Education_004 – Basic Concepts

Basic Concepts
To be able run the software efficiently you need to learn the basic concepts of Vectorworks first. This section of the manual is designed to show you the concepts that form the basis of Vectorworks. We will learn to make a few simple objects, how to select objects, who to delete objects, and how to delete objects.
[ms-protect-content id=”34491,34492,34493, 34494, 34495, 34496, 344927″]
Creating a New File
Let us start with a simple file.

• Go to the Menu bar.
• Choose File > New…

• Click on the option Create blank document.
• Click on the OK button.

This has created a new blank drawing.

 
Opening Recent Drawings
If you want to find recently opened drawings, you can do this from the File menu.

• Go to the Menu bar.
• Choose File >  …

 Basic Object Creation
There are several ways to create objects in Vectorworks. In this exercise, you will learn three simple ways to create objects. These methods can be an effective way to create many other objects.

• Select the Rectangle Tool from the Basic tool palette.

• Go to the Tool Bar, the area just above the drawing area.
• Click on the first mode.

There are instructions on how to use the tool at the bottom of the drawing window. These appear as you moive your mouse over the tool icons.

• Click once to start the rectangle.
• Move your cursor down and to the right.

• Click once more to finish creating the rectangle.

• If you look at the Object Info palette you will see the size of the rectangle that you have created.

• Use the Object Info palette to change the Width to 50mm (2”). Type in the size you want and then hit the Tab key once.

• Notice how the rectangle changed size, one side of the rectangle stayed where it was.

• Use the Object Info palette to change the Height to 50mm (2”). Type in the size you want and then hit the Tab key once.

• Notice how the rectangle changed size, one corner of the rectangle stayed where it was.

This was controlled by the object position locator, called the box position.

 
Now we can use the Object Info palette to move the rectangle on the screen. The middle part of the Object Info palette controls the position of the rectangle.

• Set the box position (the black dot in the grid of 9) to the bottom right by clicking on the bottom right radio button.

• Change X and Y coordinates to 0.
• Notice how the rectangle has moved on the screen.

This is the first way of drawing in Vectorworks. It is totally accurate because you change the size of the object after you have drawn it, but it is not the fastest way.
Drawing With The Floating Data Bar
The second way to draw objects is to use the floating data bar. This method is faster and more effective. There is a way to make this even more effective, by setting some options on the Tool bar.

• Go to the Tool bar.
• Click on the gear button at the right side of the Tool bar.
• Check the settings for the Data bar. Click on the option  Use floating data bar. Set each option to match the image.

• Make sure the Rectangle tool is still active.
• Move to the center of the first rectangle and click once.

• Move down to the right.
• Notice how the floating data bar appears. It is blue and below and the right of the cursor.

• If you set the floating data bar option to Allow numeric keypad for instant data bar activation, you can type directly into the data bar with the numeric keypad, without without having to hit the Tab key first. This method is really fast.
• If you have not set the data bar option as described above, you will have to hit the Tab key once to access the floating data bar.
• Type in the dimension you want for the ∆X direction 50mm (2”).

• Hit the Tab key once.
• Notice how the rectangle is now fixed in the X direction.

• Type in the dimension that you want for the ∆Y direction -50mm (-2”).
• Press the Enter or Return key.

 

• Click once to finish, or hit the Enter key once more to finish.

This method is faster than the previous one, and it is more accurate.
Drawing With Dialog Boxes
The third way to draw objects is to use the Create Object dialog box. Some settings for tools can be directly accessed by double clicking on the required tool in the respective tool palette.

• Double click on the Rectangle tool.
• The Create Object dialog box opens.

• Type in the dimension you want for the width 50mm (2”).
• Hit the Tab key once.
• Type in the dimension that you want for height 50mm (2”).

• Set the box position (the black dot in the grid of 9) to the top left by clicking on the correct radio button.
• Activate Position At Next Click. When you activate position at next click you do not have to type in the coordinates X and Y.

• Click on the OK button.
• Move your mouse to the centre of the last rectangle.
• Click once.

The new rectangle is placed in the correct position and to the correct size.

This method is also fast and accurate and works well for some objects, but not all (eg continuous walls, polygons, etc.).
Selecting and De-Selecting
Fundamental to using Vectorworks is the ability to select one or more objects. Without the ability to select an object you will not be able to move, rotate or edit the object. Most editing tools in Vectorworks require you to select an object before you edit or manipulate it.
To select an object, use the Selection tool from the Basic tool palette. Move the cursor to the object to be selected and click once. You will notice that when you move the cursor over an object, the cursor changes shape and the object highlights. This is how Vectorworks informs you that it has recognised the object and that it can be selected.

• Go to the Basic tool palette.
• Click on the Selection tool.
• Move your mouse to the edge of the first rectangle you drew and click once with the mouse.

• Notice that when you get near to an object it highlights. This is called pre-selection, and it makes it easy to tell which object you will be selecting before you click on it.
• When the object is selected, it stays highlighted, even when you move the cursor away from the object. Depending on the Tool bar settings, you might get blue handles around the object.

• Click on the second rectangle that you made, notice how the first rectangle is no longer selected.

• To de-select objects click away from everything, that is, click in a blank part of the drawing.

Selecting Coincident Objects
Sometimes several objects are close together (coincident) so that Vectorworks has difficulty to guess which one you would like to select. The general rule of thumb is that the top object (drawn last) is being chosen.
There is a way around this.

• When you move near objects that are coincident, the cursor changes to show a *, just to the upper right of the cursor.

• Right-click (control+click on a one-button mouse) to activate the context menu.
• Click on Select Coincident Objects…

• You might see this dialog box. It is telling you that there is a keyboard shortcut you can use in the future to activate this technique.
• If you see this dialog box, click on the OK button.

• Vectorworks brings up a dialog box for you to choose the object you want to select.

• You can click on the name of the object you want to select, or you can use your up-down arrow keys to choose the object.

Click on the OK button to confirm your choice.

Selecting More Than One Object
Selecting more than one object lets you move or edit several objects, allows you to delete several objects, and so on.

• Use the Selection tool to select the first rectangle that you made.

• Holding down the Shift key, click on the second rectangle that you created. Notice that now both objects are highlighted (selected).

• Still holding down the Shift key, click on the third rectangle. Notice that you now have three objects selected.

• To de-select objects, click away from everything; that is, click in a blank part of the drawing.

Another way to select several objects is to use the mouse to drag a marquee (or selection box) around all the desired objects.

• Make sure you are still on the Selection tool.
• To start the marquee, move beyond the top-left corner of the first rectangle.
• Click and drag your mouse.
• Drag the marquee over the first two rectangles.

• Release the mouse button.
• Notice that only the first two rectangles are selected. Only objects that are totally enclosed by the marquee will be selected this way.

• Drag the same size marquee, this time holding the Option key (Macintosh) or the Alt key (Windows).

Notice that everything you touch with this marquee is selected.

Deleting Objects

• Select the object to be deleted.

• Hit the Delete key on the keyboard, use the Backspace key, or you can use the right mouse click and choose Cut.

• If you make a mistake and you want to undo the object you deleted, go to the Menu bar, choose Edit > Undo.

[/ms-protect-content]
Previous Page : Introduction to Vectorworks
Next Page : Snapping

©Jonathan Pickup 2013

Related Posts

• Education_003 - Introduction to Vectorworks

  Introduction to Vectorworks Firstly Vectorworks is not a cheap or low-powered program.  It is a…

• Education_009 - Quickstart to Vectorworks

  When I acquire a new software, I am looking for a guide that spells out…

• Education Resources

  When you're teaching Vectorworks it's important for the students to understand the basic concepts. Sometimes…