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Teaser Tuesday - Resource Manager 2.0


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2 hours ago, JimW said:

Finally, a long requested feature to make opening documents even easier, we have added the ability to directly open files from previous versions of Vectorworks and use the content right away. After opening the file, right-click and choose to Save. Once the file is saved in the current version, we can now use other commands on the file, or create new resources in it.

 

How is this different than the current methodology for pulling resources from previous version files? We already have to open that file and save it as a new version and my interpretation of this is that the process is exactly the same?

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
3 minutes ago, ericjhberg said:

 

How is this different than the current methodology for pulling resources from previous version files? We already have to open that file and save it as a new version and my interpretation of this is that the process is exactly the same?


My fault, I worded that badly. You can now use the Resource Browser to browse a document's contents, regardless of its version. You no longer need to batch convert/open the file first in 2018 if it was created in an older version of the software. 

Editing the original for clarity.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
9 minutes ago, Andrew Davies said:

The point is you can open it directly from the resource manager and convert it in place.  Currently, opening a file from the resource manager gives you this error message.  Sounds like in 2018 it will be replaced with the option to upgrade it in place.

 

HTH

 

Andrew

Screen Shot 2017-08-29 at 18.47.25.png


^Correct! Reworded the original post as well.

We've basically integrated a means of file conversion into the resource manager directly. You don't need to back out and manually File > Open then File > Save As, it'll just offer the new save location from within the resource manager if you choose to save it as a favorite after browsing it's contents. You don't HAVE to choose to save the file after browsing either, you'll be able to pull items right out of the older file format version of the resource file. Saving is only needed if you want to edit the resource file.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
5 minutes ago, Tom Klaber said:

Any upgrades to the thumbnail/preview area?

This is my biggest issue - as resources like line type are almost impossible to see on a 4K screen.


No, unfortunately that apparently would require a more in depth UI system change than just the resource manager palette alone, but it's on the list. 

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Great to see this feature continuing to evolve.

 

Does it solve the annoyance of this Mac contextual menu? In the large icon view or the icon view with text to the side I often get this right click contextual menu instead of the VW contextual menu. Often the right click easily causes editing of the symbol name which is part of the problem. It seems to only happen when a symbol is already highlighted in the Resource Manager. I'm constantly getting it and it was never an issue in the old Resource Browser. It would be way better if the system's contextual menu was disabled and I only ever got the VW one.

 

It almost never happens in the list view.

 

Kevin

Screen Shot 2017-08-29 at 11.54.23 AM.png

Edited by Kevin McAllister
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
3 minutes ago, Kevin McAllister said:

Does it solve the annoyance of this Mac contextual menu? In the large icon view or the icon view with text to the side I often get this right click contextual menu instead of the VW contextual menu.


So far I can only make that happen in 2018 if I right click on an item and then right click a second time on the text of the item when the menu is already open, but I don't see any specific mention of anything related to that in the task document. I had not seen anything like that before however, was there a bug submission about it?

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1 minute ago, JimW said:


So far I can only make that happen in 2018 if I right click on an item and then right click a second time on the text of the item when the menu is already open, but I don't see any specific mention of anything related to that in the task document. I had not seen anything like that before however, was there a bug submission about it?

I've been working with a lot of symbols recently and I've noticed it popping up a fair amount in that workflow. I assumed it was WAD but I could submit it. Sounds like it may already have been improved in 2018.

KM

 

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I notice the Attributes Palette is not on any of the screenshots?

Hoping that because it's been overhauled to work with docked palettes and you want to avoid letting the cat out of bag. 

 

But to ask a question about the improvement.

In vertical docked mode will resource palette still auto shrink to free up design space.

Could I have it stacked with Object info as both of them need space when active and information dense but can often be very empty, information poor.Making it hard to get a good balance of how much screen they get without getting in my way. 

Edited by Matt Overton
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Interesting observation about the Attributes Palette being missing. Here are a few more -

 

- the rulers are translucent instead of opaque.

- there are question marks in the top right corner of the Object Info Palette, the Resource Manager and the Navigation Palette.

- there's a small bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the application window.

- there's a double >> in the top right corner of the side docked version of the Resource Manager which doesn't appear in the standalone versions. Does it auto hide while docked on the side as well?

 

Kevin

 

 

Edited by Kevin McAllister
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39 minutes ago, Kevin McAllister said:

Interesting observation about the Attributes Palette being missing. Here are a few more -

 

- the rulers are translucent instead of opaque.

- there are question marks in the top right corner of the Object Info Palette, the Resource Manager and the Navigation Palette.

- there's a small bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the application window.

- there's a double >> in the top right corner of the side docked version of the Resource Manager which doesn't appear in the standalone versions. Does it auto hide while docked on the side as well?

 

Kevin

 

 

Add to that...

- No more move origin button between the rulers.

- Render tab of Object Info shows no data but a wall or 3d object is selected.

Just make up our own teases  about small useful workflow improvements.

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12 hours ago, Bertf said:

Any idea if my request in the link below can be added to the resource browser?

Added already! 

Screen Shot 2017-08-31 at 3.54.00 PM.png

 

18 hours ago, Matt Overton said:

- No more move origin button between the rulers.

- Render tab of Object Info shows no data but a wall or 3d object is selected.

Please ignore those two, they're just anomalies from taking screenshots in pre release builds. Those functions have not changed.
 

18 hours ago, Kevin McAllister said:

- there are question marks in the top right corner of the Object Info Palette, the Resource Manager and the Navigation Palette.

These are part of an effort to make the documentation not only more obvious, but quicker to access. They work contextually, similarly to "Whats This?" but without requiring the user to know where to find the "What's This?" command in the first place.

 

 

18 hours ago, Kevin McAllister said:

there's a double >> in the top right corner of the side docked version of the Resource Manager which doesn't appear in the standalone versions. Does it auto hide while docked on the side as well?

 

20 hours ago, Matt Overton said:

But to ask a question about the improvement.

In vertical docked mode will resource palette still auto shrink to free up design space.

The double arrows expose the navigation buttons and commands so help decrease the minimum width possible for the palette:

Screen Shot 2017-08-31 at 3.59.00 PM.png
Unfortunately, there is still no auto-hide functionality while palettes are docked. That is how I would want them as well.
 

17 hours ago, Andy Broomell said:

I like the translucent rulers!

So do I!

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
9 minutes ago, Tom Klaber said:

Who gets to make that call?

 

That would be the CEO!

 

I doubt they'll be open to polling about it, the debates internally on color for the version are some of the most heated I've seen. I am slightly colorblind (mild Red/Green type, the super common one) so I stay 100% out of those arguments and just use the color picker to steal the exact color when I need to use it for something else. One of the VERY few arguments I stay out of. ;)

However, we do have a new Creative Director this year, so who knows what might happen next time around? I am very fond of the icon itself (regardless of color) and the current styling we use.

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