Import Trace File...
Import digitized floor plans and trace them
to see how they look in 3D. This
page gives you technical information. Also see Tracing
Floor Plans tutorial.
Contents
Trace File Formats
Importing Trace Files
How to Trace Floor Plans
Orienting Trace Image to North
Scale Trace Image
Draw Walls on Trace Image
Mirror Trace Image
Manual Scaling
Select Trace Image
Delete Trace Image
Move Trace Image
Hide Trace Image
Lock Trace Image
Trace File Formats
Plan3D will import floor plans in several common digital
formats.
Get floor plans from your architect, interior designer,
contractor or web sites like HousePlans.com. Paper
floor plans can be scanned or photographed with a digital camera and saved
as one of the file formats below.
File types and sizes you may import:
File types: |
JPG, GIF and BMP in any color or gray scale format.
|
Dimensions: |
If dimensions are larger then 1024 x 1024 pixels, the file
will be reduced to that size when imported.
There is no need for detailed trace images. As long as
you can read the dimensions it can be traced. |
Importing Trace Files
There are several ways to import floor plan files for tracing:
File> Import Trace File... |
When this menu item is chosen, you'll get the standard
Open File window. After you choose a file
it will be placed in the middle of the grid.
|
Drag-In a File |
*Drag-and-drop trace files from the desktop or Window's
folders onto the grid in 3D or blueprint modes.
|
Drag in Web Page Images |
*Drag images from web pages onto the grid. If
the web image is linked or has illegal characters like &, * or % in
its URL, do this:
Right-click
image, choose "Save Picture As..."
Save image to
desktop
Drag file icon
on desktop onto grid in plan3D.
*Images dragged onto wall or furniture surfaces, will be
applied to the surfaces as a material - even trace files. Drag trace files
onto the ground to avoid this.
|
PDF and other File Formats |
You can capture a screen image to the clipboard from most
programs, such as Acrobat, by holding down the alt key and pressing the
print screen key. Paste the clipboard into a paint program and save it
as a jpg, gif or bmp file to import it into plan3D.
|
Big Paper Blueprints |
If your contractor can't provide a digital image of your
blueprint consider laying it out flat and using a digital camera to photograph
it from above. |
How to Trace Floor Plans
See Tracing Floor Plans
tutorial for step-by-step instructions.
Orienting Trace Image
to North
When the Trace image is imported it may not be oriented
correctly. Here are a few ways to adjust orientation.
Right-click the trace image
and choose one of the rotation options under "Rotate."
Click the trace image and
drag red corner handles in a clockwise motion. Hold in the shift key when
dragging to rotate freely - otherwise the floor plan will snap to 22.5
degree angles.
See View>Compass
Properties for a way to change compass direction.
Scale Trace Image
Before you add walls, scale
the floor plan so walls and other objects will match the dimensions of
the trace file:
After
you import a trace file, find a dimension reference to scale it to. A
dimension reference is a wall showing that has a length you can scale
to.
Dimension reference examples that could be used to scale a floor plan:
Right-click
the trace image and choose "Scale Trace Image..." You'll get
a window where you can enter the dimensions reference size. If we used
the back wall dimension reference above we would enter 54 in the foot
box and 0 in the inch box:
After
you click OK the cursor will change to the trace cursor.
To complete scaling, draw a line along the wall with the length you
just entered. If you used the back wall above a reference you would draw
a line from the left side of the back wall to the right side of the back
wall.
Note: Consider whether the measurement is an interior or exterior dimension
and draw the line appropriately for accuracy.
After
you draw the red line, you will get this message:
Scale Trace Images Manually:
On the off chance you want to manually scale the trace image, hold in
the alt key and drag on it.
Draw Walls on Trace Image
After you scale the image,
draw walls on it in blueprint or 3D mode.
Important Notes for Creating a 3D model
of your Floor plan:
Set the default wall thickness
for interior and exterior walls under Edit>Preferences>Walls.
Draw long straight walls.
Don't stop at holes, windows or door markings. If you don't want walls
to link then draw with the unlinked wall type or right-click a linked
wall and choose "Disable Linking."
Drag windows and doors that
are closest to the actual size onto walls. If size isn't exact, right-click
and choose "Set Dimension" to scale them to match your floor
plan exactly.
Add cabinets, toilets and
furniture after the structure is completed.
Don't worry about paint
colors, exterior bricks, siding or roof shingle materials
until you finish tracing.
Mirror Trace Image
Sometimes you'll need to
make a mirror image of the trace image. Right-click it and choose "Reverse
Object Direction."
Manual Scaling
On the off chance you want
to manually scale a trace image, hold in the alt key and drag on it. See
Scale Floor Plan Image for the best way to scale
a trace image.
Select Trace Image
Double-click the trace image
to select it. You'll see red handles on the corners to indicate it's selected.
Delete Trace Image
Select and press the delete
or backspace keys. You may also right-click the trace image and choose
"Delete" from the pop-up menu.
Move Trace Image
Click-and-drag the trace
image to move it.
Hide Trace Image
Right-click the trace image
and choose "Hide."
Lock Trace Image
Right-click the trace image
and choose "Lock."
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