Multi-column Layout

[ericjhberg]

We use Vectorworks heavily for graphic layouts as a way of reducing our software license costs (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator). It works great for the most part, but a few, seemingly simple additions could make it even better.

1. In text blocks, Vectorworks is very clunky in dealing with paragraph styles, tabs, and automatic numbering/bulleting. I see even the forum board has the ability to auto-bullet. We often avoid using the general notes or keynote legend tool because of its clunkiness, and instead use simple text blocks; however when creating numbered lists or indented paragraphs, there aren't any ways to format without creating manual tabs that break up the paragraph.

2. For more complex graphic packages, or even sheet specifications, the ability to link text boxes (similar to Adobe InDesign) so that text can spill over from one text box into another continuously as one text string. This frees up the formatting of text into one continuous process, rather than editing one box, then the next, and the next...repeatedly as notes or other text change. InDesign also has the ability to reference in text from Word or other word processing applications; therefore utilizing word processors more complex spell-check and grammar check functions.

3. Text block columns. Similar to above, the ability to split a text box into multiple columns, with continuous text spanning.

[NealP]

Vectorworks is missing some basic word processing functions, including multi-column layout where the text can flow from one column to another.

This function would be most helpful when creating basic specs on a sheet to include in a set or residential construction documents that don't require an entire spec booklet.

[Neil Barman]

Sounds like Threaded Text Frames, like what InDesign has...

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/threading-text.html

That would indeed be fantastic to have.

-Neil

[zoomer]

Bricscad has that ...

[PVA - Admin]

Agreed, submitting request now.

[PVA - Admin]

Merged these two threads as I had them both in my head when I filed the request and they were mashed together.

[Art V]

+10 support for this request

Especially if you are creating documentation for reports in Vectorworks this would a very welcome improvement.

[Felix_]

Hi, 
I'm trying to find a way to do a multi-column text block on my layout. Is this still not possible 9 years after your original post or am I missing something?

[Sarah L]

I am also wondering how this is not an option.... still?

[JussiV]

I add my voice to the list. This is something we really would need.

[BartHays]

Totally agree, this is basic functionality that should exist - along with better text editing/formatting.

 

There is a super dumb workaround: place your text on a design layer in one giant skinny textbox and use cropped VPs on a sheet layer to "view"  the text in chunks.

But TBH, we typically lay out the text columns in a word processor and publish a PDF then link the PDF pages to our VW doc. So, as the PDF updates so do the VW sheets with referenced PDFs on them.

 

but hey, we have the AI Visualizer! I wonder if it can format text  - with bullets and numbering too?

[Jesse Cogswell]

Good morning, friends.  I have been working on this off and on for the last couple of weeks and have come up with a plug-in that should do most of what you need.  It's a little hacky and has a couple of rules / caveats, but it's worth a try.

 

 

The plug-in is generally a Rectangle Object PIO that has an attached text string.  You have options in terms whether the text is "boxed", whether  the text is inset from the box edge, the line spacing, and the horizontal and vertical alignment.  The font and text size is set using the Text menu while the object is selected.  It will also use the Font Style applied to all of the text.  The text can be edited by either double-clicking the box or by clicking the Edit Text button in the OIP.  Now for the fun stuff.

 

There's a checkbox in the OIP called Multi-Column.  When this option is not checked, the text box will automatically resize based on the text contained in it, expanding and contracting as necessary.  When this option is checked and the text box is resized, any "overflow" text will be placed in a new text box, created using the same settings as the original.  Once this text box is created, it will be linked to the master and can be individually positioned and resized.  If you double-click or click Edit Text on any linked text box, the dialog will be populated with the text of the master.  Deleting a "master" text box will also delete any linked children, or if you select a child and uncheck Multi-Column, any children downstream will be deleted and the selected text box will be resized to fit the text.  If you select a master and uncheck Multi-Column, it will resize the text box and delete linked children.  If you resize a text box and cause the downstream text boxes to be empty, they will maintain their link but just be empty.  You are free to delete children as necessary.  If you delete a child in the middle of a chain, the next time the text box preceding the deleted one will generate a new text box with matching settings.

 

If a text box is in a linked chain, there will be a button in the OIP called Select Linked Text Boxes, which will select all text boxes in the link chain.  If a text box is not part of a linked chain, the button will instead say Link Text Box.  When you click on this button, you will be asked to select another text box.  Once you click another text box, the original text box will be put in the same chain as the box you clicked, added to the end of the chain.

 

The fun bit is a checkbox in the OIP called Custom Text Formatting.  If this box is checked, text can be formatted using formatting tokens similar to HTML:

• <b> ... <\b>:  Any text between the tokens will be bold.
• <i> ... <\i>: Any text between the tokens will be italic.
• <u> ... <\u>: Any text between the tokens will be underlined.
• <o> ... <\o>: Any text between the tokens will be outlined.

If you use these options, you must have the PIO's Text - Font Style option set to Plain Text.  Otherwise you'll get some pretty bonkers formatting.

 

There are a couple of other formatting tokens that you should know about:

• <tab>: This will place a tab character in the text.
• <#> ... <\#>: Any lines of text between the tokens will be formatted as a numbered list.
• <bul> ... <\bul>: Any lines of text between the tokens will be formatted as a bulleted list.

The numbered and bulleted list can only go one level deep.

 

Now, here are the rules:

• The code uses spaces to parse the text.  This means that all of the formatting tokens need a space on either side (unless it's the end of a line, then it doesn't need a space after the token).
• Unfortunately, if you have a double space, the code will see this as the end of the text and will not populate anything afterward.  This means that if you learned to double space after each sentence, you will have to fight that urge.
• The code also parses lines of text using the carriage return character.  If you want to have an empty line between paragraphs, you will need to put a space in the empty line, otherwise the plug-in will see the empty line as the end of the text.
• For the list formatting tokens, the start token must be placed as part of the line before the list starts, not at the start of the list.  Otherwise the code will miss the first line in the list.
• Don't select multiple text boxes in the same link chain and uncheck Multi-Column unless you want to crash Vectorworks.
• This plug-in can get pretty slow with very long strings of text.  This is because it has to essentially add a word at a time to the text box, then check to see if the text box has exceeded the Column Height parameter to determine if it needs to overflow, as well as check word by word for formatting tokens.  If you have a lot of text in a text box or chain, be patient.
• Unchecking the Multi-Column box resulting in deleting downstream children can sometimes leave a "ghost" of the deleted text boxes.  Move your view by either panning the drawing or zooming in or out to get these ghosts to clear.
• If you are losing empty lines, look at where your formatting tokens are (especially if they are at the front of a line), try moving them to the end of the line above instead.
• Don't use tabs within numbered or bulleted lists.
• Don't get them wet.
• Don't feed them after midnight.

To install the plug-in, follow the steps below:

1. Download the attached JNC-Text Box.zip file, but do not extract it.
2. In Vectorworks, go to Tools - Plug-ins - Plug-in Manager.
3. Click on the Third-party plug-ins tab.
4. Click on the Install button.
5. Navigate to the downloaded .zip file.
6. Restart Vectorworks.
7. Once relaunched, go to Tools - Workspaces - Edit Current Workspace.
8. Select the Tools tab.
9. In the box on the left, find and expand the category called JNC.
10. In the box on the right, find a toolset to place the tool in, such as Dims/Notes or Basic.
11. Click and drag the Create JNC-Text Box tool from the box on the left to the desired toolset in the box on the right.
12. Press OK to reset your workspace.

The plug-in will work with any version of Vectorworks 2019 or newer.  Have fun and let me know if anything breaks or if you have any suggestions for improvements (but be patient, this isn't my full-time, or even part-time job).

JNC-Text Box.zip

[Jesse Cogswell]

And if you want to use my example text from above for your own testing, it is pasted below:

<tab> <b> <o> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis. Sodales ut eu sem integer vitae justo eget magna fermentum. Cras sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id. Ut etiam sit amet nisl purus in. Donec ac odio tempor orci dapibus. Mattis molestie a iaculis at erat pellentesque adipiscing. Orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet venenatis urna. At in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. Egestas quis ipsum suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce. Diam quam nulla porttitor massa id neque. Ut pharetra sit amet aliquam. Feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper. Eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut lectus arcu. Est placerat in egestas erat. Lacus luctus accumsan tortor posuere ac ut consequat semper. Sit amet massa vitae tortor condimentum lacinia quis vel. Dignissim convallis aenean et tortor. Egestas integer eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna sit amet. Nec feugiat in fermentum posuere urna nec tincidunt praesent semper. <\b> <\o>
 
<tab> <u> Vitae justo eget magna fermentum iaculis eu non diam phasellus. Eget dolor morbi non arcu. Malesuada bibendum arcu vitae elementum curabitur. Nulla malesuada pellentesque elit eget gravida cum. Elit ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat. Vulputate odio ut enim blandit. Aenean pharetra magna ac placerat vestibulum lectus. Quis commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec. Nec feugiat in fermentum posuere. Scelerisque varius morbi enim nunc faucibus a. Adipiscing vitae proin sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis. Bibendum ut tristique et egestas quis ipsum suspendisse ultrices. Amet nisl purus in mollis nunc. Auctor augue mauris augue neq ue gravida in fermentum et. Elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam quam. Eget mauris pharetra et ultrices neque ornare aenean euismod elementum. Consectetur lorem donec massa sapien. Id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. <\u>
 
<tab> <b> Quam id leo in vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus. Nibh ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam id. Vestibulum mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi tincidunt ornare. Sollicitudin aliquam ultrices sagittis orci a scelerisque purus. Non arcu risus quis varius quam quisque id diam vel. Pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed. Mattis vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor lacus luctus. Sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec ultrices. Amet nulla facilisi morbi tempus. Neque convallis a cras semper auctor neque vitae. Mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper. Enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget. Augue lacus viverra vitae congue. Egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend. Pharetra diam sit amet nisl suscipit adipiscing. Facilisis volutpat est velit egestas dui. Tincidunt ornare massa eget egestas purus viverra accumsan in. <\b>
 
<tab> <i> Sed vulputate odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat. Amet nulla facilisi morbi tempus iaculis urna. Dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis. In tellus integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi enim. Mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus. Vulputate dignissim suspendisse in est. Cras pulvinar mattis nunc sed blandit libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque. Tempor orci dapibus ultrices in iaculis nunc sed. Nulla malesuada pellentesque elit eget gravida cum sociis. Volutpat consequat mauris nunc congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris. Lorem sed risus ultricies tristique nulla aliquet. Vel eros donec ac odio tempor orci dapibus ultrices in. Faucibus a pellentesque sit amet porttitor eget. Justo eget magna fermentum iaculis eu non diam phasellus. Ultricies lacus sed turpis tincidunt id. Augue eget arcu dictum varius duis at consectetur lorem donec. Habitasse platea dictumst vestibulum rhoncus est. Lorem dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet. <\i>
 
In nulla posuere sollicitudin aliquam. Lobortis scelerisque fermentum dui faucibus in. Integer feugiat scelerisque varius morbi enim nunc. Commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar sapien. Enim facilisis gravida neque convallis a cras semper. Odio eu feugiat pretium nibh. Tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus at augue eget. Posuere morbi leo urna molestie at elementum eu. Feugiat pretium nibh ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Dictum fusce ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim.
 
 
<b> <u> Number List Example: <\b> <\u> <#>
List item #1
List item #2
List item #3 <\#>
 
<b> <u> Bullet List Example: <\b> <\u> <bul>
blam
blam
blam
<\bul>

 

[BartHays]

@vectorworks will you please pay Jesse for making your product better. 

[BartHays]

@Jesse Cogswell this is super cool, thank you. 

I am noticing that I can only change the column spacing once. If I set it to 1" it works, if I change my mind and set it back to .25" Nothing happens. 
 

Also,  I can move the last column to a new Sheet and it stays as part of the Upstream set. But, if the text increases and I need another column, it gets placed on the first sheet, (referencing the First column?), If it could be referencing the position of the previous column, It could continue to span sheets as needed.

 

I realize this might get unwieldy, just playin with it for now. 

 

Cheers!

 

Bart 

[Jesse Cogswell]

@BartHays The column spacing is only in regard to newly created text boxes.  Once created, their location will be entirely independent.  If you want to quickly change the spacing, delete all of the created children and change the column value, which will force a reset and redraw.  I can think of a couple of ways to have a text box's location be tied to the master's until it's been moved manually.  I'll put it on the revision list for when I get time.

 

As for the other issue, I'll see what I can do.  So that the settings copy over, the new text box is created inside the PIO container of the original before it is moved to the layer.  There's a fantastic chance that I was lazy when I coded it and just used the master's UUID to set the parent layer rather than the text box that would be overflowing.  If that makes sense.  I'll look at it once I finish filing my taxes.