Softplan Tutorials

[Darios Uclaray]

Iam graduating an Architectural Technology class. We have used Revit, Autocad, and Sketchup. I am going to work for a company that uses Softplan. What is the best way to get a crash course in the basics of Softplan so I don't look like a complete tool when I start. Thanks

Since you are only a guest and dont have a specific key to get into the full forum I would suggest YouTube and look for Softplans channel. Many of their tutorials end up there that can help you. Once you start working there are video tutorials available online accessible when you use program

Years ago I taught myself the fundamentals of the program by reading the manual. I would read a section, go into the program and take a test drive. Paper manuals are no longer available but if you can get the last copy (I don't remember the last paper manual, Softplan 2014?). You can also take the lessions available through the online help. But if can not work on a copy of the program, see if the company has a paper manual. If you get into the program, go to the help screen (far right). Under that first window there is a contents tab and that takes you through the lessions. Welcome.

If they ahve a buyer special deal on SP Review, you should consider purchase as it allows you to send SP drawings to your clints for their review, mark-up and noting. You purchase review, which enables your clients to download the free Homeowner software for their part.

Another trick is to download a pdf viewer / publisher. Without complicatiing the matter I have had success using CutePdf, a free dowload that installs as a printer, converting your SP drawings to pdf for client review. I have also used edrawings a free downlaod from Solid Works. It also enables clients to view the drawiings. Neither of these allow clients mark-up and notes as does SP Review.

I've used the "client viewer" version of softplan's software, and from this end I'd say it sucks. It's hard to use and hard to get anything to print out. Almost like they designed it to be annoying.I also use a freeware version of PDF software to send stuff to clients. It'd much better than the softplan thingy. Most folks seem to already have that installed on their computers. I thought about the roller feed option on the printer. But it adds several hundred dollars to the price tag, so I think I'll skip it. I won't be printing large quantities of stuff. I think I can stand to hand feed the thing. I was aware that the splash forum was out there. Is it free, or by paid subscription only? I'm sure it would be a good resource, just like BT.

Cheops' Law: Nothing EVER gets built on schedule or within budget.

I use Chief Architect and print on a HP wide format printer. It does everything from postcard to 11x17 (or maybe 12x18). For D-size plots I email it to a plotting service. But then maybe you don't have a plotting service close by.

I've been using Softplan since 1993. I currently use version 11 but will probably upgrade soon to v13. I use an HP Designjet 430 plotter that I've had good luck with. I'm self taught on the software. The included tutorials are OK and I even attended a training session years ago. I'd recommend a training session over a CD. I find that I learn better in a classroom situation where I can ask questions and be hands on.

I use the PDF995 that you suggested and have been very happy with. I've even emailed to clients and it worked well. I checked out SPLASH before for the free trial period, but I'm too tight to pay the annual or monthly membership fee.

I've used an HP 430 before - Didn't know they still made them. But that would be a good option. I'm looking for pricing on it now. If the 600 DPI tight enough for plans? Or do you wish you had something finer, like 1200 DPI?

By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to work twelve hours a day. [Robert Frost]

the ability to print in color is a great leap forward in terms of marketing and graphically .. you can differentiate between different types of wall and different materials with color.. so the prints are a lot easier to read

I think the 430 is now obsolete. The 110 appears to be the replacement. Can still get 430's on ebay or other sources. I think the 110 is about the same money so you may as well look that way. I've never had an issue with the dpi. Works for me.

I've used pdf995. My memory is that a po-up sits in your face for the few seconds it takes for the print toi be saved as a pdf. Then it goes aweay. By time you are ready to print, it is time to sit back and roll your neck around to relax anyhow. Then the pop-up is gone.

Half the time, the pop-ups don't load and usually when they pop up, it's done and I close them. I tried another PDF printer that was suggested on a previous discussion, and I didn't like it. PDF995 works for me.John

That can be annoying, but I've learned to plan for it. I'll open a new tab in Netscape, then print out what I need to print. Once the new tab in Netscape starts loading the ad I just close it. That way I don't lose my place on BT.

I think a lot would depend on your learning style when it comes to what resource you use for training. I am good at following out the step by step tutorial right from the book and elaborating and experimenting while in that mode. I also do pretty good picking things up at Splash. ( Boss, Splash used to be $75bucks when it was independent useers forum, but SP took up the reins and now makes it available free to registered users. You can learn about anything from the power users there.)I found the training class I atteneded - an intermediate right after I bought the v11 I think - to be a waaste of time for me, but that was because the majority of users there seemed to me to be guys who should have been in a beginners calss based on the questions they asked and the familiarity with product that they showed. So the class was sloooooow for me. I also noted that one suggestion for a tricky detail they adressed was from a suggestion I had made at Splash - so there I was learning second-hand from myself, and paying for it.But believe me, that is the closest to a complaint I have had about anything to do with SP.It is my observation that the people who have not been happy with SP are the guys who are not willing to be patient and invest the time to learn how to use it. It is far more user freindly than ACAD and commands or processes are designed to work the way a builder thinks rather than like a techie.

Splash is full of dozens of guys who have migrated to SP from ACAD or Chief and swear they would never go back.

The other handicap tpo learning any CAD system is that once you know one product and its commands, you confuse yourself trying to switch to another one. That impedes the learning process.So knowing your own learning style and basis is important to know how to train on SP. I'm thinking that for Boss, if he can link up with one of the big guys on Splash who offer training sessions - in person or via phone - for an immersion weekend or day, it would be a fantastic way to get a leg up on the program.

Thanks for your thoughts - I was hoping you would chime in. I've been to those day-long training session for software also. I know it can be frustrating to be held back by slow users. But every time I've gone to something like that, I've come away with SOMETHING. It seems there's always a couple of things that come up that I didn't know about. Of course - Every time I went to one of those things, I was getting paid to do so. That makes the situation a bit different.You're definitely right that using 2 different programs with different commands can be confusing. Everyone I've tried to train in our software who's used atuocad before gets really frustrated. (People often assume that we use autocad to design trusses, but it's not even close)I learn by poking buttons and DOING soemthing, not reading. So I hopeI can figure it out on my own.

Humor is the affectionate communication of insight [Leo Rosten]

The cad program I use allows me to create a pdf thru the print/plot menu. When an instance comes up that I need to create a pdf from a different application I use the free pdf maker from plotsoft. Works excellent, no pop ups, watermarks, etc. Works great for making pdf's out of my picture files too.

The pdf thing is not endemic to a CAD program, tho some might include a version of a pdf printer. I have the original Adobe pdf creator too - foget which version. But the point I make is that the pdf is in the printers folder of your PC so once installed, you can choose to print to pdf instead of print to HP9650 or whatever.

Tipifest is out of the question for me. That's my folk's 50th wedding anniversary, and I think that takes priority.

The lottery:

Where millions of stupid people make one stupid person look smart.

Off topic, but since you brought it up, I was just at the Dell site. You can get a refurbished D610, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive, CD/RW DVD drive, built in wireless, for $850 and I think free shipping. Some others were $799, but I didn't check what the difference was.I have the predecessor, the D600 and love it. It's about the lightest full featured notebook I've found, meaning it has a built in drive bay. To get lighter, you have to give up the drive bay and move down to a 12" screen. And I paid about $1600 for mine.

If you are still looking for a plotter, a buddy of mine is selling his HP 220 plotter and stand for $300. He says it works well and only saw light use. Selling because he replaced it about 2 years ago with a $6000 unit that plots, scans, and copies. If you are interested let me know.John

Yup. I'm definitely interested. As a matter of fact, I plan to call and order softplan lite today.I would want to make sure that supplies are still available for it, though. Sounds like it's an older model?Thanks fer thinking of me.

Exciting minority teens? How, by aiming gamma rays at them until the spontaneously ejected a photon? [Rohit Khare]

It is an older plotter. I asked my buddy and he guessed 10 years. It's been sitting in the corner of his office not being used for the last 2-3. He ran a test plot on it and it ran fine. I checked ebay and it appears that ink is readily available (HP 26) and I checked HP's website and it appears that the windows XP driver is available for HPGL-2.

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