Braceworks Frustration

[Darrell Henry 1]

It is super frustrating to pay to be a beta tester for Braceworks. 

 

Hoists:

• Insert Truss using the Insert Truss Tool

• Convert the truss to a Hanging Position 

• Insert hoists using the Hoist tool

• Little red diamond shows up -- supposedly binding the hoist to the truss

• Run Calculate Visible -- "The Suspension Point is not attached"

• Drag hoist off position and re-attach - same message

• Delete hoist and re-insert -- same message

 

Instruments:

• Right click on instrument -- Attach to Hanging Position -- select the HP

• Click on Hanging position 

• Click on drill down arrow on instrument -- Set Hanging Position

• Attach to truss (get the little red diamond and left click to assert

• Run Calculate Visible -- The Load is Not Connected

 

Just really frustrated that every visual clue says it is working and yet it doesn't. 

 

Question: 

If I have a motor for an audio point or cable point that is not attached to truss:

• Can I insert a  load and connect it directly to the hoist (seems like no)?

• How do I stop those hoists from generating "The Suspension Hoist is not attached" errors?

 

 

 

 

[Projx_CA 0]

I'm in the same boat Darrell!  I spend more time trying to solve errors than it would take me to manually calculate the weights.   I definitely feel like a beta tester too.

 

I haven't solved the cable pick question either.  For that scenario I manually input a weight in the a USER field - but it will not calculate or be part of the report.  I don't know if you can connect a load directly to a hoist with out an intermediary piece of hardware like truss or a pipe.

 

 

[Projx_CA 0]

Needed to vent.  I want to love Braceworks - I really do, but it hurts me to do so.   Screenshot attached.  This drawing would take hours to clean and calculate.  Back to the manual method.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Projx_CA

[klinzey 186]

You can connect loads to a single hoist. Unfortunately, this is a little bit tricky with the Vectorworks Hoist. You have to place the load at the hook of the hoist, and then Braceworks will calculate the single hoist. We are working to update the snapping to better support this connection.

Also, be sure you are using SP2.  There were several fixes in SP2 related to connecting items to the hanging position.

It's difficult to diagnose the issues from just the screenshots.
Would it be possible to post the file here or email it to technical support, tech@vectorworks.net? Please put "Attention Kevin" in the subject line if you email the file.

I've also asked the developer, Moritz, to post to this thread if he has any additional information or questions.

[Projx_CA 0]

klinzey,

 

Is there a correct way to cantilever a pipe on top of truss without the calculation failing?  I want to out rig a pipe with a load at the end (in this case a fixture).

 

I thought I stacked the pipe on top of the truss correctly....

[Moritz Staffel 21]

Hi,

 

you need to change the setting in the Truss Cross. See the attached screen shot. Rigid Truss Cross have a square center element, pliable have circles.

[Projx_CA 0]

Thanks Moritz.  I tried that too before posting...here is the result of the rigid connection. 

 

I still get the support error, plus the elements occupying the same space. 

 

 

 

 

 

[brooks gotham 0]

Any one else finding the "Hoist Weight" field in the hoist object window missing.  

it is supposed to be right under the "chain Cross Section"  button but it is missing.  

 

I have 1/4 ton motors that are being calculated out at 100 lbs.  with nothing on them, 

Did they move the place where you can set up the hoist weights.  

Thanks 

 

 

[Projx_CA 0]

31 minutes ago, brooks gotham said:

Any one else finding the "Hoist Weight" field in the hoist object window missing.  

it is supposed to be right under the "chain Cross Section"  button but it is missing.  

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting.  I have hoist weight in some existing drawings, but not if i create a new drawing.  2 screenshots attached.  I think you found a bug. 

 

 

[Peter Neufeld 237]

Yes I have reported this as a bug on 29th Nov. I think we'll have to wait for the next service pack. 

The missing fields are:

 

Low Hook to load trim 
Speed 
Voltage 
Total Chain length 
Hoist Weight 
Chain Weight 
Hoist wt with Chain 

 

You can still access the fields via a worksheet which I enclose.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Hoist missing OIP SP2 worksheet.vwx

Edited January 19, 2018 by Peter Neufeld

[brooks gotham 0]

I went messing around in the built in plug-in window.  When I changed a name of an alternate name field and exited all of a sudden the missing fields reappeared.  

The path to where I was is : Tools/Plug In Manager-> Built In Plug-ins -> HoistVW,  then double click I simply changed one of the alternate names slightly.  

I would bet that if you just went in to this are and then clicked OK it might work but I cannot recreate this issue to prove it. 

Warning I have heard that if you change the regular name fields it breaks the hoist tool.  

 

 

 

[Moritz Staffel 21]

@Projx_CACan you share the file with me? Then I can have a look on this issue.

[brooks gotham 0]

After some more time I Noticed that it gets screwed up when you open the hoist tool Preferences.  Apparently something is amiss in the preferences dialog box.  

I noticed this because I watched the  fields disappear as I clicked on on the OK Button.  When you adjust one of the labels in the Plug-in manager the object info box is 

restored to its original state.   Do VW Developers lurk around here and take notice of things like this or is their a bug report form to report thing like this?  

Thanks 

[Yordan Kostadinov 23]

48 minutes ago, brooks gotham said:

After some more time I Noticed that it gets screwed up when you open the hoist tool Preferences.  Apparently something is amiss in the preferences dialog box.  

I noticed this because I watched the  fields disappear as I clicked on on the OK Button.  When you adjust one of the labels in the Plug-in manager the object info box is 

restored to its original state.   Do VW Developers lurk around here and take notice of things like this or is their a bug report form to report thing like this?  

Thanks 

This issue is fixed for SP3.

[brooks gotham 0]

Cool!  Thanks.  when do you think SP3 will be released?

[brooks gotham 0]

Any one else have issues getting distributed loads to attach to trusses/ hanging positions.  

Also having issues getting truss crossing connections to work ( i cannot select the second truss to create the cross)  

Thnaks