The latest version of VectorWorks LANDMARK 10 offers a variety of new features for landscape design and operates on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. Last April, LASN examined LANDMARK 9.5, an update which offered dramatic improvements in speed and reliability ?EUR??,,????'??+ especially with the Mac OS X. While 9.5 was an update focusing on fixes and updates, LANDMARK 10 builds on the foundation, delivering a number of new features. The latest release boasts a streamlined interface, productivity improvements, presentation enhancements, better compatibility, an integrated 3D Power Pack, as well as new landscape and site design technology. ?EUR??,,????'??We concentrated on making LANDMARK even easier to use by consolidating many of the original commands,?EUR??,,????'?? noted Robert Anderson, Vice President for Nemetschek North America (manufacturers of VectorWorks). ?EUR??,,????'??LANDMARK 10 also received a boost in presentation by bringing back artistry to design through plant styling with a hand-drawn look, and image and gradient fills, which create all new graphic possibilities,?EUR??,,????'?? added Anderson. The Planting Key A key element to LANDMARK 10 is an expanded plant database ?EUR??,,????'??+ more than 1,200 plant records are stored for user interface. Also, a newly designed tool allows designers flexibility in the placement and replacement of plants. The new placement options make it simple to place plants at corner points of a polygon, along the edges of lines, or in rectangular or triangular layouts. Additionally, new clustering options are accessible for the creation of planting beds. With the extensive database of plants, CAD users have a multitude of options. Query options are available to assist in adding and editing of plants to a particular landscape design. New Objects Additions to LANDMARK 10 include a Massing Model Tool, Intelligent Plant Objects and Site Modifier Objects. The Massing Model Tool enables users to create building masses of any shape, with flat or sloping roofs ?EUR??,,????'??+ a useful tool for projects such as large campus planting plan or an urban site design. The Intelligent Plant Objects are more than static blocks or symbols. Plants in LANDMARK can be displayed correctly 3D as well as 2D. The user then has the ability to resize and shape them after they have been placed. The Plant Objects are ?EUR??,,????'??Intelligent?EUR??,,????'?? because they report characteristics such as botanical name, common name, type, height, spread, scheduled size, spacing and pricing ?EUR??,,????'??+ information which can be accessed at any time during the design process. LANDMARK 10 also has improved site modeling capabilities. The ability to draw pads, fences, graders, and texture beds has been consolidated into one tool. A user can now specify the pad slope in degrees or as a percentage, and label the pad with a slope arrow. Interface Improvements Multiple interface changes have come to be in the latest release. Version 10 introduces an interactive zoom which allows for mouse zooming and scrolling. There are customizable context menus and the keyboard shortcuts are available to any of the program?EUR??,,????'???s tools. Other interface alterations were made to the Resource Browser, the Workspace Editor, and the Object Info Palette. All the additions and changes were made with the intent of enhancing and improving LANDMARK. Other Changes, Improvements, Additions A number of alterations have taken place in an effort to improve productivity. Among these changes are a 3D polygonal solid modeling engine, batch file conversion, improved auto-saving functionality and a redline function. In regards to presentation, LANDMARK 10 gradient fills, image fills and the capability for renderings to display curves more accurately. A number of import/export options give the user more flexibility. Models created with the 3D Power Pack can be exported as .stl files (stereo lithography) for rapid prototyping. 3D IGES files can be read by other CAD or CAM programs, and IGES files can be imported into LANDMARK. Full dimension translation is now offered to and from DXF/DWG files and there are other features to ensure easy translation from VectorWorks into AutoCAD. Wrapping Up Perhaps, the best way to end, is to hear from LANDMARK users that have had the opportunity to use and test the software extensively on practical and professional applications. Leslie Sigal Javorek, President of Ellis Jay, Inc., is an experienced VectorWorks user, beta tester of LANDMARK 10, and familiar with past versions of the product. ?EUR??,,????'??The real power and glory of VectorWorks 10 is in the wonderful myriad of tools, commands, scripting environment, libraries and support that open up the world of CAD to limitless possibilities,?EUR??,,????'?? said Javorek. Javorek continued with, ?EUR??,,????'??VectorWorks 10 gives you hundreds of tools and a barrier-free design environment to develop your dreams, your way. You will never hear, ?EUR??,,????'??You can?EUR??,,????'???t get there from here.?EUR??,,????'??? That?EUR??,,????'???s because, if you can picture it, then with VectorWorks 10, you can bring it to life.?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??Instead of adding huge new features and leaving the old features alone, they?EUR??,,????'???ve added some very useful new technology and greatly improved on what they?EUR??,,????'???ve already done,?EUR??,,????'?? commented Matt Panzer, of Panzer CAD Services. ?EUR??,,????'??The overall performance is much more integrated and polished, requiring fewer steps to do the same task,?EUR??,,????'?? concluded Panzer.