Worksheet hell

[jnr]

Ok so here it goes:

I thought that after waiting for about seven years for the worksheets to get word wrap, that the trials and tribulations of integrating specifications for a residential project would finally be solved. Silly me. Unfortuantely the worksheets continue to be the achilles heel of this software. Its just plain clunky. Its like working with a Model T while the rest of the software is running like a Maserati. I'm sick of using a pull down menu to do everything. Text formating is cumbersome, no right click (go look at excel), cut and paste is archaic, character limit of 256 per cell is frustrating, Worksheet cell dimensions in edit mode have nothing to do with how it appears on the drawing, etc. ITS A PIECE OF UNUSABLE GARBAGE (yes I'm shouting).

The rest of this program has made quantum leaps in the nine years I have been using this software. Why on earth has this component been so neglected?

In light of developments and interest in BIM, for the software to meet the market, this must get fixed as it will become a crucial component.

Just for kicks here's what I have to go thru to get specifications into the documents. Because there is no way to import flowing text blocks, Excel cells (cutting and pasting in excess of 256 character limit on worksheets negates this), or EPS on a PC (thanks to the Mac favoritism left as a legacy of this programs origins), one is left to resort to the following: First I have to export the title block as a dxf to A. Illustrator, then using A. InDesign (which thank god has flowing text blocks, which Vectorworks does not)export text (via PDF) to Illustrator. Finally then I can print the spec sheets out of Illustrator. If one chooses, you can cut and paste groups of cells from Excel to Vectorworks. The catch? It comes in as an image (bitmap), uneditable, and the file size spins out of control with huge images of text. God forbid you have to go back and edit the text. Paste in as text you say? In vectorworks there are no flowing text boxes, and formating text is a joke (tab,tab,tab,tab,etc.). So that's out. Use the notes tool? 256 character limit rears its head.

I understand that for commercial work, specs typically don't make their way onto the drawings, however as an overwhelming number of users are smaller sized firms, of which many are residential designers, the ability to get the specifications into the document set so that the contractor will actually look at them, is absolutely essential. Even colleagues who use other AEC pacakges all cite this as essential. Busting one's rear end to jump thru all these hoops is costly,and silly.

If anyone has a better way to do this, I'm all ears. Regardless, the user interface with the worksheets still stinks despite recent cosmetic improvements.

[BG]

I agree with your comments. The worksheets do need a major improvement to make them more user friendly.

Have you looked at Ozcads "Worksheet on drawing" add on? It's only $20 US and provides some nice functionality that standard VW doesn't.

BG

[jnr]

Thanks. I'll look in to it. For 20 bucks better functionality would be totally worth it. I'd pay another $100 if NNA would simply provide ODBC support for Excel (for that matter any other spread sheet software if one hates Microsoft so much).

[islandmon]

The User community has been asking for a dedicated Excel compliant worksheet module for years, but it's never been a significant priority for many reasons including "if it ain't broke...". However, in defense of NNA there are work arounds for most average problems and the addition of a new more powerful worksheet may try the patience of those users who require only the current basic functionality. What we require is a link from Vectorworks objects into the Excel engine. ( I've written some simple code to allow Excel to produce Vectorscripts ). Maybe NNA can produce some C++ code to allow Vectorworks to use Excel methods/functions other than import/export. This would appear to be the easiest solution.

[jnr]

EJ:

I sucked it up and bought Julian's add in. For starters why doesn't NNA simply buy it or license it from him. At least one would not spend half your life pulling down that stupid menu for every modification repeatedly for each cell. As witnessed by the existence of the plug-in, I would argue that it is broke and does neet fixin'. Perhaps basic function could remain part of the Fundamental and a robust version (go Excel) could be part of a Design series. Believe me, I would pay the difference in a nano second.