🗒️ Editor's Note
Welcome to the Vekta newsletter. As long as Vekta is a plugin, I plan to make a weekly update email to go out on Mondays. My plan is to write this myself, being Travis - the human on the project. So, there will be some grammar mishaps, less-than-ideal wording, maybe even some spelling mistakes if I’m writing this while tired. I hope that the absence of em-dashes and choppy sentences is refreshing. It is for me at least. Let’s get into it.
🗞️🪲Weekly Features & Fixes
(The only section co-written by AI. It tracks all the features and fixes for me)
Features
Vekta now runs on Windows (beta). The plugin loads into Vectorworks 2026 on Windows end to end. If you use Vectorworks on Windows, please try it and hit reply with anything that breaks.
Bridge for Claude Desktop now installs on Windows too. Rewrote the .mcpb bundle on both Mac and Windows without a separate Python download.
Chat can read web pages and search the web. Paste a product link and Vekta can pull dimensions, weight, rack units, and power off the spec page in the same reply. Ask something that needs an outside answer and it can search. It only fetches links you give it.
ConnectCAD device-builder. Chat can now build a ConnectCAD device from a product link, a rear-panel photo, or a short description. It reads the connectors, then places a real stock Device with one labeled input/output socket per connector, sized and gridded like a library device. Replaces an earlier recipe that produced empty devices with no sockets.
Shotbox saved-view buttons bind two ways. Bind by position (opens whatever saved view is at slot N in the active file, sorted A to Z, so one button works across files) or by name (opens that exact view every time). Same options as the Stream Deck view key. Pick which when you save the button.
Fixes
Shotbox polish. The address chip no longer truncates on longer addresses, saved view buttons no longer show the name twice, and every bound button now reads the same way: type on top (Saved View, Macro, Skill, Script), name in the middle, address on the bottom.
🎬 Getting started
I installed Vekta - now what?
First things first. Don’t get ahead of yourself and try to open this and start using it live on a project file that’s due tomorrow. Take a little time to get to know it.
Vekta is a little sandboxy on purpose. It’s meant to feel catered to how you use it. Here’s what I would do first:
Make a list of the top 5-10 tasks that you do on every project in Vectorworks that take the most time. Be specific.
From that list identify any that might be manual entry or repetitive.
Start a new conversation in Vekta (just start writing in the dialog box in the bottom of the palette) and ask Vekta to try to do the task you want it to do. Trial and error is expected here. You might have to go back and forth to find the right wording to get the results you want.
If your prompt was successful there are two ways to save that prompt to use on a project:
Scripts - When you have a repeatable task that doesn’t need reasoning, use scripts. Ex. Tag all doors on the Floor Plan layer with the “Door tag” symbol
Skills - When you need reasoning to execute the task, you’ll record skills, which are just saved prompts that you can recall anytime. Ex. Cross reference the Door Schedule, use “Single Door Tag” symbol for single doors and “Double Door Tag” for double doors, make a new class for every door type there is and put the matching door tag on the corresponding door tag layer.
Save your skill or script and try running it! You can put any skill, script, saved view, or macro onto a Shotbox button (or Stream Deck if you have one) and try triggering it!
If you haven’t installed the beta yet, it’s free! Follow the link below:
🎯 Tip of the week
This week we’ll focus on a powerful time-saver: Conversation > Scripts.
Start with an end goal in mind of a repeatable process or task. Some examples:
Numbering all rooms by layer/floor (that spotlight numbering can’t easily do in one shot).
Re-classing all objects that have a certain record attached, that are on a specific layer.
Making all visible objects to be “By class” texture
Or something complex like: Tag all doors, windows, floors, and walls with these specific parameters and tags that I do on every project
For a real-time example - Let’s say I am working on a project with varying door widths and hinge sides. Instead of the contractor having to look at the schedule and cross referencing the plan, I want to add a data tag to all doors in the project so they can just look at the doors on plan to install. I want to be able to do this for any project with one button press that will tag all doors in the model with a door tag.
Work through Conversations until you get the end result you want - Let’s say we already had the tag made (maybe we’ll build tags from scratch with Vekta in a future example) and prompted Vekta to tag all the doors.
When Vekta successfully gets to the end result “Save as Script”
Recall the script with either “Run” in the scripts tab or saved to a shotbox or Stream deck button
Miss last weeks updates? Read the newsletter here.
Hit reply if you have any questions on Vekta or want to connect!
Until next week,
Travis
Travis is the creator of Vekta and has been a Vectorworks user for over 10 years working in AV integration and live events.
I made Vekta to help you create more of what makes your work special. Designing a lighting plot, working through architecture concepts, or engineering an AV system instead of repetitive tasks.
I’d be honored if you took a chance and tried Vekta. You can sign up for the beta below, it’s free!