21 replies to this topic

[Keith Almond]

In a couple of recent threads, some people have suggested that it may be a good idea to know some of the handy tricks, tips and hints, that aren't (or aren't clear) in the manual, that would help new users get the best from their Softplan experience.

 

So I invite you all to add anything you've "discovered" to this list if you think it is something that a new or inexperienced user may want/need to know ... whether it's covered in the manual or not.

 

If you're new and can't figure something out, ASK ... this forum is full of the most talented people around. They are always willing to share their knowledge. Of ALL the forums I belong to, this has to be one of the best in terms of talent and friendliness, and I'm proud to feel that I belong amongst such people..

[Keith Almond]

I'll start the ball rolling:

 

One of the most important things I've realised is make sure you are using Circular Refernce points to control the floor heights in the model. If you don't know about circular reference points, check out this post - http://softplan.com/...f-house/?p=5596

 

For a long time, I thought that the reference points were all created equal, and just made sure that everything lined up horizontally so that the model stacks correctly. I tended to use the triangular one most as I though it was easier to see on the drawings.

However, the CIRCULAR REFERENCE is more than the others ... it also has the ability to control heights.

[Jason Bishop]

Found this week....:
You can copy a window or any opening and place on another wall.....not just same wall, but any wall.
Click Copy
Click on the opening
Hit F-12 twice
The opening will now “float”. Place on whatever wall you want.

[Jason Bishop]

Repeat Edit...:this is a great feature, but there is a quicker way when there are multiple items than need to be “repeat edited”.

Right click on the item,
Select ‘type selection’....or ‘group selection’ depending on your need.
Right click again and choose ‘edit and repeat’
Edit accordingly. Click OK.
Be sure to click the “edit” icon when finished to turn the command off.
All items will be edited accordingly.

It can be used for all items: walls , trim, beams, electrical outlets,.....everything!

Huge time saver!

[Jeremy Plum]

if you right click on an object and select "draw select" it will maintain all the object attributes (layer, building option, softlist, offsets, visibilities, etc.) and you can draw that object elsewhere on the plan. 

reduces much time having to make the changes to the object and provides for cleaner/ more useful building objects.

[Mark Petri]

Hidden walls and beams for referencing the lollipops can save a complicated roof, ceiling or floor system.

 

Setting the top reference point on walls set out away from your model can work better than using them on your model at times.

 

If you use a paint line for a border on your drawings set to match the border on your plan set sheets you can get the drawings to always center in the plan set page. The 2022 upgrade seems to negate that need, but it still is a good habit for knowing what paper space you have to draw in and where your borders are.

 

Paint lines or shade lines also work when the way SP crops a detail or other drawing is not favorable. You can set them to create buffer space around your detail so things do not get cut off when added to a plan set page.

 

Solid polygons are very useful for all sorts of objects - learning the "in and out" method of keeping a polygon as a single entity can be helpful with a lot of situations.

 

Using base sheets, notes sheets and separate sheets much like you would in a multi-drawing can really help with the layout and organization of plan set pages.

 

You do not have to use the preset labels for elevations, sections, drawings, etc. It may take a little extra time to set up, but one of the greatest features of SP is you can decide how you want your drawings to look and what you include or do not on plan set pages.

 

Site objects such as patios, planting beds, sidewalks, driveways, etc. can be used for other things in your drawings when needed. Just because it is labeled one way doesn't mean you can't assign a totally different texture and label it use it another way in a model. Just remember that you used if for whatever you did and assigned what texture you chose for that use. It will be that same texture for the same object no matter what you use it for in your model stack.

 

Profiles can be powerful when used with wall definitions, beam definitions and other model objects. Beams do not have to just be used as beams. Walls do not have to just be walls. They each have qualities that can be exploited for other uses in your model. Getting used to how SP orients and models profiles can open up opportunities to add extra detail when you want it.

 

Interior object can be used on the exterior too. Including wall covering. If you have 1 siding type on a model, but want two different paint colors, you can use a wall covering and set the coverage for where you want the second color. It doesn't work with every situation, but does with a lot of them.

 

Railings can be used to represent other objects in your model too. Think foundation drain, ductwork, tubing, tie-rod, etc.

[Fred Russell]

A tip I would throw in is to start or learn how to use Dimension point. It's just handy. and attaches to all sorts of things.

In same category is the diagonal square that I use to get measurements from corners to corners, and it really helps to easily and quickly lay a foundation out for squaring it.

And new in 2022 is the extension so you can either dimension at the center of a window by clicking at the center, or at (I believe) the sides for the rough, without changing settings. A really nice upgrade on that one.

[Jon Davis]

if you right click on an object and select "draw select" it will maintain all the object attributes (layer, building option, softlist, offsets, visibilities, etc.) and you can draw that object elsewhere on the plan. 

reduces much time having to make the changes to the object and provides for cleaner/ more useful building objects.

 

I love this one too

[Philip Frank]

Sort your libraries so the most used items are at the top of the list. That includes walls, beams, symbols, paint and railings. 

[Isaiah Baker]

You can easily add to your textures library from images online.  I like to search online for what I'm looking for, quartz, floor tiles, brick or stone, etc; then when I find what I am looking for, I screen clip (windows button+shift+s) and draw the window over the image.  Then save as, go to Softplan>3D>Textures>Bitmaps>, then select which folder you want it to be saved in.  You can adjust it as needed in the lighting and options tabs just like you normally do when you edit a surface texture.  The only problem with doing it this way is that it won't get you a textured surface that matches the pattern, its all going to be a flat image. But this hasn't been a big problem for me, I've still had good results. We sell building materials where I work as well, and it's been helpful to add in the all of the actual decking, siding, stone, and roofing textures that we offer. 

And don't be afraid to reorganize those folders so that it is easier to find what you are looking for!

[Keith Almond]

If you use screen clip, you will NOT get seamless images, and you'll be able to see the joins on nearly all the surfaces that you paste them onto.

[Isaiah Baker]

If the screen clip is on the end of a pattern, right before the repeat, it turns out pretty good.  Like for on brick for example, I will clip in the middle of the horizontal mortar row on the top and bottom, and in the middle of a vertical mortar on one row, and the middle of a brick on the next. The pattern repeat matches up on the surface.  I've had good luck so far. 

[Keith Almond]

That's not to bad then. Obviously it get more problematic with granite.

 

Even with cutting through the middle on alternate rows, brick textures and colours don't tend to match that well.

 

I make a lot of my own seamless textures in FILTER FORGE including granite textures if necessary, and find that most of Softplan's default textures are pretty good.So haven't had to resort to screen grabs yet.

[Keith Almond]

For example these were made with FILTER FORGE ... very quickly ... didn't spend to much time blending colours so they are a bit rough, but are totally seamless. Actually, they are ALL the same filter just with different colours applied. So if necessary I can generate exactly the shade of bricks and mortar that I need. 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I appear to be hijacking my own thread.

[Keith Almond]

Paint Definition Template:

 

Don't open the definition template and try and define a pattern within it ... Instead draw a repeating pattern that you like and then draw the definition template over your pattern at the repeat points.

[Harlon Suttle]

One thing that Softplan has is a GREAT Tech support....but only after I have exhausted online Vids etc....still one great "TRICK"   I believe they have seen just about everything and always respond....

[Thomas Collins]

Found this week....:
You can copy a window or any opening and place on another wall.....not just same wall, but any wall.
Click Copy
Click on the opening
Hit F-12 twice
The opening will now “float”. Place on whatever wall you want.

A simpler quicker way is hit s on your key board and select anything in the drawing to draw it anywhere in the drawing  saves many key strokes.

[Todd Wacome]

When you put a comment in an electrical symbol it will appear on its own line in the electrical legend and can be a very helpful problem solver.  It is helpful to include the location of the symbol in the comment since, the location of the symbol with the comment, isn't evident on the legend.

 

 

To extend this feature further we have an electrical symbol which is a question mark only, the name of the symbol is NEED INFO and we put one in an area where there is incomplete information, a conflict or a concern we need to resolve with a buyer.  It has proven useful but putting the location of the symbol in the comment field of each individual symbol is key:

 

 

[David Zawadzki]

Hidden walls and beams for referencing the lollipops can save a complicated roof, ceiling or floor system.

 

Setting the top reference point on walls set out away from your model can work better than using them on your model at times.

 

If you use a paint line for a border on your drawings set to match the border on your plan set sheets you can get the drawings to always center in the plan set page. The 2022 upgrade seems to negate that need, but it still is a good habit for knowing what paper space you have to draw in and where your borders are.  Isn't that what workspace limits is for?

 

Paint lines or shade lines also work when the way SP crops a detail or other drawing is not favorable. You can set them to create buffer space around your detail so things do not get cut off when added to a plan set page.

 

Solid polygons are very useful for all sorts of objects - learning the "in and out" method of keeping a polygon as a single entity can be helpful with a lot of situations.

 

Using base sheets, notes sheets and separate sheets much like you would in a multi-drawing can really help with the layout and organization of plan set pages.

 

You do not have to use the preset labels for elevations, sections, drawings, etc. It may take a little extra time to set up, but one of the greatest features of SP is you can decide how you want your drawings to look and what you include or do not on plan set pages.

 

Site objects such as patios, planting beds, sidewalks, driveways, etc. can be used for other things in your drawings when needed. Just because it is labeled one way doesn't mean you can't assign a totally different texture and label it use it another way in a model. Just remember that you used if for whatever you did and assigned what texture you chose for that use. It will be that same texture for the same object no matter what you use it for in your model stack.

 

Profiles can be powerful when used with wall definitions, beam definitions and other model objects. Beams do not have to just be used as beams. Walls do not have to just be walls. They each have qualities that can be exploited for other uses in your model. Getting used to how SP orients and models profiles can open up opportunities to add extra detail when you want it.

 

Interior object can be used on the exterior too. Including wall covering. If you have 1 siding type on a model, but want two different paint colors, you can use a wall covering and set the coverage for where you want the second color. It doesn't work with every situation, but does with a lot of them.

 

Railings can be used to represent other objects in your model too. Think foundation drain, ductwork, tubing, tie-rod, etc.

 

As always from Mark, a lot of good stuff in this... 

 

My suggestion is when a new release or patch comes out, take the time to see what was changed or added to the program!

[Bruce Donelson]

Randy Cohn (damn I miss him!) taught me to use a gaming mouse with programmable buttons so that the most frequent commands are right there all the time. So, Backspace, Snap Lock, Cursor Lock are my favorites. And then customize the keyboard shortcuts. I try to keep them memorable. So Move is M, Move Block is Shift-M, and Mirror is Control-M. That way you can keep one hand on the keyboard and one on the mouse, and you spend less time drilling down through menus.