Morpholio Trace

[Luis M Ruiz]

Good questions. Here are my quick answers:
1 - Morpholio trace can take these 3d formats coming from Vectorworks: OBJ , STL, DAE, 3DS.  and of course flat images like pdf or jpgs

2- For placing the exported pdf or image on nomad, you have to set your ipad to see the nomad integration. Check out min 2:00 of this video https://university.vectorworks.net/mod/overview/view.php?id=3056
 

3-I'd start saving the sketch in pdf in nomad > then import into vwx as a reference

 

Post some of your project here using morpholio and vwx

[E|FA]

1 hour ago, Luis M Ruiz said:

Good questions. Here are my quick answers:
1 - Morpholio trace can take these 3d formats coming from Vectorworks: OBJ , STL, DAE, 3DS.  and of course flat images like pdf or jpgs

2- For placing the exported pdf or image on nomad, you have to set your ipad to see the nomad integration. Check out min 2:00 of this video https://university.vectorworks.net/mod/overview/view.php?id=3056

3-I'd start saving the sketch in pdf in nomad > then import into vwx as a reference

Followups:

1 - OK, that makes sense.

2a - At first I had trouble getting Nomad to be accepted with the iOS Files app. I logged out of my Nomad account and logged back in, and received an error message saying that I had to manually type in my password (instead of using iOS keychain), but once I did that it worked.  Strange behavior.  It's working now.  

2b - "For placing the exported pdf or image on nomad" do you mean "For placing the exported OBJ , STL, DAE, 3DS on Morpholio"?

3 - Do you mean saving (which is more of an "export" than a "save") the sketch in pdf in Morpholio Trace?  If this is the case, all future updated exports have to maintain the file path & name in order to update the referenced file in VW, correct?

 

I'm not sure I understand why Nomad is needed in this process.  Can't I export an OBJ file from VW and save it to an iCloud folder (synced Mac & iPad), open the OBJ in Morpholio, then export the PDF from Morpholio to the iCloud folder, then reference the PDF from the iCloud folder in VW?  No Nomad needed?

Nomad error.pdf

Edited March 17, 2022 by E|FA

[inikolova]

13 minutes ago, E|FA said:

At first I had trouble, with an error message saying that I had to manually type in my password (instead of using iOS keychain), but once I did that it worked.  Strange behavior.  It's working now.

This is not an error exactly. It happens when we can't redirect you to the app after you sign in. Using face ID or other auto-fill mechanisms may result in this page. We implemented this page as part of the login workflow, to catch these scenarios. There is a button that takes you back to Nomad for your convenience since we were not able to do this automatically. You don't have to type in your credentials manually, you just have to tap the Go to Nomad button when you see this page. This should not be a reason for concern. 

[inikolova]

29 minutes ago, E|FA said:

I'm not sure I understand why Nomad is needed in this process.

If you are using iCloud, and don't want to use Nomad, that is totally fine. You need to use Nomad only if you want your file to be saved on the Vectorworks Cloud Services storage. For example, if all your other project files are stored there and you want to store the Morpholio files at the same place. If you prefer iCloud, it is an equivalent alternative. No Nomad is needed in this case.

[E|FA]

12 minutes ago, inikolova said:

You need to use Nomad only if you want your file to be saved on the Vectorworks Cloud Services storage.

I think I'm getting it.  I don't need to shuttle either the VW OBJ file or the Morpholio PDF file through the Nomad app. Once the Nomad app is installed on the iPad, I can use the Nomad folder in the iOS Files app as a way to access my VW Cloud Services files & folders.  Correct?  If so, this will be the workflow I will plan on using.  

[inikolova]

1 minute ago, E|FA said:

Once the Nomad app is installed on the iPad, I can use the Nomad folder in the iOS Files app as a way to access my VW Cloud Services files & folders.  Correct?

Exactly!

[LDraminski]

Hello all,

If anyone is currently using Morpholio and Vectorworks as part of their design workflow, we would love to hear from you.  You can reach me here on the Forum, or by email at ldraminski@vectorworks.net.

Thanks so much!

Lee

[E|FA]

@LDraminski I use Morpholio Trace & VW, transferring PDFs via Mac/iOS Airdrop.   My intent is to add the workflow described earlier in this thread of transferring OBJ files via VW Cloud or iCloud at some point.  Let me know if you have any questions or recommendations.

[Ron Kwaske]

I use Morpholio and Vectorworks all of the time.  I've nearly eliminated all paper from the office, -sketching and taking notes digitally.  At the start of a project, I document existing conditions to scale in Morpholio, then, export to PDF and import to Vectorworks.  I then scale the sketch, and 'trace' it in Vectorworks.  What I really like about this process is that by having the sketch on its own design layer, I also have written notes and observations for immediate reference - really helpful for renovation work.  I also use Morpholio to take a photo to then markup exact field conditions.  Finally, as a project is being fully developed in Vectorworks - I then like to export to PDF back into Morpholio where I can verify dimensions, and take notes.  It becomes a very efficient and circular process.  

Sketch.pdf hvvac.pdf Markup.pdf

[cberg]

I had a lot of trouble finding a 3D VW export file format that imports into Morpholio Trace. I wanted to do some studies of this garden gate. I tried every 3d file format, and either Morpholio Trace would not import the file, or I got a message saying that the objects needed to be converted to meshes. (Some of the horizontal beams are framing members.)

 

I ran out of energy and never figured out how to import the 3d model into Morpholio. I thought the geometry and scale of the VW Model would have been appropriate for this type of export. If anybody has tips for successful 3d import, let me know. Otherwise, I will stick to images.

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by cberg

[Luis M Ruiz]

Try STL format

[cberg]

Thank you.  Stl is the correct way to import.

 

[elepp]

Now that Vectorworks supports the usd file format, I am curious how that could improve the file exchange between VW and Morpholio. Did anyone have the possibility to try it it yet?

[Tom W.]

On 5/20/2022 at 7:56 PM, LDraminski said:

Hello all,

If anyone is currently using Morpholio and Vectorworks as part of their design workflow, we would love to hear from you.  You can reach me here on the Forum, or by email at ldraminski@vectorworks.net.

Thanks so much!

Lee

 

It would be great to see some more examples of how people are using Morpholio in conjunction with VW. I can see how the app is useful for sketching/note-taking/annotating VW models/PDFs on site as described by @Ron Kwaske + others above but are people using it to produce presentation material i.e. imagery they are presenting on sheet layers alongside VW VPs? So perhaps importing a VW VP in order to augment/enhance it or creating views from scratch using imported VW material as a guide/background which is then deleted?

[E|FA]

Not VW related, but I’ve started using Trace to redmark shop drawing PDFs.  I can make my rough notes on one layer, clean them up on another, delete the first, and export.  

[Tom W.]

On 5/2/2023 at 6:46 PM, E|FA said:

Not VW related, but I’ve started using Trace to redmark shop drawing PDFs.  I can make my rough notes on one layer, clean them up on another, delete the first, and export.  

 

Thanks @E|FA so does that mean you didn't pursue the VW > OBJ > Morpholio workflow?

[E|FA]

I've done a bit of that.  Haven't had the need much recently.