June 2005 Archives

interiorCAD 2.0 features a generic import facility for importing & updating your interiorCAD materials database - found in the "Shop+ -> Materials" menu.

After choosing the command from the menu, it will ask you for file to import (most likely, you got the file from one of your suppliers or you did an export from some other software you're using).

Before starting the import, you will need to give interiorCAD some information on the files format:

• "Destination:" - Choose the interiorCAD file where you want to save the materials to be imported.
• "Import:" - Choose how to import the data from the import file
  • Overwrite the destination file (be careful, this will replace your materials database file)
  • Add imported materials to the existing file
  • Update prices only
• "Import starts in line:" - Choose the line from witch you would start the import (some import files may have a header row which don't want to import)
• "String delimiter:" - Choose the string delimiter (if the strings in the import file are enclosed by special characters, e.g. "Chipboard-0.125" ).
• "Field delimiter:" - Choose the delimiter that separates the fields in a row (e.Chipboard-0.125;Chipboard;3.175;.....).
• "Assign fields..." - Assign a column of the import file to all the columns in the destination file (if possible, otherwise have interiorCAD use a default value)

If you happen to import/update files frequently, use the 2Save as favorite" button to create specific import configurations for later use:

• "Favorite:" - Choose a favotite from which the settings for the import preferences dialog are loaded
• "Save as favorite..." - Save the settings of the import preferences dialog in a favorite.

We strongly recommend to backup your "XG Resources" folder before checking out the import. Importing materials will change your materials database, which is a very valuable asset and used by most interiorCAD functions. Better be careful than sorry.

Here's how to place a handle on a door or drawer directly in the front design dialog:

• Click on a segment containing or door or drawer
  
• Select a handle from the list shown on the "Front" tab
  
• Move the mouse to the section of the door/drawer front panel where you want to place the handle
  
• Hold-down the Strg and Shift-key and click
  
• Strg/Shift-Click again to rotate the handle if needed
  
• Adjust the distance of the handle from the door/drawer fron panel edge by entering appropriate values in the "Front" tab.
  

That's it!

If you're working with imperial measurements and want to input ".625" instead of "5/8", make sure to enter "0.625". Some fields in interiorCAD won't accept imperial measurements with leading decimal points.

Here's another useful tip for working in the front design dialog: Double-clicking on a segment containing a door or drawer will bring up the door or drawer dialog.

For that special, sophisticated touch, design your unit with mitred corners - and create a door which is mitred with the unit.

Check out the new option in the door & drawer dialog - you knew about laid-on and in-unit drawer panels or doors, now there's a new option - mitred drawer panel or door.

Of course, there's a new option to design a back which is mitred with the unit, too.

Due to a production error the parts in cutting lists are not cumulated in interiorCAD 2.0. To fix this, you can get un updated version of the corresponding plugin:

• MacOS
• Windows

After unpacking the file, simply move it to the folder called »Plug-Ins« of your installation and overwrite the existing file with the new one.

[Update: Fixed links]

The option "Update materials..." found in the "Cutting List..." or "Costing..." dialogs forces interiorCAD to reload the materials database from disk into your VW document. Depending on your hardware configuration and materials database size, this may take a while. Here's how to update only specific materials:

• Enter new materials with the "Edit boards..." command (or, if you're brave, edit the "Boards.txt" file directly)
• Check your VectorWorks resource palette for a worksheet called "* Materials (Boards)" and delete it.
• Run "Cutting List..." or "Costing..." again, don't check the option "Update materials"
• interiorCAD will run the cutting list or costing and will only load the missing "Boards" worksheet instead of reloading the comple materials database

interiorCAD 2.0's finished top/bottom features allows you to offset the finished top/bottom from the unit - which comes in handy if you're designing objects like side-boards etc.

The materials are read from the hard drive each time you create a cutting list. This is the reason why the creation of cutting lists needs a long time.

To cut time, you can do the following:

• When recreating an existing cutting list, ensure that the checkbox »Update material« isn't enabled
• If your materials on disk don't change a lot, then it is a good idea to include the material worksheets in the interiorCAD template drawing. To do so,
  • Open the interiorCAD template drawing
  • Run a cutting list of a simple unit
  • Remove the unit from your resource browser
  • Remove the cutting lists from your resource browser
  • Leave the material worksheets in the resource browser
  • Save the template to your templates folder. If you name it »Default.sta« it will be loaded automatically during startup

With interiorCAD 2.0, the toe kick panel of the plinth can now be layed on the unit like a door or drawer front panel, allowing for a consistent look of the cabinet including the plinth & case.

interiorCAD 2.0 features new options to join left/top scribes or finished sides/finished tops/bottoms.

Just click on the graphics in the scribes dialog to change the design.

Check out the new interiorCAD 2.0 kitchen tutorial & manual by Jonathan Pickup.

Renowned for his VectorWorks tutorials and trainings, Jonathan has created a comprehensive and in-depth manual on how to draw, quote and build kitchens with interiorCAD.

You would like to design elaborate units with special corner designs?

interiorCAD 2.0 enables you define the design of each corner of the unit separately - mitred, continuous shelf or continuous side.

Starting with interiorCAD 2.0, all of interiorCAD's plug-ins filenames have a common prefix: "XG", e.g. "XG Create Unit.dll", "XG Part Layout.dll". Even the folder used to store all of interiorCADs favorite values and materials was renamed to have the "XG" prefix. Why?

If you want to strip your VectorWorks version off interiorCAD (you would only want to do that because you want to try out the latest and greatest interiorCAD beta version, don't you?), it's really simple: Open up VectorWorks/Plug-Ins, sort the contents by name, delete all files and folders starting with "XG", delete the folder Includes/tg - and you're set.

Starting with interiorCAD 2.0, you are able to configure the default values and favorites used in the various dialogs:

• Save as default - Saving the set of values currently shown in the dialog as the default - everytime you design a new cabinet, interiorCAD will show these set of values
• Save as favorite - Saving the set of values currently shown in the dialog as a named favorite - everytime you create or edit a cabinet, you can choose the name of the favorite from the popup-menu and have interiorCAD fill in the values for you. Of course, you can come up with as many named favorites as you like.

interiorCAD 2.0 features a vastly improved front design dialog. A lot of editing can be done by working directly in the front preview area of the front design dialog. In order to get you started, here are a few pointers.

• Click on partitions or shelves to edit their specifications
• Mouse-wheel scrolling & panning is supported
• Right-click on partitions or shelves to change their type
• Right-click on the area where a partition joins a unit shelf to edit (You can also click on the preview in the "Side/Shelf" tab)
• Double-click on a door or drawer to edit it's specifications
• Double-Clicking on a partition or shelf brings up the "Fittings" tab

We will release a VectorWorks 11.5 compatible version of interiorCAD within the next few days. This version will work on VectorWorks 11.5 only.

If you are interested in beta-testing upcoming versions of interiorCAD, please let us know.