pull textures and finishes from class settings or texture assignments in data tags

[grant_PD]

Quoting a conversation I had w/ @Boh

I am however looking for an automated system where the tag is pulling data so whereever it is placed it will self update to display the correct info. The reason is that we are working in teams and having a simple bullet proof system is less prone to errors creeping in whenever something needs revising.

 

I still like my idea of using classes and class descriptions however it falls down as I don't know a way to list in a worksheet the class description of a class of an object. Is this because the worksheet will only list record info of the object not the class of the object?

 

Perhaps there is another way? I already use space  objects for finishes and have an extensive set of codes for floor, wall, ceiling finishes etc. It would be great to be able to use this info but not be tied to using the limited finishes functionality of space objects.

 

This must be a very common issue so I'm sure there are lots of systems people use...

 

Can we please have the ability to get texture assignments listed in a worksheet via a data tag?  I know of no good way to get a material schedule going in this manner.

[Matt Panzer]

Hi Grant,

 

This might do the trick for now:

Here's a simple file containing a worksheet that uses a script to get the Description of the object class.  While this file uses a script within the document, you can run an external script from a worksheet as well.

 

-Matt

Get Class Description in Worksheet.vwx

[drelARCH]

Thats great @Matt Panzer! Thanks for sharing.

Is there then similar way to call up class fill style image? ...as you can see on attachment.

I would like to make automated way to create material key for materials that are present within individual sheet layer page.

 

I might try to tweak script for class description...but I am not familiar with scripting.

Thanks for directing me bit.

[Matt Panzer]

22 hours ago, drelARCH said:

Thats great @Matt Panzer! Thanks for sharing.

Is there then similar way to call up class fill style image? ...as you can see on attachment.

I would like to make automated way to create material key for materials that are present within individual sheet layer page.

 

I might try to tweak script for class description...but I am not familiar with scripting.

Thanks for directing me bit.

 

You mean like this?:

 

No script needed for that.  See attached VWX file.  🙂

 

Get Class Description in Worksheet.vwx

[drelARCH]

Thanks Matt,

Your file is almost there.

What I am after though is bit more complicated. I wish to extract individual components of walls/slabs/roofs objects present in file ...ideally to narrow down to only ones that are seen (on section viewports) on particular sheet.

Anyway, but to be able at least call out every single component in drawing would be of huge benefit to me. I just can't to seem find way how point report criteria to select components and show their class attributes (hatch, tile...and class description).

 

Any thought how to dig out these informations?

Thanks again.

[Matt Panzer]

On 1/22/2020 at 2:46 AM, drelARCH said:

Thanks Matt,

Your file is almost there.

What I am after though is bit more complicated. I wish to extract individual components of walls/slabs/roofs objects present in file ...ideally to narrow down to only ones that are seen (on section viewports) on particular sheet.

Anyway, but to be able at least call out every single component in drawing would be of huge benefit to me. I just can't to seem find way how point report criteria to select components and show their class attributes (hatch, tile...and class description).

 

Any thought how to dig out these informations?

Thanks again.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think that is possible.

[markynydy]

On 1/27/2020 at 11:27 PM, Matt Panzer said:

Unfortunately, I don't think that is possible.

Hello Matt,
 

So I'm applying textures to the walls using imported renderwork textures, Is it possible in vectorworks to data tag the name of the imported renderworks texture file name?

[Matt Panzer]

13 hours ago, markynydy said:

Hello Matt,
 

So I'm applying textures to the walls using imported renderwork textures, Is it possible in vectorworks to data tag the name of the imported renderworks texture file name?

 

Hi Mark,

I don't see how that would be possible because I don't think an imported texture has any information about the file it was imported from.  Perhaps a worksheet script could get the file name if the texture was referenced from the file but I don't think a data tag can do it.

[BartHays]

Similar question, 

 

Is there a way to get Per Face texture names reported to a Data Tag?

It looks to me like it is only Per Object now

 

Bart

[Matt Panzer]

12 hours ago, BartHays said:

Similar question, 

 

Is there a way to get Per Face texture names reported to a Data Tag?

It looks to me like it is only Per Object now

 

Bart

 

This is not currently possible.

[tavbut]

On 12/22/2019 at 11:23 AM, Matt Panzer said:

 

You mean like this?:

 

No script needed for that.  See attached VWX file.  🙂

 

Get Class Description in Worksheet.vwx 515.18 kB · 23 downloads

I'm trying to achieve something like this.. I need to submit/deliver 2 kind of finishing documents to clients: Finish indicators on drawings and finish report by space. Honestly this is a sour topic for me, it's one of the things colleagues from other softwares boast about when comparing to vectorworks and I haven't been able to "defend" myself. I'm hoping the functionality exists and I just don't know how to do it, and if that's the case I apologize in advance for dragging you in... Anyways, I'm going to lay out the way I do these things and the advantages/disadvantages to see if there is a more appropriate way of managing finishing info or any workarounds.

1. Finishing indicators on floorplans, sections and details. That can be done currently with data tag or a callout.

        Advantages: Callout's connection to a database is an excellent way of managing a structured finish catalog. Callout interface is friendly, allows for keynote annotations on drawings and keynote legends (less text on drawings, good).

                              Data tags can be linked to geometry enabling automation/drawing coordination. They can read materials and class descriptions from objects except walls.
        Disadvantages: Callouts - There is no connection to the model info whatsoever, so there is no space for automation or drawing coordination. Collaborating on a database over a cloud based file sharing has been impossible for me.

                                   Data tags - Lacking the ability to read materials/class descriptions from walls or wall components. (i'll leave an image at the bottom for that, data tag calling for material and class description in the bottom row)

2. Finish worksheet by space/room. I'm currently doing this using the space object.

         Advantages: Finish categorization by constructive element (wall, floor, ceiling). Database workflow. It's great for the space planning stage, but not so great for detailing and documentation stage.

         Disadvantages: No connection to the model info(no automation/drawing coordination). Independent database, no relation with the callout's database, so there's the need for maintaining and coordinating 2 separate databases/finish catalogs.

 

Here's the ideal workflow from my point of view:
Model objects, assign materials, annotate drawings in viewports with data tags that can read surface or components materials for all objects, and then some sort of code that can report the materials being used by space (I think this part may be tricky). The key ideas here are: Collaboration capabilities, drawing coordination (model to annotation to worsheet or other type of report), reporting (by project, by space).

 

If anyone has an idea on how to accomplish this, PLEASE let me know, and thanks in advance.

 

Edited March 16 by tavbut

[Tom W.]

15 hours ago, tavbut said:

Data tags can be linked to geometry enabling automation/drawing coordination. They can read materials and class descriptions from objects except walls.

 

#WS_COMPONENTMATERIAL(1)# will return the name of the Material used by the first component in a Wall (or Roof, Roof Face, Slab). You will need to make separate Data Tags for each of the other components i.e. a (2) version, a (3) version, etc depending on how many components are involved. Or combine them all in a single multi-line tag. You are tagging the Wall object as a whole rather than the individual components, then telling the tag which part of the Wall you're interested in.

 

#WS_MATPROPERTYBYNAME(COMPONENTMATERIAL(1), 'materialdescription')# will return the 'Description' field of the Material used by the first component in a Wall (or Roof, Roof Face, Slab). The same thing applies about needing a new formula for each component. 

 

I don't think there's a way to return the 'Description' field for the Class a Wall component in is... But if you use Materials do you need to? Just use classes for visibility.

 

For me, the disadvantage of Data Tags is not that there isn't the formulae to return all the data you want, it's that much of the time you struggle to make the association with the object in order for the formula to work. Section Viewports (in my experience) are a complete nightmare: often the tag wants to associate with every other object in the model (including invisible ones) instead of the one that's front + centre + will either only make the association if you're willing to place the tag in some inconvenient location off to the side or it simply won't do it at all. If you don't have your wits about you you will think it's associated with your object as it's in the right place + is displaying data, but when you check you realise the data is incorrect + the association is actually with an invisible object behind!

 

Top/Plan VPs are far more successful but I've given up trying to tag Wall/Slab/Roof components in section VPs. It's a real shame but I appreciate it's complex from an engineering point of view. Superficially, a section VP which is just displaying the cut plane seems to be the same animal as a Top/Plan VP but they are completely different of course.

[tavbut]

@Tom W. I can't thank you enough for your response. I agree on using classes just for visibilities. I'll try these functions soon, and probably encounter the same issues with section viewports. In fact, now that I think of it, I already have. Data tagging door and window objects do that too, the tags attach to objects that are not visible in the section viewport and that is REALLY annoying (using both collective and individual tagging). Also when tagging space objects the same happens. It is very tricky to tag space objects one by one so I tend to use collective tagging, but then you have to decipher which is the tag that corresponds to the space shown in that part of the viewport. Depending on the project that often means you'll end up getting a bunch of data tags on top of each other, move them one by one to see which one is the right one and delete all others...complete nightmare indeed.

 

It would be wonderfull if data tags had the ability to just attach to visible objects.

 

 

[Tom W.]

46 minutes ago, tavbut said:

Also when tagging space objects the same happens. It is very tricky to tag space objects one by one

 

Do you mean in section VPs rather than Top/Plan? I'm not sure I've ever tagged a Space in section but never had any problems in Top/Plan. Even with two overlapping spaces.

 

47 minutes ago, tavbut said:

I tend to use collective tagging, but then you have to decipher which is the tag that corresponds to the space shown in that part of the viewport.

 

Yes, using All Eligible Objects mode was what was recommended to me in section VPs but you just end up with hundreds of tags needing deleting + it can be very hard to know which tags relate to the visible objects + which to hidden objects e.g.:

 

Ironically, in section VPs I've found it quicker + easier (+ in many cases actually the only viable option) to manually tag the objects, effectively using a Data Tag like a Callout.

 

I discussed this issue with @Nikolay Zhelyazkov six months ago + he said: "I will add an enhancement request in our database with your file so that this kind of views can be considered to be supported better in the future. The first thing that comes to my mind is to have another tool mode that shows you a dialog with all eligible objects with some relevant data and lets you select which of them to tag. What do you think about this, would it fit well in your workflow? Anyway, this is just my initial thought. There might be better approaches for this, so we will see."

 

Be interesting to know if there's been any movement on this...Nikolay?

 

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

14 hours ago, Tom W. said:

 

Do you mean in section VPs rather than Top/Plan? I'm not sure I've ever tagged a Space in section but never had any problems in Top/Plan. Even with two overlapping spaces.

 

 

Yes, using All Eligible Objects mode was what was recommended to me in section VPs but you just end up with hundreds of tags needing deleting + it can be very hard to know which tags relate to the visible objects + which to hidden objects e.g.:

 

Ironically, in section VPs I've found it quicker + easier (+ in many cases actually the only viable option) to manually tag the objects, effectively using a Data Tag like a Callout.

 

I discussed this issue with @Nikolay Zhelyazkov six months ago + he said: "I will add an enhancement request in our database with your file so that this kind of views can be considered to be supported better in the future. The first thing that comes to my mind is to have another tool mode that shows you a dialog with all eligible objects with some relevant data and lets you select which of them to tag. What do you think about this, would it fit well in your workflow? Anyway, this is just my initial thought. There might be better approaches for this, so we will see."

 

Be interesting to know if there's been any movement on this...Nikolay?

 

- There is some movement on this topic and we are still thinking about this, so it is on our radar but I cannot give you any specific time/date/version when this will be released.

[tavbut]

@Tom W. Yes, I use space object to display space name and altitude in section VPs. In top plan there is no issue with overlapping.

@Nikolay ZhelyazkovIt's great to know it's on your radar. How are you thinking about this? The idea of a dialog that let's you select elegible objects does not seem like it would make things faster because in some way it will still be a tag to tag, or object to object approach. Ideally the tool should be able to identify the objects that are seen/visible in each viewport and attach accordingly (I can imagine it is a mayor task to program). In the case of tagging space objects in section viewports it would be wonderfull to have a boole option that makes the tagg only attach to spaces being cut by the section line. Or maybe that should be a viewport feature like turning on story height indicators.

[Nikolay Zhelyazkov]

15 hours ago, tavbut said:

@Tom W. Yes, I use space object to display space name and altitude in section VPs. In top plan there is no issue with overlapping.

@Nikolay ZhelyazkovIt's great to know it's on your radar. How are you thinking about this? The idea of a dialog that let's you select elegible objects does not seem like it would make things faster because in some way it will still be a tag to tag, or object to object approach. Ideally the tool should be able to identify the objects that are seen/visible in each viewport and attach accordingly (I can imagine it is a mayor task to program). In the case of tagging space objects in section viewports it would be wonderfull to have a boole option that makes the tagg only attach to spaces being cut by the section line. Or maybe that should be a viewport feature like turning on story height indicators.

- We were thinking about this from the perspective of the data tag tool, but as I said this is still something that is being considered so nothing is certain yet.

[Tom W.]

The way I understood it would work is that you'd have an option when inserting tags using All Eligible Objects Mode to rather than go straight to tag placement - and be faced with hundreds of tags in the drawing needing examining + deleting - you'd instead get them listed in a dialog with the option of checking the ones you wanted to see in the drawing before it happened. It would mean in circumstances like my example above you could rule out the bulk of the tags before they even appeared in the drawing which would be a big benefit. An even greater benefit would be if it listed in the dialog not only the data each tag is returning but also the class + layer the associated object is on. Have no idea whether this is possible but that would make it much easier to identify which tags you want to see + which you don't.