Seating Layout

[phorn78]

Recently migrated from VW2008 to 2014. When opening old plans with seating layouts, the seat counts are automatically reduced (from roughly 1200 to 900). Creating new seating layouts I find the same problem. There is a 2' border of unused space around all seating areas, whereas previously the seating symbols would populate the entire seating shape, right up to the edge.

To workaround, I have exploded old seating layouts to symbols, but I would like to understand how to properly use the tool in 2014.

Thanks for any advice.

David

[PVA - Admin]

You have done nothing incorrectly.

This was actually a problem in versions prior to Vectorworks 2014 (and I THINK 2013 SP3, but I am not positive) where the spacing around the perimeter of the seating layout was incorrect. Unfortunately, this had the side effect of altering layouts that users had already configured compensating for the problem when the objects were brought into versions that had been patched to correct this.

Once you correct the seating layout in 2014, which unfortunately has to be done manually, the issue will not occur again moving forward.

[phorn78]

Thanks, Jim, but I must be doing something wrong. I just opened a brand new file 2014 file and drew a seating layout (see below). Note significant border of unused space.

David

[PVA - Admin]

I thought there were fields to control that spacing around the borders, but it seems to be calculating it automatically based on a combination of the seat spacing and row spacing.

I will look into how this area is supposed to be controlled and reply back.

[PVA - Admin]

Looks like the spacing is determined automatically, where there must be enough room for the source symbols entire bounding box in addition to the row and seat spacing.

In previous versions, it only required that the centerpoint of the symbol fit within the seating layout area, which apparently led to the layouts overflowing the area they were supposed to be limited to.

EDIT: However, I think this spacing should be user controllable, with this current behavior as an "Automatic" mode but then the ability to switch to manual spacing from each edge of the seating layout area. Submitting this feature request now.

Edited April 8, 2014 by JimW

[phorn78]

That's what I was afraid of. My opinion is that the old version of the tool worked much better. A variable to control the buffer from center of symbol would be ideal. Right now, I have drawn a 4'-0" aisle between seating layouts, but the clear distance between seats is almost 8'-0". I will adjust the aisles to be 6" to compensate. Never had an issue with the old tool.

Thanks for looking into the issue for me.

[PVA - Admin]

Either a choice between the old and new spacing automation, or the addition of customizable spacing for each edge I feel is in order. I'll add this thread to that case.

Thank you for bringing this up again, I had discussed it with a few users before but never got it nailed down.