Infinite Walls

[Jodyb17]

I have encountered something that I think may be a bug. When drawing two different walls that connect end to end, one of the walls shoots off into infinity in both directions. This seems to happen when one of the walls has a door or window wall object in the wall. Is this really an error or is there a setting causing this that I am not aware of?

[islandmon]

Not a bug ... an Infinite feature ; )

This process happens with those Object instances that do not 'qualify' as join-able. Truth is often stranger than fiction.

When you figure this one out give us a shout ...

[Christiaan]

I've had problems with this too Jody. One work around is to turn off "Auto join walls" in the preferences (which is a pain). The other being to draw a line over the end of the wall you're butting into.

Definitely worth submitting as a bug in my opinion. Maybe the "Auto join walls" option should be in the mode bar. Better yet the ability to join walls end on end.

[Jodyb17]

This issue also seems to be related to direction of the wall, as after it has extended infinitely it also changes direction. It also seems to be a result of VW's attempt to auto-join (term?) the walls. Drawing the wall and then moving it into place seems to work albeit a productivity killer. I believe that I have tentatively ruled out wall type and location as causes.

I take it this is not a new issue? How long has this been known? Is this "auto-join" an editable system variable?

[Jodyb17]

Turned off Auto Join... How do I go about submitting this issue to NNA?

[Christiaan]

http://www.nemetschek.net/support/bugsubmit.php

[JoeF]

I am having the infinite wall problem. Seems to me to be a serious flaw. When I try to join walls manually after drawing them with the autojoin set to off, they will still not join. I will probably have to abandon my intentions to use VW till this is cleared up.

[Jodyb17]

I agree Joe.

I think this is a serious flaw. Other Cad programs I have used don't even have a "Wall Join" tool. If wall components are created correctly, walls join automatically without a problem. With VW on the other hand, after a wall is moved, you are required to perform the wall join command to get the drawing to display correctly. And even then you never know whether or not the wall will join or if it is going to shoot of into the stratosphere or if will look correct.

I could draw the same work with lines and circles quicker, but then it wouldn't be in 3d. It really irks me to have to repeatedly redraw work that I have already done.

That being said, turning off auto join worked for me. Christians other suggestions prevented the infinite walls as well. For walls that will not join, sometimes using the wall heal tool and then doing the join command again works. Sometimes it doesn't work, and I just redraw the work. Frustrating, I know.

Jody

Edited October 27, 2006 by Jodyb17

[Andrew Bell@NV]

Is this "auto-join" an editable system variable?

Yes. In VectorScript,

 SetPref(33, true);  

will turn on auto-joining, use false to turn it off. Or, to switch it,

 SetPref(33, NOT GetPref(33)); 

This (and many other VectorWorks preferences) can be turned into a VectorScript plug-in and a key command assigned to it.

[JoeF]

I thought when I started using VW that it would be a lot smarter about walls than it actually is. Every time you move a wall you have to go back and join it again. This infinite wall problem slows me down as well. Won't be long before I eat up all the money we saved buying the cheaper program.

[JoeF]

Even when the walls are joined, walls do not join in a graphically correct fashion. If I join a wall in a "T"fashion, the framing is shown butting against the drywall. Framing should be shown butting against framing with the dry wall wrapping at the corners. Perhaps I am not joing things correctly but I cannot find a way to fix this.

[Jodyb17]

Try using the wall component join tool to get individual wall components to join.

[panthony]

Joe,

There are many ways to join walls in plan view so that you will get correct results in 3D with the model. Depending on how many components you have configured into your wall assemblies will determine how they will connect. VW provides the user with many tools to accomplish the desired results...once you master them (and it does not take long) you will see the logic of the system as compared to other automatic programs.

[JoeF]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Learning a new program can be vexing. I am used to automatic wall joints that do not require reattaching after every modification. I look forward to the day when I see the advantage of this, but right now it just looks like more work.