EventDesign

The event design suite available in Vectorworks Spotlight contains automated tools to facilitate setting up a complete room layout for an event such as a banquet, presentation, or training session. Automatically create the room for the event, including the floor, walls, stage, steps, lectern, video screens, and seating. View the room setup in a rendered or plan view, and obtain a report on the total number of tables and chairs required for the event.

The event design suite uses objects to quickly and automatically create the room plan with only a few parameter settings required. However, due to the powerful nature of these objects, they can be specifically tailored through the Object Info palette to customize their appearance if needed.

Creating the Room

The first step of event design is usually creating the event room. Based on a simple 2D shape, the room and floor are created automatically according to specified parameters.

1 Create a closed 2D object (such as a rectangle, polyline, or polygon) to represent the room. The dimensions of the object should match the interior dimensions of the room to be created.

The Create Room dialog box opens. Specify the properties and attributes of the walls and floor.

Parameter	Description
Walls	Specify the wall attributes
Height	Sets the wall height of the room’s walls
Class	To control appearance, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Leave the walls in the None class to set the attributes from the dialog box.
Thickness	Sets the wall thickness
Fill Hatch	Sets a fill hatch for the walls from the file’s resources
Fill Color	Sets the fill color for the walls
Pen Color	Sets the pen color for the walls
Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the overall wall texture from a library or the current file
Floor	Specify the floor attributes
Class	To control appearance, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Leave the floor in the None class to set the remaining attributes from the dialog box.
Fill Color	Sets the fill color for the floor
Pen Color	Sets the pen color for the floor
Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the floor texture from a library or the current file

Creating the Stage

Many event rooms contain a stage for viewing presentations. Based on the Stage Plug tool, a stage is automatically created according to specified parameters.

1 Create a closed 2D object (such as a rectangle, polyline, or polygon) to represent the stage. The dimensions of the object should match the dimensions of the stage to be created.

Parameter	Description
Height	Sets the height of the stage
Class	To control appearance, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Leave the stage in the None class to set the remaining attributes from the dialog box.
Fill Color	Sets the fill color for the stage
Pen Color	Sets the pen color for the stage
Top Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the texture for the top of the stage from a library or the current file
Side Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the texture for the side of the stage from a library or the current file

Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) on the stage object and select Edit from the context menu. Edit the shape of the object path with the Reshape tool.

A stage can also be created by clicking the Stage Plug tool from the Spotlight tool set.

Creating Stage Stairs

Stairs or steps are usually required to provide access to the stage from the floor. The steps are automatically adjusted to meet the top of the stage. The stage stairs are based on the Stage Steps tool.

Parameter	Description
Width	Specify the width of the staircase
Style	Set the type of stair to create: Simple, Self-Adjusting, Frame Free-Standing, Solid Free-Standing, or Open Free-Standing
Class	To control appearance, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Leave the stair in the None class to set the remaining attributes from the dialog box.
Fill Color	Sets the fill color for the stair
Pen Color	Sets the pen color for the stair
Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the stair texture from a library or the current file

3 Click once in the drawing to set the stair position. Click again to set the stair rotation.

Creating a Lectern

After the stage and stairs have been added, a lectern can be quickly configured and placed. When placed on the stage, the lectern elevation is automatically adjusted to the top of the stage.

Parameter	Description
Choose Lectern	Select one of the lecterns from the list; these are configured with default attributes and can be inserted as is. Alternatively, select a lectern shape to use as the basis for a new lectern symbol with customized attributes.
Custom Attributes	Customizes the selected lectern’s default attributes, creating a new hybrid lectern symbol
New Symbol Name	Provide a name for the new lectern symbol; the new symbol is added to the file’s resources
Class	To control appearance, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Leave the lectern in the None class to set the remaining attributes from the dialog box.
Fill Color	Set the fill color for the lectern
Pen Color	Set the pen color for the lectern
Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the lectern texture from a library or the current file

3 Click once in the drawing to set the lectern position. Click again to set the lectern rotation.

Creating a Video Screen

As part of the event design setup, video screens are often necessary at events and can be quickly configured and placed.

3 Click once in the drawing to set the video object position. Click again to set the object’s rotation.

Creating Event Seating

Once the event room has been defined, one of the last steps is to add seating for the event. A variety of event seating types can be automatically created. Seating can consist of chairs, tables, or tables and chairs. Seating fills a 2D shape in a user-defined arrangement with a “look-to” location defined by a focal point. Along with the event seating, a Seating Count worksheet is created.

1 Create the closed 2D shape (such as a polygon, rectangle, rounded rectangle, oval, arc/circle, or polyline) defining the boundary of the seating area. Objects with one or more holes can be selected; seating will not be placed where a hole exists.

Parameter	Description
Seating Arrangement	Select the seating spacing and arrangement; any symbol can be selected for the different arrangement types, but normally, banquet seating consists of table and chair symbols, and classroom and theatre seating includes chair symbols. Classroom and theatre seating include an option to arrange the seats concentrically.
Banquet	Typical seating arrangement for banquets, with offset tables spaced equally by the distance set in Table Spacing
Classroom	Typical classroom seating arrangement with aligned rows of chairs, spaced according to the distances set in Seat Spacing and Row Spacing
Theatre	Typical theatre seating arrangement with offset alternate rows of chairs, spaced according to the distances set in Seat Spacing and Row Spacing
Table Spacing	For banquet seating, indicates the distance between tables
Seat Spacing	For classroom or theatre seating, sets the distance between seats in a row
Row Spacing	For classroom or theatre seating, sets the distance between rows of seats
Concentric	For classroom or theatre seating, specifies a circular layout for the rows
Seating Section Name	Names the seating section for the seating layout worksheet
Seating Symbol	Select one of the seating symbols from the list; these are configured with default attributes and can be inserted as is. Alternatively, select a symbol to use as the basis for a new seating symbol with customized attributes.
Customize Symbol	Customizes the selected seating’s default attributes, creating a new hybrid seating symbol

3 Click Customize Symbol to change the default appearance of the selected symbol if desired. This creates a new symbol that is added to the file’s resources.

Parameter	Description
Chair/Table Attributes	Sets the attributes for the chair and/or table symbol
Fill Color	Sets the fill color for the chairs and/or tables
Pen Color	Sets the pen color for the chairs and/or tables
Texture (Renderworks required)	Select the chair and/or table texture from a library or the current file
Preview	Displays a preview of the symbol the attributes applied
Render Mode	Select whether to preview the symbol in wireframe or OpenGL rendering mode
New Symbol Name	Provide a name for the new seating symbol; the new symbol is added to the file’s resources. Names are automatically generated for nested table and chair symbols.
Class	To control appearance, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Leave the seating in the None class to set the attributes from the dialog box.

5 Click OK to create the event seating. The Select the Focus Method dialog box opens.

6 Click Focus at Next Click to manually place the focal point for the seating, or click Automatically Focus to have the focal point created automatically.

All seats will face this point; table and chair symbols orient toward the point. For concentric seat layouts, the distance of the seat focal point from the 2D boundary object determines the radius of the concentric layout. Click close to the object for a smaller radius.

The event seating and a Seating Count worksheet are created, with automatically calculated seat and table counts. The Seating Count worksheet displays the number of seats and/or tables required for each seating section, as well as the total number of seats/tables needed for all sections. Nested symbols are counted in the worksheet, so tables and chairs are counted separately within a table and chair symbol. (If a symbol cannot be identified as a table or chair, it is counted as a chair.)

Seating parameters can be edited in the Object Info palette and have the same parameters as the Create Seating Layout command (see “Editing the Seating Layout” on page 990).

Creating a Seating Layout

The Create Seating Layout command creates a seating layout object from one or more selected polygons, rectangles, rounded rectangles, ovals, arcs/circles, or polylines. Seating can consist of chairs, tables, or tables and chairs. Seating fills the objects in a user-defined arrangement with a “look-to” location defined by a control point. Seating layout objects can also be created by drawing a polyline and then selecting the Create Objects from Shapes command (see “Creating Objects from Shapes” on page 301). Along with the seating layout, a Seating Count worksheet is created.

A seating layout can also be created by clicking the Seating Layout tool from the Furn/Fixtures tool set. Draw a polygon with the tool and complete the parameters which are identical to those described in “Editing the Seating Layout” on page 990. Alternatively, Vectorworks Spotlight users can use the Create Event Seating command on the Event Design menu to create a seating layout (see “Creating Event Seating” on page 986).

1 Create the shape defining the boundary of the seating area. Objects with one or more holes can be selected; seating will not be placed where a hole exists. Multiple shapes can be selected at one time (to create several seating sections, for example).

2 With the object selected, select the Create Seating Layout command from the appropriate menu:

Parameter	Description
Create a new seat symbol called	Creates a new seat symbol; provide the symbol name
Use an existing symbol	Selects an existing seat symbol; specify the symbol from the list
Symbol Folders	Specifies the location of seat symbols
Symbols	Provides a graphical list of available seat symbols

3 A default symbol can be created to represent the seating; select Create a new seat symbol called and provide a symbol name. Alternatively, select an appropriate seating symbol from a library or the current file. In addition to seat symbols, table symbols and table and chair symbols can be used.

5 When prompted, click the focal point for the seating. All seats will face this point; table and chair symbols orient towards the point.

For concentric seat layouts, the distance of the seat focal point from the object determines the radius of the concentric layout. Click close to the object for a smaller radius.

The seating layout object and a Seating Count worksheet are created, with automatically calculated seat and table counts.

The Seating Count worksheet displays the number of seats and/or tables required for each seating layout section, as well as the total number of seats/tables needed for all sections. Nested symbols are counted in the worksheet, so tables and chairs are counted separately within a table and chair symbol. (If a symbol cannot be identified as a table or chair, it is counted as a chair.)

Editing the Seating Layout

Parameter	Description
Rotation	Specifies the number of degrees to rotate the object (0.00 is horizontal)
Text Style	Select a text style from a library or the current file. To use the style defined for the object’s class, select <Class Text Style>. To format the text using options on the Text menu, select <Un-Styled>. See “Using Text Styles” on page 431 and “Formatting Text” on page 427.
Seat Spacing	Specifies the distance between seats
Row Spacing	Specifies the distance between rows of seats
Section Name	Assigns a section name for use in the Seating Count worksheet
Concentric	Select to draw a concentric seating arrangement
Offset Alternate Rows	Offsets alternating rows (starting with the second row), so that the seats are staggered by a half seat width, or chairs and tables are spaced to prevent overlapping
Offset 1st Row	Specifies an offset distance for the first row of seats
Focal Pt X/Y	Indicates the coordinates of the seating look-to point
Focus Front	Click to snap the seating layout’s focal point to the front. Because flexible seating areas can have multiple potential fronts, repeated clicks toggle the focal point around the seating area, to each possible front. The focal point snaps to the midpoint of each path segment that defines the seating area.
Draw Boundary Line	Select to display the object used as the basis for the seating layout; deselect to hide the object and show the seats only
Draw Layout Lines Only	Select to display the seating locations without showing the actual seat symbols
Base Z Height	Specifies the initial elevation of the first row of seating
Rise per Row	Specifies the elevation increase for each row of seating (seating layout slope)
Display Seating Section Name	Displays the name of the seating section on the drawing, as set in Section Name
Display Seating Count	Displays the number of seats in the section on the drawing, separated by table and chair counts
Show Seat Number	Displays a seat number on each symbol; a table-and-chair symbol receives a single number
Starting Number	Displays and sets the starting number for the first seating symbol in the section
Increment	Specifies the seating number increment value Use an increment value of 2 to number a section with all even or odd seat numbers.
Label Classes	To control appearance of Section Name, Seating Count, and Seat Number in viewports, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. When a new class is created, it does not automatically become the active class. Class graphic attributes will be applied to the labels when Use at Creation is enabled for the class. (See “Setting Class Properties” on page 185.)
Seating Count	Select a method for limiting the number of seats permitted in a seating area, or leave the option Unlimited. If a limitation method is chosen, specify maximum values for the Seats per Row and Rows per Section. • Limit the Number of Seats creates no more than the maximum number of seats per row and rows per section specified, fit within the seating area boundaries. • Notify When Count is Exceeded creates seats to fill the seating area but provides red warning text over the seating area when the seats per row and/or rows per section maximum values are exceeded. • Specify the Number of Seats creates exactly the number of seats per row and rows per section specified. All rows are of uniform length; the seating area path is used only to determine an origin and rotation for the seating plan, not to shape or limit the seating area.
Chair Symbol	Displays the seating symbol name used to create the seating layout
Chair Count	Displays the number of seats used in the layout
Table Symbol	Displays the table symbol name used to create the seating layout
Table Count	Displays the number of tables used in the layout
Select Symbol	Opens the Choose a Symbol dialog box, to replace the current seating symbol. Select the desired seating symbol from a library or the current file and then click OK. When the Vectorworks Spotlight product is installed, the default content for event design seating is available.
Symbol Name	Displays the chair or table and chair symbol used to create the seating layout
Vertex Parameters	Edits the seating layout path vertices; see “Editing Vertex-Based Objects” on page 1053.

The seating layout can be reshaped with the Reshape tool to add, subtract, and change vertices. The seats are automatically adjusted to fit the new shape. More sophisticated editing operations, such as adding, clipping, intersecting and combining into surfaces can be performed on the seating layout path object by selecting Modify > Edit Seating Layout.

The seating section name and seating count text position can be adjusted by moving the control point. Adjust the text font and size of the label and seat numbers with the commands from the Text menu.

If the seating orientation requires adjustment, the seat control point can be moved to readjust the seating focal point. The control point is referenced relative to the center of the seating layout. If two imaginary axis lines were placed over the seating layout as shown in the diagram, placing the control point in line with the center of the axes would orient the seats directly toward the control point.

Seating Layout Specifications

The Create Seating Layout command in the Vectorworks Architect and Spotlight products, as well as the event design suite in the Vectorworks Spotlight product, make use of table and chair symbols that are available from the default content. It’s also possible to make your own table, chair, and nested table and chair symbols for use with these features.

Symbol Characteristics

Symbols should be hybrid (2D/3D) so that they display properly in both 2D and 3D views. At a minimum, the symbol must contain a 2D representation.

Create the 2D view of the symbol using as few polygons and lines as possible. If possible, use a single polyline rather than individual line segments. The line weight of the symbol is also a consideration; the symbols need to stand out when printed. The outer perimeter of the symbol should have a line weight of at least 1/2 point (7 mils). Interior details should use a lighter line weight. The 2D representation should have a solid fill so that it obscures information under the symbol.

Keep the 3D symbol simple. It should be solid. The model should be accurately sized, but without minute details. These items can add significantly to the rendering time required, and are not necessary to distinguish among objects.

To create a table and chair symbol, create the chair and table symbols separately, and then create a symbol from the table and chair symbols, so that the table and chair symbols are nested symbols.

Attaching the Event Planning Record to Seating Symbols

Attach the Event Planning Record to the symbol, with the Type field indicating whether the symbol is a table or chair. This allows the Seating Count worksheet to accurately count tables and chairs.

1 In the Resource Browser, import the Event Planning Record from the Seating.vwx default event planning library file.

Locate the Event Planning Record and select Import from the Resources menu to bring the record into the current file.

If attaching the record to nested table and chair symbols, select the table or chair, and select Modify > Edit Symbol again to edit the individual table or chair. After attaching the event planning record to one of the nested symbols, repeat the procedure to attach the record to the other symbol.

4 Click the Data tab in the Object Info palette. Attach the Event Planning Record to the symbol defaults by selecting the check box. Then edit the record by selecting the record field and entering its record information. The Type field for tables should contain “Table“ for tables and “Chair” for chairs, for proper object identification and inclusion in worksheets.

5 Click Exit Symbol at the upper right corner of the window to return to the drawing.

Creating Event Views

Once the desired elements of the event have been added to the room, it is often necessary to create views of the room to show to the client. The Create Views command automatically creates two sheet layers of the event layout: a 2D plan view and a rendered isometric view. The Plan View sheet layer displays the layout in a Top/Plan, Wireframe mode viewport, and includes the seating count worksheet. The Rendered View sheet layer displays the layout in an isometric viewport, rendered in OpenGL mode.

2 The views are automatically created. The rendered viewport may require updating; with the viewport selected, click Update from the Object Info palette.