Changing Channel Numbers in Vectorworks?

[JohnnyRogers]

Is there a better way to assign and change channels for the instruments than selecting the properties of each light, one at a time, and editing it?

I tried creating a database but couldn't get it to sort by position and unit number so that didn't help too much in streamlining things. For some reason the list would jump from (for example) 2E to 3E and back, and the numbers were out of order for some pipes it didn't do that with. Ugh.

This is the most annoying thing I've found in VW so far.

[icewolf08]

There is a basic paperwork editor in VW, I don't use it because it really isn't so great, however, it will let you edit unit information in a list form rather than clicking each unit. However, the best way to update information and track paperwork is with LightWright by John Mckernon. LW is the industry standard for lighting paperwork and it is really easy to import and export unit information to and from VW and LW.

LW4 is the current version, but LW5 is due to be released later this year. I believe that if you purchase LW4 now you are qualified for a free upgrade to 5 when it is released.

[JohnnyRogers]

Thanks, I'll look into getting LightWright. I'm tired of banging my head into the wall with this.

[soundman]

You might also want to look at AutoPlotVW Home Page its much cheaper than LW and will do what you want. One of tools will assign channel numbers by clicking on each fixture. For example the first one you click will be one, the next two and so forth. You are able to set the starting number as well as the increment it counts in.

[JohnnyRogers]

Thanks for that AutoPlot link! Now the stupid questions...

I downloaded the folder for VW08, but I can't figure out what to do with it. I have a ton of promising looking .vsm files. What now?

[ScottH]

Im pretty sure those are vectorscript files. Go to to the VW support forum and search "importing vectorscript".

[ishboo]

Originally Posted by soundman

You might also want to look at AutoPlotVW Home Page its much cheaper than LW and will do what you want. One of tools will assign channel numbers by clicking on each fixture. For example the first one you click will be one, the next two and so forth. You are able to set the starting number as well as the increment it counts in.

Thanks for this link, I hadn't seen this product before and LW is a little out of my budget. Thanks!

[JohnnyRogers]

Do you have a link to a guide I can find? I either get 90 pages of stuff I don't want or nothing when I search. I've been to the support forum, the vectorwiki, and google, but nothing is helping me run these scripts. I'm essentially done with my drafting for this show, but anything to speed up the process on the next one. Sorry for the stupid questions, but I'm at a loss here.

[ScottH]

I actually just downloaded the tools myself. There are some REALLY good ones in there. There should be a pdf in the root folder that will explain how to install the tools as well as explain each tool and how to use it.
My question is can i add the tools to MY workspace or do i have to use the autoplot workspace and then make it look like mine? I think im gonna send an email.

[JohnnyRogers]

Oh..wow...How did I miss that. Thanks for pointing the obvious out to me there.