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Referencing 3D files together?


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I'm working in 3D, trying to reference two files together (an underground, and above ground), but am finding difficulties. I am able to reference the file in as a viewport to show up on all the plan sheets, but it is not working for the sections (section viewports taken from the plans). The referenced file is simply not showing up (even though on the viewport layers it is selected). It's almost like the referenced file is only bringing in 2D information. I've made sure everything is on layer plane as well. What am I missing here...?

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Hi...

Do you have Design Layer Viewport sections or Sheet Layer Viewport sections?

If it is the latter, you cannot reference sheet layers into other files.

If it is a design layer viewport sections, which in essence are 3D sections, you should easily be able to manipulate your views to get the desired sectional view.

You only need to reference each building once into a viewport, which can be duplicated as many times as you wish, and different floors, and views can be taken from here. It's simple really, but would need to understand your workflow to give you a better understanding of how you can achieve what you are looking for.

If you require further info, please give us some more detail as to what you have, and how your workflow is built up.

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This is my first attempt at working in Vectorworks 3D, our office primarily only uses it as a 2D program, and we wish to take advantage of the program more.

When I reference in one model to the other, using Design Layer Viewports, it only allows me to view the reference model in top/plan view. It seems I am unable to view it as more than 2D information, as when I move to any isometric views or elevations, the referenced file does not show up.

It seems to me that there should be the capacity to view the linked files as 3D (as is the case with linked files in Revit - which I have quite a bit of experience with) without having to make multiple viewports (for each view), but by using one 3D viewport (does such a feature exist?). Or do I have to set up and manoeuvre multiple viewports continually...? (ie, one in each file, at the same location... for one view)

Basic's of what I am doing (wrong, apparently).

File A: Underground

File B: Above ground

In File A, on an new design layer, I place a "viewport 1" and reference File B in it, including essentially all information in it. (works great as plan view, but will not show in any other view, ie. isometric, I wish it would! - why won't it?)

In File A, I drop a 3D section viewport on a design layer, and include in it essentially all other layers, including the reference layer that has File B's viewport.

In this section viewport, when I look in any view other than top/plan, nothing from File B shows up.

I think I've thoroughly confused myself.

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It's got to be about 1000x easier than I'm making it sound. I must be missing a single simple thing here, because when I edit the crop of the referenced file after moving to axo, or elevation view, I can all of a sudden see the file as it should be... But once I exit the crop again, it disappears on me again...

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OK! I think I've found something out here.

When I open the crop, I didn't realize a crop is a screen object, not a layer object (and I could not change this, keeps reverting back to screen). So, went into unified view options, and saw that display screen objects was not selected, so I selected it, and vola. Working, yes.

I knew it was going to be one little checked box...

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Hi again...

That's the strangest thing! I work with references almost every day and use the design layer viewport referencing. Regardless of if you have... 'display planar objects' or 'project screen objects' checked in your reference viewport (VP), once you have drawn in 3D, this information should still be visible.

Granted you can now maneuver yourself around in views other than top/plan in model space, and now only have the issues with it being visible in sheet layers...

1. NO, you do not have to change to 'old style' referencing.

2. Ensure that your reference is up to date.

3. Check and ensure that the layer in which the Ref. VP is is made visible in your sheet layer VP.

4. Ensure that your sheet layer VP is also updated

5. If you still cannot see the referenced portion, check the class of the Ref. VP and ensure that it is a class which is visible in the sheet layer VP.

6. Still nothing??? send me the files, and I'll sort out your problem for you!

Let us know how it goes...

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Thanks for the extra effort on this Farookey, you rock.

The root of the big problem, was that I had a crop in the view port reference in model space. I didn't even know you could have a viewport without the crop, but with the 3D model space, apparently you don't. As soon as I deleted the crop from the viewport, the referenced file magically appeared on all my section viewports on the sheets.

So, I went to the layer that had the viewport reference to the other file, double clicked on it, selected edit crop, selected the crop and deleted it, and exited the 'edit crop'. The referenced file was still there, then went to the sheets, updated the section VP's, and VOILA!

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