changing the Z for lighting device

[dwbtd]

so here is a new one for me - one of my students is placing lights onto the plot and in the object info when she changes the Z it goes back to 0 - on the same version (2009 student) on my computer I can change the z in her file no problem - is there a preference we have different? driving me nuts

thanks

doug

[Bradley King]

Hi Doug,

Are the files exactly the same? If the lighting object (or position object, if you're using them) weren't made from 3-D symbols, Vectorworks won't allow a Z value to be attached to the light.

-Bradley

[michaelk]

...or if she somehow has 2D only lighting instrument symbol. That would also stop a Z input.

michaelk

[Jim_Allen]

I you have set your positions at a height then the instruments, when they are placed on that position, will take the position height automatically.

[dwbtd]

making sure they are 3d was the first thing I looked at - and they are -

more experimentation we found if we move off the batten it will go up to the z - since VW creates Light Positions as 2d (I do not understand why that is - would it not make more sense to make them 3d??) i was trying to keep it simple and leave the batten 2d - that works fine on my computer but not hers - is there some setting to force the light to connect to the batten z on hers that is off on mine ? my battens are at 0 and the light moves to 20' and is still "on" the batten

sorry I'm a td and this lighting stuff is driving me nuts

thanks

doug

[Jim_Allen]

You need the battons in 3-D to be able to set them at a height.

There was a thread with instructions on how to create 3-D positions so you can set their height. If the pipe is 2-D, the instrument will go to the Z height you set it and it will look like it is on the pipe until you rotate the drawing and look at it from the front, or side. Then the instrument will be at elevation and the pipes will sit on the ground.

[michaelk]

To be even more picky - the battens need to be BOTH 2D and 3D.

Think of the batten as a symbol. (When you convert any geometry to a lighting position VW creates a symbol and puts it in the Resource Browser.)

With no 3D element, it can't have a Z value.

With no 2D element, it disappears in Top/Plan view. All you see is the position label. --unless you deselect Position Summary in the OIP.

Here's a thread that discusses creating positions, especially battens: http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=21816&Number=101803#Post101803

hth

michaelk

[michaelk]

- since VW creates Light Positions as 2d (I do not understand why that is - would it not make more sense to make them 3d??)

VW doesn't create Light Positions as 2D. You do.

VW treats instruments slightly differently than positions - sort of. But the "user experience" is very different.

You can actually make your own instruments (using your own 2D and 3D geometry), in a slightly more complicated way than you make your own positions.

But since instruments arrive from the factory in a box and are all the same from venue to venue, it makes sense to have them pre made and packaged in the software as symbols.

But anything can be a lighting position: a batten (which comes in many different lengths, a couple different diameters, single and double...), the deck is often a position, booms... No theatre has a box boom position like any other theatre (or FOH position, or balcony rail).

And if you are using lighting truss in arenas or convention halls there are even more possibilities.

That's why you have to create the 2D and 3D geometry for positions. But it's not totally a "roll your own" situation. The Modify>Convert>Convert to Light Position does all the heavy lifting.

hth

michaelk

[dwbtd]

thanks all- I guess jumping through the hoops to turn create a 2d/3d hybrid batten is what I'll have to show them how to do -

- guess what I need to do is get onto the wish list forum and ask why is there no parametric 2d/3d batten tool - not all of us use truss

thanks

doug