Vectorworks 2008 + 2009 Creating a Library

First of all, you do not create one library for Vectorworks with everything in it, nor do you create a template file with every class, layer, sheet layer, hatch, texture and symbol that you might ever need. 

in Vectorworks 2008 and 2009, Vectorworks introduced the concept of the User Folder, which you can read about on this blog, in April 2009. 

So if Vectorworks doesn’t use one library, what does it use? Vectorworks uses a series of library folders in a place you can choose (see the blog on User Folder). Each folder relates to a Vectorworks tool, command or concept. 

When you place a hatch, you can make Vectorworks display the hatches you like to use. You can’t do this if you put everything in one file, but if you put your hatch file in the Attributes-Hatches folder, you will see all your hatches when you choose a hatch in the Attributes Palette. This will save you heaps of time looking for hatches. 

When you create new layers and classes, you can get Vectorworks to give you a list of your typical classes. This saves time in typing and editing the classes to suit your drawings system. It also saves time checking line weights and line styles, because the imported class has all the settings you choose. 

Design layers and sheet layers can also be imported.

You can import more than one class at a time, so you could create 30 or 40 classes in the time it takes you to import one class. The same principle applies to the design layers and sheet layers. 

Several tools, like the repetitive unit, stairs, plants, hardscapes and so on, have their own libraries. Until you edit these libraries the tools can be next to useless. When you edit the libraries to suit you, the tools become fantastic time savers.

Learn how to set up these libraries and make Vectorworks more effective for you. You might save yourself 40 minutes every day. This month my Short Sharp Training (http://www.archoncad.co.nz/usergroup/join_int.php) will be covering this in detail. There is a free meeting, but that is filled up now. Subscribers will get notes and movies for this topic.