autoclassing is inconsistent-please fix it

[jnr]

This message has been posted to the bug page as well.

For a scripted file using setup assitant, unlike version 8.5.2, 9.01 does not appear to be autoclassing consistently. Some class items, plumbing fixtures for example, class correctly when inserted into a drawing. Unlike 8, objects like stairs,parking spaces, appliances, residential furniture, office furniture, etc. do not auto class. One is left to wasting a lot of time placing these items into their respective classes whereas the software used to do this. Is this a glitch or did you decide to make our lives more difficult?

win 98, win 98se, win 2000. it doesn't matter which machine I use, I get the same results.

[Robert Anderson]

Autoclassing in VA9 is done using the libraries. Using the tools themselves in the "objects" palette will not provide autoclassing. Do you not see autoclassing when using the libraries in the Object Browser?

[jnr]

Robert:

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, autoclassing is inconsistent. Using the object browser, and choosing from the libraries, autoclassing does not work for the following libraries:

Residential Furniture, Site Planning, Architect Sampler(especially stairs), Office Equipment, Office Furniture. This is not a definitive list,only some of the ones I use conisistently. I've tried it on two different machines, win98se and win2k. I've tried it with both scripted and unscripted files-same result: these libraries are not autoclassing, but are using the default class.

[Robert Anderson]

All the libraries you mention are "standard" VectorWOrks libraries, not VectorWorks Architect libraries (all of whose names begin with a CSI number), so those libraries do not in fact autoclass, as class standards are not enforced in "plain vanilla" VectorWorks. However, I can send you a script that will set the default class of an entire library file to whatever you wish. Email me at randerson@nemetschek.net if you want it...

[jnr]

Thanks. I'll send the e-mail. Is this something you think other users would be interested in? If so worth posting to the downloads page or VectorDepot? Am I being too picky about this or do I just have an 8.5 hangover?

[jnr]

Robert:

Am I wrong or did these "vanilla" classes autoclass in 8.5 with architect 1.0? It seems that they did. If so why was this changed? It seemed like it worked well. Now one is forced to waste time combing through a set of plans to select items, (furniture for example) to force them on to a class so that they can be turned on and off, depending on where you are in the design process. When developing a plan, one does not work in a linear sequence. That is, one does not design a room for example thinking OK now I'll do all the walls, then I'll change classes, then add all the furniture,then I'll change classes again and add all the cabinets, then I'll change classes again and add the windows, then I'll change classes again and add all the lights, etc.The power of the object browser is to be able to add these elements and have them go to their assigned class as they did in 8.5. The exception should be the opposite. If you want them to go to the none class, then change everything in that class. 9.01 architect is now more cumbersome and time consuming in this regard.

I would appreciate the script you offered in your last message. You could e-mail it to: jnr@cfw.com.

Thanks

[Robert Anderson]

These items autoclassed from the object tool in 852. We had users complaining about us "creating all these unwanted classes". So our approach was to remove the autoclassing from the object itself and restore the autoclassing to the symbol in the Object Browser (and give the VWA user the option to install the classing or non-classing OB libraries depending on if he was using our standards or his own). So to make a long story short, objects in VWA libraries still autoclass if you work from the Object Browser (and if you've installed the default libraries.) However, you are correct that default VW libraries do not autoclass any more, and for those users using VWA it might be nice to have classing versions of those libraries. I see the libraries affected as:Drafting Tools.mcdOffice Cubicle Furniture.mcdOffice Equipment.mcdOffice Furniture.mcdResidential Furniture.mcdSite Planning.mcd

As regards the script in the other forum, why not just copy it out of the other forum posting and paste it into a script palette?

[jnr]

OK so now I'm thoroughly confused. Is this to say you will add back autoclassing for objects taken from the object browser for default libraries in VWA or that when I installed VWA and accepted the default libraries, that something does not work?

Should I not be using any of the tools on the menu bar (counters, cabinets, doors, windows, cut wood detail, steel shapes etc) and instead shop the object browser for all objects if I want them to auto class?

RE script, what other forum?

[Robert Anderson]

I will summarize: Objects inserted from the default VWA libraries will auto class. Objects inserted from the "standard" VW libraries (which I listed last post) do not currently autoclass; These ought to autoclass in VWA if the autoclassing option is chosen by the user.

None of the objects do or will autoclass when placed with an object tool palette (I assume this is what you mean by "tools on the menu bar"?). Autoclassing is available through the Object Browser libraries only.

I was confused about your script reference. Here it is, cut and paste into a script palette to use:

=================

Procedure Myproc;varhSD: handle;symname,classname,classdummy: string;insertdummy,breakdummy:INTEGER;beginclassname := strdialog('Enter the desired default class for all symbol defs this document','None');hSD := fsymdef;while (hSD <> NIL) do begin symname := getSDname(hSD); getsymboloptionsN(symname,insertdummy,breakdummy,classdummy); setsymboloptionsN(symname,insertdummy,breakdummy,classname); hSD := nextsymdef(hSD); message(concat(symname, ' - ',classname)); end;clrmessage;end;run(Myproc);

[bonose]

I?m confused as well. After upgrading to VWA 9.0.1 two days ago, none of my objects auto assign to a class. I?ve tried using both Architect and Standard workspaces, on new projects using both ?Create Blank Documents? and ?VA setup assistant.sta?. Anyone out there know what I?m doing wrong?

Bonose

[jnr]

whew!

Thanks for the clarification and the script. I can at least release a little of the steam that has been building up in my vectorbrain for the last six months.

-J

[Robert Anderson]

Please read my post above. The ***ONLY*** way autoclassing is implemented in VWA9.x is using the libraries in the object browser. Using the tools to place the objects will no longer auto-class. This is done because many objects are shared between VW and VWA and many casual VW users didn't want the system automatically making classes.

[jnr]

Robert:

What about forwarding your idea to auto-class the libraries you mentioned (see below) to engineering?

Drafting Tools.mcdOffice Cubicle Furniture.mcdOffice Equipment.mcdOffice Furniture.mcdResidential Furniture.mcdSite Planning.mcd

As an architect I find myself turning on and off furniture classes (note that 4 of the 6 are basically furniture) as I work. It is a pain in the rear to go through the added step of picking all of it to stick on the furniture-main class so that I can do this. Could you make these libraries auto-class in VWA?

[Robert Anderson]

You yourself can make them autoclass using the script I posted above. I've put in our wish/bug-list for VWA the library list so this can make it into a future version.

[bonose]

Now I?m really confused.

I still cannot obtain symbols that auto-classify out of the Object Browser Pallate menus or oput of Resource Pallate> Object Libraries. Some will auto classify ? 00 Arch_Elements.mcd, 02 Sitework_General.mcd ? but most will not, including all 08 Doors and Windows.

After purging my VW preference file and re-installing VWA 1.0.1 (and RenderWorks), I create a new ?blank document? or create a new document using VA Setup Assistant.sta. I then select a wall type from the model menu and draw walls. The drawn walls are auto classed. I then place windows/doors from the Object browser 7/or the Object Libraries in the Resources folder ? and none are auto classed. Any ideas?