Learn how to create and manage viewports in Vectorworks 2023

The Power of Viewports: A Comprehensive Guide

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Welcome to the Getting Started special interest group. In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Viewports and explore how they have evolved over time. Join me as we uncover the intricacies of creating and managing Viewports, and discover the immense potential they hold for enhancing your design process.

The Evolution of Viewports

Viewports have come a long way since their inception, and it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest changes. In previous versions of Vectorworks, we had the legacy feature of screen plane working plane. However, these legacy features have now become obsolete, and it's crucial to adapt to the new system. In the past, when creating a viewport crop, we had to ensure that the object was on the screen plane. However, with the new changes, this is no longer a concern.

 

Creating a Viewport Crop

 

To create a viewport crop, we start by drawing a rectangle over the desired object. This rectangle will serve as the crop and will effectively crop out everything outside of it. Once the rectangle is drawn, we can go to the View menu and select "Create Viewport." It's important to give each viewport a unique name, as the name serves as an identifier. Additionally, we can choose to create a new sheet layer for the viewport, which helps with organization and management.

The Importance of Naming Viewports

Naming viewports may seem like a tedious task, but it is crucial for effective management. When working on projects with multiple viewports, it can quickly become a nightmare to navigate through them without proper naming conventions. It's essential to develop a habit of naming viewports accurately and descriptively. While it may take a little longer to type in the names initially, it saves a significant amount of time and effort in the long run.

 

Managing Viewport Settings

Once we have created our viewports, it's important to understand how to manage them effectively. One useful tool for managing viewports is the Eyedropper tool. With the Eyedropper, we can copy viewport settings from one viewport to another, saving time and ensuring consistency. Additionally, the Select Similar tool, often referred to as the "Magic Wand," allows us to select multiple objects with similar properties, making it easier to make changes across multiple viewports.

 

Exploring Lighting and Rendering Options

Viewports offer a range of lighting and rendering options that can greatly enhance the visual impact of our designs. By utilizing environmental lighting, we can create a more realistic and immersive experience. Environmental reflections and object reflections add depth and dimension to our viewports, making them more visually appealing. Additionally, adjusting the render settings, such as the stroke style and wobble, allows us to customize the appearance of our drawings to match our unique style.

 

The Power of Clip Cube

One of the most powerful features of viewports is the Clip Cube. By activating the Clip Cube, we can create dynamic views that focus on specific areas of our design. This is particularly useful when showcasing interior spaces or complex architectural elements. The Clip Cube allows us to cut through our design and reveal hidden details, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the space. By combining the Clip Cube with render settings and lighting options, we can create stunning visual representations of our designs.

 

Implications and Future Outlook

 

The advancements in viewport technology have revolutionized the way we approach design. With the ability to create dynamic views, manage settings efficiently, and customize render styles, viewports have become an indispensable tool for designers. The future of viewports holds even more potential, with the possibility of style presets and further enhancements to streamline the design process. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect viewports to become even more powerful and intuitive.

In conclusion, viewports are a game-changer in the world of design. They offer a range of features and options that allow us to create stunning visual representations of our designs. By understanding the intricacies of viewports and utilizing their full potential, we can elevate our design process and deliver exceptional results. So, embrace the power of viewports and unlock a world of possibilities in your design journey.

Architect webinar September 2023

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www.archoncad.com 

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Creating a Versatile Library Object: The Pergola

Creating a Versatile Library Object: The Pergola

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Introduction

In this session, we will explore the process of creating a library object for a pergola that can be easily reused and modified in different projects. We will discuss the importance of making certain elements flexible, such as the columns and beams, and explore different options for achieving this flexibility. Additionally, we will delve into the use of styles and symbols in Vectorworks to streamline the creation and modification of the pergola object.

The Power of Styles and Symbols

The use of styles and symbols in Vectorworks allows us to create objects that can be easily modified and reused. By utilizing styles, we can make certain elements of the pergola object flexible while keeping others fixed. For example, by creating a styled column, we can easily update the dimensions of all the columns in the pergola simultaneously. As the host explains, "By using styles, we are making sure that all of these are exactly the same."

Symbols, on the other hand, provide a way to group multiple objects together and treat them as a single entity. This is particularly useful when creating complex objects like the pergola, where multiple components need to be duplicated and modified. By converting the columns, beams, and rafters into symbols, we can easily copy and paste them, making it more efficient to create the overall structure of the pergola.

The Versatility of Structural Members

While symbols are a powerful tool for creating and duplicating objects, the host introduces another option for the beams and rafters: structural members. The structural member tool offers even more flexibility than symbols, allowing for the creation of complex shapes and the ability to modify end conditions. With the structural member tool, we can easily adjust the bevels and angles of the beams and rafters to achieve the desired design.

The host demonstrates how the structural member tool can be used to create beams and rafters with different end conditions, such as bevels and miters. This level of control allows for more intricate and customized designs, catering to the specific needs and preferences of the project. Additionally, the host highlights the ability to assign different graphic styles to the structural members based on their position relative to the cut plane, further enhancing the visual representation of the pergola.

The Benefits of Using a Combination of Styles and Symbols

By combining the use of styles and symbols, we can create a library object for the pergola that offers both flexibility and efficiency. The host explains that using styles for the columns ensures consistency and ease of modification, while symbols allow for the grouping and duplication of complex components like the beams and rafters. This combination of styles and symbols provides a comprehensive solution for creating and modifying the pergola object.

Furthermore, the host emphasizes the advantages of using styles and symbols in the context of BIM reporting. By assigning classes to the different components of the pergola, we can generate reports that provide detailed information about the structure. This can be particularly useful for estimating material quantities, calculating weights, or determining the size of transportation needed for the pergola.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

In conclusion, the creation of a versatile library object for a pergola involves a careful balance between styles and symbols. By utilizing styles, we can ensure consistency and flexibility in the dimensions and materials of the columns. Symbols, on the other hand, allow for the efficient duplication and modification of complex components like beams and rafters. The combination of these two approaches provides a comprehensive solution for creating and modifying the pergola object.

Looking ahead, the use of styles and symbols in Vectorworks will continue to play a crucial role in streamlining the design and documentation process. As the software evolves, we can expect to see further enhancements and features that make it even easier to create and manage library objects. By staying up to date with these developments, designers and architects can maximize their efficiency and creativity in their projects.

In this webinar, we will look at creating a pergola. We will have several choices in the way we create this, whether or not we use building information modelling principles, and the reasons why we would choose one way or the other. We will then save this as a library object for use in other projects. We will cover how to create the pergola, how to create a symbol, how to choose the correct options for the symbol, and how to use that symbol in other projects.

Members can register for this webinar here...

 

Trimming a Complex Roof

I saw somebody struggling with joining to Ruth together. This is an old trick of mine and it works really well for joining to roofs.

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