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SoftPlan vs. Revit


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#21 Mark Beard

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 02:22 PM

Hi Don and all - I definitely agree on using the Ctrl button when selecting items and do use the trace line in my walls, but what I think is missing (or at least based on my own experience) is the precision and specificity when moving and/or adjusting single or mass grouping of objects.  I've have definitely found the most luck with Ctrl + Select when copying groups of objects from a snap point to another snap point.  I'd guess those who learned AutoCAD prior to Softplan still look for a way to edit in a "From > To" mindset with more direct point to point moves and user input.  Keith mentioned SP had something like From/To before, but that was before I started using and I can't figure out Home + arrow keys to do this.  Regardless, I'm definitely not losing any sleep over it!  :D


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#22 Keith Almond

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 04:25 PM

The HOME key now functions as both from and to.

 

Try this select LINE and press the following keys ... HOME, 24' RIGHT ARROW, HOME, 12'. UP ARROW, HOME, 24', LEFT ARROW, HOME, 12', DOWN ARROW HOME ESC. You should end up with an exactly 24' x 12' box. Same principle works with polygons etc. and is easier and quicker than AutoCad's (at least the earlier version up to 2000) co-ordinate input.

 

You can do exactly the same with walls and exactly the same moving a CTRL selected lock/group of items.


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There are 10 types of people in this world ....... Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

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#23 Dennis Hilborn

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:32 PM

In Autocad you pick a start point, move you cursor in the direction you want your line, type 12', hit return, move cursor, type 12', hit return continue until thru.  No co-ordinate input needed.  It's been this way atleast since version 2.1 that I used in 1992.



#24 Keith Almond

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 09:17 PM

I stand corrected ... It's a while (11 years) since I used AutoCad, but I seem to remember "having" to input polar? (distance and angle) co-ordinates. Maybe I don't remember clearly ... My wife will back me up on that, she's pretty convinced that I don't remember anything anyway.


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Keith

There are 10 types of people in this world ....... Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

Softplan user since version 5.5.2.5

www.homehardwarekingston.ca

#25 Gary McKeon

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 11:01 PM

You can do the same thing in SoftPlan.

Hold the ctrl button down and left click, box in what you want and press M for move. Only those items completely in the block will move.

Nah, that's still only half as good. Yes, you can do all of this in Softplan. I know- I do it. Just so much quicker and easier in autocad. There are some good, easy to use tools in autocad that are nice. Not nice enough to like the program better than Softplan- not even close but that isn't the point. There are some good tools there that would be nice if they were as quick and easy to use in Softplan. They aren't. But when you get used to doing them the softplan way you just stop thinking about the way other programs do things that could, potentially, be of great benefit to softplan users. But hey, what you don't know well, you don't know and it really is just fine (even if you do know!). 


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#26 Dennis Hilborn

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 07:46 AM

I stand corrected ... It's a while (11 years) since I used AutoCad, but I seem to remember "having" to input polar? (distance and angle) co-ordinates. Maybe I don't remember clearly ... My wife will back me up on that, she's pretty convinced that I don't remember anything anyway.

Mine says I don't remember because I just didn't listen to her in the first place.


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#27 Michael Collazo

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Posted 29 February 2020 - 03:28 PM

I believe that I have as much or more control in Softplan than I do in Autocad. Sure I still fight with F12 VS F8 to toggle curser lock/Ortho.

Sure there are things that are simpler in Autocad, but when I use Autocad, I feel restricted without "B" Between command. That command alone saves me a lot of steps in Autocad.

While match properties in Autocad is quicker than duplicate, Softplan's Repeat Edit is priceless. Especially when using a block selection of different window types to adjust the head height. Repeat Edit was a wish list in Autocad.

"S" Draw Select is priceless in Softplan, and I probably use it too much. Autocad has "Add Selected" from the context menu, but it isn't anywhere near as fast or useful as Draw Select .

Center Opening, align to edge, Make Parallel (recently discovered that gem), Center Between objects (way better than mid to point),Insert Break, Groups have greater control.

I can name a bunch of things in Autocad as well, but in the end the aggregate of time savers in Softplan is greater for me. Between, Draw Select, Align to edge, and repeat edit have given me miles of time savings alone.
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#28 Gary McKeon

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Posted 01 March 2020 - 10:38 AM

Absolutely agree Michael. As stated earlier there are some good tools in autocad that are real timesavers. But some of the tools in Softplan, as you have listed, are really great. Much prefer Softplan.



#29 Jonathan Waldie

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Posted 08 September 2020 - 01:28 PM

Yes, SoftPlan can do many of the same things as Revit, but... I find it to be fairly crude in some of its operations by comparison. SoftPlan has its edge in terms of residential design, but it still lacks refinement and flexibility in some of its functions.



#30 Thomas Roman

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Posted 28 September 2020 - 01:04 PM

I'll watch a video of how to create a simple Dutch gable roof in Revit and it's a 11 minute video / process.. and it's still lacking upper fascia and incomplete.. that's a few clicks in SP..
I'll watch a video of adding simple fascia and soffit in Revit and it's a 15 minute video / process.. automatic or few clicks in SP .
I think I'll live without a stretch tool...
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#31 Don Gibbons

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Posted 29 September 2020 - 05:11 AM

Yes, SoftPlan can do many of the same things as Revit, but... I find it to be fairly crude in some of its operations by comparison. SoftPlan has its edge in terms of residential design, but it still lacks refinement and flexibility in some of its functions.

And Revit can probably do many of the same things SoftPlan can and as Thomas Roman pointed out, also fairly crudely by comparison. What other features do you see in Revit that would improve SoftPlan?



#32 Thomas Roman

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Posted 30 September 2020 - 05:41 PM

Seriously.. I just watched another video .. this time showing how to add corner trim to walls in Revit to a simple square "shed"..
The video goes on for 5 minutes and 25 seconds of offsetting lines.. trimming lines.. creating a closed loop profile.. extruding... adjusting.. mirror pick axis to copy the extruded closed loop profiles.. Who wants that ? God forbid you decide later to change the 4 inch trim to 6 inch trim..
That 5+ minute video would literally take about 6 clicks in SP... Are there really tools in Revit that help to overcome the shortcomings to easily create parametric roof styles, soffits, fascia, corner trims, framing, etc...
I can see it with large commercial building (curtain walls, stair towers, share files with 3 firms and 30 people, etc).. but for residential ?.. I'm just not seeing where it's even in the same conversation as SoftPlan... What am I missing ?
That said.. YES.. always room for improvement and new tools... I wonder if SP is on schedule for next upgrade, given the wacky year this has been ?
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#33 Ben Ginther

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Posted 03 October 2020 - 09:22 AM

 Make Parallel (recently discovered that gem), 

When I first saw that one, I said I will never need that. I was wrong again. Use it a lot!


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#34 Edward Shannon

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Posted 20 October 2020 - 09:41 AM

I used Revit for 4 years.  It is a good program for boxy commercial buildings with curtain walls, but lousy for residential!  Revit also works smoother in 3-D, imo.  However, learning and programming Revit is another animal!  The amount of customization, time in creating families and content is unbelievable.  our office had 3 college graduates spend 1,000 hours programming.  Revit and we would still it the wall every 10 minutes with work arounds.  Moreover, much of the vendor content available for Revit is worthless.   for example, we could not use the Pella Window libraries as they were too literal (too many profile lines in each elevation) .  When we would plot 1/4" elevations the windows were just blobs.  So, we had to create our own!  Softplan comes ready to use out of the box with content formatted to plotting.  A major work-around in Revit is soffits and eaves.  It's just not ready for prime time yet.  

 

Revit is great for commercial projects, yet it will require a full or half time BIM manager.  this type of over head can be absorbed in large and medium sized firms.  Soft Plan is a better fit for sole designers creating residential and light commericial projects!


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#35 Jonathan Barto

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Posted 16 November 2020 - 06:52 PM

I have a sketchup question.   I know its a secondary program.   how much does it cost and where can i buy it?   

 

Thanks



#36 Mark Petri

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Posted 17 November 2020 - 09:10 AM

I have a sketchup question.   I know its a secondary program.   how much does it cost and where can i buy it?   

 

Thanks

Go to SketchUp online (https://www.sketchup.com/try-sketchup) and select which version you want and buy it. They now do an annual license like most others (subscription based). There is a free version online as well.


Mark Petri

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