Hundreds of resource libraries are available for use with the Vectorworks application, and you can add custom libraries, as well. In the Resource Manager palette, the file browser pane (on the left) provides easy access to the resource libraries; for even faster access, designate frequently used libraries as “favorites.”
The Resource Selector has a similar browser pane, to provide access to resource libraries at the point of use. For example, you can browse line type resources from the Attributes palette, and browse plant styles (Vectorworks Landmark required) from the Plant tool’s Tool bar.
From both the Resource Manager and Resource Selector, you can drag a library resource to a file in the file browser pane to easily import it. From the Resource Manager, you can also drag a library resource directly onto your drawing.
The Resource Manager and Resource Selector allow you to browse the content online, and they will automatically download the required files on demand. If you work mostly offline and would like to have the content locally available, you can add these libraries during installation, or download them any time with the Vectorworks Package Manager (see Installing Vectorworks libraries locally).
If you are a Vectorworks Service Select member, the member libraries provide exclusive access to additional content.
The Vectorworks libraries available depend on which Vectorworks products you have. New content is added on an annual basis at no additional cost. The files are organized by professional discipline and subject.
Periodically, new libraries are added to the catalog. If your library catalog is out of date, an alert displays when you start the Vectorworks program. Click Update or Download and Update to bring your libraries up to date.
There are three categories of Vectorworks libraries:
● Default libraries: Default content includes resources such as attributes, textures, and text styles that are used to configure other objects and need to be accessed from multiple locations in the software. Default content libraries are available in the Resource Manager and Resource Selector, and in various locations in the Vectorworks application, such as the Text Style list on the Tool bar for the Text tool.
If you do not want default Vectorworks content to display in these locations, disable the Enable Vectorworks Libraries and/or the Enable online content preference on the Session tab of the Vectorworks preferences. However, if Enable Vectorworks Libraries is disabled, most default and objects styles content is unavailable, and many tools will not function properly. See Vectorworks preferences: Session tab.
● Object Styles libraries: This content includes configured styles for use by Vectorworks tools, such as the Door, Plant, Data Tag, and Title Block Border tools. This content is available from the Resource Selector when a tool is selected.
● Objects libraries: These libraries contain large collections of similar content, such as building equipment, lighting devices, and plants (depending on the licensed Vectorworks products), ready to be placed into the drawing. Most of the content comprises symbols and their components, and some libraries provide manufacturer catalog content. The majority of library content is in this category.
You can create your own custom resource libraries and, if Vectorworks Design Series products are installed, you can share custom libraries with a workgroup. To access your custom files from the Resource Manager, Resource Selector, or from a list of resources available at the point of use in the software, place the files in folders in your user folder or in a workgroup folder using the same library folder structure and folder names that are used in the Vectorworks libraries. See Creating custom resource libraries.
You must right-click on the User Libraries or Workgroup Libraries heading in the Resource Manager and select Refresh (or select Refresh Libraries in the File options menu) after editing or adding files to the library to gain access to the new files.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~