Rob P Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Morning All I'm probably missing something obvious, but I've watched various tutorial videos and I still can't work this out. There are lots of great 3D vehicle models in the VSS Entourage Vehicles library, but I need to create 2D symbols of some of these that will remain as 2D front, rear or side views, even when viewed in Top/Plan view. This is so that I can show them in some landscape cross-sections which have to be created the 'old fashioned' way in top/plan view (because the file becomes to large/clunky and over-complicated if I use Section Viewports). Screen shot below shows the sort of thing I'm creating - this is only a small extract from a 750m long section that stretches across a large chuck of countryside. I've managed to get some vehicle symbols from contacts and from the web (as shown in the screenshot), but I want to be able to create my own from the 3D models in the VSS libraries. I've tried (I think) creating a 2D symbol from a rendered front view, but when I insert the symbol into the section, it reverts to top/plan view. Any pointers towards the right video to watch or simple step-by-step instructions would be gratefully received... Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment
Boh Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 You could first create 2 components of the 3D symbols then copy these 2d components to make seperate 2d symbols. Some pointers here with a step by step. Skip to step 4 for creating the 2d components from 3 d symbols. https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2020/eng/VW2020_Guide/Symbols/Creating_2D_components_for_symbol_definitions_and_plug-in.htm Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 I would do the conversion in a separate file and then just bring in the results. I would probably drop the symbol into a new file and then make Sheet Layer viewports for the different views. Set the Viewport Scale to 1:1. Set the Rendering to whatever you need and Update the viewports. Select a Viewport. Go to Modify:Convert:Convert to Group. The viewport will now be a group containing a bitmap of the rendered viewport image. Cut and paste as needed into your drawings. HTH. 2 Quote Link to comment
Rob P Posted June 18, 2020 Author Share Posted June 18, 2020 Thanks Pat - I thought it would be something to do with making viewports to show the projection that I wanted, but it was the 'convert to group' bit that I was missing. The file that has been created is quite big, so I'll need to simplify the models to make them suitable for the scale that I'm working at with these sections. Many thanks, Rob Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 One possibility that may help with the size (especially if you are going to be using them at 1/8" or 1/4" scale could be to set the Sheet Layer Resolution to even lower than the standard 72 DPI. You will end up with less pixels, but when you effectively scale down 48 or 96 times the resulting resolution will go up quickly. Or set the Viewport scale to 1:2 or 1:4 and then scale the group back up after you put on the design layer. Glad it worked. Pretty quick and easy. 1 Quote Link to comment
Rob P Posted June 18, 2020 Author Share Posted June 18, 2020 Thanks Peter - that sorted it! Rob Quote Link to comment
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