Additional content now available for the VBvisual Plant tool

More high-quality 3D plants from VBvisual are now available

Adding 3D Plants from VBvisual

Fundamentals

New IFC Data Mappings command

The BIM data of drawing objects and IFC entities can be mapped to an IFC equivalent prior to export, reducing manual data assignment and improving the IFC export process

Managing IFC Data Mapping

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Export DOE-2 command removal

The Export DOE-2 command is now a legacy command, and is no longer part of any standard workspaces

Not applicable

Not applicable

Vision integration with the lighting device

Many of the Vision-specific properties of a lighting device can now be set from the Lighting Device dialog box in addition to the Edit Vision Data command.

Changing Device Properties

Spotlight

New Z Rotation parameter for lighting instruments

The rotation angle of lighting instruments in 3D views can be set independently from the Top/Plan rotation angle

Lighting Device Properties

Spotlight

New water budget schedules for use in the United States

Two new schedules have been added for creating water budget reports that satisfy California MWELO and EPA WaterSense requirements. These schedules use information from a new Plant Type parameter included for hydrozones. The new parameter is also useful for general reporting purposes.

Preformatted Schedules for Vectorworks Landmark and Creating a Hydrozone

Landmark

BIMobject tool improvements

The process has been improved for non-Vectorworks content download

Inserting Architectural Objects from BIMobject

Architect

Marionette tutorials

Two new tutorials, one basic and one more advanced, have been added to the online help system

Marionette Tutorial: Creating a Simple Extrude and Marionette Tutorial: Creating a Simple Cabinet

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

New BIMobject tool

A variety of architectural content with BIM data attached is available from BIMobject® Corporation, a content clearinghouse. Browse and download objects from manufacturer product catalogs, obtain and update product information, and attach extended property set data.

Inserting Architectural Objects from BIMobject

Architect

Resource Manager

●    The new Resource Manager palette replaces the Resource Browser palette with a modern, intuitive interface to manage and organize resources, and to access the hundreds of Vectorworks resource libraries available, as well as your own custom user and workgroup libraries.

●    The new Resource Selector now automatically displays in many places in the application where resources are used, making it easy to browse and select resources.

●    The Vectorworks content libraries have been greatly expanded, reorganized, and updated to allow easy access to resources through the new Resource Manager palette and Resource Selector.

Resource Manager

Fundamentals

Viewport data visualization

The attributes of objects within sheet layer viewports can be controlled based on data in attached record formats, providing flexible options for presentation

Viewport Data Visualization

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Enhanced navigational graphics in Top/Plan view

Faster, smoother, and more accurate graphics display during zoom, pan, and animated view changes, and Top/Plan views match the fidelity of the print or PDF output; the navigational graphics preference can be changed for video hardware that cannot support the enhanced quality

Vectorworks Preferences: Display Tab

Fundamentals

Export web views

You can now export web views that allow for an interactive 3D viewing experience on any device that is connected to the internet

Exporting Web Views (3D only) and Viewing Web Views from an Internet Browser

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Renderworks for all

All Vectorworks packages now include the Renderworks rendering feature set, helping you and your clients visualize projects throughout the design process, and producing clear and accurate illustrations

Not applicable

Fundamentals

Vectorworks Cloud Services for all

Previously, Vectorworks Cloud Services was only available for users who were Vectorworks Service Select subscribers. Now, even if you are not a subscriber, you can create a cloud library that includes both Vectorworks and non-Vectorworks files, and use the Vectorworks Nomad iOS mobile app to view 3D models of Vectorworks files.

The new file sharing feature allows you to share files with specific users, and view files others have shared with you.

Not applicable

Fundamentals

New cable tools

A new suite of tools and commands for cable management has been added to Vectorworks Spotlight to allow entertainment industry professionals to plan cable runs, estimate required parts, prepare the number and types of cables required for a site, and create the diagrams and paperwork needed for electrical cabling work

Cable Tools

Spotlight

New irrigation tools

A new suite of irrigation tools and commands allows professionals to comprehensively design and analyze irrigation systems, as well as prepare accurate, as-built drawings. Designers of all levels, and across a broad range of industries, will be able to take advantage of this new functionality.

Irrigation

Landmark

Plug-in object styles for doors and windows

New plug-in object styles allow you to set fixed values of some parameters for all object instances in a file, while editing other parameters for each instance. Currently, plug-in object styles are available for door and window objects.

Creating Plug-in Object Styles

Fundamentals

Revit file format import

Revit files ( .rvt or  .rfa) can now be directly imported; the geometry of the resulting entity can be edited

Importing a Revit File

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Camera Match

The Camera Match suite of commands and tools places a photograph into a model and adjusts the model to match the perspective view, creating a realistic view with the photo as part of the model

Camera Match

Fundamentals

New Slab Drainage tool

A new tool allows you to create drainage systems for slab objects such as flat roofs and patios

Creating Slab Drainage Systems

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Project sharing improvements

Project files can now be shared via any of the following cloud-based file storage services: Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

Object-level checkout allows multiple users to work on the same sheet or design layer when needed.

Project Sharing

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

New Structural Member tool

The new tool draws straight and polylinear structural members composed of a variety of common materials and shapes; the members can be associated to create networks and have IFC support

Creating Structural Members

Architect

Vision integration with the lighting device

The Fixture Mode of a lighting device can be specified from the Object Info palette; this adds default Vision data to the device. The default data can be edited through Vision by selecting the Edit Vision Data command in the Vectorworks Spotlight program.

Editing Vision Data

Spotlight

Vision video source

When sending a Vectorworks file to the Vision program, a video screen object or 3D drawing geometry can be identified for use as a video surface for use in Vision.

Identifying a Video Source for the Vision Program

Spotlight

Send to Vision

A Vectorworks Spotlight file can be exported to an .esc file for use in Vision, or sent directly to Vision

Exporting in Vision Format

Spotlight

Vision export data mapping

The mapping of certain lighting device fields between the Vectorworks and Vision programs can be configured

Mapping Vision Data

Spotlight

Improved palette docking

Palette docking behavior has been improved, and on Mac, new docking options include the ability to dock document windows to the application window and to hide palettes when not in use

Docking Palettes

Fundamentals

Vectorworks file information provided

A new dialog box provides file information for the active Vectorworks document, including the locations of both the working file and associated project file if you are working in project sharing

File Information

Fundamentals

Site protection server improvements

The Login Settings dialog box has been improved, and now enables Automatically find servers by default, because it can find multiple servers. Modules are selected from a list for clarity. Servers are managed from a list in the new Servers dialog box, and servers in use can be displayed from the Vectorworks preferences while the program is in use.

Launching Vectorworks on a Client Machine

Fundamentals

Background log uploading

An improved process for uploading user and crash log information happens in the background during normal operations and does not delay using or quitting Vectorworks. This also allows a new option for collecting more detailed (but still anonymous) usage information to help improve the software.

Vectorworks Preferences: Session Tab

Fundamentals

Editing image attributes

When importing images or creating image resources, image attributes such as color and image size can be edited, with update information displaying the effect of the changes on the image’s file size. The attributes can also be edited after import.

Importing Image Files and Using Image Fills

Fundamentals

Attributes palette improvements

The Attributes palette now has a new option to apply drop shadows to objects in Top/Plan view and has separate settings for pen and fill opacity

Drop Shadow Attributes and Opacity Attributes

Fundamentals

Improved transparency support

You can now import and present images with alpha channels, which improves transparency options

Importing an Image File, Rendering a Selected Area, and Advanced Sheet Layer Viewport Properties

Fundamentals

Import Cinema 4D textures

Cinema 4D textures can be imported for use as a resource in Vectorworks files

Importing Cinema 4D Textures

Fundamentals

Point cloud enhancements

You now have more control over how point cloud objects are imported and viewed

Importing a Point Cloud Object and Editing Point Cloud Objects

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

New option for both single and batch PDF export

Rasterize PDF exports the drawing in bitmapped format to avoid potential imaging problems when printing or viewing the PDF. This reduces the complexity of the PDF and ensures the reliability of the appearance.

Exporting PDF Files

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Export image file with transparent background

The Export Image File, Publish, and Create Batch Render Job commands can now export image files with transparent backgrounds

Exporting an Image File

Fundamentals

Export OBJ (3D Only) command

You can now export OBJ files for use in 3D modeling and visualization workflows

Exporting OBJ (3D only)

Fundamentals

Cinema 4D, COLLADA, and FBX 3D export improvements

You can now control scene organization and specify objects for export to Cinema 4D, COLLADA, and FBX

Exporting in Cinema 4D Format (3D only) , Exporting in COLLADA Format (3D only), and Exporting in FBX Format (3D only)

Fundamentals

DXF/DWG and DWF improvements

Improvements include:

●    Textures and texture mapping can now be imported from AutoCAD materials

●    Improved import of 2D and 3D symbols, and maintenance of planar position, rotation, and elevation for objects including dimensions, text, and hatches

●    Symbol definitions created on import are now collected in a DXF/DWG folder for easy access from the Resource Manager

Import Options: Graphic Attributes Tab

Fundamentals

Export viewports to DWG/DXF and DWF with overridden graphic attributes

A new Export Using Overridden Attributes option on the DXF/DWG Export Options dialog box and the DWF Export Options dialog box helps preserve the 2D appearance of objects on a viewport after export

DXF/DWG and DWF Export Options

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

IFC 4 release supported

Support has been added for IFC version 4

Importing IFC Files and Exporting IFC Projects

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

IFC and COBie support for systems and groups

Custom IFC systems and groups can be created and attached to IFC entities, for use when exporting to IFC and COBie and for creating COBie worksheets

Assigning IFC Data to Zones, Systems, and Groups

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Enhanced BIM workflows with the new BCF Manager

Issues, proposals, change requests, and other text saved in a BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) file can now be opened and edited, as well as created and saved, from Vectorworks. The BCF file contains visual information and object identifiers, allowing you to navigate directly to the objects involved, which is convenient when working with large models.

Managing BCF Information

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Improve dragging for coincident objects

Vectorworks now considers an object’s selection state when determining which coincident object to drag

Coincident Object Selection

Fundamentals

Master snap points

A new object snapping type called master snap points can take priority over other snap points, making snapping in complex drawing areas much faster.

Object Snapping, Concept: Snapping Indicators

Fundamentals

View Center mode for Flyover tool

The new mode, which is active by default when you activate the tool, automatically sets the center of rotation so you can begin flying right away; this mode also has a slower orbit speed than the other modes for ease of control

Flyover

Fundamentals

3D mouse improvements

Commands and tools that are frequently used in Vectorworks can be mapped to physical buttons on the 3D mouse. Loop through navigation and projection modes, or map these functions to a 3D mouse button. The names of the navigation modes have changed to match the 3D mouse terminology.

Using a 3D Mouse

Fundamentals

Story support for symbols and plug-in objects

Hybrid and 3D symbol definitions can be made “story aware,” with the insertion point set by default to the layer elevation or to a story level. Symbol instances can be set to a different story level from the Object Info palette.

Creating Symbol Definitions

Architect

Expanded functionality for subdivision modeling

New commands and modes allow you to convert existing objects into subdivision objects and provide new methods for editing subdivision models

Subdivision Modeling

Fundamentals

Convert objects to subdivision objects

Convert existing meshes, 2D polygons, 3D polygons, and solid objects with planar faces into subdivision objects for modeling. Subdivisions are no longer restricted to cage mesh faces with four vertices.

Modeling Subdivision Objects

Fundamentals

Marionette improvements

Marionette nodes now display as page-based objects, at 1:1 scale on the screen plane. Error messages are more helpful and descriptive, and the libraries of Marionette content have been reorganized for ease of use. New functionality added to the Object Info palette includes a slider control, button to open a dialog box, and radio button controls.

Visual Scripting with Marionette

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Energos update

The Energos commands have been moved under the AEC menu. A number of other improvements have been made, including new export data options, new unit options, dialog box simplification, and improved calculations.

Energos Energy Analysis Module and Units

Architect

Update Spaces command

The Update Spaces command, which replaces the Update Space Boundaries command, lets you choose which spaces to update

Updating Spaces

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Slab edge bounding improvements

The Slab tool offers flexibility to create a slab with some edges that are manual and some that are automatically bounded to walls. You can also now set different offsets for each edge and component of a slab.

Creating Slabs with Both Automatically Bounded and Manual Edges and Setting Edge Offsets

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Cut plane for design layers

After defining and enabling a design layer cut plane elevation, the appearance of drawing objects like walls, curtain walls, wall features, windows and other objects inserted in walls, auto hybrid objects, and structural members is automatically adjusted to display with preset cut plane attributes or a specified class.

Setting Design Layer Properties, Wall Display with Design Layer Cut Plane Enabled

Architect

New Delete Wall Peaks command

This command automatically removes wall peaks from the top and/or bottom of a selected wall in one operation

Deleting Wall Peaks

Architect, Landmark

Improved error handling for stairs

When a problem occurs while setting stair parameters, due to contradictory values, locked values, or restrictions, a new and helpful dialog box suggests a resolution so that the stair can be calculated

Stair Geometry Errors

Architect, Landmark

Elevator tool improvements

Improvements to include the ability to add a rear door, provide more accurate sizing, and allow more granular control over appearance and visibility

Inserting Elevators

Architect

Improved resizing of pitched framing members

A new Lock End on Resize parameter allows you to resize pitched framing members from the start point, instead of the end point

Creating Framing Members

Architect, Landmark

Add a Material parameter for the Framing Member tool

You can now specify the material for framing members

Creating Framing Members

Architect, Landmark

Rename Create Joists from Poly command

Renamed to Create Joists command to be more accurate

Framing a Floor

Architect, Landmark

Lock Centroid Position option for structural steel objects

You can now lock the centroid position of angle, bulb flat, channel, I-beam, tee, wide flange, and Z-section objects, so that the centroid remains in position if the object’s shape/size/rotation is edited

Multiple locations

Fundamentals

New Custom Cabinet tool

A new Custom Cabinet tool provides greater flexibility in the design of casework

Creating Custom Cabinets

Fundamentals

Cabinet and shelving unit improvements

In addition to new parameters that provide greater flexibility in the design of cabinets and shelving units, these objects now uniformly increase their width in the positive X direction when edited, and improved texture mapping displays the correct wood grain direction

Inserting Cabinets and Inserting Shelving Units

Fundamentals

Georeferencing improvements

Improvements to document georeferencing include new options for WKT projection, the ability to transform imported images to match the georeferenced layer’s projection, and support for  .ecw, .jp2, and  .ntv2 files

Entering Georeferencing Information for the Document, Transforming Geometry with NTV2 files, and Importing Georeferenced Images

Landmark

Railing / Fence tool

This new tool creates a railing or fence along a specified path using standard polyline creation modes. You can also create railings and fences along a single, straight 3D line at any angle.

Creating Railings and Fences

Architect, Landmark

Stake object improvements

Stake objects can now be inserted using the Grid Method Entry command, and new parameters accessible via the Stake tool improve the objects’ 3D appearance

Adding Source Data by Grid Method Entry and Inserting Stake Objects

Architect, Landmark

Lock site modifiers when locking the site model

The Lock and Unlock commands now provide an option to make the lock status of all applicable site modifiers match the site model status

Locking and Unlocking Objects

Architect, Landmark

Site model geometry elevation control

A new parameter in the Object Info palette of a selected site model sets the lowest elevation of the site model geometry

Setting Site Model Properties

Architect, Landmark

Property Line tool update

Improvements include a new mode for drawing a property line, several new parameters to customize tags and labels, and new preformatted schedules for reporting data on the object’s lines and curves

Property Line Tool

Architect, Landmark

Plant tool update

Several improvements have been made to the Plant tool, such as new spacing parameters, tag positioning, graphic options, and a hedge mode; additionally, almost 600 new plant records and 1200 plant images from the Proven Winners catalog are added to the Vectorworks Plant Database

Creating Plant Definitions, Adding Plants to the Design

Landmark

Landscape Area tool improvements

Improvements include new ways to apply settings from existing landscape areas to new landscape areas and randomization options to make 3D plant groupings appear more natural

Creating Landscape Areas

Landmark

Object subclasses

A new, flexible class nomenclature system has been created for the following Vectorworks Spotlight objects, with class prefix and subclassing options: stage structures, screens, speakers, soft goods, hoists and hoist origins, lighting pipe and ladders, lighting positions, seating layouts, and label legends, and for Vectorworks Architect, seating layouts.

Spotlight Setup, various other locations

Architect, Spotlight

Updated Create Room command

When creating a room for event design, a slab is now the basis of the floor, instead of a floor object, for improved functionality

Creating the Room for a Basic Event

Spotlight

Seating layout improvements

New spacing and placement options provide greater control of seating layouts

Creating a Basic Seating Layout

Architect, Spotlight

New Create Seating Section command

A more robust and flexible Create Seating Section command replaces the Create Event Seating command; new record data, a record format, and worksheet functions are added for more complete reporting

Creating Seating Sections

Spotlight

Audio, visual, and soft goods tool improvements

Several improvements and additional features have been added to the soft goods, video screen, and speaker/speaker array objects

Inserting Soft Goods , Inserting Video Screen Objects, Inserting Speakers and Speaker Arrays

Spotlight

New Rope and Stanchion tool

A new tool creates common barricade objects for crowd control, as a realistic addition to event designs

Creating Barriers with the Rope and Stanchion Tool

Spotlight

Replace with Stock Symbols command

Stage decks and truss objects with similar parameters can be replaced with a symbol, for consistency and better reporting

Replacing Stage Decks and Trusses with Symbols

Spotlight

Stage object terminology improvements

Minor terminology changes were made to certain stage structure parameters for consistency

Inserting Stage Structures

Spotlight

New Dimension Tape tool

The new dimension tape object is a quick reference for approximate placement of objects that do not require final alignment until installation

Placing a Dimension Tape

Spotlight

Lighting device improvements

The Locate Symbol in Resource Manager command now works for lighting devices; new parameters in the Object Info palette of a selected lighting device provide cost, time, voltage, and breaker information; and the bounding box around lighting devices is now more precise

Locating a Resource from the Drawing and Lighting Device Properties

Spotlight

Lighting device focus information

New parameters in the Object Info palette of a selected lighting instrument provide focus point angles and other information

Lighting Device Properties

Spotlight

Number Instruments command improvements

The Number Instruments command has been improved with new options and the ability to set a limit so that you can change values and continue numbering in one smooth workflow

Numbering Instruments Manually

Spotlight

3D label legend

Label legends can now include a 3D portion that displays in 3D views and has its own text formatting, class, and container

Setting Up Instrument Label Legends

Spotlight

Copy label position

The Eyedropper tool now transfers label locations between similar Vectorworks Spotlight objects, saving time and easily making drawings look consistent

Transferring Attributes

Spotlight

Hoist tool improvements

New parameters for hoists include a Cable Pick hoist function, the ability to rotate a hoist symbol, and the designation of a hoist as a double purchase hoist. The Set Hoist Data Display dialog box is now accessed from the Object Info palette. A separator can now be placed in the hoist number label, between the hoist name and number.

Placing Hoists, Hoist Display Options

Spotlight

Interior elevation viewports

You can now create as many as four interior elevation viewports simultaneously with a single command

Creating Interior Elevation Viewports

Architect

Interior-Elevation Marker tool

A new tool creates a simple interior-elevation marker in the drawing

Interior-Elevation Markers

Fundamentals

Drawing labels for sheet layer viewports

Sheet layer viewports gain new drawing label options

Creating Sheet Layer Viewports

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Texture mapping improvements

The Object Info palette’s Render tab now supports texture mapping of wall textures with the render Mode set to By Component and of plug-in objects with custom texture parts defined by the plug-in object’s developer. Additionally, textures now flow more smoothly across the surface of rendered subdivision objects.

Not applicable

Fundamentals

Callout object enhancements

The Callout tool has new capabilities to create leader lines with multiple points, and to create callout objects with multiple leader lines

Inserting Callouts or Keynotes and Editing a Callout Object

Fundamentals

Scalable worksheets

New options make it easy to scale worksheets within the drawing area or to fit on a printed page

Scaling Worksheets and Worksheet Menu

Fundamentals

Custom resolution for images in worksheet cells

In the Worksheet Preferences dialog box, you can now specify the desired resolution for images in worksheet cells

Worksheet Menu

Architect, Landmark, Spotlight

Improvements to various dialog boxes for editing data attached to drawing objects

The Data tab of the Object Info palette, Edit Field dialog box, and Attach Record dialog box have been updated to make data entry easier

Creating Record Formats and Attaching Record Formats to a Symbol Definition

Fundamentals

Rename VA Create Schedule command

In the Architect workspace, the VA Create Schedule command was renamed Choose Schedule, to match the commands for the Spotlight and Landmark workspaces.

The following commands were removed from the Architect workspace:

●    VA Set Project Prefs 

●    VA Create Records and Schedules 

●    VA Create Record 

Using Preformatted Schedules

Architect

Improved online help system

The help system has been reorganized, with a workflow-based Table of Contents and an improved landing page. The idea of “Concepts” has been introduced, with a special indicator to differentiate concept topics from procedural topics.

Online help system

Improved the documentation about symbols

The section describing symbols, the creation of symbols, and the methods of editing symbols has been completely re-written for improved clarity and understanding

Symbols

Improved the documentation about records, reports, and schedules

Reorganized and updated the help topics describing how to attach data to drawing objects, and how to create reports and schedules from the data

Records, Reports, and Schedules

Online help feedback form

Every page in the online help system now contains a link that opens a feedback form in your browser. You can make suggestions or report a problem about the online help system.

Help Feedback Form