Interiorcad beginner questions

[ashot]

Can Stephan explain why Extrablocks have five symbols but at the same time offer a shopping cart which is leading to a broken link on their main website?

 

 

 

[Woodychips]

Ash

Go to your XG Resources folder and edit the data there. Program Files>Vectorworks 2021>Interiorcad>xg>XG Resources>Materials. Then in interiorcad go to settings, preferences, database, and chose the table to be updated ie boards, edgebandings, etc. I'm still working out how to edit door profiles in the latest version.test1.vwx

[ashot]

Please see attached VW file with interiorcad XS. It has only one cabinet shared by Stephan, please help to make it in Glass instead of Maple inside the framed door. I am trying NC- Transparent or Glass Texture/Material for Door, nothing changes.

Shaker profiles.vwx

[Woodychips]

Hey thats my shaker door profile! I changed the door to glass panel.

Shaker profiles.vwx

[Woodychips]

That shaker profile still does not seem to be working correctly.

[ashot]

I am sorry, Woodychips, but I see your Texture for Door H295_ST22, but it is not a glass, no transparency, I see this: 

[ashot]

41 minutes ago, Woodychips said:

Ash

Go to your XG Resources folder and edit the data there. Program Files>Vectorworks 2021>Interiorcad>xg>XG Resources>Materials. Then in interiorcad go to settings, preferences, database, and chose the table to be updated ie boards, edgebandings, etc. I'm still working out how to edit door profiles in the latest version.test1.vwx

1) In my version of interiorcad XS the Settings does not have preferences. Instead it shows Version Info with User Settings/Path to XG Resource, Datea with Version, Plugins Path and Export User Folder Path. I do not have Preferences> Database to shoose a table.

2) Also in all XG folders the files are text files. What kind of file format do I need to create for Material to place here? All I want is to have a new Solid Material 3/4" thick without any edge bordering or veneer, to make only one texture and change it on a spot when the client demands, for the entire cabinet, provided I can also change the glass for framed doors.

[ashot]

On 1/10/2021 at 9:25 PM, Stephan Moenninghoff said:

Textures and materials are one entity in interiorcad. Each material has a texture and a thickness assigned to it as well as a 'material type' So, we discriminate between  melamin faced, solid wood, raw, etc.

In order to change a texture, you must define the texture for the material used for construction. This is necessary to ensure that cutting lists are always up-to-date and no material can be assigned that is either anonymous or has the wrong constructive thickness. Go to interiorcad -> Master Data -> Boards and define your materials there. Likewise for edge banding and coverings/veneers.

 

On a second note we do realise that we are thinking too much like a joiner/cabinet maker rather than a designer and we think a future version might support double-clicking a texture in the Resource Manager and just pouring that texture over the entire cabinet, even before a proper material gets assigned. This is very much an experimental idea tough and not guaranteed to be implemented.

I am using interiorcad XS. In my case, what is the Path and how can I assign new material in >Boards ?

Edited January 22, 2021 by Ash

[Nicolas Goutte]

28 minutes ago, Ash said:

1) In my version of interiorcad XS the Settings does not have preferences. Instead it shows Version Info with User Settings/Path to XG Resource, Datea with Version, Plugins Path and Export User Folder Path. I do not have Preferences> Database to shoose a table.

 

Then the easiest way to reset the material is probably to go the the VW user folder, sub-folder "interiorcad". There is a file named materials.db that has the material data (It is a SQLite3 database).

 

To re-read the material text files, you only need to delete that file (when VW is not running). The file will be recreated when VW starts again.

 

28 minutes ago, Ash said:

2) Also in all XG folders the files are text files. What kind of file format do I need to create for Material to place here? All I want is to have a new Solid Material 3/4" thick without any edge bordering or veneer, to make only one texture and change it on a spot when the client demands, for the entire cabinet, provided I can also change the glass for framed doors.

 

I would suggest you copy. a line containing mostly what you need and that you modify it.

[Nicolas Goutte]

8 minutes ago, Ash said:

I am using interiorcad XS. In my case, what is the Path and how can I assign new material in >Boards ?

 

 

The material text files are in the program folder, in interiorcad/xg/XG Resources Metric/Materials  ("Imperial" instead of "Metric" if the XG Resources are set to be in Imperial mode.)

You can copy the whole Materials folder (yes, the complete one) in the corresponding place in the XG Resources of the user folder (as identified by Versioninfo), so that you modify the files more easily.

[ashot]

34 minutes ago, Nicolas Goutte said:

 

 

The material text files are in the program folder, in interiorcad/xg/XG Resources Metric/Materials  ("Imperial" instead of "Metric" if the XG Resources are set to be in Imperial mode.)

You can copy the whole Materials folder (yes, the complete one) in the corresponding place in the XG Resources of the user folder (as identified by Versioninfo), so that you modify the files more easily.

Dear Nicolas, thank you for your help. In my XG library for Imperial Materials the data shows mm and m2. Also I am not sure if for Solid Wood I can find the right Group in the table. None of items in the Material table has a group or texture I want to use. All I need is a "Test Material 3/4" thick with Custom Texture". What will my first line be listed here instead the Chipboard 04 ...

[Nicolas Goutte]

On 1/22/2021 at 7:18 PM, Ash said:

Dear Nicolas, thank you for your help. In my XG library for Imperial Materials the data shows mm and m2. Also I am not sure if for Solid Wood I can find the right Group in the table. None of items in the Material table has a group or texture I want to use. All I need is a "Test Material 3/4" thick with Custom Texture". What will my first line be listed here instead the Chipboard 04 ...

 

As 3/4 of 25.4mm is 19.05mm, I would suggest that you duplicate one entry having 19mm. If you would like to show grain, I would suggest, you take one having grain, not any "Chipboard".

 

Yes, all the data is in metric, as internally VW is in millimeters. Decimal separator is a comma (,). That historical, as the German decimal separator is a comma.

 

[Boh]

Can someone please explain why I get these interiorcad classes auto generated everytime I open a file and how I can stop it happening?

 

 

I have just downloaded interior xs onto vw2021. Cheers

Edited January 25, 2021 by Boh

[Stephan Moenninghoff]

2 hours ago, Boh said:

 

Can someone please explain why I get these interiorcad classes auto generated everytime I open a file and how I can stop it happening

 

Those are some special classes which I think we reset hard after some operations. I think this is new. 

[Boh]

Thanks Stephan. Is there anything I can do to stop it? We don't use Interiorcad enough to warrant these classes popping up in every file. Cheers.

[Stephan Moenninghoff]

6 hours ago, Boh said:

Thanks Stephan. Is there anything I can do to stop it? We don't use Interiorcad enough to warrant these classes popping up in every file. Cheers.

We use these classes to create the grid surfaces between custom parts when we place fittings. Obviously, with most fittings, they go *between* two custom parts, so if we kept the custom parts visible, you wouldn't be able to place the fittings. These classes create the blue grids and at the same time grey out the parts proper. Users have got quite creative in the past with these classes, renaming them, making them visible, giving them different attributes etc. This could break the function, so we are creating these classes from scratch every time a new document is opened.

[Boh]

Thanks for the explanation Stephan. Nevertheless, as an architecture practice, Interior XS is sufficient for our needs and we only use it occasionally. We certainly do not need to draw our cabinetry to that level of detail.

 

So to have these classes, which are if no use to us, appear in every drawing we open is a bit annoying. It would be good if there was an option whereby this functionality can be disabled. Can it be controlled within the xg folders? Thanks

[ashot]

On 1/25/2021 at 12:57 AM, Nicolas Goutte said:

 

As 3/4 of 25.4mm is 19.05mm, I would suggest that you duplicate one entry having 19mm. If you would like to show grain, I would suggest, you take one having grain, not any "Chipboard".

 

Yes, all the data is in metric, as internally VW is in millimeters. Decimal separator is a comma (,). That historical, as the German decimal separator is a comma.

 

I understand the need to add my first line. I just can do not have a clue how Texture and new material name is read by the program. I do not see my new line in the pop-up menu for materials and types. Please see attached and advise.

[Stephan Moenninghoff]

1 minute ago, Ash said:

I understand the need to add my first line. I just can do not have a clue how Texture and new material name is read by the program. I do not see my new line in the pop-up menu for materials and types. Please see attached and advise.

Texture is the name of the Renderworks texture. The material name is in the first columns, under #Item-No. Thickness is also important because it will govern the physical thickness of each material in the model. You can ignore Group.

[Nicolas Goutte]

5 minutes ago, Ash said:

I understand the need to add my first line. I just can do not have a clue how Texture and new material name is read by the program. I do not see my new line in the pop-up menu for materials and types. Please see attached and advise.

 

After you changed the text file, you have to delete the file materials.db in the sub-folder "interiorcad" of the VW user folder (without VW running). Then when you start VW the file will be recreated out of the text files.

 

As for the textures, they have to be textures available in the folder "Libraries/Defaults/Renderworks - Textures" (be it in the program, user or workgroup folders), in priority in a sub-folder "interiorcad" of those respective folders.

[Nicolas Goutte]

10 minutes ago, Stephan Moenninghoff said:

You can ignore Group.

 

Not quite: group and thickness together must be unique.

[Stephan Moenninghoff]

Just now, Nicolas Goutte said:

 

Not quite: group and thickness together must be unique.

Only if you use the dialog (in the full version), right? I have found that using the spreadsheet it can be duplicated. Anyway, best to play it safe and not have a duplicate combination there. What I meant to say was: You can put anything in there. That column is not used for the current system any more. it is a legacy field.

[Nicolas Goutte]

1 minute ago, Stephan Moenninghoff said:

Only if you use the dialog (in the full version), right? I have found that using the spreadsheet it can be duplicated. Anyway, best to play it safe and not have a duplicate combination there. What I meant to say was: You can put anything in there. That column is not used for the current system any more. it is a legacy field.

 

No, it is far from behind legacy.

 

As I have written, groups and thickness must be unique, always. Otherwise you get an SQL-19-Error (unique constraint) when the data is read into materials.db 

[Nicolas Goutte]

OK, we have checked together.

 

The group is not used as often anymore as it did in Classic, but there are still parts of the interiorcad that use the feature. One example is the OIP of the Custom Part, when a material was chosen. (At least in interiorcad, not sure of the feature is in interior xs)

[Daisy Y]

@Stephan Moenninghoff I want to use a leg on my cabinets that isn't in the standard library of parts that came with the software. How do I go about adding this? The leg is a Hafele part that comes as a foot shaft and foot plug top.

Links to the parts here: 

https://www.hafele.ie/en/product/plinth-foot-top-section-m10-screw-through-mounting/000000fb0003ab5f00020023/

https://www.hafele.ie/en/product/foot-and-shaft-section-for-adjustable-plinth-feet-plastic/63796331/?MasterSKU=0000001c0001b63f00020023

 

Will I need to model something up myself to represent these and then add that as a part in my part library? Or is there a place to download this product and upload it into my library?