Should you use Vectorworks Fundamentals?

I usually use Vectorworks Architect, Landmark or designer when I’m working or writing my manuals. But for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been using the very basic Vectorworks Fundamentals ( the most basic version of Vectorworks you can get). I can’t get over how many of the good things I’m used to using are not there. There are tools and techniques I use so much, I don’t even think about them anymore.

For example, the Navigation Palette. I have gotten so use to this, it never occurred to me how much time is saves, until I had to make do without it.
I thought i would start a list of what is missing in Fundamentals, so you can judge if the extra cost is worth while:
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• Wall styles – there is no way to save your wall settings. You can still create wall components, they can have different 3D heights, but you cannot class wall components separately. For me this would be a deal breaker, it seriously limits your ability to draw complex walls.
• Slabs – without slabs, you will have to use a lot of walls and floors to create your foundations and ceilings.
• Objects from Ployline – I use this a lot, and there is no real workaround.
• Print Drawings from a Folder – for larger projects, this is a really cool trick, being able to print all the sheet layers from several files in the same folder.
• Batch Print – you can not print all the drawings in a file with one command.
• Batch PDF – I use this all the time to create single
• Navigation Palette – this palette makes it so fast to change classes and layer settings, it’s almost worth the upgrade price on its own.
• Import PDF – I often use this to import plans.
• 2-Way worksheets – there is no workaround to get around these, they are really useful when you need them.
• Design Layer Viewports – the workaround is to use layer links, but they are not nearly as flexible.
• Section Viewports – these are really useful, essential if you are drawing internal elevations.
• Create Similar Object- this is a really quick way to make another object he same as one already on the drawing.
• Automatic Drawing Coordination – this is where the title blocks use the sheet layer name to fill in the title, and section labels are automatically updated if you change the location of the Section Viewport.
• Nearly all the AEC Menu items are missing – you would expect these to be missing.
• Connected walls are missing.

If you create drawings with Vectorworks Architect, Landmark or designer, and then give the file to a Fundamentals user, any walls they draw will be unstyled, so you will have to go round converting all the unstyled walls to styled.
if they set up any sheet layers with tittle blocks, they will not use the Automatic Drawing coordination. when you open the file and enable the automatic drawing coordination, you will have to re-number and re-name all the sheet layers.
Here is a more complete list:
Export
– 3DS
– DOE-2
– IFC
– KML
– PDF
– PDF Batch
– ShapeFile (LM)
Import
– IFC
– PDF
– Shape Files (LM)
– SketchUp
– Survey Files
– Drag and Drop Importing
Referencing Imported Images
Site Modelling
Annotation
– Sheet Borders
– ID Labels
– North Arrow
– Revision Marker
– Elevation Benchmark
– Slope Dimension
– Scale Bar
– Grid Bubble
– Dimensioning Exterior Walls
– Drawing List Indexing
Detailing Tools
– Linear Materials tool
– Repetitive Unit tool
– All of the Mechanical capabilities
Drawing Utilities
– Navigation Palette
– Attribute Palette: Setting Global and Default Attributes
– Custom Modification Scripts
– Select Similar Objects
– Exporting Custom Resources (to library files)
– Workgroup Folders
Managing Project Information
– Redlines
– Notes Management
– Issue Manager
– Batch Printing
Drawing Enhancements
– Stipples
– Sketch Rendering
– Chain Extruded Objects
– Objects from Polylines
– Create Similar Object
– Human Figure
Drawing Views
– Plan Rotation
– Unified View
– Visibility Tool
– Design Layer VPs
– Section VPs
All the site modeling and landscape tools are missing.
My advise is to get one of the better versions of Vectorworks, do not get Fundamentals. The price saving is far outweighed by the tools and commands you loose.
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