea of layers - to separate things like lights and set.

Jim

[chstech]

Jim,

Any ideas on how to have a different default class for the focus points?? That would solve the selection problems I have. Or is this something nemetschek has to fix?

[Jim_Allen]

Drew,

You select layers from the menu bar - top right - then click on the classes tab. Create a new class - focus points. then you can assign them to that class.

I don't know how to make it the default class - sorry.

Jim

[chstech]

Jim,

i understand how to do it!! It is fixing someone else's drawings when I receive them. I made a mention to nemetschek yesterday. We will see what happens. Obviously if the default class can be changed, then selection can be easy. Just select all items on that class.

Drew

[Joe Golden ENT]

If you have your focus point class active before you place the focus points then they will be in the correct class. Whenever you insert something it goes in the active class. I know this doesn't help with drawings that were made by some doorknob who puts everything on the same class/layer or everything on its own. Mabye there is a way for NNA to code in the default class of "Focus Point" But we will probally have to wait for 13 to see more changes to Spotlight at the rate they are going now...

[chstech]

13????? how about 12.5?