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Inconsistent snapping in VW2014


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It has been several years since my last confession, so hello to all.

I just upgraded from VW2011 to VW2014 on my iMac. Overall I am fairly pleased with the new features, but I have problems with 3D object snapping, which does not perform as expected.

A lot of the time I do not get the snap, that I expect. But if I move the object slightly ? or zoom (using spacebar+x) with an object selected, I can invoke the snap, that was initially unavailable.

I have checked and doublechecked all settings, but the problem remains.

Is it a bug or am I missing a point? (no pun intended)

Does anyone have the same problem?

Edited by Kaare Baekgaard
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Disable all snapping options, then in the snapping palette, only enable Snapt to Object and Smart Edge.

In a new blank file, create an extruded rectangle, then view it in an isometric view.

Are you then able to snap along the edges of that extrude without issue?

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YES, YES, YES. It's driving me mad. I haven't yet managed to pinpoint what the problem is but there is definitely something inferior about the snapping and constraining of lines in 2014. The shift key no longer constrains to 90 degree increments for a start, but i keep finding lines i though i'd drawn straight are at random angles like 89.03 instead of 90, or i try to move / duplicate something in a straight line and when i let go of the mouse button it is no longer aligned, especially if you are not zoomed right in close, or the cursor appears to be snapping to a point but when you look closely it isn't. This is costing so much wasted time repeating the same processes over and over. ...and breathe.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
The shift key no longer constrains to 90 degree increments for a start, but i keep finding lines i though i'd drawn straight are at random angles like 89.03 instead of 90, or i try to move / duplicate something in a straight line and when i let go of the mouse button it is no longer aligned, especially if you are not zoomed right in close, or the cursor appears to be snapping to a point but when you look closely it isn't.

We identified this recently, it will be fixed ASAP but I think it may be a different issue than the original post.

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just switched from 2011 to 2014 too - snap and constrain "problem"

This may be a different problem than mentioned in these posts but in previous versions of VW: draw a line - say a horizontal line - then grab an end point - move the end point and enter an angle as you draw (i.e. 20 degrees) and the line is constrained to 20 degrees as you stretched it.

Now, in 2014, the angle in the data bar seems to reference the end point that has been "grabbed", (not the whole line) relative to where that point started before it was

moved. Or in other words, after a line is drawn, the angle constraints (preset or user defined) - available AS one draws the line - are gone...

This doesn't seem very useful compared to the old logic. The only way to get the original line to a desired angle now seems to be thru the io palette - making sure first in the palette that the right end point is selected as the start - and then entering the desired angle. Very awkward. This adds several steps to a very simple, and very basic, drawing activity.

If I am missing something here, please set me straight on how to achieve the old functionality - otherwise please bring back the old, consistent functions.

thx

Garth

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Now, in 2014, the angle in the data bar seems to reference the end point that has been "grabbed", (not the whole line) relative to where that point started before it was

moved. Or in other words, after a line is drawn, the angle constraints (preset or user defined) - available AS one draws the line - are gone...

This doesn't seem very useful compared to the old logic. The only way to get the original line to a desired angle now seems to be thru the io palette - making sure first in the palette that the right end point is selected as the start - and then entering the desired angle. Very awkward. This adds several steps to a very simple, and very basic, drawing activity.

You aren't missing anything, that issue is indeed separate from the earlier post, has been identified and is being corrected ASAP.

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  • 3 months later...

"The shift key no longer constrains to 90 degree increments for a start, but i keep finding lines i though i'd drawn straight are at random angles like 89.03 instead of 90, or i try to move / duplicate something in a straight line and when i let go of the mouse button it is no longer aligned, especially if you are not zoomed right in close, or the cursor appears to be snapping to a point but when you look closely it isn't."

This is still a major problem for me Jim, incredibly frustrating trying to draw accurately currently. When is it likely to be solved?

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I find some unreliable snapping too. A red box indicates that a snap point is acquired, but the line endpoint does not land on the snap point. That's probably a vectorworks bug.

But another source is user error involving the snap to grid function:

Snap to Grid is on.

Grid increment is very small compared to length of line.

Shift key is released before drag is complete.

Result is that the end of line snaps to nearest grid point (or some other point) not necessarily aligned with the start point.

Same can happen if shift key is not used.

Cursor cue indicates 90? (eg) during drag.

But at release of the drag, the line snaps to a nearby grid point.

Pressing the A key (lower case) toggles the Snap to Grid. An inadvertent key stroke can turn on the grid snaps and cause all sorts of misalignment.

HTH

-B

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I had asked for this too,

SHIFT should lock absolutely to constraints :

https://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=201023

I think this is essential.

F.e. :

I f you start a line to draw in X and want to snap to an

object point that is far in Y to get the length.

As it is you have to put the cursor on that point to get

the help line, go back that it locks to angle constraint

or snaps to the intersection.

If SHIFT would really lock you could just snap on that

point and it is done.

(And you can be sure it is really there and not accidentally

snapped to a possible snapping point because there are

elements under that help line intersection, or have a shift in Z)

Also I think there should be a possibility to rotate the

snapping plane while drawing.

As it is now you can with the 3D Polygon Tool by switching

through views (front, top, right etc.)

But I would like to keep on working in my Isometric, and just

rotate the snapping plane, not the view.

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