Viewports

Viewport objects allow you to create views from several directions, complete with details, annotations, dimensions, and title blocks. Viewports can show other parts of the active document, or even portions of other documents.

Viewports can display entire, as well as cropped, views of a drawing, with specified layer and class visibility settings, projection, render mode, and orientation parameters. If the drawing changes, you can easily update the viewports to reflect the changes.

There are several different types of viewports, depending on whether you have the Vectorworks Fundamentals product or one or more Vectorworks Design Series products.

In both the Vectorworks Fundamentals and Vectorworks Design Series products, you can create one or more viewports on a sheet layer, and each viewport can show one or more design layers from this document. Sheet layer viewports, often created for presentation purposes, are created on special layers called sheet layers. Sheet layers retain their own print settings, including print area, resolution, and printer setup parameters. For more information on sheet layers, see “Layers” on page 157.

When Renderworks is installed, a sheet layer viewport can be linked to a Renderworks camera.

Vectorworks Design Series products allow you to create one or more viewports on a design layer, and the design layers shown in the viewports can be either from this document, or referenced from another document. Like a sheet layer viewport, a design layer viewport can display design layers from the current file in a full or cropped view; unlike a sheet layer viewport, it can include one or more design layers that are referenced from another file.

A section viewport creates a cross section view of a model, but leaves the model intact. A section viewport can be created from a design layer or another non-sectioned viewport; it can be placed on a design layer or sheet layer.

A detail viewport is a cropped sheet layer viewport that shows a detail view of any part of a drawing. A detail viewport can be created from a design layer, another sheet layer viewport, or a section viewport. The crop object used to create the detail viewport becomes a callout object that is linked to the detail viewport for easy navigation between layers.

The Viewports tab of the Organization dialog box differentiates among the various types of viewports.

Creating Sheet Layer Viewports

Creating a Sheet Layer Viewport from a Design Layer

2. The Create Viewport dialog box opens. The viewport parameters are initially set to be the same as those of the design layer that is currently active, but they can be changed here. After the viewport has been created, additional parameters become available; see “Viewport Properties” on page 1632.

Parameter	Description
Viewport Name	Specifies the viewport name; this name must be unique in the document
Drawing Title	Specifies a descriptive title for the sheet layer viewport. This name displays as the drawing title for any annotation objects (drawing labels, section markers, and sheet borders) that are added to the viewport. The drawing title name is limited to 63 characters.
Create on Layer	Select the sheet layer where the viewport will be created, or select New Sheet Layer to create a sheet layer. If there are no sheet layers present and a new one is not created now, you will be prompted to create a sheet layer after clicking OK.
Layers	Specifies which design layers will be visible in the viewport
Display Planar Objects	Select to display 2D planar objects, when the viewport’s view is other than Top/Plan
Project Screen Objects	Select to display 2D objects associated with the screen plane, when the viewport’s view is other than Top/Plan
Classes	Specifies which classes will be visible in the viewport
Scale	Specifies the viewport scale relative to the page; select a scale or choose Custom and enter the scale value in Custom Scale
Custom Scale	When a custom scale is selected, enter the scale value
View	Specifies the orientation of the design layers displayed in the viewport; select a cardinal view or choose Custom and then click Set View to specify the view
Set View	When a custom view is selected, click Set View to open the 3D Rotation dialog box for the entry of custom view parameters (see “Rotating Precisely” on page 1147 for more information)
Rendering	Specifies the render mode for the viewport; some modes enable the Render Settings button, to specify rendering parameters
Render Settings	Available when the selected Rendering mode requires parameters to be set. See the following: • Sketch settings: “Applying Sketch Styles to Viewports” on page 1498 • OpenGL settings: “OpenGL” on page 1586 • Custom Renderworks settings: “Custom Renderworks Options” on page 1596 • Artistic Renderworks settings: “Artistic Renderworks Options” on page 1597 • Hidden Line, Dashed Hidden Line, and Final Shaded Polygon settings: “Line Render Options” on page 1588
RW Background (Renderworks required)	Select a Renderworks background from either the default content or the current file’s content to use as a background for the viewport; see “Resource Libraries” on page 215
Projection	Select the projection type for the viewport (see “Projection” on page 1138)
Perspective Type	For Perspective projection, select the type of perspective, or choose Custom and specify the perspective distance
Perspective Dist	For custom perspectives, enter the perspective distance

4. If a sheet layer does not already exist in the file, the New Sheet Layer dialog box opens automatically to create one. Click OK.

The viewport is created on the designated sheet layer, and the sheet layer becomes active.

Creating a Sheet Layer Viewport by Cropping

To create a cropped viewport either from a design layer or from an existing uncropped viewport on a sheet layer:

1. Make active the existing design layer or sheet layer that will display in the viewport.

2. Create a 2D object such as a rectangle, circle, or polyline. The 2D object must define an area; for example, a 2D line cannot be used. Crop objects are automatically placed in the screen plane (see “Planar Modes of 2D Objects: Screen Plane and Layer Plane” on page 148). Position the 2D object on the design layer or existing uncropped viewport to delimit the area to be included in the new viewport. The fill of a viewport cropping object is always None; however, the pen style can be set from the Attributes palette.

3. If the cropped viewport is being created from a design layer, select the 2D object. If the cropped viewport is being created from a sheet layer, select both the 2D object and the uncropped viewport.

5. An alert dialog box asks whether the object should be used as the viewport’s crop. Select Yes (click Always do the selected action to always use a selected 2D object as a crop object when creating viewports).

6. The Create Viewport dialog box opens. Enter a viewport name and drawing title, and select the sheet layer to place it on. The remaining viewport parameters are initially set to be the same as the design layer properties (for design layers) or selected viewport (for sheet layers). Change the parameters as needed.

The viewport, cropped by the selected 2D object, is created on the specified sheet layer.

8. By default, the crop object is not visible. To change the visibility of the crop object, select the viewport and select the Crop Visible setting in the Object Info palette.

Creating Multiple Viewports Simultaneously

The Create Multiple Viewports command generates 2D drawings from a 3D model and creates up to seven sheet layer viewports configured with several orthographic views and one isometric view of the model.

If you run the command from a sheet layer, the viewports are added to that sheet layer. If you run the command from a design layer, the viewports are added to a new sheet layer that is created automatically.

2. Specify the desired viewport scale, views, and angle projection method, and then click OK.

Parameter	Description
Viewport Scale	Select the viewport scale relative to the page
Method
First Angle Projection	Create views using the first angle projection method; by default, the front, top, and left views are selected when the drawing units are metric
Third Angle Projection	Create views using the third angle projection method; by default, the front, top, and right views are selected when the drawing units are imperial
Views
Front, Top, Right, Left, Bottom, Back, Isometric	Select the view(s) to create in the drawing

Viewports are created at the designated layer scale, using the current layer and class visibility and print area settings, with the rendered style set to hidden line rendering. Viewports are aligned horizontally and vertically, separated by a fixed distance, and centered on the sheet layer.

3. Optionally, configure the viewports’ layer and class settings (Active, Show, or Gray Others only), annotate the viewport, or modify the rendering style or other viewport parameters.

Creating Design Layer Viewports

A sheet layer viewport displays a full or cropped view of one or more design layers, which you can change as needed and not affect the original drawing. For example, change the viewport’s layer and class visibilities, use a different render mode, or add annotations and dimensions. (See “Creating Sheet Layer Viewports” on page 1612.)

Design layer viewports provide different functionality, for more flexibility. Like a sheet layer viewport, a design layer viewport can display design layers from the current file in a full or cropped view; unlike a sheet layer viewport, it can include one or more design layers that are referenced from another file.

Like a sheet layer viewport, in a design layer viewport you can control layer and class visibility, and create layer and class overrides. However, because it is an object on a design layer, a design layer viewport has the same view, scale, and render mode as everything else on the layer. You can use 2D and 3D drawing tools to add objects to the design layer, but you cannot add annotations to a design layer viewport.

Design layer viewports replace the layer link functionality present in the Vectorworks Fundamentals product. Current layer links can be easily converted to a design layer viewport with the Modify > Convert > Convert to Viewport command. (See “Converting Layer Links” on page 1853.)

The search criteria used in worksheets and in the Script Editor allow you to filter out items from design layer viewports, to prevent unwanted duplicates in schedules.

Creating a Design Layer Viewport from an Internal Design Layer

To create a design layer viewport that displays a design layer in the same file:

1. Select View > Create Viewport. Alternatively, from either the Organization dialog box or the Navigation palette, select the Viewports tab, and click New.

2. The Create Viewport dialog box opens. The scale, view, and render mode of the viewport are determined by the design layer on which it is placed; they cannot be changed here. Set the other viewport parameters as desired. After the viewport has been created, additional parameters become available; see “Editing a Design Layer Displayed in a Viewport” on page 1645.

Parameter	Description
Viewport Name	Specifies the viewport name; this name must be unique in the document
Drawing Title	Specifies a descriptive name for the viewport. The drawing title name is limited to 63 characters.
Create on Layer	Select the design layer in the current file where the viewport will be created, or select New Design Layer to create a layer
Source	Displays the name of the file that contains the design layers to display in the viewport. If Current Document is not displayed here, click Select Source to open the Select Viewport Source dialog box; select Current Document as the source, and click OK to return to this dialog box. See “Creating a Referenced Design Layer Viewport” on page 1618 for information about referencing an external file.
Layers	Specifies which design layers will be visible in the viewport; see “Changing the Layer Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1655
Display Planar Objects	Select to display 2D planar objects, when the viewport’s view is other than Top/Plan
Project Screen Objects	Select to display 2D objects associated with the screen plane, when the viewport’s view is other than Top/Plan
Classes	Specifies which classes from the source file will be visible in the viewport; see “Changing the Layer Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1655
Remaining fields	The remaining fields are not available for design layer viewports

Creating a Design Layer Viewport by Cropping

The viewport and the design layer that displays in it must both be in the same file.

2. Create a 2D object such as a rectangle, circle, or polyline. The 2D object must define an area; for example, a 2D line cannot be used. Crop objects are automatically placed in the screen plane (see “Planar Modes of 2D Objects: Screen Plane and Layer Plane” on page 148). Position the 2D object on the design layer to delimit the area to be included in the new viewport. The fill of a viewport crop object is always None; however, the pen style can be set from the Attributes palette.

4. An alert dialog box asks whether the object should be used as the viewport’s crop. Select Yes (also select Always do the selected action to always use a selected 2D object as a crop object when creating viewports).

The viewport, cropped by the selected 2D object, is created on the specified design layer.

7. By default, the crop object is not visible. To change the visibility of the crop object, select the viewport and select the Crop Visible setting in the Object Info palette.

Creating a Referenced Design Layer Viewport

Referencing allows you to use information from other Vectorworks files in your file, including design layers, classes, and resources (such as hatches, worksheets, or symbols). There are two ways to reference design layers that are in other Vectorworks files:

• The default method in the Vectorworks Design Series products is to create a design layer viewport and then reference the desired design layers from the master file into the viewport, as described here. One advantage to this method is that all of the layers, classes, and resources from the master file are not automatically imported into the target file.

A reference for a design layer viewport can be created when the viewport is created, or it can be created ahead of time from the References tab of the Organization dialog box.

To create a design layer viewport that references a design layer in another file:

1. If the current file uses layer import referencing, switch to design layer viewport referencing. (From the References tab of the Organization dialog box, click Settings, and click the Design layer viewports option on the Reference Settings dialog box. Any existing referenced layers are automatically converted into referenced design layer viewports.)

2. Select View > Create Viewport. Alternatively, from either the Organization dialog box or the Navigation palette, select the Viewports tab, and click New.

3. The Create Viewport dialog box opens. Enter a Viewport Name and Drawing Title, and then select the design layer on which to create the viewport.

4. Click Select Source to open the Select Viewport Source dialog box, and enter information about the referenced document.

Parameter	Description
Current Document / External Document	Select External Document to indicate that the design layers that will display in this viewport are in a different file
Existing Reference	If the master file is already a reference in this file, select this option, and then select the reference from the list
New Reference	Select this option if this is a new reference, and click Choose to open the Open Current-Version Drawing dialog box; locate the master file and click Open to return to this dialog box. The path to the selected file displays below the New Reference field. Referenced files must be the same Vectorworks software version as the target file. Circular references are not allowed; for example, if file A references file B, and file B references file C, then file C cannot reference file A. The exception is if one of the references uses the referencing in the Vectorworks Fundamentals product (layer import).
Save reference location as	Maintains either an absolute or relative file path reference from the current file to the referenced file. Use the absolute path when the location of the referenced file with respect to the current file is not going to change. Use the relative path when the files might be moved to another computer or platform; as long as the relative path between the files remains the same, the reference can be found. Both files must be saved on the save volume to select this option. The Source File path displays either an absolute or relative path, depending on the selection.
Automatically update out of date reference during file open	Updates the reference each time the target file is opened; when deselected, the reference is updated only when Update is clicked from the References tab of the Organization dialog box
Save referenced cache to disk	Saves a copy of the referenced data with the target file. When this option is deselected, a copy of the referenced data is not saved, which means that the target file size is smaller; the referenced data is refreshed when the target file is opened.

5. Click OK in the Select Viewport Source dialog box to return to the Create Viewport dialog box.

The master file displays on the References tab of the Organization dialog box; for details about how to edit, update, or delete references, see “Workgroups and Referencing” on page 203.

Creating Section Viewports

A section viewport creates a cross section view of a model, but leaves the model intact. The section viewport can display a 2D cross section view of only the objects that intersect the section line, or, additionally, the 3D geometry that remains on the indicated side of an infinite plane passing through the section line.

Create a live section view from one or more design layers, from a clip cube on a design layer, or from a viewport on a sheet layer or design layer. By creating several section viewports, models can be analyzed and presented effectively. The section views can be updated as the model changes, and their attributes and appearance can be easily changed.

A section viewport can be created on either a sheet layer or a design layer; the functionality and purpose of the two types of section viewports are different.

Section viewports on sheet layers can include annotations and automatic drawing coordination of the sheet and drawing numbers; also, if there are multiple viewports on a sheet layer, each can a have different view and scale. These types of sections are always Top/Plan since they are on sheet layers, and are created for construction drawings. To get a 3D “look,” switch to Perspective Projection.

Section viewports on design layers are useful when, for example, a detail section is needed in a Front rendered view. A design layer section viewport allows comparison between a section and an elevation view. In a team environment, the design layer section viewport can be referenced in other files.

For sheet layer section viewports, to automatically coordinate the sheet numbers and drawing numbers among the sheet borders, drawing labels, and section markers in a file, select Use Automatic Drawing Coordination in the Display tab of the Document Preferences. This feature keeps references up to date, even when drawings are edited or moved to a different layer.

Creating a Section Viewport on a Sheet Layer

When you create a section viewport, you can place it on either a sheet layer or design layer. Section viewports on sheet layers can have annotations and automatic drawing coordination of the sheet and drawing numbers; also, if there are multiple viewports on a sheet layer, each can a have different view and scale.

Create a section view from a design layer, from a clip cube, or from a viewport on a sheet layer. A section viewport that was created from a design layer or clip cube can be updated when changes are made to the design layer. However, a section viewport that was created from a viewport does not maintain a connection to the viewport that created it. It updates when the design layers that are visible in the source viewport change.

• To create a section view from an active design layer, set the layer to Top/Plan view by selecting View > Standard Views > Top/Plan.

• To create a section view from an existing viewport, select a non-sectioned viewport object. The viewport object must be in Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, or Back view orientation.

• To create a section view from an existing clip cube object, use the Selection tool to highlight the vertical face of the clip cube where the section will begin. (See “Viewing a Model with the Clip Cube” on page 1151.) Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) to open the context menu.

2. Select View > Create Section Viewport (for a design layer or viewport), or select Create Section Viewport from the context menu (for a clip cube).

3. Draw the section line to create the cutting plane on the design layer or viewport. For a clip cube, skip to step 4; the section line is created automatically from the clip cube face that was used to create the section viewport.

Click in the drawing and drag the mouse to begin drawing the marker line. Click to mark the end of the line, and then click to indicate the side of the line to look toward (keep), which is indicated by a black arrow. Double-click to end the line.

To create a broken section line, click in the drawing and draw the first segment. Indicate which side of the drawing to show in the viewport. Click and drag to draw additional segments; broken section line segments are always parallel or perpendicular to each other. Double-click to end the broken line.

4. The Create Section Viewport dialog box opens, set to the parameters of the active design layer or non-section viewport. Change the parameters as needed.

Parameter	Description
Name Viewport as Dwg No./Sheet No.	Select this option to automatically set the Viewport Name to be a combination of the Drawing Number and the Sheet Number assigned to this viewport. Deselect this option to enter a custom Viewport Name.
Viewport Name	If Name Viewport as Dwg No./Sheet No. is not selected, enter a descriptive name for the viewport; this name must be unique in the document
Create on Layer	Select the sheet layer where the viewport will be created, or select New Sheet Layer to create a sheet layer. If there are no sheet layers present and a new one is not created now, you will be prompted to create a sheet layer after clicking OK.
Create Drawing Label	Select this option to create a drawing label in the annotation space of the section viewport
Drawing Number	The next sequential drawing number available on the selected Sheet Layer defaults automatically. This number displays on the section marker associated with this viewport, as well as on any drawing label in the viewport’s annotations. This number must be unique on this sheet layer.
Drawing Title	Specifies a descriptive title for the section viewport. This name displays as the drawing title for any annotation objects (drawing labels, section markers, and sheet borders) that are added to the viewport. The drawing title name is limited to 63 characters. If Use Automatic Drawing Coordination is selected in document preferences, a change to this field for the viewport automatically changes the field for the viewport’s drawing label, and vice versa.
Layers	Specifies which design layers are visible in the viewport
Display Objects beyond Section Plane	When selected, shows objects beyond the section plane; visible planar objects are sectioned if positioned at the section line
Display Planar Objects	Select to display 2D planar objects; visible planar objects are sectioned if positioned at the section line
Display Flattened	This option is available for viewports on design layers only
Classes	Specifies which classes are visible in the viewport
Scale	Specifies the viewport scale relative to the page; select a scale, or choose Custom and enter a Custom Scale value
Custom Scale	When a custom scale is selected, enter the scale value
Rendering	Specifies the render mode for the viewport; some modes enable the Render Settings button, to specify rendering parameters After the viewport is created, foreground rendering can be added for a composite rendering effect; see “Viewport Properties” on page 1632.
Render Settings	Available when the selected Rendering mode requires parameters to be set. See the following: • Sketch settings: “Applying Sketch Styles to Viewports” on page 1498 • OpenGL settings: “OpenGL” on page 1586 • Custom Renderworks settings: “Custom Renderworks Options” on page 1596 • Artistic Renderworks settings: “Artistic Renderworks Options” on page 1597 • Hidden Line, Dashed Hidden Line, and Final Shaded Polygon settings: “Line Render Options” on page 1588
RW Background (Renderworks required)	Select a Renderworks background from either the default content or the current file’s content to use as a background for the viewport; see “Applying Renderworks Backgrounds” on page 1541
Projection	Select the projection type for the viewport (see “Projection” on page 1138)
Perspective Type	For Perspective projection, select the type of perspective, or choose Custom and specify the perspective distance
Perspective Dist	For custom perspectives, enter the perspective distance
Advanced Section Properties	Specifies advanced section viewport parameters defining the extent and attributes of the section view; see “Advanced Section Viewport Properties” on page 1641
Section Line Settings	Specifies the graphic attributes of the section line object; see “Section Lines and Section-Elevation Markers” on page 1626

5. Click OK. A section line object is created in the design layer, or is added to the annotations of the existing non-sectioned viewport. A section viewport is created on the selected sheet layer, and the drawing switches to that sheet layer, displaying the new section viewport.

By default, the cross section areas (along the plane where the section was cut) are displayed in red. These areas are in the Section Style class, if you want to change the fill color.

Creating a Section Viewport on a Design Layer

When you create a section viewport, you can place it on either a sheet layer or design layer. Section viewports on design layers are useful when a detailed section is needed, or when the section viewport needs to be referenced into other files.

If you want to use annotations and automatic drawing coordination of the sheet and drawing numbers, or if you need multiple viewports on a sheet layer with different views and scales, create the viewport on a sheet layer instead. (See “Creating a Section Viewport on a Sheet Layer” on page 1621.)

• To create a section view from an active design layer, set the layer to Top/Plan view by selecting View > Standard Views > Top/Plan.

• To create a section view from an existing viewport, select a non-sectioned viewport object. The viewport object must be in Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, or Back view orientation.

2. Select View > Create Section Viewport (for a design layer or viewport), or select Create Section Viewport from the context menu (for a clip cube).

4. The Create Section Viewport dialog box opens. After you select the design layer on which to create the viewport, several parameters that apply only to section viewports on sheet layers become unavailable; they are not included in the parameters table. Enter the desired parameters.

The scale of a design layer section viewport is the same as the layer where it is placed. The rendering mode of the current layer is also used to render the design layer section viewport.

Parameter	Description
Viewport Name	If Name Viewport as Dwg No./Sheet No. is not selected, enter a descriptive name for the viewport; this name must be unique in the document
Create on Layer	Select the design layer where the viewport will be created, or select New Design Layer to create a design layer. If there are no design layers present and a new one is not created now, you will be prompted to create a design layer after clicking OK.
Layers	Specifies which design layers are visible in the viewport
Display Objects beyond Section Plane	When selected, shows objects beyond the section plane, on the indicated side of the section; deselect to show only the objects that intersect the section line
Display Planar Objects	Select to display 2D planar objects; visible planar objects are sectioned if positioned at the section line
Display Flattened	This option becomes available after you select a design layer in the Create on Layer field. When selected, the viewport always displays a “flattened” section view, similar to a section viewport on a sheet layer; deselect this option to have the viewport display the current view selected for the design layer.
Classes	Specifies which classes are visible in the viewport
Advanced Section Properties	Specifies advanced section viewport parameters defining the extent and attributes of the section view; see “Advanced Section Viewport Properties” on page 1641
Section Line Settings	Specifies the graphic attributes of the section line object; also sets the default attributes for the section lines for future section viewports you create (see “Section Lines and Section-Elevation Markers” on page 1626)

5. Click OK. A section line object is created in the design layer, or is added to the annotations of the existing non-sectioned viewport. A section viewport is created on the selected design layer, and the drawing switches to that design layer, displaying the new section viewport.

Initially, the view is set to Top/Plan, but this can be changed, and the section can be displayed in any view (the Flyover tool can also be used to view the section). Additionally, there is an option to display a flattened version of the section, which can be used to create section drawings or details.

A design layer section viewport can be cropped, but it does not contain an annotation space.

Section Lines and Section-Elevation Markers

Section lines and section-elevation markers look very similar on a drawing, but they are created differently.

A section line is automatically created when a section viewport is created. The section line graphically indicates the cutting plane of the section viewport and shows the orientation of the section view. Specify the graphic properties of the section line (such as the marker style), when you create the section viewport. To access a section line from its section viewport, click Section Line Instances from the Object Info palette (see “Section Line Instances” on page 1627).

A section line that has been pasted from a copy, duplicated, or mirrored from a section line that was associated with a section viewport becomes an “unlinked” section line. It displays with black and yellow stripes and the Section Viewport field in the Object Info palette displays “Not Linked.”

A section-elevation marker is graphically similar to a section line, but it is not linked to any viewport. Use the Section-Elevation Marker tool from the Dims/Notes tool set to insert a marker, as a reference line graphic for sections and elevations, or as a cutting plane graphic. Select the Preferences option from the Tool bar to specify the graphic properties of the object before you create it.

After creation, edit both section lines and section-elevation markers as follows:

• Use the Object Info palette to edit the graphic properties (such as the marker style).

• Use the Attributes palette to apply attributes (such as the fill or pen color).

• Use options on the Text menu to control the text appearance (such as the font or size), or assign a text style.

Creating Section-Elevation Markers

2. Select the Preferences option from the Tool bar, and set the default parameters for section-elevation markers.

To insert a multi-segment marker, click to define each segment. Because a multi-segment marker is a polyline, the methods of drawing and editing polylines apply (see “Creating Polylines” on page 294).

Section Line Instances

Section line instances associated with a section view can be added to or deleted from design layers or viewport annotations. In addition, the Section Line Instances dialog box provides an easy way to navigate from a section viewport to its associated section lines.

1. Select the section viewport whose section line you want to navigate to or edit.

Parameter	Description
Viewport	Displays the name of the selected section viewport
Design Layers tab/Viewports tab	Displays the names of all design layers in the file (on the Design Layers tab) and all sheet layer viewports in the file (on the Viewports tab). Each design layer or viewport that contains a section line associated with the selected section viewport has a check mark to the left of its name.
Activate	When a design layer or viewport with a check mark is selected, navigates to the section line instance

3. To add another instance of the section line to a different design layer or to the annotation for a different viewport, click in the column next to that design layer or viewport, and then click OK. Or, to remove a section line instance from a layer or viewport, click the checked column (which removes the check mark), and then click OK.

Deleting all section line instances does not delete the section viewport, and new instances can be created at any time. However, deleting a section viewport deletes all section line instances.

4. The section line instances can also be used as a navigation tool to access a particular section line. Select the section line and click Activate to switch to the design layer or viewport; the section line is selected for any modifications.

To return from a section line instance to the associated section viewport, click Navigate to Section Viewport from the Object Info palette of a selected section line.

Creating Section Viewports from Unlinked Section Lines

An unlinked (orphan) section line is disconnected from its associated section viewport, possibly because the section line was pasted from a copy, duplicated, or mirrored. It displays as a black and yellow line, and “Not Linked” is displayed in Section Viewport on the Shape tab of the Object Info palette.

Section viewports can be created from unlinked section lines located on a design layer, sheet layer, or while in edit annotation mode.

1. Select the unlinked section lines. If on a sheet layer, include the viewport to be sectioned in the selection set.

The Create Section Viewport dialog box opens (see “Creating Section Viewports” on page 1620). If multiple unlinked section lines were selected, the parameters specified apply to all section viewports created.

Creating and Sectioning Elevation Views

Section viewports are useful for creating images that show multiple design layers from a certain point of view.

For example, to show an exterior elevation of a building model, draw a section line outside of the model on one of the design layers and make all of the necessary layers visible in the section viewport. To show an interior view of the same model, do the same thing, but draw the section line through the model at the appropriate location.

Or, if you already have a (non-sectioned) sheet layer viewport that shows multiple design layers in an elevation view, you can draw the section line through the viewport at the appropriate location.

Creating Detail Viewports

The Create Detail Viewport command creates a cropped sheet layer viewport that shows a detail view of any part of a drawing. A detail viewport can be created from a design layer, another sheet layer viewport, or a section viewport.

The crop object used to create the detail viewport becomes a callout object that is linked to the detail viewport for easy navigation between layers. If the detail callout object is moved or reshaped, the detail viewport is updated accordingly. Additionally, the detail callout is automatically labeled with the drawing number and sheet number of the detail viewport. If the detail viewport is renumbered or moved to another layer, the callout marker is updated automatically.

1. Create a crop object on a design layer (in Top/Plan view), on a sheet layer viewport (sectioned or not), or inside a viewport annotation group.

The Create Detail Viewport dialog box opens. Different options are available, depending on where the crop object is located (design layer, viewport, or section viewport). Specify the desired parameters.

Parameter	Description
Name Viewport as Dwg No./Sheet No.	Select this option to automatically set the Viewport Name to be a combination of the Drawing Number and the sheet layer name. Deselect this option to enter a custom Viewport Name.
Viewport Name	If Name Viewport as Dwg No./Sheet No. is not selected, enter a descriptive name for the viewport. This name displays for the viewport on the Navigation palette and Organization dialog box. The name must be unique in the document.
Create on Layer	Select the sheet layer where the viewport will be created, or select New Sheet Layer to create a sheet layer. If there are no sheet layers present and a new one is not created now, you will be prompted to create a sheet layer after clicking OK.
Create Drawing Label	Select this option to create a drawing label in the annotation space of the detail viewport
Drawing Number	The next sequential drawing number available on the selected sheet layer defaults automatically. This number displays on the drawing label associated with this viewport, as well as on the detail callout. The number must be unique on this sheet layer.
Drawing Title	Specifies a descriptive title for the viewport; this name displays on the drawing label associated with this viewport. The drawing title name is limited to 63 characters.
Layers	Specifies which design layers are visible in the viewport
Display Planar Objects	Select to display 2D planar objects
Project Screen Objects	Available if the detail viewport is being created from a design layer or a non-section viewport; when selected, displays 2D objects associated with the screen plane
Display Objects Beyond Section Plane	Available if the detail viewport is being created from a section viewport; when selected, shows objects beyond the section plane
Classes	Specifies which classes are visible in the viewport
Scale	Specifies the viewport scale relative to the page; select a scale, or choose Custom and enter a Custom Scale value
Custom Scale 1:	When a custom scale is selected, enter the scale value
Rendering	Available if the detail viewport is being created from a viewport; some modes enable the Render Settings button, to specify rendering parameters
Render Settings	Available if the detail viewport is being created from a viewport, and the selected Rendering mode requires parameters to be set. See the following: • Sketch settings: “Applying Sketch Styles to Viewports” on page 1498 • OpenGL settings: “OpenGL” on page 1586 • Custom Renderworks settings: “Custom Renderworks Options” on page 1596 • Artistic Renderworks settings: “Artistic Renderworks Options” on page 1597 • Hidden Line, Dashed Hidden Line, and Final Shaded Polygon settings: “Line Render Options” on page 1588
RW Background (Renderworks required)	Available if the detail viewport is being created from a viewport and one of the Renderworks Rendering modes is selected. Select a Renderworks background from either the default content or the current file’s content to use as a background for the viewport; see “Resource Libraries” on page 215.
Detail Callout Settings	Opens a dialog box to set options for the detail callout object; see “Properties of Detail Callouts” on page 1638

3. Click OK to close the Create Detail Viewport dialog box. The specified sheet layer is activated, and the detail viewport is placed in the center of the sheet.

Additionally, the original crop object is converted into a detail callout object. If the detail viewport was created from a design layer, the detail callout is created on the design layer. If the detail viewport was created from a viewport, the detail callout is created in the annotation space of that viewport. The callout includes the drawing number and sheet number of the detail viewport associated with it.

4. You can create additional instances of the callout on other design layers or in the annotations of other viewports, if needed. See “Detail Callout Instances” on page 1631.

Detail Callout Instances

Detail callout instances associated with a detail viewport can be added to or deleted from design layers or viewport annotations. In addition, the Detail Callout Instances dialog box provides an easy way to navigate from a detail viewport to its associated detail callout.

Parameter	Description
Viewport	Displays the name of the selected detail viewport
Design Layers tab/Viewports tab	Displays the names of all design layers in the file (on the Design Layers tab) and all other sheet layer and section viewports in the file (on the Viewports tab). Each design layer or viewport that contains a detail callout associated with the selected detail viewport has a check mark to the left of its name.
Activate	When a design layer or viewport with a check mark is selected, navigates to the detail callout instance: • If the detail callout instance is on a design layer, activates that design layer and centers the detail callout object in the screen • If the detail callout instance is in a viewport, activates the sheet layer of the viewport and enters annotation editing mode for the viewport

Parameter

Description

Viewport

Displays the name of the selected detail viewport

Design Layers tab/Viewports tab

Displays the names of all design layers in the file (on the Design Layers tab) and all other sheet layer and section viewports in the file (on the Viewports tab). Each design layer or viewport that contains a detail callout associated with the selected detail viewport has a check mark to the left of its name.

Activate

When a design layer or viewport with a check mark is selected, navigates to the detail callout instance:

• If the detail callout instance is on a design layer, activates that design layer and centers the detail callout object in the screen

• If the detail callout instance is in a viewport, activates the sheet layer of the viewport and enters annotation editing mode for the viewport

3. To add another instance of the detail callout to a different design layer or to the annotations for a different viewport, click in the column next to that design layer or viewport, and then click OK. Or, to remove a detail callout instance from a layer or viewport, click the checked column (which removes the check mark), and then click OK.

Deleting all detail callout instances does not delete the detail viewport, and new instances can be created at any time. However, deleting a detail viewport deletes all detail callout instances.

4. The detail callout instances can also be used as a navigation tool to access a particular callout. Select the detail callout and click Activate to switch to the design layer or viewport; the detail callout is selected for any modifications.

To return from a detail callout instance to the associated detail viewport, click Navigate to Viewport from the Object Info palette of a selected detail callout.

Viewport Properties

Once it has been created, edit the viewport in the Object Info palette, or select Properties from the viewport’s context menu to open the Properties dialog box. Edit the parameters as needed.

A viewport is assigned to the None class when it is created, and its visibility is controlled by the class settings when that class is not active.

Parameter	Description
Rotation	Sets the viewport rotation; if the viewport was created from a rotated plan view (Vectorworks Design Series required), this parameter can be used to reset the viewport to the world coordinate system
Lock Position (design layer viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Select to prevent the viewport from being moved accidentally
Crop	Indicates whether the selected viewport has been cropped (see “Cropping Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1648)
Crop Visible	If the viewport has been cropped, select to display the crop object
Update	Click to update the viewport to reflect any changes that have occurred since the viewport was created or last updated
Description (design layer viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Specifies a descriptive name for the viewport
Drawing Title	Specifies a descriptive title for the viewport. This name displays as the drawing title for any annotation objects (drawing labels, sheet borders, and section markers) that are added to the viewport. The drawing title name is limited to 63 characters. If Use Automatic Drawing Coordination is selected in document preferences, a change to this field for the viewport automatically changes the field for the viewport’s drawing label, and vice versa. (Vectorworks Design Series required)
Drawing Number (sheet layer section viewport, detail viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	The next sequential drawing number available on the selected Sheet Layer defaults automatically. This number displays on the section marker associated with this viewport, as well as on any drawing label in the viewport’s annotations. This number must be unique on this sheet layer. Additionally, if Text Auto-Fill is selected for the detail callout, a change to this field for the viewport automatically changes the field for the detail callout.
Layers	Specifies which design layers are visible in the viewport and allows changes to some of the layer properties in the viewport; see “Changing the Layer Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1655
Display Objects Beyond View Plane (section viewport, detail viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Shows or hides objects beyond the view plane
Display Planar Objects	Select to display 2D planar objects, when the viewport’s view is other than Top/Plan. For section viewports, visible planar objects are sectioned if positioned at the section line (Vectorworks Design Series required).
Project Screen Objects	Select to display 2D objects associated with the screen plane, when the viewport’s view is other than Top/Plan. Detail viewports must be created from a design layer or non-section viewport to enable this option.
Display Flattened (design layer section viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	When selected, the viewport always displays a “flattened” section view, similar to a section viewport on a sheet layer; deselect this option to have the viewport display the current view selected for the design layer
Classes	Specifies which classes are visible in the viewport and allows changes to some of the class properties in the viewport, including changes to the properties for annotation or crop objects. Class visibilities can be overridden for a selected viewport; see “Changing the Class Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1657.
Scale	Specifies the viewport scale relative to the page; select a scale, or choose Custom and enter a Custom Scale value
Custom Scale	When a custom scale is selected, enter the scale value
RW Camera (Renderworks required)	Indicates whether the viewport is linked to a Renderworks camera
View	Specifies the orientation of the design layers displayed in the viewport; select a cardinal view or choose Custom and then click Set View to specify the view The standard view of a selected viewport can be changed with the numeric keypad shortcut keys (see “Using Standard Views” on page 1137).
Set View	When a custom view is selected, click Set View to open the 3D Rotation dialog box for the entry of custom view parameters (see “Rotating Precisely” on page 1147 for more information)
Background/Foreground Render	Specifies the render mode(s) for the viewport. Select a background mode and specify the render settings, if any. For a composite effect, also select an optional foreground mode and specify any settings (Wireframe, Sketch, Hidden Line, or Dashed Hidden Line are the only render modes available for foreground rendering).
Background / Foreground Render Settings	Some render modes require parameters to be set; click the appropriate Render Settings button to specify them. See the following: • Wireframe settings: “Wireframe Options” on page 1585 • Sketch settings: “Applying Sketch Styles to Viewports” on page 1498 • OpenGL settings: “OpenGL” on page 1586 • Custom Renderworks settings: “Custom Renderworks Options” on page 1596 • Artistic Renderworks settings: “Artistic Renderworks Options” on page 1597 • Hidden Line, Dashed Hidden Line, and Final Shaded Polygon settings: “Line Render Options” on page 1588
RW Background (Renderworks required)	Select a Renderworks background from either the default content or the current file’s content to use as a background for the viewport; see “Applying Renderworks Backgrounds” on page 1541 If the Renderworks Background choices are not available, the background selection is controlled by the Renderworks style in effect. Set the background in the Renderworks style instead; see “Renderworks Styles” on page 1592.
Projection	Select the projection type for the viewport (see “Projection” on page 1138)
Perspective Type	For Perspective projection, select the type of perspective, or choose Custom and specify the perspective distance
Perspective Dist	For custom perspectives, enter the perspective distance
Lighting Options	Click to change the ambient light parameters described in “Setting Lighting Options” on page 1567. By default, a viewport’s ambient light is set according to the ambient light settings of the first visible design layer in the viewport. If there are no visible layers, the ambient light is set to on, with a color of white and a brightness of 35% (similar to the default ambient lighting for a design layer). If the lighting options are controlled by a Renderworks style that is currently in effect (Renderworks required), the Edit Renderworks Style dialog box opens instead; see “Renderworks Styles” on page 1592.
Advanced Properties	Opens the Advanced Viewport Properties dialog box; see “Advanced Sheet Layer Viewport Properties” on page 1638, “Advanced Design Layer Viewport Properties” on page 1640, or “Advanced Section Viewport Properties” on page 1641
Source (design layer viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Indicates the source file that contains the original design layer(s) that display in the viewport
Reverse Direction (section viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Switches to view the other side of the section line
Section Line Instances (section viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Lists the section line instances present in the file (see “Section Line Instances” on page 1627)
Detail Callout Instances (detail viewport) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	Lists the detail callout instances present in the file (see “Detail Callout Instances” on page 1631)

Once a section viewport is created (Vectorworks Design Series required), you may need to add or remove items that display in the section view. To do so, first use the Convert to Lines, Convert to Polygons, or Convert to Group command to convert the viewport to another form. (This conversion results in a group of lines and other primitives; it is no longer a viewport and can’t be updated to reflect drawing changes.) The conversion will produce different results, depending on which command is used and on how the viewport is rendered at the time of the conversion.

Properties of Section Lines and Section-Elevation Markers

Parameters display on the Object Info palette for selected section lines and section-elevation markers. Many of these parameters also display on the Section Line Settings dialog box, which you can access when you create a section viewport. Edit the parameters as needed.

Parameter	Description
Section Viewport (Section Lines only)	Displays the name of the viewport associated with the section line; a section line that is not associated with a viewport is labeled “Not Linked”
Reverse Direction (Section Lines only)	Reverses the side to display when objects beyond the section plane are visible
Navigate to Section Viewport (Section Lines only)	Navigates to the section viewport associated with the section line
Rotation (Section-Elevation Markers only)	Sets the marker rotation; if the marker was created from a rotated plan view, this parameter can be used to reset the marker to the world coordinate system
Text Style	Select a text style from the list of those available. To use the style associated with the class, select <Class Text Style>. To format the text using options on the Text menu, select <Un-Styled>.
Configuration	Select the section line configuration • Section: draws a section marker at both ends of a straight or broken section line • Partial Section: draws a section marker at the beginning of a straight or broken section line • Elevation: draws a section marker along a straight section line at a control point, which can be dragged to a new location
Flip (Section-Elevation Markers only)	Reverses the direction of the marker
Set Marker Style(s) (for Section-Elevation Markers) or Section Marker Style(s) (for Section Lines)	Opens the Set Marker Style dialog box, to select the section marker type at each end of the section line; markers can be the same (Match Beginning) or different (Differentiate) at each end of the section line. Select from either the default content or the current file’s content; see “Resource Libraries” on page 215.
Marker Size	Specifies the size of the section marker(s), measured from the marker’s insertion point to the top of its longest point. Changes to the marker size do not affect the text size.
Use Gapped Line (Section and Partial Section configurations only)	Displays the section line with a gapped line
Gap Line Length	If Use Gapped Line is selected, specifies the length of the solid section line at each end of the section line
Text Auto-Rotate	When selected, the marker text always displays in the same orientation; when deselected, the text is rotated according to the Text Rotation value
Text Both Ends (Section configuration only)	Displays text at the end of the marker, as well as the beginning
Text Style	Specifies the display style for the Drawing Number and Sheet Number text; if Dwg. No.-Sheet No. or Sheet No.-Dwg. No. is selected, specify a Text Separator to place between the text items
Text Rotation	When Text Auto-Rotate is not selected, specifies the rotation of the marker text
Text Sheet %	Specifies the scale value for the Sheet Number portion of the marker text. Enter a number larger than 100 to make the text larger. Enter a number below 100 to make it smaller. The scale value must be larger than 1.
Text Separator	For the Dwg. No.-Sheet No. and Sheet No.-Dwg. No. text styles, specifies the separator to place between the Drawing Number and Sheet Number text
Text Auto-Fill (Section Lines only)	For section line objects associated with a section viewport, automatically displays the Drawing Number of the referenced section viewport, and the viewport’s Sheet Number. Deselect this option to enter the Drawing Number and Sheet Number manually.
Drawing Number	Enter the Drawing Number of the referenced section viewport; this value defaults for section lines when Text Auto-Fill is selected
Sheet Number	Enter the Sheet Number of the referenced section viewport; this value defaults for section lines when Text Auto-Fill is selected

Properties of Detail Callouts

Parameters display for selected detail callouts on the Object Info palette. Many of these parameters also display on the Detail Callout Settings dialog box, which you can access when you create a detail viewport. Edit the parameters as needed. If there are multiple instances of the detail callout, all instances are updated.

Parameter	Description
Detail Viewport	Displays the name of the viewport
Navigate to Viewport	Accesses the detail viewport associated with this detail callout
Detail Callout Graphic Options	Opens a dialog box to set options for the marker attached to the callout object. Select a Marker Symbol from the list of those available. The Shoulder Length is the distance from the shoulder point of the leader line to the center of the marker. Leader Line sets the style and thickness of the leader line. Tag Position sets the position of the marker relative to the callout bubble.
Marker Size	Specifies the size of the callout marker, measured from the marker’s insertion point to the top of its longest point. Changes to the marker size do not affect the text size.
Text Style	Specifies the display style for the Drawing Number and Sheet Number text; if Dwg. No.-Sheet No. or Sheet No.-Dwg. No. is selected, specify a Text Separator to place between the text items
Text Rotation	Specifies the rotation of the marker text
Text Sheet	Specifies the scale value for the Sheet Number portion of the marker text. Enter a number larger than 100 to make the text larger. Enter a number below 100 to make it smaller. The scale value must be larger than 1.
Text Separator	For the Dwg. No.-Sheet No. and Sheet No.-Dwg. No. text styles, specifies the separator to place between the Drawing Number and Sheet Number text
Text Auto-Fill	Automatically displays the Drawing Number of the referenced detail viewport, and the detail viewport’s Sheet Number. Deselect this option to enter the Drawing Number and Sheet Number manually.
Drawing Number	Enter the Drawing Number of the referenced detail viewport; this value defaults when Text Auto-Fill is selected
Sheet Number	Enter the Sheet Number of the referenced detail viewport; this value defaults when Text Auto-Fill is selected

Advanced Sheet Layer Viewport Properties

To access additional sheet layer viewport parameters, click Advanced Properties from the Object Info palette or Properties dialog box of a selected viewport. The Advanced Viewport Properties dialog box opens. These settings affect the viewport display only; they do not change the original design layer(s). Edit the parameters as needed.

Parameter	Description
Line Weight Scale	Enter a value larger than 1.0 to increase the viewport line weights, or a value below 1.0 (but larger than 0) to decrease the line weights
Marker Scale	Enter a value larger than 1.0 to increase the viewport marker size, or a value below 1.0 (but larger than 0) to decrease the marker size
Line Type Scale	Enter a value larger than 1.0 to increase the length and spacing of viewport line type segments, or a value below 1.0 (but larger than 0) to decrease the length and spacing of line type segments
Hatch Line Scale	Enter a value larger than 1.0 to increase the spacing between viewport hatch lines, or a value below 1.0 (but larger than 0) to decrease the spacing between hatch lines
Text Scale	Enter a value larger than 1.0 to increase the text size in viewports, or a value below 1.0 (but larger than 0) to decrease the text size; only associated viewport text is affected. Graphic objects that are part of the text item, such as a reference marker container or callout bubble, are scaled with the text. Dimensional objects inside plug-in objects, such as dimensions within a bubble grid object, are not scaled. Plug-in objects, such as a North arrow object, are not scaled if they have been placed while editing the viewport in Edit Annotation mode.
Page Symbol Scaling	These settings affect page-based symbols in the viewport (see “Symbol Types” on page 233)
Symbol Scale	Sets a scale factor for page-based symbols; a scale factor of less than one decreases the size of the symbol relative to its definition at a 1:1 scale, while a factor of more than one increases its size
Attribute Scaling	These settings affect the attributes (such as line weight) of page-based symbols in the viewport
Use Symbol Factor	Uses the Symbol Scale factor to scale the attributes
Use Individual Factors	Uses the other, individual scale factors in the Advanced Properties dialog box, such as the Line Weight Scale, to scale the page-based symbol attributes
Show Wall Components	Displays or hides wall and slab components in Top/Plan view, regardless of the document preferences detail display setting (see “Aba Visualização” on page 57)
Render Gray Layers Transparent	Design layers with a visibility set to “Gray” are rendered as transparent, similar to the transparent effect achieved with the Unified View command (see “Unified Layer View” on page 1148)
Black and white only	Changes all colors in the viewport to black or white; this is useful for displaying two viewport copies on the same sheet layer, with one in color and the other in black and white. However, if the document preferences display setting is black and white, viewports will also display as black and white.
Adjust Flipped Text	Re-orients rotated and flipped text in the viewport so that it is always readable. The text box stays in the rotated and flipped position relative to the dimension line, but the text itself is re-oriented. (This setting overrides the flipped text preference for the document; see “Aba Visualização” on page 57.)
Re-Position Dimension Text	Re-positions rotated and flipped dimension text in the viewport according to the text position in the dimension standard. The text itself stays in the rotated and flipped orientation, but the text box position relative to the dimension line is changed. (This setting overrides the flipped text preference for the document; see “Aba Visualização” on page 57.)
Preview	Displays the viewport with a preview of the advanced settings

Advanced Design Layer Viewport Properties

To access additional design layer viewport parameters, click Advanced Properties from the Object Info palette of a selected viewport. The Advanced Viewport Properties dialog box opens. These settings affect the viewport display only; they do not affect the original design layer(s). Edit the parameters as needed.

Parameter	Description
Show Wall Components	Displays or hides wall components in Top/Plan view, regardless of the document preferences detail display setting (see “Aba Visualização” on page 57)
Black and white only	Changes all colors in the viewport to black or white; this is useful for displaying two viewport copies on the same design layer, with one in color and the other in black and white. However, if the document preferences display setting is black and white, viewports will also display as black and white.
Adjust Flipped Text	Re-orients rotated and flipped text in the viewport so that it is always readable. The text box stays in the rotated and flipped position relative to the dimension line, but the text itself is re-oriented. (This setting overrides the flipped text preference for the document; see “Aba Visualização” on page 57.)
Re-Position Dimension Text	Re-positions rotated and flipped dimension text in the viewport according to the text position in the dimension standard. The text itself stays in the rotated and flipped orientation, but the text box position relative to the dimension line is changed. (This setting overrides the flipped text preference for the document; see “Aba Visualização” on page 57.)
Preview	Displays the viewport with a preview of the advanced settings

Advanced Section Viewport Properties

Advanced properties define the extent and attributes of the sheet layer or design layer section viewport. Specify them when the viewport is created, or after the viewport has been created; edit the properties from either the Object Info palette or the Properties dialog box.

1. From the Create Section Viewport dialog box, click Advanced Section Properties.

Alternatively, select the viewport, and then from the Object Info palette or the Properties dialog box, click Advanced Properties.

2. Click the Extent tab to specify either an infinite section view, or the length, depth, and height of a finite section viewport.

Finite sections are useful when you want to create interior elevations. For example, draw a section line across a particular room of a building, and set the layer visibility only for the room’s floor to create an interior elevation of only that room. For an even more precise interior elevation, use a clip cube to create the section viewport; the extents are automatically set according to the clip cube’s shape.

Parameter	Description
Length Range	Specifies the length range of the section viewport
Infinite	Cuts the section by an infinite plane
Limited by Section Line Length	Limits the section only to the length defined by the section line
Depth Range	Specifies the depth range of the section viewport
Infinite	All objects on the indicated side of the section line are displayed
Finite	Displays objects on the indicated side of the section line up to a specified depth (the depth can be indicated graphically by dragging a dotted line on the design layer; see “Modifying Section Lines Graphically” on page 1652)
Height Range	Specifies the height range of the section viewport
Infinite	Does not limit the section to a Z range
Finite	Limits the display of the section viewport to a range defined by the Start and End Height Z values

3. Click the Attributes tab to specify the appearance of objects on and beyond the section plane. Objects on the section plane can maintain an individual profile, or can be divided into structural and non-structural groups to display them differently according to class settings.

Parameter	Description
Section Plane	Objects on the section plane can be merged into a single profile, maintain individual profiles, or be divided into groups of structural and non-structural elements (useful for displaying cabinets and walls differently, for example)
Merged Cross Sections	Merges the sectioned objects’ cross section profiles into one profile
Create Structural and Nonstructural Groups	Merges the structural objects’ cross section profiles into one group, and the non-structural objects’ cross section profile into another, allowing them to have a different class setting
Separate Cross Sections	Generates a separate cross section for each sectioned object
Use Attributes of Original Objects	Each sectioned object is displayed with the attributes of its original object
Attribute Class / Structural Class	Specifies the line and fill class for the section profiles; by default, the Section Style class is applied to the cross sections, or you can select New to create a new class. If Create Structural and Nonstructural Groups is selected, the class selected here applies only to structural elements.
Nonstructural Class	When Create Structural and Nonstructural Groups is selected, specifies the line and fill class for non-structural elements, or you can select New to create a new class
Objects Beyond Section Plane	Specifies the fill and line style for objects beyond the section plane (for section viewports that display objects beyond the section plane)
Fill
Use Original	Uses the fill style of the original objects for objects beyond the section plane
Use Class	Sets the fill style of the objects beyond the section plane by class. Select a class or select New to create a new class.
Line Style	Changes section viewport settings for line thickness and line type
Use Original	Uses the line thickness and line type of the original objects for the objects beyond the section plane
Use Class	Sets the line thickness and line type of the objects beyond the section plane by class. Select a class or select New to create a new class.
Scale Factors	Changes section viewport display scale settings for lines and line styles
Line Weight Scale	Enter a number larger than 1.0 to make the section line weight thicker. Enter a number below 1.0 to make the line weight thinner. The scale value must be above zero.
Line Type Scale	A line type could be used for a section viewport if the section is in a class with a line type (in the Attribute Class/Structural Class parameter) or the objects beyond the section plane have been set to a class with a line type (in the Use Class parameter). Enter a number larger than 1.0 to make the line weight of the line type sections thicker. Enter a number below 1.0 to make them thinner. The scale value must be above zero.

Parameter	Description
Cast Shadows of Objects Removed by Section	When rendering, includes shadows cast by objects that are not included in the section viewport, for a more realistic effect (especially for interior elevations) This parameter is not available for design layer section viewports.
Show Wall and Slab Components	Displays the wall and slab components in 3D, regardless of the document preferences detail display setting (see “Aba de Visualização” on page 48), or component class visibility settings. The top and bottom wall lines of components do not display in section viewports, so that stacked walls display without a line break.
Merge Adjacent Components with Same Fill	If adjacent wall and/or slab components have the same fill, merges the fills so that they display as a single unit
Black and White Only	Changes all colors in the section viewport to black or white; this is useful for displaying two section viewport copies on the same sheet layer, with one in color and the other in black and white. However, if the document preferences display setting is black and white, viewports will also display as black and white.
Adjust Flipped Text	Re-orients rotated and flipped text in the viewport so that it is always readable (regardless of the flipped text Vectorworks preference; see “Aba Visualização” on page 57)
3D Conversion Resolution	Sets the segmentation resolution for curved surfaces in a live section, regardless of the Vectorworks preferences resolution setting (see “Aba 3D” on page 52). Changing the resolution of an existing section viewport causes the viewport to become out of date; the higher resolution settings require longer update times.

Modifying Viewports

There are several ways to modify viewports; their appearance can be completely different from the original design layers, for presentation purposes.

Moving and Editing Viewports

A sheet layer viewport can be edited like most 2D objects. For information on editing tools and commands, see “Editando Objetos” on page 995. 3D tools cannot be used on sheet layers. However, a 3D object can be copied from a design layer and pasted on a sheet layer. A design layer viewport (Vectorworks Design Series required) cannot be pasted on a sheet layer.

• Use the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands to copy or paste a viewport on its original sheet layer or another sheet or design layer. Use the Selection tool to drag a viewport to a new position (or edit the X- and Y-axis positions in the Object Info palette). Press the Delete key to delete a selected viewport.

• Use the Move and Rotate commands and the Rotate and Mirror tools to move, rotate, or mirror a viewport. The viewport can be split by the Split tool (in Line Split mode), and clipped with the Clip tool.

• Use the Scale Objects command to scale a viewport. Any crop objects in the viewport are also scaled, as are annotations and dimensions. Viewport text, however, is not scaled unless Scale Text is selected in the Scale Objects dialog box.

• To scale a viewport with the mouse, select the viewport and use the Modify > Group command to turn it into a group object. Click and drag a handle to resize the viewport as needed. Then use the Modify > Ungroup command to change it back into a viewport object.

• Use the Modify > Lock and Modify > Unlock commands to lock and unlock viewports.

• Use 2D drawing tools on sheet layers to create borders, title blocks, and so on.

• A sheet layer viewport can be copied and pasted into an image-editing application. The dpi setting of the sheet layer affects the resolution of the pasted image. Depending on the platform and the image-editing application, the resolution of the pasted image may still not be optimal; in this case, the File > Export Image File command offers control over the exported area, dimensions, resolution, and file type.

Editing a Design Layer Displayed in a Viewport

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport, and select Edit from the context menu.

The Edit Viewport dialog box opens. The options available depend on whether the viewport is on a sheet layer or design layer (Vectorworks Design Series required).

Parameter	Description
Annotations (sheet layer viewport)	Creates or edits viewport annotations and dimensions
Crop	Creates or edits a cropped viewport, and optionally displays the viewport outside of the crop area when in Edit Crop mode
Display Viewport Outside Crop	Displays the viewport outside of the crop with wireframe rendering; objects outside of the crop can be snapped to when creating or editing a crop shape. This option is only available when the Crop edit mode is selected.
Gray Outside Crop	If Display Viewport Outside Crop is selected, displays the area outside of the crop in gray. This option is only available when the Crop edit mode is selected.
Design Layer	Navigates to the selected design layer to edit objects contained in the viewport
Display using Viewport Attributes	Changes the file’s view parameters and layer and class visibilities to match those of the viewport. If the Navigate Back to Viewport option is also selected, the file’s layer and class visibilities return to their original status when you return to the viewport; otherwise, the file’s attributes remain the same as the viewport’s. This option is only available when the Design Layer edit mode is selected.
Add Reference Crop Object	When a viewport has been cropped, this option displays the crop on the design layer so that edits can be made to the design layer while knowing the position of the crop object. This option is only available when the Design Layer edit mode is selected.
Navigate Back to Viewport	Temporarily adds a Return to Viewport button to the design layer that returns you to the viewport when the edit to the design layer is complete (similar to an Edit Group operation). This option is only available when the Design Layer edit mode is selected. To exit to the design layer instead of exiting to the viewport from design layer editing mode, press Shift + Esc. Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) in the drawing area, and select Exit Viewport from the context menu.
Display with Clip Cube (Vectorworks Design Series required)	If you are editing a section viewport, and Navigate Back to Viewport is selected, this option displays the design layer with a clip cube whose dimensions match the length, depth, and height ranges set for the viewport. Portions of the design layer outside the clip cube are not visible during editing. You can adjust the faces and orientation of the clip cube as needed, and then either create a new section viewport, or update the current viewport. See “Viewing a Model with the Clip Cube” on page 1151 for details. This option is only available when the Design Layer edit mode is selected.
Camera (Renderworks required)	Edits a Renderworks camera that is linked to the viewport view. The camera view can be changed or the camera can be deleted. See “Editing a Linked Renderworks Camera” on page 1650. If no Renderworks camera is linked to the viewport, select a camera to be linked. Alternatively, the view can be manipulated with the standard view tools (such as the Flyover tool, zoom level, and View menu commands), changing the viewport view upon exit.
Display Viewport Cache	If the viewport is currently in a render mode other than Wireframe, select Display Viewport Cache to display a cache image of the rendered viewport during editing; deselect to display a Wireframe view of the viewport. This option is only available when the Annotations or Crop edit mode is selected.
Keep the Edit View on Exit	When you return to the viewport after an edit, this setting maintains any view changes (zoom and view location) made during edits to the viewport annotation or the crop object. Deselect this option to return to the original viewport view settings after editing. This option is only available when the Annotations or Crop edit mode is selected.
Double Click	Sets the future behavior when a viewport is double-clicked, eliminating the display of this dialog box if desired. If the Edits the Design Layer option is selected, a double-click activates the design layer of the double-clicked object. If the object does not belong to a design layer, the Edit Viewport dialog box opens to select a design layer to edit. If Displays this Dialog is not selected, you can still open the dialog box: select Modify > Edit Viewport, or right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) the viewport and select Edit from the context menu.

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport and select Edit Design Layer from the context menu to activate the design layer of the right-clicked object (if the right-clicked object does not belong to a design layer, the Edit Viewport dialog box opens).

• Select Display using Viewport Attributes to view the design layer with the viewport attributes (orientation, projection, render mode, and layer and class visibilities). A rendered viewport displays the original design layer with the viewport’s render mode; however, the design layer’s render mode options for that mode are used.

• Select Add Reference Crop Object to view the crop object on the design layer during editing. However, because the crop object is added to the design layer, it could become visible in other viewports that reference that area of the design layer.

• Select Navigate Back to Viewport to easily return to the viewport when you are finished with the design layer edits. A colored border around the drawing window indicates that you are in an editing mode. The Return to Viewport button is visible in the top right corner of the drawing window.

• If this is a section viewport, select Display with Clip Cube to use a clip cube while editing the design layer.

6. If you selected Navigate Back to Viewport, a colored border displays around the drawing window. Do one of the following when your edits are complete:

• Click Return to Viewport to return to the viewport. This saves changes to drawing objects, but it does not save clip cube edits.

• Press Shift + Esc to exit to the design layer instead of exiting to the viewport. Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) in the drawing area, and select Exit Viewport from the context menu.

• If the viewport has a clip cube, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) the vertical cube face where the section line is located; select Update Section Viewport to save the clip cube edits. Then either click Return to Viewport, or select Exit Viewport from the context menu to exit editing mode.

• If the viewport has a clip cube, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) any vertical cube face other than where the section line is located; select Create Section Viewport to create a new section viewport with its section line located at that cube face.

Cropping Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports

Choose whether to display the viewport outside of the crop area. Select Display Viewport Outside Crop to view the rest of the viewport; select Gray Outside Crop to view the area outside of the crop in gray. These options make drawing and editing easier, since objects outside the crop can be snapped to.

To view other layer objects while in Edit Crop mode, select Show other objects while in editing modes on the Display tab of the Vectorworks preferences (see “Aba de Visualização” on page 48).

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport and select Edit Crop from the context menu.

A colored border around the drawing window indicates that you are in an editing mode. The Exit Viewport Crop command becomes available from the Modify menu, and the Exit Viewport Crop button is visible in the top right corner of the drawing window.

5. Create a 2D object such as a rectangle, circle, or polyline. The 2D object must define an area; for example, a 2D line cannot be used. Position the 2D object to delimit the new viewport display area. The fill of a viewport cropping object is always None; however, the pen style can be set from the Attributes palette while in Edit Crop mode. Move and resize the 2D object as needed.

The bounding box of the crop object is also the perspective clip rectangle, if the viewport is in Perspective projection. Reshaping the crop object changes the perspective clip rectangle as well.

7. The cropped viewport displays; in the Object Info palette, the Crop status changes to Yes.

8. To change, replace, or delete the crop object, select the viewport and then select Modify > Edit Viewport to re-enter Edit Crop mode. Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) and select Edit from the context menu.

To change the visibility of the crop object, change the Crop Visible setting in the Object Info palette.

Creating Annotations for Sheet Layer Viewports

Use the Edit Annotation mode to add annotations and dimensions in viewports, and to edit those annotations and dimensions later on.

1. With the viewport’s sheet layer active, select the viewport by clicking on it with the Selection tool.

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport and select Edit Annotations from the context menu.

A colored border around the drawing window indicates that you are in an editing mode. The Exit Viewport command becomes available from the Modify menu, and the Exit Viewport Annotation button is visible in the top right corner of the drawing window.

4. Use the various dimension tools from the Dims/Notes tool set to add dimensions to the viewport (see “Cotas e Anotações” on page 1183). The dimension tools snap to the objects in the viewport as if you were dimensioning the design layer. The dimensions are automatically updated if the design layer object changes.

Annotations are 2D objects that are placed on the screen plane. Therefore, a 2D object in the viewport must be dimensioned in Top/Plan view. A 3D object can be dimensioned in any view, but you must align the face that is to be dimensioned with the screen plane to get an accurate measurement.

To view other objects on the sheet layer while in Edit Annotation mode, select Show other objects while in editing modes on the Display tab of the Vectorworks preferences (see “Aba de Visualização” on page 48).

Text, callouts, and other annotations, as well as 2D objects, can be added to the viewport. The Vectorworks Design Series products contain additional annotation objects.

The stacking order of selected annotations can be changed with the Modify > Send commands. To add graphical annotations to a viewport rendered with Hidden Line, use the inner or outer boundary mode of the 2D Polygon tool (see “2D Polygon Tool” on page 299).

5. Click Exit Viewport Annotation to exit Edit Annotation mode and return to the sheet layer.

6. To change, replace, or delete the viewport annotations, select the viewport and then select Modify > Edit Viewport to re-enter Edit Annotation mode.

To change the visibility of the crop object, change the Crop Visible setting in the Object Info palette.

Editing a Linked Renderworks Camera

You can edit a linked Renderworks camera, to change the associated sheet layer viewport’s view.

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport and select Edit Camera from the context menu.

A colored border around the drawing window indicates that you are in an editing mode. The Exit Renderworks Camera command becomes available from the Modify menu, and the Return to Viewport button is visible in the top right corner of the drawing window.

5. The design layer that was active when the viewport was created is active, and the linked Renderworks camera object is selected. Edit the camera view as described in “Adjusting the Camera View” on page 1155.

The camera can be deleted. The view and projection parameters are controlled by the viewport if the camera is deleted.

If no Renderworks camera is linked to the viewport, select a camera to be linked. Alternatively, the view can be manipulated with the standard view tools (such as the Flyover tool, zoom level, and View menu commands), changing the viewport view upon exit.

6. Click Return to Viewport to return to the viewport once the Renderworks camera has been edited or deleted. The viewport’s view, projection, and perspective distance are updated.

Modifying Section Viewports and Section Lines

The appearance of a section viewport can be completely customized, from the items it displays to the attributes of those items. Copies of a section viewport on a sheet layer can look completely different. Changes to a section viewport’s appearance can be made by several methods; after changes are made, update the section viewport by clicking Update in the Object Info palette.

Modification	Method	Description
Change the section view	Click Advanced Properties from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport, and modify the section view from the Extent tab	“Advanced Section Viewport Properties” on page 1641
Change the view attributes	Click Advanced Properties from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport, and modify the attributes of the view from the Attributes tab	“Advanced Section Viewport Properties” on page 1641
Change the view direction of the section line	Click Reverse Direction from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport	“Viewport Properties” on page 1632
Change the cross section appearance for sectioned items	The cross section appearance is set by the Section Style class. Edit the class to change the appearance of sectioned items. If the Section Style class is made invisible, the cross sections are not displayed.	“Setting Class Properties” on page 175
Override the layer settings from the design layer	Click Layers from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport, and override the layer properties. Unlike a regular sheet layer viewport, the design layer stacking order in the section viewport cannot be changed.	“Changing the Layer Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1655
Override the class settings from the design layer	Click Classes from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport, and override the class properties of “by class” objects	“Changing the Class Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports” on page 1657
Change the location of the section line	Change the location of the section line with the Selection tool, and update the section viewport	“Modifying Section Lines Graphically” on page 1652
Create section viewports from unlinked section lines	Select the unlinked section lines and then select the Create Section Viewport command to create section viewports from the section lines	“Creating Section Viewports from Unlinked Section Lines” on page 1627
Add additional section line instances to design layers or viewports	Click Section Line Instances from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport, and specify the design layers or viewports where section line instances should display	“Section Line Instances” on page 1627
Change the section line length, position, or type	Change the section line with the Selection tool or the Reshape tool, and update the section viewport	“Modifying Section Lines Graphically” on page 1652
Change the depth of a finite section	The depth can be changed graphically or by modifying the Depth Range in the Advanced Properties of the section viewport	“Modifying Section Lines Graphically” on page 1652, or “Advanced Section Viewport Properties” on page 1641

Modifying Section Lines Graphically

1. Navigate to the section line by clicking Section Line Instances from the Object Info palette of a selected section viewport.

• Shorten, lengthen, or rotate the line by dragging an end point with the Selection tool

• Add vertices and change a straight section line to a broken section line with the Reshape tool

3. A section view with a finite depth has a special control point on a dashed line. To adjust the depth, drag the control point with the Selection tool.

4. Return to the section viewport by clicking Activate Section Viewport from the Object Info palette. Click Update from the Object Info palette to reflect the section line changes in the section view.

Editing Detail Viewport Drawing Labels

After creation, the detail viewport drawing label may be edited, either to change its appearance, or to change the information that it displays. Edit the drawing label from within the detail viewport’s annotation space.

If Use Automatic Drawing Coordination is selected in document preferences, a change to the Drawing Number field for the detail viewport automatically changes the field for the viewport’s drawing label, and vice versa. Additionally, if Text Auto-Fill is selected for the detail callout, a change to the Drawing Number field for the viewport automatically changes the field for the detail callout.

There are several ways to change the appearance of a detail viewport drawing label.

• Use the Text menu to change the attributes of the label text (or apply a text style to it)

1. Select the detail viewport and then select Modify > Edit Viewport. The Edit Viewport dialog box opens.

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport and select Edit Annotations from the context menu.

4. Click Exit Viewport Annotation to exit Edit Annotation mode and return to the sheet layer.

Editing Detail Callout Objects

After creation, the detail callout may be edited, either to change the appearance of the callout itself, or to change the view in the detail viewport that is linked to the detail callout. The edit method depends on where the detail callout was created. If the callout object was created on a design layer, select the callout and edit it directly. If the callout object was created within a viewport’s annotation space, select the viewport and edit its annotations (see “Editing a Detail Callout in a Viewport” on page 1654).

• Use the Attributes palette to change the crop object’s line color, thickness, or type

• Use the Text menu to change the attributes of the marker text (or apply a text style to it)

You can also adjust the shape or location of the callout object, which will change the contents of the detail viewport associated with the callout. If there are multiple instances of the detail callout, all instances are updated.

Editing a Detail Callout in a Viewport

If the callout was created from a viewport, the callout object cannot be edited directly because it is in the viewport’s annotation space.

1. Select the original viewport and then select Modify > Edit Viewport. The Edit Viewport dialog box opens.

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on a viewport and select Edit Annotations from the context menu.

4. Click Exit Viewport Annotation to exit Edit Annotation mode and return to the sheet layer.

Changing the Layer Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports

The viewport’s layer visibility, opacity, stacking order, and colors can be changed from the sheet layer or the design layer (Vectorworks Design Series required). Other viewports, as well as the design layer properties, are not affected. The viewport attributes can be tailored as desired for presentation; several copies of the same viewport can appear completely different.

The Viewport Layer Properties dialog box opens.Change layer visibilities and/or make layer attribute overrides for the selected viewport.

Parameter	Description
Layer list	Lists the viewport layers and their visibility, edited status, layer color use status, and stacking order. Click the triangle in the heading of an active column to toggle between ascending and descending sort order based on that column parameter.
Visibility	Click in a layer visibility column to change the layer visibility for this viewport. • Column 1: Visible (displays objects in this layer) • Column 2: Invisible (hides objects in this layer) • Column 3: Gray (displays objects in this layer as dimmed)
(Source)	• Column 4 indicates whether the layer definition is the same as the source layer, or the layer definition has overrides in this viewport. When a layer is edited with the Edit button, the override icon displays automatically. Click the Revert button to revert to the original settings.
(Layer Colors)	Click to apply the viewport layer colors set in the Edit Viewport Design Layers dialog box (click Edit to set the colors, as described in the next step), overriding the design layer colors. This setting is independent of the Use layer colors document preference.
# (Stacking Order)	Displays the layer stacking order; drag a layer within the # column to change its stacking order. This column displays only when the viewport is in Top/Plan view.
Edit	Opens the Edit Viewport Design Layers dialog box, to override the properties of the selected layer
Revert	Returns the settings in the Edit Viewport Design Layers dialog box to their default values and removes the override icon in the Source column
Stacking Override	Indicates whether the layer stacking order in the viewport is different from the design layer stacking order. Click Revert Stacking Order to return to the original design layer stacking order.
Use embedded design layer viewport settings for (Vectorworks Design Series required)	• Layer overrides: If the sheet layer viewport contains a non-referenced design layer viewport for which layer overrides have been set, this option uses the design layer viewport overrides, ignoring any layer overrides that may be set here for the sheet layer viewport. • Layer visibilities: If the sheet layer viewport contains a non-referenced design layer viewport for which layer visibilities have been set, this option uses the design layer viewport visibilities, ignoring any layer visibilities that may be set here for the sheet layer viewport. Referenced design layer viewports are not affected by either of these settings.
Preview	Click to preview the layer property settings in the selected viewport

3. To override the layer properties (for viewport display), select one or more viewport layers and click Edit.

4. The same parameters apply when you create a design layer (see “Setting Design Layer Properties” on page 161); for viewport layers, only the stacking order, transfer mode or opacity, and colors can be edited. These edits apply to the current viewport only, though they can be transferred to other viewports with the Eyedropper tool.

The viewport layer colors can be controlled separately from the design layer colors, for flexible presentation output. Click Colors to override the fill and pen colors for the selected viewport layer. To see the effects of the color override, Use Layer Colors must be selected in the Viewport Layer Properties dialog box for the selected viewport. This is similar to the way that Use Layer Colors must be selected in document preferences to see the layer color settings for a design layer, as described in “Setting the Design Layer Color” on page 166.

Changing the Class Properties of Sheet Layer or Design Layer Viewports

The class visibilities and attributes of a selected viewport can be changed from the sheet layer or the design layer. This does not change the class properties or the class visibility for the original design layers or for other viewports. The viewport attributes can be tailored as desired for presentation; several copies of the same viewport can appear completely different.

The Viewport Class Properties dialog box opens. The dialog box functionality is slightly different for referenced (Vectorworks Design Series required) and non-referenced (internal) viewports. Change class visibilities and/or make class attribute overrides for the selected viewport.

Parameter	Description
Class list	Lists the viewport classes and their visibility and edited status; click in a class visibility column to change the class visibility for this viewport. Click the triangle in an active column to toggle between ascending and descending sort order based on that column parameter.
Visibility	Click in a class visibility column to change the class visibility for this viewport. • Column 1: Visible (displays objects in this class) • Column 2: Invisible (hides objects in this class) • Column 3: Gray (displays objects in this class as dimmed)
(Source)	Column 4 indicates whether the class definition is the same as the source class, or the class definition has overrides specific to this viewport. When a class is edited with the Edit button, the viewport-specific icon displays automatically. Click the Revert button to revert to the original settings. • Non-referenced viewports: All classes use the document class definition by default. To change the appearance of a class in this viewport, click Edit and change the settings as needed; the viewport-specific icon displays automatically. Click the Revert button to revert to the original settings. • Referenced viewport: (Vectorworks Design Series required) Because they come from an external file, all classes show as viewport-specific by default. If the same class exists in both the viewport and in the current file, they remain completely separate. By default, the class definition in the viewport will be updated from the source file when the reference is updated. To change the appearance of a class for this viewport, leave the Source set as viewport-specific; then click Edit and change the class settings as needed. Also set the class to not update from the source file (); otherwise, the edits will be removed the next time the reference is updated. To use the same class definition both in the current file and in the viewport, click the Source icon to toggle the setting (). If the viewport class does not exist in the current file, it will be imported. If the class is also set to update from the source file (), an alert message prompts you to verify that you want to reference the class definition. If you answer Yes, the class in the current file and in the viewport will be changed whenever the reference to the viewport source file is updated. If you answer No, the Source reverts to the default setting.
(Update) (Referenced viewports only)	Column 5 indicates whether the class definition will be updated from the source file when the reference is updated. Click the icon to toggle the setting.
Use current document’s class visibilities (Vectorworks Design Series required)	When enabled, the viewport uses the current document’s class visibilities. The option is automatically enabled when layer links or referenced layers are converted into viewports; it is disabled by default for new design layer viewports.
Edit	Opens the Edit Class(es) dialog box, to make overrides to the selected class that only apply to the current viewport (see “Setting Class Properties” on page 175); drawing objects’ class setting should be “By class” to take advantage of class overrides
Import	Opens the Import Attributes dialog box, to import the class attribute settings from the file. The attributes can be imported for the classes selected in the Viewport Class Properties dialog box, from corresponding classes, or from a specified class in the file or a specified viewport. Click OK to import the class attributes into the selected viewport. (The Eyedropper tool can also transfer class override attributes between viewports.)
Revert	Sets the selected class back to its original document attributes, undoing any class overrides; also removes the override icon in the Source column
Use embedded design layer viewport settings for (Vectorworks Design Series required)	• Class overrides: If the sheet layer viewport contains a design layer viewport for which class overrides have been set, this option uses the design layer viewport overrides, ignoring any class overrides that may be set here for the sheet layer viewport. • Class visibilities: If the sheet layer viewport contains a design layer viewport for which class visibilities have been set, this option uses the design layer viewport visibilities, ignoring any class visibilities that may be set here for the sheet layer viewport
Preview	Click to preview the class visibility and attribute settings in the selected viewport

3. Click OK to apply the class visibility and attribute changes to the selected viewport.

Viewport Status

Viewport Status	Description
Normal	A normal, up-to-date viewport displays with orange highlighting when selected
Out of date	When the objects in a viewport have changed since the viewport was created or last updated, the viewport becomes out of date. An out-of-date viewport is indicated by red text on the Update button on the viewport’s Object Info palette. Optionally, an out-of-date viewport also displays with a red and white striped border around the viewport (see “Aba Visualização” on page 57).
Empty	A viewport displays as a red “X” when the associated design layer contains no objects or the objects are hidden, or when the associated design layer is set to “invisible”
Unlinked (section line) (Vectorworks Design Series required)	An unlinked section line (disconnected from its associated section viewport, possibly because the section line was pasted from a copy, duplicated, or mirrored) displays as a black and yellow line, and “Not Linked” is displayed in the Object Info palette

Updating Viewports

Changes that affect the appearance of a viewport are automatically updated for a wireframe viewport. However, if changes require the viewport to be rendered again, the viewport will be displayed as an out-of-date viewport.

If a sheet layer with an out-of-date viewport is printed, a message prompts you to either print the viewport as an out-of-date viewport or update the viewport(s) on the sheet layer before printing.

Rendered viewport updates occur in the background for Renderworks render modes; you can continue working in the file while the viewports are updating. See “Background Rendering” on page 1590.

Updating Selected Viewports

2. On the Object Info palette, click Update. Alternatively, select View > Update Selected Viewports.

Alternatively, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on the viewport and select Update from the context menu.

Updating All Viewports

Canceling Viewport Updates

To cancel the updates of all viewports, including those queued to update for background rendering: