Vectorworks 2011 Coming September 14

Prepare to get your upgrade on September 14, or there about.  Vectorworks 2011 is on it’s way out the door and on your computer.  As of right now, there is not a whole bunch of information available about the update/upgrade.  From what little is mentioned about it on the Vectorworks 2011 page, it sounds as though Renderworks has been sped up and 3D graphics are hugely improved.

On Septerber 14, we will learn more with the live Press Webinar to learn about the new features and functionality in the Vectorworks line of software products: Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals, Designer and Renderworks.

Stay tuned for more information very soon!

WYSIWYG R25 Coming This Week for Members Only

Reading over the latest press release from Cast Software, I feel as though I need to be wearing a Members Only Jacket as Release 25 of WYSIWYG is only released to Members this week. After an extensive beta testing cycle, Cast Software is confidant that Release 25 is ready for wide spread release.

Here are just some of the features about Release 25 of WYSIWYG:

New CAD Mode features:

• Positioning Tools – now send to back and bring to front, and Alignment Tools
• Text Toolbar – edit text just like your favourite word processing program
• Polygon Tool
• Cycle Selection – blaze through selecting items in the same plane
• Select Fixtures on Hang Structures
• Visual Indicators for Truss Assembly
• New/more descriptive right-click options for truss assembly
• Font Styles for Dimensions

Enhancements to Layouts in Presentation Mode

• Zoom Layouts & Content Windows using the mouse wheel
• Copy and Paste items within Layouts
• Assign colours in Legends
• New alignment options in Worksheet Item Properties
• Option to modify corners of Rounded Rectangles
• Easily create perfect circles, rectangles and 45 degree angles
• Speed and stability optimizations for New Plots
• Delete Rows and Columns in Worksheets

There are a ton more features and extension added to Release 25 that I have not listed here. But what is impressive is the Library count.  In Release 25, Cast included a number of new fixtures, gobo’s, bulbs, (lamps), and color filters. The entire library now consist of…

• Automated Fixtures: 692
• Conventional Fixtures: 2561
• Fixtures Other: 46
• Truss: 4529
• Gobos: 4129
• Bulbs (Lamps): 1462
• Colour Filters (Gels): 2058

Releases are free to current Members. In fact, being a Member is the only way to get fully operational software. For more information on WYSIWYG R25 visit www.wysiwygsuite.com. Learn how to become a member, visit Cast Software’s web site at www.cast-soft.com.

Here is a short YuoTube video of Release 25 in action:

Landru Design Releases New Vectorworks Plug-ins

While working in Vectorworks, do you have trouble rendering and display soft goods such as curtains or designing commonly used items? Landru Design, a lighting design firm out of Nashville TN has just releases two new Plug-ins for Vectorworks to help folks that use Vectorworks to design and develop 3D rendering of sets and lights.

The first plug-in Landru Design has developed is SoftGoods, which is a VectorworksR Plug-In Object that allows users to insert models of straight and curved curtains and borders, as well as straight pipe-and-drape runs in their drawings – either from-scratch or based on
existing geometry.

SoftGoods models are easily resized by dragging Control Points and making adjustments in Vectorworks’R familiar Object Info Palette. Other things like curtain openings, track visibility, pleat sizing, and curtain images (including scrims) can also be changed on-the-fly. For pipe-and-drape runs, the tool calculates spacing and tracks slider lengths and hardware and drape counts.

The other plug-in that Landru Design has developed is actually The 4th generation of VideoScreen. Significant changes have been made in all of the tools and a new tool (to some users) has been added:

• Object Info Palettes are now more unified in look and function.
• Custom images and models are now MUCH easier to add and use.
• Users have a LOT more control over text settings – including things like visibility, color, size, and alignment – all now independently changeable for each text element.
• In VS4-Projection and VS4-Blended Screen, users can now specify a screen size and the projection distance and let the tools suggest a lens, in addition to the previous projector placement method. In VS4-Projection,
  projectors can even be dragged to new locations and the tool will report back projection distances and suggested lenses.
• In VS4-Blended, projectors now move, rotate, and/or update when the parent screen is dragged, rotated, or updated.
• VS4-LED (formerly, VSx-LED) is now part of VideoScreen 4Plus. In addition to the features you’ve come to appreciate, VS4-LED now creates domes and capped tiles and disks.

For more information on either the VideoScreen or SoftGoods plug-ins or any of the other plug-ins that Landru Design has developed, visit their website at www.landrudesign.com.