Conversion Assistance

[Cloud Hidden]

Every year I have to recreate workspaces, re-add libraries, remember and reconfigure all preferences. (Yes, I can find the workspace files in the support library and copy them, but it should be automatic). Wastes way too many unbillable hours. Why should I have to respecify Autosave options when I've used the same one for the past X years? Why should I have to search through all the libraries for which to include in the resource browser, and inevitably miss one?

There should be a setup assistant to get you close to your prior setup so that you can be productive from the get go. Not having this, and having to devote hours to just getting back to your prior starting point, ends up reflecting poorly on the new version at the exact time when you'd want it to be making a good impression.

[Ray Libby]

Not that it's a bad wish, but hours?

[Cloud Hidden]

Read "hours" as "time" if you wish. I was at it last night and again this morning. Still don't have all the things set up as before, but can't remember each and every customization...which is the point of having some sort of automatic conversion.

I just converted to Snow Leopard the same day, and they converted umpteen settings and preferences automatically. That made VW's do-it-yourself process extra aggravating.

[Kool Aid]

Did you try to copy the file ?Vectorworks Preferences.xml? from the old app support folder to the new one?

/Users/[you]/Library/Application Support/VectorWorks/2009/Settings/Vectorworks Preferences.xml

[Cloud Hidden]

I called Tech Support about all of this before posting the wish, and they advised against copying the pref file. Said it wouldn't work because the pref file held the serial number or some such.

Certainly file formats change from version to version...I get that...but it wouldn't be difficult to match up identical prefs and libraries from the prior version and have a setup assistant to lead one through the new or changed prefs.

[rDesign]

This Vw KB article may have been posted in response to your phone call:

Vectorworks KnowledgeBase :: Migrating a Custom Workspace

Regards,

Tim

[Cloud Hidden]

She put me on hold for a few min and then essentially told me what was in that link. Is it the cart or the horse...dunno? Either way, a Setup Asst could manage this far better than me trying to write notes about which customizations I made and which I didn't, and then replicating that. Same with resources and prefs. Throughout today I ran into a number of things that didn't work as before, and then had to search for the pref and set it as I had it in 2009.

Not trying to load on the griping...just giving them an accurate window into a user's experience with manually updating dozens of items from each version to the next. That might help them understand our experiences working with their product.

Edited October 1, 2009 by Cloud Hidden

[Kool Aid]

OK. The serial number is not stored in the said file, but maybe there are other considerations.

Anyway: since the settings are a simple XML-file, it should be very easy to have an option to use old settings.

[AndiACD]

Like Jim says, there should be a set up assistant that automatically adjusts your own custom workspace you've been using with previous versions of VW to include ALL of the new aspects of the new update.

i can't even remember what the default UI looks like as many of the items included in Machine Design seem to be architect orientated tools that i seldom use. i thought that new features were just added automatically even if i dropped the saved workspace from the previous version into the WS folder.

Looks like a never ending list of my complaints may be due to this factor which no one thought of pointing out to me previously(that i can remember). A big song and dance under these circumstance should have been an essential part of the "Warning! Will Robinson. Danger!" aspect of installing updates.

Yes, i know we're supposed to read all the bumpf that accompanies updates, but . . . . . . . .

i still enjoy VW and would be hard pushed to find another CAD tool that i could love and hate with quite as much fervour, but a few more helpful considerations along the way would be a nice touch.

Straightening this out, IS going to take me hours . . . . .

Maybe Mr. Raymond Mulin could be encouraged to write another Plug-In like his remarkable "Reshaper" Plug-In to automatically plug in one's own customised Plug-Ins and Workspaces each time there's plug-in, sorry, an upgrade.

Raymond, any thoughts . . . . . . ?