Getting Started

Layout Options

The way your drawing window layout is arranged is customizable. You can choose which palettes to show by using the Palettes menu. You can click on the Title bar of any palette and move it to the desired location. Some palettes can be resized using your platform's resizing convention.

Note: Palette position and visibility is remembered upon exiting VectorWorks. However, the position of palettes and windows that are partially off the screen is not remembered. These palettes and windows will be placed at the top left hand corner of the screen the next time the program is launched.

Palettes

VectorWorks' Standard Workspace has tool palettes that you can have displayed or hidden in your Drawing Window. Depending on your initial settings, some combination of these palettes will appear when you first open VectorWorks.

Palettes Purpose
2D Tools Provides most 2D object creation tools
3D Tools Provides most 3D object creation tools
Dimensioning Tools Provides dimensioning tools
Walls Provides tools for creating and editing walls
Editing Provides most 2D and 3D editing tools
Attributes Provides a selection of colors, fills, pens and other object attributes
Constraints SmartCursor controls to toggle on or off.
Object Info Lists context sensitive object information
Resources Access to a variety of VectorWorks resources such as symbols, worksheets, and database records
Working Planes Controls for adding and modifying working planes

On tool palettes an arrow on the tool icon indicates a pop-out tool. Click and hold down the cursor to reveal the pop-out tool. Pop-out tools are closely related.

Other Layout Options

All layout viewing options are located under the Windows Menu. These are toggle options, meaning they can be turned on or off. When the option is on, a check is placed next to the option name and the item is displayed on the screen. If you can't see an item, it may be hidden under other window items.

The Use Full Screen command accessed from the Window menu on the Macintosh will maximize the active file to occupy the full screen.

To Create a New File

You can have up to eight VectorWorks drawing files open at a time.

    1. From the File menu, select New.

    2. Click Create Blank Document or Use Document Template.

    For Templates, also click the desired template name. See "Using Templates" , to learn more about using templates.

    3. Click OK.

    For Create Blank Document, a new VectorWorks drawing file will appear in your Drawing Window. This file will use VectorWorks' default settings (attributes, scale, units, etc.).

    For Use Document Template, the desired template will open with all of its attributes.

    If you have other VectorWorks documents open, the new file will be placed on top of them.

Opening an Existing File

You can open existing documents one of two ways: either through the Open dialog box or the Recent files list under the File menu.

To open a document that has already been created

    1. From the File menu, select Open.

    The Open dialog box appears.

    2. Select the name of the file or template you want to open.

    3. Click Open.

    VectorWorks will open the last saved version of that drawing file. If you have other VectorWorks documents open, the file will be placed on top of them.

Closing VectorWorks Files

To close your active drawing file

    1. From the File menu, select Close.

    If you have made changes to the document since you last saved it, a dialog box will appear asking if VectorWorks should first save the drawing file.

    2. Click Don't Save if you want VectorWorks to simply close the drawing file. VectorWorks will close the file without saving any changes.

    3. Click Cancel if you change your mind and don't want to close the drawing file. This will close only the dialog box, taking you back to your drawing file.

    4. Click Save if you want to save your drawing file first, and then close it.

    Exiting

    To close VectorWorks and any open drawing files

    From the File menu, select Exit (Windows) or Quit (Macintosh).

If you have any unsaved files, a dialog box will appear. If you want to save the changes before closing the file, click Save. If you want to close the file without saving the changes, click Don't Save. Click Cancel if you change your mind and don't want to quit VectorWorks.

Printing

VectorWorks can print or plot to any device you have selected in your Chooser (Macintosh) or Print Manager (Windows). The actual parameters of your printed or plotted file are determined by your Page Setup (Macintosh) /Printer Setup (Windows) and Drawing Size settings.

When you send a VectorWorks file to a printer, all visible objects, classes, and layers within the Print Area will print. In addition, any worksheets that are placed on the drawing will also print.

    1. From the File menu, select Print.

    The available options in the dialog box that appears will depend on the printer/plotter you have chosen. For example, it may ask you to specify which pages and how many copies you want to print.

    2. Click Print.

    The document is sent to the desired printer.

Saving Files

You can save your open drawing file, replacing any earlier version of the file that uses the same name. When you save a file for the first time, VectorWorks will act as if you have selected the Save As command and request additional information.

Note: For Windows programs, your files need to have a ".mcd" ending to open them. In Windows, if you don't place the.mcd extension, VectorWorks will do it for you.

To Save a Current File

From the File menu, select Save.

If the file has never been saved before, a dialog will appear requesting a destination folder and name. If it has been saved, the file is just saved in its current form.

VectorWorks saves the file. The time it takes depends on a number of factors, such as the file size of your drawing.

Save As

To save your open drawing file using a different name

    1. From the File menu, select Save As.

    The Save As dialog box appears.

    Select the drive and folder that you want to save the file in. Then, if you wish, enter the name you want to assign to the copied file.

    2. Click Save.

    VectorWorks saves the copy of your file. The time it takes depends on a number of factors, such as the file size of your drawing.

Revert To Last Saved Version

The Revert to Saved command is a one-step way to close your drawing and open the last saved version of it. Because VectorWorks does not save the active drawing before closing it, you should use this command only when you want to delete all unsaved work that you've done to your drawing, for example, in a case where it is easier to work from the previous version of the drawing than to repair any undesirable changes that you made.

Note: If you have selected Save Reminder in the VectorWorks Preferences dialog box, the last auto-saved version of your drawing is the one that VectorWorks will revert to.

Note: You can undo a number of previous actions. This may be sufficient rather than reverting to a previous version.

To Revert to the Last Saved Version

    1. From the File menu, select Revert to Saved.

    Because you cannot undo this action, a dialog box will appear, confirming that you want to close your drawing without saving it.

    2. Click OK.

    VectorWorks closes your active drawing and automatically opens the last saved version of the file.

Setting Your Preferences

You can set preferences for your usage of VectorWorks within a document or for all VectorWorks files you create. These settings are remembered upon exiting VectorWorks and will be effective the next time you open a file.

Document Preferences affect only the drawing file that you are working in. VectorWorks Preferences affect all VectorWorks files.

VectorWorks Preferences

VectorWorks Preferences apply to every document you create in VectorWorks.

To change your VectorWorks preference settings

    1. From the File menu, select VectorWorks Preferences.

    The VectorWorks Preferences dialog box appears.

    There are four groups of preferences (Edit, Display, Session, and 3D) that you can set, which are grouped by tabs.

    2. Click Edit to show the setting options on that tab.

    3. Enter the desired criteria.

    4. Click the checkboxes to turn on and off the following options.

    Options Description
    Click Drag Drawing Makes all drawing dependent on the mouse action of clicking while holding down and dragging to the desired location or size. The release of the mouse sets the object. VectorWorks defaults to click-click drawing, which makes all drawing dependent on the mouse movement of click, release, and click. The second click sets the object.
    SmartCursor Cues Cues are related to SmartCursor functionality. When on the cues appear in full. When off, only dots show. Called Screen Hints in previous VectorWorks versions.
    Use Floating Datum The floating datum is the ability to set a temporary data origin in drawings. When off, this SmartCursor feature is only available manually.
    Eight Selection Handles For each object drawn, VectorWorks provides four selection handles. This option allows you to double that to eight.
    Offset Duplications Puts the copy of the object up and to the right. If you move it and duplicate again it will use the updated offset to make a pattern duplication. Otherwise, duplicates are placed over the original.
    Snap to Loci Loci display with a dashed horizontal and vertical line extending to the edges of the drawing window. These make snap zones which make it easy to align objects along a certain horizontal or vertical axis.
    Full Screen Cursor From the current cursor location, displays a horizontal and vertical line extending to the edges of the Drawing Area.
    Font Mapping Invokes the Font Mapping dialog if fonts are unavailable on the current system.

    Enter an alternate angle that you want to use with the SmartCursor in Constrain Angle.

    Enter the number of pixels away from a snap that you want the SmartCursor activated in Snap Radius.

    Enter the resolution you want to use for exporting 2D objects in 2D Conversion Res.

    5. Click Display to show the setting options on that tab.

    6. Enter the desired criteria.

    7. Click the checkboxes to turn on and off the following options.

    Display Options Description
    Rulers Shows or hides rulers.
    Scroll Bars Shows or hides scroll bars.
    Black Background Turns drawing background black instead of default white.
    Zoom Line Thickness When on, as you zoom the lines in your drawing get thicker.
    Adjust Flipped Text Will always reorient rotated and flipped text so that it is never upside down.
    No Fill Behind Text Text defaults to white background when you create new text blocks.
    Show Other Objects While In Groups Used in Edit Group command. Will show rest of drawing; otherwise, rest of drawing will disappear.

    Select when you want to Display Light Objects--Always, Only In Wireframe, or Never. Light objects project light on other objects thus creating shadows and lighting effects which can slow down rendering.

    8. Click Session to show the setting options on that tab.

    9. Enter the desired criteria.

    10. Click the checkboxes to turn on and off the following options.

    Option Description
    Use Sound Supplements visual user interface cues with audible ones.
    Log Time In Program Automatically writes to a log file upon open or close.
    Save Reminder Enter the number of minutes you want between reminders to save.
    Automatic Document Positioning When on, if a palette is placed on the left edge of a Drawing Window, the Drawing Window will move to the right edge of the palette.
    Maximum Number of Undos Sets how many Undo operations are available. The maximum number of Undos is limited to 100.
    Issue Undo Warnings Presents a dialog box when a non-undoable action is about to be performed.

    11. Click 3D to show the setting options on that tab.

    12. Enter the desired criteria.

    Option Description
    Show 3D Axis Labels Turns on/off the labels for each axis in the Ground Plane and Working Plane.
    3D Conversion Res Resolution used for displaying 3D objects.
    3D Rotation Detail Sets the level of detail used when rotating 3D objects. Settings range from Detailed, which is slow, to Responsive, which is quick, but less details.
    Retain QD3D Model Determines the degree to which VectorWorks tries to retain the model in memory, speeding up rendering time. Settings range from Never to Always. Always will always retain the model and takes the most time.

    13. Click OK.

Document Preferences

Document Preferences apply only to your current drawing and will be saved when creating Templates.

To change the preference settings in your document

    1. From the File menu, select Document Preferences.

    The Document Preferences dialog box appears.

    There are four groups of preferences (Display, Dimensions, Render, and QD3D) that you can set, which are grouped by tabs.

    2. Click Display to show the setting options on that tab.

    3. Enter the desired criteria.

    Click Black and White Only if you want the Drawing Window to use only these two colors. This choice will override other color settings and is used mainly for printing. Click Use Layer Colors if you want to display the layer-specific pen and fill colors you have set.

    4. Click Dimensions.

    5. Enter the desired criteria.

    Enter the default dimension standard you want to use and the thickness of the slash. The thickness of slashes can be set to sizes in points, mils, or millimeters.

    Standard Description Text Placement Marker Style Text Rotation
    Above Dim. Line Within Dim. Line Slash Arrow Aligned Horiz.
    Arch Architectural Standards X . X . X .
    ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers . X . X . X
    BSI British Standards Institute X . . X X .
    DIN German Standards X . . X X .
    ISO International Standards Organization X . . X X .
    JIS Japanese Standards X . . X X .
    SIA Swiss Standards X . X . X .
    ASME dual American Society of Mechanical Engineers . X . X . X

    You can click the Custom button to add your own custom dimension standards.

    In this dialog you can specify exactly how the dimension will look.

    6. Click Edit to specify exact criteria. You can check the With fixed length checkbox to get fixed length witness lines that do not actual touch the dimensioned object.

    7. Click Render to show the setting options on that tab.

    Enter the desired criteria.

    Click the Dash Style pulldown menu and select the desired line rendering style. This change affects dashed-hidden line rendering only.

    Select the Dash Shade you want the selected style to display by dragging the selection lever to the left to make lines darker, or to the right to make them lighter.

    8. Click QD3D to show the setting options on that tab.

    9. Enter the desired criteria.

    If you have installed additional rendering engines via plug-ins, such as LightWorks, you can select the Rendering Engine you want to use in the pulldown menu. Some engines might have additional options that become available once the engine is selected. If a rendering engine is selected for a document and is later removed from the system or otherwise becomes unavailable for use, then VectorWorks reverts automatically to the Interactive Renderer.

    10. Click the Object Reflectivity setting you want to use--Dull or Shiny. Clicking Shiny gives objects a strong specular highlight (a bright spot on the object). This setting affects the appearance of all the objects in the document.

    Note: The QD3D pane is only visible if you have QuickDraw 3D installed on your computer.

    Select the Screen Resolution you want to use in the pulldown menu after Subpixels Per Pixel. This setting smooths jagged edges on screen images by having VectorWorks render the image into an off-screen bitmap and then copy that image into the drawing. The Screen Resolution setting controls how big the off-screen bitmap image is in relation to the screen size. The bigger the size of the bitmap the smoother the image will be after it's copied into the drawing and vice versa. This setting also affects PICT and WMF exports.

    Note: Setting the off-screen resolution higher than the screen size increases memory requirements as well as amount of time required to complete the rendering operation. A lower off-screen resolution in relation to screen size works better with Ray Tracers and decreases memory and time requirements.

    Note: Setting the Printing Resolution to the higher settings, i.e., 200 dpi, requires a lot of time. Generally for large models, a setting of around 180 dpi is sufficient and doesn't dramatically increase print times.Changing the printing resolution will change the size of the coordinate space on the screen. For Non-postscript printers it will changed the resolution of rotated text when it is rasterized. A higher resolution for rotated text can slow down performance. Otherwise resolution does not effect performance.

    Type the printing resolution you want to use in the textbox before dpi.

    11. Click OK.

    These settings will now be used in your current drawing until you change them.

Setting Up Your Drawing

Before you begin to create in VectorWorks, you should take the time to think about your drawing the same way you would a hand drafting. VectorWorks is more similar to hand drafting than other CAD programs. Think about how you want it to look. Conceive color schemes, views, dimensions - all of the things you want to go into the drawing. This shouldn't be an exhaustive exercise. Just get an idea. Once you have an idea for the drawing, you need to set it up.

In hand drafting, you would get all of your tools and your paper and place them in front of you. Then you would layout your drawing in the way you feel most comfortable. Each person's idea of drawing set up can be different, but most people want to set up in similar ways each time. You learned in "Layout Options", that you can change your window layout options. You should have your window set the way you like before you begin to set up your drawing. The first three things you will need to set up for any drawing in VectorWorks are setting Layer Scale, Units, and Drawing Size. Once you have them established, you should set up Document Preferences, Scripts, Snap and Reference Grids, Layers, and Classes, and other defaults.

Note: If you use templates, the set up wizard will guide you through setting a variety of these procedures and even do some for you. This wizard is only available when using templates. For new blank documents, all of these procedures should be utilized.

Note: It is recommended to perform these setup procedures before you begin to draw; however, you can start drawing without doing any of these procedures, but may end up taking longer to complete your project.

Using VectorWorks, one document can be used to create many deliverable drawings. The combination of layers and classes into sheets can produce a variety of drawings generated from a single document. The proper setup of the file will ensure the maximum usability of it for multiple output.

Layer Scale

Layer Scale works the same way in VectorWorks that scale does on a map. It's the ratio of the actual size of an object to its size in your drawing. For example, if you use VectorWorks' default layer scale of 1:1, every inch in your drawing will represent an inch in the "real world". The best layer scale to use will obviously depend on what you are designing and whether it makes sense to work with a life-sized, reduced, or enlarged drawing.

In VectorWorks, you have the flexibility of setting one scale for all layers in your drawing, or setting a different scale for individual layers.

To change the scale of the current layer or to change the scale of the entire drawing

    1. From the Page menu, select Layer Scale.

    The Layer Scale dialog box appears.

    You can either select an existing scale or create your own (by entering a value in Paper Scale).

    To change the scale for the entire drawing, all layers, select the All Layers checkbox. To only change the scale for the current layer, do not check this box.

    If you want your text to scale proportionally with the rest of the drawing, select the Scale Text checkbox. If you do not select this both, your text will remain its current size while the objects around it are scaled.

    If you don't want to scale text, make sure that the Scale Text checkbox is not selected.

    2. Click OK.

To Change The Scale Of Any Individual Layer

    1. From the Organize menu, select Layers.

    The Layers Setup dialog box appears.

    2. Select the layer you want to change from the Layer list.

    3. Click Scale.

    The Layer Scale dialog box appears.

    You can either select a built in scale or create your own (by entering a value in Paper Scale).

    If you want your text to scale proportionally with the rest of the drawing, select the Scale Text checkbox.

    If you don't want scaled text, make sure that the Scale Text checkbox is not selected.

    4. Make sure that the All Layers checkbox is not selected.

    5. Click OK.

    6. Repeat steps 2-5 for each layer for which you want to change the scale.

    7. Click Done or OK.

    Note: You can simultaneously set the scale of a group of layers by pressing the Shift (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) key and clicking on the name of each layer.

    Note: You can also change the scale of an individual layer by making the layer active and then selecting Layer Scale.

Normal Scale

The Normal Scale command automatically shows you your drawing file in its real-world scale. For example, if your drawing's scale is set at 1:1, every inch on the monitor will show what would print as an inch on paper. Normal scale is the scale at which the drawing is printed.

To set the drawing to normal scale

From the Page menu, select Normal Scale.

VectorWorks changes the view so that the objects on the screen are the same size as they will print. If your drawing size is larger than your monitor's measurements, you will need to scroll or pan around the drawing to see all elements.

Note: You can also find a Normal Scale button on the View Bar.

Units

VectorWorks gives you a wide range of measurement systems to choose from, including inches, feet, millimeters, centimeters, meters, or some combination of these units. In addition, the program gives you the flexibility to create your own customized measurement system.

Whatever system of units you select, VectorWorks applies the measurement system globally throughout your drawing from the measurements that display on the ruler to those used in dimensions and worksheets. In addition, VectorWorks automatically adjusts the level of precision in your drawing according to the scale you have chosen.

To select a built-in measurement system or to change the currently selected measurement system

    1. From the Page menu, select Units.

    The Set Units dialog box appears.

    2. From the Set Units For pulldown, select the unit aspect of the drawing that you want to change.

    Select Display and Primary Dimensions to change the units that will be used throughout the drawing. This include the units that are used for dimensions (or for the primary dimension unit if dual dimensioning is being used).

    Select Secondary Dimensions to change the units that will be used for the second part of dual dimensioning. If dual dimensions are not being used, setting values for this option will not affect the drawing.

    3. Select the measurement system you want to use in the Unit Name pulldown menu.

    If you select Feet & Inches, VectorWorks automatically displays unit marks and, therefore, the Show Unit Mark will be grayed.

    Note: Select "Old-Style Feet & Inches" only if you are working with a drawing that was created in an older version of VectorWorks. This setting is only for compatibility with older drawings and should not be used. It provides a very low precision. Do not select this unit for new drawings because it will disable the program's automatic precision feature.

    4. Enter the remaining criteria.

    Use the Show Unit checkbox to select whether the unit mark will be displayed along with your unit values or not (unit marks are automatically displayed for feet and inches).

    Choose Display as Decimal or Display as Fractions to select how non-whole values will be displayed. If you choose Display as Decimal, choose leading and trailing zeros options using the Decimal format pulldown menu.

    Use the Display Precision pulldown menu to choose the precision that will be displayed for values throughout the drawing. Note that this field is only applicable if you are setting units for Display and Primary Dimensions. If you are using dual dimensions and the Set Units For pulldown is set to Display and Primary Dimensions, this precision will apply to the primary dimensions. If you are using dual dimensions and Set Units For pulldown is set to Secondary Dimensions, this precision will apply to the secondary dimensions. Use the Dimension Precision pulldown to set the precision for values displayed in dimensions.

    Choose the angular display style and precision using the Angular Precision pulldown menu.

    5. Click OK.

To Create A Customized Measurement System

    1. From the Page menu, select Units.

    The Set Units dialog box appears.

    2. Select Custom from the Unit Name pulldown menu; or, if you have already created a custom measurement system, select that unit from the Unit Name pulldown menu.

    3. Click Custom.

    The Custom Units dialog box appears.

    4. Enter the desired criteria.

    Field Description
    Unit Name Name you want to give to your custom measurement system--for example, "Cubit".
    Units in an inch How many units in your custom measurement system equal (fit inside) a standard inch--for example, "1/18".
    Unit Mark Mark (abbreviation) you want to use to represent a unit in your custom measurement system--for example, "cbt"
    Square Unit Mark Mark (abbreviation) you want to use to represent a square unit in your custom measurement system--for example, "sq cbt".

    5. Click OK.

    The Custom Units dialog box will close, taking you back to the Set Units dialog box.

    6. Enter the remaining criteria as described in steps for creating a built-in measurement system above.

    7. Click OK.

Print Area

The Print Area is the actual size of your drawing, not the size of paper your printer uses. This is represented by the Print Area in your Drawing Area. VectorWorks considers the settings you've chosen in Page/Print Setup along with the Print Area you've specified to automatically figure out how many sheets of paper (pages) your drawing needs to be printed on in order for the whole drawing to come out of your selected printer.

For example, you could design a house that you plan to send the final drawings of to a service bureau to be printed on a plotter but in the meantime, you need to print out proofs of your house design on your office laser printer, which only takes 8-1/2" x 11" sheets of paper. By typing in the dimensions of a "D" size sheet of technical paper in the Set Print Area and selecting "US Letter" for the paper type in Page/Print Setup, VectorWorks will determine that your drawing needs to be "tiled" across 12 sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" paper. And it will automatically show 12 linked gray boxes on your screen indicating how many sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" paper are needed. (When the service bureau changes the settings in the Page/Print Setup box for its plotter, VectorWorks will automatically convert the 12 smaller boxes into one large one.)

To set the Print Area

    1. From the Page menu, select Set Print Area.

    The Print Area dialog box appears.

    2. Enter Printable Area criteria.

    Type the Width and Height of your total drawing and select either inches (inch) or millimeters (mm).

    Or, if your final drawing size matches an existing paper type, select that type from the Size pulldown menu.

    3. Click the desired page breaks options.

    If you want to see gray lines marking what portion of the drawing will print on each piece of paper, select the Show page breaks checkbox.

    If you prefer to see a single gray border box around the entire drawing, do not select the Show Page Breaks checkbox.

    4. Click OK.

    Printer Setup

    This is the place where you tell VectorWorks the type of printer you want your drawing set up for, as well as the paper size, scale, and orientation of your drawing. All of these elements help determine the "print boundary" of your drawing, which is marked by a gray box on the screen.

To change your page (Macintosh) or printer (Windows) Setup Settings

    1. From the File menu, select Page Setup (Macintosh) or Print Setup (Windows).

    A dialog box appears configured to your printer.

    2. Enter the desired criteria.

    For scale of your drawing, in most cases, you will want to use the setting 100%.

    Note: Selecting a printer in Page Setup (Macintosh) will only change your drawing's settings. You need to change the printer in your Chooser (Macintosh) in order to change the printer that your drawing is sent to.

    Note: Not all Windows printer drivers allow scaling.

    3. Click OK.

Snap and Reference Grids

VectorWorks has two separate grid systems to help you draw easily and precisely. The Snap Grid is an invisible grid that VectorWorks uses to help you draw and place objects precisely. As you drag your mouse across the screen, it will automatically "catch" at each increment on the Snap Grid when you have the Snap to Grid selected on the Constraints palette and thus affecting how the Smart Cursor works. While you are placing an object, the interactive image will snap to the grid as set and show you where you will be allowed to set the object.

The Reference Grid, however, is the grid that actually displays on your screen. The most useful way to set the Reference Grid is so that it is an extension of the scale you have set.

Depending on what you are drawing, you may or may not want these two grids to be identical. For example, if you are designing kitchen cabinets with a tolerance of one-sixteenth of an inch. It would make sense to set the Snap Grid to 1/16". However, it would be hard to draw on a screen that displayed 16 horizontal and vertical lines squeezed within every inch. For that reason, you might want to mark off only whole inches on your screen by setting the Reference Grid to 1". You set both grids in the same place.

To set snap and reference grids

    1. From the Page menu, select Set Grid.

    The Set Grid dialog box appears.

    2. Enter the Snap Grid settings you want to use.

    Click the Symmetrical checkbox if you want to use the same X and Y settings.

    Enter the X and/or Y settings in their textboxes.

    3. Enter the Reference Grid settings you want to use.

    Select the Symmetrical checkbox if you want to use the same X and Y settings.

    Enter the X and/or Y settings in their textboxes.

    4. Click the Show Grid Line display options.

    If you want the grid lines to display, select the Show Grid Lines checkbox.

    If you don't want the grid lines to display, make sure the Show Grid Lines checkbox is not selected.

    5. Click the Print Grid Lines options.

    If you want the grid lines to print, select the Print Grid Lines checkbox.

    If you don't want the grid lines to print, make sure the Print Grid Lines checkbox is not selected.

    6. Set the Grid Angle.

    If you want to hand-draw the angle, click Next Mouse Drag.

    If you want to use a set angle, click Enter Angle and type the angle you want to use in the textbox.

    7. Click OK.

    If you click Next Mouse Drag, you'll have to draw the angle now. Click in the drawing and drag the mouse until the desired angle is achieved. Click again to set the angle.

Guides

The Guides command gives you a way to draw guidelines in a file which you can use to visually align objects in your drawing. VectorWorks lets you create guides of any shape and size. In addition to providing visual clues, guides work with VectorWorks' SmartCursor and the settings on the Constraints palette to make sure your alignments are precise. Guides are objects that VectorWorks locks in a class with a color. Guides are used to aid your drawing efforts on screen. They do not print.

To create guides

    1. Create the object that you want to change into a guide

    2. Select the object.

    3. From the Edit menu, select Guides and then Make Guide.

    VectorWorks will change the object into a guide that is the same color as your Reference Grid.

    On the Guides command pulldown menu, you will also find the following options.

    Option Explanation
    Select Guides Select this if you want to select all the guides in your drawing. For example, you can unlock and then select all the guides in your drawing. Then you can change their color, using the Attributes palette.
    Show Guides Select this if you have hidden the guides and now want to display them.
    Hide Guides Select this if you want to temporarily hide the guides in your drawing.
    Delete all Guides Select this if you want to permanently remove all guides and the objects used to create them from your drawing file.

    Note: You can snap objects to the guide(s) closest to it by using the Snap to Object constraint on the Constraints palette. The distance at which the objects snap to the guides is determined by the Snap Radius setting in the VectorWorks Preferences. See "VectorWorks Preferences" for details on setting the Snap Radius setting.

    Note: To delete one guide, click it and select Edit>Unlock. The select delete. To select all guides on a layer, Select Page>Select Guides. Do a custom selection and (see "Using Custom Selection" ) and choose Class/is/Guides and Layer/is/Layername.

Set Origin

The Set Origin command lets you change the placement of the origin in your Drawing Area. The origin in your Drawing Area is the point where your X and Y axes meet (0,0). Its default placement is at the exact center of your Drawing Area.There are two methods for changing the origin. The first method allows you to set it to a point within the Drawing Area that VectorWorks employs. The second method allows you to choose any point that can be expressed with X and Y coordinates.

Note: You must be in Top/Plan view to set the origin.

To set the origin

    1. From the Page menu, select Set Origin.

    The Set Origin dialog box appears.

    2. Enter the desired criteria.

    Option Description
    Set Origin to Next Mouse Click Allows setting the origin to any point within VectorWorks' Drawing Area by clicking the desired location.
    Set Origin to Drawing Center Sets the origin to the center of the drawing.
    Next Mouse Click is Similar to the Set Origin to Next Mouse Click option, but you can set the coordinates of the clicked point. After selecting this option, enter the X and Y coordinates of the point you are going to click. The origin will be moved appropriately. This option is most appropriate for drawings that have a distant reference point. It allows you to set the origin outside of the VectorWorks Drawing Area.

    Set Origin Button

    At the top left of the drawing window, at the junction of the two rulers, is the Set Origin button. The set origin button performs the same function as the command, when set to "Set origin to next mouse click", but without the dialog.

    To use the Set Origin button

      1. Click the Set Origin button and move to the point to which you want to move the origin.

      2. Click to set the origin.

      Note: Double-clicking on the Set Origin button brings up the Set Origin dialog box.

    Switching Between Two Origins

    After you've set the local origin and a distant center, you can switch between them quickly and easily. The offset values entered for the distant origin are saved with the file, so you won't have to re-enter anything unless you choose to change the origin. One reason you might want to do this is to make it easier to work with the ruler bars. For example, the Swiss use a reference point system for architectural measurements where everything is in relation to a point in Europe. When a building is located at a site, that site is referenced to be a certain distance and direction from this point. Using this system creates large numbers on the ruler bars and in the object Info palette that you would otherwise have to work with. By providing the ability to switch between the local origin (the building site) and the distant origin (the reference point), VectorWorks makes it easier for you to work.

    To switch between two different origins

      1. Select Set Origin from the Page menu.

      The Set Origin dialog box appears.

      Note: Double-clicking on the ruler-corner icon also displays the Set Origin dialog box.

      2. Click either the Set Origin to Next Mouse Click or Next Mouse Click Is radio button.

      To switch from a local origin to a distant origin, click the Next Mouse Click Is radio button. The values that were entered when this origin was set are saved as a part of the file. To switch from a distant origin to a local origin, click the Set Origin to Next Mouse Click Is radio button.

      3. Click OK.

      If you selected the Origin to Next Mouse Click radio button, you're returned to the Drawing Area and the cursor changes to the cursor. Click to set the origin.

      If you selected the Next Mouse Click Is radio button, you're returned to the Drawing Area and the origin is set according to the values entered when you click on a locus or other reference point.

    Default Object Attributes

    The items in the Attributes palette are used to change the attributes for objects. These items are automatically assigned to new drawn objects by default. You can change the selections that appear in the Attributes palette. Once you make a change using the Edit Attributes command, from that point forward the new attribute style will be available in all VectorWorks drawings and the original attribute that you edited (replaced) will no longer be available. More information on using attributes in your drawing is available in "Applying Attributes to Objects" . You can change the following default attributes:

    · Arrowheads

    · Color Palette

    · Dash Style

    · Line Thickness

    · Patterns

    Colors, Dash Style, and Patterns will be saved in the current drawing or in a template. Arrowheads and Line Thickness apply to all VectorWorks drawings.

    To Change Your Default Arrowheads

      1. Make sure you have no objects selected.

      2. From the Page menu, select Set Attribute Defaults and then Arrow Heads.

      The Set Arrow Attributes dialog box appears.

      3. Enter the desired criteria.

      Pick the placement for your new arrowhead (its position in the list of seven arrowheads)

      Select the arrowhead style you want to edit from the Style pulldown menu.

      Type the new arrowhead angle in Angle.

      Type the new arrowhead length in Length.

      4. Click OK.

      Clicking Cancel will close the dialog box without making any changes. Clicking Revert will delete your changes, displaying the original attribute settings before you edited them.

    To change your default color palette

      1. Make sure you have no objects selected.

      2. From the Page menu, select Set Attribute Defaults and then Color Palette.

      The Edit Color Palette dialog box appears.

      3. Enter the desired criteria.

      Click Pick Color if you want to create a new color by choosing Hue, Saturation, and Brightness (HSV) or Red, Green, Blue (RGB) values.

      Note: If you double-click a color square, the Choose a Color dialog box will appear that lets you type values for colors.

      Click Import if you want to use a color palette from another drawing or program.

      Note: VectorWorks for Windows achieves much better color fidelity on screen under "High Color" or "True Color" settings in the Windows display settings of the Control Panel. This limitation is not present in Macintosh versions.

      4. Click OK.

    To change your default dash style

      1. Make sure you have no objects selected.

      2. From the Page menu, select Set Attribute Defaults and then Dash Styles.

      The Edit Dash dialog box appears.

      3. Enter the desired criteria.

      Select whether you want the dash to be measured in Inches or Millimeters (mm).

      Drag the selection lever to the right to space the dashes further apart, or drag to the left to space the dashes closer together.

      If you want the dashes to always stay proportional to your line thickness, select the Scale with line thickness checkbox.

      Click Add before editing to add the dash style as a new dash.

      If you want to remove an existing dash style, click Delete. In the Map Dash Style dialog box that appears, select the dash style you want to be applied to any objects that use the dash style you are deleting. Then click OK.

      4. Click OK.

    To change your default line thickness

      1. Make sure you have no objects selected.

      2. From the Page menu, select Set Attribute Defaults and then Line Thickness.

      The Preferred Line Thickness dialog box appears.

      3. Enter the desired criteria.

      Select the Units you want to use to measure the thickness of your edited line.

      Type the new thickness you want to use in the textbox under New. The new thickness will replace the current thickness listed to its left.

      4. Click OK.

    To change your default patterns

      1. Make sure you have no objects selected.

      2. From the Page menu, select Set Attribute Defaults and then Patterns.

      The Edit Pattern dialog box appears.

      3. Enter the desired criteria.

      Select one of the 36 patterns that you want to edit from the Pattern pulldown menu.

      In the right-hand pattern box, click to add/delete pixels. Your edits change the overall pattern in the left-hand box.

      4. Click OK.

      Clicking Cancel will close the dialog box without making any changes. Clicking Revert will delete your changes, displaying the original attribute settings before you edited them.

    Layers

    Although not necessary, it is a good idea to set up your layers while setting up your drawing. Any layers you have created are saved in templates. See "Using Layers", for more detailed information about creating layers.

    Classes

    Although not necessary, it is a good idea to set up your classes while setting up your drawing. Any classes you have created are saved in templates. See "Using Classes", for more detailed information creating classes.

    Scripts

    Although not necessary, it is a good idea to set up your scripts while setting up your drawing. Any scripts you have created are saved in templates. See "Using Scripts", for more detailed information about creating scripts. Scripting is not necessarily an entry level feature of the program.

    Using Templates

    VectorWorks provides a list of existing templates when you open a new file. You can also save a document that you have created as a template. A template is a VectorWorks file that you use as a foundation for creating other documents.

    An advantage to using templates is that VectorWorks will never let you accidentally erase or write over your template file. When you open a template, VectorWorks automatically opens a copy of the file. Then, when you go to save your drawing for the first time, VectorWorks will prompt you for a new file name--it is impossible to unknowingly replace the master Template with your new drawing file.

    Each VectorWorks provided template has been designed to give maximum flexibility while providing a drawing structure specifically geared toward a specific industry task. Each template is completely set up and can include layers, classes, sheets, title blocks, attribute defaults, and resources. Some templates can serve more than one purpose. The Learning Exercises outline specific drawing procedures which are dependent on the use of the templates we provide. This allows you to learn to design in VectorWorks with a lot of the setup done for you already. You can quickly create a masterful design using our provided templates and following our suggested processes.

    Note: Templates have replaced Stationery pads.

    To access VectorWorks templates

      1. Select New from the File menu.

      The Create Document dialog box appears.

      2. Click Use Document Template.

      In the Create Document dialog the pulldown list of templates becomes available.

      3. Select the desired template.

      4. Click OK.

      The template opens.

      5. Set up your drawing.

      Most templates are set up with the most common and functional settings for the task you are going to perform or provide a set-up assistant which has been customized for that task. Follow the on-screen instructions. If additional set up is needed see "Setting Up Your Drawing" .

      6. Begin drawing or modify the template as necessary.

    To Create Your Own Templates

      1. Start with an existing template or from a new blank file.

      An existing template must be saved as a VectorWorks file to accept modifications.

      2. Set the file with all of your desired parameters.

      3. Select Save As Template from the File menu.

      4. Enter the name of the Template .sta and make sure that the location you specify is the Templates folder in your VectorWorks folder.

      The .sta extension is required for Windows. It is recommended for Macintosh if you will be sharing your files with Windows users.

      5. Click Save.

      The next time you choose Templates from the New dialog box, your template will appear in the list.

    Using Workspaces

    Because VectorWorks is a versatile CAD package, it contains many specialized tools and commands. To help streamline your working environment, VectorWorks comes with a standard workspace which contains all general purpose tools. VectorWorks opens with this workspace active.

    Workspaces are not saved in Templates, since they apply to all files opened in VectorWorks. To customize the workspace, see "Customizing VectorWorks" .

    The following workspaces are provided in VectorWorks

    Workspace Description
    AEC Contains tools, and commands related to the AEC Industry. Also contains Space Planning functions.
    HVAC Contains tools, and commands related to HVAC.
    Mechanical Engineering Contains tools, and commands related to Mechanical Engineering.
    Theatrical Lighting Contains tools, and commands related to Theatrical Lighting.
    Utilities Specialized tools and commands that can be use in any industry. For example, advanced symbol functions.
    DTM Contains tools, and commands related to Digital terrain modeling.
    Standard Contains all generally used VectorWorks tools and commands for this version of the application.
    MC7 standard Contains tools and commands in exactly the same way as the standard overlay looked in MiniCAD 7.

    To Switch Workspaces

    From the File menu, select Workspaces and then the specific workspace you want to use.

    VectorWorks will switch workspaces.

    Moving Around

    VectorWorks gives you several ways to move around within a drawing file, allowing you to look at the whole drawing or at select portions of it. The following navigation tools work for both 2D and 3D drawings.

    Panning

    You can use the Pan Tool to grab your drawing and move it around the drawing area, changing what parts of it display.

    To pan around your drawing

      1. Select the Pan Tool.

      2. Move the hand into the Drawing Window.

      3. Click and hold down the mouse button, and drag the drawing around the screen.

      Notice that the rulers move with the page.

      4. When the drawing is where you want it, release the mouse button.

    Arrow Keys

    You can also use the arrow keys on your keyboard to pan your view. Pressing a key once will move the drawing one half-screen in the direction of the arrow. For example, pressing the up arrow will move your drawing up by one half-screen.

    Move Print Area

    The Move Print Area Tool changes the position of the Print Area's boundary within the Drawing Area. When you use it, your print boundary moves while the rulers remain fixed. This tool allows you to change the position of your drawing for the printed page.

    To Move The Page

      1. Select the Move Print Tool.

      2. Move the Selection Arrow into the Drawing Area.

      3. Click and drag the dashed outline box around the screen.

      Notice that the ruler markings don't change as you drag the box, and that the original position of your Print Area continues to display, helping you measure your movement.

      4. Click to move the Print Area.

      Note: Saved sheets and histories are saved relative to the location of the page. Moving the Print Area could change the results of the saved views stored before the page was moved. Paste in Place works from user Origin. If the Print Area is moved, your picture will be placed with regard to the origin not the new location of your print area.

    Zoom

    Zoom in to get a close-up view of your drawing and zoom out to get a broader view. VectorWorks has several different ways to zoom in and out, which are listed below.

    Zoom In Tool

    The Zoom In Tool is an easy way to quickly magnify your drawing. Each time you double-click the Zoom In Tool on the 2D Tools palette, VectorWorks will double the magnification of the drawing. A single click on the Zoom In button on the View Bar will do the same thing.

    Zoom Out Tool

    In the same way, each time you double-click the Zoom Out Tool on the 2D Tools palette, VectorWorks will reduce by one-half the magnification of your drawing. A single click on the Zoom Out button on the View Bar will do the same thing.

    Marquee Zoom In

    You can pick a section of your drawing to magnify using marquee selection.

    To marquee zoom in

      1. Select the Zoom In Tool on the 2D Tools palette.

      2. Click and drag a marquee (dotted, invisible) box around the portion of the drawing that you want to zoom in on.

      3. Click to zoom.

      VectorWorks will automatically enlarge the section you selected so that it fills the Drawing Window.

    Marquee Zoom Out

    You can pick a section of your drawing to reduce using marquee selection.

    To marquee zoom out

      1. Select the Zoom Out Tool on the 2D Tools palette.

      2. Click and drag a marquee (dotted, invisible) box around the portion of the drawing that you want to zoom out on.

      3. Click to zoom.

      VectorWorks will automatically reduce the section you selected so that it's centered in the Drawing Area and you can see the objects around it.

    Autoscroll

    VectorWorks gives you a way to automatically move your drawing either one quarter-screen up or to the left. This is called Autoscroll.

    To use autoscroll

      1. Select any tool.

      2. Press and hold down the mouse button.

      The arrow cursor turns into a pointed finger.

      3. Drag the cursor on top of a scroll bar.

      If you drag it over the right scroll bar, VectorWorks will move your drawing one quarter-screen to the left.

      If you drag it over the bottom scroll bar, VectorWorks will move your drawing up one quarter-screen.

    Scroll Bars

    VectorWorks' scroll bars can be used to move your drawing around the screen. However, they are best used for small movements because they require the screen to redraw more frequently. They are slower than the Pan Tool for large movements. You can choose to display or hide the scroll bars. This option is in the VectorWorks Preferences dialog box.

    Drawing Techniques

    In VectorWorks, objects are created using either the mouse, the keyboard, or a mouse-keyboard combination. The following directions cover only basic creating methods.

    Using the Mouse

    The mouse is the easiest way to create in VectorWorks. Depending on the type of object you want to create, you select the tool button and create using either the Click-Drag or the Click-Click mode.

    Click-Drag Mode is where you click and continue to hold down the mouse button while creating an object, releasing it when the object is the size and shape you want.

    Click-Click Mode is where you click the mouse to mark the start point of an object, and then click again at each of the object's corners or vertices.

    Note: VectorWorks defaults to click-click mode and all procedures in the manual are based on click-click drawing. This preference can be changed in your VectorWorks preferences.

    Using the Data Display Bar

    Combining the mouse with the Data Display Bar is a precise way to create. This method is especially useful for creating objects that are smaller than your current Snap Grid.

    To enter values in the Data Display Bar

      1. While creating an object, press the Tab key.

      The X field is selected.

      Note: If you're using the Click-Drag mode, you need to press and hold down the mouse button when you press Tab.

      2. Enter a value and press Tab again to move to the next field.

      If you press Enter after entering a value in a field, the field's value is locked. This means that no matter the location of the cursor, the value for that field is set to the value entered. For the x and y axes, a line is drawn to represent the location of the value entered.

      To unlock the field, press the Shift and Tab keys until none of the available fields are highlighted. All entered values for the fields are removed and the cursor will represent the actual value for each field.

      3. Enter values in each desired field.

      4. Press Enter to place the object.

    Using Dialog Boxes

    Some of VectorWorks' creation tools can also be manipulated using dialog boxes to enter data. An example is the Create Rectangle dialog.

    To create objects with a double-click dialog box

      1. Double-click the desired tool.

      The tool's dialog appears.

      2. Enter the desired criteria.

      3. Click OK.

      If you have clicked the Use Next Click checkbox, click the mouse to select the object's location in your drawing

    Using Drawing Tablets

    VectorWorks can be used with drawing, or digitizing, tablets, giving you an additional way to create your drawings. The program is compatible with Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) digitizing tablets as well as digitizing tablets that support the WinTab standard.

    A common use for a tablet involves tracing an existing hard copy of a drawing. You can place the drawing on your tablet and trace along the lines to digitize the drawing. You could then do additional work with the drawing as needed. Because tablets usually have finer resolutions than a mouse, you get better control for creating objects. Further, if the tablet uses a stylus for input, use of the tablet might feel more natural, as if you were holding a pen or pencil in your hand versus using a mouse.

    In order to use a digitizing tablet with VectorWorks, you need to have the driver software that comes with the tablet. When you choose Tablet from the Page menu, VectorWorks searches for this driver. Once found, VectorWorks determines the size and resolution of your tablet. If VectorWorks can't find the driver, a dialog box will appear telling you so. Once the driver is found, a grey box appears around the Drawing Area. This box outlines the boundary of the drawing tablet. The movement of the tablet's cursor is limited to this boundary box. In order to access menus and palettes that are outside of this boundary, you must either toggle out of tablet mode or keep your mouse connected and use it to select these items.

    The Tablet command synchronizes the tablet with the Scale and Units settings for the drawing. For example, if you have the Scale set to 1:1 and the Units set to Feet and Inches, then 1 inch on the tablet equals 1 inch in the Drawing Area on the screen. Further, if you have the Units set to Meters and the Scale set to 1:100, then 1 inch on the tablet equals 2 meters in the Drawing Area.

    Note: Due to differing tablet resolutions and sizes, these values might be different than what you get for the same settings. Experiment with the settings to achieve the results you want. For example, if you want one inch on the tablet to equal 2 meters in the Drawing Area, you might have to set the Scale to 1:50 versus 1:100.

    To Use A Drawing Tablet

      1. Select Tablet from the Page menu.

      VectorWorks will display the tablet as a larger gray border in your Drawing Area. This border may not be visible, depending on the zoom and scroll.

      2. Follow the directions that came with your tablet for using it to trace or draw objects.

      Note: While in tablet mode on a Windows, using button 1 to click on a tool or menu outside of the Drawing Area has no effect. You must use button 2 to toggle out of tablet mode before you select the tool or menu.

      VectorWorks assigns certain functions to the buttons on the tablet cursor and supports cursors with up to four buttons. VectorWorks also gives you the option of pressing the keyboard's F2, F3, and F4 keys for buttons 2, 3, and 4, respectively. This is particularly useful for drawing tablets that have less than four buttons. VectorWorks has an automatic scrolling feature which, when activated in tablet mode, scrolls the screen image when you move the cursor past the displayed edge of the drawing. These functions are described in the following table.

      Button No. Function
      1 Same function as a (left) mouse click.
      2 Toggles the tablet mode on and off.
      3 Recenters the display to the current position of the pointer. No effect when tablet mode is disabled.
      4 Toggles automatic scrolling on and off.

      Aligning A Tablet

      Whenever you use a tablet, VectorWorks gives you options for aligning it with the Drawing Area. You have the option of aligning the center of the drawing with the tablet's center, aligning the 2D locus point with the center of the tablet, or aligning the 2D locus point with the position on the tablet of the next tablet cursor click. By default, VectorWorks aligns the center of the tablet with the center of the Drawing Area.

      To align a tablet with a 2D locus

        1. Set a locus point.

        See "Creating Loci", for details on setting loci. Keep the locus point selected.

        2. Select Tablet from the Page menu.

        If you have already selected Tablet mode, you must deselect and select it again to align the tablet.

        The Tablet to Screen Mapping dialog box appears.

        3. Click Align Tablet Center to Selected Locus.

        4. Click OK.

        The center of the tablet is now aligned with the selected locus point. The tablet's boundary box moves to indicate the center of the drawing tablet in relation to the Drawing Area.

        Note: This action only affects the center of the drawing tablet. The Drawing Area's origin is unaffected.

        The Align Next Tablet Click to Selected Locus option allows you to trace multiple objects from different sources and have them appear in your drawing at the correct coordinates. For example, if you have two buildings that need to maintain a set distance from each other, you can set a locus point, align the tablet to that locus, and create the first building. When that building is completed, set a second locus where the second building is supposed to be, realign the tablet, and create the second building. The boundary for the tablet is moved and the relationship between the objects is maintained.



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