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Custom Titleblocks from 2017 - missing in 2018?


insaneshayne

Question

I've seen a couple threads here about this but I'm not quite understanding the answers.  I've got a handful of titleblocks that we use that have our company logo and job-specific info in them that I used to be able to drop in through the sheet borders tool.  They live in the "Libraries>Defaults>Sheet Border - Title Blocks" folder of the VW 2017 application.

When I ran the Migration Manager they weren't copied over. I manually dropped them into the folder and they don't show up. I figured ok, maybe the program can't read them since they're in 2017 format so I opened them and re-saved them as 2018.  They still don't show up.  What gives? I realize the tool is redesigned but seems to only let you drop in the standard ones and start from scratch each time.  Am I missing something or am I screwed?  (Or both?)

Thanks in advance for any info on how to work around this! 

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2 hours ago, insaneshayne said:

What gives? I realize the tool is redesigned but seems to only let you drop in the standard ones and start from scratch each time.  Am I missing something or am I screwed?  (Or both?)

Thanks in advance for any info on how to work around this! 

What worked for my title block(s) is to  use the title block border tool to insert a title block border only (i.e. no title block section)

Then use the Title Block Settings in the object info palette, go to the Title Block section and then use the import title block graphics button to import the "old" VW2017 titleblock (after first saving it into VW2018 format) and then update if/as necessary (e.g. re-assign record fields etc. if there are differences in that between VW2017 and VW2018)

 

If your old title block had a custom border included then set "Use as Titleblock Only" option to checked to show your own custom border.

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My advice is to start with the new Title Block tool  and rebuild your title blocks using this new system. Yes, I know that Vectorworks will convert your title blocks, but it might be easier to start with a brand new title block from one of the standard title blocks  that Vectorworks have created. This way you will be using the latest title block technology without any concerns about the changes to the structure of the title block. Once you have used a standard title block, you can edit the title block style either from the Object Info palette  or from the Resource Manager. Edit the title block to suit the design of your company. Any graphics or logos do you have used previously can be copied and pasted into this new title block. Any general notes, copyrights, or other text can also be copied from an old title block into the new one.

 

 Many of my clients try to use the new title block in the same way that they used the sheet border. This  new tool has a new way of working. I find it easiest if I place a title block on my sheet layer first,  then edit the style. 

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

I partly agree with Jonathan here.

 

It's true we didn't include Sheet Border --> Title Block Border in Migration Manager. This was a conservative decision based on the fact that we wanted users to review the updates first hand to verify things would convert properly. And this approach has turned up some limitations quickly, many of which are fixed in SP1 and the other known ones will be fixed in SP2.

 

The conceptual difference is that in VW_2017 and before, you used a symbol definition text-linked to a series of (rather cryptic) records to define the layout and textual content of the Titleblock. Now you use a Style-symbol to control everything about the Title Block Border, and of course the Vectorworks Style system for PIOs gives you full control over what you control by-style and by-instance.

 

You can convert the old SB-PIOs to TBB-PIOs one at a time and, if they look right, they are right. Collect these style-symbols into your template files or (better) into a VWX file that you put into the Object Styles / Title Block Border and, as Jonathan might say, Bob's your uncle. (You'll have to ask him what that means, exactly.)

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I'm still confused on how to get a custom title block working. I have the block created, I've tried creating the folder structure in my user folder, as well as dropping it into the folder with the included blocks but can not get it to come up in the selection box when i try to set a title block. I even imported the symbol to the active drawing with no luck. Am I missing a step?

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I've wasted three days trying to figure out this problem...

and have tried everything...

the instructions are useless...

 

I can get the title block to show up,

the attached record shows up,

but it does not edit with the appropriate sheet...

not does it carry over in sheet preferences as it used to.

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On 10/21/2017 at 5:00 AM, Robert Anderson said:

You can convert the old SB-PIOs to TBB-PIOs one at a time and, if they look right, they are right. Collect these style-symbols into your template files or (better) into a VWX file that you put into the Object Styles / Title Block Border and, as Jonathan might say, Bob's your uncle. (You'll have to ask him what that means, exactly.)

 I think users make a mistake thinking that this new tool is the same as the old one. It think is it better to use the new tool and use this as an opportunity to create a new custom title block. I find this real easy if i place a tittle block first, then use the Resource Manager to edit the Object style. This will update all the placed Title Blocks in your file. There is a button to edit the Title Block Layout. 

 

Robert (and all the others), you've done a great job on the new title block. it is very powerful and it connects to the document transmittal form. very cool. 

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Hey guys, ok, so I have figured it out, and once you do that it is "easier" then before, just completely different. 

 

  1. First open your old block in a file and edit it's 2D component, leave it for a few minutes
  2. In a new drawing, or a template your updating for 2018, drop in a Title Block Border with the border tool
  3. Clink on it and select the "Title Block Border Settings" from the Object Info pallet 
  4. In the left side column you select the "Project Data" or "Sheet Data" and add in the Text records as you used to in the old "Record Format" windows, no seperated
  5. After you have the different record you need go to the "Title Block" option in the left column 
  6. Click on the "Edit Title Block" button close to the bottom, this will take you to a block edittor
  7. Now you can Copy your old block, as individual components, not as a symbol, and paste it into your "new" title block
  8. Make sure you get its placement correct, lower right corner as before
  9. If you destroyed your text linked to the record from your old one, as I did, you should see your default text still visible, otherwise add in your text and format it
  10. Individually select your text and in the Object Info pallet at the bottom you'll see a new section titled "Title Block Data Link" check the box to link data and then select with record you created before you want it linked to. 
  11. Once your done you should be able to edit the block editor and you should have a new block

 

It sounds harder then it it, it took me hours to figure it out, but once I did it wasn't too bad to get back up and running. Its just such a huge change from the old system. And you have to create all your records and links again. 

 

If anyone has any notes or corrections please let me know, and I'll update if i find any shortcuts. 

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Hiya Bill!  It seems like you're pretty good to go, and thanks to everyone for the tips and advice.

I made a video earlier today which may help, and hopefully can be useful for anyone moving title blocks over from 2017 to 2018.  (It's soundless, just as a heads up.)

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5N5-IdlH-rjb0ZNVkFxcGEtRTg/view?usp=sharing

 

Have a lovely evening/weekend!  :)

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So, I've tried a few of the above-mentioned suggestions and still no luck.  If I open a 2017 drawing that has one of my custom titleblocks in it I can click "Update" and it'll make it usable and editable which is great.  BUT, of course it won't let me export or save the titleblock out into the folder where the other standard ones live for future use so I have to use this one in a blank drawing template file. Which is ok, but completely defeats the purpose of the tool and means I can't work on an old drawing that may not have a title-block and then put one in.

I went through DCapp's 11-step process which seemed promising, but when I got to the Title Block Data Link part it wouldn't let me put in my custom info and left me with "1" in every field even though I typed in a custom name etc. I get that all of the standard drop-down fields that you can select for fields are well, "standard" to someone, but the whole reason I am using a custom title-block is that all of our fields are pertinent to our shows.  So there are fields like "Show Name", "Venue", "Load-in Date", "Load-out Date", "Producing Depot" etc.  

I've tried copy/pasting my titleblocks into the "Standard" drawing and although everything there looks identical between my files and the ones that VW saved in there, they won't show up in the pull-down.

I'd love to actually USE 2018 but I don't have several hours to devote to fixing it so I can do a simple drawing.

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I don't see anything on any of the forums about scripting with the new title blocks?

 

Previously, it was possible to pass information to title block records, that would then appear in the title block, via vectorscript but does anyone know if there is any guidance available about how to achieve this in VW 2018 please?

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