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3D Plant Styles in 2D Elevation


StephHill

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Hi,

I am new to Vectorworks and have purchased the 2019 VW Renderworks software to use on an iMac for garden design purposes, I am finishing off my GD diploma. I am self-taught on Vectorworks so please bear with me. 

 

I have created an elevation design layer on a 2D plan from my master plan (separate design layer), drawn guidelines and a boundary fence.The problem is I can't create 3D images from the 2D plants and trees I have used along the boundary line. I can see the 3D plant images with 'open GL preview' against the images in the plant preferences. 

 

I have found 'open GL preview' on the far right drop-down arrow at the top menu bar and after selecting this option, the screen changes colour and the 2D plant images disappear. I'm then promoted to import the resource and either preserve the file hierarchy or create a new one. I have selected preserve file hierarchy and then click on my elevation but nothing happens. Am I on the right track?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thank-you!

 

Steph

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Hi Steph. Welcome to the forum! A signature showing your vwx version and a description of your hardware is often helpful with troubleshooting. Create this in your forum account settings. 

 

Some ideas:

1.  The plant might be present but is invisible because its class or layer is set to invisible. Toggle the class/layer to visible in Navigation or Organization palette.

 

2.  If still not visible make a new test file. Select and copy one of your plants that is not visible in 3d. Paste it into a new blank vwx file (name it Plant Test) and leave the plant selected. Render the new file in OpenGL. Switch the drawing to Front view and click the Zoom to Objects button up in the View Bar. This should display the 3d plant. If nothing visible, note the class designation in the Object Palette. Open the navigation or organization palette class tab and verify that the plant class is set to visible. If plant is not visible post the test file here. 

 

3.  The plants are underneath your “elevation layer” ( not sure what you mean by this. Is it a site model/terrain?) and therefore hidden. Select the plants and apply the Send to Surface command (available if a site model is present). Or move the plants onto the terrain via Front or Side View, Screen Plane, drag.

 

 Post back if none of this is helpful 

-B

 

 

 

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Hi Benson,

 

Still no joy, I have uploaded a test files as per your advice.

 

The plants along my boundary line are simply plants either side of a fence on my master plan. I am therefore trying to represent these plants on my elevation in the same way as I would do if I was drawing by hand and projecting up from my master plan. 

 

Would it be helpful if I sent the elevation I am working on?

 

Thanks,

 

Steph

Plant test.vwx

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Hi

Is your "elevation" layer a 2D drafted elevation? I'm guessing this because you mention drawing guidelines from your plan.
If it's 2D only, then the plants you've used within the Plant tool will not show. If your entire garden was made from 2D/3D objects (Plants, Walls, Site Model, Hardscapes, then these would have both 2D and 3D properties, and you would just be able to create an elevation view in a viewport.

 

But, if it's 2D, don't worry, there are many 2D plant objects in the Resource Manager, that you can simply place in your 2D elevation. In the Resource Manager search box, type:

Xfrog AND Elev

(Exactly like that, with AND in caps).

This will show you a huge range of 2D images of plants that you can drop into your elevation.

 

If you haven't found it yet, I recommend you take a look at the newly launched Vectorworks University. Click the button for Vectorworks Landmark and you'll find some excellent, free, course material there to help you. If you're already comfortable with the Basics, I recommend you take a look at Site Design to discover all the wonderful tools that will give you simultaneous 2D and 3D.

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Hi Tamsin,

 

Thank-you! yes, my elevation is in 2D, I have rotated my master plan, created an elevation design layer and just drawn guidelines from one side of the 'greyed-out' image of my master plan.

I will check out the Resource Manager for 2D plant objects for elevations.  

Thanks again,

Steph

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Thank a lot Tamsin, I've found the 2D plant objects and have already incorporated one of them into my elevation! 

Yes, I am very much a beginner and need to improve m VW skills. I just had a quick look at the Vectorworks University and the site design course looks lie it will be really helpful.

 

Thank-you.

 

Steph

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