Vectorworks 2011 ?Release note

[VincentCuclair]

Translations of one native schema to another native schema is not only hard, it is, frankly, very unlikely to ever "live up" to user expectations.

That is sure to remain the case however, basic standard PIOs (walls, doors, windows) are used in say 75% of the cases so just translating essential data ie. Wall height, width, length (which is already in place for IFC import in Archicad) and Door/Window width and height, would be a big time saver (worth the effort/investment from a consumers perspective).

In its current incarnation, IFC does not try to support parametric descriptions of objects.

(Walls excluded see above) I think it is only a question of time before most CAD programs will able to interpret and translate other IFC objects to basic native PIOs...

I can use Vectorworks, my structural guy can use Scia Engineer, my HVAC guy can use DDS-CAD, and as long as I can coordinate their assemblies into my project (and make space for them, check for clashes, etc.) then I'm happy. I don't need to, nor do I want to, edit their work as native BIM objects.

Again I agree when it comes to coordination between different disciplines, however among Architects/designers alike I believe it is unavoidable, we're not there yet but soon when everyone has gone to an all 3D work flow you will be laughed at if you suggest sending over 'dead' 2D/3D cad files (as you would be laughed at now if you suggest sending paper copies of your discipline when all other consultants are exchanging CAD files)

I think it is a strength for an architecture office to have different CAD programs in house (as it is in ours), however if one can't exchange files more easily most of this advantage becomes a disadvantage because of the lost time in drafting things twice (as it is in my office, I cannot use VW to it's full capacity because no one can finish the job when I'm not present so I have to use ArchiCAD and that is very frustrating because I realize i would be more effective/efficient (and happy) using VWs!!!)

Edited September 15, 2010 by Vincent C

[VincentCuclair]

Does the new tile tool replace the hatch tool? If not why not?

[Christiaan]

I think there is nothing wrong with the feature, it's actually quite good, the mistake was showing it being applied to walls.......

Changed my mind. I think you're right. Planar objects, along with their hatches, are useful in their own right. The mistake was showing it being applied to walls.

[Christiaan]

you can't even specify a door by its structural opening, which is the main way we specify door sizes in the UK. I've no idea whether this has been changed in 2011?

I can confirm the problem still exists in v2011.

[Chris D]

you can't even specify a door by its structural opening, which is the main way we specify door sizes in the UK. I've no idea whether this has been changed in 2011?

I can confirm the problem still exists in v2011.

This upgrade isn't selling itself yet..

Right, off to the wishlist with this one (again).

[VincentCuclair]

you can't even specify a door by its structural opening, which is the main way we specify door sizes in the UK.

Isn't that the way for most of Europe?

Right, off to the wishlist with this one (again).

Don't hold your breath, Windoor does this and a whole lot more! They probably have more important things to concentrate on....

[J Lucas]

I gave up using Windoor and went back to the native windows and doors for ease of use. I do not base my details on the window and door pios, just plans and elevations.

Edited September 16, 2010 by J Lucas

[Lenb]

I've just read the Architosh interview/review and I'm wondering about a comment by Dr. Sarkar regarding DLSVP's

"The section plane elements in a DLSVP are drawn as planar objects. That means objects on the working plane coincident with the section plane can be used for further modeling."

Does this mean the section plane elements are live or only static elements that can be edited. I'm sure the live idea is pie in the sky but I'm curious nonetheless.

[VincentCuclair]

It could be that it is as in ArchiCAD, click on a window in the section viewport and you can edit it in the OIP? Or perhaps he misspoke and means '..further drafting....'?

[Kevin McAllister]

I've only spent a couple of hours with 2011 but there are a bunch of small tweaks that I quite like. So far my favorite is the ability to have toggle buttons at the right side of the mode bar to toggle some of the most used preference like Zoom Line Thickness and Show Other Objects While In Edit Modes.

Kevin

[mike m oz]

The Quick Preferences addition to the RH end of the Tool bar is very neat.

There are several nice little additions like these to supplement the more meaty changes.

I particularly like the the 2D/3D integration and the enhanced Push/Pull tool. My desire to use Sketchup for quick simple modelling has gone because it no longer has any advantages.

[Yoginathaswami]

Aloha, Mike:

Can you customize and reposition the location of the items on the tool bar? i.e. move the items on RH end to LEFT...

You guys got your 2011 very fast! Still waiting for mine...

Thanks!

[dhruv]

They are playing with the trial version. like me :-)

[mike m oz]

Yogi its not possible to customise the locations on the Tool or View bars.

The one exception to that is the Quick Preferences which show on the Tool bar in in the order you check marked them.

[Oyvind]

3D dimensioning OK, but not in viewports.

And, we still have to draw a circle or an arc on top of the solid to use radial dimensioning.

[Assemblage]

Windoor does this and a whole lot more! They probably have more important things to concentrate on....

Really? We bought it so we could do Velfac-type windows where sash and frame are in line. These are very common in Europe. But Windoor can't do them either. After enquiry we're told Windoor is aimed at the local Australian market and are only advancing development for that. I suggest making detailed enquiries before purchase.

So we had to model them by hand with hybrid symbols and insert via VW's windows using the "Use Symbol Geometry" option, to leverage scheduling and wall component wrapping etc. But, we currently can't get this to work either..appears completely differently than inserted as the stand-alone hybrid. Result: no BIM capability for our most common windows, and the drawings are a mess. We've been tinkering with this for months now...

[starling75]

The Quick Preferences addition to the RH end of the Tool bar is very neat.

There are several nice little additions like these to supplement the more meaty changes.

I particularly like the the 2D/3D integration and the enhanced Push/Pull tool. My desire to use Sketchup for quick simple modelling has gone because it no longer has any advantages.

SU push/pull modelling capabilities are still much more flexible and intuitive than 2011.

SU modelling environment is fully OpenGL rendered. I tried to model same way in 2011 and it's still a pain ..

See MCAD 3D graphic performance comparison by Deelip Menezes

http://www.deelip.com/?p=2730

On the other hand 2011 modeller is solid/NURBS based which is better than SU simple polygon modelling ..

But when it comes to 2D geometry extraction from smooth solid/Nurbs based models I still can't extract smooth polyline contours. 2D representation of sphere should be always circle, 2D representation of filleted corners should be ellipse segments and projections of other more complex shapes should be represented by Bezier curves ..

(Yes, I can already extract polylines from surfaces using extract tool - great!)

2011 still extracts viewport geometry via linear approximation, this means that from superior 3D nurbs based geometry I will get same 2D output as from polygon based - faceted model ...

I like the feeling of 2011, it's significant step forward .. and there is still space for improvements and bug fixes (wall reshape tool - 1mm step for example)

[Christiaan]

Really? We bought it so we could do Velfac-type windows where sash and frame are in line. These are very common in Europe. But Windoor can't do them either. After enquiry we're told Windoor is aimed at the local Australian market and are only advancing development for that. I suggest making detailed enquiries before purchase.

So we had to model them by hand with hybrid symbols and insert via VW's windows using the "Use Symbol Geometry" option, to leverage scheduling and wall component wrapping etc. But, we currently can't get this to work either..appears completely differently than inserted as the stand-alone hybrid. Result: no BIM capability for our most common windows, and the drawings are a mess. We've been tinkering with this for months now...

I've had this on the wishlist for a while with both the UK distributor and NV:

http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=121946

ArchiCAD has a superb addon specifically for these modular windows, which is distributed to ArchiCAD subscribers for free:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=26789

[VincentCuclair]

Just downloaded the evaluation version and compared rendering speeds on the posted model:

FQRW 2010 = 4m 15s

FQRW 2011 = 35s

I guess what they state is true! This alone makes it worth upgrading not to speak of the other improvements!

.....now I'm off to try the stair tool ......

[Alan Boughey]

Are you saying that the 3D dimensioning only works in the design layers and cannot be added as a viewport annotation on a sheet layer?

[Bruce Kieffer]

3D dimensioning OK, but not in viewports.

I believe you, but how can that be true? We are told to use viewport annotations for adding dimensions, but they don't give us 3D dimensions there!

Edited September 17, 2010 by Bruce Kieffer

[Ray Libby]

Just curious, who told you to use viewport annotations for dimensioning?

[J Lucas]

I do not see how you can expect 3-D dimensioning in sheet viewports when sheet viewports are 2-D renderings of views of 3-D and 2-D objects. Is this possible?

[starling75]

3D dimensioning OK, but not in viewports.

I believe you, but how can that be true? We are told to use viewport annotations for adding dimensions, but they don't give us 3D dimensions there!

Interesting .... 3D dimensions in viewports on sheetlayer

... and pdf export

[Bruce Kieffer]

Just curious, who told you to use viewport annotations for dimensioning?

If my memory is correct, it was the Nemetschek support people. It makes sense to me since I don't want dimensions on my design layers. If they are on the design layers, then when I switch views they are all goofed up. Much cleaner putting them on a viewport.