Michelvh Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Hoping to find some step by step help with this because after reading the help topics and watching youtube videos I still don't get it The ah ha light is not coming on for me. Old dog, new tricks. I have been using VW constantly since 2012 designing exhibits and doing production drawings for 2000 sq ft trade show booths and 5000 sq ft hands-on museum spaces but I'm usually too busy to think about more than I absolutely need to get drawings from pretty pictures into the shop. I want to be able to do what is shown in the image from a vendor below and I know VW can do it. I'm on 2020 Let's say I have all of the parts as symbols in one of my Favorites. I start a new file and import the parts I need and build this thing (I'll attach a small sample of the right tower) Does the Description import with it? Should I do something in my Favorites file to make it easier for multiple new files? How do I tag the parts and multiples of parts? How do I turn that into the report as shown with quantities and such? Remember step by step because I've spent a good bit of time on this and I'm just not getting it A small sample of the attached file would be great for reverse engineering as well Every thing is an imported Symbol except for the top 4 - 2x2x19 corner extrusions which are the taller symbol pieces converted to solid sections While I have your attention, is there any reason why these types of parts (in 20 x the quantity shown here) would make VW sometimes run as slow as doggie doo doo on a damp day? Free beer when you come to Tampa if you can get me on the right track Bematrix sample file.vwx Quote Link to comment
milezee Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 @Michelvh I had this trouble for a while, just never found the time to sort a simple data tag numbering system out, eventually did it, such a time saver, quite simple too, not time to explain in detail right now, but what i've done is attached a blank file, complete with BOQ Record, BOQ Table, and 2 Data Tags (round tag, and round tag with leader)which will automatically number your symbols with the BOQ record attached. Produces a simple table from the record, all named and numbered to match your data tags, hth Untitled 2.vwx 2 Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 15, 2019 Author Share Posted November 15, 2019 1 minute ago, milezee said: @Michelvh I had this trouble for a while, just never found the time to sort a simple data tag numbering system out, eventually did it, such a time saver, quite simple too, not time to explain in detail right now, but what i've done is attached a blank file, complete with BOQ Record, BOQ Table, and 2 Data Tags (round tag, and round tag with leader)which will automatically number your symbols with the BOQ record attached. Produces a simple table from the record, all named and numbered to match your data tags, hth Untitled 2.vwx 147.12 kB · 0 downloads Thanks I'll check this out. Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 15, 2019 Author Share Posted November 15, 2019 50 minutes ago, Michelvh said: Thanks I'll check this out. 53 minutes ago, milezee said: @Michelvh I had this trouble for a while, just never found the time to sort a simple data tag numbering system out, eventually did it, such a time saver, quite simple too, not time to explain in detail right now, but what i've done is attached a blank file, complete with BOQ Record, BOQ Table, and 2 Data Tags (round tag, and round tag with leader)which will automatically number your symbols with the BOQ record attached. Produces a simple table from the record, all named and numbered to match your data tags, hth Untitled 2.vwx 147.12 kB · 0 downloads Big help I still don't understand it but got it working sort of. So is there a way to automatically populate the list based on the symbol or objects in the file with id tag numbers automatically incremented Datatag test.vwx Quote Link to comment
milezee Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 3 minutes ago, Michelvh said: So is there a way to automatically populate the list based on the symbol or objects in the file with id tag numbers automatically incremented @Michelvh you mean you want to number objects as, 1,2,3,4,5 incrementally ? 1 Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 What you are asking for is kind of big to do a real step by step on. The basic idea of what you need is: Create a Record Format with a text field for the Description. If there are other languages or items that don't change, add those to the record format also. Attach this record to the symbols in your Favorites and add fill in the correct description for each object. Now when you bring an object into a drawing from your favorites the description will come with it. To create the schedule, create a worksheet. Make a database row with a criteria of MyRecord is present (replace MyRecord with the name of your Record Format). In Column B enter a formula of =MyRecord.MyDecription (again you your record and field names). In Column C enter a formula of =Count Click the Disclosure Triangle from Column B and from the dialog box check the Summarize Items. You should now have a worksheet with one row for each symbol that has MyRecord attached and the count of those items in Column C. If you add the Comments field to the record format, you can use a formula in column D of =MyRecord.MyComment and then the comment you type there will be stored in the record for that item. You will have to use some kind of a record.field for the comments or else you won't be able to type them into the worksheet. You won't be able to have different comments for different instances of the same symbol or the worksheet will just display a dash to indicate that there is conflicting data. You could also add a MyRecord.MyPos field. But I don't have a good way to get the bubble and leaders to display on the drawing pointing to the correct parts. If you have custom stuff, just draw it and attach MyRecord and it will show up in the schedule. Ask again if you need more detail. 2 Quote Link to comment
milezee Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 @Michelvh whatever he said above ☝️🤣 because @Pat Stanford is far more skilled than I am 👍, anyway hope the simple BOQ Table got you going in the right direction 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 18, 2019 Author Share Posted November 18, 2019 On 11/17/2019 at 5:48 AM, milezee said: @Michelvh whatever he said above ☝️🤣 because @Pat Stanford is far more skilled than I am 👍, anyway hope the simple BOQ Table got you going in the right direction 🙂 Yes your stuff did give me a ray of hope. I got sort of a feel for it. On to Pat's post now. 1 Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 18, 2019 Author Share Posted November 18, 2019 On 11/16/2019 at 11:48 PM, Pat Stanford said: What you are asking for is kind of big to do a real step by step on. The basic idea of what you need is: Create a Record Format with a text field for the Description. If there are other languages or items that don't change, add those to the record format also. Attach this record to the symbols in your Favorites and add fill in the correct description for each object. Now when you bring an object into a drawing from your favorites the description will come with it. To create the schedule, create a worksheet. Make a database row with a criteria of MyRecord is present (replace MyRecord with the name of your Record Format). In Column B enter a formula of =MyRecord.MyDecription (again you your record and field names). In Column C enter a formula of =Count Click the Disclosure Triangle from Column B and from the dialog box check the Summarize Items. You should now have a worksheet with one row for each symbol that has MyRecord attached and the count of those items in Column C. If you add the Comments field to the record format, you can use a formula in column D of =MyRecord.MyComment and then the comment you type there will be stored in the record for that item. You will have to use some kind of a record.field for the comments or else you won't be able to type them into the worksheet. You won't be able to have different comments for different instances of the same symbol or the worksheet will just display a dash to indicate that there is conflicting data. You could also add a MyRecord.MyPos field. But I don't have a good way to get the bubble and leaders to display on the drawing pointing to the correct parts. If you have custom stuff, just draw it and attach MyRecord and it will show up in the schedule. Ask again if you need more detail. Ok so here I am asking. I got milezee's file, modified it a bit and it does just what I want to do for starters. Printed report with tags. I made my own (Mikes data test) and thought I followed what you said and no go. Made it very similar to milezee no go The worksheet and the Record format seem to have a failure to communicate What am I missing ? Thanks for your help Mikes data test 2.vwx DataTag Test.vwx Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 I think the criteria for your database is wrong. Right click on the row header for row 2. Choose Edit Criteria. When I opened your file it was Name is BeMatrix (or something like that). That will only return a single object as names in VW must be unique. Change the criteria to Record is bmp and click ok. You might have to recalculate the worksheet to get it to show properly. Long term you might need to add other criteria most likely Layer is Cabinet-1 because the database will return both the version on the design layer plus each representation of the object in a viewport. HTH. 1 Quote Link to comment
Boh Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 This is a nice thread and I understand almost everything! On 11/16/2019 at 11:13 AM, milezee said: On 11/16/2019 at 11:09 AM, Michelvh said: So is there a way to automatically populate the list based on the symbol or objects in the file with id tag numbers automatically incremented @Michelvh you mean you want to number objects as, 1,2,3,4,5 incrementally ? My understanding is that you can do incrementing number tags but they would not become part of the "ID" record field of the object being tagged so it is trickier to get this incrementing number into a worksheet (as the worksheet is typically reporting on the object records not the tag). I've got another thread trying to suss something similar here (along with a few other things): Great contribution (once again) by @Pat Stanford. The bit I didn't get at all was this: On 11/17/2019 at 5:48 PM, Pat Stanford said: You could also add a MyRecord.MyPos field. But I don't have a good way to get the bubble and leaders to display on the drawing pointing to the correct parts. Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted November 19, 2019 Share Posted November 19, 2019 @Boh the part you don't get is just that it would be nice to be able to automatically generate the ID bubble for each part. I don't know of a way to do that that would not take more work to clean up the locations so they are not overlapping or blocking the view of something else than to do it manually. You could use the MyPos field to store the position number for each type of part. But getting the correct number onto the drawing would be a challenge to automate. 1 Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 19, 2019 Author Share Posted November 19, 2019 (edited) 17 hours ago, Pat Stanford said: I think the criteria for your database is wrong. Right click on the row header for row 2. Choose Edit Criteria. When I opened your file it was Name is BeMatrix (or something like that). That will only return a single object as names in VW must be unique. Change the criteria to Record is bmp and click ok. You might have to recalculate the worksheet to get it to show properly. Long term you might need to add other criteria most likely Layer is Cabinet-1 because the database will return both the version on the design layer plus each representation of the object in a viewport. HTH. That worked thanks Maybe I know enough to do it again now. I'll have to work on it again in the morning soot doesn't fall out of my brain. So if I put the same record format in my big favorites file where I store my symbols and attach the symbols and I include that record format and the worksheet in my new file template that should make it work on my future files as well right? Edited November 19, 2019 by Michelvh Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 19, 2019 Author Share Posted November 19, 2019 22 hours ago, Pat Stanford said: I think the criteria for your database is wrong. Right click on the row header for row 2. Choose Edit Criteria. When I opened your file it was Name is BeMatrix (or something like that). That will only return a single object as names in VW must be unique. Change the criteria to Record is bmp and click ok. You might have to recalculate the worksheet to get it to show properly. Long term you might need to add other criteria most likely Layer is Cabinet-1 because the database will return both the version on the design layer plus each representation of the object in a viewport. HTH. Sorry to be a bother but . . . Record and worksheet and objects on the page in " mike's data test" all seem to be coordinated and interacting but my data tags all come in blank, unlike in the "datatag test" file where they automatically get the same number as they have in the record format. What am I doing wrong? DataTag Test.vwx Mikes data test 2.vwx Quote Link to comment
Boh Posted November 19, 2019 Share Posted November 19, 2019 (edited) The record the tag is looking for has to be the same as the one attached to the objects. In Mike's Data Test edit the tag style so it uses the bmp record which is the record attached to the objects in the file. If you wantto use the "BOQ's Record" instead of the "bmp" record then don't change the tag, rather in the RM change the name of the record format to "BOQ's Record" as well as change the Worsksheet criteria to search for this record. 2019-11-20 08-42-34.mp4 Edited November 19, 2019 by Boh 2 Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted November 19, 2019 Share Posted November 19, 2019 As @Boh says, all of the data has to match. The worksheet brings in data from the Record that you have specified. If you enter a column formula that references a Record Format that is not attached to the object specified by the Criteria you will not get any results. The Database Criteria (set in the row header) determined what objects in the drawing show up in the database subrows. The Database Formulas (set in the database header row cells) determine what data for the subrow object is displayed. If you want to display data from a Record.Field, then that Record has to be attached to the object. You will get the default data for a freshly connected record (or a newly placed symbol). As soon as you change the data in a field (either in the worksheet or in the Data pane of the OIP) then that revised data applies to only that symbol instance. (unless you have a Summarized column which will let you change the value of all the combined subrows at the same time or you select multiple subrows and paste in new data where the data will go to all the subrows selected). 3 Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 19, 2019 Author Share Posted November 19, 2019 It's easy when you know how. Worked like a charm of course. Seems like I should do my tagging on the sheet layer as opposed to the design layer? Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted November 19, 2019 Share Posted November 19, 2019 The worksheet does not care except that it reports both the object on the design layer and an object for each viewport it is visible in by default. You can work around that limitation by properly specifying your database criteria to only show objects on the design layer(s) or sheet layer(s) you are interested in. 1 Quote Link to comment
Michelvh Posted November 20, 2019 Author Share Posted November 20, 2019 Thanks again to all who helped. I figured that last part myself Pat. That's one for me. 1 Quote Link to comment
Marc Davies Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 @Pat Stanford Is there an easy way to do a "fill down" entry to assign incrementing numbers to a database field and thereby add ID numbers to the records? Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Not as easily as in Excel. There is no equivalent in a VW worksheet as Paste Values in Excel. So while you can use a formula like =A1+1 to make an incremented list, you get the formula instead of the values in the paste. The following script creates a new worksheet with a user selectable number of rows of incremented numbers you can copy/paste from here as necessary to get your increments. If this is something you do often, it could be rescripted to put sequential numbers into a selected range of database subrows, but that is beyond my time for today. This runs quickly with 50 rows. With 4090 (the max I can get it to display) it takes a couple of seconds to generate the worksheet. This script creates a new worksheet named Incremented Numbers with the date/time appended every time it is run. So you can trash the old versions you no longer need. Or run it once and keep the the worksheet around to copy from when you need a range of numbers. Sorry for not having a better answer. Procedure CreateIncrementedNumbers; {Creates a worksheet with a list of numbers that can be copied/pasted} {into a database to provide incremented numbers.} {December 26, 2019} {January 30, 2008} {© 2008, 2019, Coviana, Inc - Pat Stanford pat@coviana.com} {Licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License} Var H1 ,H2 :Handle; S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 :String; N1,N2, N3 :Integer; WSH :Handle; B1 :Boolean; Begin N1:=IntDialog('Number of incremented numbers to create. Max=4090', '50'); S1:='Incremented Numbers'; N2:=1; S3:=''; WSH:=CreateWS(Concat(S1,' ',Date(2,1)),N1+4,1); SetWSPlacement(WSH,200,200,800,850); SetWSColumnWidth(WSH,1,1,200); SetWSCellFormula(WSH,1,1,1,1,Concat(S1)); SetWSCellFormula(WSH,2,1,2,1,Concat('Max Number: ',N1)); While N2<=N1 Do Begin {populate the worksheet with all the fields} S3:=Num2Str(0,N2); SetWSCellFormula(WSH,N2+3,1,N2+3,1,S3); N2:=N2+1; end; ShowWS(WSH,True); SetTopVisibleWS(WSH); SetWSSelection(WSH, 4,1,4,1,0,N1+3,1,0); End; Run(CreateIncrementedNumbers); 1 Quote Link to comment
Marc Davies Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 Many thanks for this Pat. 26th December! I hope your Christmas holidays were not interrupted by my query. All the best for the New Year. I will work through your example and see where this gets me. Regards Marc Davies Quote Link to comment
Bill McGarvin Posted April 22, 2023 Share Posted April 22, 2023 This is an old thread but are the BeMatrix panels mentioned here in the Vectorworks Library? Can't find them anywhere. 1 Quote Link to comment
MartinBlomberg Posted September 26, 2023 Share Posted September 26, 2023 On 4/22/2023 at 3:40 PM, Bill McGarvin said: This is an old thread but are the BeMatrix panels mentioned here in the Vectorworks Library? Can't find them anywhere. I'm on the same search. Any luck? Quote Link to comment
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