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Reality check on the latest show pony


Petri

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It means you can now have more than 255 colors in your palette, and you are not limited to an RGB color system. On top of that, many manufacture paint schemes and gel colors (Spotlight) are standard color palettes available for use.

In addition, you can choose to have the colors display in the typical grid, a list view where the color name is listed next to the color block, and sort the colors.

I'll post a picture shortly.

(Zoom in to see the detail)

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Okay - I'll post an image on this one.

You can now set the dashed line length and space with a page unit numerical value, rather than just using the slider.

Previously, it was next to impossible to create a dashed line style with specific measurements.

(Sorry for the low DPI)

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Katie-

Will the new numerical-value dashed line styles be able to have names other than 'Dash Style #1, #2, #3 ...' ? (Something more meaningful like 'Phantom', 'Dashed', etc.)

It would also be good to be able to scale the entire dashed line style the way we can scale hatches with a numerical value.

Thanks for giving us these teaser images from VW2008.

Tim

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When you use a tool, there's usually a mode you use more than another mode. After choosing the mode, the last used mode is remembered throughout the session, and even across sessions.

In addition, with certain tools, and certain preferences, the preferences are stored within and across sessions.

Take the arc tool for example. You have many modes, and there's probably one that works better for you than another in most cases. Up through VW 12, you had to constantly change the mode to the desired mode, if your desired mode was not the first mode.

Now, when you choose mode 3, that mode will be the default mode for the arc tool until you change it again.

Another example is with the window or door tool. It takes time to set up a window correctly - especially with style classes. All this information is stored as the default, so you don't have to continuously set up the information every time you need to change your window or door type.

This came about from numerous requests through the message board, beta users, feedback from customers as user groups, and distributors. Users wanted to be able to set the default mode of tools in VW, and they wanted certain preferences to be remembered across sessions. In VectorWorks 2008, you have just that.

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"Draw It Once, Use It Everywhere

In both 2D and 3D, VectorWorks 2008 allows you to use and adapt your work again and again to create drawings quickly and efficiently."

Where's the beef?

This is where a significant improvement was made to the software.

Not only can you create design layer viewports, but you can reference data across files in ways never before possible. You can also reference PDFs, images, entire VW files, just design layer viewports, specific design layers, etc.

Classable wall components falls in this category, too. This is a tremendous time saver when creating various plans including the walls. By classing the different components of a wall, you have the option to control component visibility in viewports. You can choose to have the framing component invisible or grayed in the general floor plan, or the interior wall components invisible in a structural floor plan.

I've added a graphic illustrating classable wall components.

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In addition, with certain tools, and certain preferences, the preferences are stored within and across sessions.

[snip]

they wanted certain preferences to be remembered across sessions. In VectorWorks 2008, you have just that.

OK. They wanted certain preferences with certain tools. Did they want eg. default classes for basic objects (such as text) or user-defined default classes for PI-objects?

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You can already set user-defined default classes for plugin objects as well as default classes for plugin objects.

I don't recall seeing anything posted on the board about default classes for basic objects, like text, but I will be happy to add this to the wish list.

FWIW - you can set up a task in the task manager that would place text in the text class when initiating the task manager. It even sets the active tool to the text tool, if one so wishes.

And, this can be done with creating a custom script using the "Custom Tool/Attribute" command rather simply.

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You can also reference PDFs, images, entire VW files, just design layer viewports, specific design layers, etc.

Classable wall components falls in this category, too.

Obviously I managed to interpret the Scripture correctly...

I would not consider referenced files as members of the same category as walls of a design, but perhaps the new referencing mechanism makes me to change my mind. Desktop Design Publishing, huh?

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You can already set user-defined default classes for plugin objects as well as default classes for plugin objects.

Technically maybe, but not in the real world. The default class is a property of the object, so one has to invoke the Plug-In Editor and pray.

I don't recall seeing anything posted on the board about default classes for basic objects, like text, but I will be happy to add this to the wish list.

I'm sure I've wish-listed this on the CompuServe MiniCAD forum when TeAntae Turner was in charge of it...

And, this can be done with creating a custom script using the "Custom Tool/Attribute" command rather simply.

No, it can't. The custom script (i) needs to be run, (ii) belongs to the document in question. Nothing to do with tool preferences.

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The preferences of the active tool, when added to the custom script, are stored and used.

With the export resource function in 2008, the script can easily be exported to any file, including a template file.

Yes, the script needs to be run, but so would choosing the tool if it were automatically built in function.

The script can be added as a menu, given a keyboard shortcut, and added to the right click menu options.

I'm not saying the wish is not worthy. I am adding it now.

The text tool specifically has repetitively come up with the wish of adding formatting to the text tool preferences. (Yes, this has been added)

I'm simply offering suggestions on ways this could be achieved today (and starting Sept 13).

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The preferences of the active tool, when added to the custom script, are stored and used.

Yes, yes, but...

With the export resource function in 2008, the script can easily be exported to any file, including a template file.

This is an interesting concept. I'm not sure if I have ever used software that allows exporting in this fashion. Probably not. Have to digest the potential problems and possible consequences...

Yes, the script needs to be run, but so would choosing the tool if it were automatically built in function.

No. If I could define eg. classes for tools/objects, there would not be anything to "run".

I'm not saying the wish is not worthy. I am adding it now.

The text tool specifically has repetitively come up with the wish of adding formatting to the text tool preferences. (Yes, this has been added)

Oh, good! Now, in addition can we

- expand this to lines, polygons etc

- have typeface & size as class attributes

especially as I am now using the Polite Tone.

A "text" class (ref Dimension) would be my priority, though.

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Referenced design layers falls in the category of "Draw it Once, Use it Again" in a number of ways.

The obvious premiere way of using this is in a multi-user environment. You can have User 1 create the overall floor plan - let's use a commercial office building where most of the offices will have a similar size and layout.

User 2 can work on creating a layout of a single (repetitive) space (office), including office furniture, lighting, etc.

User 2 creates this space one time in a new file (based on measurements provided by User 1 -- or even using the file created by user 1)

User 1 (or even another user) can workgroup reference the design layer in the file User 2 created, then duplicate, mirror, rotate the design layer viewport throughout the spaces in the floor layout. If the desk style needs to change, you change it in one centralized location, and each office is then updated.

Previously, you could not reference or design in such a way and the files became bloated. (I know you love that term!)

One step further - you can create schedules including objects in the referenced design layers and the true layers in the current document.

The design layer viewport fall in a category of their own in some ways, but certainly accentuate producitvity in a way never before seen using VectorWorks by using this "Draw it Once, Use it Again" mantra.

It does fall tandem to workgroup referencing advancements, since the "meat" of using design layer viewports is through the referencing infrastructure. Improvements to workgroup referencing have an area all to their own in the marketing collateral because of their emphasis on maximizing efficiency in a multi-user environment.

Does that help explain the positioning?

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The export resource function is pretty cool. I've come to really like it and use it over the past few months.

You can create a resource, then push it out to any project file or library file.

A fundamental disadvantage for new users is learning how to reverse engineer the process of storing a newly created resource in an existing library file. As a trainer, you have to ensure they understand the Resource Browser first, then you have to explain this process of opening files in both the application window and the resource browser and switching the active file in both. It can be a little confusing.

What we did with 2008 was remove the learning barrier to allow direction access to library files, no matter what the active drawing is in the application window or resource browser.

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Does that help explain the positioning?

So far, au contraire. Are you sure that you can substantiate the claims with solid logical reasoning and - especially - set theory?

Especially as comes to the latter, I have grave doubts, but should you have it all figured out, I can't be bothered to draw all the necessary diagrams and relationship schemata.

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This image shows the RB dialog. I'll come up with the other half of the image, showing the extract dialog where you can choose any file to push it into. (That probably won't be until later today or tomorrow)

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