26 replies to this topic

[Jeremy Stover]

Hey All - just want to start out saying I love Softplan.  It's become quite a life saver!

That said - a couple of things I would love to see added to the next version:::

 

1) The ability to increasingly modify deck benches.  The addition of deck benches has been awesome in and of itself, but now if we could have a bit more power over them that would be awesome!  Maybe have a box to add legs/supports (rather than adding them by default - same idea as stairs have to have a box to add railings) and then when we check the box to add the legs, we go out and edit the legs themselves.  Maybe then we can add profiles to the legs, pick material dimensions (2x6, 1x6, 2x8, 4x4, etc) and set the heights.

 

Same thing with Deck Bench backs.  Have a check box to add a back.  Then go out and edit the back.  How many horizontal pieces does it have, how tall is each piece (5/4x6, 5/4x8), how far apart are they, does the back have a cap (if so, how wide is it), and the big one for me -------do we want the back ANGLED out?  If so, how many degrees?  10/15/20/25/30?  I had to do a couple of projects with angled deck bench back pieces and had to go to sketchup and tear apart compiled models.  Would be awesome to piece these together in SP!

 

2) Corner boards.  Can we have a Drawing Options checkbox that lets us override/better control the corner board settings?  A Checkbox for "Exterior Corner Boards" that we can set, and then a separate one for "Interior Corner Boards"?  It would save some major time if we could check a box setting interior corner boards to 1.25" (or 0 for rendering purposes) versus having to set it on each wall and repeat edit as much as possible (some interiors are up/down/left/right so repeat edit really even becomes time consuming). 

 

Thoughts?

~Jeremy

 

[Jason Bishop]

I would like to be able to edit a wall in wall 'definitions' and have the option to choose 'just this wall' or 'all walls' within the drawing.

[Keith Almond]

I would like to be able to edit a wall in wall 'definitions' and have the option to choose 'just this wall' or 'all walls' within the drawing.

 

If you have two different walls then use two different definitions at drawing level.

 

If you change a height, it works for just one wall, unless you edit it in the definition. Same with left/right - up/down.

 

If you have a "Just this Wall" or "All Walls", what would you change, that you can't control now? I'm not sure what you would do with this command - or to put it another way, what could you do with this command that you can't do now?

[Keith Almond]

My favourite suggestion would definitely be:

 

Separate commands for EDGE/ROUGH EXTENSION and CENTRE EXTENSION. I seem to be forever switching extension options.

[Tom Rogers]

 

If you have a "Just this Wall" or "All Walls", what would you change, that you can't control now? I'm not sure what you would do with this command - or to put it another way, what could you do with this command that you can't do now?

 

One of the items that I talked about last week was to set a certain wall to be load bearing so that headers could be solid and roofs can be referenced to them.  Good for both renderings and softlist when doing material take-offs. 

[Tom Rogers]

I also would like to see a way that you can have a concrete patio that does not snap to the columns or beams so that I can have a ledge around columns instead of columns looking like they are overhanging the patio (i.e craftsman columns)

[Jack Carson]

I would really like to see ridge vent added.

[Keith Almond]

One of the items that I talked about last week was to set a certain wall to be load bearing so that headers could be solid and roofs can be referenced to them.  Good for both renderings and softlist when doing material take-offs. 

 

In the drawing, EDIT the wall, click DEFINITION, click SAVE AS "XXXX - Bearing", Check BEARING, OK. Then change the wall type to "XXXX - Bearing". It's really quick and easy. Doesn't have to be done at SYSTEM LEVEL, so is drawing specific, and will be much easier to see if you go back to a drawing at a later date. I can see problems (not least of which is in the takeoff) if walls that are supposed to be the same are exhibiting different properties.

 

All of the wall properties that you can edit in the EDIT box are "THIS WALL ONLY" anyway. If it want's to be "ALL WALLS" then it has to be done in the definition.

[Jason Bishop]

If you have two different walls then use two different definitions at drawing level.

 

If you change a height, it works for just one wall, unless you edit it in the definition. Same with left/right - up/down.

 

If you have a "Just this Wall" or "All Walls", what would you change, that you can't control now? I'm not sure what you would do with this command - or to put it another way, what could you do with this command that you can't do now?

 

Hi Keith-

 I have a client that I have to generate 'brochures' for before I do the actual plans. With that said, these brochures contain a lot of "optional" features such has closets, garage, etc. The client wants these "optional features" to show as dashed. For all items other than walls, I can just choose the 'dashed' option, but for walls, I have to change it in the definitions to reflect a new line style. When I do, it changes all the walls within the drawing to the new line style, when I really only needed a particular wall changed.

 

I have already done as you suggested and it works, but the method I mentioned previously would be a lot more efficient, and when I actually go to draw the entire set of plans, I would not have to change the walls back.

 

I thought it would be a good suggestion.

[Jason Bishop]

I also would like to see a way that you can have a concrete patio that does not snap to the columns or beams so that I can have a ledge around columns instead of columns looking like they are overhanging the patio (i.e craftsman columns)

 

+1 on this!

[Keith Almond]

I have a client that I have to generate 'brochures' for before I do the actual plans. With that said, these brochures contain a lot of "optional" features such has closets, garage, etc. The client wants these "optional features" to show as dashed. For all items other than walls, I can just choose the 'dashed' option, but for walls, I have to change it in the definitions to reflect a new line style. When I do, it changes all the walls within the drawing to the new line style, when I really only needed a particular wall changed.

 

What wall sets are you using? Softplan did come at one time with walls defined as "REMOVE WALLS" using the "DASHED HOLLOW" material type. You could simply edit the wall type to REMOVE - 3.5. These print as standard as dashed, and if you remove the checkmark under SOFTLIST in the definition, will not be listed in the takeoff.

 

You could also add a standard "OPTIONAL" wall definition into the SYSTEM WALLS, defined to suit, and "ONE CLICK" edit them that way

 

I have MANY MANY walls defined. As far as I am concerned, editing walls to another type is the quickest way to change walls from PROPOSED to EXISTING to BEARING to OPTIONAL to REMOVE to FUTURE to ONE SIDE DRYWALLED to NO DRYWALL etc. etc. I think it would be very messy to have standard walls some of which are dotted, some of which don't show drywall but ALL of which are defined as the same wall. There are too many permutations to be able to turn things off for "THIS WALL ONLY".

 

I understand what you desire, but can't see it being workable. Whereas, using multiple definitions to create the permutations that you want works very well, and IS currently available.

[Keith Almond]

I also would like to see a way that you can have a concrete patio that does not snap to the columns or beams so that I can have a ledge around columns instead of columns looking like they are overhanging the patio (i.e craftsman columns)

 

Don't understand this, my concrete patio doesn't seem to snap to columns, and if it did, adjusting it and removing it from cleanup should fix that issue. What am I missing?

[Warren Ducote]

Speaking of wall definitions - I would like to be able to modify a wall in the Drawing Options and then when I save it, have the option to save it to the System Option Wall Definitions . 

[Keith Almond]

Speaking of wall definitions - I would like to be able to modify a wall in the Drawing Options and then when I save it, have the option to save it to the System Option Wall Definitions . 

 

I'd go along with that ... It is possible already ... using EXPORT and IMPORT of wall types, but a CHECKBOX to SAVE AS System Wall would be MUCH easier.

[Jason Bishop]

What wall sets are you using? Softplan did come at one time with walls defined as "REMOVE WALLS" using the "DASHED HOLLOW" material type. You could simply edit the wall type to REMOVE - 3.5. These print as standard as dashed, and if you remove the checkmark under SOFTLIST in the definition, will not be listed in the takeoff.

 

You could also add a standard "OPTIONAL" wall definition into the SYSTEM WALLS, defined to suit, and "ONE CLICK" edit them that way

 

I have MANY MANY walls defined. As far as I am concerned, editing walls to another type is the quickest way to change walls from PROPOSED to EXISTING to BEARING to OPTIONAL to REMOVE to FUTURE to ONE SIDE DRYWALLED to NO DRYWALL etc. etc. I think it would be very messy to have standard walls some of which are dotted, some of which don't show drywall but ALL of which are defined as the same wall. There are too many permutations to be able to turn things off for "THIS WALL ONLY".

 

I understand what you desire, but can't see it being workable. Whereas, using multiple definitions to create the permutations that you want works very well, and IS currently available.

 

Thanks Keith.

 

Don't understand this, my concrete patio doesn't seem to snap to columns, and if it did, adjusting it and removing it from cleanup should fix that issue. What am I missing?

 

Concrete patios and/or porches do not have a bearing per say. Therefore, when we draw a 'floor system' and choose slab, it snaps to the porch header since it is the only 'bearing' item. We then have to adjust the slab accordingly to fit the actual size of the porch area.

 

I use a standard line on the floor plan in drawing mode to show the edge of the porch slab. Since this line has no bearing, it does not show under floor system mode so the slab pops to the beam. See attached pic. 

 

If there is another way to do it and have the slab pop to the correct location, please let me know. Thanks for your help.

Attached Thumbnails

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[Yvon Gonthier]

The only way to do it is to remove the clean-up and adjust it manually. I agree that it would be easier if the line would show up in floor system mode. Not sure why you can check the boxes that you want to be visible in every mode but the system will still override and decides which ones it will show. Why not really give us the options?

[Keith Almond]

Concrete patios and/or porches do not have a bearing per say. Therefore, when we draw a 'floor system' and choose slab, it snaps to the porch header since it is the only 'bearing' item. We then have to adjust the slab accordingly to fit the actual size of the porch area

 

Now I understand. If I have a concrete pad/patio that has no bearing, I add it in SITE MODE as a patio, and it behaves differently than a floor slab.

[Tom Rogers]

I try to use the different modes as much as possible and eliminate having to create extra drawings.  I think this is, in theory, how the BIM software should work.  It also separates Softplan from a 2D software like AutoCad or DataCad, etc.  It takes some adjustment because us old guys are used to creating a new drawing (or overlay a new piece of Mylar if you are in my age group).  Old dog learning new tricks but I have found that making client changes, redline alterations or plan checking is so much more efficient this way (minus the quirk with the slab). 

 

I do my slabs on the floor mode and dimension and note from there.

[Tom Rogers]

I work for many different builders.  Would love to be able to set up different templates for system options (dimension format, colors, building options etc.).  I hear people say they load Softplan different times but I think that would cause potentially huge errors. 

[Keith Almond]

Taking templates one step further, the ability to set USER PROFILES, which tailor a complete Softplan configuration, shouldn't be too difficult to implement.