How To Place Radial Dimensions in viewports

Jonathan delves into the ins and outs of adding radial dimensions in viewports, offering practical tips and techniques. Discover how to utilize automatic working planes and the instant push-pull feature to simplify your design process. Jonathan explains the step-by-step approach, from using the rectangle tool and circle to punching holes and updating views. He also highlights the tricks to ensure precise placement of dimensions, enhancing your 3D designs. Perfect for designers eager to refine their skills and streamline their workflow, this episode is a must-listen for those looking to navigate design challenges effortlessly.

Checkout my free manuals @ https://jonathanpickup.bio

Vectorworks Tip #170 - Document Preferences – Associate Dimensions

Associated dimensions can be quite powerful, but if you don't want to use associative dimensions there is a document preference that allows you to attend this on or off.

Posted with Blogsy

What Design Layer Scale Should I Use in Vectorworks

When I draw in Vectorworks I like to keep the scale of the design layer at about the same as the scale of the viewports that I will be creating. This has come about from using Vectorworks for a long time, way before we had viewports, when the only way to create drawings with different scales was to use different layers with the correct scale.

Now that we have viewports, could you draw everything on one layer, then use the viewport scale to create the drawings and details? I guess you could, but it will cause trouble. Robert Anderson from Nemetschek North America puts it like this:

" The "Layer Scale" used by VectorWorks is primarily an exigency of "WYSIWYG" drawing. "Layer Scale" exists to allow graphic properties of the drawing or model to be represented properly, as though you were drawing at a particular scale on a piece of paper. It is a scaling value used to allow proper representation for these attributes:
     -Line weight;
     -Line style (e.g. length of dashes);
     -Marker (arrowhead) size;
     -Text size;
     -Hatch scaling;

In "WYSIWYG" drawing, in order to properly display these attributes, there has to be an intended output scale so you can see how the drawing will look at that intended format. The practical upshot of all this is that you should set your "layer scale" to be the same as the predominant output scale of your project. This will necessitate the least amount of attribute-scaling in viewports."

Try to use the minimum of layer scales.

So, if you want details at 1:5, then create a layer scale at 1:5. When you draw the detail, add the notes and dimensions, the details will look correct in the final viewports, with a minimum of editing (and effort), what you draw will be what you get.

There are two short manuals I have written that will help out here:
Creating drawings for a building project
Creating Construction Details

Dimensioning In Viewports

I have a client that is having trouble with dimensioning an elevation. The view needs to be and elevation of some joinery. The easy way to dimension this is to use sheet layers and viewports. 

The plan viewport is easy to deal with. Put the dimensions in the design layer, the same layer as the walls and cabinets. 

The Elevation viewport is different. If you place these dimensions in the design layer, you will not see them in this viewport, they will end up in the plan viewport. 

The trick with elevation viewports is to add the dimensions to the Annotations part of the viewport. 

Right mouse click on the viewport. 

Choose Edit Annotations.

This takes you into the viewport annotation editing area., Notice the button at the top left to exit. 

Now you can add the dimensions.

When you have finished, click on the Exit Viewport Annotation button. 

There is your drawing.