Medeek Wall

Generating callouts in the model with 3D text is cool and all but I’ve been thinking about it and maybe it is better to leave this information for layout?

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I’m not clear on the autotext capabilities in Layout, but I have a vague recollection that any custom attribute you add to a component can be referenced in Layout.

So - perhaps - if you’re already storing the callout text in a custom attribute - it’s already available for use in Layout!

Or perhaps not. I just tried a quick and dirty test - and didn’t find anything in Layout that allowed me to use the Callout texts. However, as far a Layout goes, I’m a neophyte. It may well be there and I don’t know how to find it!

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I’m completely new to layout as well so I guess I’ll have to dig into it further to determine what I can and can’t do. I can store all kinds of things in the attribute libraries, and I already do. It wouldn’t be too big of deal to store some of this annotation text as well if need be.

In the “Hot Seat” session, one guy showed just how much he teased out of meta data put into his SU model, and nursed out as auto text in Layout. He clearly was really working it pretty hard. That session wasn’t recorded, was it @Caroline?

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No, I don’t think it was :frowning:

LayOut can only see attributes that are set to visible in Dynamic Components.
Until the live API… @sjdorst :smiley:

Auto text in LayOut can easily be managed in the XML file in the compressed package ( LayOut-files are just zipped files)

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As I’m even more a neophyte on Ruby Scripting than I am for Layout, I have to ask:
Can one, through Ruby scripting, CREATE visible Dynamic Component attributes?

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Yes you can. I do it for CabMaker, StairMaker and DoorMaker all the time.

With CabMaker I switched from components over to groups (speeds everything up hugely). So you can also create Attributes for groups that work with the Interact tool etc.

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Version 0.9.7e - 10.10.2018

  • Added labels and callouts for all beam types.
  • Beam label prefix can be customized in the General tab of the Global Settings.
  • Beam Z Floor parameter included in draw and edit menus (used to establish height of beam from sub-floor).
  • “Regen Beam Assembly” action added to context menu for beams.

Labels and callouts for beams now up to par with the rest of the plugin (walls, windows and doors).

If the framing callouts are enabled then the beam length, beam height (bottom of beam to floor) and grade and species are displayed. The Z floor parameter allows one to establish where the floor should be referenced from.

The primary purpose of the regen action is if a beam is moved (with SU’s native move tool) in the Z direction, this will recalculate the beam height.

Tutorial 2 - Drawing Walls:

So this then works with groups and the Label tool in both SU and LO? It thought this was only possible with components? If so, a standalone tool of this labeling nature would be helpful, I have not come across one yet (unless I’m searching wrong).

Tutorial 3 - Beams and Columns:

The model used in the tutorial video can be downloaded here:

Intro Video - The Vision:

The model for this video can be view here:

I am also renaming the Extension Suite/Library to “mdkBIM”:

The target audience/disciplines are:

1.) Designers/Architects
2.) Engineers
3.) Estimators
4.) Contractors

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Version 0.9.7f - 10.11.2018

  • Window sill qty. callout added to the framing callouts for windows.

Looks like I forgot to add the quantifier for the window sill plate.

The framing algorithm for stacking windows and doors is going to get very messy, what if the trimmer and kings studs don’t exactly lineup? Then the framing gets really interesting.

A larger or smaller opening above another will also call for different framing solutions.

This one is going to take some serious thought.

Why do you designers have to make things so difficult? This one is not really that high on the todo list but it is giving me some serious headaches just contemplating it.

Does anyone have any examples (drawings or pictures) of this sort of situation(s)?

Oh, yeah, it get’s interesting.

My own front door and sidelight have a custom sized transom window by a different manufacturer (which was the only choice really). Bottom line: we could make the exterior trim align vertically, but not on the interior, and vice versa. So we chose the former and worked out an interior trim detail that was tolerable.

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Necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and as I was creating a small two story model of a garage for local customer today it quickly became painfully obvious that I still do not have a good stair plugin or module.

The toolbar for the stairs module will start out with the following two icons, there will probably be additional ones added for concrete or steel stairs in the future:


The basic parameters for the Draw Stairs Menu will be:

0.) Stair Assembly Name: Auto assigned by the plugin but user can edit this parameter.
1.) Stair Type: Straight, L-Shape, U-Shape
2.) Stair Width: 40 inches or 1000mm
3.) Stair Height: (This will be determined by the picking of points and the bottom floor plane) ft-in or mm
4.) Max. Riser Height: 7.75 inches or 200 mm
5.) Draw Risers: YES/NO
6.) Riser Thickness: 3/4" or 19 mm
7.) Riser Material: Lumber, Lumber PT, OSB, PLY
8.) Top Tread Flush: Yes or No (this option will make the top tread flush with the upper level/deck
9.) Tread Depth: 10" or 255 mm
10.) Tread Thickness: 1.25" or 32 mm
11.) Tread Nosing: 1.25" or 32 mm
12.) Nosing Shape: SQUARE or ROUND
13.) Tread Material: Lumber, Lumber PT, OSB, PLY, Oak, Birch, Maple, Pine etc… (custom material from material manager in global settings.
14.) Stringer Qty: 2, 3, 4, or 5
15.) Stringer Depth: 11.25" or 285 mm
16.) Stringer Thickness: 1.5" or 38 mm
17.) Stringer Material: Lumber, Lumber PT, LSL, LVL
18.) Stair Framing: YES, NO, 2D
19.) Advanced Options YES or NO

The advanced options or parameters are tentatively:

1.) Thrust Block: None, 2x4, 2x6, 2x8 or metric sizes for metric templates
2.) Hanger Board: Yes or No, will default to 3/4" or 19 mm OSB
3.) Landing Tread: Yes or No ( will default to a 3-1/2" landing tread with bull nose to match stair treads)

Eventually I will add other advanced options such as hand rails, skirt boards, gypsum spacers, blocking, brackets etc…

I’m not an expert on stairs but I do have a couple of details where I’ve considered the various elements of a typical stair case:


L-Shapes and U-Shapes get quite a bit more complicated with the inclusion of a landing. I will start with just a straight run of stairs first.

Right of the bat I will start with HTML draw and edit menus, no point in messing around with the traditional UI, especially with such a long list of parameters already.

Updating a stair assembly to 2D will drop its line drawing to the lower level and a up arrow will indicate the direction of travel. I may add an additional parameter so the user can determine which level to show the 2D stair plan on. Perhaps the stair framing option should be more granular replacing 2D with 2D Up and 2D Down. Or one could even go so far as to show a 2D representation on both levels with a down arrow on the upper level and a up arrow on the lower level.

Basically another plugin with a plugin. I could break it out into its own separate plugin but I really don’t see the advantage, besides I need to make the wall plugin worth the high price tag that I am now charging.

Here is Alfred Scott’s Stair Tool (part of his Wild Tools collection of extensions) for PowerCADD. It’s 2D only, of course, and just the finished surfaces, not the details of construction. I love his use of graphical user interface. The three sliding bars are the three rules of thumb for good stair proportions and you can see that feed back in real time as you adjust the run. There are parameters for code min and max and the gray shading displayed is the code limited zone. First you choose the number or risers for the total floor to floor rise, then chose the run either graphically, or numerically.

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Thats a nice way of showing limitations!

If you go with any type of code limiting parameters, don’t overlook the optional Appendix V to the 2018 IRC which relaxes some constraints in one circumstance: Access to sleeping lofts in Tiny Homes!

I’m sure you can guess why I’m aware of this - and hoping it makes it into your stair extension-within-extension! :smiley: