Hi there
I want to make a catalog with circled numbers to use for labeling purposes. I found that typing numbers on the floorplan is quite tedious.
It would be easier if I had a catalog with 1,2,3,4 or A,B,C etc... preferably circled.
Where would I get hold of the BIM or DXF files for something like that, or what program can one use to make something like that?
Regards
Hi Meneer,
Primarily TurboFLOORPLAN is designed to create 3D architectural models not for printing plans, so it is very limited in this area. The plans available are only really for the purpose of creating the 3D model.
I cannot think of a way to easily provide text within a circle (eg 'A' in a circle - I assume that is what you meant) other than creating them in a photo editor type program and importing them as images on a trace layer, but I don't think that would be very practical.
You can easily create any text to re-use, using the text tools provided. Any letter, word or phrase can be created and saved to a Library, so that it is there for easy use, but it does not allow for putting it in a circle. You could add the circle with the circle tool on the Layout toolbar but you would have to add this to each piece of text. If you were to put all the text on first, you could insert the circle once and then right click 'Duplicate' it to the next position and so on. That would be relatively quick and all the circles would be the same size that way.
The image below will show you how to save the text to the Library if you did not already know. Once you have made up your library of characters you can just select and enter it. If you check the 'Multiple Text Insert' box you can just add one after the other. Use Styles to pre-define the text size or create you own style if one of the existing ones is not suitable. You can of course get 0-9 already in a circle by using the Webdings2 font but you would have to preset the appropraite characters and have the Webdings2 font set as one of your Styles.
Allan
HI
Thank you
I will only be doing floor plans including the interior furnishings and cupboards etc..
Is there another program that you could refer me to that would be better suited for that purpose?
Regards
Hi Meneer,
I have tried most of the house plan software and not found anything that does it as easily and well as TFP, especially for such a low price. Most other users have said the same thing. The only one that is any better, if you can say it is, is Envisioneer but this is essentially the same except that it does provide for printing construction drawings and as such is considerably more expensive. The text and layout tools however are the same.
While TFP is not optimised for plan printing it will nevertheless create the detailed plans and the Layout tools add to that capability. The text tools are quite capable too but your requirement for having them in a circle seems to be the difficult bit. How are you using the letters in circles?
You may find the PDF in the following post useful for plan printing purposes http://forums.turbofloorplan.com/index.php/topic,877.0.html (http://forums.turbofloorplan.com/index.php/topic,877.0.html).
Allan
I was thinking of using circled numbers to distinguish them from other numbers(measurements, amounts) etc.
I think I might be able to make circled images and import them into the catalog as symbols.
Still got to figure out how to do that.
Hi Meneer,
I think you will find that to do it with images will only work if you import them as a trace image and each would have to be imported individually. Images used on a object do not show in 2D so would not print and I assume you only want this for 2D plans.
You may be better off creating the circled characters in a CAD program (eg TurboCAD - trail available, DesignCAD from IMSI or DoubleCAD - you may get a free one of DoubleCAD online) and save them as a DWG file. You can than import them to your 2D plan. (File / Import / Import CAD File...) You will find some 2D symbols already in the folder - if you create the ones you want and save them to the same folder, they will be relatively easy to import as needed. They have to be size during import - can't be changed later so you may have to experiment initially.
I have attached one I did in DoubleCAD (originally free from IMSI) for you to try.
Allan
Hi Meneer
The best way is to do a transparent image with photochot or paint shot pro, set the backgrund to purple ant save them as bmp they will be transparent in TFP you can inport them as billbords,
/Robert
Hi Robert,
Meneer is only working in 2D and wants the circled characters on the printed plans, so the photoboard solution would not work. They could be used on a horizontal surface but that wont show up in 2D either, unless the image was imported as a Trace image. This will print but it could be messy having multiple trace images to manipulate.
I think the DWG drawing would be the best way and is what the DWG import is for anyway. The problem is creating the DWG text in the first place.
Allan
Hi again
OK I miss that then it easy, there is number circles in drafting symbols in Drafting Object you can use, combine them with text tool work great , if they is OK! Or import as dwg with numbers and letters from a free cad-symbol site. and place them in the same catalog.
Image of som of the symbols, you can see more symbols in the packed cadsymbol1.zip unpacked 7.42 MB cadsymbol1.bld file
Then you import the drafting symbols you can change the size of the symbol with help of scale option then you import
Her is one sites with dwg-symbols:
http://www.draftsperson.net/index.php?title=Category:Symbols
Robert
I have and use several 3D programs and all have ability to generate text etc. or at least make/use 2D shapes and extrude to 3D including compound shapes (i.e. have holes cut thru them similar to transparency magenta on billboards)
Then one can usually export as.3ds to use in TFP
So my solution would be to make 3D parts that can be sized as needed and rotated and placed that would show in 2D and 3D in TFP....usually not a mesh (triangles or quads) but a spline object so the 2D view shows well in TFP. I'd make the objects somewhat thin. I have done this before to show a "north" symbol on the landscape in 3D.
My best guess is to use SketchUp because its free, easy to use, and .skp imports OK to TFP. But I'd think that my Carrara program would work best.....you can get a free version of Carrara 7 in 3D magazine in this month issue as version 8 is newest release. It is no harder to learn/use than SU but does do renders and animation well too.
Just an additional note regarding the Carrara 7 free version (an excelent program to develop custom objects, IMO)
If someone is interested in the free Carrara V7 program and missed the 3D magazine (as per Doug's post above) --> this month's edition of the 3D World magazine includes the same free version of Carrara!! :) as well as two nice cars in 3DS ... but with lots of polygons >:(
Pat