Place Plant Tool

[Ozzie]

In VW 12.5 when Editing a Plant in the Edit Plant Definition we had an ability to change either the 3D or 2D Symbol.

In VW 2008 we no longer have this function.

I found it very useful as I had defined my Plants so they had all my data attached and would often just use a circle as a symbol when my drawings became too busy.

So I converted this file to VW 2008 and dang the only way to replace the Symbol is in Edit Plant mode meaning copy and paste another Symbol in.

Why take away a function that is useful and that people use and are used to. Is there a reason?

I know now we have new symbols where we can show just the outline by Class but that is not the same.

So if I wish to use a circle in some drawings do I have to create a new Class - Plants-Component-Circle and add a Circle to each Symbol to regain a semblance of the function.

BTW this was possible in 12.5 anyway.

I think unless there is some reason to do this the abilty to swap both the 3D and 2D symbols in 12.5 should not have been removed in 2008

Have others noticed this? In my view it is just going backwards.

[Jonathan Pickup]

i think the 2008 plants are easier to edit.

Double click on the plant.

Choose the part you want to edit.

[Petri]

Maybe easier, but that is not the question. WHAT can you edit is the question.

[Ozzie]

Jonathon,

of course their easier to Edit - right ckick and away you go but switching a Symbol easily??

We can still use the RB but it is not as easy so in my view it is perhaps two three steps forward which is great but also a step back which is not

Petri

Exactly!!

Is there a reason NNA?

[Guest]

There are two questions here, and I'm not sure which is which.

1. Are you trying to replace the 2D symbol on plants placed in the drawing (and leave the 3D, if existing, in place)

2. Are you trying to replace the whole plant with another plant definition?

[Petri]

I think there is only one question here:

Why can we no longer change either the 2D part or the 3D part, the way and for the purpose of our choosing?

[Guest]

You can - I don't understand how you are not able to do this.

Perhaps a little more detail of a process preventing this would be helpful.

[Ozzie]

Katie,

I answered this in General Discussion as follows

In VW 12 when you choose to Edit a Plant Definition in the Edit Plant definition Dialogue we could choose alternate 2D or 3D symbols easily within the Dialogue.

In VW 2008 we have lost the simplicity of this function.

[/Quote]

If you open VW 12 and look at the Edit Plant Definition Dialogue to the right we could choose alternate Symbols for both 2D and 3D

How do we do that in VW 2008?

It seems to me NNA has gone and is going to great lengths to improve VW - but this is going backwards as far as I am concerned.

I use the Plant Tool sometimes on large projects all day.

Again believe me the Plant Tool is greatly improved and to get the simplicity of this function back would only add to the software.

So in VW 2008 we now double click a Plant or right click it and choose Edit and we have the options to Edit 2D Graphics, 3D Graphics, Definition or Path - so if we choose say 2D Graphics we are in Edit Plant mode.

To change the symbol we can open the Resource Browser and if we have them there change the symbol but it is not as simple as VW 12.

You have done plenty of Planting Plans in your day - what do you think?

In Jonathon's post above he I think he missed exactly what I am talking about.

i think the 2008 plants are easier to edit.

Double click on the plant.

Choose the part you want to edit.

It is not Editing the Symbol it is changing the silly thing for another one easily and we have lost that function apart from grabbing one from the Resource Browser or copying and pasting some other geometry in.

Whilst I am here in Edit Symbol mode - not Edit Plant mode we have the dashed lines lining us up to X = 0 and y = 0 makes it really easy to centre your Symbol meaning it will not go flippity floppity all over the place when you place it.

In Edit Plant mode we do not have the dashed lines

Just a thought

And Katie thanks for following this through

[Ozzie]

Just thinking about this

So you get into Edit 2D Graphics or Edit 3D Graphics - why not if it is possible have another button in each under the Exit Plant button 'Change Symbol' which grabs a Symbol from a User Library Folder for that purpose.

And another why not when right clicking on an object or symbol and choosing Create New Plant having an option with a tick box or radio button or whatever of saving that Plant to a Default User Library folder

[Petri]

You can - I don't understand how you are not able to do this.

Perhaps a little more detail of a process preventing this would be helpful.

I won't even try to use any aspect of the dreadful Plant Tool that just gets worse and worse. I'm just interpreting the users' views.

If someone can't do it, it is a problem with the tool, not with the user.

[Ozzie]

The Plant Tool has improved. It does though depend on how you use it and understand it.

In VW 12.5 I used it and developed Plant definitions for many plants that were tied to and able to be updated from the then 'database'.

Of course this has all changed in VW 2008 with the introduction of the FileMaker Pro database.

Different people can use it their own way - for me I want Plants that are already defined and able to be sorted with Worksheets and especially fields like Tree, Shrub, Groundcover etc that too are able to be updated with information from the database and this is very possible.

Although in previous versions it was possible to have Plant Symbols with multiple Classes meaning we could have fills etc for pretty versions and just lines for construction docs with Opacity and Layer overrides which I have not looked at yet in VW 2008 - this is all a little easier.

Plants could be defined just as Symbols with records attached if that is what someone wants to do or just defined in a folder in VW as another way of doing things.

Or tied to the database and updateable through it if that is how one wishes to do things.

It is I think though a bit difficult especially for new users to get their heads around how all this works - what folder stores this and what folder stores that - how do I update guff from the database back into VW etc.

Overall I think now it is heading in the right direction.

An everyday function though when doing a Planting Plan like changing a symbol should be made for the user as easy as possible and that is what I started this thread about and again I think NNA should address that.

Work flows that are simple just save time.

[Ozzie]

Message has been removed by moderator for inappropriate content

Edited November 18, 2007 by Katie