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Custom openings in system library


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#1 Brad Graber

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Posted 22 December 2022 - 10:59 AM

I've been around this software for quite a while and should be able to figure this out.  I'm trying to create a double door flanked by two sidelites and both the door and sidelites have a transom over them.  Basically a 1'-10" sidelite 5/0 door and another 1'-10" sidelight.  all with a 2' tall transom over them.  I'm tryin to get it to look more like a storefront setup.  I have messed around for 2 hours now trying to get the Configure library editor to work correctly.  

I have tried creating the main door by itself, sidelites as a sepearate opening, and transoms as a seperate opening.  The problem comes about when I try to assemble all of the openings.  Its seems the editor has some issues.

Here is the bottom of the door with sidelites... no problem so far.

Attached File  door.PNG   46.06KB   1 downloads

I have tried adding new openings above it for transoms and they end up jumping around on me and not lining up correctly.  I tried adding the middle one first and then the sides, I tried adding them from left to right, and I tried adding them right to left.  Generally they start jumping around and not staying where I have placed them.  I can find no way to move them left/right after I initially place them.

Attached File  door-1.PNG   46.45KB   0 downloads

No big deal, How about I just build the sidelights with their transoms and the main door with it's transom and then assemble them that way.  So I take that approach and then assemble the door using an existing opening I have pre-created.  Now what... it comes in without the transom even though I created the sidelight already and it does have the transom intact.  I even tried to build the transoms as their own seperate unit and adding them above the assembled door and sidelites with no luck  When i pull in the assembly only one piece of it comes in and not the entire unit that I built out    AHHHHHH

Attached File  door-2.PNG   46KB   0 downloads

So out of curiosity I put a typical front door with sidelights on top of my existing door as a trial and find out when it gets added to the top only the sidelight comes with it.

Attached File  door-3.PNG   33.74KB   3 downloads

It appears to me that anytime you use "add existing opening" to another component... if that existing opening is comprised of multiple other openenings it does not work correctly.

Attached File  door-4.PNG   57.79KB   0 downloads  

Attached File  door-5.PNG   58.75KB   1 downloads

 

Sooo back to my dilemma of trying to create a large storefront type of entry.  So far i'm striking out at every turn.  I could try to assemble on the plan with multiple openings in the wall, but those are so hard to control.  I would think it should be possible to create the entire opening in the system library as one single opening using the editor and components. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



#2 Matthew Dunson

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Posted 22 December 2022 - 12:05 PM

One quick method I would use in this situation is to add the bottom door with the sidelites either assembled together or butted up to each other as individual openings. Then I would assign the door and sidelites on a layer that is hidden temporarily. Then I would add the transom near the same spot (Softplan might not allow you to add it directly where the door is, but you can dimension it in place) and assign it to another hidden layer. I would then reactivate the door and sidelite layer to show on the plan and add a note that there is a transom above. The quickest way for me to have them stack properly with this method is to go in 3D Textured Mode and assign the offset of the transom to stack on top of the door assembly. Yes...this is a tedious process and I know it is possible to create the door as one assembly since I have had issues where jack studs have disappeared in 3D Framing Mode with individually stacked openings. I would have to experiment with the Opening Library tools to see an easy solution if someone hasn't mentioned by the time I get to it, but this is a great way of thinking to build your opening as one unit.



#3 Brad Graber

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Posted 22 December 2022 - 12:25 PM

I could be proven wrong, but I have exhausted my abilities to create it all as one unit.  To me it looks as if that opening library tool has some bugs in it keeping things from working properly... it's so close to being a great tool for this situation.  It just needs the ability to adjust and or align openigns left/right after they have been placed.  And there is something there that is not allowing the openings that have already been assembled to be imported correctly and added to another opening.



#4 Jim Johnson

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Posted 22 December 2022 - 02:27 PM

When I've done this, I created a glass wall with 2x2 aluminum top & bottom plate.  Insert the door(s) as needed and use solid cubes for horizontal and vertical extrusions.  Usually setting this wall into an arch opening of the main wall.



#5 Keith Almond

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Posted 22 December 2022 - 08:24 PM

Brad, can you show us an elevation of what you are trying to achieve. I'm having trouble trying to visualize the problem. I've never had a problem, but maybe I've never had to create anything as complex as you are trying to create.


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#6 Brad Graber

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Posted 03 January 2023 - 09:06 AM

Here is what I came up with using seperate windows.  Basically the door and it's sidelites as one, then the transoms as one, then the traps above it all seperate.  I was unable to build it all as one unit.

 

Attached Files

  • Attached File  1.jpg   135.27KB   1 downloads

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#7 Mark Tidwell

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Posted 18 January 2023 - 01:17 PM

I certainly hope SoftPlan is working on a much improved opening module to create custom openings with.  I've been asking for such since version 6.1 (1994).  The current module is unintuitive and awkward at best.  Start trying to draw complex units with a consistent radius over the entire opening.  If you use arcs to manually create an opening elevation, it takes softplan forever to render so you have to draw individual segment lines over an arc.  This is extremely frustrating and time consuming.


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#8 Brad Graber

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Posted 19 January 2023 - 07:20 AM

I agree, I think it could work a lot better.  The last version did bring some improvements, but overall I find it cumbersome to create multiple window configurations.... and this one I tried my best but flat out couldn't do it with one single unit.



#9 Warren Ducote

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Posted 19 January 2023 - 03:08 PM

Not sure if we are going to get the much needed ability to design Custom Openings in the new version, but I bet we can count on more light fixtures and furniture.


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