Why Upgrade to 2018?
Select your current version of Vectorworks software to see the notable improvements and new features we’ve introduced since your last upgrade.
Multiple Drawing Views
With the new Enable Multiple Views command, you can see views of your project simultaneously, and you can start your work in one view pane and finish it in another. Switch effortlessly between viewports, views, and visibility settings to do what you need — just set up your panes and view them all at once. Instantly gauge the impact of a design change across your 3D, plan, section, and elevation views, and even start a rendering in one view while you work in another.
Direct Section and Elevation Editing
Now you can edit models directly from your viewports. Add openings, align and distribute windows, reposition doors across multiple layers, reshape walls — it’s all possible. You can even change the 3D views while in the section to see how edits simultaneously affect plans and model views. And you can create better-looking, more-accurate drawings in a fraction of the time.
Improved Subdivision Modeling
Unlike other design and BIM applications on the market, Vectorworks already offers best-in-class 3D modeling technology to help you quickly model any form. With the latest enhancements to the subdivision modeling feature, based on Pixar® Animation Studio’s OpenSubdiv libraries, you get several new editing modes that will not only make modeling faster and easier, but also let you create shapes you could only imagine before.
Stay Informed with the New Message Center
The new Message Center will alert you to valuable news, such as service pack updates and the latest training videos. With the new Message Center, you’ll never miss an important message related to your Vectorworks software. A simple alert will display in the Message bar when a new message is waiting for you.
Plug-in Styles for More Parametric BIM Objects
Vectorworks 2018 will save you time, as it revolutionizes the process of change management of intelligent plug-in objects. You can now take advantage of the plug-in object styles introduced for doors and windows in Vectorworks 2017 on more plug-in objects in Vectorworks Architect. When you make changes to a single plug-in object style, those changes will be reflected in all object instances in your project, giving you a productivity boost that increases your profits.
Streamlined Worksheets
We’ve streamlined the interface for the creation of reports and schedules and made using worksheets much easier. Creating reports and schedules is now more accessible and automated, and you can present complex worksheets without having to manually enter formulas or remember how to access data from different record formats.
Improved Graphic Output for Architectural Documents
Generating documentation from your BIM file is now much more efficient. With improved graphic controls within section views of wall joins and wall, slab, and roof components, you have the flexibility to quickly achieve high-quality documentation from your 3D model.
Improved Revit Import
Vectorworks was the first BIM authoring tool to provide Revit™ import using the Teigha BIM library from the Open Design Alliance. This year, we’re going one step further by providing you next-level functionality with Revit file importing that translates Revit objects into native Vectorworks symbols and objects with textures, making incorporation of design information from Revit easier and more efficient.
Streamlined Drawing Distribution
Whether you’re creating a BIM project or lighting a stage, drawing distribution can be a laborious process. With the ability to publish drawings based on issue date, and a tightly integrated new title block object, the generation and distribution of your drawing sets, issue information, and reports throughout the duration of your project is more automated, and greatly simplified.
More Accessible IFC BIM Data
We’ve streamlined the BIM process by promoting the display of all IFC-related data to the Data pane of the Object Info palette. Now, in one clear and accessible location, you can review, input, and edit the information you need to make your BIM project a success.
Robust Wall Modeling Options
Control individual component heights by instance, attach information to them, insert component caps, and simultaneously edit multiple selected components from an easy-to-use dialog box. Plus, swiftly make wall graphic display changes with the new ability to switch all attributes by class.
Enhanced Resource Manager
Spend less time managing thousands of resources with new search options, such as those that contain AND, OR, etc., that enable you to find aggregated or isolated results. Filtering for multiple criteria, such as object type and manufacturer, is now possible using tags and partial context searching. Plus, use the Resource Manager to find, edit, and manage your often-used resources, thanks to the improved layout that now includes folder breadcrumbs, additional navigation options, and vertical orientation.
Enhanced Plant Tags
Vectorworks Landmark is changing the game when it comes to landscape design software by enabling you to include plant images within your 2D plant tags, increasing the readability of your landscape plans by displaying images in line with plant tags and in worksheets as keys or legends.
New Import/Export Tree Survey Options
Generating existing site conditions from GIS and tree survey data often involves conversion tools. With Vectorworks 2018 there is no need for external tools. Just use geolocated tree species data to create existing tree objects and export back to clients via Shapefile (SHP), TXT, and DXF formats.
New Zoom Option for Video and Blended Screens
Managing the planning and visualization of video screens in your designs is easier than ever. With new graphic output capabilities, you can more accurately understand, estimate, and adjust available throw and zoom, enabling you to make final equipment choices earlier in the design process.
Enhanced Seating Section Command
Enhancements provide additional layout methods, multiple seat numbering options, and graphic controls that are all easily set and modified from the Object Info palette. Now generate more precise seating layout visualizations for your event, along with an automated seating schedule for inventory and ordering.
Braceworks
An add-on module for Vectorworks Spotlight and Designer, Braceworks provides design, production, and rigging professionals with an easy way to gauge the performance of temporary entertainment structures under load to ensure safety and compliance with engineering standards. By adding Braceworks into Spotlight, design, production, and rigging professionals have a completely integrated entertainment modeling, analysis, and documentation solution for the first time. Braceworks analyzes complete 3D structural systems modeled in Spotlight. It supports point and distributed load types, straight and curved structural members, and multiple materials. The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model enables static analyses with results displaying graphically on the model for easy reference. Braceworks also includes support for load calculation and truss structure Eurocodes and upcoming ESTA standards, such as the E1.6. It also automatically generates detailed calculation reports and exports files as DSTV for easy sharing with structural engineers. To see Braceworks in action, visit vectorworks.net/braceworks.
Upgraded Renderworks with Maxon CineRender
With the natively integrated Maxon CineRender, Renderworks provides faster, higher-quality rendering directly within the Vectorworks design environment to help you create incredibly realistic visualizations and presentations of your designs. The upgrade introduces better rendering of metals, especially brushed metal; a new cloth shader for visualization of woven-cloth patterns; a new shadow catcher feature that allows shadows on virtual objects to be composited properly onto real photos; controls for up to sixteen light reflections; and a new Parallax shader effect to achieve displacement mapping quality in less overall time.
Improved Vectorworks Cloud Services
Sharing your designs, drawings, and 3D models with clients and partners has never been so simple: you can now use Google Drive™ with Vectorworks Cloud Services. Plus, we’ve completely updated the Cloud Services web portal. You’ll enjoy better file organization, an easier-to-use sharing interface, and even the ability to generate Web View VR links of your files in the cloud.