# Vectorworks Light plot



## midgetgreen11 (May 7, 2008)

Having never used a software anything VW 2008, I opened and installed my free copy of the program, and my jaw dropped at the screen. I have absolutely no idea what to do. Can anyone basically lay out how to make a basic lightplot in it? I tried the student help forums on the vectorworks website but found nothing on how to make a plot. There was also no manual with the software.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## Grog12 (May 7, 2008)

midgetgreen11 said:


> Having never used a software anything VW 2008, I opened and installed my free copy of the program, and my jaw dropped at the screen. I have absolutely no idea what to do. Can anyone basically lay out how to make a basic lightplot in it? I tried the student help forums on the vectorworks website but found nothing on how to make a plot. There was also no manual with the software.
> 
> Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.



Long answer. Yes.....[insert long winded speech here]

Short answer. No I can't....not here on CB. 

Go here http://www.nemetschek.net/training/selfpacedtraining.php


**Edit This is the expensive option....google VW spotlight tutorials and you'll find pdf's of different schools training. I'd suggest shelling out a little for the training cd.**


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## Charc (May 7, 2008)

The CD is helpful for starting out, but there is also a pretty good tutorial series online, and I can't for the life of me remember the search parameters.


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## soundman (May 7, 2008)

After the last time this question came up I Derek talked me into making a glossary article about it so I wouldn't have to keep psoting this link. http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/thetr263/VW11/VW11Tutr.html its a bit outdated but the instructions should hold true and the tools should be organized the same if you are in spotlight classic. 

Best of luck, if you have an specific question just post them. Starting with a blank sheet of paper can be intimidating but thats how every new plot starts. (well most LDs get a drawing of the building so that might be your first step)


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## Clark (May 8, 2008)

Since you mention having a free copy, did this copy come with Spotlight capability? Last time I checked the free student version of VW2008 did not come with a Spotlight license.

If that is the case, your options for doing lighting will be limited. If you do have Spotlight though, then looking for tutorials for that would be a good place to start.

Clark


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## highschooltech (May 8, 2008)

I comes with a license for all the versions in one program. You have to change the workspace to Spotlight in one of the options menus. The path is Tools, workspaces, spotlight. Once you are there look through the help options i found that they actually helped.


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## Grog12 (May 8, 2008)

highschooltech said:


> I comes with a license for all the versions in one program. You have to change the workspace to Spotlight in one of the options menus. The path is Tools, workspaces, spotlight. Once you are there look through the help options i found that they actually helped.



Exactly. The student edition is Designer which is all-encompassing of Spotlight, Architect, ect.


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## Charc (May 8, 2008)

Grog12 said:


> Exactly. The student edition is Designer which is all-encompassing of Spotlight, Architect, ect.



Exactly Grog, it is an _awesome_ deal. All students should snag the opportunity to work with some industry standard software, for free.


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## Clark (May 8, 2008)

Ah, I'm still in the relative stone age with VW 11.51. I have not really had it all that long, it sure happened quickly. My 12 went by fast.

... maybe it's time I should look into 2008. 

Clark


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## midgetgreen11 (May 10, 2008)

So i figured it all out and i've created a plot with a legend and light information for each fixture, but when i print it all the information is unreadable. I don't think the drawing is to scale simply because i don't time to measure it, but is there a way to make the lights larger without making the pipes larger, because if i bump up the scale the pipes go off the page.


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## Grog12 (May 10, 2008)

What size paper are you printing on/what scale?

1/16th scale is just unledgible period

Use the resource browswer to adjust how your lights look/size and use the label legend manager and bump up the size of the text for Color/Channel/Unit # ect.


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## midgetgreen11 (May 10, 2008)

I was hoping 8 1/2 x 11 because i don't know of a way to print on larger paper... and i had it in 1/8" because otherwise the pipes went off the page. and I have the text readable, the instruments are just really tiny.


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## Grog12 (May 10, 2008)

midgetgreen11 said:


> I was hoping 8 1/2 x 11 because i don't know of a way to print on larger paper... and i had it in 1/8" because otherwise the pipes went off the page. and I have the text readable, the instruments are just really tiny.



Which they would be in 1/8".

Print to pdf and take it to Kinko's if you want a way to print on larger paper.

Otherwise I suggest using the USITT symbols (slashes and the like instead of numbers and letters) so you can distain which instrument is which.


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## Clark (May 12, 2008)

Generally for lighting anything smaller than 1/4" is going to be rather unreadable. If you have your instrument symbols and your electrical positions on separate layers though you can adjust the scales for them separately, allowing you to make the instrument symbols bigger without effecting the scale of your theatre ground plan or hang positions. 

Personally I never make a lighting plot smaller than 1/4" I, also, used to draft and print out at 1/8" to keep it on one 8 1/2 x 11" sheet. I found though that they were hard to read, and once I started drafting at 1/4" my plots started looking significantly better. What I do now is draft 1/4" plots, print on 4 sheets of standard letter sized paper, trim the margins off, and tape the pieces together. It's not ideal, but it works. One of these days I'm going to get a plotter.

Clark


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## lieperjp (May 18, 2008)

highschooltech said:


> I comes with a license for all the versions in one program. You have to change the workspace to Spotlight in one of the options menus. The path is Tools, workspaces, spotlight. Once you are there look through the help options i found that they actually helped.



Ok, so I've switched to Spotlight, but now how do I switch to a different version??? It's not tools,workspaces,spotlight anymore...

EDIT: Finally found it! It's File, workspaces, then ________.


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