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3D Workflow Tips


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Hi all, I am looking to improve my workflow in Vectoworks (2017).  I am an exhibitions designer, and we tend to span between architecture and industrial design. In an individual project we will have to design not only floor plans and elevations of a building, we also design the individual objects placed in the building. I was wondering if anyone could site some links or offer some tips etc. that I might find useful. I have been working in VW since 2008 but  haven't fully utilized 3D in vectorworks. Instead I would mass out my 3D work in Rhino or Sketchup then export DXF's and import those into VW. However, that hasn't always generated the best results and it is cost prohibitive to keep all these applications up to date so export functions arent't always reliably available. We tend to end up drawing huge amounts of individual elevation drawings when we could be using the section viewport command to create them. We are considering doing everything in 3D and generating the 2D views from that. I am assuming there are limitations to how much can be crammed in a single VW file before it becomes unstable. Do you recommend creating one 3D file that has the bulk of objects massed in the space, then creating another separate file with more detailed individual objects "i.e. an interactive exhibit"? However, having multiple individual files offers its own set of challenges with regards to updating layers etc. I am a little familiar with workgroup referencing, but I am not sure that it works in that way. I guess this is a pretty complex question haha but if anyone cares to chime in, I would be happy to hear from you.

 

Cheers!

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I'm not sure I understand the question but working in 3d takes longer up front,. However if you spend a deal of time changing the internal designs till its *just right* (or your clients demand these changes) then it's well worth the effort as utilising the viewports immediately updates all the drawings, instantly. As regards file sizes our software copes quite well up to 100'000kb but if you had file size issues you could always replicate the master file and reference the objects in place from a separate file. Referencing looks scary but it is quite simple to do - see the help guide on referencing files?

 

Hope this helps. Feel the fear and do it anyway! Never looked back after adopting 3d/live viewports/clip cube etc etc!  

 

I know it's a different environment but the building to the right is from a referenced file feeding into the building on the left's file. This scheme was looking good till the local planning department butchered it !!! 🙂

83 Wensleydale Road New Build and Referenced ex.jpg

Edited by David S
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I keep everything in a single file whenever possible. I place individual freestanding scenic elements / exhibits into symbols and give each one its own layer so its easy to do elevations of that element only. This workflow means all of the viewports don't need to be sections. I also have the symbols placed onto a layer that is the entire set / exhibit so I can do in-situ plans/sections/elevations. The advantage to the symbol method is I can orient the element in the easiest orientation for documenting it when its on its own layer, but then it can sit its its proper site orientation in the full model.

 

Working entirely in 3d works very well for me. All of my drawings are generated from sheet layer viewports.

 

If you'd like to know more, feel free to ask.

 

Kevin

Edited by Kevin McAllister
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Thanks for the input! much appreciated. I have no problem working totally in 3D I just need to convince my senior designers to go along. They have been around a long time from the days of going to the printers for large drawing sets (30 plus years). They aren't resistant to change thankfully; but as you know, people don't like to go out of their comfort zones too quickly. Referencing could work, but I am an off site worker so I am not sure there is a way I can make that work. I work for the Smithsonian so outside access can be tricky. I tend to try and keep a single file if it is for a single gallery space approximately 5-10,000 square feet. My more recent experience with a smaller 3D space in VW 2017 has been buggy? I have a file with 3D that isn't that huge 23MB but when I move to the 3D view it will often crash if it is on open gl which is easier to work in "visually" That is why I am a little afraid to cram everything into a single file. I can easily have 100 MB files in Sketchup or Rhino and they run fine. My computer is well above the specs for 2018 or 17 so it isn't hardware related. Anyway both of your comments are well taken, thank you.

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3 minutes ago, nwfonseca said:

I tend to try and keep a single file if it is for a single gallery space approximately 5-10,000 square feet. My more recent experience with a smaller 3D space in VW 2017 has been buggy? I have a file with 3D that isn't that huge 23MB but when I move to the 3D view it will often crash if it is on open gl which is easier to work in "visually" That is why I am a little afraid to cram everything into a single file. I can easily have 100 MB files in Sketchup or Rhino and they run fine. My computer is well above the specs for 2018 or 17 so it isn't hardware related. Anyway both of your comments are well taken, thank you.

 

Do you have a lot of mesh objects? I know I had some issues rotating into 3d when the VGM was first introduced but I haven't had any problems in VW2018.

 

Kevin

 

 

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