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Adjustment of Box Shapes

SoftPlan Version 12 has modified the Adjustment of Box Shapes. When such a shape is adjusted, the sides perpendicular to the edge being adjusted will display as the box expands / contracts. This enables an improved visual feedback of how the shape is being adjusted. This feature was previously unavailable in earlier versions of SoftPlan.

In SoftPlan select Draw > Shape > Box.
Draw a box in the SoftPlan drawing area.
Select Move > Adjust Item.
Click on the edge of the box you would like to adjust.
Move your cursor to define the extent of how you would like the box adjusted.

Note: As you move your cursor you will see the edges of the box perpendicular to the edge you have selected adjust along with that edge. This gives a clearer view of the extents of the box as it is being adjusted, in turn allowing you to be more accurate when defining the shape.

Cleanup Automatically Combines Collinear Lines

SoftPlan Version 12 has added a new feature that will automatically combine two or more collinear lines into a single line upon hitting Cleanup. Often when Elevations and Sections are saved as SoftPlan Drawings, several lines from different items are created on top of each other. A Cleanup will now join these lines assuming they have the same properties such as linestyle, scale, texture and color. This will optimize the drawing allowing it to be more easily edited and modified. Collinear lines that do not have the same properties are not combined.

Radius of an Arc can be Adjusted

Using the command Move > Adjust Item allows for the radius of an arc to be adjusted on both shapes and solids. Previously selecting an arc would snap the cursor to the endpoint, thereby only allowing for the adjusting of the sweep. This will allow for greater latitude of sketching and later modifying of shapes and solids in SoftPlan.
Select Move > Adjust Item. Select along the arc, staying away from either end point. As the cursor is moved, the arc will adjust with it. Click the button to complete.
Note:If it is the sweep of the arc which is to be changed, select the endpoint and SoftPlan will hold the radius, while allowing for the arc to be adjusted.

Cursor Relocate

When selecting an item to Move, the Cursor will relocate to the line rather then the line relocating to the Cursor. This makes it easier for items to stay aligned on the drawing. Previous versions of SoftPlan would have the item move to the cursor.
Draw a line about 10’ long on the screen and click on the zoom extents icon. Place the cursor close to the line but not on it. Without moving the mouse, click it. The cursor will relocate to the line.

Solid Texture can be Assigned to Circles

SoftPlan Version 12 has added the ability to now add a Solid Texture to Circles. This allows you to draw any circle-based shape, edit its properties, and change the texture to a solid texture. This feature was previously unavailable in earlier versions of SoftPlan.

Select Draw > Shape > Circle.
Once you select the Circle option, you will have a choice of selecting one of the various circle-based shapes. Circle, Oval, Pentagon, Hexagon, or Octagon.
Select Circle > Center.
Click on your screen to define the center point of the circle. Drag your cursor to define the radius, and click again to complete the circle.
Select Edit > Edit Item. Click on the circle you had drawn.
From the Circle edit menu that appears, click on the Texture selection field to display the available textures. Select the Solid texture available. Click OK.

Half Sphere Solid Added

Version 12 of SoftPlan has expanded the list of primitive solids to include the Half Sphere. It can initially be drawn as a circle or as an oval in plane. The Half Sphere can then be edited for appropriate size and be given a Height, which can then be represented in SoftView 3D.
Select Draw > Solid > Half Sphere > Circle > Solid 1. Click to indicate the center location of the Half Sphere. Click again to indicate the radius of the Half Sphere. Using Edit > Edit Item you can modify the properties of the Half Sphere.

Line Style Scale Factor Added

SoftPlan Version 12 has introduced a scaling factor for dashed line textures and the Solid items of Arc Plane and Plane. This can be used to make the dashes and gaps that are in the line texture larger or smaller.
Draw several lines that have a dashed texture to them. Go to Edit > Edit Item. Click on one of the textured lines, checkmark the ‘Style Scale’ box and enter a new scaling factor. This feature allows dashed lines to appear dashed when printing at different scales

Half Cylinder Horizontal and Half Cylinder Vertical Added

SoftPlan Version 12 has added the ability to draw a solid Half Cylinder in both a horizontal and vertical position, for use in 3D. The half cylinder can also be drawn as a wedge portion of a full cylinder, or a slice portion.

Half Cylinder Horizontal - Slice

Select Draw > Solid > Cylinder > Partial > Horizontal.
Once you have selected the Horizontal style, you will need to choose between a Slice or a Wedge.
Select > Slice > Solid 1.
Click on your screen to begin drawing the Half Cylinder. Create an expanding box to define the length and width of the cylinder, and click again.
The cylinder will be drawn, showing with a dashed line the extent of the half cylinder curve. Editing the cylinder at this point will allow you to the start point, and the sweep angle of the cylinder. In a slice, the arc is drawn the length of your sweep angle, and the start point will be connected to the end of the arc, in turn creating a slice.

Half Cylinder Horizontal - Wedge

Select Draw > Solid > Cylinder > Partial > Horizontal.
Once you have selected the Horizontal style, you will need to choose between a Slice or a Wedge.
Select > Wedge > Solid 1.
Click on your screen to begin drawing the Half Cylinder. Create an expanding box to define the length and width of the cylinder, and click again.
Click on your screen to begin drawing the Half Cylinder. Create an expanding box to define the length and width of the cylinder, and click again.
The cylinder will be drawn, showing with a dashed line the extent of the half cylinder curve. Editing the cylinder at this point will allow you to the start point, and the sweep angle of the cylinder. In a wedge, the arc is drawn the length of your sweep angle, and the start point will be connected to the circle center point first, and then to the end of the arc, in turn creating a wedge.

Half Cylinder Vertical – S-E-(R)

Select Draw ? Solid ? Cylinder ? Partial ? Vertical.
Once you have selected the Vertical style, you will need to choose between an S-E-(R) or and S-C-(L) cylinder.
Select ? S-E-(R) ? Solid 1.
Click on the screen to begin drawing the S-E-(R) arc. Move your cursor across the screen to define the chord length and click.
Next, move your cursor perpendicular to the chord to define the amount of deflection and click.
The cylinder will be drawn, using both the chord length you had defined, and the arc deflection, to completely enclose the cylinder.

Half Cylinder Vertical – S-C-(L)

Select Draw > Solid > Cylinder > Partial > Vertical.
Once you have selected the Vertical style, you will need to choose between an S-E-(R) or and S-C-(L) cylinder.
Select ? S-C-(L) > Solid 1.
Click on the screen to begin drawing the S-C-(L) arc. Move your cursor across the screen to define the radius length and click.
Next, move your cursor perpendicular to the radius line to define the arc length of the cylinder.
The cylinder will be drawn, using both the radius length you had defined, and the arc length, to completely enclose the cylinder.

Board End has Separate Pen Assignments for Outline and Texture

Version 12 has improved Board Ends, the Outline and Texture lines have separate pen assignments. Changing the pen assignments can be used the emphasis on an item or make it clearer on the print out.
Load a Cross Section, or another drawing that contains a Board End, in SoftPlan. Click on Edit > Edit Item. Click on a Board End.

Polygon Added

Among the new drawing tools for Version 12, Shape – Polygon has been added. This allows for a free-form sketch, or exact sketch of a custom shape containing three sides or more.
To draw a shape polygon go to Draw> Shape> Polygon. Trace the complete perimeter of the polygon starting at one point and closing the loop back at the start point. To do this, use the polygon tracing method to enclose the area.

Dashed Line Styles Start and End with a Dash

SoftPlan Version 12 has improved the presentation of dashed line styles by ensuring that the start and end points of the line are drawn with a full dash. In previous versions, dashed line styles could potentially have ended with a shorter dash, or even a space and thus appearing slightly shorter that what it actually was, as seen in the illustration.
To see this applied to basic Lines:
Select Draw > Shape > Line In the Status bar select one of the Dashed Line Styles available. Drawing the line will now ensure that the start and end points of the line are drawn with a full dash, regardless to the length of the line.
This new feature applies to all Shapes, Solids, Site Lines, Walls and Beams defined with a dashed line style.