Holes in ArcGIS Polygons from AutoCAD

It remained a mystery to me how Polygons can be exported from CAD to ArcGIS with holes (or donuts, if you prefer to call it so) until recently.

I read in the GIS CAD Interoperability blog that when ArcGIS encouters a block, it considers all the objects inside it to create a multipart object (that is multipart polygon, multipart polyline or multipoint) which is exactly how ArcGIS stores its polygons with holes. 

That means that to create a polygon with hole in AutoCAD you only need to select the polygons creating the polygon and its holes and make a block, this will tell the ArcGIS when importing CAD data that it is a single object with multipart geometry.

إنه لا يفكر .... و لا حتي بمؤخرته

رداً علي ما نشر في مدونة سكة راتب باشا .... أردت أن أضع رأيي بجانب أصدقائي الذين عانوا من المفكر بمؤخرته .... صديقنا المشترك الذي أجمع الجميع علي إبداعاته الفكرية.
الجديد في الموضوع إنني لا أوافق علي إطلاق إسم تفكير علي ما يخرج من صديقنا .... فالتفكير له قواعد من أهمها المنطقية (سواء إتفقت مع هذا المنطق أم إختلفت) و لكن أن تقول الشيئ و ضده في جملة واحدة فهذا ما أتفق الجميع علي خلوه من المنطق.
تبقي مسألة ماهية الخارج من قريحة و مخيلة صديقنا و التي ترتبط بمبدأ أن صديقنا "إضحك عليه قبل كده" و التي تظهر عندما يحدثك بمنطق أول من أبدي رأيه في أي موضوع أمامه، يعني أنا لو تحدثت أمامه عن الحتمية التاريخية لزوال الدلتا تنيجة الإحتباس الحراري في كوكب الأرض، فإنه سيبقي إلي نهاية عمره يتحدث في هذا الموضوع كما أنه لو أصبح مدير عمليات التصدي لهذه المشكلة و المسئول الأول عنها في مصر.
تبقي الطريقة (أو الجماعة لو شئنا الدقة) التي يعتبر صديقنا نفسه حامي حماها و الذائد عن كرامتها .... فأقول له و لشيخ طريقته "يا أخي إتنيل إنت و طريقتك"، فالطريقة التي تقبل بك عضواً فيها لا ترغب في أكثر من المفكرين بمؤخراتهم الذين يمكن عدهم بني أدمين في صندوق الإنتخاب لا أكثر و لا أقل.

iPhone in Egypt ... FINALLY

According to an AppleInsider.com article, Vodafone has inked a deal with Apple to provide the iPhone mobile phone in 10 countries, one of them is Egypt (in addition to Australia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey).

This will proabaly coincide with the highly-awaited iPhone 2.0 hardware, which is rumored to have 3G connectivity and video capabilities (probably it will be unveiled the Apple WWDC conference in late June).

I think the combination of third-party-enabled iPhone Software (iPhone 2.0 and the iPhone SDK) with the 3G network support, with the already-sexy hardware design will be the main pillars for Apple to reach its 10 million units target at end of 2008.

VectorWorks Drawing Setup (2)

Creating Standard Viewports

Viewports are created on sheet layers, and display a specific portion of a drawing with a combination of visible, grayed, and/or hidden design layers and classes. Viewports can be cropped, rotated, and annotated, and the sheet layer print settings saved. Several viewports can be included on one sheet layer.

The Create Standard Viewports command creates standards-compliant viewports and their associated sheet layers, with the layer and class visibilities of a standard drawing.

Viewports are created in five categories. The available viewport types are:

• Site Plan Drawings
  
• Project Plan Drawings
  
• Floor Plan Drawings
  
• Auxiliary Plan Drawings
  
• Notation Drawings
  

Creating Viewports

To create standard viewports, select File -> Document Settings -> Create Standard Viewports.

The Create Standard Viewports dialog box opens. Select a drawing category from the Type of Drawing list. The available drawing types display in the Drawing Types list on the left, with a short description beneath. Select the viewport to be created in the Drawing Types list and then click Add to move it to the Viewports to Be Created list on the right.

For auxiliary view viewports (sections and elevations), types with a -Man suffix (such as Sections-Man) typically indicate that the elements of the section or elevation are to be drawn manually on, for instance, Mod-Section or Mod-Elevation layers, which are created along with the viewports. The visibility of all other layers is set to Invisible for these viewports.

Types with a -VP suffix (such as Sections-VP) are for creating a view or a section viewport of the model from existing Mod- layers. No new layers are created and the visibility of all existing Modlayers is set to Visible for these viewports.

The Preferences dialog can be opened by clicking on the Preferences button, the preferences apply as viewports are added to the list for inclusion in the drawing. You can set the default scale for each type of viewport and select a drawing border and, if desired, title block to add automatically to each sheet layer. The scale settings affect only the viewport scale, not the layer scale of any model layers.

Standard Naming

The Standard Naming command controls the layer, class, and viewport names used in a project. These names can be changed to a user-defined system other than the default VWArch naming system. Standards can be mapped for office-wide use or to convert an existing file to the office standard. This command can also be used to assign specific attributes to classes in standards, and to change the names of layers, viewports/views and classes in the current standard. The command does not create new layers, classes, or viewports/views.

To set the standard naming of layers, classes, and views, select File -> Document Settings -> Standard Naming, the Standard Naming dialog box opens, so that you can select a naming standard for the file, and choose whether auto-classing should be enabled for objects.

Custom Standard Naming

You can customize the Standard Naming to suit the user's needs and requirements, using the Standard Naming command and selecting one of the user standards, and using the Layer Mapping and Class Mapping tools.

VectorWorks Drawing Setup (1)

The Setup commands create a file that adheres to predefined VectorWorks standards, or alternatively, to user-defined standards. Running these commands in a project file ensures that the desired structure is in place. Each command can be run in either a new or existing file; the Model Setup command must be run prior to using the Create Standard Viewports command.

When a file is set up with the Model Setup and the Create Standard Viewports commands, the appropriate classes and layers are created automatically. Design layers are created by the Model Setup command and begin with “Mod-” (model layers, since this is where the model is designed).

The Create Standard Viewports command creates the appropriate viewports and sheet layers for the viewports (beginning with “Sheet-”), along with the appropriate classes if they are not already in the file.

The Standard Naming command establishes or changes the naming conventions used for these classes, design layers, sheet layers, and viewports or saved views.

Landmark Standards

When using VectorWorks Landmark standards, landscape site plans are composed of shared model information on four layers:

• Mod-Site-Arch: contains any buildings or other improvements
  
• Mod-Site-Civil: contains topographic and survey information
  
• Mod-Site-DTMData: contains the DTM output
  
• Mod-Site-Landscape: contains tree and planting data
  

Document Setup

When starting any drawing, the Document Setup command should be used to set up a file’s basic characteristics (units, scale, drawing area, and grid) as well as define the drawing border and title block settings.

To set up a drawing with the Document Setup command select File -> Document Settings -> Document Setup, this will show the Document Setup dialog.

Model Setup

The Model Setup command creates the appropriate number of floors or levels and their corresponding design layers (Mod-Floor, Mod-Foundation, and Mod-Roof layers), as well as setting the Z and delta Z of each model design layer. It is required for running the Create Standard Viewports command.

For Landmark users (when doing site models), if there is no floorplan geometry in the drawing, click OK in both Model Setup dialog boxes to accept the default settings.

To set up the model, select File -> Document Settings -> Model Setup, The Model Setup - Initialize dialog box opens if the drawing is new or contains unrecognized layer/class names, click OK, the main Model Setup dialog box opens.

In the Model Setup dialog box, select a level from the Level Settings list, and then specify its parameters and click OK. The selected level is indicated in the graphic with a red bullet. A maximum of three floor levels are displayed. For buildings with more than three floors above ground, the middle floor indicator is highlighted for all intermediate floors.

To set up a model for split-level homes, select the Fixed at option and enter a height greater than the distance to the next level.

VectorWorks Drawing Structure

A VectorWorks drawing is a container full of drawing objects, to output the needed results, the objects must have various properties defined, such as their geometry, their attributes, their graphical representations (2D/3D/Hybrid) and their behavior (plugins).

To assist in handling the large number of the drawing objects that are typically present in any drawing, VectorWorks offers several features to help organize and display a drawing: design layers, sheet layers, classes, viewports, and views. Create a structured system with these features to make it considerably easier to select, view, and print drawing elements.

Classes

Drawing objects are assigned to classes; a class is an attribute of an object. Classes apply to the entire file and control the visibility of objects. Classes can be set to be visible, invisible, or grayed when they are inactive.

Complex objects, such as symbols or plug-in objects, may contain more than one class; different parts of the object can be hidden or shown. Classes can also be used to assign graphical attributes and textures to objects.

Many plug-in objects that are included with VectorWorks are set with pre-assigned classes. The appropriate classes are created by the Setup commands. The use of auto-classing is determined with the Standard Naming setup command.

Layers and Viewports

A VectorWorks layer is a named container that holds items. VectorWorks uses two types of layers: design layers and sheet layers.

Design layers are used for drawing and modeling the elements of a project.

Sheet layers are created for the presentation of a finalized drawing, and can contain viewports, title blocks, notes, and other annotations.

A viewport, located on a sheet layer, is a particular combination of visible, grayed, and/or hidden design layers and classes.

Layers have certain characteristics that are used when drawing and structuring files:

• Design layers can automatically set default Z-values for objects they contain. They create natural structural divisions within a drawing for objects on different floors or different vertical locations within a floor.
  
• Design layers can be visible, invisible, or grayed. Sheet layers are always set to Active Only.
  
• Design layers, as well as viewports, can be displayed at different drawing scales, for the display of all aspects of a drawing plan from the site model to details.
  
• Design layers, as well as viewports, can have different 3D views. A building can be viewed in Plan view in one viewport and in an elevation or perspective view in another.
  
• Layers can be contained in different files and shared using workgroup referencing.

Drawings set up with the Setup commands contain both design layers and sheet layers with viewports. A project file contains, at a minimum, design layers for every level, as well as a number of viewports on sheet layers.

VectorWorks Plants Irrigation

Irrigation Tools

The irrigation plans in VectorWorks can be created by placing the irrigation tools to the design.

The irrigation tools can be easily selected from standard pre-configured manufacturer’s irrigation products in the Irrigation tools libraries:

• 02_Sitewk_Irrigation heads
  
• 02_Sitewk_Drip Emitters
  
• 02_Sitewk_Irrigation Pipe
  

Alternatively, generic drip emitters, irrigation heads, and irrigation lines can be selected from the Site Planning toolset.

Irrigation Plans

Once the drip emitters, irrigation heads, and irrigation lines have been placed in the drawing, as required, irrigation plans are created by using the ID Label tool and worksheets together.

To create irrigation plans:

1. Select the ID label type and style. Place ID labels on the drawing with the ID Label tool.
   
2. From the Resource Browser, open the [VectorWorks]\Libraries\Defaults\Reports~Schedules\Irrigation Reports.vwx (Irrigation Head Schedule and Irrigation Line Schedule are included) and drag the selected worksheet to the drawing. An Irrigation Schedule worksheet, populated with information from the irrigation in the current drawing, is automatically created.
   
3. To show or hide the spray pattern of irrigation head objects, select View -> Show -> Show or Hide Spray Pattern.
   If the spray patterns are currently hidden, this command causes the spray pattern of all irrigation head objects to become visible. In the Object Info palette, Show Spray Pattern is selected automatically.
   

VectorWorks Plants Database

The VectorWorks Landmark plant database manages an extensive list of plant names and botanical information which can be used to associate specific plant data with plant definitions. 

Accessing the Plant Database

To Open the Plants Database select AEC -> Plants -> VW Plants Database, the dialog to choose plants database location shows, which you can select a User Folder or a Workgroup-shared location.

Once the plant database has been set up, it is accessed immediately when selecting the VW Plants Database. The plant database can also be accessed when creating a plant definition, by clicking Open VW Plants from the Get Plant Data dialog box.

Altering the Database

Using the standard methods to edit the database records, you can edit the Plants Library (using Add Record/Duplicate Record/Remove Record and edit the record contents directly in the Browse mode).

Getting Data from the Internet

By selecting View -> Go to Layout -> Web Data, the Plants Database turns into the Web Data layout, where it is set to search for the Latin name of the current plant in Google Images, Google Search, Wikipedia and USDA.

If you find any relevant data you can easily copy and paste in the database, whether text or imagery.

Searching for Plants

The plant database can be searched when in Find mode (by selecting View -> Find Mode) where flexible, sophisticated searches can be conducted by combining search criteria.

By entering the Find Mode a blank record will be displayed, where you can set the search data and click on Find in the left sidebar.

Plant Lists

Plant lists are the connection between the FileMaker plant database and VectorWorks. Creating plant lists in the plant database allows that data to be attached to plants in VectorWorks.

Create as many plant lists as necessary; the appropriate plant list is selected for the plant definition.

The data attached to a plant becomes part of the plant definition, and can be added to planting plans and displayed by plant ID tags.

To create a Plant List select File -> Create VectorWorks Plant List in the Plants Database application

The plant list file is a tab-delimited file saved in the location of the plant database.

Using Plant List Data in VectorWorks

Plant list information is available to plant definitions from the Plant Data tab, you can add plant data by right-clicking on any plant symbol and select Edit, then Definition.

In the Edit Plant Definition dialog box, click Get Plant Data, the Get Plant Data dialog box opens, where you can select the plant name and data to include in the plant definition, and click OK.

VectorWorks Plants Libraries

The VectorWorks Designer and Landmark come with a huge Plants library that provide a ready-to-customize plant symbols, which can used to build your own plants library in no time.

You can access the libraries from  [Vectorworks]\Libraries\Plants

Xfrog library

In the plant library from Xfrog, you'll find photorealistic and artistic images of plants in top, elevation and 3D views, in two seasonal views and two growth stages.

The Xfrog library provide plants imagery, this means it will give high realisticty to your design, but it will not benefit from some advanced rendering methods in Plant placement (like plant shadows in plan view, mass overlapping plants and vector outline controlling).

The Xfrog library provides:

• 1896 Photorealistic Color Images showing 195 Different Plants 
  
• 255 Artistic Images in 3 color modes showing 87 Different Plants
  
• 1270 Grayscale and silhouette Images showing 195 Different Plants 

Using Xfrog library

The Xfrog library can be easily used to create plant symbols:

1. Open any file from the Xfrog top symbols, and select the desired symbol to use
   
2. Insert the symbol in the Top/Plan view, this will form the 2D Graphics of the plant symbol
   
3. Open the corresponding file from the Xfrog IP symbols, and select the desired symbol to use
   
4. Insert the symbol, this will form the 3D Graphics of the plant symbol (it resembles a large plus sign in Top/Plan view)
   
5. Select the 2D symbol and select AEC -> Plants -> Create New Plant
   
6. Fill-in the plant details, then click OK
   
7. Select the 3D symbol of the plant, and select Copy
   
8. Right click on the new Plant symbol in the Resources Browser, and select Edit
   
9. Select 3D Graphics
   
10. You will be in the Isolated mode, select paste and snap the pasted symbol to the already-there 3D locus
    
11. Click Exit Plant
    

Use the plant as needed

Plant Objects 

While the Xfrog library is an imagery library, the Plant Objects library on the other hand is a vector library that provides advanced 2D plant symbols that take advantage of:

• 2D plant symbols rendering (plant shadows, mass overlapping plants and vector outline controlling)
  
• Classes capabilities (and how its settings can be applied globally)
  
• The customization options when viewed in different Viewports (using Class overrides)

It provides 50 different 2D plants symbols

Using Plant Objects library

By customizing a viewport visible and invisible classes and setting a class opacity, a single Design layer can be viewed in different states and presentations, as the sub-parts of the plants symbols belong to different classes, they are:

• Plant-Component-Outline: This class is used for the outside perimeter of the plant.
  
• Plant-Component-Color Fill: This class is used for the background color in shrubs and smaller plants.
  
• Plant-Component-Bloom: This class is used for plants that have a bloom. If the blooms are too bright they can be 'toned down' by reducing the class opacity setting in the Class Settings dialog.
  
• Plant-Component-Canopy: This class is used for the colored fill in tree canopies.
  
• Plant-Component-Interior Linework: This class is used to control the visibility of detail lines that are used in the interior of plants. At smaller scales it may become desirable that these lines are not drawn.
  
• Plant-Component-Tags: This class is used for plant tags (and polygons) and is set in the Place Plant Settings - > Edit Definition dialog on the default Prefs tab.
  

The Plant Objects library also suggests that when the plant symbols are placed in Design Layers they should be classified under the classes Plants-New, Plants-Remove, and Plants-Existing. These allow the user to discriminate between the plants based on the intent.

For instance class Plants-Remove will be invisible except on a Demolition Plan. Plants-Existing would be grayed on a Planting Plan but left visible on a colored presentation drawing.

The easiest way to browse the different effects on plants is to open the Plant Objects.vwx file in VectorWorks (not in the Resources Browser) and see the different viewports and their overriding effects on the classes.

كل سنة و إنتوا طيبين

النهاردة ذكري صلاح جاهين و سيد ميكاوي مع بعض 

و في اليوم  ده أحب أفكر الناس برباعية

كرباج سعادة و قلبي منه أنجلد

رمح كانه حصان و لف البلد

ورجعلي نص الليل و سألني..

ليه خجلان تقول انك سعيد يا ولد

و عجبي