Main features in VectorWorks

Many friends asked me about all the fuzz around VectorWorks, and why I talk about it a lot, so I thought to list some of the main functions I like about VectorWorks:

• A complete 2D and 3D package, unlike many applications that work around BIM and smart handling of the design process, it handles the basic 2D drawing and 3D modeling with ease and with little rough edges in this part; mostly because it is one of the earlier applications in the market, so it perfected this part in the earlier releases before focusing on the smart-part of model designing.
  
• Smart environment, it does not just understand the distinction between 2D and 3D (a Hybrid Environment in VectorWorks words), it also understands the higher level objects that can create the advanced designs, for not only the architectural designs, but for site planning and urban designing too.
  
• The SmartCursor and the floating Data bar, it is like the AutoCAD OSnaps (which I consider the best feature in AutoCAD), but works in a way that is somehow more intuitive.
  
• The Solid Modeling, its ability to keep the source solids in the Boolean operations and handle them as a group is much more intuitive than the AutoCAD way of handling the solids, also its (mostly) parametric editing of the basic 3D objects gives the application a very flexible environment that doesn't rely only on the editing tools available (now more powerful in VectorWorks 2009 with the Parasolid kernel).
  
• The site modeling, it is one of the premier applications in modeling the land, while staying easy enough for using such features; I'm used to the GIS way of modeling parts of the earth and its usage of advanced tools to take care of data entry and data modification; but the way VectorWorks construct, model, modify, and visualize the site is way too powerful that it fills all of my needs in this area, and I think it is very intuitive compared to AutoCAD Civil 3D.
  
• Plants management, this is an area where no major CAD application can beat VectorWorks, its plants tools and its built-in extensible Plants database can be the ultimate tool for the Landscape architect.
  
• Its ability to import and export SHP files and its recognition of georeferenced tools, this is the way I expect CAD applications to integrate with any GIS system (well, maybe support for direct databases connection and data query and visualization inside the CAD is better, but that makes it a GIS package too, not just a CAD application).
  
• The RenderWorks engine, it is not V-Ray or 3dsmax, but it is the best thing that I know of that is part of a CAD (it is not really built-in, you have to pay for it, but it is still very integrated inside the VectorWorks application that I consider it to be an optional built-in feature).
  
• The integration with Cinema 4D, it opens the gate for VectorWorks to real 3D rendering and advanced 3D modeling, I just hope NNA creates a tool to integrate with Maxwell Render and maybe the best of all, integrate V-Ray inside VectorWorks with optional plug-in. 
• The architectural objects and symbols, while they are not as advanced as ArchiCAD tools, its integration with the complete 2D/3D functionality in VectorWorks makes it a better choice when designing in the non-western countries, where the design patterns are slightly different and may not be supported in the built-in customization capabilities in the application.
  
• The drawing structure scheme, the usage of both design layers and classes is conceptually more correct than using layers to arrange and classify the drawing objects (and more generic than using the layers and stories concept that is used in ArchiCAD); I also like the design layers concept, while I think it would be better named just Layers and the sheet layers would be named Sheets, but whatever, after a week or so inside VectorWorks, you will get used to the different terms.
  
• Many other features that gives me the feeling that the VectorWorks developers are more focused on usability than having to release a product every year (like what Autodesk likes to do, just for the sake of upgrading and keeping a stream of cash in their pockets, whether their software deserves or not).
  

VectorWorks User Interface

Bars

• Menu bar: Contains pull-down menus that access the VectorWorks commands.
  
• View bar: Contains buttons and pull-down menus that control the view in various ways.
  
• Tool bar: Displays the various modes of the active tool. The bar also displays mode information and accesses the tool preferences, if any.
  
• Data bar: Displays information such as X and Y data, length, and angle depending on the tool and on the action being performed.
  
• Message bar: Displays tool explanations, undo messages, minor alerts, and a progress bar (when applicable).
  

Palettes

• Basic palette: Includes all the 2D and 3D tools needed for the creation and editing of the basic drawing objects.
  
• Tool sets palette: Includes the advanced tools for the different functionality in VectorWorks products, it varies from product to the other; the displayed here is the Designer palette.
  
• Object Info palette: Displays the properties of the selected object(s).
  
• Navigation palette: Displays the structure of the active document, including its Classes, Design Layers, Sheet Layers, Viewports, Saved Views, and References.
  
• Attributes palette: Contains a selection of colors, fills, pens, and other object attributes.
  
• Constraints palette: Contains the SmartCursor (or snapping) controls that can be toggled on or off. 
  
• Resource Browser: Accesses the various resources in the file (gradient fills, hatch patterns, image fills, record formats, scripts and script palettes, symbols and symbol folders, worksheets, textures, and backgrounds) both inside the active document and in external documents (that are part of the VectorWorks library or a personal library).
  
• Visualization: Accesses all lights and cameras in the file, this palette is available only when RenderWorks is running.
  

Document Body

• Drawing area: This is the open portion in the middle of the window where drawings are created; it includes both the print area and the space that surrounds it.
  
• Print area: Within the drawing area, a gray border defines the print area, if shown. Only the objects that are included within the print area are printed. The print area is divided into pages; each page equals a physical sheet of paper to be printed. 
  

Windows and Macintosh

There is a small difference in the behavior in the application windows under Windows and under the Mac OS X, under the Windows environment the application is running in a single main window where all of the sub items are inside it and the palettes are part of it (in a configuration known as MDI window), this allows most of the palettes to dock at the corners of the window.

But under the Macintosh environment there is no such thing as a main window for the application, this gives a slightly lower ability to use the palettes (not being able to dock them to the document window), but gives a slightly higher ability to use multi-monitor configuration.

VectorWorks Introduction

What is VectorWorks?

VectorWorks is a world-leading 2D/3D CAD application that includes all the tools and technology you need for precision drafting and designing, it is also a complete design and production management system that enables the engineer to efficiently and easily construct, model and represent their designs.

VectorWorks Products

VectorWorks is actually 6 products based on the same foundation: Fundamentals, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Machine Design, and Designer.

VectorWorks Fundamentals

VectorWorks Fundamentals is an excellent 2D and 3D package that includes all the tools to efficiently design and represent 2D and 3D models; it can be compared to AutoCAD, but it is much more intuitive and easy to learn and use, it is also cheaper ($1300 compared to $4000) and a much better offering than the AutoCAD LT, while similarly priced, it is a 2D-only package with no AutoLISP/VBA functionality, and quite frankly, I hate it. 

VectorWorks includes extensive symbol libraries, default drawing resources, built-in database and worksheet capabilities to help track costs and materials. A host of import and export formats makes it easy to share files.

VectorWorks Architect

VectorWorks Architect is an important design tool for the architecture work, it allows the designer to design and present architecture models and drawings, it allows a very easy way to create accurate and precise buildings using walls, doors, windows, roofs, slabs, columns, and all of the building parts that create a complete model of the building.

The Architect competes with Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Autodesk Revit Architecture, and Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture; I think the 3D parametric properties of the ArchiCAD's library and the pre-assigned textures is somehow better than the properties of the built-in tools in VectorWorks, but still better than the AutoCAD Architecture tools and objects, and the lack of layers in Revit makes it less suitable in terms of generic CAD features.

VectorWorks Landmark

VectorWorks Landmark (I think) is the best program for the urban designer and site architects for modeling and handling landscape and site engineering projects; it understands the concepts of site models, DTM models, plants, hardscape, irrigation plans, roads, parking, and miscellaneous items associated with land.

The ability of Landmark to understand the site as intelligent objects inside its environment is unique among BIM applications that mostly use site models as an accessory to the building model; and it is not like Autodesk Civil 3D, where is more targeted towards civil engineers and site modeling more than site designing and site planning.

VectorWorks Spotlight

VectorWorks Spotlight is the de-facto standard in light designing projects for the theaters, it includes a huge lighting library, coupled with the 2D and 3D capabilities of VectorWorks, it is one of the more advanced tools and one of the most sophisticated in the industry.

VectorWorks Machine Design

VectorWorks Machine Design is concerning with the designing and modeling of the machines, I think it is one of the more intuitive tools in the market, but I have no familiarity in this field.

VectorWorks Designer

VectorWorks Designer is the ultimate edition of VectorWorks; it combines the functionality of all the VectorWorks editions in one interface under the same umbrella, it is priced under $3000 and includes the RenderWorks engine for advanced 3D visualization inside VectorWorks (RenderWorks can be purchased as an option for any of the above products).

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VectorWorks 2009 launched

Earlier in the middle of September, Nemetschek North America quietly (at least for me) launched its latest release of VectorWorks, the 2009 release is most notably one of the major releases in the VectorWorks line, as it debuts the usage of the world-class Parasolid 3D modeling engine from Siemens PLM, which is stated as one of the most advanced modeling engines in the market, it allows VectorWorks to become 4x to 5x speedier in the 3D modeling operations and to become 2x to 3x speedier in rendering the Viewports inside VectorWorks.

Parasolid is used in many 3D packages including MicroStation (from Bentley), SolidWorks (from Dassault), and NX (from Siemens).

Update 29/12/2008: It seems that the integration of Parasolid into VectorWorks is very important, because the VectorWorks core is single-threaded, which makes it a second class citizen in our new multi-core CPUs world, while Parasolid is multi-threaded and benefits from the multi-core technologies in modern CPUs.

This means that VectorWorks has two major components that are multi-threaded, its 3D kernel and its RenderWorks engine; this should give VectorWorks the needed power in 3D modeling and visualization.

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