Vectorworks Tip #023 - Preferences - Use Occluded Selection and Snapping

This is a Vectorworks preference that will speed up the way that you work in 3D by making it easier to snap not to the parts of the model that you see. Instead of snapping being based on the stacking order, the snapping will be based on the way that the objects appear in the view.


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Vectorworks Tip #022 - Preferences - Use Enhanced OpenGL Shadows

This Vectorworks preference allows you to get the best from you graphics card on your computer. It does mean that you have to have a good quality graphics card in the computer. BUt it does give you better shadows.


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Vectorworks Tip #021 - Preferences - Log Time in Program

This is a Vectorworks preference that will create a text file on your computer. The text file will tell you every file that has been opened, saved and closed in Vectorworks and the time that this occurred. This is very useful if you want to know what files have been opened and saved, and what time they were opened and saved.


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Vectorworks Tip #020 - Preferences - Display Light Object

This is one of the quick preferences that you can access from the Tool bar. This allows you to choose the options for displaying the light objects in rendered views.

Vectorworks Tip #019 - Preferences - Offset Duplications

This preference is one of the Vectorworks preferences. To activate this preference, you have to open the Vectorworks Preferences from the Quick Preferences menu on the Tool bar. The preference stores the distance and angle of the offset when you use drag a copy. It then allows you to repeat the offset using the keyboard shortcut (command+D, or control+D).


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Vectorworks Tip #018 - Preferences - Allow In-Place Duplication

This preference is one of the Vectorworks preferences. To activate this preference, you have to open the Vectorworks Preferences from the Quick Preferences menu on the Tool bar. It allows you to create duplicates on top of each other, which can be useful in drawings and modeling.


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Vectorworks Tip #017 - Preferences - Centre on Objects After View Change

This preference is one of the Vectorworks preferences. To activate this preference, you have to open the Vectorworks Preferences from the Quick Preferences menu on the Tool bar. It it used to center objects in the drawing window when you change views. This makes the preference very useful in 3D modelling when you often change the view.

Vectorworks Tip #016 - Preferences - Use Layer Colors

The Use Layer Colors preference is one of the quick preferences that you can activate on the toolbar. It is used to activate or deactivate the layer colors that you can assign to your layers. It is very useful when you have a multistory building, allowing you to see which for the building is not lined up with the others.

Vectorworks Tip #015 - Preferences - Auto Save Preference

The Autosave preference is one of the quick preferences that you can activate on the toolbar. It is used to activate or deactivate the Autosave preference. It is also very helpful to see whether your autosave has been activated.


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Vectorworks Tip #014 - Preferences - Black and White Only

The Black and White Only preference is one of the quick preferences that you can activate on the toolbar. It is used to turn off all the color in the view, leaving you with just black and white objects. It will remove any greyscale colors.

Vectorworks Tip #013 - Preferences - Show Clip Cube

The Show Clip Cube is one of the quick preferences that you can activate on the toolbar. It is ideal for creating a three-dimensional clip from your design, allowing you to focus on part of the design.

Vectorworks Tip #012 - Preferences - Zoom Line Thickness

Another quick preference is Zoom Line Thickness. This preference is designed to help you see your line weights by emphasising thick lines. The more you zoom in the more it emphasises the thicker lines.

This elevation has some lines thicker than the others, but with Zoom Line Thickness not activated, it is very difficult to see where the heavy lines are.

This is the same elevation with Zoom Line Thickness activated.  It is now easier to see where the thick lines are on the elevation.

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Vectorworks Tip #011 - Preferences - Auto Join Walls

 Auto Join Walls is another quick preference that you can add to your Tool bar. It is used to automatically join walls together.

These walls were drawn with Auto Join not activated. 

These walls were drawn with Auto Join Wall activated. If you choose the correct wall options, Auto Join Walls will automatically join the wall cores together. 

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Vectorworks Tip #010 - Preferences - Show Other Objects While in Edit Mode

The preference Show Other Object While in Edit Mode allows you to choose if you want to see other objects that are outside of the group (group/viewport/symbol/etc.) that you are editing.

It is one of the Quick Preferences that you can add to the Tool bar.

If you turn this preference off, you will not see any objects that are outside the group.

If you turn this preference on, you will be able to see all the objects that are outside the group, but they might be show in grey.

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Vectorworks Tip #009 - Quick Preferences

The right-hand end of the Tool bar contains the Quick Preferences. These are Vectorworks and Document Preferences that you might want to change quickly.

There is a Utility pop-up menu on the right side where you can choose the preferences that you want to appear. You don't need to have them all, just choose the ones that you use a lot. 

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Vectorworks Tip #008 - Data Bar and Edit Group Button

The Data Bar and Edit Group Button on the Tool bar, by the Quick Preferences, can really speed up your drawing.

Setting the option to Allow numeric keypad for instant data bar activation makes it instant to get into the Floating Data bar. This means that you can just start typing in the size you want something and it goes straight in.

Combine that with a double tap on the Enter key and you have the fastest ever way to draw.


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Vectorworks Tip #007 - Selection Tool Mode Bar Shortcuts

If  you are using Vectorworks with a standard workspace, then you will find that your keyboard has shortcuts for the modes on the toolbar. 

U - first mode group

I - second mode group

O - third mode group

P - fourth mode group

These keyboard shortcuts are available for every tool in Vectorworks.

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Vectorworks Tip #006 - Selection Tool - Connected Walls Mode

The last mode, on the Tool bar for the selection tool is for the Connected Walls mode. This mode is only available if you have Vectorworks Architect, or one of the designer packages.

This mode connects walls that are joined together, so that when you move one of the walls the others automatically extend to maintain the joints. If you want to move a wall without extending the adjacent walls, turn this mode off.

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Vectorworks Tip #005 - Selection Marquee Shapes

The Selection tool has a mode group that allows you to choose the shape of the selection marquee. Changing the shape of the selection marquee can speed up or slow you down depending on what you are working on.

I usually leave the selection marquee on the way Rectangular Marquee Mode. In this mode Vectorworks will select all the objects totally enclosed, as do the other modes, but this mode is quickest equals only takes two clicks. 

Try choosing the next mode (Lasso Marquee). In this mode, you drag your lasso around the objects that you want to select.

The last marquee mode is the Polygon Marquee.  This allows you to draw a complex shape for the selection marquee, and it requires you to click at each corner of the marquee.

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Vectorworks Tip #004 - Selection Tool

One of the first things you should learn how to do is to control the Selection tool. I know it sounds like a basic tool, and it is, but it is also very useful and has a lot of subtlety. 

The fourth mode  is used control wall insertion, which controls the ability to insert objects in walls, including doors windows etc. If this mode is not activated, you will find it impossible insert doors and windows into walls and when you render the walls the doors and windows will not render correctly. 

There are also times we want to turn this off. When you're moving a door or window along the wall it's good idea to turn this mode off so you do not accidentally pull the door and window out of the wall. 

You might also want to turn this mode off when you're placing stairs, toilets, wash basins and so on. 

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