VW2011 - Slow with old files?

[Chris D]

I'm trying out the 30 day evaluation of 2011. I've opened one of our big site plan files, originally drawing in version 12.5 to see how it handles it. The answer seems to be....very poorly indeed.

This is a big file...55Mb, but version 2008 handled it fine, actually quite zippy. With version 2011 it is practically unusable...it literally takes about 2 minutes just to switch between sheet layers.

I can understand that 2011 is optimised to work with objects created by itself, but if we can't work on our current project files, we simply can't upgrade.

Anyone else having problems?

[Christiaan]

but if we can't work on our current project files, we simply can't upgrade.

Due to the sort of issue you raise and many others, our way of dealing with upgrades is to do it on a project by project basis. So we always have the two latest versions of VW running on people's machines.

[Chris D]

Due to the sort of issue you raise and many others, our way of dealing with upgrades is to do it on a project by project basis. So we always have the two latest versions of VW running on people's machines.

We're already using a mix of 12.5 and 2008 and the idea was to consolidate...but I get your point. The trouble is that the two versions we'd have to run are 12.5 and 2011, which are pretty different, and switching between the two during the week would be a bit of a pain.

[Chris D]

I'm getting stability issues with 2011 too. I got a long beachball of death followed by a crash on an empty file just now....all i tried to do was create a custom window to have a look at the PIO...

We don't want to upgrade hardware too...

[Uli]

I am using VW 2010 Landmark and the dealing with cadastral data and aerial image is a pain. The program often stops working, when I want to select a lot of cadastral lines. The file has more than 50 MB. So I think it is not a strengh of VW to deal with this kind of date or file size? I have to search for a way to import and freeze these data.

Maybe I have to update my system.

XPPro latest update

4GB RAM

Ati 3600

AMD 7750 Dual-Core

[monkey]

having the same problems too, but from 2008>2011. having to keep both copies on my machine for use with different jobs. I have also found that 2001 is slower with zooming and refreshing, and am having problems bringing in large image files, which were fine in 2008, but come in as a big grey box in 2011.

had my first crash today (only been using 2011 for a couple of days now) and it crashed while simply trying to zoom in. hope this is a one off!

[gScott]

just tried the 2011 evaluation

with a 12.5 project i'm currently

working on and it couldn't convert

the whole model, some error message

to that effect.

i turned off all the graphic bells

+ whistles + it was fairly sluggish

in 2D, very much slower in 3D rendering,

using minimum settings on all rendering

types.

on a new file i tried out the new stair,

which crashed as soon as i got to the

railings tab. the new stair tool looks

nice, but doesn't get upstairs...

don't have time to poke around to find

the obvious reason to upgrade, so if

anyone knows a real compelling reason

please mention it!

[Chris D]

So, the window PIO can crash a clean file, the stair PIO can crash a clean file... are we evaluating VW2011....or beta testing?

[domer1322]

I noticed my RW render times with 2011 was about the same at 2010 on a 3D model converted from 2010. I guess i should read the promotion accurately .... it says "indirect Lighting" is 4 times faster. I guess direct lighting is not faster.

If anyone is keeping track ... the VW 2011 "Custom Stair" tool does not render the top railing in 3D (you just get a nurbs line, not a 2" dia railing) .... but the "stair" tool seems to work fine. What is the differnce anyway ?

[billtheia]

If anyone is keeping track ... the VW 2011 "Custom Stair" tool does not render the top railing in 3D (you just get a nurbs line, not a 2" dia railing) .... but the "stair" tool seems to work fine. What is the differnce anyway ?

I haven't looked in VW2011 but previous versions had a checkbox in the OIP for showing the handrail in 3d.

[Jonathan Pickup]

My suggestion to clients is that if possible, finish old projects in the old version of vectorworks, start new projects in the new version.

[Ozzie]

are we evaluating VW2011....or beta testing?

Early adopters are always beta testing - I have felt like that through VW 2009 - 2010 was much better - VW 2008 for me and what I do a nightmare

if possible, finish old projects in the old version of vectorworks, start new projects in the new version

Nothing at all to do with if possible

NEVER NEVER NEVER try to finish a project begun in an earlier version of VW with a newer version - that is my rule

[Horst M.]

If it is really the Case, that VW2011 is slower or unstable with Files from older Versions, the usability of the Software is down to Shareware level.

All People who use Spotlight for shure work with old Files all the time!

I use the Files from Venues I've worked in before to create new Lightplots all the time.

Some of my Venue Files are migrated from Version 11 to now.

I've never heard such a Concept, of not using a Software to work on Files from older Versions in my live before!

What if a Collegue who works with an older Version sents me a File?

Shall I ask for pdf's and redraw from scratch?

In the End that would mean that VW is incompatible to itslef!

A Software behaving like that is not .....

....I'm out of words....

Edited October 1, 2010 by Horst M.

[VincentCuclair]

If I recall correctly I had the exact same issues with 2010 when it came out.....submit as many bug reports as you can and it will be fixed accordingly ...... I now use 2010 and 2011 parallel and 2010 seems very stable compared to 2011, ergo after a couple of SPs stability will prevail!?

[Ozzie]

My files - if I drew them in say VW 2009 - and I have to go back to them - I use VW 2009 again

VW 2008 - do not and will not even have it installed

Maybe the SPs eventually fixed some things - just did not wish to go there

At one point if I duplicated a Worksheet in my Resource Browser it was corrupted in VW 2008 - plants that disappeared which is still happening in 2010 - not bad for three versions

[StaticDOS]

How do I import 2010 drawings into the 2011 demo? I tried just copying and pasting a 3D object but it seems to come in in 2D?

[mike m oz]

Daniel, you need to convert the Vw 2010 files to Vw 2011 files. With Vw 2011 open go to File / Open and then navigate to your Vw 2010 file. Once it is open save it and it will be in the Vw 2011 file format. Make sure you use a different name to your Vw 2010 file so you don't overwrite it.

Edited October 26, 2010 by mike m oz

[scottfdavis]

Having the same problem with converted files.

We upgraded our hardware and OS which required upgrading Vectorworks. Thank God cause we were still using VW...but I digress...

Vectorworks 2010 with SP4 converted our files perfectly (mostly). Ofcourse 2011 was released shortly after and we were given the free upgrade.

However, testing project by project there have been major issues updating to 2011. Some files update fine but when you attempt to relink references I get the beach ball for about 15 to 20 minutes...every time. Other files take a long time to switch from viewing one layer to the next.

Regarding "starting fresh" we have recently experienced a project that began in 2011 and crashes when selecting objects, changing fills, or whatever simple task seems to upset it at the time. This project did use a job template folder that originated from VW12 but there was zero content in it--just default class and layer names.

In short, my experience is that 2011 is unstable converting and using in general.

[Chris D]

I THINK THIS JUST ABOUT KILLS ANY CHANCE THAT WE WILL UPGRADE

Regardless of the marginal benefits to our 2D workflow that VW2011 offers...this problem with old files is a GIGANTIC ROADBLOCK.

Our office deals with stop-start projects constantly. Just this week I've picked up a three year old project that stalled at the planning stage and is now live again. We have hundreds of hours of drawn work in VW12.5 on this project and there is NO WAY we would throw that away to do a clean start in VW2011. So what's the alternative...we run copies of at least three different Vectorworks (12.5, 2008, 2011)??? What a nightmare.

To suggest that we should not use our extensive CAD library, our template files, or re-use details from other jobs, to avoid throttling VW2011, is ridiculous....

If VW2011 can't handle old files sensibly, then it's a dead duck.

Hell knows what we're going to do in future...we'll be stuck in a timewarp and the problem will only get worse.

This is such bad form Nemetschek!!!

[VincentCuclair]

This is not a one time thing, it happens once every year!

Again I think NVW should forget about having the yearly (Beta) release (including all the irritating fake YouTube PR films) and release individual functions/ improvements/ additions as soon as they have been developed, this gives everyone the chance to Beta test and therefore gives NVW better and faster control over possible bugs. This must improve compatibility stability throughout (ie. no more need to talk about different versions it's all one file type adjusted to work in the same program regardless when it was bought.)

Stability and compatibility far outweigh a yearly PR coupe to increase VW popularity and sales!

[Chris D]

I'm not convinced this is a once a year problem....we've never had the issue previously...VW2008 is very fast and runs VW12.5 files just fine.

[VincentCuclair]

Then your lucky, since 11.5 every single template file i've created has been corrupt or crashed in every newly released version at some time or another (mind perhaps that's because of bugs in the first months but I can't wait for 3SPs before migrating my templates).....?

Edited October 26, 2010 by Vincent C

[Chris D]

I agree that previous upgrades have been a _little_ buggy, with the odd crash and the odd 'funny'. But VW2011 is a different scale of problem.

[VincentCuclair]

Our office deals with stop-start projects constantly.

I can't imagine there is a single office out there that doesn't need to work in older files at one time or another.......

[willofmaine]

Wow, this is a discouraging thread. I was so looking forward to many of VW 2011's new features.

But I have a large project that's been going on for years now. I started it with VW 12, and had no issues going from 12 to 2008.

How does one run 2008 and 2011 simultaneously if 2008 doesn't run in OS 10.6 and 2011 doesn't run in OS 10.4? Run two operating systems? Thanks, but no. I'm definitely not going to recreate my project in 2011 (Five floors plus slab layers, 30 Sheets, 232 Viewports, 128 Mb...). I think Horst M. said it best... "...I'm out of words..." regarding VectorWorks' apparent incompatibility with itself.

And even if I wanted to start afresh with 2011, what about the extensive amount of library items and textures I've created, and my template file that represents a few years of refinement?? I'm with Chris D on this.

Hopefully with the next SP the tune of this thread will change dramatically!!