The Organization dialog box

Command

Path

View bar

Shortcut

Organization

Tools

Ctrl+Shift+O (Windows)

Cmd+Shift+O (Mac)

Create and manage structural elements of the drawing using the Organization dialog box. This dialog box has specialized functions to sort, select, and edit its list items; see List box functionality.

To use the Organization dialog box:

Select the command or click the View bar button.

Alternatively, select Edit View from the Saved Views menu on the View bar.

The Organization dialog box opens.

Select the appropriate tab for the element to be created or edited.

From the top of the dialog box, select either Details or Visibilities view.

Generally, the Details view shows the current settings for each element, and enables editing of layer and class visibilities in the drawing area; the Visibilities view enables editing of layer and class visibilities in viewports and in saved views (see Visibility columns).

Buttons at the bottom of each tab provide creation and management functions. Alternatively, right-click on a list item to display a context menu, which has most of the same functions as the tab buttons.

Classes tab

If a description is entered for the class, it displays in a screen tip when you position the cursor over the class name. On Windows, click the disclosure arrow on the screen tip to collapse or expand it.

Control

Function

Search box

Enter text to filter the list by name

Filter

Select a filter for the list

Manage Filters

(button only)

Opens a dialog box to add, edit, delete, or import filters for the class list; see Filtering and tagging classes and layers

New

(button and command)

Opens the New Class dialog box, for Creating classes.

When a new class is created, it does not automatically become the active class.

To quickly add classes to a hierarchical structure, select an existing row at the desired level before creating a new class. The new class name uses the same prefix by default. For example, if the “Arch-Wall-Ext” class is selected when you create a class, Arch-Wall- is the default prefix.

Edit

(button and command)

Select a class and click Edit to edit the class in the Edit Class(es) dialog box. See Setting class properties. This option is not available when classes are displayed in hierarchical order and a class group header is selected.

Assign Tags

(command only)

Opens the Assign Tags dialog box, to add tags to or remove tags from this item. Use tags to sort the class list, and to define class and layer filters. See Assigning tags.

Duplicate

(button and command)

Select a class and click Duplicate to create a copy of it. The name of the duplicate is the same as the original class, with a number added (for example, cabinets 2); if the original name ends in a number, the next available sequential number is used. This option is not available when classes are displayed in hierarchical order and a class group header is selected. Any tags assigned to the class are duplicated as well.

Delete

(button and command)

Select a class and click Delete to open the Delete Class(es) dialog box. Specify what to do with the objects currently assigned to the class(es) being deleted (delete them, or reassign them to another selected class). All objects in the deleted class(es) are moved to the appropriate class or deleted, as specified. This option is not available when classes are displayed in hierarchical order and a class group header is selected.

Note that the Dimension and None classes cannot be deleted. These are default classes in every drawing.

Preview

(button only)

Displays a preview of the current settings in the drawing area

Class Tags List

(button only)

Opens the Default Class Tags List dialog box, for Creating default tag lists of tags that will be available to assign from the Organization dialog box and Navigation palette. Enter the tag names, pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac) to separate each item.

Select All

(command only)

Selects all classes

Hierarchical display mode

(button and command)

HierarchButton.png

Click to toggle the hierarchical display of classes; additional options are available for controlling the hierarchical display at various levels, and for controlling visibility settings. See Displaying classes in hierarchical order.

Expand All

(command only)

When classes are displayed in hierarchical order, displays all classes in the file

Collapse All

(command only)

When classes are displayed in hierarchical order, collapses the list to display only top-level classes (those with no dash in the name) and class group headers

Design layers tab

The design layer name displays in italics if the layer is referenced; the name is blue if the layer is checked out from a shared project. If a description is entered for the design layer, it displays in a screen tip when you position the cursor over the layer name. If the layer is referenced, the screen tip also displays the full layer name and the source file name. On Windows, click the disclosure arrow on the screen tip to collapse or expand it.

Control

Function

Search box

Enter text to filter the list by name

Filter

Select a filter for the list

Manage Filters

(button only)

Opens a dialog box to add, edit, delete, or import filters for the layer list; see Filtering and tagging classes and layers

New

(button and command)

Opens the New Design Layer dialog box. See Creating layers.

When a new layer is created, it becomes the active layer.

Edit

(button and command)

Select a layer and click Edit to edit it in the Edit Design Layers dialog box. See Setting design layer properties.

Assign Tags

(command only)

Opens the Assign Tags dialog box, to add or remove tags from this item. Use tags to define class and layer filters. See Assigning tags.

Duplicate

(button and command)

Select a design layer and click Duplicate to create a copy of it. The name of the duplicate is the same as the original layer, with a number added (as in floorplan-2); if the original name ends in a number, the next available sequential number is used.

Delete

(button and command)

Select a design layer and click Delete; when prompted, click Yes to confirm the deletion. When a design layer is removed from the drawing, all objects in that layer are also removed.

Note that at least one design layer must remain in the drawing.

Preview

(button only)

Displays a preview of the current settings in the drawing area

Layer Tags List

(button only)

Opens the Default Layer Tags List dialog box, for Creating default tag lists of tags that will be available to assign from the Organization dialog box and Navigation palette. Enter the tag names, pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac) to separate each item.

Page Setup

(button only)

Opens the Page Setup dialog box; see Page setup

Update Reference

(command only)

(Layer import referencing method only) Available if a design layer has been referenced into this file. Select a referenced layer and then select Update Reference to update this file with layer information from the master file. See Referencing features.

Check Out

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project. Select a layer and then select Check Out to check out the layer for editing. The layer name displays in blue when it is currently checked out. See Layers tab.

Release

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project. Select a layer and then select Release to release a checked out layer so that other project users can edit it. See Layers tab.

Administrative Release

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project, and you have administrative permission. Select a layer and then select Administrative Release to release a layer checked out by another user. See Layers tab.

Select All

(command only)

Selects all design layers

Arch.pngStories tab

In the Vectorworks Architect product, an additional Stories tab is available; see Setting up the building structure with stories.

Sheet layers tab

The sheet layer name displays in blue if the layer is checked out from a shared project. If a description is entered for the sheet layer, it displays in a screen tip when you position the cursor over the layer name. On Windows, click the disclosure arrow on the screen tip to collapse or expand it.

Control

Function

Search box

Enter text to filter the list by name

Filter

Select a filter for the list

Manage Filters

(button only)

Opens a dialog box to add, edit, delete, or import filters for the layer list; see Filtering and tagging classes and layers

New

(button and command)

Opens the New Sheet Layer dialog box. See Creating layers.

When a new layer is created, it becomes the active layer.

Edit

(button and command)

Select a sheet layer and click Edit to edit it in the Edit Sheet Layers dialog box. See Setting sheet layer properties.

Assign Tags

(command only)

Opens the Assign Tags dialog box, to add or remove tags from this item. Use tags to define class and layer filters. See Assigning tags.

Duplicate

(button and command)

Select a sheet layer and click Duplicate to create a copy of it. The Sheet Title of the duplicate is the same as the original layer. The Sheet Number of the duplicate is the same as the original layer, with a number added (as in details-2); if the original Sheet Number ends in a number, the next available sequential number is used.

Delete

(button and command)

Select a sheet layer and click Delete; when prompted, click Yes to confirm the deletion

Preview

(button only)

Displays a preview of the current settings in the drawing area

Layer Tags List

(button only)

Opens the Default Layer Tags List dialog box, for Creating default tag lists of tags that will be available to assign from the Organization dialog box and Navigation palette. Enter the tag names, pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac) to separate each item.

Check Out

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project. Select a layer and then select Check Out to check out the layer for editing. The layer name displays in blue when it is currently checked out. See Layers tab.

Release

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project. Select a layer and then select Release to release a checked out layer so that other project users can edit it. See Layers tab.

Administrative Release

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project, and you have administrative permission. Select a layer and then select Administrative Release to release a layer checked out by another user. See Layers tab.

Select All

(command only)

Selects all sheet layers

Viewports tab

The viewport name displays in blue if it is checked out from a shared project.

Button / Command

Function

Search box

Enter text to filter the list by name

New

(button and command)

Opens the Create Viewport dialog box. For sheet layer viewports, see Creating a sheet layer viewport from a design layer. For design layer viewports (Vectorworks Design Suite required), see Creating a referenced design layer viewport.

Edit

(button and command)

Select a viewport and then select Edit to edit it in the Properties dialog box; see Viewport properties

Duplicate

(button and command)

Select a viewport and click Duplicate to create a copy of it. The name of the duplicate is the same as the original viewport, with a number added (as in details-2); if the original name ends in a number, the next available sequential number is used.

The Drawing Title of the duplicate is the same as the original viewport. If the original viewport has a drawing label, the Drawing Number of the label in the duplicate viewport is the next available sequential number.

Vectorworks places the duplicate viewport directly on top of the original, in the original sheet layer.

Delete

(button and command)

Select a viewport and click Delete; when prompted, click Yes to confirm the deletion

Preview

(button only)

Displays a preview of the current settings in the drawing area

Check Out

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project. Select a viewport and then select Check Out to check out the viewport for editing. The viewport name displays in blue when it is currently checked out.

Release

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project. Select a viewport and then select Release to release a checked out viewport so that other project users can edit it.

Administrative Release

(command only)

Available if this is a shared project, and you have administrative permission. Select a viewport and then select Administrative Release to release a viewport checked out by another user.

Select All

(command only)

Selects all viewports

Saved views tab

Button / Command

Function

Search box

Enter text to filter the list by name

New

(button and command)

Opens the Save View dialog box; see Creating saved views

Edit

(button and command)

Select a saved view and click Edit to edit it in the Edit Saved View dialog box; see Editing saved views

Duplicate

(button and command)

Select a saved view and click Duplicate to create a copy of it. The name of the duplicate is the same as the original view, with a number added (as in deckview-2); if the original name ends in a number, the next available sequential number is used.

Delete

(button and command)

Select a saved view and click Delete; when prompted, click Yes to confirm the deletion

Select All

(command only)

Selects all saved views

References tab

Button / Command

Function

New

(button and command)

Opens the Open File dialog box. For layer import references, see Adding and editing reference files. For design layer viewport references (Vectorworks Design Suite required), see Creating a referenced design layer viewport.

Edit

(button and command)

Select a referenced file and click Edit to open the Edit Reference dialog box. For layer import references, see Adding and editing reference files. For design layer viewport references (Vectorworks Design Suite required), see Creating a referenced design layer viewport.

Delete

(button and command)

Select a referenced file and click Delete. In the Delete Reference dialog box, specify what to do with the items in the file that are currently referenced. See Deleting references.

Update

(button and command)

Select a referenced file and click Update to update this file with information from the master file. See Updating references.

Settings

(button only)

Opens the Reference Settings dialog box; see Setting the referencing options

Select All

(command only)

Selects all references

Organizing the drawing

Concept: Layers overview

Concept: Classes overview

Saved views

Workgroups and referencing

Project sharing

 

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