Home Design Software by SoftPlan

Ability to Edit a Post in Site Mode

You can now edit a Post in Site mode in Version 12. Previous versions of SoftPlan required you to use the Locatable Items feature before you could edit the post.
On a drawing that has a Post, Decorative or Structural, go into Site mode. Click on Edit > Edit Item, or click on the Edit icon in the Toolbar. Click on one of the posts.

Building Offset Site Option Added

Building Offset has been added to the Site Options section under Drawing Options in Version 12. (This feature is not available in the System options since it is used for only the Site Plan Drawing). This feature is used to specify the distance that the building is raised or lowered from the surface of the Site Property.

To specify this:

Open the Site Plan Drawing that contains the Property.
Go to File> Drawing Options > Site Options. (Image 1)
Check the Building Position box. (Image 2)
In the Offset field, enter the distance to offset the building. The Elevation Offset is measured from the lowest point of the lowest floor in the assembly. Therefore, an offset of 0” will have the building sit on the Site Property surface. (Image 3)
Select offset Down to lower the building into the Site the specified distance. (Image 4) Or select offset Up to raise the building the specified distance from the surface of the Site Property.

Note: Reference points should be placed on a common corner of each floor plan being assembled to ensure that they stack correctly in 3D modes.

Site Polygons Have Default Depth

SoftPlan Version 12 has included a default depth for Site Polygons when initially drawn. This allows you to draw the necessary items in your site plan while eliminating the need to edit the polygon afterwards to assign a depth in order to see it in 3D.
While in Site Mode select Draw > Site Work > Driveway. Proceed to draw a driveway polygon on your site, ensuring that you do fully enclose the polygon. Once the driveway polygon is complete select Edit > Edit Item. Click on the newly drawn driveway polygon to display the Site Polygon properties.
In reviewing the Site Polygon properties window that appears you will see that there is a default depth of 2”. If required, this depth can be modfied to suit your specific situation, or left as it is. Further depths assigned to site polygons are listed as follows. Items not listed will have a depth of 0”.
Sidewalk - 4" or 100mm Road - 3" or 75mm Curb - 4" or 100mm Patio - 2" or 50mm Driveway - 2" or 50mm Planting Bed - 5" or 125mm Grade - 6" or 150mm Existing Grade - 6" or 150mm Misc 1 - 4" or 100mm Misc 2 - 4" or 100mm Misc 3 - 4" or 100mm Building Outline - 6" or 150mm
Note: The automatically assigned depths can be edited.

3D Contours Added

SoftPlan Version 12 will now allow for 3D contours to be generated within site mode. Simply layout the site, followed by the shot points, then allow SoftPlan to automatically generate the grade lines according to user definable increments. From within SoftView the site plan will contour accordingly.

Within Site mode, select Draw > Grade > Shot Point and add to the existing site.
Using Edit Item, assign the elevations to the shot points and property.
Select Draw > Grade > Generate Grade Lines.
Input the Increments as well as the Range that the grade lines are to use.
Select Ok and SoftPlan will use this information to create a 3-Dimensional Contoured Site.

Note: In order for 3D topography to form, the property lines must form a closed polygon.

Offset in Site Mode Displays Input Value in Feet and Inches

The Offset Command in Site mode will now display the input in feet and inches in version 12. Previous versions of SoftPlan displayed the input value in inches.
Load a Site Plan in SoftPlan. Click on Tools > Offset. Click on one of the property lines and move in the direction that the line should be offset. Click the mouse again. The Offset dialog box will appear. The Distance text field will display the input in feet and inches.
This is useful for setting property setbacks, parking spaces etc.

Posts are Added When Generating a Building Outline

SoftPlan Version 12 displays the posts you have drawn in plan, in your generated Building Outline. This feature was previously unavailable in earlier versions of SoftPlan. Open a drawing file which contains posts. If you do not have a drawing, simply use one of the sample drawings provided with the program.
From the Drawing Mode selection menu Select Site. In the Site Mode select Draw ? Building Outline ? Generate Building Outline. SoftPlan will automatically generate an outline of your building, and will include any posts that are outside of the enclosed building envelope. Once the outline has been generated, you can save this file as a new drawing, and proceed with drawing your site plan.

Site Selection Added to SoftView Extraction Options Dialog

Site selections have been added to the SoftView Extraction Options dialog in Version 12. This allows the user to select only the required items for a render, eliminating unnecessary items and speeding up the render time.
Click on Build, Assemble Floors, assemble a list of floors to extract in 3D, and click OK. Click on 3-Dimension. Click on Rendered, any selection from the list of 3D styles will do. When the Extraction Options dialog appears, Site appears near the top of the list. It is checked by default, deselecting this option will prevent objects, such as sidewalks, driveways, etc. from generating in 3d.

Part Erase Works on Site Polygons and Site Arcs

In Version 12, SoftPlan has expanded the functionality of the Part Erase command for Site Mode. The Part Erase command will now work on Site Lines that are given a radius or Site Lines that are part of a Site Polygon. You can now break a full Site Polygon using the Part Erase command and Site Arcs can also be broken into two arcs also using the Part Erase command.
Open an existing Site Plan drawing that contains a fully enclosed Site Polygon and a Site Arc. Select Erase > Part Erase from the pull down menu. Click on a site line that is part of a Site Polygon where the break is to start. Click on the same site line where the break it to stop. The Site Polygon will then be broken at the selected location. Because the Site Polygon is no longer fully enclosed, the polygon is automatically converted to a partial polygon. Click on a site line that has been given a Radius where the break is to start. Click on the same site line where the break is to stop. The Site Arc will then be broken into two site arcs.
Site Polygons and Site Arcs can also be broken by using either the Erase - Block Cut command or by using the Tools – Break command.

North Arrow Automatically Displays in Site Mode

SoftPlan version 12 has improved Site mode so that the North arrow automatically displays. Previous versions of SoftPlan did not automatically display the North arrow.
This makes it easier to position your building on the site plan.

Site Lines Added to Pen Setup

SoftPlan Version 12 has added additional controls for pen settings. You can now specify unique pen selections for all Site Lines. Previous versions defaulted all Site Lines to print with pen number 1. You can still edit specific site lines already drawn for custom pen settings that differ from the default settings.
Select File > System Options > Pen Setup Choose the appropriate Item Group from the pull down selection. Choose the Pen Style you want to associate with that particular site line.
The same option lies under File > Drawing Options > Pen Setup, which will affect the current drawing file only.

Generate Building Outline Includes Curved Walls

SoftPlan Version 12 has improved upon the Generate Building Outline to include curved walls. Previously, the curved portion of the building outline would have been drawn manually.
To generate the building outline, change to Site Mode. Select Draw > Building Outline > Generate Building Outline. SoftPlan will use the walls' outline to create a building outline that includes curved walls.

Generate Building Outline on Symmetrical Walls Improved

Within Site Mode, SoftPlan’s Generate Building Outline has been improved on symmetrical walls. Previously, if a building outline were generated, potentially the outline would be drawn according to the inside edge of a symmetrical wall. The Version 12 improvement assures that it will now generate along the outside edge.
Select Site Mode. Select Draw > Building Outline > Generate Building Outline. SoftPlan will generate an outline of the building using the exterior of the walls.