11/8/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•3D spoken here.
•JLC Conference, Seattle, and VectorWorks
•Tips and tricks:
Moving doors and windows within walls
Converting Viewports to lines
Keeping Classes simple
Quick editing of Viewports
Greetings VectorWorks users! Our next meeting is Thursday, November 16th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door. You’ll find the topic of the evening is in the following paragraph.
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VectorWorks allows several different ways of manipulating 3D elements into a model with the most advanced method being the assembly of layers using the Stack Layers tool. We will use this tool to create simple 3D models, then take you through the process of display by using Viewports. Along with this I’d like to touch on the method of assembly used prior to the development of Viewports, just to give you another way to put things together when circumstances require and this may also be of interest to those owners of VW Fundamentals. We’ll look at Extrude Along Path, chamfering edges of solids, and subtracting solids (both from 3D Power Pack). If you have struggled with 3D, I hope to help you move beyond simply assembling the parametric model elements already existing in the Resource folders. This evening is free so come along and bring whatever other VW question you have and we’ll see if we can find an answer.
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JLC Live, the Residential Construction Show, associated with the Journal of Light Construction magazine, will be coming to Seattle November 9th through the 10th at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. You can read about the long list of businesses showing product as well as classes being offered during the show at www.JLCLIVE.com. VectorWorks and Softplan will be demo’d during each day. Sketchup will be shown Friday morning in a class called Better Bid Presentations with 3D Shop Drawings Using Sketchup. Thursday or Friday will cost $35 to view the exhibits and computer labs. The Sketchup class is a Conference Seminar. Go to JLCLIVE to confirm costs.
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When a door or window is inserted into a wall, there are a couple of different ways to move it to a revised location. If you look at the Object Info palette once the door or window is installed, you will see a button named Position and if you click there, a palette comes up which shows three parallel lines. The best way to understand this tool is to do a little drill: draw a wall that takes a turn such that you have two walls. Insert a door into one of the walls. Dimension from the inside wall’s ends back to the center of the door as well as from the outer end of the wall to center of door. Pull at least four dimensions back to the door’s center. Now double click on the door; when the Object Info palette comes up, click on Position. The parallel lines should be successively shorter on one end reflecting the fact that there is a corner from which dimensions can be placed. Click on the little round ends of each line and they should show a dimension which matches the one you’ve already placed about the door. This should help you see the relationships. Clicking through the options for moving within an existing wall will give you the insight needed to use this tool effectively while moving in precise amounts.
You can drag the window or door back and forth manually but you should look to the Mode bar (second from the top of your drawing) and click on the icon that looks like a piece of insulated wire with the insulation stripped off in the middle. This button keeps the window or door from slipping out of the wall when you drag it. It won’t prohibit you from inserting more windows and doors later if it is still turned on. Put any kind of a marker--loci work great-- and drag the window or door to your reference marker.
Here’s another way to move your window or door accurately. Click on the door, then click on the 2D Reshape Tool and draw a marquee around the object to be moved, then click on the Move tool or its keyboard equivalent, and insert the dimensions needed, hit enter and away you go.
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Is there a simple way to convert a Viewport to lines? With VectorWorks moving toward the Viewport paradigm and obsoleting the old method of converting your 3D model (or really, a Copy of it) to lines for the purposes of cleaning up elevations, sections and others, you may still find that your Viewport depiction of the project needs to be finessed and reworked in a way that only a wholesale conversion to lines makes practical. Yes, you can continue to drive the model ever more toward complete 3D-edness in order that the model would show itself more accurately, but does this serve your interests in light of the little time you have left to get the project finished and out the door?
Some of us Old Schoolers have secretly slipped into the Legacy folder within the Workspace folder via the Workspace Editor and added back the stalwart Cut 2D Section as well as Cut 3D Section. This gives us additional tools to speed up the conversion of model views to assemblies of easily edited lines. The rest of you, unburdened by legacy claptrap may find that you’d like to occasionally cheat up a little, leaving the VectorWorks Way, to convert the snapshot of whatever view you have captured using Viewports into lines or polygons. Remember that the snapshot I speak of is live, and any conversion breaks its liveness; in other words, its ability to update itself when other changes are made to the model. Again, in the interest of time, this decision to convert may be deemed reasonable.
If you have an appropriate Viewport created which you wish to convert to lines, first create a new Layer to receive the conversion--let’s say this Layer will have a 1/4”=1’ scale (1:48). Click on the Viewport and, in the OIP (object info palette), set its scale to 1:1. Then use the Convert Copy to Lines command under Modify. (Note that using the Ungroup command by itself will not work.) Send it to the new Layer using the OIP palette and there, ungroup and edit as usual. If you don’t first set the Viewport’s scale to 1:1 and still convert copy to lines, sending the resulting conversion to the new layer, you will get a tiny set of lines. You can easily fix this via scaling by the factor shown in the scale box--in the case of 1/4” or 1:48, so scale up by a factor of 48.
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Let’s say you have created a Viewport but wish to return quickly to the Design Layer to continue work or you want to change the Crop outline or you wish to add a few annotations to the Viewport. Where are the key combo’s hidden? Double click on the Viewport to bring up the dialog box. Push down on the Command Key (Mac) or the Control key (PC) and you’ll see revealed the shortcut commands.
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There has been a bit of back and forth on the VW Listserve lately on how to best utilize Classes. There is a myriad of ways to do this, from using all classes and only one layer to all layers and very few classes. Trying to adopt one of them without having it flow organically, so to speak, from your own process, is a recipe for frustration. I say start small and work up as you need to and in so doing, earn your right to insight. With the multiple ways (and locations) to select, set and manipulate, who can blame someone for over-amping their drawing process without meaning to?
Here is a letter taken from the Listserve which may help you, if you are also not sure of how best to use classes. Again, this is a starting place, not where you are likely to end up.
The question:
There are times when I am in a Viewport and I am annotating and I wonder what Class are these labels should be on or does it matter. So I go with the latter usually it goes on the None Class or whatever class I am on currently then when I go to a Design Layer and turn off a couple of the classes, and I go back to the Sheet Layers the objects are gone because they are on those classes I turned off. I never got an education on this area as to where annotations such as labeling, making general notes. Also I notice that the Viewports have classes and layers on them too and I wonder where they should be on. I really don't have a full grasp on Classes when working on Sheet Layers.
Is there any suggestions as to how to organize these classes so I don't have to keep fixing them. It is a major speed hindrance and a frustration. I always forget oh i am suppose to put that on that level. It drives me nuts. Is there a way that I could make this easier on myself? How could better organize this process?
Alex V.
The Answer:
At the risk of being too simple and basic, I'll give it go.
I try to do all my drawing in the "None" class which is always on. Every time I try to draw WITHIN any other class to give it a certain attribute or texture, I will forget that I'm in that specific class and put the next object in a class that I don't want it to be in which haunts you down the road. Burns me every time. There are some items like dimensions and wall styles that are preset to go to there own classes. And sometimes when I'm doing roofs, which are always "Roof Faces" for me, I will set the active class to "Roof". For me, I get into less trouble if I stay in the "None" class.
The same is true for Viewports. I haven't been using VW for that long, but I haven't found a reason yet to have a Viewport in a separate class other than "None". I'm sure somebody has a reason to but if you want its contents invisible or grayed, that can be done through its OIP. If I want to have separate control of a certain object’s visibility, color, texture, or attribute when seen in a Viewport, I will create a separate Class for that object and place it in that class through its OIP in the Design Layer after creation. Then when you're in a Sheet Layer you can control that object separately through the class button in the Viewports OIP, giving objects in that class different attributes or visibilities than it has in the Design Layers.
So in essence, you can have any number of different Viewports of the same floor plan, let's say. If your dimensions are in their own class, you can give them a different line weight or color in each Viewport. Classes are all about controlling visibility. Keeps things in the "None" class until you need to control them.
HTH,
Michael Kingsley
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Hope to see you at the next User Group meeting on Thursday, the 16th!
Tom Greggs
(206 524-2808
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
CONVERT TO LINES #18
CONVERT TO LINES #18
9/5/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•Nemetschek is coming to Seattle to demo Version 12.5!
•Your source for 3D outhouses
•Coffee Break and learn VW at the same time
•The Tipping Point and VectorWorks
Greetings VectorWorks people! Our next meeting is Wednesday, September 20th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
For our first meeting of the fall, Ryan Carmody of Nemetschek will be in town for the express purpose of showing us new and refined features of VectorWorks 12.5.This is also the chance, time allowing, to ask any questions about VW. As of this writing, VW 12.5 has not been released.
..............................................................................
One of the important new features since V.12 is the ability to import 3ds models and one of the best sites around to find these free and not-free models is at Turbosquid (love that name). 3ds models are derived from Autodesk’s 3ds Max modeling software. In browsing ‘squid offerings I came upon a darling Honey Bucket outhouse! I realized that no photorealistic rendering of a residence would be complete without a 3D biffy teetering in the distance, especially if it were free to download--and it is.
www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/266626
But that wasn’t the end of it as the Turbosquid site aggregates similar models in a sidebar and there were many outhouses offered, including one done in Poser that looked like the crew at Pixar had built it for an upcoming movie on Pappy Yokum and family:
www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/288187
www.lil-abner.com/strip.htm
While the outhouse hunting was fun, I discovered that there are some wonderful models out there that you may find helpful in augmenting your own designs. Getting access to these models requires you to join but there is no charge for membership.
Remember that when importing 3ds models, you may need to scale up by some factor which varies with the scale of the model. You might also check out:
http://www.amazing3d.com/free/free.shtml
or this small but nice collection of free objects
http://www.klicker.de/models.html
.................................................................................
Pam Lund wrote me with this simple idea: wouldn’t it be great if you could call up a few people whenever and get together over coffee to discuss better ways to use VectorWorks? Anyone could call anyone to get a group meeting going. Interested? Drop Pam a line and ask her to link you together with phone numbers and email addresses and let’s see where this goes. You can reach Pam at plund@spaceplans.com. If you email, put Coffee Break in the subject line.
.....................................................................................
I’ve just finished reading an interesting book by Malcolm Gladwell called The Tipping Point. He also authored a book called Blink, a #1 best seller. Mr. Gladwell’s strength is in researching and reporting the findings of those who analyze events and then note the triggering mechanisms which moved said events from little to large.
The fascinating aspect of this book is that the triggering actions typically are small. The resurgence, for instance, of Hush Puppy shoes was due to a small group of N.Y. City fashion designers who began wearing them almost as a backlash to fashions of the day. Personality types also factor largely in how information gets out about a product, idea or, in other examples, how the product or event gained a “sticky” nature or is portrayed as such through advertising.
In thinking about VectorWorks and all it represents--the website, the third party books, the people at NNA-- I was wondering, what part(s) might be considered sticky or not sticky and what event might happen which would bring many more people to buy and use VectorWorks. Today I’d like to suggest what I think might be an emerging “sticky” and I’d like to start with a reference to Jonathan Pickup.
What if word got out about VW and the wonderful, easy ways available for learning how to use this complex piece of software? I’m not talking here about Jonathan’s several books, as great as they may be, but rather his blog, which is an emerging method of viewing a two or three minute Quicktime movie on how to do something, anything, using VectorWorks.
http://web.mac.com/jpickup1/iWeb/Site/archoncad/archoncad.html
This method of learning is far more effective than looking up the same process in any other media. Its lesson is usually immediate and forceful. It is learned in two minutes, then, class dismissed.
What if we could find a site with a whole passel of Quicktime movies, references to blogs, user opinion and even a kind of democratic voting on which techniques should rise to the top of the heap and which thought processes or software choices within VW help or hinder the user?
For a time, Frank Brault managed a site called VectorExpress which might have been a base for this kind of gathering of ideas and how-to’s but it is morphing into something newer and and potentially far more powerful. (I don’t wish to steal Frank’s thunder so I won’t publish his web address here but rather wait until he announces it officially, presumably on the tails of the release of V. 12.5)
This seems to me to be potentially very exciting; where the teacher becomes the student and the student, the teacher, as new ideas, simple to complex, are logged in and debated. The Listserve functions like this to a degree but is linear in form. The future suggests a branch-like structure which would serve many more without a virtual kind of standing in line. The NNA website is moving, very slowly, in the right direction and could one day be very important to the learning process. Look at this rare, but very helpful how-to QT movie from the NNA Knowledge Base on live sections:
http://kbase.nemetschek.net/gfx/how_to/section.html
and then take a look at Sketchup’s large block of video tutorials, if you have time for a comparison, and consider which one is stickier:
http://download.sketchup.com/downloads/training/tutorials50/Sketchup%20Video%20Tutorials.html
The attraction of a site which contains ideas collected outside the NNA structure is that those thoughts may represent a more battle-hardened perspective (See Convert To Lines #16 and The Wisdom of Crowds at www.converttolines.blogspot.com).
VectorWorks has many, many ways of effectively presenting information as exerience with the Seattle VW Users Group has shown. Ideally, these paths and processes could be explored and presented to all users via simple learning methods such at QT movies, line drawings or simple text explanations.
To paraphrase Kevin Kelly, a writer quoted in The Tipping Point, the first fax machine was worth nothing because there was no other fax machine for it to talk to. As each new fax machine was sold, the network grew and so also grew in worth. Each additional fax machine that shipped increased the value of all the fax machines operating below it. With the leadership of Pickup, Brault and others, when you buy a copy of VectorWorks, you buy access to all the VW gurus, which is infinitely more valuable than the software itself. (Now, that is a sticky idea and if it doesn’t make it into an NNA VectorWorks advertising campaign, then it’s a loss for them AND us.)
The internet, as Malcolm Gladwell notes, is bringing in, paradoxically, the age of word-of-mouth: “.....all of the sophistication and wizardry and limitless access to information of the New Economy is going to lead us to rely more and more on very primitive kinds of social contacts.” Is there a tipping point in NNA’s future? If there is, people like yourselves, who contribute, argue and participate, will play a role.
See you on the 20th!
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
tomgreggs@comcast.net
(206) 524-2808
9/5/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•Nemetschek is coming to Seattle to demo Version 12.5!
•Your source for 3D outhouses
•Coffee Break and learn VW at the same time
•The Tipping Point and VectorWorks
Greetings VectorWorks people! Our next meeting is Wednesday, September 20th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
For our first meeting of the fall, Ryan Carmody of Nemetschek will be in town for the express purpose of showing us new and refined features of VectorWorks 12.5.This is also the chance, time allowing, to ask any questions about VW. As of this writing, VW 12.5 has not been released.
..............................................................................
One of the important new features since V.12 is the ability to import 3ds models and one of the best sites around to find these free and not-free models is at Turbosquid (love that name). 3ds models are derived from Autodesk’s 3ds Max modeling software. In browsing ‘squid offerings I came upon a darling Honey Bucket outhouse! I realized that no photorealistic rendering of a residence would be complete without a 3D biffy teetering in the distance, especially if it were free to download--and it is.
www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/266626
But that wasn’t the end of it as the Turbosquid site aggregates similar models in a sidebar and there were many outhouses offered, including one done in Poser that looked like the crew at Pixar had built it for an upcoming movie on Pappy Yokum and family:
www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/288187
www.lil-abner.com/strip.htm
While the outhouse hunting was fun, I discovered that there are some wonderful models out there that you may find helpful in augmenting your own designs. Getting access to these models requires you to join but there is no charge for membership.
Remember that when importing 3ds models, you may need to scale up by some factor which varies with the scale of the model. You might also check out:
http://www.amazing3d.com/free/free.shtml
or this small but nice collection of free objects
http://www.klicker.de/models.html
.................................................................................
Pam Lund wrote me with this simple idea: wouldn’t it be great if you could call up a few people whenever and get together over coffee to discuss better ways to use VectorWorks? Anyone could call anyone to get a group meeting going. Interested? Drop Pam a line and ask her to link you together with phone numbers and email addresses and let’s see where this goes. You can reach Pam at plund@spaceplans.com. If you email, put Coffee Break in the subject line.
.....................................................................................
I’ve just finished reading an interesting book by Malcolm Gladwell called The Tipping Point. He also authored a book called Blink, a #1 best seller. Mr. Gladwell’s strength is in researching and reporting the findings of those who analyze events and then note the triggering mechanisms which moved said events from little to large.
The fascinating aspect of this book is that the triggering actions typically are small. The resurgence, for instance, of Hush Puppy shoes was due to a small group of N.Y. City fashion designers who began wearing them almost as a backlash to fashions of the day. Personality types also factor largely in how information gets out about a product, idea or, in other examples, how the product or event gained a “sticky” nature or is portrayed as such through advertising.
In thinking about VectorWorks and all it represents--the website, the third party books, the people at NNA-- I was wondering, what part(s) might be considered sticky or not sticky and what event might happen which would bring many more people to buy and use VectorWorks. Today I’d like to suggest what I think might be an emerging “sticky” and I’d like to start with a reference to Jonathan Pickup.
What if word got out about VW and the wonderful, easy ways available for learning how to use this complex piece of software? I’m not talking here about Jonathan’s several books, as great as they may be, but rather his blog, which is an emerging method of viewing a two or three minute Quicktime movie on how to do something, anything, using VectorWorks.
http://web.mac.com/jpickup1/iWeb/Site/archoncad/archoncad.html
This method of learning is far more effective than looking up the same process in any other media. Its lesson is usually immediate and forceful. It is learned in two minutes, then, class dismissed.
What if we could find a site with a whole passel of Quicktime movies, references to blogs, user opinion and even a kind of democratic voting on which techniques should rise to the top of the heap and which thought processes or software choices within VW help or hinder the user?
For a time, Frank Brault managed a site called VectorExpress which might have been a base for this kind of gathering of ideas and how-to’s but it is morphing into something newer and and potentially far more powerful. (I don’t wish to steal Frank’s thunder so I won’t publish his web address here but rather wait until he announces it officially, presumably on the tails of the release of V. 12.5)
This seems to me to be potentially very exciting; where the teacher becomes the student and the student, the teacher, as new ideas, simple to complex, are logged in and debated. The Listserve functions like this to a degree but is linear in form. The future suggests a branch-like structure which would serve many more without a virtual kind of standing in line. The NNA website is moving, very slowly, in the right direction and could one day be very important to the learning process. Look at this rare, but very helpful how-to QT movie from the NNA Knowledge Base on live sections:
http://kbase.nemetschek.net/gfx/how_to/section.html
and then take a look at Sketchup’s large block of video tutorials, if you have time for a comparison, and consider which one is stickier:
http://download.sketchup.com/downloads/training/tutorials50/Sketchup%20Video%20Tutorials.html
The attraction of a site which contains ideas collected outside the NNA structure is that those thoughts may represent a more battle-hardened perspective (See Convert To Lines #16 and The Wisdom of Crowds at www.converttolines.blogspot.com).
VectorWorks has many, many ways of effectively presenting information as exerience with the Seattle VW Users Group has shown. Ideally, these paths and processes could be explored and presented to all users via simple learning methods such at QT movies, line drawings or simple text explanations.
To paraphrase Kevin Kelly, a writer quoted in The Tipping Point, the first fax machine was worth nothing because there was no other fax machine for it to talk to. As each new fax machine was sold, the network grew and so also grew in worth. Each additional fax machine that shipped increased the value of all the fax machines operating below it. With the leadership of Pickup, Brault and others, when you buy a copy of VectorWorks, you buy access to all the VW gurus, which is infinitely more valuable than the software itself. (Now, that is a sticky idea and if it doesn’t make it into an NNA VectorWorks advertising campaign, then it’s a loss for them AND us.)
The internet, as Malcolm Gladwell notes, is bringing in, paradoxically, the age of word-of-mouth: “.....all of the sophistication and wizardry and limitless access to information of the New Economy is going to lead us to rely more and more on very primitive kinds of social contacts.” Is there a tipping point in NNA’s future? If there is, people like yourselves, who contribute, argue and participate, will play a role.
See you on the 20th!
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
tomgreggs@comcast.net
(206) 524-2808
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Convert to Lines #17
CONVERT TO LINES #17
7/7/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users
In this issue:
•More Fun With Viewports:
Distributing Title blocks
Avoiding the red X-box
Creating Elevations of your model
•Closing a polyline
•New VW 12 Multimedia CD’s
•Julian Carr’s DXF tips.
•Do you draw with very few Layers?
•Jonathan Pickup’s new landscape book.
•Keyboard shortcuts
•More tips
•My new blog and changed e-mail address
Greetings VectorWorks Users! It’s summertime but there’s no reason why I can’t pester you with another Convert to Lines, that is if you haven’t completely shut down, left town or become a VW expert in the last little while. If you are still creeping up on Viewports, then this issue may be helpful.
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When Viewports first came out, I was not very happy having to deal with another layer of complexity but the more I use them the happier I seem to be. The first payoff is that you can stack your Layers to suit your model and completely ignore how they’ll look on the printed page since the Viewport can take over that job. VP’s can be moved without changing anything on the represented Layer. Of course, you’ve always been able to move bits of your drawing up or down from Layer to Layer but never before have I been able to keep things completely aligned, top to bottom, and not be tempted to move them around prior to printing. I was happy to realize that I could even key my plot plans and surveys to my model and so send bits of info up or down from 1/4” per ft on one Layer to 1” = 20’ on another.
How does one place a title block on each Sheet? There are two or more ways and the first is to turn your title block into a Viewport, sending a copy to each Sheet. Let me digress just a bit and then I’ll expand on the process: I’ve set up my Templates (those sets of preferences already preset for the typical paper sizes we use) to have only one pre made Layer and this holds my title block-- typically in a one-to-one scale--assuming that you might have a jpeg or a Postscript image as part of your title block. The title block should show the client name, date and any other info that would repeatedly show on each Sheet. Coming back now to Viewports, select the title block Layer and make it Active with all other Layers invisible. Make a VP of this Layer and call it Title Block (You don’t have to Select All--if you do, you may find that your title block bounding-box is used as a crop and as the process completes, you line work disappears, as crop boxes tend to do.) Once it’s been turned to a VP, showing under the VP tab of the Navigation palette, you can copy and paste it as many times as needed onto each sheet. One other way is to duplicate the title block Viewport and send it to the proper Sheet using the Layer button in the OI palette. Either way, each method will generate a new, sequentially numbered title block in the Viewports column. To fill out each title block VP with Sheet-specific text, simply write over the block OR you could double click the VP which will bring up a dialog box where you could check Annotations and then do your text work there. But for me, since the title block embellishments are few, I draw right on top of them preferring to bypass Annotations. Note that using this system, it is easy to make global changes to title block text by editing the original Title Block Layer.
The second, and perhaps easier way is to simply make a symbol of your title block (under Modify>Create Symbol) and save it to a folder in your Resource Browser so that it’s always available. Just drag it onto each new Sheet. For a clear description of this process, go to VW Help and search for Creating a Custom Title Block. There, you will see a method described that will allow you to update text in your block using the Record Format tool. This tool may be a helpful for larger groups looking to maintain continuity in their Sheet naming process but perhaps not so much for smaller groups and individuals.
If any of you have an alternative way of creating title blocks that you’d like to share or a different opinion of text linking via the Record Format tool, let me know and I’ll pass it on.
Continuing with Viewports, let’s say you’ve just made a fresh, new Viewport of one page of your drawing but you find that the Sheet holding the new VP shows only a red box with an X through it. Not to worry, the gremlins have played with your Object Info palette settings and instead of your 2D work displayed in Top/Plan view, it is now showing in left front isometric or some such, but since no 3D element is within this view, it shows only the red box. Reset your OI palette to Top/Plan and you’ll be back in business.
The promise of Viewports is that your model will, with a short command, update itself regularly. Thus a Sheet or a VP Section made early in the game can be refreshed and updated closer to the time you wish to print and issue drawings. Your 3D MODEL can be shown in Left and Back views simply by turning to that view and making a Viewport of each side. But then what? The new way may leave you with the same old problem you had when you were using Cut 3D View or were using Convert Copy to Lines--that is, incomplete drawings requiring removal of lines. But you can’t remove a line from a Viewport, only mask over, and this may, depending on your model, be more work than the original process of line removal. Obviously, staying with an updating model as long as possible is a great, great advantage but only you can decide which of the two methods are most effective and efficient.
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Closing a polyline is frequently important if you want to record an accurate reading of the area within or especially when you wish to extrude a closed shape. Failure to close will create a form that will accept no color or texture and will only show as a wire frame. Frequently you can solve your issue by looking on the Object Info palette (OI for short) for the Closed box which will automatically close your form but sometimes this will create a wrinkle by adding an extra line. Here is a different technique for finding the gap in your extrusion, taken from a post by JIm Linke from the VW Listserve:
“You are right, the polyline is not closed; the first and last vertices may just be on top of each other. You can see this in the OI palette when there are more vertices than there should be. In the OI palette > Vertex: you can use the arrow keys to move around the polyline; if one vertex highlights twice, that is the open point. You can easily see when a polyline is closing while drawing in the bezier, cubic spline or arc mode mode. The last point will smooth the entire curve if it is closed. It is harder to see closure when drawing polylines by corner point. Be sure "Snap to Grid" is off and "Snap to Object" is on. The screen hint will show "Point". The resulting polyline should have the correct number of vertices
(corners). If there is one extra, it is not closed. In this case, convert the polyline to a polygon and make sure the "Closed" check box is checked. If you missed the last point by a little bit, closing the polygon will draw in the missing edge.”
................................................................................................................
Nemetschek has just published a new VectorWorks 12 CD that very thoroughly and professionally lays out the advantages of VectorWorks in all its versions. If you know someone who is thinking about getting into VW, let me know and I’ll get them a copy. Its title is “VectorWorks 12 Multimedia CD.”
...............................................................................................................
Julian Carr of WinDoor fame has put together a short explanation of how to set up your files for export via DXF for AutoCAD users. This is the kind of practical how-to I wish we had more of.
http://www.ozcad.com.au/support/PDFs/TechNote001ExportDWG.pdf
..................................................................................................................
I’d like to hear from VW users who work with only a Layer or two who then draw into a large list of Classes. I’m assuming you draw largely in 2D. What do you see as your advantage? I’m not trying to pick a fight, only to learn, as I believe there is no wrong way to use VW. There are only more (and more) efficient ways of displaying your information. If you have something that works for you, that works for me. But do drop me a line.
................................................................................................................
A new training manual for is available for those working in landscape design: VectorWorks Landscape Tutorial 12. New Zealand architect Jonathan Pickup has designed this manual for version 12 to facilitate a smoother introduction to VectorWorks Landmark.
VectorWorks Landmark Tutorial 12 is designed to build upon beginner's knowledge of VectorWorks. The exercise-based manual instructs learners how to import a site plan, add plants, schedule plants, calculate hardscape areas, create 3D site models and 3D buildings, and create 3D designs for presentation purposes. Other topics include setting up layer and class standards, drawing complex site plans, dealing
with walls and roofs, creating an office library, annotation, and customizing VectorWorks.
Visit the ArchonCAD web site at:
http://www.archoncad.co.nz/index.php
There is a pdf file that shows a portion of the book. I highly recommend any of Jonathan’s books.
...............................................................................................................
There are maybe two or three levels of shortcuts you can learn, the first group you likely already know from other programs. Cut, copy, paste and select-all, quit and save come to mind. If you’ve used VW for much time at all, you may have started to learn the following:
Ungroup---command + u (ctrl + u)
Undo------command + z (ctrl + z)
Rotate (left)-----command + L (ctrl + L)
Duplicate-----command + d (ctrl + d)
Move-----command + m (ctrl + m)
Nudge (one pixel)---shift + arrow key (same in windows)
Send back---command + b (ctrl + b)
Send forward---command + f (ctrl + f)
Trim----command + t (ctrl + t)
You can find seven pages of keyboard shortcuts by going to Help and typing “keyboard shortcuts” into the search box which will deliver your list, but only if you are connected to the internet. After printing out and stapling up the pages, you might find that there are just too many commands to make sense of. Which ones are most helpful at this stage of the game? With that in mind, let me offer a second set that should pay dividends.
Selection tool (arrow)------x (both platforms)
Text tool----1 (both)
Move drawing (boomerang tool) spacebar plus cursor
Line tool---2 (both)
Polygon tool---8 (both)
Rectangle tool---4 (both)
Paste in place---command + option + v (ctrl + alt + v)
Ungroup---command + u (ctrl + u)
Fit to objects (find selected item)----command + 6 (ctrl + 6)
Fit to window----command + 4 (ctrl + 4)
2D reshape tool----use the minus key (both)
Split tool----L (both)
2D mirror tool--- = (equal key) (both)
Return to Top/Plan view---command + 5 (ctrl + 5)
Also works on both platforms to press 0 on numerical keyboard.
Pressing 5 on numerical keyboard puts you in Top View (which is a
3D-view only).
Zoom tool---c (both)
Zoom out by a factor of 2----command + 1 (ctrl + 1)
Zoom out by a factor of 4----comm + opt + 1 (ctrl + alt + 1)
Zoom in by a factor of 2----comm + 2 (ctrl + 2)
Zoom in by a factor of 4-----comm + opt + 2 (ctrl + opt + 2)
Move a wall’s center--u keys toggles through options
Use the u key in general to toggle through Mode Bar options and
use the i key to open Mode Bar dialog boxs
View active layer only---command + option + 3
(ctrl + alt + 3)
View active layer with others grayed (Gray Others)---comm + opt + 4
ctrl + alt + 4
View active layer with others black (Show Others)---comm + opt + 5
ctrl + alt + 5)
These last three are very handy when showing or hiding layers behind your working layer. If you have limited screen real estate, you might also look at the shortcuts for opening and closing palettes such as the Navigation and OI palette.
I expect many of you with experience would have something to add or subtract from this list but for many of you who are not yet using this second set of shortcuts, you may find a handful here that will free you real effort.
..............................................................................................................
A couple more tips: Using the Drawing Label tool to label plan details, sections, etc. on your Design Layers will get you the exact same label each time you use it forcing you to consecutively number each one via the Object Info palette. If, on the other hand, you add these labels to Sheets after your Viewports have been made, you will find that each time you click on a new detail, section or elevation, the label number will automatically update to the next higher number.
Last tip. To get a plus/minus sign, type shift+option together with the + key. I presume shift+ctrl and the plus key gets you the same thing on a PC.
...............................................................................................................
I’ve posted all my Convert to Lines newsletters onto a blog:
http://converttolines.blogspot.com
If you know a new(er) user of VW, pass on the address, and while you’re at it, send their e-mail address to me so I can add them to the Convert to Lines mailing list.
If anyone is interested in creating their own blog, Blogger makes it super easy to publish. And it’s free.
http://www.blogger.com/start
My new e-mail address is the same as this post: tomgreggs@comcast.net
That’s it for now!
Tom Greggs
7/7/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users
In this issue:
•More Fun With Viewports:
Distributing Title blocks
Avoiding the red X-box
Creating Elevations of your model
•Closing a polyline
•New VW 12 Multimedia CD’s
•Julian Carr’s DXF tips.
•Do you draw with very few Layers?
•Jonathan Pickup’s new landscape book.
•Keyboard shortcuts
•More tips
•My new blog and changed e-mail address
Greetings VectorWorks Users! It’s summertime but there’s no reason why I can’t pester you with another Convert to Lines, that is if you haven’t completely shut down, left town or become a VW expert in the last little while. If you are still creeping up on Viewports, then this issue may be helpful.
..............................................................................................................
When Viewports first came out, I was not very happy having to deal with another layer of complexity but the more I use them the happier I seem to be. The first payoff is that you can stack your Layers to suit your model and completely ignore how they’ll look on the printed page since the Viewport can take over that job. VP’s can be moved without changing anything on the represented Layer. Of course, you’ve always been able to move bits of your drawing up or down from Layer to Layer but never before have I been able to keep things completely aligned, top to bottom, and not be tempted to move them around prior to printing. I was happy to realize that I could even key my plot plans and surveys to my model and so send bits of info up or down from 1/4” per ft on one Layer to 1” = 20’ on another.
How does one place a title block on each Sheet? There are two or more ways and the first is to turn your title block into a Viewport, sending a copy to each Sheet. Let me digress just a bit and then I’ll expand on the process: I’ve set up my Templates (those sets of preferences already preset for the typical paper sizes we use) to have only one pre made Layer and this holds my title block-- typically in a one-to-one scale--assuming that you might have a jpeg or a Postscript image as part of your title block. The title block should show the client name, date and any other info that would repeatedly show on each Sheet. Coming back now to Viewports, select the title block Layer and make it Active with all other Layers invisible. Make a VP of this Layer and call it Title Block (You don’t have to Select All--if you do, you may find that your title block bounding-box is used as a crop and as the process completes, you line work disappears, as crop boxes tend to do.) Once it’s been turned to a VP, showing under the VP tab of the Navigation palette, you can copy and paste it as many times as needed onto each sheet. One other way is to duplicate the title block Viewport and send it to the proper Sheet using the Layer button in the OI palette. Either way, each method will generate a new, sequentially numbered title block in the Viewports column. To fill out each title block VP with Sheet-specific text, simply write over the block OR you could double click the VP which will bring up a dialog box where you could check Annotations and then do your text work there. But for me, since the title block embellishments are few, I draw right on top of them preferring to bypass Annotations. Note that using this system, it is easy to make global changes to title block text by editing the original Title Block Layer.
The second, and perhaps easier way is to simply make a symbol of your title block (under Modify>Create Symbol) and save it to a folder in your Resource Browser so that it’s always available. Just drag it onto each new Sheet. For a clear description of this process, go to VW Help and search for Creating a Custom Title Block. There, you will see a method described that will allow you to update text in your block using the Record Format tool. This tool may be a helpful for larger groups looking to maintain continuity in their Sheet naming process but perhaps not so much for smaller groups and individuals.
If any of you have an alternative way of creating title blocks that you’d like to share or a different opinion of text linking via the Record Format tool, let me know and I’ll pass it on.
Continuing with Viewports, let’s say you’ve just made a fresh, new Viewport of one page of your drawing but you find that the Sheet holding the new VP shows only a red box with an X through it. Not to worry, the gremlins have played with your Object Info palette settings and instead of your 2D work displayed in Top/Plan view, it is now showing in left front isometric or some such, but since no 3D element is within this view, it shows only the red box. Reset your OI palette to Top/Plan and you’ll be back in business.
The promise of Viewports is that your model will, with a short command, update itself regularly. Thus a Sheet or a VP Section made early in the game can be refreshed and updated closer to the time you wish to print and issue drawings. Your 3D MODEL can be shown in Left and Back views simply by turning to that view and making a Viewport of each side. But then what? The new way may leave you with the same old problem you had when you were using Cut 3D View or were using Convert Copy to Lines--that is, incomplete drawings requiring removal of lines. But you can’t remove a line from a Viewport, only mask over, and this may, depending on your model, be more work than the original process of line removal. Obviously, staying with an updating model as long as possible is a great, great advantage but only you can decide which of the two methods are most effective and efficient.
...............................................................................................................
Closing a polyline is frequently important if you want to record an accurate reading of the area within or especially when you wish to extrude a closed shape. Failure to close will create a form that will accept no color or texture and will only show as a wire frame. Frequently you can solve your issue by looking on the Object Info palette (OI for short) for the Closed box which will automatically close your form but sometimes this will create a wrinkle by adding an extra line. Here is a different technique for finding the gap in your extrusion, taken from a post by JIm Linke from the VW Listserve:
“You are right, the polyline is not closed; the first and last vertices may just be on top of each other. You can see this in the OI palette when there are more vertices than there should be. In the OI palette > Vertex: you can use the arrow keys to move around the polyline; if one vertex highlights twice, that is the open point. You can easily see when a polyline is closing while drawing in the bezier, cubic spline or arc mode mode. The last point will smooth the entire curve if it is closed. It is harder to see closure when drawing polylines by corner point. Be sure "Snap to Grid" is off and "Snap to Object" is on. The screen hint will show "Point". The resulting polyline should have the correct number of vertices
(corners). If there is one extra, it is not closed. In this case, convert the polyline to a polygon and make sure the "Closed" check box is checked. If you missed the last point by a little bit, closing the polygon will draw in the missing edge.”
................................................................................................................
Nemetschek has just published a new VectorWorks 12 CD that very thoroughly and professionally lays out the advantages of VectorWorks in all its versions. If you know someone who is thinking about getting into VW, let me know and I’ll get them a copy. Its title is “VectorWorks 12 Multimedia CD.”
...............................................................................................................
Julian Carr of WinDoor fame has put together a short explanation of how to set up your files for export via DXF for AutoCAD users. This is the kind of practical how-to I wish we had more of.
http://www.ozcad.com.au/support/PDFs/TechNote001ExportDWG.pdf
..................................................................................................................
I’d like to hear from VW users who work with only a Layer or two who then draw into a large list of Classes. I’m assuming you draw largely in 2D. What do you see as your advantage? I’m not trying to pick a fight, only to learn, as I believe there is no wrong way to use VW. There are only more (and more) efficient ways of displaying your information. If you have something that works for you, that works for me. But do drop me a line.
................................................................................................................
A new training manual for is available for those working in landscape design: VectorWorks Landscape Tutorial 12. New Zealand architect Jonathan Pickup has designed this manual for version 12 to facilitate a smoother introduction to VectorWorks Landmark.
VectorWorks Landmark Tutorial 12 is designed to build upon beginner's knowledge of VectorWorks. The exercise-based manual instructs learners how to import a site plan, add plants, schedule plants, calculate hardscape areas, create 3D site models and 3D buildings, and create 3D designs for presentation purposes. Other topics include setting up layer and class standards, drawing complex site plans, dealing
with walls and roofs, creating an office library, annotation, and customizing VectorWorks.
Visit the ArchonCAD web site at:
http://www.archoncad.co.nz/index.php
There is a pdf file that shows a portion of the book. I highly recommend any of Jonathan’s books.
...............................................................................................................
There are maybe two or three levels of shortcuts you can learn, the first group you likely already know from other programs. Cut, copy, paste and select-all, quit and save come to mind. If you’ve used VW for much time at all, you may have started to learn the following:
Ungroup---command + u (ctrl + u)
Undo------command + z (ctrl + z)
Rotate (left)-----command + L (ctrl + L)
Duplicate-----command + d (ctrl + d)
Move-----command + m (ctrl + m)
Nudge (one pixel)---shift + arrow key (same in windows)
Send back---command + b (ctrl + b)
Send forward---command + f (ctrl + f)
Trim----command + t (ctrl + t)
You can find seven pages of keyboard shortcuts by going to Help and typing “keyboard shortcuts” into the search box which will deliver your list, but only if you are connected to the internet. After printing out and stapling up the pages, you might find that there are just too many commands to make sense of. Which ones are most helpful at this stage of the game? With that in mind, let me offer a second set that should pay dividends.
Selection tool (arrow)------x (both platforms)
Text tool----1 (both)
Move drawing (boomerang tool) spacebar plus cursor
Line tool---2 (both)
Polygon tool---8 (both)
Rectangle tool---4 (both)
Paste in place---command + option + v (ctrl + alt + v)
Ungroup---command + u (ctrl + u)
Fit to objects (find selected item)----command + 6 (ctrl + 6)
Fit to window----command + 4 (ctrl + 4)
2D reshape tool----use the minus key (both)
Split tool----L (both)
2D mirror tool--- = (equal key) (both)
Return to Top/Plan view---command + 5 (ctrl + 5)
Also works on both platforms to press 0 on numerical keyboard.
Pressing 5 on numerical keyboard puts you in Top View (which is a
3D-view only).
Zoom tool---c (both)
Zoom out by a factor of 2----command + 1 (ctrl + 1)
Zoom out by a factor of 4----comm + opt + 1 (ctrl + alt + 1)
Zoom in by a factor of 2----comm + 2 (ctrl + 2)
Zoom in by a factor of 4-----comm + opt + 2 (ctrl + opt + 2)
Move a wall’s center--u keys toggles through options
Use the u key in general to toggle through Mode Bar options and
use the i key to open Mode Bar dialog boxs
View active layer only---command + option + 3
(ctrl + alt + 3)
View active layer with others grayed (Gray Others)---comm + opt + 4
ctrl + alt + 4
View active layer with others black (Show Others)---comm + opt + 5
ctrl + alt + 5)
These last three are very handy when showing or hiding layers behind your working layer. If you have limited screen real estate, you might also look at the shortcuts for opening and closing palettes such as the Navigation and OI palette.
I expect many of you with experience would have something to add or subtract from this list but for many of you who are not yet using this second set of shortcuts, you may find a handful here that will free you real effort.
..............................................................................................................
A couple more tips: Using the Drawing Label tool to label plan details, sections, etc. on your Design Layers will get you the exact same label each time you use it forcing you to consecutively number each one via the Object Info palette. If, on the other hand, you add these labels to Sheets after your Viewports have been made, you will find that each time you click on a new detail, section or elevation, the label number will automatically update to the next higher number.
Last tip. To get a plus/minus sign, type shift+option together with the + key. I presume shift+ctrl and the plus key gets you the same thing on a PC.
...............................................................................................................
I’ve posted all my Convert to Lines newsletters onto a blog:
http://converttolines.blogspot.com
If you know a new(er) user of VW, pass on the address, and while you’re at it, send their e-mail address to me so I can add them to the Convert to Lines mailing list.
If anyone is interested in creating their own blog, Blogger makes it super easy to publish. And it’s free.
http://www.blogger.com/start
My new e-mail address is the same as this post: tomgreggs@comcast.net
That’s it for now!
Tom Greggs
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
CONVERT TO LINES #16
CONVERT TO LINES #16
4/21/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•The When and the Where.
•The Wisdom of Crowds.
•When is a Plug-in Object a Symbol, or is it the other way around?
•Doing the Splits.
•More books.
Greetings VectorWorks Users! Our next meeting is Thursday, April 27th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
We will take a look at one of the topics below--making symbols and making plug-in objects into symbols. Once a symbol has been made we will look at assigning product information to that symbol. We’ll endeavor to answer your questions, perhaps some you didn’t even know you had! ......................................................................................................
You may recall a book called The Wisdom of Crowds written by James Surowiecki that hit the best seller list at least a year ago. The book is subtitled “Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economics, Societies and Nations.” It contains, among its many stories, one about a group of 700 people who were asked to give their estimate of the weight of an ox. After all opinions were averaged, the group’s answer was within a pound of the true weight of the animal.
I’ve come to believe that our little user-group fits into this book somehow. When we get together, we reach a mind-mass, if you will, that is remarkably able to solve problems. You might think that I, as the SIG leader, would be handing out answers one by one from behind the lectern. But that would be wrong. The real power is in the collective wisdom of the group. And this is where you come in. Attend and grow wiser. You will go home enabled in ways you would not have imagined. Your contribution, no matter how small, will also shape the knowledge of others.
......................................................................................................
When is a plug-in object sometimes converted into a symbol and more vexingly, why is it then often turned back into a plug-in object? And what is the difference between the two anyway? To answer this last question first, a symbol is an object with parameters that can’t be changed by using the Object Info palette. A symbol can be 2D, 3D or a combo of both. Symbols use less memory than a plug-in object and can be assigned database (Worksheet) information. Plug-in objects have many parameters that can be changed via the Object Info palette. A cabinet can have the countertop and splash changed, doors changed for drawers and so on. A symbol can be a simple collection of 2D lines. A plug-in object is constructed by using a script (Tools > Scripts > VectorScript Plug-in Editor). And finally, a plug-in object can be converted to a symbol to gain some of the advantages of a symbol.
If you use a plug-in door for instance--perhaps one of those in Version 12 with the umpteen options for style--at some point you may wish for a way to keep all those selections fixed so that you don’t have to go through a long selection process each time, over and over, whenever you reach for a new door. In the Old Days when the door choices were fewer, you could leave each window or door as a plug-in and set the parameters for the unit at each insertion. You can still operate this way but if you have a lot of windows, doors, cabinets or other plug-in objects that you wish to model, expect to spend much more time in this process of one-by-one customization. But once the door has been set up, why not save it as a symbol and import it into your Resource Browser? That way it will already have been pre configured. To do this you will need to create a set of doors, one for each size you’d typically use and in each form such as solid core door or store door.
Those of you wishing to show a more detailed door or window will be happy with the direction VW has taken. Those wishing for a more simple solution will be “encouraged” to make many more symbol libraries of preset symbols and plug-in objects prior to starting their drawings, then importing these libraries into future drawings or into your templates. The upside is you’ll have much less need to edit your object after insertion. The downside is that time needs to be set aside for creation of these future libraries and individual items.
Let’s run through the drill of how to do this. First, let’s make a new folder within the Resource Browser. With the Browser open, go to Resources > New Resource in (title of your drawing) > Symbol Folder.
Now give the folder its name, such as Solid Core Doors. You’ll see the blue folder (by the way, I’m explaining this in Version 12 of VW). Now, place a plug-in door into your file anywhere. Go to Modify > Create Symbol and name the symbol in the palette presented. A Move palette should come on-screen. Click on the new Doors folder to highlight it. Click Open. You are now in the root or bottom folder for doors. Your door, or doors if you shift-selected, will be moved to this folder where they can be dragged into any new file. Note that they will stay stuck at whatever size they were when turned into a symbol. You can flip them, set their height above Bottom Z (or base line) and your can replace them--all from the Object Info palette.
Perhaps the best of both worlds would be, when converting your door to a symbol, to go to the Options palette and check the box marked Convert to Plug-in Object. Then, when you insert this type of door from the Resource Doors folder, it converts to an editable plug-in object (which you have already pre configured, remember?). Then, if you need to change a bit of trim or the overall width, you’ll have no problems.
..................................................................................................................
Get to know the Split tool. I wanted to create a shape something similar to a chisel where all four sides of the chisel end tapered inward toward the tip. The Split tool resides on the Basic palette and looks like a-- a--hill with a couple of arrows coming and going. The first mode of the tool works well when splitting a wall as it only takes one click (an alternate would be drawing a line across the wall at the cutting point and using the Trim command). The second mode works nicely when cutting off the sides from my chisel shape although the third cutting mode would save a click by allowing me to chose, via an arrow, which side of the cut I wish to keep and automatically throwing away the trimmed piece. My chisel shape is a 3D polygon but the Split tool also can cut 2D lines and the more complex shapes of Nurbs surfaces and curves.
...............................................................................................................
Resolve Software, the company that tours the U.S. teaching VW, has some new books out:
www.resolve.ca/products/workbooks.html
Resolve is in partnership with Nemetschek to provide learning resources so I expect the books to be first rate. The covers do resemble the stock manuals until you look carefully look and compare. Then you’ll see that they are not the same. Check ‘em out.
.................................................................................................................
Come join us next Thursday evening!
Tom Greggs
(206) 524-2808
4/21/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•The When and the Where.
•The Wisdom of Crowds.
•When is a Plug-in Object a Symbol, or is it the other way around?
•Doing the Splits.
•More books.
Greetings VectorWorks Users! Our next meeting is Thursday, April 27th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
We will take a look at one of the topics below--making symbols and making plug-in objects into symbols. Once a symbol has been made we will look at assigning product information to that symbol. We’ll endeavor to answer your questions, perhaps some you didn’t even know you had! ......................................................................................................
You may recall a book called The Wisdom of Crowds written by James Surowiecki that hit the best seller list at least a year ago. The book is subtitled “Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economics, Societies and Nations.” It contains, among its many stories, one about a group of 700 people who were asked to give their estimate of the weight of an ox. After all opinions were averaged, the group’s answer was within a pound of the true weight of the animal.
I’ve come to believe that our little user-group fits into this book somehow. When we get together, we reach a mind-mass, if you will, that is remarkably able to solve problems. You might think that I, as the SIG leader, would be handing out answers one by one from behind the lectern. But that would be wrong. The real power is in the collective wisdom of the group. And this is where you come in. Attend and grow wiser. You will go home enabled in ways you would not have imagined. Your contribution, no matter how small, will also shape the knowledge of others.
......................................................................................................
When is a plug-in object sometimes converted into a symbol and more vexingly, why is it then often turned back into a plug-in object? And what is the difference between the two anyway? To answer this last question first, a symbol is an object with parameters that can’t be changed by using the Object Info palette. A symbol can be 2D, 3D or a combo of both. Symbols use less memory than a plug-in object and can be assigned database (Worksheet) information. Plug-in objects have many parameters that can be changed via the Object Info palette. A cabinet can have the countertop and splash changed, doors changed for drawers and so on. A symbol can be a simple collection of 2D lines. A plug-in object is constructed by using a script (Tools > Scripts > VectorScript Plug-in Editor). And finally, a plug-in object can be converted to a symbol to gain some of the advantages of a symbol.
If you use a plug-in door for instance--perhaps one of those in Version 12 with the umpteen options for style--at some point you may wish for a way to keep all those selections fixed so that you don’t have to go through a long selection process each time, over and over, whenever you reach for a new door. In the Old Days when the door choices were fewer, you could leave each window or door as a plug-in and set the parameters for the unit at each insertion. You can still operate this way but if you have a lot of windows, doors, cabinets or other plug-in objects that you wish to model, expect to spend much more time in this process of one-by-one customization. But once the door has been set up, why not save it as a symbol and import it into your Resource Browser? That way it will already have been pre configured. To do this you will need to create a set of doors, one for each size you’d typically use and in each form such as solid core door or store door.
Those of you wishing to show a more detailed door or window will be happy with the direction VW has taken. Those wishing for a more simple solution will be “encouraged” to make many more symbol libraries of preset symbols and plug-in objects prior to starting their drawings, then importing these libraries into future drawings or into your templates. The upside is you’ll have much less need to edit your object after insertion. The downside is that time needs to be set aside for creation of these future libraries and individual items.
Let’s run through the drill of how to do this. First, let’s make a new folder within the Resource Browser. With the Browser open, go to Resources > New Resource in (title of your drawing) > Symbol Folder.
Now give the folder its name, such as Solid Core Doors. You’ll see the blue folder (by the way, I’m explaining this in Version 12 of VW). Now, place a plug-in door into your file anywhere. Go to Modify > Create Symbol and name the symbol in the palette presented. A Move palette should come on-screen. Click on the new Doors folder to highlight it. Click Open. You are now in the root or bottom folder for doors. Your door, or doors if you shift-selected, will be moved to this folder where they can be dragged into any new file. Note that they will stay stuck at whatever size they were when turned into a symbol. You can flip them, set their height above Bottom Z (or base line) and your can replace them--all from the Object Info palette.
Perhaps the best of both worlds would be, when converting your door to a symbol, to go to the Options palette and check the box marked Convert to Plug-in Object. Then, when you insert this type of door from the Resource Doors folder, it converts to an editable plug-in object (which you have already pre configured, remember?). Then, if you need to change a bit of trim or the overall width, you’ll have no problems.
..................................................................................................................
Get to know the Split tool. I wanted to create a shape something similar to a chisel where all four sides of the chisel end tapered inward toward the tip. The Split tool resides on the Basic palette and looks like a-- a--hill with a couple of arrows coming and going. The first mode of the tool works well when splitting a wall as it only takes one click (an alternate would be drawing a line across the wall at the cutting point and using the Trim command). The second mode works nicely when cutting off the sides from my chisel shape although the third cutting mode would save a click by allowing me to chose, via an arrow, which side of the cut I wish to keep and automatically throwing away the trimmed piece. My chisel shape is a 3D polygon but the Split tool also can cut 2D lines and the more complex shapes of Nurbs surfaces and curves.
...............................................................................................................
Resolve Software, the company that tours the U.S. teaching VW, has some new books out:
www.resolve.ca/products/workbooks.html
Resolve is in partnership with Nemetschek to provide learning resources so I expect the books to be first rate. The covers do resemble the stock manuals until you look carefully look and compare. Then you’ll see that they are not the same. Check ‘em out.
.................................................................................................................
Come join us next Thursday evening!
Tom Greggs
(206) 524-2808
CONVERT TO LINES #15
CONVERT TO LINES #15
3/6/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•Our next meeting time and topic
•The evolving Tips and Tricks List
•Thoughts on new tools in V. 12
•New VectorWorks training seminars
Greetings VectorWorks Users! Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 22nd, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
The slant of our first hour will be toward the newer user with a focus on ending up with a better knowledge of the 3D process. I’ll make sure you go away from our get-together with an improved understanding of drawing with VectorWorks.
.....................................................................................................................
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE NEWER VECTORWORKS USER
The list below is for the newer user who will likely encounter stumbling blocks, some due to the software itself but others simply due to the process of drawing in CAD. Feel free to clip this out, amend it, add to it as needed. If you know of other gotcha’s than those written below, drop me a line for the benefit of new and beginner users: those most vulnerable to frustration. Thanks!
1. Is the Snap to Grid button on the floating Constraints palette set to the on or off position? This is a terrific tool if you create a preset grid to help snap to a visible (or invisible) pattern when laying out beam lines or other elements that must align in a grid-like fashion. But after your grid layout work is complete, you may want to turn this button to the ‘off’ position. No matter what size the grid pattern is set to, if you pull a line near one of the coordinates, your snap could be pulled to the grid intersection and you might unknowingly snap off your intended mark. After your grid work has been completed, I suggest you uncheck this box. I set it to ‘off’ by default when I begin drawing.
2. Do you find your doors and windows slipping out of walls when moving them manually? You can lock them in using the Wall Insertion button, second one from the left, on the Mode bar. You can still drop windows and doors into walls when this button is locked. Note also that sometimes a VW symbol that you wish to place touching a wall will be grabbed by that wall. Turning off the Wall Insertion button will stop the grabby action.
3. In VectorWorks, using the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle or square seems like the more practical way to perform such a task than to draw the same shape using the Polygon tool. But If you double click on a rectangular shape made with the Polygon Tool, you will get editing nodes on all corners and also on the middle of each side. This won’t happen when trying to edit a shape made with the Rectangle tool UNLESS you use the Convert to Polygon pull down command to convert your shape. Only then can you can add or remove corners to your object.
4. Picking up the end of a line seems like something that should be easy the first time. Truth is, you have to move the cursor slightly off-center of the line’s end before you get the comforting cross hair shaped screen hint that tells you you’re locked on UNLESS you have the first button unchecked on the mode bar--the diagonal line called Enable Interactive Scaling Mode (for short). If you uncheck this button, you can easily grab it but then you miss out on being able to stretch the line too since the stretching option gets turned off. I usually leave the buttons set so that I can stretch whenever I want and grab and drag too--I just grab more carefully. But if your eyes are tired or you just want it to work with no questions asked, uncheck the first mode bar box.
5. Layer Options and Class Options read the same from top to bottom but should be set differently in most cases. Do not set Layer Options to Show/Snap/Modify Others because that means that you run the risk of reaching down through several layers (if they are set to a visible status) and clicking on some line which looks out of place. If you move said line or throw it away--not knowing it resides on another layer--you may be surprised and disappointed. Most times I leave this Option set to Show/Snap Others. There are those, however, who love having this reach-down option available to them.
When setting Class Options, DON’T, unless you are free of deadlines or know someone to call in case something disappears. Leave this one set at Show/Snap/Modify Others which means your Class-based object won’t be hidden or made impossible to snap to. Later on when you feel more comfortable with Class Options, you will find some unique and helpful reasons for their existence.
6. Speaking of Classes, what is a “None” Class? If it is None, why is it here? If you are not yet Class-crazed, putting each and every item into a special class you’ve created, I suggest you leave the default Class setting set to None. Think of it as the “Anything Can Go Here” Class or the “Slush Bucket” Class or my favorite, the “Put It Here Until You Have A Better Plan” Class.
7. I use the nudge key combo to move objects all the time, even zooming out to nudge them faster as each nudge bump moves your object the distance of one pixel width. But if you are building precise objects, a pixel nudge may introduce error into your plans. You might be better off moving your object by precise amounts in the Dimension bar as you assemble your parts.
8. Why do my 3D renderings look so poor? Renderworks gives you many choices in rendering your project and as you get better you can choose the mode that is quicker or more stylish or the one that looks more photo-realistic. If you guess wrong, your rendering may look washed out. I personally like Custom Renderworks best with the settings in Custom Renderworks Options set generally to High (but not to Very High). If my old G-4 can render drawings in relatively good time, I’m thinking your machine will work just fine. Also put down a ground plane of an extruded rectangle with a fill or use the floor tool and give it a fill as well. This gives shadows a place to land. One last thing: add a light source. One click of the light tool will add a sun-like light which should give you all the shadows and highlights you need. As time goes on, try giving your objects a texture by selecting one of the many finishes (VW 12) found of the Object Info palette under the Render tab. Note that rendering and texturing in VW 12.0 works better than earlier versions. Also note that Open GL--the fastest renderer--puts a light in automatically for you so you needn't worry about adding one.
9. When using the polygon or polyline tool to make an enclosed shape, make sure you actually hit the endline when closing which can be a problem if there are lots of lines cluttering the area around the endpoint or when the Snap Grid button is on (see #1). You can check on the Object Info palette if the poly is closed since there is a button that will check itself if you have done your job. If not, the button will not be checked. Checking it manually will automatically close the link.
Sometimes, when extruding shapes made from polys, you will find that the shape won’t accept a fill or texture. This is likely due to the poly still being open. Double click on the object which returns it to an editing pane. Click the Close button or zoom in and manually close it and you’ll be back in business.
.....................................................................................................................
More thoughts on Version 12
A. One of the best improvements brought forth in VW 12 is something called the Navigation Palette. This will be found in most of the VW modules such as Architect but I don’t believe it is included in the base module called Fundamentals. The Navigation palette contains in one place tabbed, list views of Classes, Layers, Viewports, Sheets and Saved Views. The beauty of this scheme is that you can quickly jump from group to group turning elements on or off or making them gray or invisible. Layers are especially handy since a double click on the layer brings it up on screen as the active layer. If you want another layer to act as a backdrop shown in gray, you can click on and show those layers very quickly. In fact, this palette should help newer users see the relationship between Layers and Classes more easily since the (3) command centers on the Menu Bar--Layers, Classes and the visibility settings under Organize on the Menu Bar have been rendered largely superfluous. The one issue here is that to work most effectively, this palette should always be open and that means you need screen real estate. Two monitors would be the ideal setup if cost effectiveness is paramount or, if you can swing it, one of the big LCD monitors would give you room to spread out.
In reviewing this palette, it is easy to miss the little triangle button on the far right of the palette. Here, you’ll find a pull-down menu for creation of New Classes, Layers, etc., as well as the commands Edit, Duplicate, Delete plus others. Stacking order can also be changed via drag and drop although I did not have 100% success in changing stacking order--sometimes it worked, other times not. Also, Workgroup Referenced items display in italics as in the past. If you don’t see this arrow in the upper right corner of the palette, drag is out toward the right and the arrow should appear.
B. Prior to V.12, Hatches--which are a choice of fill style on the Attributes palette--have never been much of a thrill. I’ve not been willing to create my own and so have left this tool largely unused. WOW--take a look now. Pull down and select Hatch, then, on the button directly below (labeled Default), see what is provided. There are ALL kinds of hatch choices including marsh and mud flats! (Hey, Puget Sound is mud-flat country!)
C. This next tip is a keyboard shortcut that activates the 2d Selection Tool which is your most used tool--the arrow on the primary floating palette on the left side of your screen. Push x. That’s it, no modifier key needed. No need to ever use the mouse again to activate that important selection tool.
D. Dividing lines equally is a function I seem to need frequently. Look under Tools/Drafting Aids/Line into Segments. A locus point can be placed at the beginning and at each point and the reference line can be set to disappear. Another tool that helps in placing either multiple points or single points is the Snap Distance button on the floating Attributes palette--the one on the lower right that looks like a line with a dot on it. Double click this button and a dialog box appears which allows you to input your settings for percentage of line length, fraction or actual distance in feet and inches. Be careful when using the Line into Segments tool. To illustrate my caution, if you have a building 40’ in length and wish to place a locus marker at each 10’ segment but want a 4” diameter column located at each locus mark, you first have to set a locus mark on the edge of your building and move that mark inside 2”. Having done this on each end of the building you then draw a line locus-to-locus and divide from there. Otherwise your centers will not have taken into account the natural offset of your column from the outside of the wall.
E. Many of the Tools palettes and Menu commands in V. 12 need to be reconfigured using the Workspace editor. If you’ve purchased V.12, this may be the time to dig in and learn how to use the editor. It isn’t hard. What’s harder is simply taking the time to look at your usage and then move the commands around to be closer to the mouse cursor or more logical to the way you work.
For instance, in V.12, 3D commands have been placed on the Basic palette on the upper left hand side of your monitor. Should they really go there? Do you need the Spiral tool to be visible? Do you miss not having the Dimension tool here? When was the last time you made an octagon and do you also miss the old Leader Line tool? Shouldn’t VectorWorks Preferences, Document Preferences and Workspaces be together under File? What happened to Cut 3D and Cut 2D Section? I want them back!! And while we’re at it, let’s nest some of the tools we use least.
I have addressed the above by making my own Workspace for Architect. If you haven’t yet taken the time to learn how to use the Workspace Editor and want a copy of this workspace to at least experiment with, drop me a line and I’ll e-mail you a copy which you can place in the VectorWorks folder/Workspace folder. I haven’t eliminated any of the tools in V.12, just rearranged them. If you work in a multi person firm however, don’t ask, as your CAD guru will most likely want his or her own Workspace used.
.....................................................................................................................
Los Angeles based Seminars coming up
Vectortasks™ - A Task Based Learning Seminar for Users of VectorWorks®
Class size is set to a maximum of 16 people to allow a more interactive learning environment. Space is going fast. Register now to ensure your seat for this exciting seminar!
Dan Jansenson and Pat Stanford are proud to announce the next session of the new Vectortasks training seminars:
Fast Track to 2D Production Drawings with VectorWorks®.
This is a special seminar for people transitioning from other CAD systems to VectorWorks, and current users who need to improve their drafting skills: a fast way of coming up to speed quickly.
For more information and to register for the class please see our web site at http://www.vectortasks.com.
The Fast Track seminar is intended for people who need a rapid transition into 2D working drawings with VectorWorks, either from scratch or from existing 3D models. The tools and techniques are applicable to most 2D production environments, but the examples are focused on the architectural and entertainment industries.
Who Should Attend:
The seminar is intended for people already familiar with computer drawing and 2D design and drafting, and are transitioning into VectorWorks from other CAD programs. This seminar is also designed for advanced beginners and intermediate VectorWorks users interested in improving their skills.
How the Seminar is Run:
The seminar is a four-day class. It is offered on two consecutive weeks, all day Friday and Saturday both weeks. The class is a hands-on event and participants are required to bring a computer with a licensed copy of VectorWorks 11 or 12.
Each session will begin with a lecture showing the tools and techniques to be covered. The students will then be given exercises to do. The instructor(s) will be available to answer questions during the work session. Finally, the instructors will complete the exercises on screen, in a step-by-step fashion.
What Will Be Covered:
•The VectorWorks Interface
•Basic Tools and Techniques
•File Organization: design layers and classes
•File Organization: sheet layers and viewports
•Drawing Tools
•Dimensioning Tools
•Annotation Tools
•Walls: tools, types and styles
•Symbols and Plug-In Objects
•Wall Framer/Roof Framer
•Worksheets
•Interacting with Other CAD Systems: import/export–collaborating outside the VW world
•Interacting with Other Users: collaborative work
•Scripts (Custom Selection/Custom Tool/Saved Views)
•Printing & Plotting
For more information and to register for the class please see our web site at http://www.vectortasks.com.
When:
The Seminar will be held on two consecutive Fridays and Saturdays, March 31/April 1 and April 7/8. The class duration is 4 days. Class will run from 9:00AM to 5:00PM each day with morning, afternoon and lunch breaks. Total instructional time for the 4 days is 24 hours.
Where:
The Seminar will be held in Hermosa Beach. Exact class location and directions will be provided after registration.
For more information and to register for the class please see our web site at http://www.vectortasks.com
Dan Jansenson
danj@vectortasks.com
(310) 451-5907
Pat Stanford
Coviana, Inc.
pat@vectortasks.com
(310) 322-4205
VectorWorks is a registered trademark of Nemetschek North America. Vectortasks is a trademark of Dan Jansenson and PatrickStanford.
vw_seminar_list mailing list
vw_seminar_list@coviana.com
http://coviana.com/mailman/listinfo/vw_seminar_list
(If there is enough interest here in the NW, they may consider traveling. Ed.)
That’s it for this issue. Hope to see you soon!
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
3/6/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group and Northwest VectorWorks users.
In this issue:
•Our next meeting time and topic
•The evolving Tips and Tricks List
•Thoughts on new tools in V. 12
•New VectorWorks training seminars
Greetings VectorWorks Users! Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 22nd, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
The slant of our first hour will be toward the newer user with a focus on ending up with a better knowledge of the 3D process. I’ll make sure you go away from our get-together with an improved understanding of drawing with VectorWorks.
.....................................................................................................................
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE NEWER VECTORWORKS USER
The list below is for the newer user who will likely encounter stumbling blocks, some due to the software itself but others simply due to the process of drawing in CAD. Feel free to clip this out, amend it, add to it as needed. If you know of other gotcha’s than those written below, drop me a line for the benefit of new and beginner users: those most vulnerable to frustration. Thanks!
1. Is the Snap to Grid button on the floating Constraints palette set to the on or off position? This is a terrific tool if you create a preset grid to help snap to a visible (or invisible) pattern when laying out beam lines or other elements that must align in a grid-like fashion. But after your grid layout work is complete, you may want to turn this button to the ‘off’ position. No matter what size the grid pattern is set to, if you pull a line near one of the coordinates, your snap could be pulled to the grid intersection and you might unknowingly snap off your intended mark. After your grid work has been completed, I suggest you uncheck this box. I set it to ‘off’ by default when I begin drawing.
2. Do you find your doors and windows slipping out of walls when moving them manually? You can lock them in using the Wall Insertion button, second one from the left, on the Mode bar. You can still drop windows and doors into walls when this button is locked. Note also that sometimes a VW symbol that you wish to place touching a wall will be grabbed by that wall. Turning off the Wall Insertion button will stop the grabby action.
3. In VectorWorks, using the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle or square seems like the more practical way to perform such a task than to draw the same shape using the Polygon tool. But If you double click on a rectangular shape made with the Polygon Tool, you will get editing nodes on all corners and also on the middle of each side. This won’t happen when trying to edit a shape made with the Rectangle tool UNLESS you use the Convert to Polygon pull down command to convert your shape. Only then can you can add or remove corners to your object.
4. Picking up the end of a line seems like something that should be easy the first time. Truth is, you have to move the cursor slightly off-center of the line’s end before you get the comforting cross hair shaped screen hint that tells you you’re locked on UNLESS you have the first button unchecked on the mode bar--the diagonal line called Enable Interactive Scaling Mode (for short). If you uncheck this button, you can easily grab it but then you miss out on being able to stretch the line too since the stretching option gets turned off. I usually leave the buttons set so that I can stretch whenever I want and grab and drag too--I just grab more carefully. But if your eyes are tired or you just want it to work with no questions asked, uncheck the first mode bar box.
5. Layer Options and Class Options read the same from top to bottom but should be set differently in most cases. Do not set Layer Options to Show/Snap/Modify Others because that means that you run the risk of reaching down through several layers (if they are set to a visible status) and clicking on some line which looks out of place. If you move said line or throw it away--not knowing it resides on another layer--you may be surprised and disappointed. Most times I leave this Option set to Show/Snap Others. There are those, however, who love having this reach-down option available to them.
When setting Class Options, DON’T, unless you are free of deadlines or know someone to call in case something disappears. Leave this one set at Show/Snap/Modify Others which means your Class-based object won’t be hidden or made impossible to snap to. Later on when you feel more comfortable with Class Options, you will find some unique and helpful reasons for their existence.
6. Speaking of Classes, what is a “None” Class? If it is None, why is it here? If you are not yet Class-crazed, putting each and every item into a special class you’ve created, I suggest you leave the default Class setting set to None. Think of it as the “Anything Can Go Here” Class or the “Slush Bucket” Class or my favorite, the “Put It Here Until You Have A Better Plan” Class.
7. I use the nudge key combo to move objects all the time, even zooming out to nudge them faster as each nudge bump moves your object the distance of one pixel width. But if you are building precise objects, a pixel nudge may introduce error into your plans. You might be better off moving your object by precise amounts in the Dimension bar as you assemble your parts.
8. Why do my 3D renderings look so poor? Renderworks gives you many choices in rendering your project and as you get better you can choose the mode that is quicker or more stylish or the one that looks more photo-realistic. If you guess wrong, your rendering may look washed out. I personally like Custom Renderworks best with the settings in Custom Renderworks Options set generally to High (but not to Very High). If my old G-4 can render drawings in relatively good time, I’m thinking your machine will work just fine. Also put down a ground plane of an extruded rectangle with a fill or use the floor tool and give it a fill as well. This gives shadows a place to land. One last thing: add a light source. One click of the light tool will add a sun-like light which should give you all the shadows and highlights you need. As time goes on, try giving your objects a texture by selecting one of the many finishes (VW 12) found of the Object Info palette under the Render tab. Note that rendering and texturing in VW 12.0 works better than earlier versions. Also note that Open GL--the fastest renderer--puts a light in automatically for you so you needn't worry about adding one.
9. When using the polygon or polyline tool to make an enclosed shape, make sure you actually hit the endline when closing which can be a problem if there are lots of lines cluttering the area around the endpoint or when the Snap Grid button is on (see #1). You can check on the Object Info palette if the poly is closed since there is a button that will check itself if you have done your job. If not, the button will not be checked. Checking it manually will automatically close the link.
Sometimes, when extruding shapes made from polys, you will find that the shape won’t accept a fill or texture. This is likely due to the poly still being open. Double click on the object which returns it to an editing pane. Click the Close button or zoom in and manually close it and you’ll be back in business.
.....................................................................................................................
More thoughts on Version 12
A. One of the best improvements brought forth in VW 12 is something called the Navigation Palette. This will be found in most of the VW modules such as Architect but I don’t believe it is included in the base module called Fundamentals. The Navigation palette contains in one place tabbed, list views of Classes, Layers, Viewports, Sheets and Saved Views. The beauty of this scheme is that you can quickly jump from group to group turning elements on or off or making them gray or invisible. Layers are especially handy since a double click on the layer brings it up on screen as the active layer. If you want another layer to act as a backdrop shown in gray, you can click on and show those layers very quickly. In fact, this palette should help newer users see the relationship between Layers and Classes more easily since the (3) command centers on the Menu Bar--Layers, Classes and the visibility settings under Organize on the Menu Bar have been rendered largely superfluous. The one issue here is that to work most effectively, this palette should always be open and that means you need screen real estate. Two monitors would be the ideal setup if cost effectiveness is paramount or, if you can swing it, one of the big LCD monitors would give you room to spread out.
In reviewing this palette, it is easy to miss the little triangle button on the far right of the palette. Here, you’ll find a pull-down menu for creation of New Classes, Layers, etc., as well as the commands Edit, Duplicate, Delete plus others. Stacking order can also be changed via drag and drop although I did not have 100% success in changing stacking order--sometimes it worked, other times not. Also, Workgroup Referenced items display in italics as in the past. If you don’t see this arrow in the upper right corner of the palette, drag is out toward the right and the arrow should appear.
B. Prior to V.12, Hatches--which are a choice of fill style on the Attributes palette--have never been much of a thrill. I’ve not been willing to create my own and so have left this tool largely unused. WOW--take a look now. Pull down and select Hatch, then, on the button directly below (labeled Default), see what is provided. There are ALL kinds of hatch choices including marsh and mud flats! (Hey, Puget Sound is mud-flat country!)
C. This next tip is a keyboard shortcut that activates the 2d Selection Tool which is your most used tool--the arrow on the primary floating palette on the left side of your screen. Push x. That’s it, no modifier key needed. No need to ever use the mouse again to activate that important selection tool.
D. Dividing lines equally is a function I seem to need frequently. Look under Tools/Drafting Aids/Line into Segments. A locus point can be placed at the beginning and at each point and the reference line can be set to disappear. Another tool that helps in placing either multiple points or single points is the Snap Distance button on the floating Attributes palette--the one on the lower right that looks like a line with a dot on it. Double click this button and a dialog box appears which allows you to input your settings for percentage of line length, fraction or actual distance in feet and inches. Be careful when using the Line into Segments tool. To illustrate my caution, if you have a building 40’ in length and wish to place a locus marker at each 10’ segment but want a 4” diameter column located at each locus mark, you first have to set a locus mark on the edge of your building and move that mark inside 2”. Having done this on each end of the building you then draw a line locus-to-locus and divide from there. Otherwise your centers will not have taken into account the natural offset of your column from the outside of the wall.
E. Many of the Tools palettes and Menu commands in V. 12 need to be reconfigured using the Workspace editor. If you’ve purchased V.12, this may be the time to dig in and learn how to use the editor. It isn’t hard. What’s harder is simply taking the time to look at your usage and then move the commands around to be closer to the mouse cursor or more logical to the way you work.
For instance, in V.12, 3D commands have been placed on the Basic palette on the upper left hand side of your monitor. Should they really go there? Do you need the Spiral tool to be visible? Do you miss not having the Dimension tool here? When was the last time you made an octagon and do you also miss the old Leader Line tool? Shouldn’t VectorWorks Preferences, Document Preferences and Workspaces be together under File? What happened to Cut 3D and Cut 2D Section? I want them back!! And while we’re at it, let’s nest some of the tools we use least.
I have addressed the above by making my own Workspace for Architect. If you haven’t yet taken the time to learn how to use the Workspace Editor and want a copy of this workspace to at least experiment with, drop me a line and I’ll e-mail you a copy which you can place in the VectorWorks folder/Workspace folder. I haven’t eliminated any of the tools in V.12, just rearranged them. If you work in a multi person firm however, don’t ask, as your CAD guru will most likely want his or her own Workspace used.
.....................................................................................................................
Los Angeles based Seminars coming up
Vectortasks™ - A Task Based Learning Seminar for Users of VectorWorks®
Class size is set to a maximum of 16 people to allow a more interactive learning environment. Space is going fast. Register now to ensure your seat for this exciting seminar!
Dan Jansenson and Pat Stanford are proud to announce the next session of the new Vectortasks training seminars:
Fast Track to 2D Production Drawings with VectorWorks®.
This is a special seminar for people transitioning from other CAD systems to VectorWorks, and current users who need to improve their drafting skills: a fast way of coming up to speed quickly.
For more information and to register for the class please see our web site at http://www.vectortasks.com.
The Fast Track seminar is intended for people who need a rapid transition into 2D working drawings with VectorWorks, either from scratch or from existing 3D models. The tools and techniques are applicable to most 2D production environments, but the examples are focused on the architectural and entertainment industries.
Who Should Attend:
The seminar is intended for people already familiar with computer drawing and 2D design and drafting, and are transitioning into VectorWorks from other CAD programs. This seminar is also designed for advanced beginners and intermediate VectorWorks users interested in improving their skills.
How the Seminar is Run:
The seminar is a four-day class. It is offered on two consecutive weeks, all day Friday and Saturday both weeks. The class is a hands-on event and participants are required to bring a computer with a licensed copy of VectorWorks 11 or 12.
Each session will begin with a lecture showing the tools and techniques to be covered. The students will then be given exercises to do. The instructor(s) will be available to answer questions during the work session. Finally, the instructors will complete the exercises on screen, in a step-by-step fashion.
What Will Be Covered:
•The VectorWorks Interface
•Basic Tools and Techniques
•File Organization: design layers and classes
•File Organization: sheet layers and viewports
•Drawing Tools
•Dimensioning Tools
•Annotation Tools
•Walls: tools, types and styles
•Symbols and Plug-In Objects
•Wall Framer/Roof Framer
•Worksheets
•Interacting with Other CAD Systems: import/export–collaborating outside the VW world
•Interacting with Other Users: collaborative work
•Scripts (Custom Selection/Custom Tool/Saved Views)
•Printing & Plotting
For more information and to register for the class please see our web site at http://www.vectortasks.com.
When:
The Seminar will be held on two consecutive Fridays and Saturdays, March 31/April 1 and April 7/8. The class duration is 4 days. Class will run from 9:00AM to 5:00PM each day with morning, afternoon and lunch breaks. Total instructional time for the 4 days is 24 hours.
Where:
The Seminar will be held in Hermosa Beach. Exact class location and directions will be provided after registration.
For more information and to register for the class please see our web site at http://www.vectortasks.com
Dan Jansenson
danj@vectortasks.com
(310) 451-5907
Pat Stanford
Coviana, Inc.
pat@vectortasks.com
(310) 322-4205
VectorWorks is a registered trademark of Nemetschek North America. Vectortasks is a trademark of Dan Jansenson and PatrickStanford.
vw_seminar_list mailing list
vw_seminar_list@coviana.com
http://coviana.com/mailman/listinfo/vw_seminar_list
(If there is enough interest here in the NW, they may consider traveling. Ed.)
That’s it for this issue. Hope to see you soon!
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
CONVERT TO LINES #14
CONVERT TO LINES #14
1/18/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
In this issue:
•Our next meeting time
•Why is learning CAD so hard?
•More misc. thoughts on V. 12
• VW team coming to Bellingham
• craigslist
Greetings VectorWorks users! Our next meeting is next Thursday, the 26th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
...................................................................................................................
If you, your business and your choice of CAD program were fixed in space, everything would be so easy and predictable. Some CAD programs are tightly targeted to a specific need and they may be easier to learn such as some 2D-only programs, as well as those that only do a subset of 2D/3D such as SketchUp. If your needs are simple, then VectorWorks is easy to learn. If your needs are complex, the time to learn gets longer, of course, but the real sleeper is realizing that one must evolve their personal drawing and thinking style to best employ the choice of CAD software.
This isn’t necessarily a case of having to fit your working style to the demands of a computer program, but rather how one changes to best utilize the new tools at hand. After years of doing things one way, change does not come easily nor without some pain. The bottom line is that you are really juggling three slippery elements--a deep CAD program, your ability to adapt new tools to your work in new ways, and the stress of doing all this while maintaining a business and getting work out the door.
The best strategy in leaning CAD, in my opinion, is to learn only those parts of VW that allow you to get your work done. Start out working in 2D only if that keeps you going forward. Draw only on one layer if that helps with getting work out the door. For those doing architectural work, draw floorplans with 3D walls containing doors and windows and put a roof on. Then go to side views and convert the image to a copy of lines (Convert Copy to Lines) and then do cross sections (stick with 3D Section and don’t yet use Create Section Viewport). Then push, push, push to extend your knowledge of the program to take advantage of each new tool, but only as time allows.
Here is a letter to the VW Listserve that addresses a question from a potential new user coming over from using the 2D program called PowerCadd:
“Don:
VW can be used just like PowerCadd while ignoring the 3D aspects of the program. It would be acceptable to begin drawing in 2D to meet production deadlines and, as time allows, begin exploring the 3D tools. In fact, you can get right to it by designing floors, walls (with windows and doors) and roof all on one layer if you want simplicity. (There really is no wrong way to use VW but there are many, many ways to be more efficient.)
What does take time is simply thinking how to best build-out or assemble your project in 3D and where to quit 3D and begin the job of finishing production drawings. This may be a process that is never-ending assuming each project is unique enough to cause you to consider a slightly more efficient way of generating the model or the fact that there is always another tool that you haven't yet tried that may be helpful to your workflow.
Regarding 3D, there are time savings to be had when creating elevations and sections, of course, but the real help will be in solving structural fit problems (roofs to walls, for instance) and in getting the little creative boost when you see your model in 3D and find that the solution for fixing the trim issue which has bedeviled you is now plain as day. Or, will the 3D beam stick out of the 3D roof (yes). And, of course, you finally have, after all that, the option of getting a really nice looking 3D model with all the whistles, bells, gravy and giblets you could possibly desire.
Find the tools that help you get work out the door and then, as time allows, delve into the 3D tools. The "How to build a house" CD has, in my opinion, too many steps for a newbie to digest to be helpful. It takes a "how to build a 5-course French meal" approach instead of "how to build a 3D birdhouse" which would be my suggestion for the next Learning CD. I haven't yet seen the V.12 Learning CD's but others I've looked at have been well done and worthwhile.
And budget for a book on VW since the manuals from Nemetschek are tool- based rather than process-based; that is, they are more of a dictionary than a manual on usage.“
Jumping from VW 11.5 to Version 12 will demand some time to adjust to the location of new tools. I’ve become an expert in using the Workspace Editor since I wanted to place old commands back where they were or locate those tools I use most frequently a step or two closer to my mouse button. VectorWorks has evolved to the place where users should absolutely customize the workspace for their own way of working (This will be confusing as all get-out in our user meetings when everyone is helping me find a tool in twelve different places).
Adapting to the new wall tools in V.12 will also challenge our routines learned in V.11.5. The more choices one has, the longer it takes to implement those choices--a fact of life. If you’ve seen Julian Carr’s Windoor program for creating windows and doors in VectorWorks, you know that having more control means spending more time to make those choices. VectorWorks 12 gives us more choices and takes much more time in creating and modifying walls than ever before. In 12, rather than create a wall, you “Un-Style an existing wall. This is an unfortunate term since “Edit” would have conveyed the command’s directive more clearly.
One begins by taking one of the very many new walls in the library (of course, almost none of them are exactly how I like my walls shown) and Un-Styling it to an editable position. This includes even giving any library wall a simple color fill--you must Un-Style it first. We are encouraged to create our own library of walls which we then make available in the Resource Browser. The practical way to proceed is to begin creating a wall library of your own that you will then have available for each future drawing thus keeping editing to a minimum.
...................................................................................................................
The VectorWorks demo team is coming to Bellingham to show Version 12 to the Bellingham VW Users Group. If you know someone in that area interested in CAD, consider passing this on:
Meet at “Barnacles” at the Alaska Ferry Terminal, 355 Harris Avenue, Bellingham, Wednesday, Feb. 1st.
RSVP to Debra Todd at dtbuildingdesign.com.
...................................................................................................................
And lastly, as was suggested earlier, please consider using craigslist for all inquiries concerning employment and VectorWorks.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/egr/
See you next Thursday, the 26th!
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
1/18/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
In this issue:
•Our next meeting time
•Why is learning CAD so hard?
•More misc. thoughts on V. 12
• VW team coming to Bellingham
• craigslist
Greetings VectorWorks users! Our next meeting is next Thursday, the 26th, from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door.
...................................................................................................................
If you, your business and your choice of CAD program were fixed in space, everything would be so easy and predictable. Some CAD programs are tightly targeted to a specific need and they may be easier to learn such as some 2D-only programs, as well as those that only do a subset of 2D/3D such as SketchUp. If your needs are simple, then VectorWorks is easy to learn. If your needs are complex, the time to learn gets longer, of course, but the real sleeper is realizing that one must evolve their personal drawing and thinking style to best employ the choice of CAD software.
This isn’t necessarily a case of having to fit your working style to the demands of a computer program, but rather how one changes to best utilize the new tools at hand. After years of doing things one way, change does not come easily nor without some pain. The bottom line is that you are really juggling three slippery elements--a deep CAD program, your ability to adapt new tools to your work in new ways, and the stress of doing all this while maintaining a business and getting work out the door.
The best strategy in leaning CAD, in my opinion, is to learn only those parts of VW that allow you to get your work done. Start out working in 2D only if that keeps you going forward. Draw only on one layer if that helps with getting work out the door. For those doing architectural work, draw floorplans with 3D walls containing doors and windows and put a roof on. Then go to side views and convert the image to a copy of lines (Convert Copy to Lines) and then do cross sections (stick with 3D Section and don’t yet use Create Section Viewport). Then push, push, push to extend your knowledge of the program to take advantage of each new tool, but only as time allows.
Here is a letter to the VW Listserve that addresses a question from a potential new user coming over from using the 2D program called PowerCadd:
“Don:
VW can be used just like PowerCadd while ignoring the 3D aspects of the program. It would be acceptable to begin drawing in 2D to meet production deadlines and, as time allows, begin exploring the 3D tools. In fact, you can get right to it by designing floors, walls (with windows and doors) and roof all on one layer if you want simplicity. (There really is no wrong way to use VW but there are many, many ways to be more efficient.)
What does take time is simply thinking how to best build-out or assemble your project in 3D and where to quit 3D and begin the job of finishing production drawings. This may be a process that is never-ending assuming each project is unique enough to cause you to consider a slightly more efficient way of generating the model or the fact that there is always another tool that you haven't yet tried that may be helpful to your workflow.
Regarding 3D, there are time savings to be had when creating elevations and sections, of course, but the real help will be in solving structural fit problems (roofs to walls, for instance) and in getting the little creative boost when you see your model in 3D and find that the solution for fixing the trim issue which has bedeviled you is now plain as day. Or, will the 3D beam stick out of the 3D roof (yes). And, of course, you finally have, after all that, the option of getting a really nice looking 3D model with all the whistles, bells, gravy and giblets you could possibly desire.
Find the tools that help you get work out the door and then, as time allows, delve into the 3D tools. The "How to build a house" CD has, in my opinion, too many steps for a newbie to digest to be helpful. It takes a "how to build a 5-course French meal" approach instead of "how to build a 3D birdhouse" which would be my suggestion for the next Learning CD. I haven't yet seen the V.12 Learning CD's but others I've looked at have been well done and worthwhile.
And budget for a book on VW since the manuals from Nemetschek are tool- based rather than process-based; that is, they are more of a dictionary than a manual on usage.“
Jumping from VW 11.5 to Version 12 will demand some time to adjust to the location of new tools. I’ve become an expert in using the Workspace Editor since I wanted to place old commands back where they were or locate those tools I use most frequently a step or two closer to my mouse button. VectorWorks has evolved to the place where users should absolutely customize the workspace for their own way of working (This will be confusing as all get-out in our user meetings when everyone is helping me find a tool in twelve different places).
Adapting to the new wall tools in V.12 will also challenge our routines learned in V.11.5. The more choices one has, the longer it takes to implement those choices--a fact of life. If you’ve seen Julian Carr’s Windoor program for creating windows and doors in VectorWorks, you know that having more control means spending more time to make those choices. VectorWorks 12 gives us more choices and takes much more time in creating and modifying walls than ever before. In 12, rather than create a wall, you “Un-Style an existing wall. This is an unfortunate term since “Edit” would have conveyed the command’s directive more clearly.
One begins by taking one of the very many new walls in the library (of course, almost none of them are exactly how I like my walls shown) and Un-Styling it to an editable position. This includes even giving any library wall a simple color fill--you must Un-Style it first. We are encouraged to create our own library of walls which we then make available in the Resource Browser. The practical way to proceed is to begin creating a wall library of your own that you will then have available for each future drawing thus keeping editing to a minimum.
...................................................................................................................
The VectorWorks demo team is coming to Bellingham to show Version 12 to the Bellingham VW Users Group. If you know someone in that area interested in CAD, consider passing this on:
Meet at “Barnacles” at the Alaska Ferry Terminal, 355 Harris Avenue, Bellingham, Wednesday, Feb. 1st.
RSVP to Debra Todd at dtbuildingdesign.com.
...................................................................................................................
And lastly, as was suggested earlier, please consider using craigslist for all inquiries concerning employment and VectorWorks.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/egr/
See you next Thursday, the 26th!
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
CONVERT TO LINES #14
CONVERT TO LINES #13
1/18/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
In this issue:
•Our next meeting time
•Version 12.0 demo'd
•Viewports primer
•New mouse tricks
•Tools removed in v.12
Hello and welcome, Northwest VectorWorks users, and hello to the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group! We won't have a December meeting due to the holidays but I'll send out a letter in January with a date likely set for the third week of that month. I think I'll also set forward our start and finish times from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. instead of the usual 6:00 to 8:00.
...........................................................................................................
We had a full house in late November to see the latest and the greatest version of VectorWorks as demo’d by Katie and Dan from Nemeteschek. They stopped off in Seattle on their way to the Portland Journal of Light Construction trade show. We ran over our planned meeting time by an hour and a half so many of us had a pretty good glimpse of the program. V.12 is really loaded with improvements but like any learned routine, v.12 asks us to reaquaint ourselves with the revised location of old commands and learn new ones too. If you find yourself frustrated with quickly locating the correct command or tool with deadlines looming, go to Workspace and try changing to the "Classic" setting which puts you back into an arrangement more like v.11.5.
Editing the palette's setup for your own particular need is evermore practical. A couple of 3D tools have been put into the primary "Basic" tool palette which had previously been all 2D. The newer user might click a 3D tool by mistake and find themselves in 3D land, unable to get the 2D tool they were after to snap to anything. Removing the 3D tools from this palette may appeal to many. For those who happen to enter this Twilight Zone, learn the key command for Top Plan View--you'll find it a very useful way to return in one piece.
You'll also have more palettes in 12 but will be able to fine-tune their shape to better fit a small screen, as was confirmed by one of our demo attendees already using 12. If you have two monitors, you'll be happy for the extra screen real estate.
VectorWorks 11 and 11.5 were substantial upgrades because they introduced Viewports which challenged the way we have, in the past, created pages for printing. Allow me to digress a bit for the benefit of those still digesting the concept of Viewports.
Some of us have grabbed the opportunities provided by Viewports and others, myself included, are slower. We prefer to save the occasional Viewport back to what used to be our Save Sheet collection (in the lower View bar) but re-termed in v.11 as Save View. I might want Viewport views of a kitchen, for instance, but prefer not to use Viewports on all pages of my planset. This process goes somewhat against the grain of the program which would rather have us turn all Saved Views into Viewports which we’d then assign to new Sheets.
That process works well for some. For instance, really large projects are well served using Viewports. Imagine a new wharehouse that you’d set up to draw at 1/16" scale. Using Viewports, you could capture portions of the drawing and array them convienently on Sheets for printing knowing you'd never be able to get the whole project printed on one sheet. You can show them at a new, larger scale too. As the drawing fills out over time, the Viewport can be refreshed.
Small projects work well with Viewports. A desk, designed in 3D but showing in Top-Plan, can be turned into a Viewport. By sending it to a new Sheet, you can duplicate it three times and have an array of (the same) four views of the object. But each view can be substantially changed via the Object Info Palette to show new info, for instance, going from top-plan view for the first image to left isometric view for the second or perspective sketch view with an oil paint background on others. Thus you can present your client with one page showing very dynamic views of your object.
VectorWorks 12 supports mouse scrolling, zooming and greater context right-clicking. I have a neat little Logitec roller ball mouse I bought for $20 from Comp USA which has the typical left/right buttons but also long, narrow scroll button on each side of the roller ball. I can scroll vertically AND horizontally with these buttons. If your mouse has a wheel, you can pan by holding down the wheel and moving the mouse--a one-handed operation. Rolling a mouse wheel also zooms you back and forth.
I still mostly hold down the spacebar to turn the cursor into a hand when I want to drag around a drawing. Note that this method does not interupt any process so you can be in the middle of using a tool and still move your drawing about.
Context (right button) clicking gives you some new options, among them finding/changing layer scale. If you don't use this method, changing a layer's scale requires far more mouse clicks than before. A great new right-click tool is Force Select. You can be in any view and select a layer element or class element from among the clutter of others and have the program send you back to that layer or class where you can then edit the item. This is a boon for larger, complex drawings.
Two tools were taken out of v.12 prematurely, in my view; Cut 3D Section and Align Layer Views were removed. I've since put them back in my revised workspace. For those of you cutting sections regularly to test and adjust the fit of key 3D elements in your drawings such as roof plane-to-wall plate, you will miss this tool. A new tool has been introduced that is somewhat like Align Layer Views called the Stack View tool. It has some benefits over Align Layer Views but as of this writing, there is no way to measure between the elements shown in the model revealed thus making it a visual tool only and so, limited. In my next Convert To Lines, I'll talk you through editing a workspace to bring these tools back, if so desired.
Happy Holidays
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
1/18/06
Serving the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
In this issue:
•Our next meeting time
•Version 12.0 demo'd
•Viewports primer
•New mouse tricks
•Tools removed in v.12
Hello and welcome, Northwest VectorWorks users, and hello to the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group! We won't have a December meeting due to the holidays but I'll send out a letter in January with a date likely set for the third week of that month. I think I'll also set forward our start and finish times from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. instead of the usual 6:00 to 8:00.
...........................................................................................................
We had a full house in late November to see the latest and the greatest version of VectorWorks as demo’d by Katie and Dan from Nemeteschek. They stopped off in Seattle on their way to the Portland Journal of Light Construction trade show. We ran over our planned meeting time by an hour and a half so many of us had a pretty good glimpse of the program. V.12 is really loaded with improvements but like any learned routine, v.12 asks us to reaquaint ourselves with the revised location of old commands and learn new ones too. If you find yourself frustrated with quickly locating the correct command or tool with deadlines looming, go to Workspace and try changing to the "Classic" setting which puts you back into an arrangement more like v.11.5.
Editing the palette's setup for your own particular need is evermore practical. A couple of 3D tools have been put into the primary "Basic" tool palette which had previously been all 2D. The newer user might click a 3D tool by mistake and find themselves in 3D land, unable to get the 2D tool they were after to snap to anything. Removing the 3D tools from this palette may appeal to many. For those who happen to enter this Twilight Zone, learn the key command for Top Plan View--you'll find it a very useful way to return in one piece.
You'll also have more palettes in 12 but will be able to fine-tune their shape to better fit a small screen, as was confirmed by one of our demo attendees already using 12. If you have two monitors, you'll be happy for the extra screen real estate.
VectorWorks 11 and 11.5 were substantial upgrades because they introduced Viewports which challenged the way we have, in the past, created pages for printing. Allow me to digress a bit for the benefit of those still digesting the concept of Viewports.
Some of us have grabbed the opportunities provided by Viewports and others, myself included, are slower. We prefer to save the occasional Viewport back to what used to be our Save Sheet collection (in the lower View bar) but re-termed in v.11 as Save View. I might want Viewport views of a kitchen, for instance, but prefer not to use Viewports on all pages of my planset. This process goes somewhat against the grain of the program which would rather have us turn all Saved Views into Viewports which we’d then assign to new Sheets.
That process works well for some. For instance, really large projects are well served using Viewports. Imagine a new wharehouse that you’d set up to draw at 1/16" scale. Using Viewports, you could capture portions of the drawing and array them convienently on Sheets for printing knowing you'd never be able to get the whole project printed on one sheet. You can show them at a new, larger scale too. As the drawing fills out over time, the Viewport can be refreshed.
Small projects work well with Viewports. A desk, designed in 3D but showing in Top-Plan, can be turned into a Viewport. By sending it to a new Sheet, you can duplicate it three times and have an array of (the same) four views of the object. But each view can be substantially changed via the Object Info Palette to show new info, for instance, going from top-plan view for the first image to left isometric view for the second or perspective sketch view with an oil paint background on others. Thus you can present your client with one page showing very dynamic views of your object.
VectorWorks 12 supports mouse scrolling, zooming and greater context right-clicking. I have a neat little Logitec roller ball mouse I bought for $20 from Comp USA which has the typical left/right buttons but also long, narrow scroll button on each side of the roller ball. I can scroll vertically AND horizontally with these buttons. If your mouse has a wheel, you can pan by holding down the wheel and moving the mouse--a one-handed operation. Rolling a mouse wheel also zooms you back and forth.
I still mostly hold down the spacebar to turn the cursor into a hand when I want to drag around a drawing. Note that this method does not interupt any process so you can be in the middle of using a tool and still move your drawing about.
Context (right button) clicking gives you some new options, among them finding/changing layer scale. If you don't use this method, changing a layer's scale requires far more mouse clicks than before. A great new right-click tool is Force Select. You can be in any view and select a layer element or class element from among the clutter of others and have the program send you back to that layer or class where you can then edit the item. This is a boon for larger, complex drawings.
Two tools were taken out of v.12 prematurely, in my view; Cut 3D Section and Align Layer Views were removed. I've since put them back in my revised workspace. For those of you cutting sections regularly to test and adjust the fit of key 3D elements in your drawings such as roof plane-to-wall plate, you will miss this tool. A new tool has been introduced that is somewhat like Align Layer Views called the Stack View tool. It has some benefits over Align Layer Views but as of this writing, there is no way to measure between the elements shown in the model revealed thus making it a visual tool only and so, limited. In my next Convert To Lines, I'll talk you through editing a workspace to bring these tools back, if so desired.
Happy Holidays
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
CONVERT TO LINES #12
CONVERT TO LINES #12
Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
11/8/05
In this issue:
• Nemetschek is coming to town this month to demo V.12
• Flogging Viewports
• Using Sketch (VW 11.5 and up)
• The VW 12 upgrade manuals=$, other books on the way
Greetings to all northwest VectorWorks users! As stated above, the VectorWorks demo team, on their way to the JLC Live Pacific Northwest builder’s show, (Dec 01 - Dec 02, Oregon Convention Center in Portland) will stop off in Seattle Wednesday night, November 30th, to demo Version 12. We’ll meet at the usual place, the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall, from 6 PM to 8 PM. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door. If you want a map, try:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&address=2310+S.+Lane+St.&city=Seattle&state=WA&zipcode=98144
As I said in my last newsletter, this upgrade is massive--improvements have been made in nearly all areas of the program. You’ll have to see it to believe it and we’ll have Nemeteschek’s best to take us through the new tools and tricks.
...........................................................................................................
It’s hard to interrupt a smooth workflow to learn a new way to do things, especially if you think your own way works just fine, thank you very much. Or you’re a newer user and danged if they didn’t go and add one more hard-to-learn step to the whole process. Let’s review.
In the old days, we used to assign our developed layers and classes to sheets prior to printing, which we’d compose down on the lower left on a bar that also gave us additional ways for viewing our drawing. With the advent of V.11 and Viewports, this compositional tool was renamed Views (officially located on the “View bar” and not to be confused with “View” located on the mode bar). Nothing changed but the name. If you wanted to continue assembling your drawings there and print from there, you could. You didn’t have to employ Viewports if you didn’t want to. I like Views’ pop-up menu because it helps me create, then segregate my sheets from the welter of layers that inevitably accrue in a larger project. Just managing the whereabouts of the sheets is a job and Views have remained, for me, a logical place to perform that task.
But Viewports, having been invented, now challenge the old way of organizing our drawings, offering more ways to show our projects without having to spend time doing additional work. In other words, do more with less effort.
Right off the bat, Viewports deliver a unique advantage and that is, if you have your View page assembled, once you Select All and turn that into a Viewport, you can then move the Viewport anywhere on the sheet which frees you to compose the page without shifting layers out of alignment with other layers of your model. You can maintain the integrity of your model by making proxy views of the assembled elements which you can then slide about the page without penalty. But there’s more.
For a while now, users have been yelling that they want “croppable views” and “live sections”. This means that they wanted to draw a marquee around portions of their drawings and have those portions assigned to other sheets of the drawing set and, if the main drawing changed, the cropped portion would change too. Same with live sections--if you had sectioned a drawing early in your process, the Viewport made of said section would remain live--it would change as the main model evolved. You could also, if you wanted, create a croppable view of a kitchen, then duplicate it several times, sliding each to a portion of the sheet, then, using the Object Info palette, give each copy a unique view, such as left isometric or a unique rendering, such as Sketch, Custom Renderworks, or Open GL. Now, suddenly, you had many more options to organize your model’s information and views.
Note that when you make your first Viewport, you are called on to create a Sheet to place it on. Can you stick with printing from Views and only use Viewports for a page or two? Yes. You may find that converting each page of your set to a Viewport, when only one or two pages benefit from a Viewport-style display, is too much. On the other hand, users have reported that they’ve gotten into the swing of it and so convert all Views into Viewports and then into Sheets. Some don’t like having to keep track of most project pages in Views and other project pages in the new Sheets pulldown menu. Is this extra work? The answer may depend on how big or what type of model you are drawing. A cabinet maker may love Viewports because he or she can create only one Viewport of the cabinet or furnishing, then duplicate it and array the dupe’s around the sheet and give each dupe’ it’s own orientation and rendering. If you are working predominantly in 2D, Viewports may have less benefit beyond page composition. Big projects with lots of 3D will likely be finished with all Views turned to Viewports, then turned to Sheets.
It may have been an easier stretch of the imagination if Nemetschek had left Sheets in the lower left corner where they were in Version 10 but had allowed us to create Viewports and then send them to those sheets as we do now with objects via the Object Info palette.
Perhaps the desired interoperability of VW files and AutoCAD files precluded this approach, for one of the advantages of Viewports, as I understand it, is that they make big improvements in file compatibility with AutoCAD.
..........................................................................................................
Here is a simple drill which employs both Viewports and Sketch. Draw four walls with fill, add windows and a door. Give them a solid fill* too. Push one of the corner keys on your numeric keypad to move the model to an isometric 3D view. Render it using Custom Renderworks or any of the other choices (but not Sketch). Once rendered, Select All and create a Viewport under the View pull-down menu (top menu bar). You will be asked to make a Sheet for this Viewport. Go back to the same model, unchanged. Now Select All and render again using Hidden Line. Remember this next command: Once your model has been rendered in Hidden Line, go back to the Render pull down menu and go once again to Hidden Line and look at the third option which should read “Line Render Options”. Check the box that says Sketch Hidden Line Results. Choose your sketch quality now. Then, once sketched, select all, make a second Viewport which will be sent directly atop the first solid-fill Viewport. You can test this by going to the Sheet and clicking on the front Viewport (which looks exactly like the back Viewport). You will see the Object Info palette reflect the Sketch rendering. Send it to the back and click on the now top Viewport and you’ll see the O.I. palette show that that one was rendered in Custom Renderworks. Then send it to the back again where it started out. We’re almost there. Now go back to View and Update All Viewports. Shore is purty!
But why can’t I just make Viewports of the same model and then, using the Object Info palette, make one VP Final Quality Rendering or whatever, and the other Sketch? You can, but the Sketch’d VP will be shown as Wireframe, not solid. This is where N.N.A. could improve things by giving us an option on the O.I. palette under Sketch>Render Settings to give the model a solid fill and do away with the clunky method I’ve described above.
*Class Settings affect color and fill and in the case of windows, you are likely to want the window to be in a see-through form, not with a gray window shade blocking inside views which is the default format. In the Object Info palette for doors and windows, you’ll see under Class Settings, Style settings 1,2,3, and so on. Windows also have a Class Setting for glazing called None and 1,2,3, and so on. Intuitively, I would think that None means that the window has no fill but that would be wrong. To give the window no fill, check Style-Glazing 1 and go to the Classes pull down menu and you’ll find there is now a new Class for Glazing 1. Select this class and give all members of this class a no-fill designation. Your window will now be a see-through type.
.........................................................................................................
VW 12 manuals will not be included free for those users buying UPGRADES of any of the new modules. Here’s Dan Monaghan’s post to the VW Listserve on the topic:
“The cost of the printed manual is not $100 dollars. It is $25 for the
Fundamentals manual, and $35 for the Fundamentals + Designer manual set,
http://www.nemetschek.net/support/manuals.php
I think it's important to note that we didn't "remove" the manual from the
upgrade, but rather replaced it with the Upgrade Companion CD. The Upgrade
Companion provides a faster and more convenient way to learn about the new
and improved technology in VectorWorks 12. It also contains searchable PDF
of both manuals, something users have been asking us for.”
http://www.nemetschek.net/news/pressreleases/2005/103105.php
Perhaps a seasoned user only needs to learn a smaller set of commands for the new tools which could be downloaded from N.N.A. or the item could be looked up in the PDF manual or you could opt to put broadband on your work machine and always be a click away from online help. Or you could call the help desk.
On the other hand, this is a BIG upgrade with lots of opportunity/responsibility to help the user make a smooth transition to the new program. On the other, other hand, more third party books are coming out, although they specialize in general usage technique, not tool definitions as the N.N.A. manuals do. Jonathan Pickup will be marketing a new VW 12 Essential Manual shortly and a new Architect manual in a month's time.
http://archoncad.blogspot.com
http://www.archoncad.co.nz
http://www.vectorworkusergroup.co.nz
jon@archoncad.co.nz
Check out his new blog.
Thanks for tuning in. Hope to see you on the 30th.
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
11/8/05
In this issue:
• Nemetschek is coming to town this month to demo V.12
• Flogging Viewports
• Using Sketch (VW 11.5 and up)
• The VW 12 upgrade manuals=$, other books on the way
Greetings to all northwest VectorWorks users! As stated above, the VectorWorks demo team, on their way to the JLC Live Pacific Northwest builder’s show, (Dec 01 - Dec 02, Oregon Convention Center in Portland) will stop off in Seattle Wednesday night, November 30th, to demo Version 12. We’ll meet at the usual place, the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall, from 6 PM to 8 PM. The hall is located at 2310 S. Lane St. (intersection of 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street). Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, just one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side. Walk up the wooden side-ramp to the second door. If you want a map, try:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&address=2310+S.+Lane+St.&city=Seattle&state=WA&zipcode=98144
As I said in my last newsletter, this upgrade is massive--improvements have been made in nearly all areas of the program. You’ll have to see it to believe it and we’ll have Nemeteschek’s best to take us through the new tools and tricks.
...........................................................................................................
It’s hard to interrupt a smooth workflow to learn a new way to do things, especially if you think your own way works just fine, thank you very much. Or you’re a newer user and danged if they didn’t go and add one more hard-to-learn step to the whole process. Let’s review.
In the old days, we used to assign our developed layers and classes to sheets prior to printing, which we’d compose down on the lower left on a bar that also gave us additional ways for viewing our drawing. With the advent of V.11 and Viewports, this compositional tool was renamed Views (officially located on the “View bar” and not to be confused with “View” located on the mode bar). Nothing changed but the name. If you wanted to continue assembling your drawings there and print from there, you could. You didn’t have to employ Viewports if you didn’t want to. I like Views’ pop-up menu because it helps me create, then segregate my sheets from the welter of layers that inevitably accrue in a larger project. Just managing the whereabouts of the sheets is a job and Views have remained, for me, a logical place to perform that task.
But Viewports, having been invented, now challenge the old way of organizing our drawings, offering more ways to show our projects without having to spend time doing additional work. In other words, do more with less effort.
Right off the bat, Viewports deliver a unique advantage and that is, if you have your View page assembled, once you Select All and turn that into a Viewport, you can then move the Viewport anywhere on the sheet which frees you to compose the page without shifting layers out of alignment with other layers of your model. You can maintain the integrity of your model by making proxy views of the assembled elements which you can then slide about the page without penalty. But there’s more.
For a while now, users have been yelling that they want “croppable views” and “live sections”. This means that they wanted to draw a marquee around portions of their drawings and have those portions assigned to other sheets of the drawing set and, if the main drawing changed, the cropped portion would change too. Same with live sections--if you had sectioned a drawing early in your process, the Viewport made of said section would remain live--it would change as the main model evolved. You could also, if you wanted, create a croppable view of a kitchen, then duplicate it several times, sliding each to a portion of the sheet, then, using the Object Info palette, give each copy a unique view, such as left isometric or a unique rendering, such as Sketch, Custom Renderworks, or Open GL. Now, suddenly, you had many more options to organize your model’s information and views.
Note that when you make your first Viewport, you are called on to create a Sheet to place it on. Can you stick with printing from Views and only use Viewports for a page or two? Yes. You may find that converting each page of your set to a Viewport, when only one or two pages benefit from a Viewport-style display, is too much. On the other hand, users have reported that they’ve gotten into the swing of it and so convert all Views into Viewports and then into Sheets. Some don’t like having to keep track of most project pages in Views and other project pages in the new Sheets pulldown menu. Is this extra work? The answer may depend on how big or what type of model you are drawing. A cabinet maker may love Viewports because he or she can create only one Viewport of the cabinet or furnishing, then duplicate it and array the dupe’s around the sheet and give each dupe’ it’s own orientation and rendering. If you are working predominantly in 2D, Viewports may have less benefit beyond page composition. Big projects with lots of 3D will likely be finished with all Views turned to Viewports, then turned to Sheets.
It may have been an easier stretch of the imagination if Nemetschek had left Sheets in the lower left corner where they were in Version 10 but had allowed us to create Viewports and then send them to those sheets as we do now with objects via the Object Info palette.
Perhaps the desired interoperability of VW files and AutoCAD files precluded this approach, for one of the advantages of Viewports, as I understand it, is that they make big improvements in file compatibility with AutoCAD.
..........................................................................................................
Here is a simple drill which employs both Viewports and Sketch. Draw four walls with fill, add windows and a door. Give them a solid fill* too. Push one of the corner keys on your numeric keypad to move the model to an isometric 3D view. Render it using Custom Renderworks or any of the other choices (but not Sketch). Once rendered, Select All and create a Viewport under the View pull-down menu (top menu bar). You will be asked to make a Sheet for this Viewport. Go back to the same model, unchanged. Now Select All and render again using Hidden Line. Remember this next command: Once your model has been rendered in Hidden Line, go back to the Render pull down menu and go once again to Hidden Line and look at the third option which should read “Line Render Options”. Check the box that says Sketch Hidden Line Results. Choose your sketch quality now. Then, once sketched, select all, make a second Viewport which will be sent directly atop the first solid-fill Viewport. You can test this by going to the Sheet and clicking on the front Viewport (which looks exactly like the back Viewport). You will see the Object Info palette reflect the Sketch rendering. Send it to the back and click on the now top Viewport and you’ll see the O.I. palette show that that one was rendered in Custom Renderworks. Then send it to the back again where it started out. We’re almost there. Now go back to View and Update All Viewports. Shore is purty!
But why can’t I just make Viewports of the same model and then, using the Object Info palette, make one VP Final Quality Rendering or whatever, and the other Sketch? You can, but the Sketch’d VP will be shown as Wireframe, not solid. This is where N.N.A. could improve things by giving us an option on the O.I. palette under Sketch>Render Settings to give the model a solid fill and do away with the clunky method I’ve described above.
*Class Settings affect color and fill and in the case of windows, you are likely to want the window to be in a see-through form, not with a gray window shade blocking inside views which is the default format. In the Object Info palette for doors and windows, you’ll see under Class Settings, Style settings 1,2,3, and so on. Windows also have a Class Setting for glazing called None and 1,2,3, and so on. Intuitively, I would think that None means that the window has no fill but that would be wrong. To give the window no fill, check Style-Glazing 1 and go to the Classes pull down menu and you’ll find there is now a new Class for Glazing 1. Select this class and give all members of this class a no-fill designation. Your window will now be a see-through type.
.........................................................................................................
VW 12 manuals will not be included free for those users buying UPGRADES of any of the new modules. Here’s Dan Monaghan’s post to the VW Listserve on the topic:
“The cost of the printed manual is not $100 dollars. It is $25 for the
Fundamentals manual, and $35 for the Fundamentals + Designer manual set,
http://www.nemetschek.net/support/manuals.php
I think it's important to note that we didn't "remove" the manual from the
upgrade, but rather replaced it with the Upgrade Companion CD. The Upgrade
Companion provides a faster and more convenient way to learn about the new
and improved technology in VectorWorks 12. It also contains searchable PDF
of both manuals, something users have been asking us for.”
http://www.nemetschek.net/news/pressreleases/2005/103105.php
Perhaps a seasoned user only needs to learn a smaller set of commands for the new tools which could be downloaded from N.N.A. or the item could be looked up in the PDF manual or you could opt to put broadband on your work machine and always be a click away from online help. Or you could call the help desk.
On the other hand, this is a BIG upgrade with lots of opportunity/responsibility to help the user make a smooth transition to the new program. On the other, other hand, more third party books are coming out, although they specialize in general usage technique, not tool definitions as the N.N.A. manuals do. Jonathan Pickup will be marketing a new VW 12 Essential Manual shortly and a new Architect manual in a month's time.
http://archoncad.blogspot.com
http://www.archoncad.co.nz
http://www.vectorworkusergroup.co.nz
jon@archoncad.co.nz
Check out his new blog.
Thanks for tuning in. Hope to see you on the 30th.
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
(206) 524-2808
CONVERT TO LINES #11
CONVERT TO LINES #11
7/18/05
In this issue:
•Nemetschek is coming to town
•Call for photos of cool projects.
•Old CAD review
•A good book
•File structure and beyond
Greetings from the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group! Summertime is for fishing and surfing and kayaking and maybe not for polishing your CAD skills so I’m out on a limb here with this post but Nemetschek is coming to town August 4 and you may be interested in seeing what’s up. They’ll be meeting in Seattle at the Lighting Design Lab and you should be getting your own postcard in the mail with details.
Also Nemetschek is planning an advertising campaign which will feature photos of finished projects of all kinds. Especially sought are photos of projects that may have some recognizability within the community. Here is Deirdre Kidd’s post:
“We are putting together a new ad campaign and we are looking for photos of finished projects to include in this campaign. The campaign will feature one ad with several different projects and while the ad will be similar each month, the projects will all be different. So, as you can imagine, we need lots of images. I was hoping that you [SIG Leaders], or some members of your group, or even VectorWorks users that you know in your area might have some completed projects that we could feature in this campaign. And, if a firm has several impressive projects, I am interested in those as well. If you have a project you would like to include, or you know of an impressive VectorWorks project, please send an e-mail directly to me, dkidd@nemetschek.net If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks for your help!”
...........................................................................................................
Granddads CAD. I came across an old issue of Macintosh Construction Forum, a black and white newsletter which began publishing not too long after the Mac Plus first hit the retail channel. This twelve page issue was from June, 1989 and in it was an article entitled CADD On The Mac--The Most Popular CADD Packages Go Head-To-Head, by John Stebbins. The programs reviewed were ArchiCAD 3.34 ($3,950), Architrion ll 5.00 ($2495), Claris CAD 1.0 ($788), Dreams ($500), Generic Level l ($150), MiniCAD Plus 1.0 ($695), Pegasys ll ($1795), Power Draw 2.0 ($795) and VersaCAD 2.1 ($1995).
The programs were laid out with their differences highlighted spreadsheet-fashion and quite a few factors were considered. For instance, MiniCAD could run on a Mac 512KE but you needed a powerhouse like the Mac ll to run ArchiCAD and Architrion. MiniCAD had no tutorial in the manual (some things never change) but did have a built-in spreadsheet plus unlimited layers while ArchiCAD only supported sixteen (gotcha!). ArchiCAD could rotate objects and MiniCAD could not. Virtually unlimited drawing area is checked yes for MiniCAD and no for ArchiCAD. Only in Power Draw and VersaCAD could you cut objects with a line. Only Architrion did automatic exploded views. Cool. MiniCAD had associative dimensioning (!). Import and export of DXF cost an extra $500 if you were using MiniCAD. MiniCAD could render surfaces but could not provide shades or shadows unlike ArchiCAD or Architrion.
.............................................................................................................
There is a listserve for VW user group leaders and I posed a question about file structure that was answered thusly:
“Gentle People,
It is just this sort of thing that I have tried to address in my book Vectorworks by Project. My co-author, Ray Massacessi and I noticed that people had an easier time understanding things if they were presented in a work context. So we broke the training down into projects. The first project uses an existing file (from the included CD) and simply teaches different ways to move around in a drawing while doing a door takeoff. The second project starts with a partially completed organizational chart and teaches basic editing and primitive creation. The next three units focus respectively on: the simplest way to create a 2D floor plan (fewest and most basic tools); A more elaborate floor plan and elevations for a ranch house (wall tools and wall editing etc.), and finally a set of 3D plans and elevations using the 3D view manipulation and viewports to create a simple set of drawings for a commercial building. We did not cover the VW Architect tools yet. But we may if more people buy the basic book. We are also considering a metric version. We keep tweaking it to make it better as we only do short run printing. The book is available on the NNA website for $29.95. If they are out of the book you can also order it from my local booksellers website: http://www.nicolasbooks.com”
Louis B. Smith, Jr, AIA
Ascent Design
P.O. Box 130706
Ann Arbor MI 48113
Phone: 734-929-6957
fax: 734-929-6958
email: lbsmith@ascentdesignpc.com
web: http://www.ascentdesignpc.com
I bought the book. I like it very much and feel it would be a great intro book since it takes the new VW user through processes that gives them a basic understanding of how to maneuver and then, use of 2D tools and finally, 3D tools. If I had a new person to teach VW to, I would ask them to first buy this book.
.............................................................................................................
What’s the point of using CAD over hand drawing? I’ve copied a letter from the VW Listserve that eloquently lists some of those reasons and also talks about the manner in which we eventually sort out all the data--the info--that comprises a working set of drawings. Here it is:
“You'll need to come up with a system that works for you.
There are endless numbers of ways VW can be used, but
there is also a path of least resistance that will help guide
you in developing your own design.
You'll need to first define what goal for efficiency you
hope to gain by using VW over hand drawing. For me
some of those goals include:
1. Speed:
A. Replication Tools ( Mirror, Offset, Duplicate )
B. Plotting and printing on many types of media
2. Accuracy:
A. 12 decimal real numbers.
B. Smart Cursor.
C. Dialog edit.
D. No loss copies.
3. Reliability:
B. Storage and retrieval of drawings.
a. Easy to Copy and Replicate ( Electronic File, not paper)
b. Easy to distribute (Native .mcd and Import, Export of .dwg)
c. Backup ( Auto Save, other)
4. Ease of changing and modifying a drawing:
5. Reduction of Contradictions:
A. Reuse of objects ( Saved Views, Viewports and Layer Links )
a. Localization of objects, NO duplication. ( Layers )
b. Global control over attributes. ( Classes w/ attributes )
c. Data output for Schedules. ( Worksheets and Record
Formats )
d. Dialog edit of high level objects (PIOs)
e. Global Editing ( Custom Selection, Symbols )
So, you'll have to make your own outline based on what
is important to you. If you agree with what I have outlined
then you'll see that my primary path to an efficient drawing
system, will include data uniqueness as a major goal. To that
end you will discover ways of using classes and layers in
combination with the other elements I mentioned, like VPs
and Saved Views to meet this need. This leads the way to
avoiding contradictions and wasted time, editing 12 sheets
because a window moved 6".
The problem you will soon discover, if you have not already,
is how do you control the appearance and visibility of an object
that is dashed and thin on one sheet and heavy and solid on
another. Or is visible on one sheet but not on another. The easy
solution is to use classes to control the attributes (and sometimes
the visibility) of objects grouped by type, and Layers to control the
visibility and group by location. I create shared and non-shared
layers, and classes to define the attributes for everything, from
wall line thickness, to the hatch pattern for CMU.
Another benefit to using a class and layer system is in the
categorization of the objects. You'll need to design your system
so that you know, right away, what class a counter top should be
in, and what class and layer a Window should be in. With a well
laid out schema, you can quickly locate and change any
number of things about any group of objects. You can also
create any view you want of that data, be it a 3D ortho, or a
material takeoff in a spreadsheet.
This gets you into a complex matrix where you'll need to manage
a multi dimensional array of Classes, Layers, Attributes, visibility
and many other parameters. This can be done in part with Saved
Views, VPs, and with the help of Records and Worksheets,
VectorScripts and a myriad of other tools. Trying to understand
someone else's file can be very difficult and unintuitive, if it is
anything more than an electronic version of a paper set.
The only way you'll be able to manage such a system, is if you
understand it. And the best way to do that, is to design it yourself.”
From Patrick Higgins
.......................................................................................................
And lastly, to save one step when placing arrowheads other than the standard arrow style, draw your line then DO select the standard arrowhead but then scroll and select the correct choice from the library with one click (which undoes your first choice). This is somewhat faster than avoiding the standard arrowhead choosing instead to scroll and place a different head on your line. My way is not intuitive but is faster.
............................................................................................................
OK, go back to your beach and your trashy novel. Lesson’s over for the day.
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
206-524-2808
7/18/05
In this issue:
•Nemetschek is coming to town
•Call for photos of cool projects.
•Old CAD review
•A good book
•File structure and beyond
Greetings from the Seattle VectorWorks Users Group! Summertime is for fishing and surfing and kayaking and maybe not for polishing your CAD skills so I’m out on a limb here with this post but Nemetschek is coming to town August 4 and you may be interested in seeing what’s up. They’ll be meeting in Seattle at the Lighting Design Lab and you should be getting your own postcard in the mail with details.
Also Nemetschek is planning an advertising campaign which will feature photos of finished projects of all kinds. Especially sought are photos of projects that may have some recognizability within the community. Here is Deirdre Kidd’s post:
“We are putting together a new ad campaign and we are looking for photos of finished projects to include in this campaign. The campaign will feature one ad with several different projects and while the ad will be similar each month, the projects will all be different. So, as you can imagine, we need lots of images. I was hoping that you [SIG Leaders], or some members of your group, or even VectorWorks users that you know in your area might have some completed projects that we could feature in this campaign. And, if a firm has several impressive projects, I am interested in those as well. If you have a project you would like to include, or you know of an impressive VectorWorks project, please send an e-mail directly to me, dkidd@nemetschek.net If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks for your help!”
...........................................................................................................
Granddads CAD. I came across an old issue of Macintosh Construction Forum, a black and white newsletter which began publishing not too long after the Mac Plus first hit the retail channel. This twelve page issue was from June, 1989 and in it was an article entitled CADD On The Mac--The Most Popular CADD Packages Go Head-To-Head, by John Stebbins. The programs reviewed were ArchiCAD 3.34 ($3,950), Architrion ll 5.00 ($2495), Claris CAD 1.0 ($788), Dreams ($500), Generic Level l ($150), MiniCAD Plus 1.0 ($695), Pegasys ll ($1795), Power Draw 2.0 ($795) and VersaCAD 2.1 ($1995).
The programs were laid out with their differences highlighted spreadsheet-fashion and quite a few factors were considered. For instance, MiniCAD could run on a Mac 512KE but you needed a powerhouse like the Mac ll to run ArchiCAD and Architrion. MiniCAD had no tutorial in the manual (some things never change) but did have a built-in spreadsheet plus unlimited layers while ArchiCAD only supported sixteen (gotcha!). ArchiCAD could rotate objects and MiniCAD could not. Virtually unlimited drawing area is checked yes for MiniCAD and no for ArchiCAD. Only in Power Draw and VersaCAD could you cut objects with a line. Only Architrion did automatic exploded views. Cool. MiniCAD had associative dimensioning (!). Import and export of DXF cost an extra $500 if you were using MiniCAD. MiniCAD could render surfaces but could not provide shades or shadows unlike ArchiCAD or Architrion.
.............................................................................................................
There is a listserve for VW user group leaders and I posed a question about file structure that was answered thusly:
“Gentle People,
It is just this sort of thing that I have tried to address in my book Vectorworks by Project. My co-author, Ray Massacessi and I noticed that people had an easier time understanding things if they were presented in a work context. So we broke the training down into projects. The first project uses an existing file (from the included CD) and simply teaches different ways to move around in a drawing while doing a door takeoff. The second project starts with a partially completed organizational chart and teaches basic editing and primitive creation. The next three units focus respectively on: the simplest way to create a 2D floor plan (fewest and most basic tools); A more elaborate floor plan and elevations for a ranch house (wall tools and wall editing etc.), and finally a set of 3D plans and elevations using the 3D view manipulation and viewports to create a simple set of drawings for a commercial building. We did not cover the VW Architect tools yet. But we may if more people buy the basic book. We are also considering a metric version. We keep tweaking it to make it better as we only do short run printing. The book is available on the NNA website for $29.95. If they are out of the book you can also order it from my local booksellers website: http://www.nicolasbooks.com”
Louis B. Smith, Jr, AIA
Ascent Design
P.O. Box 130706
Ann Arbor MI 48113
Phone: 734-929-6957
fax: 734-929-6958
email: lbsmith@ascentdesignpc.com
web: http://www.ascentdesignpc.com
I bought the book. I like it very much and feel it would be a great intro book since it takes the new VW user through processes that gives them a basic understanding of how to maneuver and then, use of 2D tools and finally, 3D tools. If I had a new person to teach VW to, I would ask them to first buy this book.
.............................................................................................................
What’s the point of using CAD over hand drawing? I’ve copied a letter from the VW Listserve that eloquently lists some of those reasons and also talks about the manner in which we eventually sort out all the data--the info--that comprises a working set of drawings. Here it is:
“You'll need to come up with a system that works for you.
There are endless numbers of ways VW can be used, but
there is also a path of least resistance that will help guide
you in developing your own design.
You'll need to first define what goal for efficiency you
hope to gain by using VW over hand drawing. For me
some of those goals include:
1. Speed:
A. Replication Tools ( Mirror, Offset, Duplicate )
B. Plotting and printing on many types of media
2. Accuracy:
A. 12 decimal real numbers.
B. Smart Cursor.
C. Dialog edit.
D. No loss copies.
3. Reliability:
B. Storage and retrieval of drawings.
a. Easy to Copy and Replicate ( Electronic File, not paper)
b. Easy to distribute (Native .mcd and Import, Export of .dwg)
c. Backup ( Auto Save, other)
4. Ease of changing and modifying a drawing:
5. Reduction of Contradictions:
A. Reuse of objects ( Saved Views, Viewports and Layer Links )
a. Localization of objects, NO duplication. ( Layers )
b. Global control over attributes. ( Classes w/ attributes )
c. Data output for Schedules. ( Worksheets and Record
Formats )
d. Dialog edit of high level objects (PIOs)
e. Global Editing ( Custom Selection, Symbols )
So, you'll have to make your own outline based on what
is important to you. If you agree with what I have outlined
then you'll see that my primary path to an efficient drawing
system, will include data uniqueness as a major goal. To that
end you will discover ways of using classes and layers in
combination with the other elements I mentioned, like VPs
and Saved Views to meet this need. This leads the way to
avoiding contradictions and wasted time, editing 12 sheets
because a window moved 6".
The problem you will soon discover, if you have not already,
is how do you control the appearance and visibility of an object
that is dashed and thin on one sheet and heavy and solid on
another. Or is visible on one sheet but not on another. The easy
solution is to use classes to control the attributes (and sometimes
the visibility) of objects grouped by type, and Layers to control the
visibility and group by location. I create shared and non-shared
layers, and classes to define the attributes for everything, from
wall line thickness, to the hatch pattern for CMU.
Another benefit to using a class and layer system is in the
categorization of the objects. You'll need to design your system
so that you know, right away, what class a counter top should be
in, and what class and layer a Window should be in. With a well
laid out schema, you can quickly locate and change any
number of things about any group of objects. You can also
create any view you want of that data, be it a 3D ortho, or a
material takeoff in a spreadsheet.
This gets you into a complex matrix where you'll need to manage
a multi dimensional array of Classes, Layers, Attributes, visibility
and many other parameters. This can be done in part with Saved
Views, VPs, and with the help of Records and Worksheets,
VectorScripts and a myriad of other tools. Trying to understand
someone else's file can be very difficult and unintuitive, if it is
anything more than an electronic version of a paper set.
The only way you'll be able to manage such a system, is if you
understand it. And the best way to do that, is to design it yourself.”
From Patrick Higgins
.......................................................................................................
And lastly, to save one step when placing arrowheads other than the standard arrow style, draw your line then DO select the standard arrowhead but then scroll and select the correct choice from the library with one click (which undoes your first choice). This is somewhat faster than avoiding the standard arrowhead choosing instead to scroll and place a different head on your line. My way is not intuitive but is faster.
............................................................................................................
OK, go back to your beach and your trashy novel. Lesson’s over for the day.
Tom Greggs
Greggs Building Design
206-524-2808
CONVERT TO LINES #10
Convert To Lines #10
Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
4/4/05
In this issue:
Changes in VW 11.5
Greetings, Seattle VectorWorks Users plus all of you beyond the horizon in places like Goldendale, Wenachee, Vancouver and Spokane. Welcome!
This letter is a reminder of our upcoming meeting taking place April 20th, a Wednesday, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The Wood Construction Center is located at 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street. Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the portable-style building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side.
I’ll have some goodies to give out. If you have VW 11 and haven’t upgraded to 11.5, I’ll bring a stack of updater CD’s that Nemetschek has provided us and you are welcome to take one, particularly if you downloaded the updater but would like a hard copy. You needn’t have the interim updater to advance to 11.5 as this one disk does it all. They’ve also included a special disk of textures that are just for us--I haven’t seen it offered elsewhere.
I’ll also bring Greco’s awesome 3D cityscape I’d mentioned in the last newsletter.
..................................................................................................................
Nemetschek mailed to me, in addition to the updaters, a disk intended to demonstrate the advantages of version 11.5. Of course, I’d read the list of improvements on the website when 11.5 first came out, but in viewing the QT movie within, I found the disk far more informative. For instance, the freehand tool has long been useless to me as it creates jaggy lines with far too many editing nodes. If you drew fast there were fewer nodes but you’d tend to lose control and go squiggly. Draw slow and the nodes multiplied like crazy. In an example from the QT movie, in VW 11, drawing a kidney shaped pond created some 600 nodes. With VW 11.5 the same shape made 60. Now, with 11.5, you have much more editing control. The Freehand tool suddenly becomes functional.
I stumbled onto this interesting change: In VW 11, if you drew out a stair-stepped polyline and wanted to stretch it, you had to use the 2D Reshape tool. In VW 11.5, simply grabbing an upper corner allows you to pull the whole upwards save for one leg which remains anchored.
I did notice that one tool was missing. I use Material Fill to place symbols of sand, gravel or concrete from time to time. It has been eliminated! In its place is Stipple which does none of those. Am I missing something obvious? If so, write and set me straight. But I can edit my way back by using the Workspace Editor, scrolling down the left hand side of the Editor (under Commands) perusing existing folders till I see Legacy. Inside is Material Fill. Drag it sideways across the middle divider bar and onto Menu / AEC. Scroll down and drop it where it used to be, below Tile.
While you’re in the Workspace Editor, here is something else you can fix if you use Architect. The Wall tool has bugged me since it has a worthless tool sitting in front of Walls, the real wall tool. Get rid of Wall Type Tool. If you can tell me why this tool is important I’ll have a prize for you in May. I and others on the listserve find no reason for its existence. In the Workspace Editor, on the right hand pane, either pull Walls below and out of the clutches of Wall Type Tool, or delete Wall Type Tool and the others in this group, and then recreate them by dragging over Walls from the Wall folder at the bottom of the left side pane and then scrolling up to Architect, pull a copy of the Window Wall--which you eliminated during the delete--over and onto Walls. Now you see the L-shaped wall on your palette and not the brick-on-edge shape of the old Wall Type Tool. Remember the prize. Your reason has to be good, you must respond in one week and you must attend the meeting in May to collect. I can’t afford to pay postage on your prize.
The cutting tools have improved giving you much more flexibility. I didn’t see this one small improvement mentioned, but I found that when I am in plan view and cut out a piece of wall--as I do to place a header-line symbol for a window or door--that the cutting-rectangle now cuts both sides of the wall. Prior to this, the rectangle I’d place over the wall would cut one side only. Jack McKean will co-host on the 20th and will cover all the cutting tools. I think you’ll learn some timesaving tricks.
Have you seen the new Sketch function in 11.5? It really is a deeply integrated tool. Not only can you draw in Sketch mode but the Smart Cursor cues will still work. You can find the wall’s corner when snapping, for instance, even though it may show overstrikes or gaps.
To try this new feature, just select Sketch from View / Rendering and begin drawing. If you’ve drawn any sort of volume while in Sketch mode, hit number 1 on your numerical keypad to bounce yourself into left front isometric view. Your model stays in Sketch style. Who would want to draw this way? Perhaps the landscape designers out there who want a hand-drawn look maintained while in the process of drawing rather than generated at the end.
Because Sketch is vector based, if you want color or other effects for the finished look, you’ll need either two Layers or two Viewports to stack the sketched line work over a colored, non-Sketched copy of the model. On the disk from Nemetschek, the example showed the body of the model done in Artistic Renderworks / Oil Painting. No one much uses oil painting I’m guessing, but with the NNA model clad in stone and brick, the final assembly looked pretty cool.
............................................................................................................
Whatever it is that’s been bugging you, causing you to lose momentum, I’d like to hear about it on April 20th. Do you bog when creating a workable file structure? Are you dragged down trying to manage too many Classes and too many multiple Layer-Linked sheets? You’d like a boost to your 3D capabilities? Roofs make you restless?
Bring in your questions and lets talk about them. Be assured, there is a simple solution but finding it on your own is sometimes not so simple. Together we’ll find the answers.
................................................................................................................
Lastly, I’d like to thank those of you that have written back over the months expressing appreciation for the Convert To Lines newsletters and for sharing tips and/or examples of your work. All serve as fuel helping me keep a positive point of view.
Following the April 20th meeting, May 25th will be our last get-together before summer vacation. We’ll take off June through August to play and recharge. Expect to hear from me once more before May and then sometime in early September as we jump into fall.
Cheers,
Tom Greggs
tomgreggs@mindspring.com
206-524-2808
Seattle VectorWorks Users Group
4/4/05
In this issue:
Changes in VW 11.5
Greetings, Seattle VectorWorks Users plus all of you beyond the horizon in places like Goldendale, Wenachee, Vancouver and Spokane. Welcome!
This letter is a reminder of our upcoming meeting taking place April 20th, a Wednesday, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Seattle Central Community College Wood Construction Center lecture hall. The Wood Construction Center is located at 23rd Avenue South and South Lane Street. Parking is available in the gated lot off South King Street, one block south of Jackson Street. The lecture hall is the portable-style building directly adjacent to the parking lot at its south side.
I’ll have some goodies to give out. If you have VW 11 and haven’t upgraded to 11.5, I’ll bring a stack of updater CD’s that Nemetschek has provided us and you are welcome to take one, particularly if you downloaded the updater but would like a hard copy. You needn’t have the interim updater to advance to 11.5 as this one disk does it all. They’ve also included a special disk of textures that are just for us--I haven’t seen it offered elsewhere.
I’ll also bring Greco’s awesome 3D cityscape I’d mentioned in the last newsletter.
..................................................................................................................
Nemetschek mailed to me, in addition to the updaters, a disk intended to demonstrate the advantages of version 11.5. Of course, I’d read the list of improvements on the website when 11.5 first came out, but in viewing the QT movie within, I found the disk far more informative. For instance, the freehand tool has long been useless to me as it creates jaggy lines with far too many editing nodes. If you drew fast there were fewer nodes but you’d tend to lose control and go squiggly. Draw slow and the nodes multiplied like crazy. In an example from the QT movie, in VW 11, drawing a kidney shaped pond created some 600 nodes. With VW 11.5 the same shape made 60. Now, with 11.5, you have much more editing control. The Freehand tool suddenly becomes functional.
I stumbled onto this interesting change: In VW 11, if you drew out a stair-stepped polyline and wanted to stretch it, you had to use the 2D Reshape tool. In VW 11.5, simply grabbing an upper corner allows you to pull the whole upwards save for one leg which remains anchored.
I did notice that one tool was missing. I use Material Fill to place symbols of sand, gravel or concrete from time to time. It has been eliminated! In its place is Stipple which does none of those. Am I missing something obvious? If so, write and set me straight. But I can edit my way back by using the Workspace Editor, scrolling down the left hand side of the Editor (under Commands) perusing existing folders till I see Legacy. Inside is Material Fill. Drag it sideways across the middle divider bar and onto Menu / AEC. Scroll down and drop it where it used to be, below Tile.
While you’re in the Workspace Editor, here is something else you can fix if you use Architect. The Wall tool has bugged me since it has a worthless tool sitting in front of Walls, the real wall tool. Get rid of Wall Type Tool. If you can tell me why this tool is important I’ll have a prize for you in May. I and others on the listserve find no reason for its existence. In the Workspace Editor, on the right hand pane, either pull Walls below and out of the clutches of Wall Type Tool, or delete Wall Type Tool and the others in this group, and then recreate them by dragging over Walls from the Wall folder at the bottom of the left side pane and then scrolling up to Architect, pull a copy of the Window Wall--which you eliminated during the delete--over and onto Walls. Now you see the L-shaped wall on your palette and not the brick-on-edge shape of the old Wall Type Tool. Remember the prize. Your reason has to be good, you must respond in one week and you must attend the meeting in May to collect. I can’t afford to pay postage on your prize.
The cutting tools have improved giving you much more flexibility. I didn’t see this one small improvement mentioned, but I found that when I am in plan view and cut out a piece of wall--as I do to place a header-line symbol for a window or door--that the cutting-rectangle now cuts both sides of the wall. Prior to this, the rectangle I’d place over the wall would cut one side only. Jack McKean will co-host on the 20th and will cover all the cutting tools. I think you’ll learn some timesaving tricks.
Have you seen the new Sketch function in 11.5? It really is a deeply integrated tool. Not only can you draw in Sketch mode but the Smart Cursor cues will still work. You can find the wall’s corner when snapping, for instance, even though it may show overstrikes or gaps.
To try this new feature, just select Sketch from View / Rendering and begin drawing. If you’ve drawn any sort of volume while in Sketch mode, hit number 1 on your numerical keypad to bounce yourself into left front isometric view. Your model stays in Sketch style. Who would want to draw this way? Perhaps the landscape designers out there who want a hand-drawn look maintained while in the process of drawing rather than generated at the end.
Because Sketch is vector based, if you want color or other effects for the finished look, you’ll need either two Layers or two Viewports to stack the sketched line work over a colored, non-Sketched copy of the model. On the disk from Nemetschek, the example showed the body of the model done in Artistic Renderworks / Oil Painting. No one much uses oil painting I’m guessing, but with the NNA model clad in stone and brick, the final assembly looked pretty cool.
............................................................................................................
Whatever it is that’s been bugging you, causing you to lose momentum, I’d like to hear about it on April 20th. Do you bog when creating a workable file structure? Are you dragged down trying to manage too many Classes and too many multiple Layer-Linked sheets? You’d like a boost to your 3D capabilities? Roofs make you restless?
Bring in your questions and lets talk about them. Be assured, there is a simple solution but finding it on your own is sometimes not so simple. Together we’ll find the answers.
................................................................................................................
Lastly, I’d like to thank those of you that have written back over the months expressing appreciation for the Convert To Lines newsletters and for sharing tips and/or examples of your work. All serve as fuel helping me keep a positive point of view.
Following the April 20th meeting, May 25th will be our last get-together before summer vacation. We’ll take off June through August to play and recharge. Expect to hear from me once more before May and then sometime in early September as we jump into fall.
Cheers,
Tom Greggs
tomgreggs@mindspring.com
206-524-2808
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