Jump to content
  • 0

Eastings and Northings Tool


Chris D

Question

I'm sure I've asked for this before, but it hasn't shown up in the program yet. We need an 'Eastings and Northings' tool. This is probably UK-specific terminology for 'Building Coordinates'. It's really quite simple, in fact we have a VW Plug-in for it already, produced by a third-party, but it's not quite right, and it should be a core part of the VW Architect program anyway.

All the tool needs to do is read the X and Y coordinates of a locus point and display these coordinates as E and N coordinates. Like this:

eandns.png

The Northings and Eastings object must also be 'live', like the 'Elevation Benchmark' tool, i.e. if the object is moved it must display the coordinates of its new position.

For an explanation of Eastings and Northings in the UK, see section 3.1.5 on page 14 of this document. It's a good read, by the way...

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/gps/docs/A_Guide_to_Coordinate_Systems_in_Great_Britain.pdf

Link to comment

15 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0
why should such a tool (specific to your country) be paid by others?

All countries use coordinates to set out their buildings. We just call ours "Eastings and Northings" and though it refers to our National Grid we use the Vectorworks grid like anyone else. It won't cost NV Inc an awful lot to have an option to display E/N instead of X/Y or whatever you guys use...

EDIT:

The fact is, VW provides the very same tool for displaying Z coordinates (the 'elevation benchmark' tool), but not for displaying X/Y coordinates. The tool is missing.

Edited by Chris D
Link to comment
  • 0

The tool you are looking for is called the "Stake Object" and it can display the coordinates although I am not sure if it is localized for the UK. The tool comes with Landmark and most likely with VW Architect too. So if it does not work for you as shipped, you should request NV to modify it which should not take much effort to do.

And as "The Expert" did, I developed my own because the stake object does not have all the functionality needed for civil engineering work.

Link to comment
  • 0
A nice case study: someone who has not contributed to the development of VW for years, is making a big noise of lack of functionality.

Who pays for my time here documenting Vectorworks deficiencies and making constructive suggestions to improve the program to a point where it is worth the investment to upgrade?

Link to comment
  • 0
Dear me! Are you expecting someone to pay to you for documenting VW deficiencies of yesteryear? Mate: I could make a nice living from documenting deficiencies & making constructive suggestions of & since MiniCAD 3, A.D. 1987!

You need a hammer? Go and buy one, instead of expecting someone to buy it for you, if you can't make one. Even in the stone age, people made their tools. When will Nottingham reach the Stone Age?

Are you trying to be offensive Petri, or does it come naturally?

My firm has used nothing but MiniCAD/Vectorworks since we were founded in 1993 and we currently have over 50 licenses (some now unused due to redundancies). This means we have invested thousands and thousands of dollars with Diehl/NNA/NVInc over the years, so I think I have a right to contribute here.

Your argument, as usual, is self defeating anyway. Why the hell would I spend my time asking for new features in FUTURE versions of Vectorworks if we weren't planning to buy them???

Link to comment
  • 0

im sure there is a script someone wrote for this a while ago, it might still be floating about on the forum somewhere

I've got a script. Manuel at Vectorbits kindly wrote it for me. It works OK but it could do with the kind of robustness you only get from first-party tools. It seems to be based on a symbol so it occasionally jumps into walls, and for some reason you can move the insertion point (very dangerous for a setting-out tool!).

The problem with scripts too, is managing them....you never know if they are going to work with each new version of VW, and you have to manage them along with a workspace which includes a shortcut to call them up (users don't like script palettes...).

Link to comment
  • 0

Try the tool in VW 2011. VW2008 does not have this display option.

Miguel - thanks.

The stake tool in VW2011 can now display coordinates! It even displays them as E and N, rather than X and Y....

Just one small problem....when you set it to use "Document Units" it doesn't follow the correct number of digits of decimal precision that you specify in your document settings. For instance, coordinates for setting-out in metric countries are provided in meters, to 3 decimal places (giving you the nearest millimeter*), but the object will only display 2 decimal places.

*Millimeter precision is ridiculous, I know, but that's how we do it.

EDIT 1:

One other issue...it should have the option to toggle the N/E to E/N. At the moment it gives the Y value first, then the X value, which isn't standard practice.

EDIT 2:

Here is a screenshot of the tools side by side in 2011. One thing to note, as I mentioned above...the Vectorbits script no longer works in VW2011.

[img:left]http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4756/vw2011stake.png[/img]

Edited by Chris D
Link to comment
  • 0

============

REVISED WISH

============

I'd like the new "Coordinate Point" mode of the Stake Object, introduced in VW2011, to have the following options:

- Display of up to 3 decimal digits

- Toggle to display E over N

- Toggle to turn units display on/off

Pretty please.

Edited by Chris D
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...