Jump to content

send to front / back


Recommended Posts

Hi

In previous versions of Vectorworks, while working in a 3d view, you could send foward or backward the wireframe of elements. That was really helpful specially when the model gets complex.

Was that option eliminated, is there another way to do it now, or is it a bug?

thanks

joey

Vectorworks 2016, SP3

Edited by joey altalef
Link to comment

It works as expected on my system. In 3d view,if two objects or more have coincident edges, the forward one will select. Apply the Send to Back command and the next object in the stack responds to the Select tool.

Or did you mean something else? Or did the commands disappear from your Modify>Send menu?

-B

Link to comment

Hi Benson

The selection works, but visually you can not change which object you want to see in front.

In previous versions, you could see an object that is located long away back, in front (without changing its location).

I used to assign different line colors to each object and bring it to front, making it easier to see the changes I'm making. (while working on wireframe)

Edited by joey altalef
Link to comment

Joey, not sure what you are remembering. I think all recent versions behave same. The following assumes objects have color fill:

In a rendered (eg OpenGL), flyover view, intersecting 2d objects (layer plane) behave as you desire - Front object conceals anything in back of it. 3d objects do what they always did (my memory, anyway) - A) outer object conceals intersecting objects contained within. B) objects closer to viewpoint conceal everything they eclipse - Front/Back doesn't affect.

Switch the same view to wireframe: 2d objects become semi transparent with additive fill in overlapped areas, all 2d edges (front and back) are always revealed. Front/Back controls selection in 2d overlapped areas. 3d objects have no fill. Front/Back controls selection at intersecting edges.

Workarounds:

•Group the object(s) you want to work with and edit the group. Control visibility of "outside" objects via the Vectorworks pref for Show other objects while in edit modes. Exit & Ungroup after edits.

•I think in early versions of Vectorworks (maybe up to v2009?) objects on separate layers could be displayed and rendered according to layer stacking if quartz imaging was disabled (Mac) and the correct transparency mode was selected in the system prefs. Normally this was a problem, rather than a feature, eg a fence behind a building occludes or eclipses the front view of the building if the fence layer is above the building layer. Layer links were applied to defeat that layer stacking anomaly. Unified View in newer versions replaces the need for layer links.

Separate issue:

With Unified View disabled (v2016), I can't find a way to force a rendered view of top layer to also display objects in lower layers. When top layer is rendered (eg OGL), it obscures all layers below it, even if a lower layer is the active layer. Is there still a way to disable quartz imaging in Vectorworks?

-B

Link to comment

I will try to explain it with an example

I build 2 cubes. The one on the left is assigned to have blue lines, and the one in the righ with red lines (as the example uploaded).And I assign a 3d view. (Im working only in wireframe).

When you open the file, you will see that the red cube "sticks out" from the blue cube. That is because the red one was done after the blue one. And it will stay that way forever.

In previous versions I could click the blue cube and go to the modify option "send to front" and I would look the whole blue cube and just part of the red one.

Link to comment

Joey - Confirmed with your file.

Sorry didn't understand before!

V2016

Wire frame view where object edges are coincident:

3d objects

•Oldest 3d object always displays at top of stack.

•Send Front/Back does not change the display of 3d wireframe objects.

•Send Front/Back does make top 3d object selectable - as expected.

2d objects display as expected

• New object displays in front at creation.

•Send Front/Back causes most recent Front object to display on top of stack.

-B

Link to comment

Is this a graphics card problem?

Or Bug?

Or legacy process not updated for 3d?

The overlapping edges of 3d objects change Front/Back as zoom level changes.

eg Send to Front does not redraw screen so that all edges of object display at top of the stack at all zoom levels.

-B

ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=15464&filename=Front:Back.png

Edited by Benson Shaw
Link to comment

I don't know if this is any possible in 3D.

Or to say it different, I never have seen anything anywhere else.

And outside of VW I never had any problems with such things as there was

always a possibility to easy cycle through overlapping elements while selection

with a clear feedback of which element is which and an option to restrict

manipulation tools to a selection. 2D as well as 3D.

In VW, if I want to edit an Object that is hidden by other Objects, I also try

to use the 2D command "set to front" in my 3D to select or manipulate the

hidden Object. Sometimes that seems to work but not in every case.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...