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Symbol display by class


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Is there a way to make symbols take on the attributes of the class they are on the same way that groups do? I am used to creating my symbols on layer 0 in autocad so they will pick up the attributes of the layer/class they are inserted on. I want to use symbols so I can schedule planting types and points with vW09 arch and I want to use the same symbol but have a hatch appear to distinguish between new and existing by changing the class.

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Hmmm...I know what you mean,

but I think you just need to create duplicate symbols, and adjust the attributes you want.

Then, rather than (or in addition to) changing the class to distinguish between existing and new you would use the Replace Symbol command...

To get what you are asking you would need a way for the objects within the symbol to be set to "Use Symbol Class," kind of similar to the way wall styles work, where you

can set their attributes to "Use Class Attributes." Doesn't exist yet though. (as far as I know...for what it is worth).

Edited by gmm18
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LoL Panta, again you are taking cheap shots. To me the way symbols work in vectorworks is useless compared to how blocks function in Autocad. Why have multiple blocks when you could just change the class to change the appearance. Its the same symbol with different fills or linetype. It works for groups but not symbols. It works for other things that use embedded classes like walls. I have been setting up plan templates and I have the same complaints you seem to have about Autocad. To make vectorworks half as useful as AutoCAD it takes twice as many steps. That just isn't very productive.

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To get what you are asking you would need a way for the objects within the symbol to be set to "Use Symbol Class," kind of similar to the way wall styles work, where you

can set their attributes to "Use Class Attributes." Doesn't exist yet though. (as far as I know...for what it is worth).

Yes this is what I am looking for. I set the symbol lines etc to by class but they do not take on the attributes of the symbol class.

It makes more sense to me to just change the class instead of having multiple copies of the same symbol with different attributes. I converted the symbol to a group and the lines take on the appearance of the group class but you can no longer use the data attached to the symbol. It just doesn't make sense to me unless I am missing something.

Edited by HOUCAD
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I have the same complaints you seem to have about Autocad. To make vectorworks half as useful as AutoCAD it takes twice as many steps. That just isn't very productive.

I have no complaints about using AutoCAD, only the crappy data I receive from AutoCAD users. However, if I used it, I would not try to use it the same way as VectorWorks. Your statement ?to make vectorworks half as useful as AutoCAD? shows, I'm sorry to say, that you don't know what you're talking about: there ain't no such thing as Usefulness.

Your problem obviously is that you try to emulate AutoCAD in VW, but that just isn't very productive. Nine times out of ten, the answer to AutoCAD devotees asking ?how? is ?you don't, because you don't need to?. This issue is the one out of ten.

There are indeed situations where it would be very good to have a specific class that would inherit the attributes of the class of the symbol instance. Note that it should not (as you suggested) apply to the entire symbol, which may have tens or hundreds of components in several classes for both 2D and 3D.

I'm sure that AutoCAD is a much better AutoCAD than VW; after all, it is the weapon of choice of millions of draughtsmen and probably does a wonderful job in draughting. Wouldn't know and couldn't care less.

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This is related to the symbol issue but deals with doors and windows. Again, like walls, I want to be able to select walls doors and windows and change the class to a demo layer which makes them dashed line. It works for walls but with auto classing turned on I am unable to change the class of doors and windows.

I can turn off auto classing but I would rather not. What is the typical workflow people use for demo plans in renovation work? This office has always used different classes but they didn't use actual walls, only lines.

I am starting with an existing drawing in Vectorworks made from the existing plans. As we develop the project some areas will be gutted and some will remain. Some doors will be removed and discarded and some will be reused. I would typically designate the different options by class to control the appearance easily.

When it comes to scheduling, is there a way to select a set of doors by class and schedule them separately on the same sheet? For instance, select all doors to be demolished and discarded by class on one schedule then select all doors to be reused on another schedule? I know you can make different worksheets but the option for "on schedule" doesn't let you choose between different schedules.

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I am also wondering why I am not able to change data across multiple objects. For example I selected all my doors and I want to add a note indicating that they are all existing to the notes data field. When I do this it only adds the data to a single door.

I found the same thing with windows and spaces too.

Is there some way to add data to multiple objects without having to select them one at a time or enter the data into the worksheet line by line???? I have a couple hundred doors per floor I am dealing with.

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