 |
|
Visit Architects, Engineers and Constructors Network |
|
Visit VectorWorking |
 home manuals and tutorials movie-based training online training search support BLOG (Web Log) · Words· Video· Facebook· MySpace· Twitter· YouTubeon-line user group links « previous page |
ArchonCAD Blogs
#18 Searching for archoncad resources?There is a search area on my web site where you can search for resources that I have created. I will continue to add to it, and it will show you if I have made a movie, blog, or manual on the topic you are searching. If there is a result, and it's available on the Internet, there will a link for you to click on.Search archoncad resources here... #17 How Can I Impove my Concept Design?We looked at a quick way to start your projects so that you can check the concept on the site model for solar studies, excavation, the height of the building, how the neighbors affect your concept and so on. This is really qucik and powerful.Watch the movie of the Webinar here... #16 The Problem is Counting, The Answer is WorksheetsRegister for free webinar.I use workshseets all the time to count areas, schedule plants, doors and windows, calculate site areas and so on. I think worksheets are the most underused area of Vectorworks. If you are not using them, you need to attend this webinar to see what you are missing. The webinar is short, and will show you why you need to learn about worksheets. #15 BIM - Can It Make You More Productive or Improve the Quality of Your Work?Register for free webinar.Lots of people talk about BIM (Building Information Modeling), it means as well as creating 2D drawings for plans, sections, and elevations, you can draw walls, floors, roofs and other 3D forms in Vectorworks and use these to create live plans, sections and elevations, as well as extracting non-graphic information from the model like a finish schedule, door and window schedule, and other information like wall areas and glass areas. #14 Webinar for Vectorworks StairsJoin me online for a free webinar on Stairs. I believe when you see how new stair tool, the custom stairs, the simple stair should work, you will find the stairs easy to use. The New stair tool in Vectorworks 2010 works very differently to the old stair, and the old stair is really flexible, which one should you use?#13 Vectorworks For Product DesignI believe that you could use Vectorworks for product design. I've been helping a high school student create a model of a coffee machine. This is a beautiful piece of work, and it shows that you couel use Vectorworks in schools and colleges for design and presentation. The work is all his, I just helped with my 3D Model manual, and Essential Manual. You can see his completed movie here.archoncad is the premier provider of manuals and training resources for VectorWorks, and I write my thoughts, Vectorworks tips and general thoughts on this web site. Jonathan Pickup Corner blogs from vectorworking.com#12 Free - the new priceI'm reading a book called Free: The Future of a Radical Price This is a brilliant book if you are interested in Internet marketing and buildign new products. When I read the book, it gave me a lot to think about with my blogs. That is why I've started to write longer blogs, so you can learn something from the longer blogs. If you enjoy the blog and want to know more, maybe you will email me. If you don't, at least you learned something.
#11 Vectorworks Movies for FreeFor a long time I have been posting short movies to my podcast and YouTube. In total I've had over 100000 views! There are over 87 movies there, and now I see Vectorworks have copied me, with their own movies. Visit these channels now for free training. archoncad channel, Vectorworks channel.#10 Getting Vectorworks SupportIf you need help with a Vectorworks problem, there are a few places you can try. You should try here, at Vectorworking. You can also try the Vectorworks community page.If you want real help straight to your computer, you can try me. I have several clients that want individual help direct to their computers, and they use me. If you want this kind of help email me or visit this page. #9 Getting Training OnlineNext month I start a new course on Vectorworks Landmark. This is a course specifically designed for people that are new to Landmark. The great thing about online courses is that you get the training in small chunks, you get time to practice between sessions, and you do not waste time travelling. Read more...#8 Setting the Layer Height for a RoofI have just finished my user group meetings for my subscribers. Several people wanted clarification on setting the layer heights for roof layers. A lot of confusion seems to be caused by the model setup dialog box. I never use it. Instead, I use the organization dialog box and set up the layers as I want. Read more...#7 Using Layers or ClassesSome people prefer to use extra layers when drawing a rennovation project. I prefer to use one layer for each story of the building. Everything that relates to that floor of the building is on that layer. Read more...#6 Printing ErrorI asked my printer to print some Vectorworks manuals and by mistake, I aske to have some Vectorworks Architect version 12 manuals. I only sell version 12.5 these days, so I can't sell these. I wasn't sure what I could do with these manuals, but I have decided to give them away. I you are using Vectorworks Architect version 12 or 12.5 and you want to have a free copy of the Vectorworks Architecct version 12 (without the CD) then please email me, jon@archoncad.co.nz I have already sent one manual away, so there are only 3 left.#5 Rotate PlanI was recently teaching a client how to move house on a site plan. The house needed to be moved parallel to the site boundary. You could use the smart edge to do this, but I chose to use the rotate plan tool. This lets you rotate the view so site boundary is now orthogonal on the screen. Now it is really easy to drag the house along the boundary. I made a youtube video of this some time ago. Click on this link to see it.#4 Vectorworks for 2010I have noticed an up turn in business lately. At the end of 2009, I had clients that were too busy to attend my online courses, or they were too busy to do their homework. And I have noticed a small improvement in manual sales. These things suggest that things are getting better. I'm not saying the economy is fixed. There are still a lot of people in trouble, but I think the economy is getting slowly better. If you want to get the best from the improving economy, you have to improve your Vectorworks skills. Use the Vectorworks Community Board, use the free resources at NNA, look at the free movies on YouTube, listing to the Podcad Podcast, or my own video podcasts. These are all free, and they will help you.#3 Plan Your New YearAt this time of the year, people make resolutions. New Year's resolutions do not work, so don't bother. Instead, set yourself some goals this year. Set goals for things that you really want to achieve, then break these goals into smaller mini-goals and plans. This is how you get what you want. Why not start out the New Year learning Vectorworks, or learning how to make Vectorworks better? If you attended your local user group and learned how to say 5 minutes a day, that works out to be nearly half an hour a week, 2 hours a month. Wouldn't that be worth the effort to attend? You could look at joining my online user group, this meets 4 times a month for users in different time zones. Even old users of Vectorworks get something every month from these sessions, and from my group you get a manual each month (with movies). I just had an email form a client working on a complex roof. He had put aside a whole day to model 5 roofs around a courtyard. After learning a better way with one of my manuals, he was able to complete the roofs in 15 mins. So, Set some goals. Make some Business, Personal and Family goals. Each goal should be stated in the positive, each goal should be measurable and each goal should have a date. It's no good having a goal that says, "I will try to be better at Vectorworks" Try? you need to say, "By December 2010 I will be 1 hour a day more productive using Vectorworks, and I will achieve this by attending a Vectorworks user group to learn new skills."#2 Take Pleasure in Simple ThingsThe other night I was closing the gates at my place, locking the garage and so on. It was a crystal clear night, and when I looked up, I could see the Milky Way. I live is a country area, with very little light polution, so you can see millions of stars. I went to look for the Southern Cross, our local constellation, and an icon for our country. Looking up at all the stars, I thought it was a very simple pleasure. And I started to think of other simple pleasures we can enjoy; strawberries growing in the garden, zucchini growing in the garden. We should enjoy these simple pleasures. They don't cost a lot, and some of these pleasure can not be bought.#1 End of Year Message 2009At the end of the year, I like to stop and look at what I have done this year, and I like to set goals for next year. These are not like New Year's Resolutions. What I like to do is to write done several goals for the year. The goals have to be specific and measurable. In previous years I have written down my goals and it is amazing to me how much I achieve. This year, for some reason, I did not write down my goals. So, when I look back over the year, I do not have a feeling that I have achieved very much, because I have nothing to measure my activity against. The reality is that I have achieved a great deal. I have updated all the Tutorial manuals that NNA sells for me, I have Novedge in in USA that sells all my new Vector-workout resources, and I have released a range of short manuals. So, I should be happy, and I am. My point is that I have nothing to compare this with, nothing to say "yes, I did it". You need a goal, otherwise you don't know if you have achived something. So this year, follow me and write down a few goals. Make some business goals, family goals and personal goals. You will be amazed how much you achieve. You may not celebrate the same holiday as me, but here is a present for you. I sketched the Sydney Opera House while on holiday with my family. I enjoy sketching and many of my friends have enjoyed this sketch.
|