Vectorworks Tip 435 - Advanced Energos Settings

These are the settings that you use to control the detail of Energos. There are several options here that you will need to check through to make sure that you have the correct settings. There is also an advanced settings area where you can control even more of the detail.

Vectorworks Tip 434 - How to Edit A Symbol

There are several ways that you can edit a symbol. You can right click on the symbol on the drawing area, you can right click on the symbol in the Resource Manager, or you can double-click on the symbol. Choose which part of the symbol you want to edit (2-D, 3-D, wall hole component, or symbol options). Remember the changes you make to a symbol will affect all instances of the symbol and the entire drawing.

 

How to Draw A Section

A section is a drawing that shows a cut through an object. Many CAD programs will do this for you, but you also nee to know how to draw one of these for yourself so that you can understand the technique behind it.

Start with the plan view and protect the lines down. Next, project the lines from the elevation across to give you the heights. Add the thickness to the object.

In this view I've used the same technique to project the lines down from the plan, but this time of drawn a cross-section through a site. Notice how I've project of the lines down wherever the contours cross the section line. This is what you need to do to give you the correct site cross-section. Many CAD programs give you the ability to create a site model, and create sections where ever you need them.

 

Vectorworks Tip 433 - Creating a Dogleg Stair With the Simple Stair Tool

The Object Info palette gives you the options that you need to create a quick dogleg stair with a simple stair tool. The important part is to make sure that you have enough gap between the two flights of stairs.

 

Vectorworks Tip 432 - Setting up an Energos Project

Energos doesn't just look at the insulation on your walls, it looks that the entire project and looks at the properties of all of the components of your walls, slab, and roof. This means that if you want to use Energos to analyse the energy in your building you have to set up your project correctly. Walls have to be drawn correctly, rooms have to be connected to the walls, and slabs have to be properly constructed. Of course this is using common BIM principles so setting up the project should also include making sure that your stories, layers, and levels are also well considered. It might seem like this is a lot of work to set up a project, but these are the things that you should be doing already because using these BIM principles will speed up your workflow from concept to contract documentation.

 

Vectorworks Tip 431 - How To Create a Symbol

In the past we have had several posts about how cool symbols are. Here we will look at making a symbol. Actually, its really straightforward. Draw the 2D and 3D information that you want, select it and use the Create Symbol... command from the Modify menu.

Most of the troubles I see are from users not make the information correctly. Make sure that you have use the correct line weights, classes, and graphics.

 

Drawing Basics - 3rd Angle Projection

Third angle projection is a common way of presenting information to others. In simple terms, a third angle projection has a plan at the top left of the page, directly below this the front elevation based on the plan above, and to the right of the front elevation a side view of the object.

In engineering drawings this is often the only drawing required by a manufacturer. For landscape and architectural projects this may not be the most suitable way to present your work. For example, your plan may be so large that you can only fit that plan on a page.

Vectorworks Tip 430 - Creating a Left Stair With the Simple Stair Tool

Unlike other stair tools, the simple stair has all of its options on the Object Info palette. This makes it extremely quick to make the changes to the stair. In order to create a left stair, you can choose this option from the Object Info palette.

Vectorworks Tip 429 - Energos - What is it?

Energos is a way of calculating energy requirements of the building. In some countries the building code focuses only on insulation values, which controls the amount of heat that escapes from the building. This is a limited way of looking at energy consumption building because it takes no account of the energy produced inside the building, or any energy that is brought into the building to help keep it warm. Energos on the other hand looks at the entire project including insulation, orientation, ventilation, solar energy, et cetera.

We are covering Energos in the June archoncad Interactive Workshops, Book Now!

Vectorworks Tip 427 - Cool Tricks With Symbols – 4

Using symbols for plans and elevations. One of the earlier posts noted that a symbol instance is consistent throughout the file, so that if you update the symbol definition every instance of that symbol will update. One of the cool tricks is to use your symbol to create both a 2-D and 3-D versions of the symbols that you want. A door might be an example. You could create a symbol that had both the 2D and 3D part of the door. That way if you update any part of the door both your plan view of your symbol and your elevation view of your symbol ( in a separate design layer) would both update.

Drawing Basics - Line Weights on Elevations

In a previous post we talked about how important it was to have line weights to to help communicate information on your drawings. This also applies to your elevations. When I was taught to draw I was taught to use different line weights on elevations to help people to read the elevations. What this means is that there should be a hierarchy of line weights that help people understand what parts of the project are projecting forward and what parts are in the background.

Vectorworks Tip 426 - Creating a Straight Stair With the Simple Stair Tool

For concept design, I think the simple stair takes a lot of beating. It's easy to use, it's very quick to use, and it gives you some pleasing results without too much bother with settings. Because it is a simple stair, you have very limited graphic and handrail abilities, but remember the conceptual design, you don't want to have too many options.

Vectorworks Tip 425 – Project Sharing on Dropbox

At present we are not allowed to create project sharing on dropbox. Project sharing has to be set up on a network system, either in an office, or using a VPN (Virtual Personal Network). Sharing systems like dropbox, box, et cetera use a system that project sharing will not work with at the moment. I have no way of knowing, but I hope this will change in the future.

We are covering Project Sharing in the May archoncad Interactive Workshops, Book Now!