3rd PlanIt...

[Anonymous]

Just recently picked up a copy of a program for laying out trackplans etc.. Nice little Cad based system called 3rd PlanIt.

Has anyone else used it before or have any opinions, advice, or other sagely words?

Peace.

Coyote

[Paul3]

Very nice drafting program for relatively short money. I think it compares well to AutoCAD (and I've used AutoCAD R11-R14), although it's not nearly as powerful nor does it have the easy use of 3D solid modeling (it can do it, just not like AutoCAD).

I've designed my 25' x 50' HO layout, a friend's N scale "door" layout, and it's being used for my club's 6300 sq. ft layout. I've also used it to design wiring panels, tables, rooms, etc. I am very satisfied with the product.

Over all, I find it much easier to use than AutoCAD, especially for layout design. There is a learning curve, and I highly recommend following the demo lesson step by step. You will be frustrated at first, but then you'll get to that :"Aha!" stage when you slap your forehead and say, "Now I get it!"

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[Anonymous]

I have version 3.2 and love it. I get quite alot of use out of it, becasue my modeling space seems to change on a weekly basis and I have to redesign to get things to fit. I use the trackplan and cad functions alot but have nver gotten into the thre 3d much. I plan to fix that though.

I wi***he right of way negotions would come to an end so I could get some work done.

James

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Paul3

You will be frustrated at first, but then you'll get to that :"Aha!" stage when you slap your forehead and say, "Now I get it!"

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

I seem to do this all the time! No wonder I have this growing flat spot on my forehead!

[SpaceMouse]

I picked it up a couple months ago and there's still a few things I haven't figured out. But the thing that I found most useful was the 3d rendering. I started out by drawing my space. Walls, stairs, heaters, laundry, etc.

Most recently, I worked out the layout benchwork to find a, floor-plan for lack of a better word, that fits my layout schematic.

Mind you each time I try something new there is a steep learning curve.

The best advice I can give is to join the 3rd Planit Yahoo users group. Then when you have a specific problem, you can get an answer usually within a day or so.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/3rdPlanIt/?yguid=182298834

[SilverSpike]

I downloaded the preview copy back in November 2004 and tried it out, then purchased the license a few weeks later. I have designed many variations of my layout since then and I really enjoy the program. It took a little practice at first, but once you get the hang of it the program is really nice.

Here are a few quick steps to get started that I have learned when designing a layout plan with 3rd PlanIT: (Sorry I do not have screen shots at this time to assist in the explanations)

1. Open a new Plan and have the dimensions of the room ready to create the room first.
a. Select File and then Layout Wizard, and then select Rooms, then click Next, here you can select the Dimension Preferences, I usually go with Fractional inches set to 32 per inch (Default) and have worked with Decimal feet too.
b. Then you can select the basic shape of the room, Square, L-Shaped, Rectangle, or Alcove. For mine I select Square because my room is about 14 ½ by 15 ½ square.
c. Next the bottom room wall will be highlighted blue, then type in the length of that wall in inches. Then with the mouse click to select the vertical wall and input its length in inches. If you have an L-Shaped or Alcove room you will need to select each of those walls and input their length as well. Then click Next.
d. At this point you will create selected layers in the drawing. Click on to select all the layers you will be designing in the plan. I usually select all the Track layers: Main track, Track in tunnels, Staging track, and Lower level track. Other layers that are default are Room or Module, Benchwork, and Landscape. I also usually select Edge of benchwork, Topography, and Buildings. Other options are Electrical and Backdrop.
e. At this point the program will confirm your settings to create the layout. Click Finish and you have your new room outline. Track, main is the default layer in the menu bar. Select the pull down arrow and you will see all the other layers you have selected. Click on the Room Layer to view the walls. If you double-click on the wall they will change to a red outline.
f. I then save the layout plan at this point. Usually a file name like RoomPlan01Template. Then when I make more adjustments, like adding the landscape and tracks I save that file as RoomPlan01, this creates a new file name. This way I can always go back to the room template file to start another version of the layout without having to recreate the room again.
2. Then I draw the outline of the landscape into the room.
a. Change the Layer to Landscape.
b. Click on the Draw tool in the left side tool bar.
c. Then click on the Draw Me***ool in the left side tool bar.
d. Then click on the Freehand Me***ool.
e. This is the tricky part and you will have to practice on drawing the outline of the landscape. This is the basic design of the top of the layout; you are drawing the basic shape of where the layout will go.
3. Then I begin placing track circles within the landscape using the Draw circle tool in the areas where I know turns are going to be required within the landscape, and then I adjust the radius to the maximum that will fit in that area of the layout. You can highlight the circle and then drag it to any location you want within the landscape.
3. Then I connect the track circles with the Connect with Easement tool. Click the Connect tool. Then Select the Connect with easements tool.
a. Click on one of the circles then drag the mouse to another circle to attach the two. This takes practice.

This is a brief tutorial to get you started.

Here are a few images of the type of designs you can achieve with 3rd PlanIT. This is a lower and upper level layout I designed with 3rd PlanIT:

Lower Level


Upper Level


I hope this helps.

- Ryan

[CBQ_Guy]

I hope you have better luck with it than I did.

I bought the program several years back and spent 10 straight hours with it. Gave up because my eyes were going buggy staring at the screen for so long.

At the end of that l-o-n-g day I couldn't even get the dimensions of my basement in precisely.

Sorry I'm not being more specific but it's been so long now I don't remember the exact problems and details.

[Anonymous]

My layout room does not fit any of the descriptions that the program asks you to choose from. My room has two rectangualar areas approx 10ftx 11.5ft and 12.5ft x 14.5ft with a narrow 6ft x 8ft area connecting the two larger areas. I can not figure out how to "draw" it using the template. Help!

[trollw]

Forget the 'canned' rooms. Just draw in your actual room from scratch. I really don't have time right now to type in detailed instructions, but if you will e-mail me with your phone number I will give you a call and talk you through the basics (I am available to talk between about 9 AM to 5:30 PM CST).

[SilverSpike]

QUOTE: Originally posted by corrfan1,
My layout room does not fit any of the descriptions that the program asks you to choose from. My room has two rectangualar areas approx 10ftx 11.5ft and 12.5ft x 14.5ft with a narrow 6ft x 8ft area connecting the two larger areas. I can not figure out how to "draw" it using the template. Help!

Ok, here is one way you can manually build your room layer:

1. Open a new plan.
2. Click File, Layout Wizard, select Rooms, and then click Next>.
3. Select the Dimension preference, and then click Next>.
4. Select any Room Layout shape (we are going to modify this later), and then click Next>.
5. Then click Next> again.
6. In the "Create selected layers in the drawing" menu select all the layers you wish, and then click Next>.
7. Then click Finish.
8. Change the current layer to Rooms at the top of the drop down menu on the top tool bar.
9. Double click any wall and the room outline will turn from blue lines to red.
10. Click each red wall line until they turn blue again and delete them all.
11. Now go to the left side toolbar and click the Draw tool, then select the Draw Line tool.
12. With your room measurements in hand begin to draw the outline of your room.
13. If you are unsure of the exact measurements of the lines, click the line, then right-click on the line and select properties.
Under properties for the line select the Data tab, it will list the X, Y, Z locations of the Start and End of the line and the Length, Azimuth, and Grade if any.
14. After the room is completly outlined save the file as a room template.
15. Then you can go onto the next step of adding the landscape mesh.

Hope this helps.

Ryan