Issues experienced in v2021

[Michal Zarzecki]

Hi All,

I downloaded and installed v2021 yesterday and worked in it today for the first time.

There are a number of new functionalities which seem to be a way forward, but... There is always this but.

 

1. I like what has been done to Landscape Areas. Some of the implemented changes were very desired and flagged up before.

However, I seem to struggle with picking up the LA settings in one instance to apply elsewhere with the Eye Dropper tool. I can't pick up the planting settings. I used to be able to do that in v2020 with no problem at all. What ED settings should be ticked to get that work?

When setting up the component layers for the LA, the levels seems to be not as expected. I set my LA datum to top but rather than the top of the LA being at level 0, it protrudes some 185 over this level. Any ideas?

2. I created some specimen planting along a polyline with Plant tool and set the plants to be on vertices with the solid line. Unfortunately the line is not visible at all. Only when I hover over the group or select it. Is it controlled by any class? Perhaps I have this invisible/ turned off.

3. When I try to align the hatch of a Hardscape object with the Mapping tool, I struggle to snap to the perpendicular point. Is there any setting that controls it? Perhaps I need to set it up again in v2021.

4. In Plant Style, I noticed that when I have the Style Name Formula set to Latin name, the Style name will have the latin name duplicated. The images below won't illustrate it properly, because they show the result. When I create a style it has nothing in the Name Formula. I changed it to Latin Name and obviously gave the Latin name to the plant.When save the style, the duplication happens.

 

That's it so far. Any thoughts?

[Tamsin Slatter]

Hi Michal

We are so glad you like the Landscape Area.

I will try to answer your questions:

1. The Eyedropper. You need to choose Plugin Parameters to be able to take the settings from one plugin object to another.

2. Hardscape mapping. You don't use the Attribute Mapping tool for this. Just use the Selection tool and then use the blue handle to select and move the origin of the pattern. You can change the angle using the Joint Pattern Angle field on the Object Info palette to rotate the pattern. 

3. The Datum issue. I am testing this in a blank file and have been able to recreate this. I will report. It was definitely working during testing earlier in the summer, so it looks like something might be broken, but I will check with my colleagues in the engineering team.

4. The Plant tool. There have been no changes to functionality of the Plant tool in this release, so I suspect the problem with the polyline is local to the file, but we'd love to take a look, if you wouldn't mind posting the file.

5. The plant naming... we do know about this and it is reported. But it will only duplicate if the Latin Name was already in that central field. If you leave the middle field blank, and just choose Latin Name as the prefix, it will use whatever is in the Latin Name field as the Style name.

 

Hope that helps.

[Tamsin Slatter]

The component issue is reported. If there is a site model present, the components work as expected and align themselves to the surface of the site model, using the datum preferences you express on the Components dialogue.

 

I looked into the Eyedropper issue. It seems that because the Landscape Area is now a true Object Style, this is no longer the best method of transferring the information from other objects. 
I will be running a webinar on this topic next Friday and we'll be taking a close look at the tool there. I do hope you can join us.

[Michal Zarzecki]

@Tamsin Slatter, thank you for looking into this and your response.

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:46 PM, Tamsin Slatter said:

If there is a site model present, the components work as expected

In the project I noticed it, I don't have a site model. I would have expected that the level 0 would be assumed from the working plane/ Layer elevation (which is 0).

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:46 PM, Tamsin Slatter said:

I will be running a webinar on this topic next Friday and we'll be taking a close look at the tool there. I do hope you can join us.

🤩 I would love to join. Where can I find more information about it? I haven't explored the website too much 😬. Is there a site with such news and scheduled events?

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:34 PM, Tamsin Slatter said:

2. Hardscape mapping. You don't use the Attribute Mapping tool for this. Just use the Selection tool and then use the blue handle to select and move the origin of the pattern. You can change the angle using the Joint Pattern Angle field on the Object Info palette to rotate the pattern.

I had never noticed that before. It's ok for moving, but I would still need a visual reference for rotation. The number in the OIP (which I use once I've learned the correct angle) doesn't tell me much, i.e. for example, if its perpendicular to the given edge - the object itself can be aligned at various angles in the model and yet the Rotation value is still 0 dg.

Probably that is one of the handy things in AutoCAD hatches - when hovering over the hatch central vertex, it gives options what to do with it (align, rotate ...). Since, there is a handle in VW, it could work a bit harder than just allowing to move the pattern 😉. 

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:34 PM, Tamsin Slatter said:

4. The Plant tool. There have been no changes to functionality of the Plant tool in this release, so I suspect the problem with the polyline is local to the file, but we'd love to take a look, if you wouldn't mind posting the file.

It might be. I can't find the source of this. I will upload the file to our Cloud storage in a moment.

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:34 PM, Tamsin Slatter said:

5. The plant naming... we do know about this and it is reported. But it will only duplicate if the Latin Name was already in that central field. If you leave the middle field blank, and just choose Latin Name as the prefix, it will use whatever is in the Latin Name field as the Style name.

I recreated this problem. I did as you said and left the middle field blank and set the name to be as the Latin Name. It works when first saving the style. But, when I opened it again it duplicated the Latin name again. And again in another time I opened the style. I could save pass that point as the name would have been too long. It seems that every time the style is opened for editing, the algorithm duplicates the name. I understand that the engineers are looking into this anyway.

 

 

[Tamsin Slatter]

31 minutes ago, Michal Zarzecki said:

@Tamsin Slatter, thank you for looking into this and your response.

 

In the project I noticed it, I don't have a site model. I would have expected that the level 0 would be assumed from the working plane/ Layer elevation (which is 0).

🤩 I would love to join. Where can I find more information about it? I haven't explored the website too much 😬. Is there a site with such news and scheduled events?

You are correct in your assumption. We think it should work from the layer plane elevation too. The bug is filed and we'll get it resolved as soon as we can. Meanwhile, the creation of a site model, even if it's completely flat will provide a workaround to the issue.

 

You can find our events here:
https://www.vectorworks.net/events

 

31 minutes ago, Michal Zarzecki said:

I had never noticed that before. It's ok for moving, but I would still need a visual reference for rotation. The number in the OIP (which I use once I've learned the correct angle) doesn't tell me much, i.e. for example, if its perpendicular to the given edge - the object itself can be aligned at various angles in the model and yet the Rotation value is still 0 dg.

Probably that is one of the handy things in AutoCAD hatches - when hovering over the hatch central vertex, it gives options what to do with it (align, rotate ...). Since, there is a handle in VW, it could work a bit harder than just allowing to move the pattern 😉. 

 

It might be. I can't find the source of this. I will upload the file to our Cloud storage in a moment.

 

I recreated this problem. I did as you said and left the middle field blank and set the name to be as the Latin Name. It works when first saving the style. But, when I opened it again it duplicated the Latin name again. And again in another time I opened the style. I could save pass that point as the name would have been too long. It seems that every time the style is opened for editing, the algorithm duplicates the name. I understand that the engineers are looking into this anyway.

 

 

Agreed, Hardscape fill rotation is different to how fills are managed for other objects, and it's something we have raised as a potential change for the future. 

 

We'll update the report on the style name issue and make sure they have all the information. 

[Tamsin Slatter]

Hi @Michal Zarzecki

I have had a good look at the file. It's a mystery. In your file, I can see the problem. If I add a standard plant from the Vectorworks library into your file, it exhibits the same problem. If I copy that standard plant into a blank file, it takes the problem with it. HOWEVER, if I create a blank file, and then start with a fresh copy of the same standard plant from the library, it works as it should.

 

So... I have not solved the problem, but I am on my way to narrowing it down. I will keep looking at it in between other meetings. But in the meantime, I just wanted to give you an update so that you know you are not forgotten!

[Michal Zarzecki]

@Tamsin Slatter, thank you for looking into this. Please do keep me posted.

It is bizarre. I am eager to find out what caused it to be able to avoid it in the future. 

[Michal Zarzecki]

I have yet another question regarding the new release.

I have just opened a job created in v2020 in the new one, to update the setting out for a contractor only to be surprised about the coordinates produced. Please see the screenshot below. The Stake clearly produces some odd coordinates (inconsistent with the XY values shown in the OIP). The magenta instance visible is from the previous exercise.

Prompt help would be appreciated as we are on site/ in construction.

[Tamsin Slatter]

Hi Michal
This is to do with the GIS setting in the file. To resolve it, choose File > Document Settings > Georeferencing. Uncheck the first box, and your stakes will display plain old CAD coordinates, instead of the ones that match the GIS coordinate system.

If you want to find out more about how GIS works in Vectorworks files, Katarina and I presented this webinar a few weeks ago:

https://university.vectorworks.net/mod/scorm/player.php?a=448&currentorg=articulate_rise&scoid=896

[Michal Zarzecki]

@Tamsin Slatter, I've done it, but then all coordinates turn negative and don't match the ones shown in the OIP. I checked in AutoCAD and the old coordinates are as per the topographical survey.

What you advise looks to work somehow, but not as I intend. I can send you the file to have a look, if that's not a problem.

[Tamsin Slatter]

Can I suggest you send it in to tech support please? They will have a look at it in the morning and call on my help if they need it.

[Michal Zarzecki]

Absolutely. By "you" I meant VW/ support.

[Tamsin Slatter]

Thanks for sending it in. I had a quick look - please could you also send the referenced DWG files and the original file before updated to 2021, so I can confirm how the coordinates should work?

Thanks