NEWTEK: Could you please get the author of LWCad to write a manual?

[gareee]

Or at least better tutorials? Many of use LOVE that you tossed this great bone, but there is no real manual for it at all.

There are only 2 fast tutorial gifs, and both are missing vital steps in their descriptions.

I emailed the author, and he offfered some explanation of his tutorials, however he is too busy working on his new version to work on a manual for 1.5.

Surely, you must be his #1 customer now, and as such, a proper manual of some sort is the least he can create for your customers, for what you guys must have paid him for the licenses.

A PDF, webpage, or even raw text would be fine, as long as the tools are all explained, and the interface options for the tools.

[EmperorPete]

I have to agree; a proper manual, instead of a couple of tuts, would be awesome. LWCAD is a superb piece of software, and I am VERY grateful to NT for the chance to have it. But it would be a lot easier (and therefore more productive for me) if I had a proper manual of some sort, explaining things in more detail.

[LW_jackn]

No good deed goes unpunished eh Newtek?

:)

[EmperorPete]

It's not even slightly like that.

[gareee]

No good deed goes unpunished eh Newtek?

:)

This has nothing to do with NT at all.. it's the plugin author, and in this case, NT is the customer, and we the clients.

NT paid good money to supply us with a nifty new tool, but the documentation is lacking, and the author is too busy on his new version to work on proper documentation.

Here's the email response I got from him, when I asked if better documentation was forthcoming:

"Those two brief tutorials was made just for showing some LWCAD features.
My old LWCAD users didn't need tutorials.

Now since NT offers my plugins for masses, everything changes.
LWCAD 2 will have much better manual and tutorials also for beginers.
But now I am too bussy with programming on version 2, I have too much
deadlines for other tasks."

He gave me some clarification of tasks I asked about,
and closed with, "It is really hard to explain it by words, if you don't get it. It needs fulltime video not just stripped gifs.

If LWCAD is worthless for you now, you can wait until version 2, which will
come with more detailed information.
I am sorry I cannot help you more now.

Best Regards,
----------------------------------------------------
Viktor Velicko
W-Tools
www.wtools3d.com"

[pauland]

That's not a good response by the author. Perhaps one of the long time users will step in?

[mdunakin]

I agree.
There was really no need for this kind of comment:
No good deed goes unpunished eh Newtek?

It's simply the case that there is no manual and one is needed, BADLY.
Trying to make it sound like people aren't gratefull isn't even what the point is.
Of course we are all VERY happy about getting this awesome plugin, especially
for FREE!, but without some sort of actual manual, it's basically unusable.

Sure, you COULD sit there for days experimenting around and probably get
some sort of results that "look" like what he has made, but the simple fact
is that that's all you'll be doing, is experimenting and may not even be using
the tools properly or for that matter maybe he's using tools that are or aren't
from within his own toolsets.

I spent well over 4 hours just trying to make (follow) that one hallway
tutorial and eventually realized I was wasting my time and needed
to move on to more important things.
Yes, I had no problems creating the Arc's and other things, but the rest of
the actual modeling of that hallway from that tutorial, I wasn't able to finish.

He tells you to Clone something, but watching the GIF makes it look like
he's using some sort of special tool that I could never find, as I see a little
blue line with numbers showing and changing as he makes clones "perfectly"
spaced from each other and you see this by these numbers there in Blue.

Anyway, I agree, toss us a least a little tidbit of a tutorial or manual
that fills in the gaps that are left out in those GIFs.
And like was just suggested, that maybe someone who
already has used this killer plugin, can toss us something to work from?

Thanx.................md :)

.

[cc3d]

as-is actually.

Took me just a run through of their website and I am already as addicted to LWCAD as I am FPrime.

CC

Thanks NewTek

[mdunakin]

Well, that was good for you.

Then, if you have it already wired, you mean you can't help out here
and post up some steps or a little walk through to help the rest of us,
or are you just here to brag about how awesome you are and how whimpy
the rest of the planet is because we all are too stupid to figure it out?

Usually when these types of subjects get brought up, they're legit and
when someone "does" figure the thing out, it's proper of them to jump in
and help the rest out with some steps that they found that worked out
for them, not to just say how easy it was for you, implying the info
that was provided was plenty and if the rest of us don't get it,
then we just shouldn't even be using it or something?

Thanx for that awesome bit of information there............md
P.S. And FPrime doesn't take any knowlege to figure out either.
You open it up and it runs.

.

[cc3d]

Well, that was good for you.


BITE me!

I was making a point that sometimes you have to DO A LITTLE WORK to figure someting out! Don't sit around waiting on somebody to make it a little easier for you! I agree with the post that basically said you're looking a gift horse in the mouth for complaining in the FIRST PLACE!

If you read my post in context (if you're having difficulty with that, look it up!) I wasn't saying I figure FPRime out! I was saying I liked it!

Geez, some people never get enough!

[Steve Reeves]

Well I think we can turn this into a win win if somebody is willing. If there is someone out there with LWCAD experience then why don't they produce 2 or 3 pages of docs (says he who hasn't even installed it yet!) and make it donation-ware via paypal. Making docs isn't a five minute job and so I think the author would be justified in asking for donations.

There appears to be a lot of people who would appreciate it and maybe make a donation of a few <insert appropraite unit of currency> to the author. Lightwave people are all cool people after all.

Win-win :thumbsup:

Just a thought.

Steve

[Verlon]

I'd be happy with an activation number....I've been trying since it became available in the US, even been on the phone with Newtek, and still no activation number.

(and yes, I am eligible,.... yes, I used the right activation code, I have only used 1 email address for all thing lightwave, and its the same one since LW5.5, .....yes I turned off spam filters, ..... yes, I went through the internet and accessed my email directly from there so as to avoid my computer's decision making all together, and a few other things as well).

[dballesg]

Hi,

Please do not convert this on a contest about whom had the biggest handler! :)

I think those not happy with the manual, can post CONCISE questions about what they do not understand.

And maybe users that used LWCAD before can answer on how to use the tools.

So those who complained about the manual, please ask your questions :)

Best regards,
David

P.D: Getting sick on how the forums are becoming sometimes a personal war sandbox than always beign a helping resource! :(

[mdunakin]

Yeah, that "BiteMe" reply by cc3d was soo inspirational LOL

Anyway, as for the donations deal, the guy was already paid a good sum
of money and it's HIS job to provide a manual, not NewTek's or
the people out here to further give him more money.

I like what was said in the CGTalk forum on this, which was, no one expected
e-on or that compositing program I can't remember off hand that were also
given away free with LW to NOT have manuals with them,
why should this be any different?

Why is it, that if people want a simple manual for something, then they're
automatically tagged as whiners and complainers looking a gift horse
in the mouth all the time.
It's a reasonable request and has absolutely
nothing to do with being an ingrate or anything.

And again, to those who feel they already know the program so well, why
can't you do like everyone else does and chip in and help the others out here?

Is it that difficult to help out a little?
That's what this place is for, to get answers
to things and help when you can and it's available.

As for the writing of a manual, it doesn't need to be all that complex.
I write tutorials all the time and I DO realize and understand what it takes
to make something like this, but I also know that a little more concise info
can do wonders without even having to write any lengthy material.

And to cc3d, if you just want to lord yourself over others because you're
so brilliant, then I guess that's how it is, but it wouldn't hurt you to
share what you have learned and show some goodwill.
Assuming you really have mastered this thing as you claim?

And your point about doing a "little work to figure it out",
I think if you would of already read my earlier post, that I DID spend over
4 hours trying to complete that one tutorial and never could make it work,
not like the tutorial shows it working that is.
Yes, I am quite sure I could of made it work doing the "guessing game"
method, but that's all it would be, me just "guessing" as to whether
or not I was doing things the way they were meant to
be done in his GIF tutorial samples?

So, "you" are missing the point here.
We all can "guess" our way through this and I'm certain create something,
but we have no clue if it's the correct way or not and could very well be
missing the true techniques and tools we should be using to make things work?
And as bryphi77 so perfectly put it, we all don't have loads of
time to sit around experimenting and playing the "guessing game".

............md


.

[Steve Reeves]

Hi Mark,

I agree that the author of LWCAD is responsible for supplying the documentation. My assesment of the email to garee from the author is that it simply 'aint going to happen.

I didn't actually mean we'd pay the author of LWCAD to do some docs (no way!) , I meant if there was an experienced user out there who would be willing to spend some time writing some docs then maybe it wouldn't be unjust to ask for a small donation for his/her time.

take care all.

[Verlon]

Getting sick on how the forums are becoming sometimes a personal war sandbox.....


Yeah... I think all forums do that. I tell my friends, "if you want to enjoy the game, stay OFF of the forums." No one listens though. Its like a train wreck, they just HAVE to watch.

The anonymity of the internet seems to give some people a little TOO much freedom.

[mdunakin]

Umm.. to David, I think there's a lot more then simply
asking a few questions and having someone answer them.

But, with that said, then if you or anyone has actually been able to follow
the tutorial for the hallway and complete it, then please post said steps.
And if you have and do, then are they real steps from the LW-CAD or more,
"I guessed about this and tried that and they seemed to work, but don't
really know if they were what you really were supposed to do?" kind of reply?

Because, like I say, we all (I'm sure) can mess around and figure out some
sort of method to figuring out on how to make things work, but
that doesn't nessisarilly mean we're doing them right.
That's where an actual manual comes in.

Thanx, and you are right, this is just going to turn into an,
"I'm smarter because I supposedly figured it out before everyone else,
so they all must be just dumb or not spending enough time screwing
around with this thing trying to figure out how to work it "correctly",
kind of thread.

So oh well, I guess?

We can wait till v2 comes out and hope they post an actual manual there for us?

.............md

.

[mdunakin]

Ahh, I see what you mean, Steve.
Yeah, that would be worth something I guess.
Though I of course still think we shouldn't have to be
doing that in the first place, but I see what you are saying.

Actually, I'm not gonna stress over this anymore.
I have enough other things on my hands right
now anyway to worry about this plugin deal.

It's neat to have and for those who have figured it out,
then I'm glad for them.

I just have too much to do right now to spend
any more time fiddling around and guessing at this stuff.

Thanx though and to anyone else who has tried to contribute :)

It's been brought up that this is turning into yet another forum war
and whatever, and I see it that way too, but also see that if no
one wants to read wars, there's no one making them read.

I'd prefer that the ones who claim to already have figured this out,
put out some fires here by simply posting their own steps to how they
achieved their own results, and NOT having everyone post individual
questions for every little thing, since there would be too many and
steps would cover most of those kinds of questions a lot faster.
And to this extent, I suggest the Hallway Tutorial be done first,
since that's one that is mentioned and is a supposed tutorial
for us all yet most haven't been able to figure it out yet,
or at least not the whole thing or done as shown.

.........md :)

.

[mdunakin]

Yeah, that's how I was going through things too.
You pretty much have to have the Numeric Window open,
or you truely will be lost even more then already.

If I come up with something, i.e. I have some extra time later tonight,
I'll try and post a short tutorial or something if and when
I get it wired a little bit more.
I know how most of the tools work already, just from messing around,
though a lot, if not most things that are in those GIFs, don't
actually match up to what you see on screen.

Like look at how he shows you all those Patterns displayed right in Modeler,
yet the only place I was able to see them was in a Presets window,
not right inside the actual modeling window.

............md :)

.

[cc3d]

1) Follow the examples for each tool on their website

a). try what it shows you

2) Come up with a practicle excersie to use the tool

3) Try that until you figure it out.

There's your manual.

As for time playing the guessing game. You spent FOUR HOURS on it! Looks like you had some time there! Certainly more than I did!

And for my time, I've spent all I will on this pointless argument.

have anice day :)

[mdunakin]

In otherwords, you didn't actually figure it out,
judging by your supposed steps there LOL

And this wasn't an argument.
It was a request for better info, which you just gave wasn't
any better then what came with the thing in the first place.
And you were the first one to start in with demeaning comments
to others who couldn't figure the thing out and you were
so briliant that you "were" able to figure it out.
Obviously, it looks like you haven't or you could've gave some better steps.

It's no biggie.
If you don't have anything "real" to contribute, then don't.
And you didn't.
So there ya go.

Someone here will post up something "usefull" soon enough.

And I'm glad that you are enjoying the thing.
I too plan on enjoying it later on.
As for my hours spent, it was spent trying to follow the tutorial,
not screwing around pressing buttons and guessing what steps
you take to do what, as that's what I'll end up having to do anyway.
In otherwords, it isn't so much I "won't" figure it out,
it was I was trying to see how THEY did things.
NOT how I might find a method to get the same job done.
And it's fine with me if you don't want to spend anymore time on this,
you haven't contributed anything but make out like everyone else is
an idiot if they didn't figure the thing out anyway and just
because they want an actual manual for the thing.

..............md :)

.

[Dellik]

Like look at how he shows you all those Patterns displayed right in Modeler,
yet the only place I was able to see them was in a Presets window,
not right inside the actual modeling window.
.

For anyone else who's stuck on using the patterns this is how it works for me...

Click LWCADext tab at the top.
Click Pattern 2D Tool button in the menu.
Drag the pattern out in one of the views with the left mouse button.
Then click and hold on the L surrounded by a dashed circle at the bottom right of the pattern you just dragged out
Now drag you mouse left or right and while ignoring the graphics which appear, see which text is selected by a box below the graphics. That is the pattern library you want to use. Let go of the mouse button when your choice is selected.
Next click and hold the P button and this time look at the patterns while you drag your mouse left or right as this time your selecting which pattern you want to use. Let go of your mouse button once you've chosen one.
The H & V buttons just flip the graphic either Horizontally or Vertically.


The Pattern 1D Tool works the same except you need to click & drag twice to display the pattern. Once you've messed around with it a while it should make more sense... i hope!
Sorry if my explanation is confusing, but that's how it works for me so i hope that helps a little.

[mdunakin]

Oh no, Dellik, you made good sense :)
And thanx a zillion.
Currently, since I decided that the only way for me to figure any of this out,
was to open each GIF in Image Ready and look at each frame one at a time
while having Modeler open and then just struggle my way through untill I
figure it out and then I was going to post up my findings.
I still will of course, but now that someone good like you and Colin have
posted a couple of steps for us, I'm going to paste them into a text
file and post the file in a thread here with a link to the file.
And everytime anyone adds more info to this or any other page on this subject,
I'll add those to the text file as well and that way keep it up to
date and all on one simple download for everyone to just click on to
download the text and read up on what others are doing with LW-CAD.

Sound like a plan?
Does to me :)

So, I'll get that started and collect the
parts I've seen so far and put those in there.
After I get enough of them I'll try and organize them
as best I can to be in any catagories, if needed that is.
Later, if I have enough info and it seems like something doable,
I'll create a video out of the text showing a visual of the steps.

Anyway, thanx again, and I'm working my way through right now.

.................md :)

.

[Dellik]

Great idea to combine everything into one file.
Look forward to seeing any tutorials and hints and tips that might come out in the future as theres loads of stuff i dont really understand in it at the moment.

My memory is like a sieve so if you can include a large hammer in the file so i can make sure things are well and truly fixed in my head that would be great too! :D

[LW_jackn]

I agree.
There was really no need for this kind of comment:
No good deed goes unpunished eh Newtek?


Well that's just tough... I'm free to make it, I stand behind it, so move on...

I wasn't talking to you anyway, Newtek reads these forums, and it was directed to them.

ciao!

[BeeVee]

Hi all,

You can also use the presets window with LWCAD so you don't have the issue of the presets whizzing by too fast. To be honest, the LWCAD documentation is relatively complete, yes there may be steps missing in the tutorials provided, but I'm sure there will be other tutorials posted now that more people have access to the tools LWCAD provides.

B

[Matt]

I'm interested, to those who are requesting a manual, which aspects of the program would you like to see more documentation on, or is it just a general 'run-through all the tools' manual?

Matt

[colkai]

My personal take?
I feel many of the commands / usages are skimmed over.

Must admit though, have to mention to my boss we don't need documentation anymore, simply tell our new users our existing users didn't need docs for this release. :p ;)

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Hehe..
I think th eproblem is, previous users are CAD based people who sort of "get" the tool flow as is. However, with this (very sweet) offer from Newtek, a lot more people are going to be looking at this who aren't "au fait" with CAD style actions.

[mdunakin]

Basically, what colkai just said, is about how it is, at least to me :)

I think I'll be able to get a lot of this thing figured out pretty soon,
I just haven't had much time to play with it since the first day I got it.
(been too busy with computer problems and still am, uhg)
But I opened up the GIFs in Image Ready and manually went through
each frame to see exactly what was going on in some of those
frames that he speeds right through, for whatever reason.
From looking at those and with some of the info so generously provided
by a few already, I think I can get the rest figured out soon enough.
What I want to do is piece together a visual (with screen shots) tutorial
that might help others out like myself who weren't able to get this thing
when they first get into it without all the headaches.

I think like Matt asked about, a basic run through that DOESN'T skip
any steps would be most wanted without having to spend any real
time with too many details, but enough to fill in the gaps.
Maybe something like that?

Gonna be gone today, thanx..................md :)

.

[tonybliss]

Sorry to be rude but are you guys are retarded, yes the tutorials are not perfect, but you don't NEED a tutorial to figure out how to use basic straight foward tools, sasquatch maybe, ogo taiki maybe, LW CAD the program is straight foward and i was able to handle pefectly the tutorials. You ladies ***** about everything ... at the end of the day what would you say if NT just decided to do away with upgrade bundles as a result.
Like most of you i don't have time to try to figure out stuff because of deadlines but for the sanity of already stressed programmers, tech writers and marketing et al, experiment and STFU



Cheers ... and luv you all :D

below some pics based on both tutorials done in twenty minutes after browsing the tuts for the first time. Note that in order to create windows select the two faces and bridge(l) them.

[mdunakin]

Cheers ... and luv you all
Oh yeah, you really showed the "love" there LOL
BTW, I had no problems with SAS Full or Lite at all.
Got right into with no problems at all.
Of course, both of those had actual manuals to go along with them,
like every other program that sells for $200 bucks or more.
But then, Sas seemed pretty self explanitory to me, but it isn't to others.
I don't call them retarded because they don't get it as well as I was able to though.

I'm so glad you were able to jump right in and use LW-CAD, but of course,
you like the others who "claim" to have mastered that thing in no time at all,
just sit there and name call everyone else, instead of contributing your
massive amount of knowlege with this plugin.
I guess it's because you all are so much farther above the rest of us
retards out here, it would be too much beneith you to come
down to our level and give a helping hand?
Thanx for "The Love" LOL

Typical...............md
P.S. I'm not refering to those who HAVE contributed, BTW,
just these few who think themselves better then the rest of us.

.

[richcz3]

After reading about this thread I decided to fire Modeler up.
I am not a CAD person. So I think if I was looking to make a building, I wouldn't know where to start, but for regular LW modeling these tools are very unique and a nice addition.

Like it has already been mentioned. Keep the Numeric Panel Open
For starters most of the Tools are self explanatory.

"Boolean 2D" and "Curve Knife" work with Splines are great.
These edits offer the Illustrator/Freehand feel to them.

Convert Curves
Turn Splines to Polys or Polys to Splines in a click and adjust their density.
Reduce the Curves in a transformed Poly by using Join Curves.
About the only drawback I see at the moment is Poly to Curves does not create a bezier type curve.

Now with a little more experimentation I can see how to fit this new tool set into my everyday modeling. Thanks NewTek. :thumbsup:

[tonybliss]

You may have mastered lwcad but you certainly haven't mastered LW, from what I can see. I don't mind at all being insulted but at least make sure you have the work to back it up. You don't!

PS
I would much rather be retarded then have no talent.:)

What do you have to back up that statement, have you ever seen any of my work ??? The crowd animation tut, latest ik boost tut and the lw 8 rigging tut on the lw site are my writings, i have done work that you may not have seen, some of which i choose to post at spinquad. But its all good.
BTW I definitely do not think i am better than ANYONE (i have learnt and continue to learn from everyone here and spinquad), but i do believe that lw cad can be learnt to an efficient level with the docs provided. The pics i provided was ONLY to test the tools for the first time, not to show my so called mastery of a program that i have been using for two years. Vent your anger in your own four walls.

PS I would rather that you stay retarded and keep your opinions to yourself unless valid :devil:

[tonybliss]

THANK YOU NEWTEK FOR $800USD in usefull software and to that time many for the returns that i will continue to aquire from your flexiblity,

not yet perfect but evidence shows that its definitely going there !!

and again luv you guys and thanks for sharing knowledge ... even you too Bryphi77

CHEERS!

[tonybliss]

Oh yeah, you really showed the "love" there LOL
BTW, I had no problems with SAS Full or Lite at all.
Got right into with no problems at all.
Of course, both of those had actual manuals to go along with them,
like every other program that sells for $200 bucks or more.
But then, Sas seemed pretty self explanitory to me, but it isn't to others.
I don't call them retarded because they don't get it as well as I was able to though.

I'm so glad you were able to jump right in and use LW-CAD, but of course,
you like the others who "claim" to have mastered that thing in no time at all,
just sit there and name call everyone else, instead of contributing your
massive amount of knowlege with this plugin.
I guess it's because you all are so much farther above the rest of us
retards out here, it would be too much beneith you to come
down to our level and give a helping hand?
Thanx for "The Love" LOL

Typical...............md
P.S. I'm not refering to those who HAVE contributed, BTW,
just these few who think themselves better then the rest of us.

.

Sir ... to you and the rest i do humbly apoligise for the misunderstanding. 'Retards' are the whiners about everything and those who don't try(also those who make air headed assumptions :devil: )

YOU my good man have inspired me to write a detailed tutorial on using LW CAD to create a detailed 1 story flat with detailed doors and mouldings.
I appreciate your candor ...

currently writing.

[tonybliss]

I searched for your work here and SQ. Was not impressed at all and still ain't!
All I asked for was a manual if you don't need one that's great, but why do you feel it was your responsibility to call me a retard. I don't get "angry" I just state the truth.

Well to you again thanks for your honesty I WILL grow as an artist ...
to your third sentence working on it.

Lastly, it was you that said that you would rather be retarded and have talent ... take your god**** pills with your enema ... proxima vez !!!

Cheers !!

[tonybliss]

I ... was ... experimenting ... with ... the ... tools ... bryphi77 ... it ... was ... a ... literal ... twenty ... minute ... e-x-p-e-r-i-m-e-n-t ... you ... UNDERSTAND ....

by the way i am not a CAD person but i built actual houses ... for the tutorial that i am writing the measurements will not be accurate. i am taking time off to write a detailed tut for the other to understand the tool

Bryp man will upload as a doc file that you and others can add to :) Maybe you can add some actual measurements for doors, brick thickness and plastering thichness, casting, et al. I for one would certainly benifit from this info !!!

BTW Bryphi69, i did enjoy this little mental golf here (been a while since I have gone ***** mode with wit applied :D) If you wish to continue its all good and fun, i am having a ball here with this with my wife :D :D me gusta mierda !!!

[tonybliss]

I used nexon plugins for the stairs ... lw cad got me excited about doing cad stuff and before starting the tuts i flayed for a stair plugin and found nexon's spiral and straight stair plugins.
took on a job that is totally cad oriented ... my first, but ready as a horny rabbit

[Cageman]

*sigh*

Why do I see this imature stuff all the time in LW-related forums?

The "retared" artists are the ones making the pretty pictures, while the "talentless" technicians are the ones that give the artists their tools. Why not make a TEAM and enjoy eachothers "talents"?

Friendship to the People!

:)

[tonybliss]

bryphi77 ... i am soooo sorry ... lo siento ... sumimasen sa

I need to be more sensitive ... i will find a genuine way to make it up to you :)

... i am serious !!!

[tonybliss]

:D Cheers then ... bryphi77 no chien

[mdunakin]

swami, thanx, I too will be looking forward to your tut :)

Post up when you get it or even a simple version of it and I can add
that to my list of help/tips/manual thingy as I want links in there too.
I'm basically trying to make it have as much info in it as I can for
a one stop spot for free LW-CAD extras Info.

If I end up with more then I think would work as text, then I'll be
more then happy to convert some things into actual full on tutorials.
You know, if people contribute tutorials that have images and such.

It'll all just depend on what I find and how much I find?

Thanx for this.................md :)
P.S> kinda a poll here, but would people rather see things I gather as only text,
or a DOC file with images or a HTML page that has text and images?


.

[colkai]

Sorry to be rude but are you guys are retarded, yes the tutorials are not perfect, but you don't NEED a tutorial to figure out how to use basic straight foward tools, sasquatch maybe, ogo taiki maybe, LW CAD the program is straight foward and i was able to handle pefectly the tutorials. You ladies ***** about everything ..

Well excuse us!
Hey, maybe next time you personally struggle with something, the thread should simply be filled with "well duh, you must be retarded".

Way to endear yourself to folks. :thumbsdow

[tonybliss]

OK ... OK ... My statment was harsh and mis written .... I think i got fed up with the whining about everything ...
First you have people saying vue is worthless ... blah blah a few choose to explore
Then you haggle the already busy NT to get the programmers to write a tutorial ... and we knowing the fact that the sole programmer (according to the NT interview) is working to improve the current version.
well then there are those who say LW can't this and that ... apart from those who have truely tried everything and found better solutions in other apps the three situations come across as superficial.

Remember we PAID for the upgrade to LW9 NOT for Vue and now LWCAD, yes they may become more useful to us faster with better docs but that does not stop us from experimenting and helping others minus the rant to NT for giving us 800 bucks of software and inefficient docs !!

Also i do believe that we can help each other in this particular situation (and let NT and Victor use the time to improve their software and documentation for future versions) Mdunakin has started a relevant thread in that direction, I wish to continue that by contributing.

So yes I vented inappropiately and am creating a tut to ammend my stoic candor

[colkai]

Then everything is Shiny :D
I totally agree about paying for LW9 not VUE and LWCAD, but I did rather hope LWCAD would come with some decent docs.
As it is, let us all see if we cannot provide some kicking docs and tutes for the masses who may have troubles with this set of kindly given and very useful tools. :thumbsup:

[Kurtis]

The creator of LWCAD has provided the documentation he felt appropriate for LWCAD version 1.5, and is in the process of creating LWCAD version 2.0 at this time. I'm sure he is reading your comments, and will keep them in mind for the creation of documentation for the new version.

We will not attempt to force him to write new documentation for the current version. We understand the situation he is in, because we are in a similar situation. As a software developer, you have to decide between halting forward progress to revisit an old product, or moving ahead with the new one you've already started. As to us being the largest customer, considering the arrangements we have made with him, and the fact that you all are the actual customers, not us, that really isn't the case, and we wouldn't try to bully him any more than we would allow one single customer to make us stop what we're doing and do something else.

As to us creating new documentation, this is not our product. Documentation should be created by the people that know it best, those that developed it. And, I doubt anyone out there would be really happy if we pulled people off of LightWave 9 to create documentation for someone else's product.

It appears from the shear volume of threads on this topic that the LightWave community is doing something that it is well known, and well regarded, for doing, seeing an issue where they can assist others, and doing so. I'm glad to see that some users are stepping up to help other users. I would highly recommend that those doing so keep in contact with Viktor. I'm sure he appreciates the assist.