VW 2015 class "use at creation" is always on even when it's not

[grant_PD]

So when I make a new class...and drop some stuff into that class...everthing takes on the the object attribute of that new class, even though I have the "use at creation" radio box unchecked.

When I click on the objects and check the attributes palette, everything is set to "class style" which is a holdover from when I had things in the none class, which I draw everything in by default.

It seems counter-intuitive that these objects would take on the attributes of the new class. Now I have to go back and manually reset all of these objects to the attributes I wanted.

This behavior seems to be pushing the user towards predefined classes, which I would totally get if I was in a predefined industry, but I'm not. Nor is it easier in my opinion to constantly change classes while I'm designing(drawing). It's far more efficient for me (and I think others as well) to draw first, organize later.

[PVA - Admin]

I do not see the same behavior here in 2015 SP1 on Windows 8.1.

This happens even when you create a new blank document, not from a template and create a new class in it, then drop in a few rectangles?

I do not believe the functionality you are seeing to be intentional.

[grant_PD]

This file illustrates it. Put the two rectangles into the "test" class. They will change to the test class attributes and the attributes panel will switch everything over to "by class".

[PVA - Admin]

I was not able to replicate the behavior with new Rectangles in your file, but I see that yours were taking on the class attributes even though the class isn't set to do that by default.

In that document, if you select no objects at all, in the Attributes palette, what are the Pen, Pen Color, Fill Color and Fill set to? If they are set to Use Class with no objects selected and the Rectangle tool active for example, then Rectangles will be placed with Use Class Attributes by default.

This setting is specific to your install of Vectorworks, so that may explain why I do not see the same behavior.

Edited October 31, 2014 by JimW

[grant_PD]

The "freshly placed in test class" is the behavior that I'm trying to avoid.

[PVA - Admin]

OH, for that to be avoided you would want to make sure the None class (where most objects are created) is NOT set to Use Class Attributes. That option should only be used on classes that you want that behavior to be applied to objects by default.

None should usually be black pen, white fill, no "use at creation" enabled to keep things simple, then if you want to add the Use Class attribute to some or all of an object attributes, only do so manually on the object or only in other classes that you plan to move the object into or create in originally.

There is no way to strip the Use Class Attributes automatically from an object that had it applied via the class it was originally drawn in.

[grant_PD]

Understood. Thanks.

[Bret]

Quick semi-related question: Is it possible to set the attribute defaults for new blank documents to be "By Class" instead of the current hard-coded options?

[PVA - Admin]

You can save that into a template file and use that to start new documents directly.

You CAN modify the Default template file but I don't recommend it, normally healthier in the long run to keep all customizations separate so you can find them and move them later on.