Callout tool improvement

[Henry Finch]

Callout tool should allow editing of contents directly on drawing - NOT in edit box. The edit box is unneeded and slows making corrections. (I suspect the edit box was used because of ease of programming).

[Mark McCay-Moran]

I'm on the opposite side of the fence. I like being able to edit text of a callout in a dialog box without zooming in close. I find the less often I zoom, the more efficient the drafting. I wish text objects could be edited with dialog boxes as well.

In the old days one had to zoom in, select the text tool, modify text, zoom out, select pointer. Now one can double click callout, modify text, exit.

Just another opinion. mmm

[Don@Black Dog]

It would be nice if the callout tool and text tools were consistent in that. You can click and revise text directly.

[Henry Finch]

Mark,

You might need a bigger screen to decrease zooming. 20" absolute minimum. It speeds drawing by a giant factor.

I also don't understand your description. The edit box gives text smaller than on the screen when I'm using it which requires zooming in. If you are reading notes and need to edit, it would already be the legible size if you could edit directly.

However, a strength of Vectoworks is that there are many ways to do the same thing. But, I think a majority of users would prefer to edit the callout tool directly decreasing steps for most.

The improved polyline tool where you can have an arrow on one end completely replaces the old pointer tool. A command with shortcut key assigned is much better than the old pointer. (For those who do not like the calllout tool).

[Mark McCay-Moran]

Hi Henry,

Upon reflection, my methods may be different than others, but typically I use a combination of Keynotes (more often) and callouts with text. Looking at an entire 24x36 drwg I can pick out text and modify without needing to read. Why? cause they're usually assembly notes (wall floor etc) or stair specs, or a few other predefined note types that don't show up as keynotes, OR they are already keynotes (that have numbers only).

Flexibility to work however suits your system seems key. Hopefully VW can provide both.

BTW I agree about screen size, all stations in my office have multiple monitors ranging in size from 19 to 30. I use a 23" with my 15" PB.

cheers, mmm

[Guest]

When using the Call Out Tool on a Design Layer and Setting up a Viewport at a different scale with the Text Size adjusted - the text scales but the Call Out itself does not.

Does this mean the only way to use the Call Out Tool on a different scaled Viewport is within that Viewport or wouldn't it be better if the Call Out scaled with the text?

[Laurence_R]

Three other improvements that I'd like to see:

1: When you copy text from a callout, and then paste it can it please have the same text properties as defined in the call out, NOT always geneva at the screen font size. This is really annoying.

2: Can the call out tool options be saved automatically as part of the workspace customisation? I always like to draw my call outs from the subject to the position of the text. Everytime I start up VW, I have to reset this option from the default. Ugh! Same goes for the new offset tool options.

3. The horiz position of the callout is set to "auto" I have the tool set to 3 point to position arrow head, bend and text position. VW not very usefully "automatically" decides to flip horizontally the position of my callout to where I clicked. I don't understand how anyone can find this useful. Is it not to much to ask to put the callout where I click, please? I know there is a work around, but it shouldn't need one! Super frustrating when you've got notes on both sides of a whole load of details on a sheet.

Quite frequently it takes me longer to label a drawing than actually drawing it. This is obviously very wrong!

My vote goes toward editing inside the callout box, preferably with the option of having different fonts and sizes in the same box. Presently we have to tag on other text boxes if we want to do this.