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This is a very "large" question that I will do my best to phrase correctly.

I have taken a vectorworks class in college, done a lot of online and book tutorials, but I am having an issue with something that would seem to be very easy, but yet I have never had covered.

I have created a 3D model in a design layer. All of my objects are in different classes (like objects, identical columns in a row, for example) are in the same class. Some objects are split into multiple classes (column captials vs. column shafts).

I now want to create orthographic projections of each individual object. In sum, what is the best way of doing this?

I have created a sheet layer and begun making viewports views of each object in plan, front, side elevation and adding them to the sheet layer. This seems very clumsy to me and is very time intensive. Also, for meaningful orthographics I need the objects in a different orientation that what they are in my groundplan (platforms at odd angles for example). I haven't found a way to do this yet.

Is there an easier way? I feel like I am missing a "big picture" thing here.

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Thanks, that works pretty well. The only problem I am still having with it is the Class issue. If I have a bunch of repeating elements in the same class, but I only want to have an ortho of one of them, do I have to select one and put it in it's own class so that when I do a section viewport, I only get one? (Selecting in class options).

Otherwise, when I do a section viewport I get everything in that class. Is there another way around this?

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In the Advanced Properties dialog of the Section Viewport, you can change the setting of the Section to limit the length, height, and depth of view from the section line cutting plane. This way you can isolate items or views to precisely the ones you want.

In the Section Viewport, you also have the option to add a Crop ("Edit Crop" option from a right-click in the SVP) polygon to exclude things around an object/view.

In Design Layers, the "Create Section Viewport..." command works only only in Top/Plan view.

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Thanks, that works pretty well. The only problem I am still having with it is the Class issue. If I have a bunch of repeating elements in the same class, but I only want to have an ortho of one of them, do I have to select one and put it in it's own class so that when I do a section viewport, I only get one? (Selecting in class options).

Otherwise, when I do a section viewport I get everything in that class. Is there another way around this?

I think you have a conceptual problem here. The issue at hand seems to be a ?parts ? assembly? -type of situation and you want the program to generate a list & drawings of a set of arbitrary parts. I don't think you'll succeed.

If all your parts are symbols, it is doable, but if you have ?drafted? parts, it's not. With parametric objects it is theoretically possible to find all similar instances and isolate the unique types, but only theoretically.

So, in short: you may have to reconfigure your workflow.

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My guess is that you're drawing something other than architectural work. Your workflow is much like in my field, set and exhibit design, where each individual element is detailed on its own and also shown together in context.

The symbol approach will work for you but can become unmanageable if you have a lot of individual elements. I have often wished that you could choose an individual symbol from the layer pull down of a viewport, much like the symbol becomes a "layer" when you edit it. It would make detailing individual symbols very easy.

With exhibits I've found that I put each individual exhibit area on its own layer, much like Vectorworks encourages architects to put each floor on its own layer. That way I can still use classes for object types (ie. graphics, display cases etc.). By turning the layers on and off in various viewports I can get all the required views of a given exhibit area without other objects in the overall gallery obstructing them.

With my set work, I organize by classes instead, since there would never be a need to turn off all the doors or individual elements. Each scenic element would have a class. In this instance there would be very few layers, perhaps one for the theatre architecture, on for the lighting, and one for the set.

What type of application are you drawing for? It may help others give you their own perspective.

Cheers,

Kevin

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I work with mechanical design and assemblies and detail drawings all the time. My approach is to create a "general" class and a class for each type of object/detail. If there are multiple instances of a type of object I insert them as symbols. All assigned the object class and additionally all but one get assigned to the general class.

By showing and hiding classes in viewports I can now show them all in assemblies and use one object to create a detail drawing.

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