Simple Question

[nic]

Here's a simple one for you (maybe it's not so simple?)

Say I have two different Vectorworks 10 files, and I want to merge them. Actually I want to bring a layer/3D component from one into the other - is it possible?

thank ya

always,

nic.

[CipesDesign]

Nic, yes. Anything is possible. Basically (and someone chime in if you can think of a better way) all you need to do is COPY and PASTE.

First I would do a "save as" (from what you want to be your resulting file) to create a new document. This is to protect the original, just in case you need to get back to it. Then, in the new document create a new layer(s). Then COPY the layer(s) you want from the other document and PASTE (or paste in place, if your origins are identical) it into the new document. Easy. There are a couple possible pitfalls, but basically that's it.

Peter

[nic]

Peter

Thanks heaps for your response.

I'll try copy and paste again, when I get to my computer with VW on it - LOL, yes I had tried copy and paste before, of course. It simply just did nothing. No message, beep, new object, new layer, nothing. It just didnt want to copy and paste. Well I will try again and get back to you, thats for keeping up my faith in the copy and paste tool though

always,

nic.

[Matthew Giampapa]

Check your classes, they are brought over when you copy and paste. If you copy an object that was in the class "3D" and then paste it into a file that already has "3D", but it is invisable. It will paste the objects but just leave them hidden.

[EvB]

What is the best way to merge two drawing files together in VW 11 having already set up Design Layers, Sheets with Viewports and Saved Views.

I am very impressed by how .dwg files are imported with viewports and scaling, etc. Can I do the same thing by importing a VectorWorks file?

[Guest]

You can workgroup reference the file in.

[EvB]

Version 11 User's guide

p.3-37

6. Click design layers to import. Sheet Layers cannot be workgroup referenced.

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Since I am unfamiliar with workgroup referencing I decided to read up on it while I tried to export the smaller file as a .dwg and import it into the main file. It took a long time, and I lost viewports and design layers that were not saved into views. Also a Design Layer is missing.

My main reason for wanting to do this is so that all the pages for this set of CD's can be printed from one file rather than two. It's not really essential that the info be shared, I just thought that this would be a simple operation for VectorWorks.

*************

You can put me down for a wish list item:

Add VectorWorks as an import format option, where all layers, views, classes, viewports, lineweights, resources, etc., are retained.

[jan15]

There are sometimes problems if you don't keep both files open through the whole copy and paste operation. At least in Windows there are.

[TBennett]

Nic,

I have had this problem before with very large 2d files. The way I dealt with it was to paste everything else into the drawing that would not paste.

Another option would be to do what Katie mentioned and create a workgroup reference from one drawing to the other. Just make sure none of the layers being brought in have the same name as existing layers. I would then remove the reference, but keep all items in the drawing. This should move everything in without cutting and pasting.

Keep in mind that the reason the drawing did not paste was probably because of the size. The file I had problems with was a pain to print and work with until I removed extra information that was not needed. Hope this is helpful.

[EvB]

I have had no problems with copyclip-paste.

I just don't want to have to create duplicate sheet layers, viewports, and views that have already been set up in a separate file. This in fact is what I must do though.

I guess I should have started a new topic....