2021 - Teaser Tuesday: Work Smarter with User Interface Improvements

[Tobias Kern]

3 hours ago, Ian Lane said:

 

This is the intent of the detachable tab palettes task and the ability to direct edit in the nav palette.  We wanted to give users the ability to keep these lists open all the time and edit the info so maybe they don't have to use the org dialog as often.

 

Our plan is also to support more columns on the nav palette and make them editable in the future.  

 

What functionality do you need in the org dialog that you can't get from the nav palette?  This will be helpful information for us to have.

Hi Ian,

 

i think we need this, for the navigation palette:

 

- underlaying colors for sorting (classes and layers, design layers)

- grouping of layers

- enhanced class/layerfilters with option to save visibility (visible, grey, invisible)

- tags (IMPORTANT)  as separate palette for structuring objects, with option to set tags to: visible, grey, invisible.

- archive for unused layers

- better visuality for class hierarchy

- options for different text sizes (small, mid, big) for 4k monitors

- separationlines as object to separate layers (no more dummy layers for that) and for classes too

 

this all is a update worth for me!

[Andy Broomell]

20 minutes ago, Tobias Kern said:

- tags (IMPORTANT)  as separate palette for structuring objects, with option to set tags to: visible, grey, invisible.

 

I've heard a couple mentions on the forums of adding "Tags" to objects as another way of controlling object visibility. I must say I'd be quite hesitant about this. Vectorworks already has two entire paradigms for organization: Classes and Layers. Most CAD programs only have one level of control, so Vectorworks is already more flexible having two. (Of course that means it's also more confusing for new users.) Adding a tertiary level of classification would likely be the tipping point that would make organization completely overwhelming to anyone who isn't an advanced user. Classes should be thought of as tags for now, although I realize they can't do everything.

 

If anything, perhaps Data Visualization could be expanded to include visibility (visible, grey, off) as one of the things it can do, rather than only recoloring things. For example you could make all objects of a particular texture invisible, or that have a particular record format attached. That would likely provide the flexibility you're looking for without adding an entire additional level of organization.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by Andy Broomell

[Tobias Kern]

hi andy,

 

yes a updated data visualization would also fit the needs.

 

yes tags is one more layer to manage, but i think more flexible

at the end. 

 

[line-weight]

You could effectively have tags, by allowing objects to be assigned to more than one class. Would there have to be some kind of hierarchy though?

 

(Tag/class A says "visible", Tag/class B says "invisible" - which one does VW go with)

 

This is effectively what many of us do with container objects... container has one class, things inside it have others.

[Mark Aceto]

 

On 9/21/2020 at 11:17 AM, Tobias Kern said:

- tags (IMPORTANT)  as separate palette for structuring objects, with option to set tags to: visible, grey, invisible.

 

 

Are you referring to data tags? You can filter the Nav palette by tag. And in the Org window, there's a Class Tags List. However, short of creating a worksheet, I'm not sure where I could view a column of tags as they're applied... I'm guessing it's a logical limitation because you're tagging objects not layers.

 

Anyway, filters have become my best friend. Especially when working with others because we can hide each other's stuff to focus on our own stuff. Hope that helps in the meantime!

[Mark Aceto]

22 hours ago, line-weight said:

You could effectively have tags, by allowing objects to be assigned to more than one class. Would there have to be some kind of hierarchy though?

 

(Tag/class A says "visible", Tag/class B says "invisible" - which one does VW go with)

 

This is effectively what many of us do with container objects... container has one class, things inside it have others.

 

Like the good ole "0" class in AC... 

[Mark Aceto]

On 9/21/2020 at 11:17 AM, Tobias Kern said:

- archive for unused layers

 

 

There's a filter for "non-empty layers" so you can hide them in the Nav palette.

 

Same with classes, although it's called "Assigned classes". I thought there was a way to view unassigned classes but I can't find it in VW21 (or just forgot how).

[Mark Aceto]

On 9/21/2020 at 11:17 AM, Tobias Kern said:

- better visuality for class hierarchy

 

 

Upvote for this. I always turn off view by hierarchy because it's impossible to read without alternating fills for each line.

 

BTW I noticed 1 more level of control in VW21:

 

[Mark Aceto]

On 9/21/2020 at 11:17 AM, Tobias Kern said:

- options for different text sizes (small, mid, big) for 4k monitors

 

 

Upvote this x infinity!

 

I'm on a 43" TV, and before that I was on 32" displays (those BenQ's were easy on the eyes... literally).

[Mark Aceto]

In case I'm not the last one to the party *, I just realized the Center Marker Line, and Center Marker Text (!!!), are in Data Tag Styles now.

 

* NARRATOR: he is.

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by Mark Aceto

[Tobias Kern]

17 minutes ago, Mark Aceto said:

 

 

Are you referring to data tags? You can filter the Nav palette by tag. And in the Org window, there's a Class Tags List. However, short of creating a worksheet, I'm not sure where I could view a column of tags as they're applied... I'm guessing it's a logical limitation because you're tagging objects not layers.

 

Anyway, filters have become my best friend. Especially when working with others because we can hide each other's stuff to focus on our own stuff. Hope that helps in the meantime!

 

hi mark,

 

greetings. i mean tags for objects (not for classes or layers).

i know theres some logic to think about, with a tag system for layers.

but i think this could be solved. maybe with a hierarchy for those tags.

 

i know the function to tag classes and/or layers.

what i dont like is, that i cannot save the visual state of the classes/layers

with those filters

[Mark Aceto]

1 minute ago, Tobias Kern said:

 

i know the function to tag classes and/or layers.

what i dont like is, that i cannot save the visual state of the classes/layers

with those filters

 

What if you combine that with a Saved View? I'm thinking there's a workaround somehow... 

[Tobias Kern]

hi,

 

maybe it is possible with saved views,

but i think it is better to store it where it is called

[Mark Aceto]

@Tobias Kern for organizing / displaying / managing tagged objects, I'm guessing that would have to be a worksheet (vs a palette).

 

For managing visibility of tagged objects, you could also try Data Visualization (and a legend):

 

https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2021/eng/VW2021_Guide/Views/Applying_a_data_visualization.htm

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by Mark Aceto

[Travis.Designer]

I suggest adding Recommend Hotkey in search menu which look like Cinema 4D as picture below. Very useful when you forget a hotkey and need to quick search.

Thank

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Travis.Designer