Edit Text tool

[Benjamin Weill]

There used to be a VWPro plug-in that was a tool called "Edit text in Dialog." How it worked was, you clicked on any text box - or what was WAY more useful - any group containing text, and it popped up a dialog bow where you enter the text. You hit "enter" and the text populates into whatever you had clicked on. It was a GREAT tool, and extremely useful for editing groups quickly. The tool has stopped working with 2015. It would be amazing if a similar type-tool could be built into VectorWorks.

Thanks

[PVA - Admin]

How did it handle symbols/groups that had multiple text objects within them? Did it just push the text into all the text objects, or list them one by one?

[Benjamin Weill]

No, it wasn't great for things with multiple text blocks in them, sadly. It was more useful for things like notes or position labels - something where it was a text block within some sort of container. Personally, having lost that tool has severely slowed my workflow. Now, if I have a number of groups to edit, it's Double-Click on the group. Double-Click on the text. Edit the text. Exit the group. Switch back to the selection tool (since double clicking on the text bs dumps you into the text tool). Repeat for each instance. With the plug in it was just Click on the group. Edit the text. "Enter" repeat. It may only sound like a small difference, but it really adds up.

It would actually be great if it could also work with symbol instances that have records attached. I know you can edit that all from the data tab, but if you have a lot to do, it'd be great and quick to be able to do it all from one tool.

Thanks

[rDesign]

Not knowing whether the licensing / usage restrictions for this old VWPro plug-in would allow it, but couldn't one of the Script Wizards either at NNA or on this forum update the code so that it works once again in Vw2015?

[Benjamin Weill]

Hi Tim,

I know that's something that I personally don't know how to do, but it would be great if it could be updated. How would we go about that, if it's possible?

Thanks

[PVA - Admin]

If you still have the script, zip it and send it over to Tech@vectorworks.net and they can take a look. No promises though, some old scripts are able to live on forever, but some just aren't compatible after certain versions.

[Benjamin Weill]

Ok, great. I still have the plug-in, so I can send that over. Is there anything specific I should mention in the subject/email body? Something referencing this thread?

Thanks

[Jonathan Pickup]

I have a similar tool that is on my web site (but only for my subscribers). I have tried it and it still works in Vectorworks 2015. It picks the text block by looking at the location if text in a group, but it is not recursive, so it only looks inside one group. It is also limited to 255 characters, so no large blocks of text.

http://learn.archoncad.com/2013/02/11776/archoncad-plugins/