9 replies to this topic

[Paul James]

Is there anyway to enter fractions directly? I thought I saw something from Kieth Almond, but was never able to get it to work right.

By now I've memorized the decimal equivalents, but I've been able to enter directly with other software and it's very intuitive and easier for new users.

 

Thanks,

[Keith Almond]

You did ... You probably couldn't get it to work correctly because you can't actually type it into a box,. The boxes won't accept the slash, they only accept decimal input. However, if you are moving, copying etc. you can type directly the move distance.

 

For example 9-2.15/32+ would equal a move of 9'-2-15/32"

 

Another tip ... If your mental math isn't excellent, Say you want to add 11-3/8" inch (floor thickness) onto a wall height of 10'-4", you can input it as 10'-15 3/8" which will correct itself to 11'-3 3/8" ... simple example, but you get the point.

[Paul James]

Great- i'll try it out. Thanks!

[Keith Almond]

Another quick tip ... Although I'm sure most of you are aware ...

 

You don't normally need to specify inches in any area. Softplan assumes inches anyway. So entering 17 or 1-5 or 1-5+ are ALL treated as the same 1'5"

 

You DO ALL know that the numeric pad - is feet and + is inches don't you?

[D M]

Didn't know about the + being used for inches, .. always just entered a numeric value (6, .. or 144) knowing that Softplan would interpret it as 6 inches or 12 feet, .. or whatever

 

Adding the '+' seems rather redundant if Softplan understands the intended input without it.

 

The 'slashed' fractions I didn't know about either, .. may give that a try sometime, .. although after all these years I pretty much have the decimal equivalents engrained to memory

 

 

 

Edit, .. gave it a try, .. and it works, but I find it awkward, .. think I'll stick with decimals

[Keith Almond]

 .. gave it a try, .. and it works, but I find it awkward, .. think I'll stick with decimals

 

All depends on how awkward your fractions are ... I know all the eighths, and a few of the sixteenths. If I have to move something 13/32" then I'll use fractions ...!

[D M]

Must have some very precise framers out that way, ..

[Brian Berzinskis]

Didn't know about the + being used for inches, .. always just entered a numeric value (6, .. or 144) knowing that Softplan would interpret it as 6 inches or 12 feet, .. or whatever

 

Adding the '+' seems rather redundant if Softplan understands the intended input without it.

 

The 'slashed' fractions I didn't know about either, .. may give that a try sometime, .. although after all these years I pretty much have the decimal equivalents engrained to memory

 

 

 

Edit, .. gave it a try, .. and it works, but I find it awkward, .. think I'll stick with decimals

 

The inches (+) command actually comes in handy when I am doing my plot plans as I set that to decimal feet and it will then automatically interpret 12 which no command as 12 feet and not 12 inches.

[Keith Almond]

Adding the '+' seems rather redundant if Softplan understands the intended input without it.

 

Not on Site Plans ... Standard site plan input is in feet for shot points etc. so to input 3" you can input 3+, instead of the .25 ... Allows much more control of heights without trying to remember all the decimal feet measurements.

[D M]

I could have qualified my statement, I guess, .. as most of my input pertains to working drawings (99% of the time) the + sign does seem redundant to me.

 

I do very little in the way of Site Plans these days, unlike my previous work place, .. but even then, we opted to use AutoCAD ('Woolerton' *spit*) for sites.

 

We found that manipulating arcs and radians and so on was much easier in AutoCAD given its greater range of related/such commands, ..