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Any other way to create a symbol?


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#1 Delane Barrus

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Posted 20 March 2021 - 04:24 PM

I created this simple wall panel that repeats a across a wall to create a motif (similar to board and batten). I created it from solids on a floor, then realized you can't tilt it upright on the Z plane, so I followed instructions from a few posts here to try and make it a symbol - and turn it upright in the symbol creation wizard.

No dice. I can add it to the library if I grab/trace it directly from an open SoftPlan drawing, but saving it as DWG and opening it that way (where I might re-orientate it?) shows nothing in the preview to work with, and an empty file/symbol in the end. 

Pulling my hair out here. I wish the Z rotation was standard. I could create it all as solids but there is no way to do the 'X' shape. Any ideas?

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#2 Henry Buckner

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Posted 20 March 2021 - 04:32 PM

Are you trying to do this in an open drawing? It needs to be in its own drawing for you to make it a symbol.


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#3 Delane Barrus

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Posted 20 March 2021 - 04:44 PM

I created a new drawing just for the symbol. Copied to SoftPlan clipboard then pasted it into the new drawing. Saved out that as a .dwg. Also tried just tracing the image from the drawing as that is an option in the wizard. That works, but gives me no option to re-orient the object vertically for a wall. In that scenario it drops onto the floor from the symbols library - which is what I have now.


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#4 Keith Almond

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Posted 20 March 2021 - 06:04 PM

You have to save (EXPORT) the 3D view as a .dwg, from the 3D window. You can't do it from the plans.


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Keith

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

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#5 Keith Almond

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Posted 21 March 2021 - 08:43 AM

Have a look at this post ... http://softplan.com/...ment/#entry4538 ... Although this deals with the creation of a Fypon pediment, the principle is exactly the same to create your symbol.


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

#6 Jon Davis

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Posted 22 March 2021 - 07:40 AM

it's very aggravating to say the least. I was really hoping for something more simple for v22 but, I haven't heard of it. Maybe a v22 update later in the year??? How bout it SP?!?!!?


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#7 Mark Petri

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Posted 22 March 2021 - 12:07 PM

SketchUp makes things like this much faster. You can draw it as you want, orient textures to match direction of pieces, get the size of each part you want to fit correctly and make adjustments more quickly if needed. (Just my opinion).


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#8 Jon Davis

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Posted 22 March 2021 - 05:40 PM

SketchUp makes things like this much faster. You can draw it as you want, orient textures to match direction of pieces, get the size of each part you want to fit correctly and make adjustments more quickly if needed. (Just my opinion).

 

I really need to download it and learn



#9 Keith Almond

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Posted 22 March 2021 - 06:06 PM

I think it's a real shame that you have to rely on a tool like sketchup to design pieces that you should be able to easily create in Softplan itself.


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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

#10 Mark Petri

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Posted 22 March 2021 - 06:30 PM

True. It would be super if SoftPlan would integrate the ability to draw 3D shapes and orient textures and assemble them into symbols in ways that make sense with the same ease if not easier than in SketchUp.


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#11 David Johnson

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Posted 25 March 2021 - 03:13 PM

I 100% agree. Still being fairly new to SP, I know that I am not the most proficient at some things, but there is no doubt that creating custom 3D objects is much easier to do in SketchUp and then create as a symbol in SP.






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