Plan "Section"

[willofmaine]

How do I cut a horizontal (plan) section? I've got some complex construction where I need to be able to show specifically what's happening at a few different levels (such that everything above the cut planes needs to not be shown). Thanks, Will

[CipesDesign]

First, create a Front View VP on a Sheet Layer. Then use the Create Section VP command, drawing the Section line horizontally through the first VP. Both VP's can exist on the same Sheet Layer...

NOTE: in order to 'jog' the Section Line, you will need to Edit Annotations (of the first VP, where the line resides) then modify it by adding & moving vertices...

[grant_PD]

Nice!

[Jonathan Pickup]

This is a great trick, i added detailed instructions for this to my 3D modeling manual last year

[willofmaine]

Yes, great trick; thanks Peter!!

I kinda sorta thought I knew there was a way to do it, but I was trying to section a Section Viewport rather than section a basic Viewport.

Thanks again!

Will

[ray isaacs]

peter,

thanks for this tip!

question: do you draw the 2nd, horizontal section cut inside the annotations?

ray

[Jonathan Pickup]

Select the elevation viewport, then use the Create Section viewport command. You start outside the viewport, but the resulting Section line in inside the viewport annotations, which is where you can edit it.

[CipesDesign]

Ray, I think Jonathan more or less answered your question, but just to be totally clear: If you want the section to 'jog' you need to Edit the Section Line, which as Jonathan says, is in the Annotations of the original Viewport. In order to Edit it, first enter the Annotations, then double click on the Section Line. In the Mode bar (upper left) are three Modes: Move Vertex, Add Vertex, Delete Vertex. You will need to Add two (or more) Vertices then Move the resultant line portion. It's very similar to any other Polygon Editing in VW's. Hope that helps. Post back if you need to.

[willofmaine]

When I rotate my plan (that's been created as discussed here) the section plane ("cut plane") lines pretty much disappear. They temporarily display while zooming, but otherwise they don't. They're also not included when I print to PDF.

This is the fourth significant issue I've had with Vectorworks today. There are getting to be way too many days like this; it's difficult to express my growing frustration with these newer versions of Vectorworks. I can see the potential of all the new features, particularly when it comes to working in 3D. And, based on my limited experience with other softwares, I think VW could easily be one of the best. But my work is turning into a nearly constant fight with my software. It's depressing. But I digress...

Any thoughts on the above issue appreciated...

Thanks, Will

[ray isaacs]

thanks, peter and jonathon.

[CipesDesign]

Hi Will, I'm not sure I understand your problem. Can you explain it again? Thanks, P

[willofmaine]

Hi Peter,

The section cut plane wasn't displaying or printing properly. When I updated non-rotated viewports, the problem persisted. So, exasperated, I decided to just re-draw the cut plane in annotations. But then I couldn't even do a simple surface subtraction, which made me suspicious that the viewport itself was having problems. So, I recreated a new one from scratch, which worked entirely as expected, including being able to rotate it.

The original problematic viewport I'd copied from one sheet to another, but another viewport that I didn't move had the same issues. The only other thing I can think of is that I'd moved the original standard elevation viewports that I'd used to cut the plan sections (to a new location on their sheet).

In all cases, I'm quite sure I didn't do anything that should have required wasting over an hour to resolve!

Thanks, Peter, for your help!

Will

[CipesDesign]

Hi Will, yes it's very annoying when things don't go as planned. It usually happens to me whenever I'm really trying to jam on a job. But it sounds like the issue has more or less resolved itself?

[willofmaine]

Well... I wouldn't say it resolved itself! But, yes, it is resolved, thank you.