Getting DXF/DWG Imports to the correct Scale

Firstly, never import a dxf file into an existing drawing...

Then, when you import a dxf file and you can’t get the scale right, find an object that you know the size of, something with a dimension on it.

Measure that object after importing.

Select All

From the Menu Bar choose Modify > Scale Objects...

Rescale the drawing to suit using the Scale Objects command.

Select the options:

Scale Text

Entire Drawing

Enter the scale ratio as A/B where:

A= the original size of the object 

B= the size of the object in the imported file

Click on the OK button and the draw will rescale everything.

Drawing complex shapes

I had a phone call yesterday from a friend of mine. He was having trouble with the compose command. He’s tracing over the site plan with lines then filleting the corners and composing the shape.

I suggested to him that it would be a lot easier to use the Polygon tool to trace over the shape and then use the fillet tool, or use the 2D Reshape tool, to modify the shape to suit the site plan. It would be quicker and it removes the need to compose the shape at the end.

Have You Just Started with VectorWorks?

If you have just started with VectorWorks The next step for you is to practice VectorWorks every day. You learn VectorWorks by practicing it. I wish there was a magic way to learn, but there is not. Practice is the best thing that you can do. If you have the Essential VectorWorks manual, then work through it every day. Start off with the 2D exercises and practice these until you become fast. Then move onto the other chapters These will help you to make drawings and create the type of project information that you want. All the chapters in the manual are there to teach you a skill or a technique, that’s why it’s important for you to work through the manual.

Now you should work on a real project. Working on a real projects will put you under pressure to finish. This will help you to apply the skills that you have learned.

To improve your skill you should attend user group meetings and courses. The VectorWorks users that attend the user groups get better every month.

What Are Preferences?

What Are Preferences?
Preferences in VectorWorks are user choices that can change the way that VectorWorks appears to work, can change the way that drawings appear and can control some of the keyboard shortcuts.

There are two sorts of Preferences in VectorWorks, VectorWorks Preferences that affect all the files and Document Preferences that control settings specific to a file.

There are several preferences to choose from and the choices depend on your way of drawing. We will be covering Preferences in the first user group meeting this year, to be held in February.

Tip: The Right Mouse Button

I have been teaching a lot lately and one of the issues that I’ve noticed is how much faster you can draw if you add frequently used commands to the right-mouse click (ctrl-click if you only have one button). When you edit your workspace you will find two places to add menu items to the right mouse click:
Document Context where you right click away from everything;
Object Context where you right click on an object.

One of the commands I use a lot is Add Surface. I used to have a keyboard shortcut for this, but that means taking your hand off the mouse. I added this command to the right-mouse using the Workspace Editor. Now when I want to use Add Surface, I can right-mouse click and choose Add Surface straight away.

Why Upgrade to VectorWorks 12? (part 1)

I spent two days recently on-site with a client setting up their VectorWorks 12 and I was really amazed at the amount of customisation that you can do with VectorWorks 12. Most of the default resources can be edited so that they appear on every new project. For example, when you make stairs now in VectorWorks you can use a starter stair, one that has most of the setting the way you like. This stair (and many others) can be saved to a special folder and then it becomes available in every job. This means that you can create several stairs and have them available in every project. It will make it a lot faster for you to use the new stair objects in VectorWorks 12.

There are other reasons, and I’ll cover these as I have an example to write about.

VW12 Architect Manual

We have just put the finishing touches on our new VectorWorks Architect manual. This is later than we had planned because we have completely re-written the manual and that took longer than we expected. The result is, we think, a fantastic manual that leads you through drawing a domestic 2 storey project and covers all the main topics that you need.

For more information check out the web site :
archoncad

VectorWorks 12 Architect Manual

I am just putting the finishing touches on the revised VectorWorks Architect manual for version 12. You may think that it’s just an update of the old manual, but no, the manual has been substantially re-written. The manual has a new structure and covers topics in the order that you would if you were drawing a 2 storey house renovation project on a sloping site:
• drawing the site
• site modelling
• drawing the house and checking against the site constraints
• creating the existing and proposed roofs and finding how the old and new intersect
• setting up the concept drawing that shows the existing building, proposed house, site plan, 2 elevations and a perspective.
• then there are notes on how to complete the working drawings (construction documents).

This manual will be added to my manual page shortly:

https://plus36.safe-order.net/archoncad/manuals/manuals.php

Happy New Year to you all

Well, the old year is over and a New Year begins. At this time of the year many people look at their achievements for the last year and plan what they want to achieve next year. A couple of years ago, I started to write down yearly goals. It a great feeling to meet and exceed the goals.

You should write down some goals that you want to achieve this year and look at them every week. On Friday, look at your goals and make some plans for the coming week to get closer to your goals.

VectorWorks 12 and Canon BJC5500

There seems to be a problem with printing from VectorWorks 12 to a Canon BJC5500. The only solution at the moment is to save your files as VectorWorks 11 format or print your files to PDF and then print them from Adobe Acrobat to the BJC5500... NNA are aware of the issue and will work on a fix for this, but I don’t know when it will be fixed.

NNA have found a fix for this issue and have sent a patch to repair it. They put loads of effort into fixing the problem and produced the fix in a very short time

New Courses in Sydney

After a successful trip to Australia, I can tell you all that I am starting to organise VectorWorks courses in Sydney, Australia. With the help of the Australian Distributor, Julian Carr, I will be running Essential VectorWorks courses and VectorWorks Architect courses, starting in February 2006. When the courses are organised they will be shown on my web site...

http://www.archoncad.co.nz/courses/courses.php

VectorWorks 12 Manual Available

I have just finished my new Essential VectorWorks 12 manual. This manual is more than just an update of my version 11 manual. I have completely re-written huge chunks of the manual and changed the structure of the manual to make the manual easier to use, and to explain the VectorWorks concepts better.

Training in Wellington

For those of you in Wellington that need a beginners course, there is a course this week, starting on Wednesday. If you are interested call Jonathan 021 743 470

New VW12 Movies

NNA have posted new VectorWorks 12 feature movies. These movies are a great way to see some of the new features of version 12


VectorWorks Architect http://www.nemetschek.net/architect/demos.php

VectorWorks Landmark http://www.nemetschek.net/landmark/demos.php

VectorWorks Spotlight http://www.nemetschek.net/spotlight/demos.php

VectorWorks Machine Design http://www.nemetschek.net/machinedesign/demos.php


and thank you to NNA for featuring my bracing worksheet in the worksheet movie.

How To Get Better at VectorWorks

If you are just starting with VectorWorks you might be wondering how to get better, how long will it be until you understand this new program. The answer lies in Perseverance... You have to keep working on VectorWorks everyday and you will get it.

For some people using VectorWorks is the first time that they have drawn with a computer. Do you remember how long it took you to learn to draw the first time? This is no different. You are learning a new way to draw, so you need to learn a new way to think about drawing. Keep at it!

If you want to use the RSS feed: feed://archoncad....

If you want to use the RSS feed:

feed://archoncad.blogspot.com/atom.xml

VectorWorks 12 Press Release

to see the complete press release about the VectorWorks 12...http://www.nemetschek.net/news/pressreleases/2005/101205.php

New VectorWorks Available

Nemetschek North America announced today the release of its VectorWorks product line, complete with a variety of new features and substantial product improvements allowing users to work faster and smarter than ever before. The company is pleased to reveal its newest offerings: VectorWorks Fundamentals, VectorWorks Architect, VectorWorks Landmark, VectorWorks Spotlight, VectorWorks Machine Design, VectorWorks Designer, and RenderWorks.

New Reshape tool for VectorWorks

A long time VectorWorks user has written a Plug-in that you can buy to improve reshaping. Check it out at :

http://www.siriussolutions.biz/

What Are Preferences?

Preferences in VectorWorks are user choices that can change the way that VectorWorks appears to work, can change the way that drawings appear and can control some of the keyboard shortcuts.There are two sorts of Preferences in VectorWorks, VectorWorks Preferences that affect all the files and Document Preferences that control settings specific to a file. To find preferences, go to the Menu Bar and choose:

File > Preferences > VectorWorks Preferences..., or
File > Preferences > Document Preferences...

There are several preferences to choose from and the choices depend on your way of drawing. So try out different preferences and see which ones suit you.