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Is there a best practices guide for Vectorworks Architecture?


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Is there a "Best Practices" guide for using Vectorworks for mid-sized architectural projects on a multi-person team? A few years back, several users got together and hammered one out for Revit because so many projects were in trouble. It is really a collection of tips and tricks for setting up the project in the right way. I have been searching the web for about a year now and I still haven't found a guide like this for Vectorworks. I would like to do 3D BIM in Vectorworks but I am even OK with 2D + scheduling at this point. We are doing multi-storey residential towers in Vectorworks but it always seems we are fighting with the program. We also have a very poor file sharing system set up, only one person can be in the plans at a time.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Garry Steinhilber

WT Leung Architects Inc.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Gary, what specific information are you after? It depends a little on your team structures. I have worked in offices where one individual is charged with structural coordination, one with fitout/ interior coordination one with services etc etc. In this scenario each individual would have their own .vwx file with their corresponding information. It's a useful and practical way of carving up the building/ drawing/ responsibilities and you may already be onto this. Clearly you then rely heavily on referencing to see each others work. After a number of years I would add...just continually try and make the file structures simple and the class list as short as reasonably possible. There is no good reason now-a-days to have extensive default class lists like we did with AutoCAD layers back in the 90's. It just confuses people and creates 'noise'. The clever thing with VW is the ability to control visibility with viewports...this relieves the need to have a huge list of classes to do that job. It's a tricky thing getting an office going on any CAD package...especially if you want to avoid the lowest common denominator problem. Can I suggest you post more specific questions about particular workflows...you'll be sure to get more responses that way. Good luck, Ben.

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