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Trouble with 2017 Trial version and some features from the getting started tutorials


Chris W.

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Hi everyone,

 

I'm totally new to vectorworks and just started learning by downloading the latest trial version and following the tutorials in the getting started section.

While following the instructions in the tutorial I came across some troubles. I assume that some are based on the facts that the tutorial is created in an older version of the programme, whereas others feel more like it could be a glitch in the software. Generally I'm not sure but I hope someone can shead some light on it.

So here goes...

 

General issues with the software:

1) I create classes as instructed and place objects in them. But they behave oddly. They don't react uniformly to switching between visible and invisible, objects just move from one class to the other, and when I select an object only about half the time does the info bar on the side actually show the object details, like location, size, class, etc. Some times it just looks like I didn't highlight anything.

These behaviors seem to be somehow related to which view is active. I.e. A class I hid might be visible from the front but when I switch to top view it becomes invisible...

2) When zooming in to a specific area, occasionally everything becomes invisible and can't be retrieved.

3) When I work in open GL and switch to top/plan view and the back to any of the other views it stays on wireframe.

 

Some more tutorial specific issues:

4) In the chapter 'Gazebo' at 6:55

http://www.vectorworks.net/training/2017/getting-started-guides/freeform-modeling/gazebo

It askes to draw a rectangle and then use the project tool to extrude it up to the roof. When I try this it just tells me 'ptoject tool failed'.

5) In the next chaper 'Adding Benches and Light Posts' at 6:30

http://www.vectorworks.net/training/2017/getting-started-guides/freeform-modeling/adding-benches-and-light-posts

Is asks you to set the site class to visible. As this is not something that was mentioned before in the tutotrial, I assume it is a class that exists by default, howerver I cannot find it in my version.

 

And lastly a general question I cannot find any info on:

6) In the views bar on top of the main window - between the drop down menues of layers, classes, views, etc. - I have to small symbols for working plane views and active layer plane views. Switching between them does not change anything a I can make out, so I was wondering what they meant.

 

Ok. Sorry for the lenghty list. If anyone knows anything about any of these, that would be a great help.

I hope  I'll learn quickly and can return or pass on the favor, soon.

 

Thanks so much!!!

Chris

 

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I can answer a few of your questions...

 

1. Sounds a bit like class visibility settings. Very hard to tell without the actual file. It could be all sorts of things. If the objects are symbols then you may have multiple classes within the symbols which aren't turned on (I haven't seen the video) In the past I have had issues with the object information palette not displaying data for selected objects but that issue seems to have been solved a while back.

 

3. Check that in the VIEW menu you have UNIFIED VIEW checked. Then take a look at the UNIFIED VIEW options. This will allow you to toggle SCREEN objects when in non TOP/PLAN views. LAYER/SCREEN objects is a concept you will need to get to grips with. There is stuff in the help files about this as well as a video on the VW Youtube channel.

 

4. This tool is a very useful but can take a certain amount of persistence to get right. Make sure you have the right mode selected and also that the planar object you are projecting is completely covered by the object you are projecting to.

 

6. These buttons will show the various views (Top, Left, Isometric etc.) relative to the planes that you are working with. For now you may not have covered creating new working planes so therefore the layer plan and the working plane will be the same thing until you create a separate working plane. This is a slightly tricky concept at first but there is plenty in the Help files to get you started. There is also a short video on the Youtube channel which is helpful.

 

Hope that helps

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8 hours ago, Chris W. said:

3) When I work in open GL and switch to top/plan view and the back to any of the other views it stays on wireframe.

 

 

There is a setting in VW preferences to set what rendering mode will be used when you switch

from top plan view to a "3D" view. Can be set to Wireframe or OpenGL.

You can also add that setting to your Quick Preferences Bar.

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