Vectorworks Teachers online webinar

If you are teaching Vectorworks this is a must! This session will help you to teach Vectorworks, it will give you a place to discuss teaching strategies and it will help you to use existing exercises, or help to develop new exercises. There are a huge number of resources on this site, these meetings help you to find the ones you need.

Book now… (free to subscribers)

podcast136.mov Vectorworks training on your iPhone

In this movie I show you how you can access Vectorworks training through my website, http://learn.archoncad.com.  I have created a mobile website that allows you to search through thousands of movies and posts. The movies are playable on most mobile devices, although in this movie I am using an iPhone 4S.

SHORT SHARP TRAINING (monthly) 1203 Creating a Landscape Budget Plan in Vectorworks

If you use the correct techniques, it can be very quick to create a landscape budget. One of the nice things about Vectorworks is that if you create a landscape budget in one file you can then save this to your user folder and have it available on every project after that.
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Also available as a Kindle manual.More information...

Inicio rápido de Vectorworks 2010 (Capacitación Corta) (Spanish Edition) (Kindle Edition)

Bienvenido a archoncad.com Guía de inicio rápido de VectorWorks 2010. Esta guía le mostrará la forma rápida de empezar aprender las habilidades básicas en VectorWorks 2010. Vamos a trabajar en unos ejercicios que explicaran los conceptos básicos, formas de trabajar y cómo dibujar con rapidez en 2D. Tabla de Contenidos Introducción Configurar su Dibujo Configurar el área del dibujo Unidades del Dibujo Escala del Dibujo Configuracion del Smart Cursor Creando información en Vectorworks Creación de un Rectangul Dibujar con la Barra de Datos Flotantes Dibujar con Cuadros de Diálogo Selección y Deselección Selección Selección de Multiples Objectos Deselección Elimiar Objectos Aplicar Atributos Gráficos Dimensiones

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003I64A36

This manual is a very quick start to using Vectorworks 2010. This manual is ideal for users that want to understand the basic concepts behind Vectorworks 2010, translated into spanish Table of Contents Getting Started Set Up Your Drawing Drawing Setup Drawing Units Drawing Scale Smart Cursor Settings Creating Information in Vectorworks Creating a Rectangle Drawing With The Floating Data Bar Drawing With Dialog Boxes Selecting and De-Selecting Selecting Selecting Multiple Objects De-selecting Deleting Objects Applying Graphic Attributes Dimensions

Should Vectorworks be Used in Schools?

Should Vectorworks focus on High Schools?

The answer is that Vectorworks simply cannot afford NOT to focus on High Schools.

It my belief, that Vectorworks should be actively involved in schools, high schools and universities.

A good friend of mine (and a lecturer at Unitec in Auckland) used to say to me, “Jonathan, what you need to do is to get their mindshare. Get their mindshare, market share will follow” 

I wrote my first Vectorworks manual for schools for Vectorworks version 8.5. That was some time ago, but we needed support from Vectorworks and its distributors to make this a success. I updated this for Vectorworks version 11 and Vectorworks 12.5.  Several schools have purchased this system from me and have had great results. Imagine, a high school student that learned Vectorworks 11 in 2004, would now be graduating university, and most likely, using Vectorworks commercially.

Design and Technology is being taught at high school, almost from the first year at high school. The students are no longer waiting until university to learn CAD, they are learning from year 11 onwards. At least two universities have said to me that is not their job to teach CAD The universities are looking to high schools to teach CAD. If Vectorworks does not focus their energy on getting Vectorworks into high schools, the users will be learning other CAD programs and Vectorworks will have to move users from these other programs. It isn't too late to attach this market and give the students a better alternative. 

I have recently been helping a high school friend that wanted to use Vectorworks for a project. By using the 3D Modeling manual and Essential Tutorial Manual he was able to create a really cool coffee machine. This was a major project for him, and he was able to create orthographic drawings, a product range and a movie. Now that he has achieved so much with Vectorworks, isn’t it likely that he will carry on with it?

Here is another example… In 2008 we put up a series of posters in a New Zealand  University Landscape Design School promoting Vectorworks and downloadable student copies, we made student copies available through a web site portal and we did demos to students and lecturers.

Today we got an order from a student who had downloaded in the last year and now wants a full licence for his work.

This just shows that if you can get their mindshare on then orders and loyalty will follow.

When Vectorworks users look for employees, make sure you advertise in the newspaper and on the Internet. Schools, and especially universities, use these adverts to choose the software they will be teaching or supporting. Make sure Vectorworks gets a mention.

What about getting you, the readers – who are all Vectorworks users and enthusiasts – to contact your local schools to urge the administrations to consider Vectorworks as a software of choice for their design courses. Who better to demonstrate the value of Vectorworks training than real-world users?

archoncad now has a dedicated Special Interest Group for Teachers and Educators.
Click here to find out more...

Book Review - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Book Review - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I have read this book more than once, and I rate this book very highly. I have the audiobook version of this as well, so I can hear the book in the car or in when I'm doing something else, like bike riding.

The seven habits are so important to not just your business, but also your life. So, you could say that is book is not just a business book, it is about creating a highly effective lifestyle.  Stephen R Covey uses the phrase highly effective rather than successful, because the book is about achieving what you want, which other may not see as successful.

When you first look at the habits, they seem like common sence. As Stephen R Covey says, common sense is not always common practice.  Here are some of the my favorites:

• Be Proactive
• Start with the end in mind
• Put first things first
• Think Win/Win
• Sharpen the Saw

The reason I read this book so often it that it helps me to get myself back on track, and put the important things first (not always money). This book also helps me to think about my business and when I look at my copy, the margins are full of notes and ideas.

Do yourself a favor, read this book.

Vectorworks Tutorials on Amazon Kindle

I finally got my hands on my very own Amazon Kindle. It has some wonderful features, and I am really enjoying it. Before I go too far, a big thank you to Roger W. for helping me to get the Kindle.

When you first buy a Kindle online, you buy it through your Amazon account. When you do this, amazon then links the Kindle to your account. So far, this doesn't sound very unusual, but when you get your Kindle and open it, it knows who the owner of the Kindle is, it comes pre-linked to your account. The great part of this is that it when you buy a kindle book on the Internet, iphone, blackberry, PC or mac, the book is wireless delivered to you Kindle. You do not have to ask for it, you do not have to approve it. It just arrives.

While I was waiting for my Kindle, I bought a few books on my Kindle for iphone application. When the kindle arrived, I had to charge the battery, but then when it was going, the books started to arrive, wirelessly, directly to the kindle. I think this is the part I really like.

The screen on the Kindle is very good for reading. It uses an E Ink screen. This type of screen is great in sunlight, room light and so on, but it is not backlit, so it needs a light source. So, for normal book reading, it's great. It's a shame that it is a grey-scale screen. All my nice color images that I fill up my manuals with are displayed in grey-scale and are not as readable as they a computer.

One of the things I really like is the ability to open a book or a manual on the kindle and read it for a while. then sync the kindle, and go to the computer. When you sync the computer and open the same book, you are on the same page you left on your kindle.

When you open a kindle book on your phone or computer, you see the images in color. You can get a Kindle app for the iphone, blackberry and ipad. So, the problem with the  greyscale kindle screen doesn't apply.

 I can't try my manuals on the ipad, but I have seen them on an iphone. The look good on the iphone, they must be amazing on the ipad.

A really important technique with a kindle book is the ability to add notes and comments. Often when I'm reading a good book on business, I have a thought on how I can use what I am learning. I'm terrible with books that I own, they have pencil comments all over the margins. With a kindle book, and it doesn't matter what device you are using, you can write notes and comments on it. When you sync, the notes are available on all devices. The Amazon web site says that annotation on the mac will be available soon, but I can certainly do this on the kindle and iphone.

You do not need a Kindle from Amazon to read kindle books. Amazon have made apps for several devices, so you can use your current computer, phone and tablet to read kindle books. This site has all the apps. Get yours today.

201 Vectorworks Landmark Course

I have a 201 Vectorworks Landmark course starting next week. This course is ideal for Vectorworks users that want to draw their landmark projects in 3D. I think that drawing your projects in 3D is very important. I have one client that moved form 2D plans to 3D presentations. They found that the conversion rate from concept to construction on site went from 40% for the 2D drawings to 90% for the 3D presentation.

In this course, we start with a blank file. This is to show you how to set up your drawing, units and dimensions. Then we will create a site plan using the Property Line tool. This is a great tool for drawing a property because it uses surveyor's bearings.

Next we create a 3D site and a quick building with doors and windows. This gives you the context for your landscape.

Then we draw a deck addition to the building, add the planting and hardscape and set up our 3D views and make drawings.




You can book for this course, at this site

Productivity is Not Just About Speed

I have just spend several minutes with the designer of the Landru Design tools, Andrew Dunning. These tools are designed for the entertainment industry and they are fantastic. I interviewed Andrew so that he could show me the tools, but during the interview, it struck me that he tools offered a lot of feedback to the designer.

The interview was so long, it had to be broken into two parts.
Part one:


Part two:


What struck me during the interview was the ability to see the results of your choices. For example, when Andrew was showing the projector screen in part one, you can see the viewing area of the projector in plan. this allows you to see the results of your choices. If you had the seating layout on the plan, you would see the area or seating covered. If the projector is too small, not everyone will be able to see the screen, and that will be very easy to see in plan.

So, within seconds of making your choices on the projector tool, you have visual feedback about the results of your choices.

The speaker tool has the same visual feedback in plan, and in 3D, so you can quickly check your design to make sure the audience will get adequate sound.

These tools made me think about productivity, and I think Andrew and I talked about it in the interview. This feedback that Andrew's tools provide can make it faster and easier to design a good presentation. But is productivity really just about speed. I can see the feedback you get from these tools can make your designs better; in a short time you could try several designs until you have the solution you want. So, you can improve the quality of your work. I think that improving the quality of your work is as important as improving the speed of your work. In the long run, the quality of your work is the most important thing, far more important than the speed.

What about landscape and architects? You may not be needing the tools that Andrew has created, but you have other tools that can help you improve the quality of your work. Building a 3D model of your site, adding simple 3D models of your project and checking the solar study will help you to improve the quality of the project. You can see within a few minutes if the project can be lived in the way you wanted.

I think that the true test of increased productivity when using CAD (like Vectorworks) is an increase in quality as well as an increase in speed. Training is a why to learn the best from your software, and I can help you to get the best from Vectorworks. See my web site: http://www.archoncad.co.nz

The Podcad Podcast for Vectorworks

I’ve rally been enjoying listening to the Podcad Podcast. The podcast is made by guys in California, Dan and Pat. They know a lot about Vectorworks and a lot about what’s going on. 

Don’t forget to tell them I sent you. 

Run Your Business Like a Farm

A couple of weeks before Christmas my son went up to his Granddad's farm to help get the hay in. Of course, these days it’s all tractors and large bails of hay that you move around with ease. 

A couple of weeks later my son was helping to spread fertilizer on the land used for hay-making. When I asked my father in law why they were spreading fertilizer he told me it so he would get a good crop of hay next year. 

That got me thinking. Why don’t we add fertilizer (learning new skills) to our careers or businesses now to make them stronger next year. This is the best time to start to get better at the CAD program that you use. 

Think like a farmer, start adding new skills right now. Learn how you use your email better, learn to use your calendar program better. Update your web site. attend regular training for your CAD program. 

I was listening to my audio book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R Covey, and he also uses this example of the farm. Your business, and your life, is not like an exam at college where you can cram in the last week. Your business and you life is much more like farm. You have to add fertilizer before you plant, and you have to plants months before the harvest. 

For my clients and myself, the fertilizer is training (courses and books). Get Vectorworks training here:

http://www.archoncad.co.nz

VectorWorks movies on youtube

I've started to place my podcasts on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/archoncad