ZIG ZAG TOOL

[kgroob]

It would be very helpful to have a "zig zag" tool that requires only two clicks (like a line) to get a zig zag line. It should have options similar to the revcloud tool--zig zag size/variability, straight vs. curved (similar to the breakline), etc. It could also have the option to work as a polyline (multiple clicks to change the overall direction of the zigzag).

My office is a restoration architecture firm. We often survey buildings and use VectorWorks to record the conditions in order to indicate a scope of work for repair. This tool could be used to indicate cracks.

This tool could also be useful for doing details to indicate a rough surface--ie: showing a detail section of a marble floor, the mortar bed could be illustrated as having a rough surface on top with the zig zag line.

[Jershaun]

I agree.

But I feel this all boils down to a better "Line Style" manager/creation/editor tool. If we had a better way to create our own line types, then we would be able to create zig-zag lines, lines with text, lines with shapes, etc. This would then be able to be used on all types of objects in VW.

Compared to AutoCAD, VW has a superior hatch editor, pattern editor and tile editor. However AutoCAD has better line styles (even with a crappy code based line type editor).

Nemetschek needs to give us a line type editor similar to tile editor and then AutoCAD won't be able to touch it.

[kgroob]

On the subject of line types, why can't we have a "pattern" line with a dashed style? The pattern line setting allows for gray lines while the document preferences are set to "black and white only". And/or, enable white solid lines in the black & white only mode; white is useful for drawing on top of photos.

[rDesign]

kriegs-

You can achieve a look similar to the 'patterned dashed line' you're wanting by freezing a class or layer that has a dashed linetype. Also works with text on a frozen class or layer.

As for your second request, I do this all the time; drawing white lines on top of photos while in B&W only mode. If your lines are showing up black in B&W mode, change the line to the opposite color (white or black). In the attached image the arrow head line is two separate lines, one black & one white with an arrowhead.

HTH,

Tim

[Dieter @ DWorks]

kriegs-

You can achieve a look similar to the 'patterned dashed line' you're wanting by freezing a class or layer that has a dashed linetype. Also works with text on a frozen class or layer.

As for your second request, I do this all the time; drawing white lines on top of photos while in B&W only mode. If your lines are showing up black in B&W mode, change the line to the opposite color (white or black). In the attached image the arrow head line is two separate lines, one black & one white with an arrowhead.

HTH,

Tim

You can have this effect with both the line and fill of objects. You have a foreground and background color for both of them, and each of them will be black or white. So using the foreground or background color will affect the black and white setting even when the object looks the same when in full color. I played with this a while back and it's really fantastic. You can draw black lines and appear some in white when in black and white.