2D Geometry from Section Cut or Elevation

[Ed Wachter]

I am handing off a 3D model to a coworker who will continue the project by drafting in 2D. I need to capture 2D section slices cut from a 3D model and place them on a design layer for drafting. VW Help says the following:

"The Vectorworks program automatically creates a new design layer and places the cut 2D section on it. The original layer remains intact."

But I cannot find these new design layers. Can anyone guide me in capturing these sections (and perhaps elevations) for 2D drafting?

ejw

[michaelk]

Are you using an older version of vectorworks? That's a legacy command that I haven't seen for a long time.

If you are using a relatively recent version, you will have much better luck using a section viewport. If you really need lines, you can Modify>Convert>Convert to Lines.

hth

mk

[Ed Wachter]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, we are using recent versions of VW (2008 & 2011) and I am using section viewports. My quote from the VW Help is the current language used in both 2008 & 2011 Help files. What would I select prior to using the Convert to Lines Command?

[Benson Shaw]

Select the viewport, then View>Create Section Viewport. Then draw your sectioning line over the viewport. Last click brings up a dialog where you can assign it (the new Section VP) to an exist or new layer, name it, and tweak the graphic properties.

-B

[michaelk]

The part of the help you quoted was for a command that no longer is part of the standard workspaces. You can still add it back to a custom workspace, but yikes - glad those days are over!

If you just select a section viewport that is rendered in hidden line rendering mode and then Modify > Convert > Convert Copy to Lines you will get a group that is just the lines from the original section viewport.

One thing to be aware of: If the section viewport is on a sheet layer and the section viewport is in a scale other than 1:1 then converting to lines and moving those lines to a design viewport will necessitate scaling the group of lines (Modify > Scale Objects...) to match the design layer scale. - once you convert the viewport to lines, the lines become "stupid".

The easiest way around it is to first make the SLVP 1:1 scale then convert copy to lines. That way it doesn't matter what the design layer scale is.

hth

mk

[D Wood]

Michael

I think you mean dumb rather than stupid.

[michaelk]

[bc]

I still use Cut 2D and Cut 3D Sections (as well as Section Viewports) and I am glad "those days are over" as well but I am also glad they still remain as legacy commands for my occasional use.

I like having the 3D section in a perspective view that I can rotate.

[Jonathan Pickup]

Section viewports are not available if you have the foundation version of Vectorworks, so the Cut 2D and Cut 3D are not really legacy tools, they are for users without a Design Series.

If you change your workspace to Fundamentals, you should find the Cut 2D and Cut 3D in the Model menu.

[michaelk]

Johnathan

I didn't know that. So Fundamentals has viewports, but not section viewports?

mk

[Ed Wachter]

Thank you Michael & Benson. That was easy.

Ed