 Main
Page.User
Gallery.Renderings.Dangers.Custom
Objects.Links.Your
Input |
How
To...
Help with tasks in FloorPlan
All info is geared toward version 4 but is usually very similar in versions 5 and 6 unless otherwise noted.
|
Doors
More to come...
|
Roofs: flat roofs
First insert the roof. Next go to 3D View. Select one of the sides of the roof and right click
with the mouse. Choose Edit Properties. Click on the Size tab and select gable from the pulldown menu titled Roof Type. Repeat this process for two more sides of the roof.. Finally, select the last side of the roof, right click, choose Edit Properties, and click the Size tab. Change the slope to 1 degree. This will give you an almost flat roof. A perfectly flat roof can also be made using invisible walls and custom floor levels for more information on this please e-mail me.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Objects: on top of other objects
This is a simple task (most of the time). Let's say we want to put a lamp on a table. First select the table and right click. Choose Edit Properties. Click the Size tab and check the height of the table. Lets say it is 2' tall. Now edit the lamp's properties and click the Size tab. Find the box that says Distance Above Floor. In this box type 2'. Now insert the lamp. You should be able to place it on the table now. If it still doesn't fit follow the steps above, then add 1/8" to the Distance Above Floor. The lamp would now be 2' 1/8" above the floor. Once in a while an error will prevent you from changing the distance above floor. If this is the case, try reinstalling the program or e-mail me for information on an alternate method.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Walls: curved walls
You can't insert perfectly curved walls, but you can create something close to it. First choose Tools:Options from the main menu. Under Snap, uncheck Snap to Grid. Now insert small sections of wall slowly curving them [See picture below]. You will still see defined lines, but they won't show much, if at all ,when you render an image.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Objects: custom objects and 3DS files
Custom Objects: FloorPlan allows you to create custom objects with
different sizes and properties. Select the object you want from the
menu and push the Add New button 
.
The
objects properties will come up and you can change sizes and types.
Make sure you edit the objects properties before you insert it.
If you insert the object then click the Add New button then you will not
be able to edit the dimensions. For .3ds files and links to .3ds
files visit the Custom
Objects page
(Note: some objects cannot be edited. Clicking on the folder
icon will not do anything if this is the case.)
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Windows above doors
First create the first floor but leave about a 4' wide gap where the door and window will be located
[see picture below]
After you insert these walls, insert a custom wall by clicking the Add New button,
,
then click the Size tab. Change Wall Height to 7' or a height that will make it slightly taller than the door that you are going to insert. Now, insert the wall in the 4' wide gap. Then insert the door. Next, create a new floor level by going to Tools:Locations and clicking the New button. Change Floor Level to 7' or the height you chose from above. Then change Wall Height to 2' (may be more or less depending on the size of your first floor). Next, change Head Height to 6" or more. Push OK and go to the new floor level. From the dialog box that pops up, choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace (make sure it traces the first floor). Now create a custom wall that is 1/8" wide. Insert four 1/8" walls directly over the area where you inserted the 7' wall. Overlap the area just slightly (like below) to fill up the gap. Then change the outer wall's properties to match the exterior and the inner wall's properties to match the interior. The side walls will not be visible.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Doors: between floors
Create the first floor with a gap where the door will be (see picture above in Windows above doors) Next create a custom wall by clicking the Add New button,
.
Change its height so that it will touch the bottom of the door that you
insert, for example let's say 5'. Then create the second floor and
leave a gap like you did for the first floor. Next go to Tools:Locations
and click the New button. Change A. Floor Level to
the height of the wall you created above (in this case 5') Then change
the Wall Height so that it will fill in the space. In
this case it would be 11' or 12'. Now go to the new floor level and
choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace. Have it trace the
second floor. Now insert the wall so it slightly overlaps the gap
(see picture above in Windows above doors) Now
insert the door in the wall.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Lights: custom 3DS lights
If you have a custom 3ds light you can get it to light up. Start by creating a clear texture (see Clear Textures) Then insert one of the lamps or lights that came with FloorPlan. Position it in the proper spot where the other light will be located. Go to Tools:Locations and create a new floor level that has the same properties as the level where you want to place the light. You may have to adjust A. Floor Level to get it at the correct height. Insert the FloorPlan light on the new floor level. Right click it and choose Edit Properties. Click the Material tab and change all the Material Types to the new clear texture. Now insert the other light on top of the existing light (see Objects: inside other objects) You can also create clear lights and place them so that a fireplace or other object appears to give off light.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Textures: clear texture type
Note: this process is for version 4 only. Versions 5 and 6can also create clear textures you need Microsoft Access 97+
(if you do then e-mail me for more instructions). First find the file called MatProp. It is probably under C:\Program Files\FloorPlan 3D\Textures\MatProp.txt IF you can't find it you can also click the Windows Start Button and go to Find:Files or Folders. Type in Matprop and push search. Once you find the file, double-click it. scroll down to the bottom and type in the text below NOTE: push the tab key don't type TAB)
(19) [TAB] (Clear) [TAB] (100) [TAB] (0) [TAB] (1)
NOTE: the first number, 19, should be the next available number. If you have added texture types before it may be 20, 21, ect. Once you are done, save the file and close it. You now have a clear/invisible texture type. If FloorPlan is already open, you will have to close it and reopen it for the new settings to take affect. If you want you can create other textures of your own for different materials.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Textures: custom textures
Note: this process is for version 4 only. FloorPlan lets users add their own textures. If you want different fabrics, bricks, woods,... You can add your own pictures to use as textures. First find the texture you want to use and make sure it is a BMP image (not sure: right click on the file) If it is a GIF or JPEG just open Paint and save it again as BMP. Then go to the texture folder in FloorPlan (Click Start button and go to Find:Files and Folders type Texture) Insert you picture into the Textures folder. Then open the text file that corresponds to the type of texture you want to add. If you want to add a type of brick open the notepad file (white icon w/ black lines across) that is called Brick. Then add the file at the bottom using the next available number. For example if you want to add a brick texture
|
|
(brick name you want) | (the name of the file +.bmp) | (scale size) | ( rotation angle) |
|
|
(My Brick) | (brick.bmp) | ( 1219.2) | ( 0) |
The scale size makes the texture the correct size in FloorPlan. You may have to experiment using trial and error to get the right scale size. I usually make the image the same size as the ones in FloorPlan and then I find a texture that is similar to the one I made and I use that scale.
The rotation angle tells you whether or not the texture can be different colors. If I want a wall that is some color with black spots on it then I would do the following. First create the texture. Make the black spots and leave the other area white. Any pure white in your texture will take on the color of your choice. Next save the file and add it using the process above. Then change the rotation angle to 1. This will cause the white color to take on the color of your choice. An example of a texture that does this is the last Stucco texture with the * next to it.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Walls: two texture walls
A common decorating style is a house with walls that are one type of wallpaper on top and another on the bottom. To do this in FloorPlan, follow these steps. Edit the walls in the room by right clicking and choosing Edit Properties Then click the Size Tab and change wall height to 3' or the height of the bottom texture. Then go to the Materials Tab and change the wall to the proper material for the bottom. Next go to Tools:Locations and click Add. Create a new floor level. Under A. Floor Level change it to 3' (or the number you choose above) Then under D. Wall Height change the wall height to 5' (or how high the wall should be so that when placed on top of the bottom wall the two walls are 1 story tall) Now click OK and go to the new floor level. When the dialog box pops up choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace and trace the floor you are working on. Then insert walls directly over the 3' walls on the other floor level. Next change the walls to the proper texture.
If you don't want trim between the two textures:
Go to 3D View and place the camera in the room with the two-textured
walls. Select the floor that it inserted 3' off the ground.
Right-click and choose Delete (or push the Delete key)
If you want trim between the two textures:
Go to 3D View and place the camera in the room with the two-textured
walls. Right-click on the floor that it inserted and choose Edit
Properties. Change the texture type to Clear. If you don't
have a Clear texture type Read This
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Windows: 3ds arched/trapezoid windows
In order to add a custom arched or trapezoid window the window must have walls like the one that is shown in the picture below
To insert the window do the following. First create an opening that is wide enough to fit the 3ds window ( see picture below)
Next create a custom wall that is just tall enough to touch the window and wide enough to fill the gap. For example, if you want to insert the window 5' above the ground then the wall should be 5' tall. After you insert the wall insert the 3ds window anywhere near the wall. Next right-click on the window and choose Edit Properties. Then click on the size tab and change Distance Off Floor to the correct height (5' in this example) Then drag the window on top of the 5' wall. If it still won't fit try adding 1/8" to the distance off floor (5' 1/8") Next go to Tools:Locations and add a new floor level. Change A. Floor Level to the proper height. For example if the wall below the window is 5' tall and the window is 2' tall then the new floor level should start at 7'. Then change D. Wall Height to 1' (in this example) or the proper height so that a wall will fill in the space between the window and the ceiling. Then go to the new floor level. When the dialog box pops up choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace. Then insert a wall that is long enough to fill the gap.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Objects: inside other objects
Inserting objects inside other objects is very useful. For example if you want books in a cabinet or chairs pushed in/under a table. For an example, lets say we want a chair under a table (see picture below)
If both objects touch the floor:
Insert the chair or object on the floor
If one of the objects isn't going to touch the floor:
Go to Tools:Locations and add a new floor level. Change
A.
Floor Height to the distance the object will be above the ground.
Next go to Tools:Locations and add a new floor level. Change the floor height to any number that is above the roof of the house. Let's say 30'. Next go to the new floor level. When the dialog box pops up on the screen, choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace and trace the ground floor or the floor where the chair is located. Then insert the table in the proper spot over the chair. Then right-click on the table and choose Edit Properties. Click on the Size Tab and under Distance Off Floor type -2' or any negative number. The table will now be on the ground. Note: If you move the table again you may have to repeat the previous step of typing -2'.
If the objects are on the second story or neither of them touch the ground (0) then there is one additional step. Click on the table and edit its properties again. Change Distance Off Floor to the height the table has to be above the ground (0') If the table is on floor of the second story, type 9'.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Skylights: creating skylights
Note: Some version 5 users haven't been able to get this to work on their computers
You can create a basic skylight in FloorPlan with a couple steps. First create the ground floor (and other floors if you have more) Delete the roof if it inserts one. Then go to Tools:Locations and add a new floor level. Change A. Floor Height to 9' (or 1' above the top floor) Then change D. Wall Height to 40' (any large number) Now go to the new floor level in Plan View. When the dialog box pops up choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace and trace the ground floor (or highest floor if you have more than one story) Then insert invisible walls where you want the skylight [see picture below]
Now go to the ground floor (or heighest floor) and insert a roof. When you go to 3D View you should see an opening in the roof. Now go to Tools:Locations and create a new floor level with the same properties as the floor with the roof (probably ground floor or second floor) Go to the new floor level in Plan View and choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace (trace the ground floor or floor with the roof). Then insert invisible walls on top of the exterior walls. Insert the invisible walls on the middle area of the exterior walls (between the gray lines) Next insert a roof over the invisible walls. Edit the new roof's properties so that it is a glass roof.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
Stairs: enclosing the area underneath
This is a common situation. You have stairs against a wall and you want to cover up the area beneath the stairs. Here's how you can do it. First go to Tools:Locations and create a new floor level that has the same properties as the Ground Floor (or the floor where the area under the stairs is supposed to be covered up) except change D. Wall Hight to 1/8". Go to the new floor level and when the dialog box pops up, choose Use Selected Floor Level to Trace and trace, in this case, the Ground Floor. Next, insert invisible walls like in the picture below and insert a roof. Gable the three sides of the roof indicated in the picture and change the overhangs to 0". This will leave one side ungabled and create a slope that goes in the correct direction.
Edit the properties of the remaining ungabled side. Click on the Size Tab. Change the Roof Overhang to 0" and change Roof Thickness to 1/8". You will also have to change the slope to the same slope as the stairs (in the example above the slope was 31 degrees) Go to 3D View to check the slope and correct it if needed. Finally, edit the gabled roof pieces and change the material and color. This same process can also be used for inserting diagonal wall pieces in story and 1/2 houses. It is also helpful in adding gable end windows. For more information on these subjects please e-mail me.
Are you Confused? Do you still have problems? E-Mail me for more help
MORE TO COME!
Suggestions or Questions
E-Mail Me