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Auto naming and auto classing


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Hi,

 

I'm brand new to Vectorworks and finding my way quite ok. I'm coming from AutoCAD where I was very comfortable. 

Now, when I draw objects like doors, windows, etc they keeps getting placed in classes where I do not want them. 

 

I have searched the web and forums, to find how to turn off "Auto Classing" in the menu system. But the menu item is not there. 

Two ways of finding the Auto naming command where i should find the auto classing selection I have looked for. 

 

File>Document Settings

Tools>Utilities

 

I would really like to turn this of to put all symbols and objects in my selected class. Any tips on how to solve this?

 

I use VW Spotlight 2021 latest update.

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Many symbols in the Vectorworks Libraries have the Classes of the Symbol pre-assigned to a Vectorworks Standard naming system. This is baked into the individual Symbols Options.

 

Right-click on the imported Symbol in the Resource Manager and the Symbol options dialog will open. There you can tell the symbol to insert itself in the Active Class.

 

Personally I find the class naming that the creators of the symbols have baked into some of the library content is quite intrusive, and don't know any user who finds it helpful. However, it is what it is and I have learned to live with it!!

Edited by markdd
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Hi @Stefan_b

 

The auto classing options you are looking for through the menus is a VW Designer feature, so that's why you can't find it, as you have to be in the Designer workspace. But I think that's somewhat different from what you are actually asking about.

 

As Mark mentioned above, the symbol options contain a field that has the default insertion class for a symbol, and you can change that to "Active Class" per his instructions above.

 

It is also worth noting that the components of a symbol definition (the makeup of the symbol) may not all be on the same class by default. An example of this would be lighting fixture symbols. The components that make up lighting fixture symbols are often on a couple different classes. In the screenshot below, the main body of the fixture is on the Lighting-LED class and the red box is on the Lighting-Input-2D class. This allows you to turn parts of a symbol on and off.

 

1894044414_LightingSymbolClasses.thumb.png.09e0660b69f5dd2559439e1f69c7d2c8.png

 

I'm in VW Designer, so forgive me if the rest of this isn't true in Spotlight:

Plug-in objects (accessed through tools), such as doors and windows, will often let you define what class you want components of a symbol to show up under. For example, if I activate the door tool and select the preferences button from the toolbar, I can look through the door settings to find under what classes VW is putting components of the door symbol. If I change this Slab & Swing class to <Door Class>, the slab and swing components of the symbol will show up under the class the door was put on instead of on the "Sills" class.

 

1595531665_DoorSettings.thumb.png.74977b6146e03dcc83574027c17b3d56.png

 

Similar for TV/Display settings:

657256906_TVSettings.thumb.png.06ed3a9db42119b86522b580200c6f59.png

 

This is true for many plug-in objects; just keep a lookout for buttons or settings that say "2D Visualization", "3D Visualization", or "Classes".

HTH.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Plug-in Object Styles can now define their insertion class and also make the class "by style".  Right-click on a Plug-in Object Style in the Resource Manager and choose the "Plug-in Object Style Options" context menu command.  At the top of the "Plug-in Object Style Options" dialog you will see a "Class" parameter that sets the class for newly inserted instances.  When the Class is set to "by style" in the dialog, all instances will be locked to that class.  If set to "by instance", it will only set the class for insertion but not lock instances to the class.

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