podcast 184 - How walls and Slabs Interact

When you set up your wall styles, Make sure that you use your wall components to connect and control the slabs. This movie shows you how they connect if you set up the wall and slab styles, it does not show you how to set up the walls and slab styles.

The leader in Vectorworks training and manuals: http://learn.archoncad.com

Vectorworks Tip #109 - Walls - Wall Recess

This is the opposite of the wall projection, it allows you to make a recess in a wall.

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http://store.archoncad.com

 

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Vectorworks Tip #108 - 3D Modelling - Working Plane Palette

Vectorworks has a working planes palette that you can access from the Window > Palettes menu. This palette can be used to save, delete and activate working planes. But you dont have to use this palette. You can access and recall all the working planes from the Active Plane menu.

The leader in Vectorworks training:

http://store.archoncad.com

 

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Vectorworks Tip #107 - Visualization - Area Light

Area Lights are very powerful in creating a lighting scene. When photographers what to fill an area of light, they use a large reflector, or a flash with a large disperser on it. An area light can do the same thing for your scene. Have a look at the two viewports, notice how the area light in the window lights the scene. Actually, in the area light viewport there are several area lights.

The leader in Vectorworks training:

http://store.archoncad.com

 

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Vectorworks Tip #106 - Basic Tools - Link Text To Record

This allows you to connect the Record Format to a text object in a symbol. I use this to create symbols that have heights, steel sizes, and code numbers.

 

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Vectorworks Tip #105 - 3D Modelling - Plant Image Props

There are now several files with Vectorworks image props from my friends at OzBreed. OzBreed specialise in improved varieties that are tougher, more uniform and often need less maintanence and water, striving to provide better plants for landscape professionals and home owners alike.

Check out the Vectorworks plants here...

 

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Vectorworks Tip #104 - Walls - Wall Projection

Sometimes you need to add a 3D part to your walls. An Example of this might be a fireplace or chimney. This is when you should use the Wall Projection from the AEC menu. This command allows you to add 3D models to the wall, but it still acts like a wall. If you insert a door or window, it can be inserted into the wall projection.

The leader in Vectorworks training:

http://store.archoncad.com

 

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Vectorworks Tip #103 - 3D Modelling - Plane Mode Preferences

You can choose to use Screen Plane only, Layer Plane (Working Plane) only, or both. This is a Document Preference which means that you can have different settings for each document depending what you are trying to achieve.

The leader in Vectorworks training:

http://store.archoncad.com

 

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Vectorworks Tip #102 - Visualization - Point Light

This light is like a bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling, it radiates light in all directions. This light is useful for the situation where you need this kind of light, and lights in objects.

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Review of Vectorworks 2014 By John Helm, architect

Review of Vectorworks 2014

By John Helm, architect

130 new functions and improvements

That’s what they are telling us; there are 130 changes, improvements and new functions in total in this year’s release. And a quick look at their web site will let you see that there is a lot to review. The gang at Nemetschek has provided several videos to make it easy to get a good feel for all that’s new. As usual my review will focus mainly on areas most used by architects, and I can’t really address them all. So I will look at some that seem most useful.

Vectorworks Tip #101 - Basic Tools - Record Format

You can use Record Formats to add additional information to objects. Part of BIM is the ability to to add information to objects and a lot of the native Vectorworks objects have the information and the record formats already on them.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
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Vectorworks Tip #100 - Walls - Wall Components on Different Classes

Wall Components on different classes. Wall allow you to assign the components to different classes. This allows you to create more complex drawings without re-drawing the walls. These images show the same viewport with different classes visible and with class overrides. This greatly reduces your drawing time.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
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Vectorworks Tip #099 - Modelling - Working Planes Palette

There is a working planes palette that you can use to save, activate, and manage working planes.  But there is also an Active Plane menu that you can use to activate working planes.  this is the same menu where you can choose automatic, screen, or layer planes.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
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Vectorworks Tip #098 - Visualization - Spot Lights

Use spotlights to draw the eye of the viewer to the part of the scene you want them to focus on. Unlike the Directional light, the spot light has to be placed carefully so that it lights the area you want. Use the Object Info palette to control the intensity, pan, tilt and spread of the light.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
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Vectorworks Tip #097 - Basic Tools - Object Info palette (Data pane)

Object Info palette - Data Pane. Many users do not use the Data Pane, but it is used to add or edit some of the information on objects. Viewport names, light names, custom record formats, etc can be edited using the Data pane. I know you don't want to have this paone open all the time, but it is useful to know where it is.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
http://store.archoncad.com

podcast 181 - Auto Join Walls and Wall Cores

This can be a fast way to draw walls, as it will automatically join the walls as you draw them. This can save several clicks. As well as that, it will automatically join the wall cores together, saving you several clicks with the Component Join tool, but you have to make sure you set up your walls with Core.

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Vectorworks Tip #096 - Walls - Auto Join Walls

Auto-Join Walls - This can be a fast way to draw walls, as it will automatically join the walls as you draw them. This can save several clicks. As well as that, it will automatically join the wall cores together, saving you several clicks with the Component Join tool.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
http://store.archoncad.com

Vectorworks Tip #095 - Modelling - Create Surface Array

Create Surface Array - This is a very powerful way to create complex 3D forms. This command takes your 3D objects (extrusions or solid models) and arrays them across a Base Surface (which has to be a NURBS surface). If you try to use the wrong type of objects, the command will not work.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
http://store.archoncad.com

Vectorworks Tip #094 - Visualization - Directional Light

Directional Light - The directional light light is like the sun, it gives an even intensity of light over the scene from a specific direction. You can use the OIP to change the Azimuth (direction) and Elevation (height). This light does not have to be located near the model because, like the sun, it is a even light. Also see the post about the Heliodon tool.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
http://store.archoncad.com

Vectorworks Tip #093 - Basic Tools - Object Info palette

Object Info Palette - This is a palette that you should have open all the time. I tells you if you have an object selected, what kind of object that is, and it lets you edit the settings on the object. I have some clients that do not keep this palette open, so when I ask what kind of object they have selected, they do not know. I can't help them until I know what the object is.

For Vectorworks manuals, visit:
http://store.archoncad.com

podcast 180 - Using Cameras with Viewports

You can use a Renderworks Camera to create a viewport. This makes it fast and accurate to edit the view, and it makes it easy to duplicate viewports and edit the view.

http://youtu.be/XNIlW8XaSqo