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Guest Lyndsey

Hello Everyone,

I was just curious, do many people use the Tablet menu command from the Tools menu?

Vectorworks users can use a tablet like any other input device, like a mouse, but with a more natural "drawing" feel, without this menu command.

I've also read that some people find the "Tablet" mode of Vectorworks to be awkward and I tend to agree.

Why should I use this mode? I can think of one reason: for tracing exact scaled pictures into my drawing (although it still seems awkward). Any other reasons?

Thanks,

Lyndsey

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Hi Lyndsey,

As a long time VW user, I am looking to move across to Wacom tablet workflow shortly. A few reasons for this.

1. The longer I travel through my professional life, the more I find the mouse is restrictive and counter intuitive device for creativity. Also becoming more involved with other apps like Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro and of course Photoshop, this seems like a logical choice to align input devices.

2. I am now starting the have issues with RSI and looking to other input methods to prevent this.

3. A mouse is faster no doubt, but fast does not necessarily mean productive. I would like to replace the mouse as much as possible, maybe even entirely.

4. Lastly, I foresee we are about 5 years out from CAD / creative workstations returning to a drawing board convention, similar to the Wacom Cintiq concept, as the tech becomes cheaper. The younger generation are more removed from the mouse convention as touch screens have become more common place, and will look to more intuitive input options.

Maybe VW should maybe take some cues from Maxon, and see how their users engage with the C4D using input devices (I know there is some clear cross pollination happening in this space in other areas of the interface). I don't think it is that VW users don't want to use tablets, I think it is more that the VW tablet integration needs a lot of work.

Hope that helps.

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Guest Lyndsey

Hi Diamond,

So, if I understand, you are considering transitioning from a mouse to a tablet device. You're not yet using a tablet with Vectorworks.

Have you used the "Tablet" menu command from within the application? What do you think needs to be done for better tablet integration?

Thanks,

Lyndsey

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Hi again Lyndsey,

That is correct. I do not use a tablet currently.

I tried out a bamboo tablet years ago, and found it difficult to adjust. I was in an almost entirely CAD world then, and wasn't using all if the other apps. Also the mouse is not as important as it was then. Interfaces have evolved. Interfaces like trackpads were at best ordinary. Interfaces have moved on.

Unfortunately I do not have much feedback at this time not having tested it recently, and are looking to move over completely by Christmas to combat the RSI that I have been experiencing.

I think we should be able to use tablets for productively for almost every command in VW. I would be talking to Maxon. (They look like they have taken working planes direct form VW for their modelling upgrades in C4D r14 - how about some input in VW regarding tablets). How do their users use tablets? This isnt a strength of VW, and so I would look at applications where it is. I think the buttons in C4D are setup for tablet use (Eg the zoom and rotate commands at the top right corner on the working window). To properly integrate tablet use, I would think the VW interface may need slight tweaking.

The touch interface has become the disruptive technology of today. I think we would be foolish to think that isn't going to hae an effect on the professional market. Yes, a finger doesn't translate we'll for pro users, but a pen does.

As a person who relies on, and is deeply committed to using VW, I am keen to see it be all that it should be. Also I am aware of what has happened to other pro apps like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. These were very expensive apps that became very cheap overnight. I am keen to do what I can to see that VW does not have something like a Sketchup MkII taking away VW's market share.

All of that is a long winded way of saying, yes I think tablets are a needed addition to VW, and may just create a new direction for VW that saves the application from becoming obsolete in years to come.

Warm regards,

Troy Diamond

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Hello Everyone,

I was just curious, do many people use the Tablet menu command from the Tools menu?

Vectorworks users can use a tablet like any other input device, like a mouse, but with a more natural "drawing" feel, without this menu command.

I've also read that some people find the "Tablet" mode of Vectorworks to be awkward and I tend to agree.

Why should I use this mode? I can think of one reason: for tracing exact scaled pictures into my drawing (although it still seems awkward). Any other reasons?

Thanks,

Lyndsey

Hi Lyndsey,

I have debated switching to a tablet for many of the reasons that Diamond notes above. I think the problem is that there is no information available on how the Tablet feature works within Vectorworks. If one doesn't have a tablet, the settings can't be reviewed. For example, does the tablet's driver control the settings exclusively, or are there some settings in VW that can be made to customize input?

There is limited info in the VW Help, but it's not too helpful.

It would be great to see a demo of some kind (perhaps a quick movie that demonstrates how Tablet integration is currently handled in VW, and what features may be on the horizon). I think that would go along way toward helping users understand the benefits.

Thanks.

V-G.

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I sometimes use a tablet.

I always thought that the Tools>Tablet command was a legacy from the days when tablets had wind up cranks. The help article on the command cites the compatibility with tablets using ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) which Apple stopped supporting on its computers in 1999.

The tablet command doesn't seem to be necessary to successfully use the tablet I have. I've just been happily using the manufacturer's driver.

mk

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Hallo,

For something like a year I don't use a mouse anymore.

I have a Desktop System with a 2 Screen Setup for VW.

For this System I use a WACOM Bamboo Fun Pen medium.

Thats Way faster and way more efficient than a Mouse.

For my Laptop, (Single Screen) I use a Wacom Pen Touch

wireless for drawing. (VW, C4D, Sketchbook Pro and....)

It takes a while to organise the Keyboard - Tablet - Screens layout in

a pysological usefull Way.

I needed something like a Week to learn working with the tablett.

But once you are through that, and once you have set up your Workspace propperly body, you will never miss a mouse, and have a lot of fun.

Scratching that thing arround on the table is no longer necessary, nor healthy

The Tablet command in VW is like many other Plugins from

Stoneage, just delete it. Its not worth ...

Regards Horst M.

Edited by Horst M.
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Guest Lyndsey

Hi VectorGeek,

Right now, tablet users can use the tablet as another mouse-like peripheral, or they can turn on the "Tablet" command that will show a scaled rectangle on the drawing window that represents the tablet's drawing area bounds.

This scaled rectangle is the only place that Vectorworks will respond to tablet moves, clicks and drags. In this mode, the user switches to the mouse to interact with different tools and menu items.

That's basically the support that Vectorworks has right now.

I hope that sheds some light on the current workings.

Lyndsey

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  • 3 months later...

Hi again Lyndsey,

So what you are saying the tablet command is just for tracing sketched etc into VW?

BTW Have just started using the Bambo Pen & Touch tablet. Feels pretty janky getting around VW, but no doubt that is just me getting used to it, and setting it up. Looking forward to improving that is for sure.

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