Spreadsheets

[Heather Francis]

I'm to understand that with a single magical click I may have an itemized spreadsheet with quantities and pricing and all. Now I know it's not that simple, but I can't seem to figure out how to make the program count individual symbols seperately without first marking them with locusts and selecting them in intervals (very time consuming I might add). Also, I just can't seem to find a way to assign numerical values (prices) to a symbol as I create it. Help. The goal is to be able to select a drawing (compiled of symbols) that will insert its info. into a created spreadsheet to show me amounts of each symbol and its assigned price as well as totals.

[Robert Anderson]

If you're using VectorWorks ARCHITECT, then you should be able to make a schedule in a few clicks with the 'Records and Schedules' feature. If you're using VectorWorks, you'll need to take a look at the manual, chapter 16. Briefly:

1. A group of objects in the document can be specified by CRITERIA and will appear in a DATABASE ROW in a WORKSHEET;

2. These objects may have RECORDS attached to them. These records may contain any kind of information in FIELDS;

3. These fields may be returned to the database row corresponding to the object with the record attached. The database rows may be sorted or summarized using the little icons in the worksheet next to the worksheet menu.

4. Database rows can also return ATTRIBUTES of their corresponding object. Layer, class, pen or fill color, etc. etc. See pages 16-29 and 16-30 of the manual.

Using these broad techniques, you can create a schedule, a costing, or whatever. It's not a 'one click' operation, but you knew that already. It is pretty fast once you understand how these things work....

[Heather Francis]

Thank you Robert. New dilemma: I'm having trouble getting the symbols to accept record information in the symbols library. I've had to create a separate drawing that includes my symbols with their records to pool from. Is there another way? This feels kind of Mickey Mouse to me.

[Robert Anderson]

It's not MM, it's just a different method from, say, ACAD.

First you must have a record format defined in your document. Then you should attach it to the symbol definition. To attach a record to a symbol definition, see page 11-29 of the VW9 manual. If you are wanting to attach records to a bunch of symbols already in place, you need to force an update of those symbols that will attach a record to them. To do this, place a piece of text in the symbol definition while in edit-symbol mode. Then link the text to a field in the record. This will attach the record to all sym instances already in the drawing, and any future instances of that symbol. (You can delete the text after you have done this, the graphical presence of the text is what forces the update.)