# Vectorworks: Vertical Positions?



## DanBlaze (Apr 25, 2010)

Hey guys,

I have a few vertical positions I need to plot (sidebars). I'm pretty new to VW. Can anybody lend me a hand?


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## erosing (Apr 25, 2010)

If you only need 2D then plot the line to the length you need, then select it, go to modify, then convert to light position. If you need it 3D make the 3D object then follow the same path. 

Alternatively, if what you need is in a 10' increment or close enough that it doesn't matter to you you can open the lighting positions resource in the resource browser and choose the closest size, then put it down. Rotate as necessary.


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## DanBlaze (Apr 25, 2010)

Arez said:


> If you only need 2D then plot the line to the length you need, then select it, go to modify, then convert to light position. If you need it 3D make the 3D object then follow the same path.
> 
> Alternatively, if what you need is in a 10' increment or close enough that it doesn't matter to you you can open the lighting positions resource in the resource browser and choose the closest size, then put it down. Rotate as necessary.



Thanks for the quick response! However, I'm still confused. Im trying to plot vertical positions, but the instructions you gave me plot horizontal positions. I already have bars like FOH, and on-stage electrics plotted, but the vertical bars/trees are giving me trouble.


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## erosing (Apr 25, 2010)

How are you plotting positions now? With my instrustions you should be able to plot a vertical line and modify to a position. 

EDIT: Or do you mean vertical being height off the ground? If that is the case I only know how to do it in 3D, to do so create the position object assuming a veritcal boom in this case for example, put down a circle of the correct diameter, extrude to give it proper height. Then convert it to a position, afterwards hang your instruments and set the 3D orientation for them if needed.


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## DanBlaze (Apr 25, 2010)

Arez said:


> How are you plotting positions now? With my instrustions you should be able to plot a vertical line and modify to a position.
> 
> *EDIT: Or do you mean vertical being height off the ground? If that is the case I only know how to do it in 3D, to do so create the position object assuming a veritcal boom in this case for example, put down a circle of the correct diameter, extrude to give it proper height. Then convert it to a position, afterwards hang your instruments and set the 3D orientation for them if needed.*



this is what I'm trying to do. Thanks! Is there any way to do it in 2D though?


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## shiben (Apr 25, 2010)

DanBlaze said:


> this is what I'm trying to do. Thanks! Is there any way to do it in 2D though?



Of course. Make a boom plate, and show all the vertial positions. Up and down on the page, lights sticking off to the side. Its not actually vertical, but it will give the electricians all the info they need to figure out how to hang this show, and show everyone else involved that you intend to have booms. Then, on the master plot, show some sort of marking at each place where there is going to be a boom.


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## rochem (Apr 25, 2010)

Since I generally don't work in 3D or do any kind of rendering in VW, I usually just make my vertical positions in 2D without giving them any 3D properties. For Booms, I generally place a small 1.5" diameter circle to represent a pipe (looking from top down) and put that in the middle of a larger circle or square (representing the boom base). Then I add one or more sidearms attached to the small circle, and finally I placce one or more instruments on the sidearms. I then shade everything in a light grey color, to distinguish it from actual instruments. This entire setup is only supposed to represent a top-down view of the boom, and has no actual instrument data. Then I go to a blank space on the page and plot out a front view of the boom, which includes all of the instrument data I'm using. 

I hope that makes sense. I believe there are more advanced ways to do it which allow you to render your booms in 3D, but this method works for me for the scale of shows that I usually work. Check out the attached plot which shows a method very similar to my method of plotting vertical positions.


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## derekleffew (Apr 25, 2010)

rochem, my only quibble with that plot is the box booms. It is unclear whether the elevation is the front or the back of the position. Since it's an elevation, it's probably the front, but since all work is likely to be done from behind the fixtures, a rear view would be more useful. A note indicating SR/SL or "Looking from the stage" would clarify matters. (The Lighting Supervisor probably hung them backwards anyway.)

Working in Vectorworks 3d is great, but often additional steps are required to prepare a 2d plot that conforms to the industry-standard graphic conventions.


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## rochem (Apr 25, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> rochem, my only quibble with that plot is the box booms. It is unclear whether the elevation is the front or the back of the position. Since it's an elevation, it's probably the front, but since all work is likely to be done from behind the fixtures, a rear view would be more useful. A note indicating SR/SL or "Looking from the stage" would clarify matters. (The Lighting Supervisor probably hung them backwards anyway.)



I agree with you on that one - and having the vertical view partially covered by the box boom elevations is also somewhat annoying to me. There are a few other things about the plot that I take issue with as well (lack of clarity with floor-mounted units being the main one), but I wasn't trying to critique the whole plot. To clarify, this isn't a plot I drew or had anything to do with - it's just one I was looking at which I thought nicely illustrated the specific concept of drafting vertical positions.


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## shiben (Apr 25, 2010)

Shelley's book has some good examples of this type of thing, if you want a rather "authoritative" view of it. Its a good book and I recommend it for everyone interested in Lighting Design.


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## derekleffew (Apr 25, 2010)

shiben said:


> Shelley's book has some good examples of this type of thing, if you want a rather "authoritative" view of it. It's a good book and I recommend it for everyone interested in Lighting Design.


Seconded, and right now, it's on sale! 

However, for an even more "authoritative" source, see William Warfel's _The NEW Handbook of Stage Lighting Graphics_ (although being twenty years old, it's likely past-due for an update).


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## masterelectrician2112 (Apr 25, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> Seconded, and right now, it's on sale!


 
Ooooo! I like it! I have a b-day coming up so I might have to get that!


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## Smatticus (Apr 26, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> Working in Vectorworks 3d is great, but often additional steps are required to prepare a 2d plot that conforms to the industry-standard graphic conventions.



Creating a vertical lighting position in 3D in VectorWorks but still doing a typical 2D representation on the lighting plot definitely requires additional steps. It is really only necessary if you want to be able to do a lot of beam visualization and rendering. I start by creating a 3D boom and placing the instruments exactly where I want them in 3D space; this way I can visualize or render the beams from the true positions of the instruments. I assign the instruments on each tier of the boom to their own class. On the light plot I create a typical 2D representation of the boom and then create individual viewports for each tier of the boom. I place each viewport at the appropriate position on the boom. This effectively separates the tiers of the boom that would otherwise be right on top of one another if looked at in 2D plan view. Definitely a lot of work but if you don't want to have separate (permanent or temporary) instrument objects for beam visualization and rendering it is somewhat necessary.


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