VectorWorks Tutorial
Chapter III. Planning and setting up a plate.  (Drafting The Theater)
 
Open File
Start by opening your previously saved file.  (where did you save it?)
If you did not save the Original getting started  file, repeat the steps of Opening a new document, set the Layer Scale to 1/4"=1'-0" and Set Grid to 12" squares.
Project:
Floorplan Stationary Sheet		 One of the advantages of using CAD is that constants such as a theater floorplan or title block do not need to be re-drafted each time.  In this exercise, a floorplan stationary  sheet will be created.
Page Setup

Under FILE menubar
Select
Print setup...

Select
Landscape

The list of printers is a drop menu. 
Select Scales 211
printer.  (This should be the default printer)

Click 

[Link to Print Prob]

 The print size of a document is denoted by the grid area on the screen. Setting the paper orientation and drawing size at the start of a new plate is useful, though these may be altered at any time in the process.

Drawing Size
(Print area)

Under the Page Menu

Select
Set Print area...

Select one page, by clicking on the upper left box.

Click 
Page View

ViewBar
(lower left of the Vectorworks Window)
Clicking on the grid button on the View bar
displays the entire print area on the screen.

The [100] button shows the file at full size.
Setting Origin

Under Page Menubar

Select Set Origin 

[Contr]+8 is the keyboard shortcut.

 The default setting on the Vectorworks rulers are to the center of the print area.  It is frequently useful to reset the origin of the rulers.  I generally set the origin in the lower left corner for an elevation or working drawing.  This exercise is a plan view so the origin will be set center right to left, but lower on the page.
 
 
The origin can be selected by the next mouse click.
Click  and the cursor changes to a circle with vertical and horizontal references.

Locate  the cursor at on the zero on the X axis and about -10 feet on the Y axis at the zero point and click.
An alternative method would be to select the Next mouse click is:
and type the coordinates as X=0 and Y= -10'.  enter 
Time to start drawing.
CenterLine

Select the Single Line tool (2d pal)

Select the + constraint.

align your mouse on the 0" mark and drag down the page.

While the line is still selected, Open the Object Information Palette.  [control] + I is the keyboard shortcut.  Make sure that the X location is at 0".  If not, adjust the coordinates.
Plaster Line

Another way of creating a line is  by the dialog box method.

Double click on the Single Line tool.

This method useful if you know the size or p placement of the object that is being created.

 Sometimes it may be useful to create a line by dialog box. 
 
The first two fields show the change in both the X Y coordinates.

As the plasterline is going to run horizontally the Y value is 0.

The width of the proscenium is 32' so that is the X value.

The 3 position box is the starting place for the line that is being created.  It makes sense to use the center point selection, which will fall on the origin point of our drawing. 
(Deselect position at next click button)

Hit [Return] or click on 

A solid line should appear.  Use the Attributes palette to make the PlasterLine a long dashed line.
Proscenium

More complex shapes maybe constructed by adding or slicing shapes, as well as manipulating the basic ones.
The constructed elements may then be copied. To illustrate this we will build the SR proscenium wall and then copy it.
The first step in creating the SR proscenium wall is to create a rectangle and it is going to be located by dialog box.

Double click on the rectangle tool to bring up the create Rectangle Dialog box.

Type in the x and y coordinates.
The width of the proscenium opening is 28' so the X value is -14"-0".  The placement Y value is 0".

Click the upper left placement square, so that the rectangle will be downstage and off stage of the placement point.
Click 

Second Shape
Use the create rectangle dialog box to create an new rectangle, 2' high and 3' wide, aligned to the lower outside corner that was created in the previous step.
Draw a Circle

Circles or ovals may be created in a similar way to rectangles.
Double click the circle tool to bring up the dialog box.

Enter 1'-6" as the Radius and select the center at next click.

Click 

Align the smart cursor over the corner of the newest rectangle and click to create the circle.
Clip Surface

The clip surface tool enables on shape to cut into the shape of another surface.

The Top Surface clips the lower surface.

(See object order and use send to adjust)
 
To use the Clip Surface tool one must select two overlapping surfaces. 

Select Both surfaces by holding down the shift key.

From the Tool menu...
Select Clip surface.  The "bite" is taken out of the lower object.

Click off the objects and move or delete the top object to reveal newly shaped object.
 

Circle moved to reveal the clipped area of the rectangle.
Rotate

There are  several ways of rotating an object. 

This method is for keyboard entry of an angle.

 Create an new Rectangle that is 4' long by 9" deep.
Under the Tool menu, Select Rotate.
The pop out menu box gives some options.
Selecting the Rotate... bar allows keyboard entry of the rotation angle. 
Select 45 and 
Move the object
Using the Cursor, pick the rotated rectangle by the corner and align it with the corner of the clipped object. Using the Move Dialog box. [Cntrl+M]
Move the object X= -1'-6" and Y= -1'-3"
Add Surface
Holding down the [Shift Key] Select both objects.
From the Tool Menu Select Add Surface.
The objects will fuse into one.
Two objects Selected. After the Add Surface Command
Repeat 
Add Surface
Hold down the Shift Key and Select both objects and Repeat the Add Surface command from the Tool Menu.
Change Attributes
The attributes for the Theater Proscenium need to reflect the drafting conventions for architectural structure.

Using the Attributes palette, select the object.  Change the fill to a gray and the increase the line weights.
Draw  the 
Smoke Pockets
There are many ways to approach every drawing problem.  A line can be created by dragging, or by dialog box, it may be moved through dragging or dialog box, or object information. 
Create a "Smoke pocket" that is 8" deep and 12" wide on the back of the proscenium. 
Change the thickness of the line weight to 20.
Group

A tool for object management is to group objects together so they are moved as a unit
Select the objects that you want to group, either by holding  down  the [shift] key or by using the depressed mouse to draw a marquee around the objects to group. 
Holding down [shift] and clicking an object toggles the selection.
Selected objects Grouped objects
Edit group

Use the edit group command under Organize 
or

[Control]+ [ as the keyboard shortcut.
To edit a group, select the group.
Under the Organize Menubar select Edit Group.
Only that group will appear on screen. 
To finish editing, click exit group on the upper right of the window.
Mirror & Duplicate
Once this one side of the proscenium is complete it is easy to mirror and duplicate.
To Mirror and Duplicate
Select the object.

From the Modify Palette
Select Mirror.

Select 
Mirror & Duplicate from the options row.
The axis for the mirror and duplication is defined by the next mouse action.

Click on the Centerline and hold the shift key to constrain.
Drag Down and click to create the new copy.

Arc Tool
Select all
Using the [Control]+ A Selects all objects.
This command may also be found under the Edit Menubar.
Lock Objects

An object or group may be locked so that they will not be accidentally altered or deleted.  This is a good operation with the theater architecture. 
Select an object, or Group or Select all.
Under the Tool Menubar Select Lock.
The black vertices in the object will turn to Gray.
Unlock Objects
If a locked object is selected and an attempt to move it an warning will appear.

To edit or move a locked object, select the object and select Unlock from the Tool Menubar.
Draw Title block
Draw a Basic Title Block.
Text Tool
Group the Title block
Save as 
Stationary

Under the File Menu
Select Save As Stationary		 The obvious time saving application of Vectorworks is that once the building is drawn that this file can be opened with the basic theater in place.  This is called a Stationary file.

Under the File Menu select Save as Stationary
Enter a new filename and Click on the Save button.
Print At the start of this Tutorial, the Print Set-up Menu was addressed.
(Review the Print set up and Printer selection.)
Select Print.
Terms and operations from Chapter 3
Page Setup  (Print setup)
Drawing Size
Fit To Page
Set Origin
Add Surface
Rotate
Clip Surface
Attributes (Line & Fill)
Group
Edit Group
Mirror & Duplicate
Arc Tool
Select All  [Control] + A
Lock
Unlock
Save as Stationary
Print
Tutorial written for Wake Forest University Theater Lab by Jonathan Christman   7/27/2000
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