Elevation Benchmark Tool

[Scott Schwartz, AIA]

Not much out there for specifics on this at all. 3 hours searching everywhere and nothing addresses my questions below. Brain is fried on this topic.

 

Working on Building Exterior Elevations, notations in a Sheet VP.

 

• How do I save my custom preferences for the tools? Scale Factors, Text Style, etc.
• How do I set the Reference Elevation to my own selection?
• How do I set a Control Point to my own selection?

 

I'm sure it's all right in front of me somewhere but I'm not seeing it. This is nothing like Revit's "intelligent" elevation markers. But I am here using VW now for many reasons...

 

Thanks.

[Scott Schwartz, AIA]

Guess this hasn't come up before with any other Architect? Anyone?

[willofmaine]

Benchmark elevation in a sheet viewport: for Elevation Display (in the OIP), select "Y value relative to reference elevation".  You can then set the Reference Elevation to whatever you like.  For example, if the First Floor of your building is 216', set the Reference Elevation to -216'.  (This assumes your First Floor is at Vectorworks' Z=0, which I highly recommend: if you need to change the vertical elevation of your building, move the World, not your building/model).  When creating the Elevation Benchmark, you can click on the Wrench/Pencil icon at the top to set the Reference Elevation and other settings for future creation.  That Wrench/Pencil icon applies to other tools as well, and may address some of your other questions.  Not sure what a "Control Point" is (at least as a VW tool)...

[str]

Hopefully this tool will be soon replaced/updated…

 

https://www.vectorworks.net/en-US/public-roadmap

 

 

Edited May 14 by str

[Scott Schwartz, AIA]

@willofmaine

 

Thanks for the reply. Figured out the reference setting adjustment. Not intuitive at all.

 

Also, got it on the preferences with the Wrench rather than than OIP for Scale. The text style is not in that dialog though but figured out how to select text menu mid-insertion. Not intuitive either. One would think you could easily set all properties of an object in the OIP, then check a box "set as default". Even my $600 Bluebeam can do that.

Edited May 14 by Scott Schwartz, AIA

[shorter]

create a symbol of a benchmark tool correctly set up and store the symbol in your office workgroup folder Favorites. 
 

set the symbol to place as plugin object.