Vectorworks 2010 Products 21
Vectorworks Spotlight 2010 Getting Started Guide
Understanding Symbols
Symbols are great things, they are specically intended for items that repeat, but I also use them for one-off objects. It helps in
my organization.
Symbols can be 2D, 3D or Hybrid. Hybrid symbols include both 2D and 3D data. In the T
op/Plan view only the simple 2D is
represented. In the other views, the 3D representation is shown. The lighting Instruments we looked at earlier are hybrid symbols. I
draw all of my scenic elements as Hybrids.
Symbols help control the size of your le. A symbol denition is stored only once in your le. If you edit a symbol, all instances of that
symbol will be updated. Data can be attached to a symbol.
Any object can be saved as a symbol and will be stored for your access via the Resource Browser. You can then readily edit the symbol
by right clicking on the symbol in the RB.
Elements within symbols can be given classes for rendering and line weight. The symbol itself can also be classed, in this case
DO NOT CHECK the “Use at Creation” box and assign no attributes.
If you have moving scenery, you can have multiple instances of the same symbol with different classes to show the unit on stage
and in storage.
Available Resources
Go Back to your Vectorworks application directory and look at the many libraries provided. You can add more as favorites so their
contents can be accessible via the RB or you can open some of these les and then access via the RB. In the latter case, you can right
click on a symbol and either ‘import’ or ‘reference’ the symbol. We’ll get to what a ‘reference’ is in just a bit.
Take some time to look through the valuable content that NNA has assembled. In addition to the audio gear and lighting equipment you
will nd furniture, hardware and xtures that will prove useful.
Creating Symbols
Since we haven’t begun to draw, let’s see how a hybrid symbol is made by taking one apart. Start a new document, select a larger layer
scale (like 1”=1’-0”) in the View Bar and import a Source 4 - 36° degree instrument. By importing the instrument we will not risk
destroying the original.
Double click on the symbol in the RB of your active document. Note the drop down menu at the top of the RB that allows you to select
the active document, other documents that are open and any favorites.
Since this symbol contains lighting data, Vectorworks knows that you are inserting an instrument and the Instrument Insertion Tool in
the Spotlight Toolset becomes active. There is a 2D Symbol insertion tool in the Basic Tool Set and a 3D Symbol Insertion Tool in the
3D Modeling Tool Set.
To Next Page
Loading...