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Creating floor plans for extrusion. (#3141)
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barnabythebear  
#1 Posted : Tuesday, May 18, 2010 6:57:45 AM(UTC)
barnabythebear

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 4/14/2007(UTC)
Posts: 8
Hiya All,

I was just wondering what is the best workflow for creating a building floor plan as a starting point to create a 3D building. I tried using the wall tool but it creates a series of wall pieces that cannot be extruded. What's the quickest and easiest way to do this from scratch?

Also, is it possible to create a series of window casements in 3D that I can use the symbol library to bring in and place??

Many thanks.......

nige.
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jdi000  
#2 Posted : Tuesday, May 18, 2010 8:02:10 AM(UTC)
jdi000

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Originally Posted by: barnabythebear Go to Quoted Post
Hiya All,

I was just wondering what is the best workflow for creating a building floor plan as a starting point to create a 3D building. I tried using the wall tool but it creates a series of wall pieces that cannot be extruded. What's the quickest and easiest way to do this from scratch?

Also, is it possible to create a series of window casements in 3D that I can use the symbol library to bring in and place??

Many thanks.......

nige.



HI nige

You could create a floor plan with the wall tool, then make a copy when done to a new layer, on the copy you can edit change object type to lines or polygons and extrude them then.

yes you could create 3d window casements and drag them in as symbols.

Regards
Jason
Windows 11, 10
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ttrw  
#3 Posted : Tuesday, May 18, 2010 12:31:38 PM(UTC)
ttrw

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Nige,

Have you tried using Google SketchUp at all?

http://sketchup.google.com/

IMHO, SketchUp is far better suited to this kind of stuff than ViaCAD, especially when it comes to complex constructions, because it's so fast.
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go3d  
#4 Posted : Tuesday, May 18, 2010 5:44:29 PM(UTC)
go3d

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Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 60
I regularly turn 2D floor plans into 3D. In my experience nothing beats using the architectural tools in VC for drawing the floor plan but nothing beats using SketchUp for turning floor plan into 3D easily and quickly.
Export from VC to SU as DWG.
Export from SU to VC as SKP v.6.
SketchUp is free, so give it a try.:)
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jdi000  
#5 Posted : Tuesday, May 18, 2010 6:13:52 PM(UTC)
jdi000

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Originally Posted by: go3d Go to Quoted Post

Export from VC to SU as DWG.
Export from SU to VC as SKP v.6.
SketchUp is free, so give it a try.:)



Yes, sketch up is free but there was talk they are dropping dwg/dxf import from the free version on next release, another push to have people buy their pro version which is expensive $$$... for what it does...


Jeremy I definitely agree ViaCAD is much quicker to draw floor plans in 2d, are you saying that sketchup then is quicker for extruding and adding 3d features for you? Just trying to understand your workflow.

Regards

Jason
Windows 11, 10
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go3d  
#6 Posted : Wednesday, May 19, 2010 5:30:31 AM(UTC)
go3d

Rank: Member

Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
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Quote:
Yes, sketch up is free but there was talk they are dropping dwg/dxf import from the free version on next release, another push to have people buy their pro version which is expensive $$$... for what it does...


Jason, I own the Pro version and for me the cost is justified by the extra import/export options and the included 2D drawing program (LayOut).
I think the fact that Google took over SketchUp (which was retailing at $500) and give it away (in order to give people a tool to model buildings for Google Earth) has skewed many peoples perception of it's true value.

Luckily, the free version offers all that most people need and the good news is that the plug-in to read dwg/dxf into SketchUp can be downloaded free, so keep a copy & install it when free version drops support.

As for what it does...for conceptualising architecture in 3D it absolutely rocks!

Quote:
Jeremy I definitely agree ViaCAD is much quicker to draw floor plans in 2d, are you saying that sketchup then is quicker for extruding and adding 3d features for you? Just trying to understand your workflow.


I will export the dwg from VC into SU, extrude walls in SU and use the doors/windows on the plan as a positional reference for pushing through holes in walls and then dropping in 3D door / window components (my own or from 3D warehouse). If you don't have SU Pro you can export the model back into VC to use 2D drafting tools. If you have SU Pro you may prefer to use LayOut.

Hope this helps. :)
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ttrw  
#7 Posted : Wednesday, May 19, 2010 7:11:26 AM(UTC)
ttrw

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Originally Posted by: jdi000 Go to Quoted Post
their pro version which is expensive $$$... for what it does...


Oh come on Jason. That's a preposterous statement!

When was the last time you looked at the price of SketchUp? :rolleyes: Even looked at an actual copy of SU? Because there is very little difference in function between the free version and the pro version. A copy of SU Pro is NOT expensive by any stretch of the imagination. Is 300 expensive? Of course not! Shark FX, otoh, is way over 1000!!!

"For what it does"?

Add the above to the hundreds of free plugins and the incredibly impressive Driving Dimensions parametric plug-in, you have yourselves an absolute CAD bargain which equals that of SpaceClaim!

I made THIS video in SketchUp Free, using QCad as the main 2D CAD tool, and SU7 free as the 3D modeller. The animation, which was on a strict budget (so no rendering), used entirely freeware (apart from QCad, which cost 13). Made on a Mac in iMovie.

Believe it or not, I started this project in ViaCAD, but quickly got tired with VC's slow interface, especially when it came to repetitions of items (something that is really quick to do, in SU, using "components"), which made VC's interface crawl.
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ZeroLengthCurve  
#8 Posted : Wednesday, May 19, 2010 2:48:33 PM(UTC)
ZeroLengthCurve

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heheh... in the SU vid, at time point 00:46, i think i'm looking at a two-rail amusement park car? Any seriously heavy loads to move from the entry to near the Sacristy or the Communion/wedding area?
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ttrw  
#9 Posted : Thursday, May 20, 2010 4:06:52 AM(UTC)
ttrw

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lol! Actually the vicar in the vid, is Father Dougal! He was the only vicar I could find in the 3D warehouse, without photographing and modelling the vicar from the actual church. My father-in-law is playing the harpsichord. :cool:
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barnabythebear  
#10 Posted : Thursday, May 20, 2010 5:45:00 AM(UTC)
barnabythebear

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 4/14/2007(UTC)
Posts: 8
Hiya,

Thanks guys.

I'll take a look at SU.......
It would be nice to keep the workflow all in VCPro though.
Making to the wall tool behave as an extrudable surface would be
very helpful. I've been looking at Bonzai 3D recently and the arch tools are
quite nice with auto insertion of doors and windows......

ta

nige.
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ttrw  
#11 Posted : Thursday, May 20, 2010 8:04:52 AM(UTC)
ttrw

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Bonzai 3D is looking very good. I'm keeping a keen eye on this one :D
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Redss  
#12 Posted : Tuesday, May 25, 2010 3:03:59 PM(UTC)
Redss

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 5/29/2007(UTC)
Posts: 113
I us Punch! Home Design - AS5000
or SolidBuilder 18 for my house lay outs
Then put them in Punch! ViaCAD Pro v6
File Attachment(s):
Punch Addition 5-25-10.vcp (155kb) downloaded 5 time(s).
SolidBuilder 18.zip (560kb) downloaded 5 time(s).
Redss attached the following image(s):
Punch! Home Design - AS5000.jpg (56kb) downloaded 5 time(s).
SolidBuilder 18_1.jpg (82kb) downloaded 5 time(s).
SolidBuilder 18_2.jpg (95kb) downloaded 5 time(s).

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