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Reporting number of surface array items


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Hello all,

 

Am evaluating option to use surface array tool to create facade cladding or pitched roof tiles....but wondering if there is easy way to report of how many of array items (symbols) are present?

Seem that it turns symbols into solid intersections...

Thanks in advance for advice.

Edited by drelARCH
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Hello,

  • Create a blank worksheet from the Resource Manager>New Resource.
  • Type in an '=' in the formula bar.
  • Click the Insert menu and choose Function -=COUNT()
  • Click the Insert menu and choose Criteria.
  • Choose 'Type' then 'Symbol' and check Plug In Objects at the bottom. 

You'll get this formula:

=COUNT((INOBJECT & (T=SYMBOL)))

 

File enclosed.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Symbols count in Surface Array.vwx

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49 minutes ago, Peter Neufeld. said:

Hello,

  • Create a blank worksheet from the Resource Manager>New Resource.
  • Type in an '=' in the formula bar.
  • Click the Insert menu and choose Function -=COUNT()
  • Click the Insert menu and choose Criteria.
  • Choose 'Type' then 'Symbol' and check Plug In Objects at the bottom. 

You'll get this formula:

=COUNT((INOBJECT & (T=SYMBOL)))

 

File enclosed.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Symbols count in Surface Array.vwx 315.52 kB · 0 downloads

I tried this prior to you posting + it didn't work for me. The worksheet only saw the symbols outside of the Surface Array. And when I paste the Surface Array from my file into your file, your worksheet doesn't see my symbols either. Why would it see the symbols in one surface array + not the other...?

 

I can't post the file it's quite large but here are screenshots:

402711791_Screenshot2021-11-07at07_37_12.thumb.png.5b316947e7d69209db78c7e1b9535fca.png

 

769527463_Screenshot2021-11-07at07_37_23.png.cd81719f3f95c7900db886eb0ede00cd.png

 

Your SA on left with 'Pair of hex windows' symbol in. Mine on right with 'Mission Tile' symbol in.

 

(Mission Tile symbol copyright @Kevin K 🙂)

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Yes it was the same using your spreadsheet-format worksheet. But I just figured it out. My SAs were set to Edge Conditions 'Trim'. Your one was set to 'Overlap'. If I change mine to Overlap too the worksheets find the symbols. But 'Trim' is probably the format you'd want to use when distributing tiles across a roof or cladding across a facade so not sure what you do about that...

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Thanks @Peter Neufeld. and @Tom W. for looking into this. 

As you pointed out Tom and I agree I would too normally go with 'Trim' conditions so I guess for calculation purposes I need to switch to overlap mode and update worksheet with symbol criteria.

I have to play with it bit more to see how satisfactory are results in overlap mode + if they are OK to send to contractor with other take-offs from building model.

 

Speaking of surface array i suppose there is no other tool (except marionette that i haven't learned yet) in vw that can generate object repetition patterns and can be in reasonable time edited/modified... i am thinking about battens under roof tiles or facade cladding tiles...

With virtual models of building getting more and more detail I wish I could have covered all main materials and objects and provide comprehensive scheduling report to client and contractor. I am working on it for last few months, battens under roof tiles are part of it

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I think you are using Slabs for your roofs, in which case you could add batten objects to the relevant Slab component using the 'Create Joists...' command...? This would give you Framing Members you could report on.

 

But for me I would prefer to report quantities either based on Component or Material surface area + convert the m2 into linear metres of batten in the worksheet. This way it is dynamic + reflects changes in the model. Linear metres of material suffices for me rather than actual number + size of cut lengths.

 

But I agree it would be nice to have a way for the wall/slab/roof tools to include framing elements in components in a more automated + dynamic way than is currently available. There was a recent Wishlist item about this I think. And yes if it created Framing Members you could report on that would be amazing. Currently 'Create Joists...' + 'Roof Framer...' create Framing Members + 'Wall Framer' creates Extrudes.

 

At the moment I tend to just make batten classes in walls + roofs invisible in the model + show them as air gaps rather than a solid block of yellow or whatever the texture/fill is.

 

Let me know how you are doing all this I'd be interested to know. How are you using Materials for example? Do you have generic material types so to speak (as per the VW default materials) or have you for example created specific Materials for each type of framing timber to allow you to report accurately on the different sizes used? I have only just started using Materials + I really like them but I am really just using them for the graphic attributes + lambda values. Reporting on quantities I am still doing based on component names because otherwise I would have to create hundreds of materials for each + every product used. I still think the ability to save/import/export components would be really useful as it is only in the component that the thickness of the material in question is currently specified...

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