Unify walls slabs and roofs into one object

[Will]

Why are walls roofs and slabs all different kinds of objects with different tools for cutting holes and inserting symbols? Conceptually they can all be defined by a shape on a plane which is extruded and offset a couple of times to form a wall out of a series of layers. Just have one thing, call it a composite linear object or something. Then we wouldn't have to wait for you to update the roof object with features that the wall tool has had for years. :-)

[VincentCuclair]

:grin:

https://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=34755&Number=201379#Post201379

[Will]

Classes should be more like tags in the mac finder (as of OS X Mavericks). You can apply multiple tags to things. When you use a 'wall' tool the thing gets tagged as (wall), same with roof tool (roof).

But as all these objects are actually the same, the connect/combine tool, the push pull tool, the reshape tool all work consistently on them.

Edit 2: Heres what tags look like in OSX finder:

Your classes (tags) palette has a search bar and you can save a search which is then acted on to show hide or grey stuff. E.g. '(Hide^) all tagged (wall) + (roof) + (door handle)' where (Hide^) is a little 'pill' with drop down menu that allows you to select from show/hide/grey. 'pills' for class names autocomplete when you type them so they are easy to find, just like finder tags in OS X Mavericks.

While you are drawing tags are assigned the same way as classes are now. E.g you would have (Services)+(Electrical)+(HV line) selected as your current tags and whatever you are drawing would be tagged with all of these. Some tag names are reserved by vectorworks and are always applied when you use specific tools. E.g. (wall) (roof) (slab)

Then, for example, if you want to see all the services but nothing else. You could have this active in your classes pallet:

(Show^) all tagged (Services)

Or if you want to find all the roofs for a worksheet its the same interface to set up the search E.g. (Show) all tagged (Roof).

You could also have an option to automatically create a list of all the tags with a show hide option so it wouldn't look too different to how it is now for the old timers who hate change.

Edit: Just in case anyone is wondering what I mean by pill:

Edited September 25, 2014 by Will