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Awesome ViewPorts


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The more I use ViewPorts the more wonderful and essential they become. Just yesterday I 'Layer Linked' a 2D Col. Grid onto a 3D Truss design layer. Then created a ViewPort >isometric view and ...viola' ... the 2D grid transformed into a 3D Grid and laid down under my 3D rendered trusses. Even the dimensions laid down!So Kool ...

I remember when Minicad went 2d/3D and that was GREAT!

ViewPorts are a similar advancement to Vectorworks. Give those guys a raise and send them on a cruise with their entire extended family.

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Okay islandmon

what was all the threads and posts regarding "Death of Vectorworks" etc and contributions in other threads about VW crashing, corruption about.

Many a user, I know I was, became very concerned about what you described as a major underlying fault with Vectorworks that causes and creates continued file corruption.

According to you this was to down to the script language that programmers use to write Vectorworks or some such thing.

I confess to know nothing about scripting, programming or such like. I'm a designer by trade and inclination not a software programmer or software engineer.

You said it existed from way back and you'd reported it many times to Nemetschek. You backed your statement up with the use of exporting the file as vectorscript to prove your point, in fact you've quoted the use of Vectorscript continuously in posts to see corruption and solve problems in corrupt files by editing the script.

Has that all now gone away? If I sounded a bit annoyed its because I am, and somewhat mystified by this somewhat contridication in stance of yours. I was very worried that the file crashing I have experience of was because of this and my livelyhood was at stake !!

One minute your'e saying everybody should be aware of a big problem lurking in VW that's been there for years, some users checking and spending hours and hours looking at files, worrying about future use and multi seat integration, file sharing they have implemented, Travis comes to mind here. Now these same people at Nemetschek should be sent on a cruise.

What gives? Do you detract your statement regarding a major underlying fault in VW as put forward in your Death of Vectorworks thread.

Alan

[ 04-21-2005, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: alanmac ]

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The Viewports seem to be very irregular in this respect, their capacity not fully resolved I would think.

Dims, 2D items and parts of PIOs such as drawing labels will rotate with the model when viewed in 3D (though not perspective), but plain old text with nothing to anchor it, disappears.

Though I've come to take advantage of the fact that 2D items don't rotate in 3D, I've always wondered why.

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Mr. alanmac,

Over the last couple years I've wasted weeks and $$$$ working around various corruptions and sending in bug reports & sample files, etc. Like every other User I've found ways to work around the issues and limit the damages. Printing to PDF is a life saver when you have deadlines.

After 4 tries I managed to get the v11.5 download to install without error. But the result was tragic as i then reported. However, sales sent me the v11.5 CD. I noticed after comparing the two installed directories a different set of updated Plug-in files came with the CD. Also v11.5 CD installed was more stable but is NOT comfortable predictable for guys like me.

Thereafter, I revised my normal workflow to take extra care and respect the limitations. When I get a crash , I decompile my work step by step to isolate the problem. Vectorscript is a tremendous benefit in this regard. Just the other day I reported an issue with the Table&Chair PIO crashing OpenGL under somewhat random circumstances.Export to Vectorscript helped me isolate that bug.

I've also reported that there seems to be a significant improvement in the way v11.5 CD compiles the code as long as all the PIO are up to date including the .ds_store for each directory and the OS, etc.. The installer is a wee bit short on this vital info.

You will also note that recently a special service pack was released to correct significant flaws in VW for XP. Perhaps, OSX is just more forgiving of certain pre-conditions with the dylibs.

As for my Kudos to "Awesome ViewPorts"

There is nothing wrong with giving credit where credit is due. ViewPorts are not perfect in every situation but they are a major step in the right direction and serve to solve many 'challenging' control of display and output issues. Nevertheless, ViewPorts are a module built to access the existing code basis. A flaw in the underlying structure will corrupt/crash the ViewPorts.

"What gives? Do you detract (sic) your statement regarding a major underlying fault in VW as put forward in your death of Vectorworks thread?"

Actually the thread was titled, "Death of Vectorworks?". I put forward the question as to whether or not the additions to the program were getting too far ahead of the core structures ability to handle the arrays and variables. Noting that vectorscript offers a unique but limited window into those structures for those of us who do not have access to the 'crown jewels'.

Perhaps, it would be best if all of us just go blindly into that good night never assessing nor questioning our situation. But I have this compulsive need to analyze and fix

things. Maybe I should've been a Trial attorney instead of an architect : > )

Subsequent to my posting Travis emailed and then called my office and we had a lengthy chat . He is a fine and knowledgible fellow who took the opportunity to seek out a different perspective on issues of mutual concern.

I enjoy participating in these forums. Perhaps my small contributions will help to pay back those who have 'freely' given me so much.

Thank you for your excellent, informative, and inspirational postings.

One final thought > G5, Tiger, VW12 .... rock on !!!!!

islandmon

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Jonathan,

Though it appears that plan dimensions of objects are the only ones that maintain rotation with the object, wouldn't it be as pertinent or more so to have the dims in the drawing layer for 3D views as it would be with any 2d view? If you're dimensioning a nonhorizontal in iso wouldn't you have to fudge it in either case?

Please elaborate as to why it is a better place to have them in the viewport?

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I agree that viewports are a good addition - enabling the ability to also have live elevations, though it would be good to somehow have live sections as well.

I think sheet layers should have the ability to see other layers (like design layers) though - as putting a titleblock on each page is a little cumbersome.

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Patrick,

You can have "live" sections if you'll class your exterior walls separately (and possibly even some interior walls). Turn off/on the walls as needed.

mw,

As discussed before, you can use hatches and patterns as Renderworks textures. They not only keep their orientation, they will also appear correctly in isometric views.

We've taken the "annotate everything in Viewports" approach. As everyone knows, Viewports will benefit from some refinements in future releases, but we've come to the decision to keep the model/design layers and the notes/dimensions/etc. separate. For example, on our framing plans we may dimension to different points than on the floor plans. It's not uncommon to add a few 2D polygons with fills (hatches, solids or patterns) in Annotations to help with the visual presentation.

Good luck all,

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The suggestion to use hatch&patterns as Renderworks textures is excellent and also avoids postscript issues with patterns not converting to PDF. Also, fill patterns on Viewports sheets will not translate to postscript/PDF except as a solid fill.

Avoid FillPat and use image props & textures instead. Viewports allow for unlimited cropping and blocking out which can be great fun : > )

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