10 replies to this topic

[Kevin Hoppe]

I'm learning softplan, getting a little overwhelmed by some things.

 

How is it easiest or best to try out different looks of elevations so you don't overwrite or lose your design?

 

I have this porch area (and other things) that is a mess but before I delete the area and try something else, I want to save multiple ideas to decide outside design route.

 

I'll be looking for other help on how to fix lots of things here (solar panel locations, slope roof on joists with rim joist inside icf, alignment of lower level rim joist inside icf, site plan, lower footings in some areas), if anyone is interested in helping with that too.  I intend to make additional topics on these items.

 

[Keith Almond]

Put alternatives on different building options

[Kevin Hoppe]

Thanks.  Softplan Help shows what this is, but I've been fooling around with it and haven't figured out how to use it.  Where do you find help for using features like this?

[Bill Wimberley]

File-->Save-->Save Project Revision

This will make a copy of everything just as it currently is. Then make your changes you want for the next version and Save Project Revision again.

To open a previously saved revision just browse to the revision folder and open the project from the saved folders.

To go back to a previously saved revision select File-->Recover Revision

[Henry Buckner]

The short answer re building options-

If you have a project and wish to show it with both a hipped roof and a gable roof, draw one of the roof styles on it. That roof will be on the Default building option. Edit everything on the project that you want to show with both

roof styles (Foundation, walls, windows, decks etc) and add building option 1 to Default building option (easily done with repeat edit block ) Next, uncheck " Default" in Building Options set up. The first roof will disappear. Draw the second roof and edit it to appear in building option 1. Now when you select " default" in building options the first roof and everything else (assuming everything else has been assigned both building options) appears, and when you select "building option 1" the second roof and everything else appears. Repeat as many times as you like. 

[Thomas Davis]

Saving a copy is always the best way, however sometimes I like to look at two different modifications at the same time, so I just copy the house (adjacent to the one I am working on) in the same file, so I can view them both in 3D, side by side, at the same time.
 

 

Attached Files

•  Screenshot 2022-01-10 153720.png   243.65KB   2 downloads
•  Screenshot 2022-01-10 153738.png   337.15KB   0 downloads

[Kevin Hoppe]

Thank you all for your help.  I have used the copy command and just draw them next to each other.  I tried using the Building Option method and cannot seem to make it work.  All that happens is the default goes away [using the instructions from Henry] .  This one seems like the right answer so if anyone could show me where I could find a tutorial or more instruction where to find the info, that would be great!

[Mark Petri]

If you use building options and live elevations/3D views in plan sets you can update only the views you want to update when certain building options are turned on. But, Tommy's method or using neighborhood (if the different concepts are in different folders) also works. Lots of ways to do what you want, just got to figure out how it works best for you.

[Keith Almond]

The building options concept is simple, but the actual placing of items on each building option can get quite complicated

 

Personally (and I don't use building options often, so I might be out in left field), I tend to get lost in what dimensions etc. are default and what need to belong to specific options. So I generally don't use a default layer, I put a whole plan on Building Options 1 and then copy the whole thing to Building Options 2 and edit to suit ... etc. I find it keeps things a lot simpler. However, generally I only use options for sketches. All our plans are one off versions, and once we go to construction drawings, the client has already made up their mind on what options they are taking.

 

It gives all the advantages of Saving Project Revisions, with none of the disadvantages of having to keep swapping plans in and out of the model.

[Bernard Toews]

The building options concept is simple, but the actual placing of items on each building option can get quite complicated

 

Personally (and I don't use building options often, so I might be out in left field), I tend to get lost in what dimensions etc. are default and what need to belong to specific options. So I generally don't use a default layer, I put a whole plan on Building Options 1 and then copy the whole thing to Building Options 2 and edit to suit ... etc. I find it keeps things a lot simpler. However, generally I only use options for sketches. All our plans are one off versions, and once we go to construction drawings, the client has already made up their mind on what options they are taking.

 

It gives all the advantages of Saving Project Revisions, with none of the disadvantages of having to keep swapping plans in and out of the model.

 

Interesting, but how do you "copy the whole thing to Building Option 2"?

Probably very simple but it's eluding me right now...

[Keith Almond]

Copy it, CTRL-Select the whole thing and then right-click ASSIGN BUILDING OPTIONS.

 

Typically I copy it a known distance, EDIT it and then move it back to the original location.