Hello, gathering some stuff here for VA Developers’ Reference. They are based on the previous version of VA. Just installed the April 2023 version and will re-examine the issues. Some suggestions may have been discussed in this forum before.
Bugs:
A. One and very important: UNDO in large files can take up to 1 or two minutes. Native rhino objects can always undo instantly. Sometimes VA objects can undo instantly, but only in ie. 1 out of 20 undos. Same VA objects can undo very slow, or instantly, just a matter of luck/random. It seems like rebuilding of the whole file, but it takes even longer that when first loading the file. It makes using undo with VA simply impossible. EDIT: cannot seem to replicate, using many different saved versions of the problematic files. Most probably with the new update that mentions “performance fixes”, this issue has been fixed as well.
B. Selecting two beams and changing beam style changes it only for one beam. This did not happen. Happens after the last update. Beams where created from curves. If you Copy Beams, it refreshes ok. Attaching file in an answer below.
C. Beam Update seems broken. In most of the cases, when changing beam point after creation, a VAUpdate Command is needed for the trimming to work properly. Beam Trimming seams broken anyway, even same beams with matching points on the same plane, cannot trim, if they are not created as a closed loop from start.
D. When moving filleted corner points (with gumball or move command), the mid point of the fillet moves dramatically to the outer of the fillet (perpendicular to the arc), which result in very weird geometry. See comment with pictures below.
Suggestions/Wishlist.
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Plan Views and Section Views to retain object properties and layer when exported to Autocad. Lines should be joined ie. perimeter of wall, section of a column, or at least grouped by object. (discussed in this forum: Plan and Section Views Line grouping per Object/Layer - #2 by fsalla)
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Set print colour according to distance from cut level. (discussed in this forum, Wishlist: Plan/Sections Views Print Colour by distance from cut Plane)
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Skip objects when projecting in Plan Views/Sections. In example skip curves, specific layers, object types, object names. This can be manual done but it is a real hassle when working, especially when sections/plan views are refreshed regurarly. Integrating into Section/Plan View Properties, would be great.
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Windows/Doors/Opening for Slabs. For glass doors and attic/roof windows. It could be a switch in object properties “Attach to Slab” that would allow the VA Object to attach to slabs.
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Select object by Level. For VA Objects but also Breps/Curves. A dialog to select levels and filter in/out objects can be provided.
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Roofs: Highlight Slopes when selected in Slope Angle Options. Keep slope angle dialog open after setting a value. List should stay in same value (now it jumps to first value).
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Provide all VA Styles as editable .gh files. So that users can alter what is necessary without recreating from scratch. That would be very useful for ie. changing a VA window to a GH VA Window, without the width and height resetting (they would take the same values from original window). So, for objects that this is possible, provide GH Templates that users can start with. Very valuable for doors and windows, ie. to add tents, louvers, and so on.
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Snap to Levels dashed lines in Rhino Viewports. That means when we create or move any object in rhino viewport, to be able to snap on the VALevel Dashed Lines, without the need to create Curves in rhino, to snap on.
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Windows/Doors to be resizable like walls/curtain walls. Directly from point handles for width and height. Allignment should switch to left or right temporarily so that opposite side does not change.
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Wall extension (top/bottoms) add option “follow end profile” or “extend objects”. Desired functionality: To stop ie. a Roof is 1mm less than the wall below, the wall from extending to the top of the roof, even as a 1mm slice. Wall should extend up to the extensions of the roof’s bottom surface.
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Beam Booleans are incorrect if offset is applied. Extensions should be done after offset, or something else.
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Doors and windows do not cut other walls in diagonal cut connections and/or cut depth is not enough to cut through them. Cut depth could be also manually adjusted separately for inside/outside. The issue occures when a door is placed near a wide angle wall corner.
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Bottom walls affect corners of walls above. This has to do with the complicated boolean algorythm. A solution would be to ignore walls above or below when calculating booleans. This issue should be isolated and discussed better.
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Trimming and joining of diagonal 3 wall connection (Y shape) is very unpredictable. It almost never produces a correct result, even with walls of same type. This issue should be isolated and discussed better. It may occur when the top offset of walls follows a roof.
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Ability to change the curve degree in Railings, Walls, Slabs, etc. The option is there, but it cannot be edited. That would be very usefull when ie. wanting to test a filleted or straight balcony.
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Abitlity to add points to a stair, railing, and so on.
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Option to Move any object that belongs to the level, when changing Level height. (this would work with the select object by level, which is already available in grasshopper but not in rhino)
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Allow Rhino Breps that are used as Booleans to cut VAObjects, to be snapped when modified. Now we can move them from the center point but cannot snap to their edges or points, in order to make accurate changes.
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When changing Beam or other Styles, Choose a profile that best matches the current profile, based on Height, Then Width. Ie. a HEB 240 should change to a HEM 240M or an RHF 250x150x12.5. Understanding that this may be somewhat compicated (especially thickness wise in profiles with many thicknesses), but it would be “logical”, user experience wise.
