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Thanks to the flexibility of interiorcad, it is possible to change the appearence of the opening triangle in the front design dialog. The default behaviour shows the base of the triangle at the hinged side. To swap it, visit your "XG Resources" folder. Open the file "Unit.txt" in a text editor. Check whether the parameter DoorTriangle:0 exists. If not simply add it. DoorTriangle:0 is the default. You can change it to DoorTriangle:1 if desired:

All interiorcad installers install interiorcad completely. There's no need to install a previous version first. It is strongly recommended to install it on top of a plain vanilla VectorWorks 2008 installation though

If you want to install an interiorcad 2008 update on top of an existing interiorcad 2008 installation, please do the following steps before running the installer:

• Visit the VectorWorks 2008 installation folder
  
• Locate and open the folder "Plug-Ins". Locate and remove the folder "xg". This will wipe out all interiorcad 2008 plug-ins. Do not simply rename this folder as VectorWorks 2008 will scan all plug-in folders recursively.
  
• In the VectorWorks 2008 installation folder, remove the folder called "interiorcad". This will not affect any of your personal settings. It's simply a template folder.
  
• In the VectorWorks 2008 installation folder, locate and open the folder "Templates". Remove the "interiorcad (Imperial).sta" resp. "interiorcad (Metric).sta" files.
  

You can now run the installer which will recreate the files and folders you just deleted. Due to files and settings in your user folder, you will still get dated template, workspace and interiorcad configuration files. If you want to benefit from all the fixes the update provides, do the following additional steps:

• Visit the VectorWorks 2008 app data folder. The path differs depending on the platform:
  • Mac OS X: /Users/Your Username/Library/Application Support/VectorWorks/2008/
  • Windows Vista: C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Roaming\Nemetschek\VectorWorks\2008\
  • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\YourUsername\AppData\Nemetschek\VectorWorks\2008\
• To get the updated template files, backup the folder "Templates" and rename it as "Templates old"
• To get the updated workspaces, backup the folder "Workspaces" and rename it as "Workspaces old"
• To get the updated interiorcad database, backup the folder "xg" and rename it as "xg old"

Now start VectorWorks 2008. We hope you enjoy the interiorcad update!

Since interiorcad 2008, the location and configuration of the XG Resources and Data folders (which contain all of your interiorcad settings) have changed.

• In the folder where interiorcad 2008 got installed, you'll find a folder called "interiorcad". It contains a folder called "xg" which contains two folders called "Data" and "XG Resources". Additionally, there's a file called "XGResourcePath.txt":

  

  Unlike interiorcad 3.x, the folder "Plug-Ins" does not contain a folder called "XG Resources".
  

• To fully support the user concepts of modern operating systems, none of those folders gets used while running interiorcad 2008. Instead the complete folder "xg" gets copied to the user folder of your operating system at the very first attempt to use an interiorcad 2008 plug-in:

  

• If you need to adjust interiorcad 2008 settings, do not edit files in the application folder but the files in your user folder exclusively.
  
• The paths to your user data depends on your operating system and user name. If your user name is foo, you should find the user folder in the following locations (Windows and Mac OS X):
  
  
  
  • c:\Users\foo\AppData\Roaming\Nemetschek\VectorWorks\2008\xg\
    
  • HardDriveName:Users:foo:Library:Application Support:VectorWorks:2008:xg:
    
  
  
• The file "XG ResourcePath.txt" contains the path to your configuration files. Simply open it in a text editor. It contains two entries, containing a variable to automatically determine your user folder:
  
  
  
  • ResourcePath:%APPDATA%/xg/XG Resources
    
  • DataPath:%APPDATA%/xg/Data
    
  
  If you want to share the "XG Resources" over a network, move them from your user directory to a fileserver. Leave the folder "Data" locally, as it contains machine dependent settings. Adjust the "ResourcePath" in the file "XG ResourcePath.txt" accordingly:
  
  
  
  • ResourcePath:\\Filesever\XG Resources\
    
  • DataPath:%APPDATA%/xg/Data
    
  
  If you have mounted the network share as a drive letter in Windows, you also can configure it from within interiorcad. In the menu "Workshop" point to "Preferences" and select the entry "Preferences Shop...". On the tab "Preferences" choose the desired drive and folder.
  
• If you have more than one user configured on the machine and all users shall access the shared files, configure each user folder accordingly.
  

Please note that you do this at your own risk. Due to the many dependencies we cannot support installations which make use of the above hints, except extragroup configured your machines. if you get the following message, it is likely that your installation is messed:

Please check the folder "xg" in your user folder and the contents of the file named "XGResourcePath.txt".

Adjusting the prices of functional hardware can be done using two different methods. Either choose the »Import Materials...« command which simply imports a TAB separated CSV file with supplier IDs and prices, or edit the configuration files directly. This entry is about the latter method for advanced users.

We recommend to use a spreadsheet application. As there are some odds and ends which can cause serious troubles, we will not be able to help you if something goes wrong. OTOH, the method explained below is very efficient. After the following steps have been performed, it is necessary to (re)run the »Configure supplier data« command.

• Open your spreadsheet application (we use Microsoft Excel in this example). Do never right click on the files to run the »Open with...« convenience option. Your files would be damaged!
  
• Instead, now choose the file open command of your application
  
• Navigate to the VectorWorks application folder. On Windows, it reads something like c:\Program files\VectorWorks Designer 12. On Macintosh machines, it usually is located in the folder Applications of your main hard drive
  
• In the VectorWorks folder, choose the subfolders Plug-Ins, XG Resources. You will find further subfolders like the ones below:

  

• Depending on the hardware you want to edit, choose one of the folders like Bought-In, Connectors, Hinges, Levellers or Sliders. In this example, we will edit the hinges files. The hinges directory contents look like the following:

  

• Choose the MountingPlates or Hinges subfolder to edit hinges or mounting plates. You will find a subfolder called Sales:

  

• Enter this subfolder. It seems to be empty, but it isn't. Switch the file type filter to display plain text files:

  

• Before editing one of the files, make a backup copy for later reference
  
• Select the file of the desired manufacturer. In this example, we have chosen the Blum file.
  
• Press Open to load the file. An assistent will appear, providing some options. Usually, the options of the first dialog are preconfigured as needed so you simply can proceed:

  

• Even the next dialog usually provides reasonable preconfigured settings:

  

• The next dialog will appear, where you have to perform some very important steps:

  
  

  
  
  • Move the horizontal slider to its rigthtmost position
    
  • Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard
    
  • While still holding down the Shift key, click on the rightmost column above the slider. All columns now need to appear as selected
    
  • Leave the Shift key
    
  • Now change the option Standard to Text. This is a very important step. If you omit it, your data will be damaged:

    

• The contents of the file will now appear in your application. Editing the prices now is very simple, using standard spreadsheet techniques:

  

• After you have done your edits, save the file. You will be promted by a dialog which remarks that some spreadsheet features will not get saved in your text file. Confirm this dialog by pressing the button Yes:

  

• Now close the file. Your application will complain again; simply cancel this message by pressing the button No:

  

One further issue: Never ever click into an empty cell outside the data array. Excel will then assume that it contains data and will later export those cells as empty fields into the text file. This may cause severe troubles when using such damaged files in interiorCAD afterwards.

That's it. Don't forget to (re)run the Configure supplier data command again. You can now assign hinges to units and the updated prices will appear in your costings.

Since interiorCAD 3, you can influence the appearance and contents of the various lists. All lists use a template worksheet which describes the appearance of the output worksheet. Try this:

• Open the interiorCAD template drawing
  
• In the resource browser, locate the worksheet »XGST-Classic«
  
• Right-click and open it:
  
  
• For example, see the field containing the variable »[FinishedSizeLength]« and replace it by »[FinishedSizeMinusEdgeBandingLength]« to get the sawn length instead of the finished length. For a list of all available variables, just send us an e-mail inquiry
  
• Use the formatting options the worksheet provides for all cells and set it to your likings. Even the column width gets read and used by the cutting list created by this template
  
• Now run the command Shop, Lists, Cutting list
  
• If you want the list to be in centimeters, you can try to set the drawing units to be in centimeters. The cutting list will then use the drawing units as well. But to be honest, we highly recommend to stay in millimeters instead.
  

When running more than one installation of interiorCAD, it is convenient to have all settings available on all the other machines. This can save a lot of time because new settings only need to be done once. Furthermore it simplifies the process of configuring a backup system for your resources.

To use the interiorCAD resources on a centralized computer (aka server), do the following:

• Create a share on a machine
  
• Ensure that this share is available for all the other machines. On Windows, mount the share as a drive
  
• Copy the folder called �XG Resources� from one of the local machines to that share
  
• Ensure that all machines can create new files on the share as well as write to existing files. The latter step is very important
  
• On the workstations, empty the folder called �XG Resources� except for two files, FSC.txt and KAPreferences.txt. Both need to remain untouched
  
• On the working machines, click on the menu �Shop�, point to �Preferences� and choose �Preferences Shop...�
  
• Choose the page �Shared access�
  
• Choose the 2nd option and klick on the button �Choose...�
  
• Choose the folder �XG Resources� on the server
  
• Confirm your settings by klicking the button �OK� twice
  

It is very important that all the files on the server are writable for interiorCAD. Otherwise you may experience unexpected behaviour, not excluding crashes.

Besides the fact that you can adjust the default settings for newly created units, you can even create multiple, named favourites to choose from during the design of a unit. If you need similar settings more than once, this is a very useful and convenient feature which can save you a lot of time.

Let's use the back as an example. Maybe you need two favourites, one for wall units (grooved back) and one for base units (butt back). In the back dialog, adjust all settings as needed for the grooved back. Then save it as a favourite and enter a name:

Now let us repeat the steps for the butt back:

At any time we need these settings in any other unit, we can easily recall them from the favourite popup menu:

The same technique can be used in most of the other interiorCAD dialogs. As a minor limitation, please note that functional hardware doesn't get saved with your favourites in interiorCAD 3.0.

interiorCAD is a highly user configurable system. Users can create custom favourites as well as set the default values which will get used each time a new unit gets created. Here is a short example how to use it.

Maybe you want to adjust the default unit size for creating new units. In the main dialog, simply adjust the settings to fit your needs, optionally including the unit name. Then press the icon with the floppy disk icon on it:

Simply check the option As Default to make these settings the default setting for any new unit to be created:

From now on, any new unit you will create will use these settings as default:

The same can be done for any other dialog like backs...

...the case...

...doors and drawers...

...or even the front design preferences:

Here's another nifty new feature of interiorCAD 2.0:

if you're running interiorCAD 2.0 on two different machines in your network, you may want to store all materials, favorites etc. on your server.

This data is stored in the XG Resources folder which can be found in your VectorWorks 11.5 installations's Plug-ins folder. Copy the XG Resources folder to your server.

Then, open up the "Preferences Shop+" dialog and enter the path to the new location of the XG Resources folder here:

Fire up "Create Unit...". If the command isn't complaining about missing materials files, everything should be fine.

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.

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

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

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.