Dear VectorWorks Users,

Big news...VectorWorks 10.5 is here!! We are very excited about this update, which boasts healthy improvements, some new functionality, and a wealth of new RenderWorks textures. So, if you have been looking for a reason to upgrade, this is your golden opportunity. And, if a new and improved VectorWorks isn't reason enough to jump off that fence, we will also be giving away a new Sony® monitor to one lucky winner a month in October, November, and December as part of our "VectorWorks Winning Hand" campaign. If you haven't received your winning hand in the mail yet, visit www.nemetschek.net/10.5update/giveaway.html for the details.

We will also be hosting a luncheon in Virginia Beach on September 20, so if you are in the area, please come by and see us. And, don't forget, we will be hitting the road heavily this fall, so check out our tradeshow schedule to see if we will be in your neighborhood, and you can see version 10.5 in person.

Sincerely,

Richard Diehl
CEO, Nemetschek North America

How can I better manage my tool palettes?

Version 10.5 offers Mac OS® X and Windows® users a better way to manage their palettes.

Version 10.5 supports window shading on OS X, so double-clicking on a palette's title bar will "roll" it up and double-clicking on a "rolled-up" palette will roll it down.

On Windows, double-clicking on a palette's title bar will un-dock a docked palette or dock an un-docked palette. Plus, Windows tool palettes can be set to automatically roll up when not in use. When the palette is "unpinned" and rolled up, moving the cursor over its title bar rolls the palette down. Once you've made your changes, moving the cursor off the palette automatically rolls it back up.

How can I move the "hot spot" in my radial gradient fill pattern?

Version 10.5's new Gradient/Image Fill Edit tool makes it easy to edit the size, position, and rotation of a gradient or image fill. First, select the Gradient/Image Fill Edit tool. Next, select a polygon that has been filled with the radial gradient fill pattern. An editing object with two endpoint handles is automatically placed over the gradient. The editing object allows you to interactively set the length of the gradient and the position and rotation angle of the gradient fill pattern. As you move the cursor near one of the editing object's two endpoint handles, the cursor changes to indicate that the handles can be moved. To move the "hot spot" of a radial gradient fill, simply choose the object editing handle placed in the hot part of the gradient, and move it to your desired location. You can use the Shift key to constrain the editing object, as well as nudge the editing object into the exact position. See Example

If I have a symbol with a long name, its name gets truncated in the Resource Browser. Is there a way I can prevent this so I can see the entire symbol name?

In 10.5 the resources with long names now display on two lines-making them much easier to identify. In addition, the name of the active symbol now displays at the bottom of the Resource Browser, so you can see, at a glance, which symbol you're about to place.

Nemetschek North America Updates Entire VectorWorks Product Line to Version 10.5

Nemetschek North America announced today the company has updated its entire VectorWorks line of products to version 10.5. VectorWorks, RenderWorks, ARCHITECT, LANDMARK, SPOTLIGHT and MECHANICAL 10.5 are now available as a free downloadable update from the company's website, or on CD-ROM for a nominal fee. International users should contact their local distributor for availability.

Over 280 New Textures and Image Props Added to RenderWorks

We've included over 280 new image-based textures and image props in both high and low resolution formats. In addition, the textures have been carefully adjusted and calibrated for the maximum degree of realism. Many images were adapted from manufacturer's literature and all were extensively reprocessed to minimize brightness gradients and prevent the visual repetition of patterns. To download a PDF document of the RenderWorks texture library, click here.

3D Power Pack...Better Than Ever!

Some of the new functionality and improvements in the 3D Power Pack include the Protrusion/Cutout tool, which creates bosses and cutouts with interactive preview. There is a new option in the Project tool that creates ribs or webs by projecting a planar profile onto a surface with automatic trimming. You can now use the Revolve with Rail command to create complex NURBS surfaces. You can also convert a solid to a generic solid to reduce the file size by removing the solid object history. Finally, the user interface improvements include improved wireframe display of solid primitives, visible NURBS surface normals and NURBS curve direction. For the full scoop on the 3D Power Pack and to see some really cool movies to demonstrate what we are talking about, visit www.nemetschek.net/3Dpowerpack/index.html

Call us at 410-290-5114 to speak to Customer Service or Technical Support.

Fax us at 410-290-7266. Visit us on the web at www.nemetschek.net

For ordering and pricing information, call 1-888-646-4223, or e-mail sales@nemetschek.net

E-mail questions about upcoming shows, User Group events, or any marketing concerns to marketing@nemetschek.net

E-mail your technical questions, solutions, and wish list items to Technical Support at tech@nemetschek.net