Starting to work in a CAD program like Vectorworks can be daunting. There are many different settings, menus and graphical conventions that will be unfamiliar. If you are new to CAD, then much of the terminology will also seem baffling. This is completely understandable and should be expected.
One of the first things that can trip up users at the very first hurdle is if the program is not set up correctly. This is a checklist of small tasks that you should think about from the outset and will help to make sure that you are starting with everything in place.
The User Interface
When you open Vectorworks for the first time you will be presented with The User Interface.
Your First Drawing File
When you open Vectorworks for the first time a blank file will be opened.
When Vectorworks is started following its installation on your computer, a completely blank document is opened. This will be correctly set to the most usual units of measurement for your region.
Set up Correct Workspace
Before starting to work with a new installation of Vectorworks, you first need to ensure that you are looking at the correct Workspace.
Vectorworks has different Workspaces for different industries. If you have a Designer Licence of Vectorworks which most educational users will have, then the Event tools will not necessarily be visible to you. You need the Spotlight Workspace. This can be activated from the Menu.
Activate the Spotlight Workspace
- Menu > Tools > Workspaces > Spotlight
This will ensure that the correct allocation of Tools and Commands will be available to you.
Vectorworks Preferences
There are many different aspects of the program that you will want to change over time. This will become much more evident as you develop your own personal workflows. These are known as Vectorworks Preferences and are all listed in this dialog.
The changes you make here will apply to your installation of the program on your computer and will be used on every file you open.
- Menu > Tools > Options > Vectorworks Preferences
For the most part, the default Vectorworks Preferences are the most suitable but there are a few settings that it is helpful to change from the start.
Document Preferences
There are many different aspects of the program that you will over time. These are all listed in this dialog.
The changes you make here are specific to the document you are currently working on.
- Menu > File > Document Settings > Document Preferences
The developer has carefully thought through the default Document Preferences, however, there are one or two settings that one should be aware of and that you may want to change, especially as you get more experienced.
Drawing Units
Vectorworks should ship with Unit defaults set to your particular part of the world. However, it is worth checking to make sure that the drawing units have been set to something that makes the most sense to you.
This is particularly pertinent if you have been an AutoCAD user as AutoCAD works with units of measurement differently to Vectorworks.
- Menu > File > Document Settings > Units
Page Setup
From the outset, Vectorworks allows you to simulate what your work will look like when presented on a printed page. This page can be used as a guide or as a placeholder from where you can send your work to a printer or a PDF.
- Menu > File > Page Setup
Design Layer Scale
One of the common misconceptions about Vectorworks is that the program is creating objects at a particular scale that you define when you set up the drawing file. This is incorrect.
Vectorworks will simulate what your work will look like when it is presented at a scale. Almost all of your work will need to be presented at one scale or another so it is helpful to think about what scale you will need to use.
Popular scales for theatre are: 1:25 or ¼" to 1'; 1:50 or 1/2" to 1'
Popular scales for events can range from 1:25 all the way up to 1:500 for the very biggest arena shows.
When this process is complete, then you will be to see how your work will look relative to the printed page.
There are multiple ways to access the Design Layer scale. The quickest is:
- Right-click on a blank portion of the drawing area
The Context Menu opens
- Select Active Layer Scale
The Layer Scale dialog opens
Save as a Template
Although this is just a start, it is probably worth saving the document as a Template.
Grid & Snap Settings
One aspect of the Vectorworks User Interface that is often taken for granted is the Snaps bar. This contains crucial controls over the way how your mouse will interact with the geometry you create.