topography changing graphics

[David Homer]

Hi All,

 

I have, for the first time ever, used a surveyors drawing to compose a site in Vectorworks. After much trial and error I managed to get a site which I was rather happy with. I modelled the site in its own project file. I then copied the site and pasted it into the project file with the modelled building. as soon as I did this my entire model is no longer displaying correctly. although still in the correct place walls, beams etc. seem to be fractured. I have added two images to help explain what I mean. Can anyone tell me what I did wrong or how to correct this?

[Tamsin Slatter]

I can't see the rulers in your screenshot, but could the geometry be a large distance from the internal origin of the file? This will cause problems like this.

To verify, run Tools > Origin > Locate Internal Origin.

If your geometry disappears to a micro-dot, it's probably a long distance from the origin.

 

In an ideal project, the geometry will be close to the internal origin, but will have the project coordination point in the user (world) coordinate system overlaid onto this point. 

If you have a pre-agreed project coordination point, take a record of the coordinates of this point on the site, and then move everything close to the internal origin.

You can set the coordinates using Tools > Origin and then choose Next Mouse Click is and type the X and Y coordinates of the project coordination point into the fields. Click OK, and then click on the internal origin.

If you have a series of files referenced together, you will need to repeat this process in all the files. Ideally, the internal origin will have the same project coordination point overlaid onto it.

 

If you just have one file, and are not planning any referencing, and you don't have a pre-agreed coordination point, use the Stake tool to report the Northing and Easting of a known point on your site (the corner of a building for example.). Make a note of this.

Then run Tools > Origin > Center Drawing on Internal origin. This will center everything.

Then use Tools > Origin and Next Mouse click as described above to set the coordinates of the known point on the building.

 

I hope this helps.

 

[David Homer]

@Tamsin Slatter  Thanks you so much! I'm not sure I completely understand how this worked but the problem has been resolved. After centering everything and setting the co ordinates as you described, nothing changed and I thought the problem persisted. however I saved the project and when I reopened it the graphics were back to normal. Thanks again for the help.

[Tamsin Slatter]

Oh I'm so pleased!