Allen.
Thanks for the tips you gave me on doing the Log walls. ie: Be sure that the exterior, interior left, interior right and openings are all set to the log finish. My problem was finding the log finish for the interior side. I found it in the Material Tab - All Materials - Siding Generic - Log Wall 2. I still have a couple of issues to work out. They are:
1) I am showing baseboard on the exterior log ends. I figured out how to get rid of the base board in the interior by selecting - Wall Properties - Trim - TrimX0trim which is trim with deminsions of 0"x0" so that it just doesnt show. But it will not work on those log ends.
2) On the underside of the roof - I cannot get the soffit material to match even though they are set to the same scale.
Hi Randy,
To remove the baseboard you select the wall Trim tab, select the side of the wall, select the baseboard or whatever trim you do not want and click the Delete button.
You will notice that Exterior does not have the baseboard turned on anyway so why does it show on your model? Because TFP does not see the piece of wall as a 'room' so it assumes it is an interior nib wall. You could just turn off the baseboard but you will find the nib wall will render totally black on Advanced render - a bug! Workaround - make the baseboard roof height and set it to logs or make the wall really thin and return it so it makes a tiny room. The latter is the best option as it will then wrap the logs around the nib wall properly but both should render OK - it is only the wall surface that becomes black - the trims are OK.
In the example I sent you I just set the soffit to the same as the underside of the roof and it seemed to be OK. I did not need to play with the scale.
Allan
Hi, Allen
Sorry. I'm not following you on getting rid of the basebrd. Could you include some screen shots with your instruction of Selecting the Wall Trim Tab - Select the side of the wall - select the trim and hit delete? Thanks,
Randy
Hi Randy,
I have attached an image I previously used to explain the Wainscot settings. These are the same for the baseboard as it is in the same dialog box. All the wall trim settings are here. Just double click theings you will be surprised what opens up. Much more flexible than FP3D. The wainscot setting is the best one to use if you want to make a freestanding wall outside the house perimeter render correctly. Set the wainscot height to the height of the wall and it will render correctly, but the mini room probably is the better way to do it.
Re the walls: they have 3 sides (in the Wall/Trim tab drop down list), Exterior, Left Interior Side and Right Interior Side (left and right based on the direction you originally drew them. Green marker at start, red at end, blue in the middle). The Exterior face only works when the four walls join to make a room - the outside will then use the Exterior face.
Allan
Howdy Allen,
I suddenly noticed the "delete" tab and it works! No more baseboard or other elements if I dont want.
Still puzzled about the ceiling and soffit material not lining up. As you can see in my post, the planking doesnt line up. I havent applied a scaling factor or anything - just using "Plank1" under the Wood tab. I've tried many different ones and they all have the lining up problem. Oh well, one small triumph at at time.
Randy
Hi Randy,
I suspect the problem is the difference between the soffit and underside of the roof. In effect the soffit is probably150mm away from the roof's underside. You could try moving the texture, but I suspect it will still have alignment problems. Moving the texture is a trial and error job, as you only see one of the surfaces at a time but you should be able to move one of them sideways. (Move Up/Down/Left/Right button at right of texture image).
However - the correct solution is to put in a Cathedral ceiling. Your current texture is really on the underside of the roof and the soffit is 150mm away so the text would never align from all angles. In the image I heve put a light up in the peak ofthe gable and you can then see the different levels. A ceiling 150mm under the roof would fix it.
You could of course just remove the overhang on the gable ends by setting it to 1mm, but you will still technicaly have the facia hanging down. This may not be a problem for you, from most angles it will look fine. You can drag the roof out a bit more it allow for what it cuts off. With no overhang there is no soffit to worry about.
(I love your paintings by the way - reply on its way soon)
Allan
Hi, Allen.
I am having no luck at all with the Cathedral Ceiling. I've searched this forum for clues and I've tried a lot of things and have had some helarious results but I'm still not getting close. I also have Jack Zimmers training CD and he doesnt really address the cathedral ceilings. Seem as though its supposed to be easy but it isnt. So I have a couple of questions:
1. Would it not be best to go into a setup window and set the rafter thickness, birdsmouth dimesion cut outs etcetera to force the ceiling to match tho soffit?
2. If I try doing a ceiling by "picking points" it seems to me that it would be best to pick points common to the inside edge of the walls. But that doesnt seem to work either. I get all sort of funky things going on and lots of gray surfaces.
If it isnt too much trouble could you or someone post a step by step procedure to do this? Thanks
Randy
Hi Randy,
You did not say what your actual problem was with the ceiling. I suspect probably you could not get the gable end in it. If that was the problem then the image may help. I have included the BLD too just in case.
I don't think that points you mention in point 1 would make any difference. The ceiling height is governed by the Location settings, not the thickness of the rafters, and the cathedral aspect of it is controlled by the Skirt and the Pitch.
You will notice I have changed the ceiling thickness to 1mm. This was only for convenience so that the edge did not show as you will notice I have stretched the ceiling to the very edge of the facia to avoid any possibility of soffit texture alignment. In reality this is what would happen anyway I would imagine - you would not have a soffit then a ceiling.
Re Point 2: Yes you would normally draw the ceiling to match the walls. When drawing the ceiling By Picking Points you should notice a black circle indicator when you are over the wall. Click at that point. You can of course simply draw it bigger and simply drag the edges in to align with the walls. This type of ceiling can be any shape and size - same as the roof (when done by Picking Points).
Ask again if that does not solve your problem.
Allan
Hi, Allen.
Thanks for your help but I'm still having problems with this. I noticed my screen dialogs dont look like yours so I tried opening the drawing file you sent me and it wouldnt open. I got a message that your file was created in a newer version than I have. I'll deal with that tomorrow since I was guaranteed I would be recieving the newest version. It better be free. I currently have Version 12.00.C1.551 Build Date Aug. 22, 2007. Perhaps this is part of my problem.
I havent had any problems with anything else in this program - everything seems to work just fine - even the advanced renders havent had the problems I have read about. When I bought the program I also bought Jack Zimmers training CDs, The Architectural Training and the Landscape and Deck Training which are great! I think I mentioned before that how much this program is similar but easier to use than FP3D. I created some very nice and advanced models in FP3D about 5 years ago ( wow - I just realized it was 5 years ago already )and I never even thought about the cathedral ceilings - there were no issues. I even imported my own T&G and Log bitmaps (the actual materials used in my current home) into the program with no problems.
I've spent more time screwing with this cathedral ceiling issue than I wanted too - I want to move onto the Landscaping modules. But I do have one more question concerning this - you mentioned that you "stretched the ceiling to the very edge of the facia" so that you didnt have to deal with the soffits. How do you do that? Thanks.
Randy
P.S. Just for fun I attached a couple of models I created years ago. The log home I currently live in and my brother's home in Michigan.
Hello again. I messed up. Here are those examples.
Randy
Hi Randy,
Your two FP3D renders have come out really well - I like them! When you get into landscaping in TFP you will find it is much better as far as realism goes.
The update to TFP is in la ink at the bottom of the Forum main page, but I am not aware of any changes to dialogs, with the exception of the addition of the Cloudy and Overcast settings for the Advanced Rendering. I still have both versions running on different PC's and cannot see any difference in the dialogs that I have checked. The Ceiling one is certainly identical (unless I am blind which is highly possible!). I presume you are using TurboFLOORPLAN Home and Landscape PRO not a different version?
Stretching the ceiling is exactly the same as moving a wall. Just select the blue marker in the middle of the edge you want to move. Even Ceiling By Room will stretch. You may have to select the ceiling first in 3D view then in 2D Plan Select Edit/Previous - just drag the blue markers.
The ceiling must be below the soffit of course or you won't see it. That is why I set it to 1mm otherwise you see the edge of the ceiling.
Install the update and you should then be able to see what I have done. Make a copy of you catalog first if you have added things, just in case. Did you get the two log textures I emailed to you?
Allan
Hi, Allen.
Well, I have the latest version of TFP now and yes it is the Pro & Landscape version. And before I forget, yes, I copied your Log textures. Anyway,I was able to open your drawing and was even able to change the back roof and ceiling to gable (they were still a hip ). So everything seems straight forward for me up to a point. I figured out how to stretch the ceiling to the edge of the facia. I even created a 20
continued...
a) Set my ceiling type to cathedral
b) Make sure my angle is 20
Hi Randy,
What you have described sounds fine (from memory - I have repeated it by your description) but your images gives me a clue as to the point you may be missing. On your image only one of the edges has a green arrow. Unless you had un-seleted one, the two right facing edges of the ceiling should be green and both set to gable and no skirt. The green one appears to be gable and has no skirt which is what it should be but the one that is still red appears to be a hip and still has a skirt. I suspect you have only changed one of them. The other three should be red having previously been set to 20 degrees.
Simply put, initially all should be 20 degrees, select the two right ones (so both arrows are green, all others red) and change to gable, no skirt.
Hopefully that is all the probelm is.
Allan
Hello, Allen.
SUCCESS -SUCCESS AT LAST!!!
First thing - I need to apologize. After reading my post I realized that I didnt thankyou for the textures or even sign off last night. It was late and I was frustrated - sorry. Anyway, things tend to work out better in the morning. So here's what I have learned:
1. I didnt realize that I had to pick each edge of the ceiling after inserting and make sure the settings were just right. I guess I thought that if I set the properties in the dialog box once that would be it. I followed your suggestions and lo and behold I now have a proper ceiling. Looking at those arrows on the edges is important! I have repeated the process several times now to be sure I got it.
2. Even after I selected the edges of the ceiling and stretched them to just inside the facia boards, I still had soffits showing. So I began to experiment. For kicks, I set my ceiling thichness to 6" and noticed in 3D that thickness went up, not down. Suddenly my ceiling was through the roof. So I tried inserting a negative thickness of 4" and PRESTO - it covered the soffit!! It was a plain texture so I set my texture on the "reverse side" of the ceiling to the "plank1" texture I have been using and now all looks good! The logic seems odd to me but if it works it works. I am going to play with that negative thickness to see exactly what it takes to cover the soffit. I'll let you know.
Update: After trying several negative thicknesses, It takes at least a negative 3.5 inches to cover the soffit. I dont know why but I wont argue with the results.
What would be nice would be the ability to just delete soffits if you are doing a timber home that doesnt need them.
Thanks much!
Randy
UPDATE:
Howdy, Allen.
After re-reading all the posts on this subject I saw again where you suggested getting rid of the overhang so that there would be no need for a soffit and then stretching the ceiling out to the facia. So I started playing with that and have made some nice discoveries:
1. The least I could reduce my overhang to was .5 inches and still have the Facia show
2. After doing that I could select each edge of the ceiling and reduce its thickness to -.5 inches. Then stretch the ceiling edges out to just inside the roof line and all looks very good.
Randy
Hi Randy,
Re ceiling thickness, you do not need to make it negative. The ceiling position is determined by the setting in Building Locations. You can either change that and insert it again or, as I think I mentioned earlier, just right click it and select Elevate. If you do this in 3D you can watch your progress.
Negative thickness works because it is still trying to put the ceiling surface where it is on the Location. The thickness goes up or down from that setting. There MAY be possible rendering implications if the ceiling is upside down, as it can become transparent under some situations.
When editing the ceiling or roof, you do not have to do each edge individually. Just select the ones that should be the same (green arrows) - thickness, appearance etc will affect the whole thing.
Allan
Hi, Allen.
Please explain what I would do different in the Locations Dialog box. The ceiling is set at 8' but I thought that was mainly for a flat ceiling anyway. Thanks.
Randy
Hi Randy
All you would do is set the ceiling lower by the amount you made it negative - e.g. 7'6". This becomes the lowest edge of the ceiling, whether it is flat or not.
Elevate will do the same thing with the existing ceiling while changing the location will affect all FUTURE ones. Elevate is probably best if you only have one odd one.
Allan
Hi Allen,
Well I've certainly learned alot about TFP thru doing this Cathedral Ceiling issue. The use of all the Snap controls, grid settings, Locations, Filters, Stretching, Elevating, Flying around in 3D. All kinds of things. This has been one of the more difficult parts of this program - for me anyway - but well worth the effort. I am happy to report that I believe I have this topic figured out now. Somewhere along the line, with your hints and tips, everything started working. Correctly too, I believe. I have no need to deal with those negative values anymore. HINT: Zooming in and observing results of testing in 3D really sheds the light on things. Thanks for all your help. On to more things.....
Randy
Hi Randy,
Feels good when you get something sorted out doesn't it, especially if you have beeen puzzelled over it for a while. I'll let you answer that one next time it comes up!! (which it no doubt will!).
Yes zooming in close helps a lot. It is amazing the detail that is there too when you zoom in and the precision that is possible. Did you know you can run two views at once? Adjust the plan and see the change instantly in 3D? Saves switching views to see what the results were. View/View Manager and click the + button at the bottom, then from the Wondow menu select Tile and shape the views however suits you best. If you have twin monitors its works beautifully but still useful even on one.
Allan