Vectorworks Preferences, Revisited

[Neil Barman]

When a new version of Vectorworks arrives on my computer, even before I get too far into its new or enhanced features, I dive into the Vectorworks Preferences. These preferences control a number of aspects that make my Vectorworks installation work for me and feel like it’s my design workshop, no matter what file I’m working in. (If you’re wondering if I ever simply want to import my preferences from the previous version to the new version, I typically don’t. I like having a hands-on approach here and it really takes very little time to do.)

 

First, I revisit the Vectorworks Preferences that I am quite familiar with and adjust some of my “old favourites” (listed below). When doing so, I always give them a second thought, ensuring that I truly do want to set them as I am. Workflows can evolve and change over time, so I want to make sure that my Vectorworks Preferences are set the best way possible for the way I work now, not just for how I decided they should be set many years ago.

 

Next, I like to see what preferences have been added in the new version of Vectorworks. As vital as it may seem to set certain longtime prefs to my liking, it is actually this second step that is far more important – often a new preference will reveal aspects of a larger new feature that has been introduced. And it is the mindset of being open to new features and new ways of working that will help improve one’s design practice. I have found that this is an incredibly important approach to have as the digital tools of our practice evolve.

 

So with that said, I wanted to share a list of the Vectorworks Preferences I adjust –and why I adjust them– so that you can get a better sense of perhaps how you too can take control of your Vectorworks experience.

 

Edit > Offset Duplications = Unchecked

Why I adjust this pref: Even though duplicating an object can replicate the last distance & direction I moved an object by Option-Drag (Ctrl-Drag on Win), I like my duplicated objects to “stay put” until I do something with them.

 

Edit > Arrow Keys > Pan > Disabled

Why I adjust this pref: The ways that one can change the view of their design have evolved so much over the years that I never find I never want to navigate this way... plus I don’t want to press an arrow key by accident and chance my view, thereby disrupting my train of thought.

 

Session > Create new Document on Startup = Unchecked

Why I adjust this pref: I rarely need a brand new, blank document available at my fingertips the moment I fire up Vectorworks. I’m usually working on an existing file, so I prefer to save myself the time of having to close the newly created document.

 

Session > Display Classes in pop-up menus hierarchically = Unchecked

Why I adjust this pref: This is very much just a personal preference, but I like seeing the entire Class name on one line, both in the pop-up menus and in the Navigation Palette and Organization dialog window (so I switch off hierarchical view there too.)

 

Session > Maximum number of Undos > 42

Why I adjust this pref: I like to experiment and sometimes I need to “back out” of what I’m doing a lot. Plus, if it can be the answer to life, the universe, and everything, it must be a good number of undo’s.

 

3D > Render mode... > OpenGL

Why I adjust this pref: I like my solids looking solid in 3D, the moment I switch from Top/Plan to a 3D view.

 

3D > View... > Normal Perspective

Why I adjust this pref: The view looks more realistic than the default orthogonal view.

 

Autosave = NN Operations, custom single location

Why I adjust this pref: I find that having the autosave interval set to “operations” (no matter how many it is) rather than “minutes” means that Vectorworks will wait until I complete my action before saving, instead of potential saving while I am mid-action. I opt for a single backup location of my choosing in order to keep each of my project folders as “light” as possible; I have only a single backup folder that I need to manage and clean out when I tidy up old backups.

 

Interactive > Interactive Appearance Settings… Object Highlighting-Pre-selection-Active Layer = Green

Why I adjust this pref: I find it useful to differentiate between what I am about to select versus what I currently have selected.

 

That’s my list. I’ve found it only takes about a minute to set all of those prefs to my liking. 

 

Now, I’m not saying that you should change your Vectorworks Preferences to match mine. What I do recommend, however, is that whether you are a new or a long-time user, you take some time to look through yours and fine-tune Vectorworks to work for you.

 

If you have a Vectorworks Preference that you adjust for a particular reason, perhaps share below which preference it is and how & why you adjust it.

 

[bcd]

Thanks for this Niel,

My process is very similar to this - eerily so. I prefer 3d Orthogonal however but otherwise...

 

I like to work with Full Screen Cursor, especially when providing training - it allows students to follow the action better:

Tools>Options>Vectorworks Preferences

>Interactive>Full Screen Cursor

 

24 minutes ago, Neil Barman said:

Autosave = NN Operations, custom single location

Here I turn OFF confirm before save - I always want this backup but not the interruption.

I keep 2 or 3 backups - its easy to cull unwanted backups when they're all stored in the same folder.

It's also easier to recover a file after a crash by comparing the last saved version to the last auto-saved backup and picking the more recent.

 

I also like to turn on - among others - the QuickPref button Show Other Objects While in Edit Modes.

It can be very handy when editing Groups, Annotations, Symbols etc to see or hide surrounding geometry

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by bcd

[markdd]

In Interactive settings, I change Active Layer Pre-selection and Selection highlighting to Green and Inactive Layer Pre-selection and Selection highlighting to Red.

 

This helps make sure that I am immediately aware of when I am working on, or have created something on an incorrect layer.

[Peter Neufeld]

Dear Neil,

Here are my essentials:

 

Interactive

Cursor Pre Selection Highlighting Timer: Set to 5 seconds

Nothing more annoying than everything highlighting as you move the mouse across a busy plan.

 

Interactive appearance settings

(So you can easily see the difference between the two)

Object Highlighting active layer: Blue

Object Highlighting - Pre Selection - Active layer: Green

and 

General Editing Modes Border: Red

(So you can more readily see when you're editing something).

 

Selection and Snap box size made slightly smaller.

 

Autosave:

Off (unless I am working on a job in which case it's set to 20 operations and 5 back ups).

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

[Christiaan]

Excellent advice Neil, thanks.

 

On 9/15/2019 at 7:30 PM, Neil Barman said:

Edit > Offset Duplications = Unchecked

Why I adjust this pref: Even though duplicating an object can replicate the last distance & direction I moved an object by Option-Drag (Ctrl-Drag on Win), I like my duplicated objects to “stay put” until I do something with them.

 

One little trick to have it both ways on this one is to check Allow option-click in-place duplication, which allows you to duplicate an object in place—even with Offset duplications checked—by holding down the option key down when clicking an object. This way you have both options available without too much thought. I'm still trying to get used to this myself but it's an option.

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by Christiaan

[RussU]

I tend to leave the option off, because when I lay up for CNC, a duplicate object just wastes machine time.

The alternatives I use is to have something with a 30% opaque fill, so if objects are doubled up, they're visibly darker and easy to weed out. Instead I use Copy->paste in place, so I can control exactly when I get an in-place duplicate.... option/alt clicking is too easy to create duplicates sometimes. (But I guess it's all about your personal workflow!)

Edited September 16, 2019 by RussU

[Christiaan]

15 hours ago, Neil Barman said:

Interactive > Interactive Appearance Settings… Object Highlighting-Pre-selection-Active Layer = Green

Why I adjust this pref: I find it useful to differentiate between what I am about to select versus what I currently have selected.

 

Love this one!

[Christiaan]

7 hours ago, Peter Neufeld said:

Interactive

Cursor Pre Selection Highlighting Timer: Set to 5 seconds

Nothing more annoying than everything highlighting as you move the mouse across a busy plan.

 

Cor that's a long time to wait for pre-selection though

[Peter Neufeld]

Exactly - personal preference after all. I think with the Force Select contextual menu option (and now live data viz!) it's easier than ever to know where you are - layer wise.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[FlyingHoward]

@Neil Barman All good suggestions for me, and especially for your reference [intended or not] to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

 

"Session > Maximum number of Undos > 42

Why I adjust this pref: I like to experiment and sometimes I need to “back out” of what I’m doing a lot. Plus, if it can be the answer to life, the universe, and everything, it must be a good number of undo’s."

Plus I do find this setting quite useful to me.

 

Mark

[bcd]

22 minutes ago, Mark Mosher said:

"Session > Maximum number of Undos > 42

This one I change depending on the file and the operations. My default is 20

In complex files with intensive tasks I like to keep this low 2-9 to improve VW's performance and bump it back up again for general use.

[Christiaan]

Doe maximum undos really have a significant effect on performance? I have it set to 100.

[zoomer]

^ same here,

at least 64 Undos.

In any of those Apps that need such a setting.

[Neil Barman]

I must say, I am really enjoying and appreciating all of the feedback that has been posted so far. It is making me think about modifying some of my prefs and techniques. Please do keep sharing your preference settings and your reasons for setting them as you do.

 

Many thanks!

[Guest Wes Gardner]

Not really a preference but...Apple V = Paste In Place - because that's the way I am...

I leave "Paste" as a drop-down so that I know that I'm intentionally NOT pasting in place

 

In the "old days", did the number of Undos have a memory usage component?

 

Just as an aside...I do alot of demonstrations, training, etc. where I need to represent "what ships" so my workspace is "stock" - no smoke and mirrors...I also run the "shipping build"...

 

Wes

 

[Boh]

13 hours ago, RussU said:

I tend to leave the option off, because when I lay up for CNC, a duplicate object just wastes machine time.

The purge command has an option to delete in place duplicates so you could run that prior to exporting.

[Boh]

Great thread and nice to see others tweaking their machines in much the same way as me. The interactive appearance suggestions are awesome! Thanks.

[Peter Neufeld]

8 hours ago, Christiaan said:

Doe maximum undos really have a significant effect on performance? I have it set to 100.

 

It is my understanding in tech support that it will have an effect on performance. When you think about it, the program has to 'remember' all those steps. Like grouping incessantly within groups, it's just inefficient. However I am not an engineer but this is what I have been told. The other thing is that for bug testing it is very difficult to know the cause of a crash if you have so many undos. We always recommend keeping the default number at 20. I remember the old days when we only had one!

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Matt Overton]

When NNA's own staff start and foster threads like this....Is it not time to say damn legacy?

We should build a new from scratch "Best Practice" workspace and make that the default.

 

Those who want to keep the legacy or their own version of best practice.

It really would go a long way to improving the reception of the product if the day to day working used the best it had to offer on the easiest to reach key commands.

 

Lost track how many times I've said while training people. "You should use ... it's just command-option-shift-control-escape then hit..."

[Christiaan]

9 hours ago, Peter Neufeld said:

I remember the old days when we only had one!

 

😱

[Francois Levy]

On 9/15/2019 at 10:15 PM, Peter Neufeld said:

Interactive

Cursor Pre Selection Highlighting Timer: Set to 5 seconds

Nothing more annoying than everything highlighting as you move the mouse across a busy plan.

 

On 9/16/2019 at 5:33 AM, Christiaan said:

 

Cor that's a long time to wait for pre-selection though

 

I set mine to about 0.6 seconds; seems to be long enough to avoid everything lighting up like a pinball machine, but not too long to wait if you want the highlighting.

[Neil Barman]

1 hour ago, Francois Levy said:

I set mine to about 0.6 seconds; seems to be long enough to avoid everything lighting up like a pinball machine, but not too long to wait if you want the highlighting.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, François. I was just looking for the "sweet spot" and, though I love pinball in machine form, I don't want to see it all day on-screen... a 0.6s delay is great! 

[Neil Barman]

Today would be a good day to open up your Vectorworks Preferences and take a look around... That is, after you install Vectorworks 2021 of course 😉

[Neil Barman]

It certainly has a been a while since I gave this thread a bump!

In Vectorworks 2024 there was a significant addition to the Vectorworks Preferences... The General pane. If you haven't yet explored it, I recommend checking it out.