How to move elements

[Robert Nichols]

I'm trying to get comfortable using Vectorworks after being a longtime ArchiCAD user, and I'm stumbling on some of the basics.

How about moving/copying objects? In ArchiCAD (and perhaps AutoCAD, if I recall correctly) I could select an object, then move it according to a vector defined by two clicks. Can I do this in VW? If not, WOW! That's a huge hole in the application. If so, I'm relived.

More basic questions to come. Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Robert,

Congratulations and welcome to our family of users.

Unfortunately, the function that you describe is not part of VectorWorks. However, the same effect can be achieved by selecting the object, cutting or copying it, clicking once on the document with your mouse and then paste. The point you click will be the center point of the pasted object. You can also use the ctl + v combination to paste... again, the center of the pasted object will be where you click.

You can also use the ctl + m (move) function to move a selected object using x and y coordinates. If you want to move an object 3" up and 15" right, you would simply enter 15" for the x and 3" for the y. Down and to the left would be negative numbers. It is always in relation to where the object is currently located.

I hope this helps and if you are still unsure as to how this is accomplished please call Technical Support for assistance.

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Brian O

Nemetschek North America

Technical Support Specialist

[This message has been edited by Brian O (edited 10-24-2000).]

[Hannes]

At http://www.nemetschek.net/addons/general.html

you'll find a free command called 'point to point'.

Try this, it may be what you searching for.

HTH,

Hannes

[Robert Nichols]

Thanks, Brian, for the reply. The strategies you suggested for positioning elements with precision disappointed me a bit. I have to say, I'm baffled by VW's infatuation with the center point of objects! When I change a wall width, the wall adjusts about its centerline, if I move something with your copy, click, and paste method (helpful but not a complete solution) I'm again dealing with the centerpoint of a, lets say, table. Using the centerpoint as a reference is almost always the wrong assumption when it comes to construction (columns are a notable exception). Designers and builders are typically more interested in the edges of things, and how they meet or the distance between them.

This is my biggest complaint with VW: copying arrays of elements, moving elements, changing wall widths. VW's implemtation of these functions almost always squanders the advantage of having a GUI. I want to be able to define move/copy vectors with mouseclicks anywhere on the screen. And when I add 1.5" to the width of a wall, I don't want to have to move it .75" to get it back to the original building foootprint.

Coming to VW from ArchiCAD is very difficult in this regard. I hadn't realized what ArchiCAD's very high cost brought to the table. I'll keep trying!

[Robert Nichols]

Pt2Pt works quite well...and it is heartening to see that the script is not too complex. Perhaps I can build or acquire add-ons to gain the funcationality I miss from ArchiCAD.

I believe there is also an add-on package from Australia that provides, among other things, the ability to change the width of a wall while still respecting the line established by a building footprint.

[MikeB]

Robert

Your refering to Julian Carr's packages, We bought a couple of liscenses and most of the tools are great, the change wall thickness tool is a life saver, as is the extend to line tool. Its well worth the $120 or so bucks.

Although I have to say some of the tools are crap, the print window tool dosent work most of the time and you have to save before you use it and then revert to saved after.

Lood Luck

[Davide]

Just pause on the corner of the object you

want to move with he cursor and then when in the data bar you read 0, 0.... start dragging in the direction you want to,tab into the data bar lenght and angle(vector) and the object will go there.

[tuchler]

with "control+D" for duplication (file > document >preferences > vectorworks preferences you have to check that offset duplications are not checked!)and than continue as davide describes it.

[P Retondo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Nichols:

The strategies you suggested for positioning elements with precision disappointed me a bit ...

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Robert,

On the other hand, AutoCAD (don't know about ArchiCAD) doesn't have the "Move" command allowing you to precisely define a relative movement.

I'm surprised no one has brought up this one: using any of the handles on an object, position the cursor over the point until you see the "cross" symbol. Click to grab the object and drag (holding down the mouse button) to any location. Screen hints tell you when you have "homed in" on the location you desire. This is functionally the same as your "click - click" vector.

PS, NNA: the complaint about moving walls after resizing them is one of my pet peeves, as well. Wouldn't it be easy to set up three buttons, similar to the 9-button array we see in the info palette when resizing other kinds of objects, so that we can fix the part of the wall (center or either side, at the user's option) we want to stay put when changing its thickness?

[This message has been edited by P Retondo (edited 08-29-2001).]

[Noidge]

Another method for copy using your mouse is, with the object not selected is to position the cursor over the object at the desired location, the smart cursor indicating the grab point. Hold down the Ctrl key (Cmd-Mac), a small + will appear to the upper right of the cursor, click and drag the object to the desired point and release the mouse.

[JRoth]

Is Noidge's advice for VW9 only? I'm trying it on VW8.5.1, and it doesn't seem to work.

[MikeB]

No, his advise works for 8.5 as well

[klinzey]

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeB:

No, his advise works for 8.5 as well

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With 8.5 you have to hold down the Ctrl key (Cmd-Mac) before you select the object. In 9 the control key can be pressed at any time during the operation.

[Andrew Bell@NV]

quote:

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Originally posted by klinzey:

With 8.5 you have to hold down the Ctrl key (Cmd-Mac) before you select the object. In 9 the control key can be pressed at any time during the operation.

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Just to clarify this: what matters is whether you are holding down the control key when you release the mouse button. You can press control and release multiple times during the drag, but only the final position will affect the outcome.

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Andrew Bell

andrewb@nemetschek.net

I am not an official spokesperson for NNA