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The 3D Modeling Environment: New NURBS and object creation support

Since version 9.0 there has been a new NURBS (Non Uniform Rational B-Splines) curves creation tool. The tool allows you to create both NURBS curves, arcs and circles. Additionally you can convert 2D objects and 3D polygons into 3D NURBS curves. VectorWorks also supports multiple extrusions along a path, like a handrail moulding profile along a circular stair's curve. New tapered extrude functions make it easier to create a number of common 3D elements.

The creation of 3D models in VectorWorks has dramatically improved with version 9 and 9.5, offering more tools and better ways of editing existing items. The underlining 3D modeling kernel (or engine) technology has been steadily improving with Nemetschek's products, allowing the company to begin to position itself in the crowded mechanical 3D CAD market (with VectorWorks MECHANICAL). One naturally hopes that in the ARCHITECT product the company provides the same sophisticated modeling capabilities necessary to compete in the mechanical market. In doing so, Nemetschek could put competitive pressure on FormZ, a multipurpose modeling software very popular with architecture students and architects because of its ability to create advanced 3D forms.

One last note that concerns 3D in particular is that VectorWorks is now a 64-bit "floating-point" based application. This change is likely part of the reason why the application had some speed issues initially but were resolved dramatically with the latest 9.5 version. Moving to 64-bit floating-point based internal accuracy helps the program compete in the 3D CAD markets.

ARCHITECT: Powerful Tools for Architecture

VectorWorks has always been popular with architects, especially those on the Macintosh platform. And it continues to attracted a number of architects on the Windows side as well. ARCHITECT is the company's first true "industry specific" product and the first available item in its new Industry Series. LANDMARK, SPOTLIGHT AND MECHANICAL are now available for landscape architects, lighting professionals and mechanical engineers, respectively. The company promises additional Industry Series products in the future.

For some architects still using just VectorWorks alone, they may be asking why ARCHITECT is going to make their lives better. After all, the regular program's powerful and flexible drafting environment just gets better and better with each version.

Yes, the concerns are valid to some degree; however consider this. To some, the program formerly known as MiniCAD has changed in both complexity and ease-of-use. Certainly it has been made much more powerful, with more options and ways of doing things than ever before. But this added level of complexity is offset by the program's many new features, items that can save you tremendous time if you simply embrace and master them.

One such feature in VectorWorks ARCHITECT is the AEC Setup Assistance, an intelligent "interview" driven process that automatically sets up your layers, classes and saved "sheets". In VectorWorks "sheets" are equivalent to what you get when you print. They are combinations of active layers, classes and particular views. When you switch between sheets you land on a default active layer and class. These are editable from the AEC Setup Assistant and can save you time having to switch between layers when you draw.

More valuable still is the rigorous Task Manager. With this feature you never have to switch between layers and classes to draw. Instead you choose the drawing "task" from a database of over 430 tasks with predefined layer and class settings. The program then automatically jumps to the correct layer and class for that particular drawing activity. A convenient keyboard shortcut pops up the Task Manager window quickly (see screen shot directly below). Such features are serious time savers once mastered and they help to standardize drawing practices in your office.

VectorWorks ARCHITECT includes a Notes Manager—very much in line with the way the Task Manager works—which enables you to automatically place pre-formatted note blocks on your drawings. When used in combination with the Text Find and Replace tools there is considerable flexibility with the handling of text information.

ARCHITECT has additional features not found in the regular version of VectorWorks, including a Redlining Suite tool and Issue Manager. Both tool suites provide project managers the ability to do traditional tasks, such as marking up drawings and managing releases. Key 3D functions added with ARCHITECT include a Solar Animator (requires the use of the RenderWorks add-on product) and a Seating Layout command which will draw theater seating layouts in 3D, with complete height information by simply completing a focus point, distance between seats and other essential criteria. A Framing Suite tool can do similar things with 3D framing models.

ARCHITECT is no small addition to the regular VectorWorks package. In fact, this review would be many pages longer if I covered each one in detail. Some items which shouldn't go overlooked include the fact that with the addition of RenderWorks (an OpenGL-based rendering product) VectorWorks ARCHITECT rounds out very nicely. And for the price, which is one third that of Autocad, the program is a very good value.

Speaking of Autocad, Nemetschek's co-founding of the OpenDWG Alliance project has clearly benefited the efforts of file import/export functionality in VectorWorks. With each release, this product—as well as the products of other Alliance members—get better at working with the file formats proprietary to Autocad. Those readers interested in weaning themselves off the Autocad bottle need not be afraid of file conversions (import/export) as most VectorWorks users will tell you, your office will quickly learn the process and define best practices for your particular situation.

Where this product should go

VectorWorks ARCHITECT 9.5 on OS X is a slick execution of a Carbonized OS X application. While some things like missing "Sheets" support are minor negatives specific to OS X, there are a number of small positives. For instance, the application will not let you drag the main window underneath the Dock like so many OS X apps tend to do. I consider this a nuisance saver more than a screen real estate loss. Other similar nice touches abound.

While this application is a super good start for an OS X CAD app, there are a some items that make it less than perfect as a CAD product targeted toward architects. For starters, it would be nicer to have a more direct saved "sheet" naming system that directly correlates to the physical sheets' title block numbering system. Hence, if the site plan is named in the set, A100, having "A100" in the saved sheets menu would be helpful in quickly navigating to that sheet. Though users can add this manually, I was unable to do this during the AEC Setup Assistant process. This is especially important when you have a half dozen or more of the same types of sheets, like interior elevations and detail sheets, within a very large set of drawings.

Missing from the application is the ability to see multiple views of the same file (eg: a plan, elevation and axonometric 3D view, all at the same time) like so many other CAD apps can. One of the strong points of the application is the Saved Sheets function, but would it not be better to load Saved Sheets into different windows allowing direct comparison and viewing of related info? And while Windows users gain tool palette docking options not present on the Mac OS, Adobe has had docking palettes on its Mac programs forever. Clearly this could be added to at least the Mac OS X version of VectorWorks.

Such items should be easy to add to the application in the future. And as OS X is still a maturing OS with many new API's (application programming interfaces) to be put into the system, the likely outcome will be that Nemetchek will go way beyond some of these weaknesses, taking cues from Apple's innovative new OS X.

Recommendations

By far the most exciting thing about this latest release is that it offers current users so many incentives to upgrade to 9.5, not just because you get a solid CAD product, but because you get this CAD product on what is by far the most stable operating system in existence—available to mere mortals. Who among us as a Mac or Windows user would have thought ten years ago we could run a CAD application that embodies the best of the "classic" Macintosh experience, on an industrial strength UNIX operating system? —ANTHONY FRAUSTO-ROBLEDO, EDITOR

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