Medeek Wall

I’ve slowly been formulating my plan of attack for this plugin. Rather than jump right into it as I did with the truss plugin I’ve decided to take a step back and fully explore all the suggestions I have received.

I’m firmly convinced that I need to start with a 2D layout tool first that allows one to layout the floor plan (location of walls, door and windows) before I extrude/generate it into its final 3D shape.

One will be able to add, modify and delete doors and windows in each wall segment.

Essentially each wall segment will have its own database associated with it that stores all of the wall properties as well as all of the opening properties.

I’ve been putting together the algorithms for the studs and for adding in openings. Corner treatment is of importance to me and making sure that the studs are framed properly (as one would build it) is also of prime importance.

Each wall segment (Ext/Int wall) will have two ends or corners. The possible configurations for the wall ends/corners will be:

The ability to easily switch from 1A to 1B or 2A to 2B should be integrated into the plugin, at least from a framing standpoint.

My idea is to have a specific layer which the layout tool places all of its 2D layout geometry, something like the image shown below:

It will probably take a while to fine tune the layout tool so that it is robust and has enough flexibility to handle 99% of most wall framing situations.

View model here:

My idea is color code openings (windows, doors, garage doors) for easy identification. The same holds true for wall types (Ext./Int., Int./Int.). With the walls I am thinking about providing a 1 inch strip on the exterior and interior to indicate the “normal vector” of the wall and provide a visual representation for the sheathing and gypsum.

When using the door or window tool to insert a new opening if you key in a dimension it will place the opening that dimension from the start point of the wall (the wall segment currently hovering over), hopefully speeding up the process of adding openings.

I would also like to provide dimensions from the “start point” of the wall to any openings which update dynamically when the opening is moved by the user.

Inside each opening I would like to indicate the opening size and door or window type (ie. 4050XO, 2020PIC, 3068, etc…) but I don’t see an easy way to insert simple text into the model.

Once you have the floor plan put together with the layout tool, you simply hit the “Generate” icon and the plugin will then automatically generate all of the walls (framing, openings, insulation, sheathing, siding, gypsum, baseboard and moulding) and optionally insert doors and windows into all of the openings.

As the plugin matures, the plan is to provide more options for window and door options (mullions, wood vs. vinyl, dynamic components etc…) as well as increased options for wall cladding (siding, brick, cultured stone, stucco , wainscoting, pre-cast concrete accents, quoins, etc…)

Perhaps my vision is too ambitious?

I’m not sure about that overhanging sheathing what a pain in the neck for one man to hold it up trying to place the edge on a snapped level line!

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I dont know if you got the name of the program or not yet. The program is called SoftPlan… I am working in it doing 2D drawings(blueprins) as well as doing 3D right away while you are doing 2d drowings. If you have any question let me know.
Thank you.

The idea of this plugin is superb. Would save so much time using it. It seems to have gone quiet on development. Was wondering if this is still in the pipeline or has been shelved?

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The project has not been cancelled but progress has been paused while I focus my attention on the Truss Plugin.

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Great stuff. Looking forward to the walls plugin. Keep up the great work.

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I’ve been thinking about the First and Second Menu and here is my latest revision:

First Menu:

1.) Wall Mode: Line, Polyline
2.) Wall Type: Exterior, Interior
3.) Wall Justification: Front, Center, Back
4.) Wall Height (in.): 97
5.) Wall Header Height (in.): 80
6.) Stud Size: 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10, 2x12, CUSTOM
7.) Stud Spacing (in.): 12,16,19.2,24,32,48, CUSTOM
8.) Stud Direction: Left, Right
9.) Start Corner: End, Outside Corner, Inset Outside Corner, Inside Corner, Inset Inside Corner
10.) End Corner: End, Outside Corner, Inset Outside Corner, Inside Corner, Inset Inside Corner
11.) Top Plate: 1,2,3
12.) Top Plate Thickness (in.): 1.5
13.) Bottom Plate: 1,2,3
14.) Bottom Plate Thickness (in.): 1.5
15.) Adv. Wall Options: YES,NO

Second Menu (Adv. Wall Options):

1.) Wall Sheathing: YES,NO
2.) Sheathing Thickness: 3/8,7/16,15/32,1/2,19/32,5/8,23/32,3/4, CUSTOM
3.) Wall Cladding: YES,NO
4.) Cladding Thickness: 3/8,7/16,15/32,1/2,19/32,5/8,23/32,3/4, CUSTOM
5.) Wall Gypsum: YES,NO
6.) Gypsum Thickness: 1/4,3/8,1/2,5/8, CUSTOM
7.) Wall Insulation: YES,NO
8.) Insulation Type: PINK FIBERGLASS, YELLOW FIBERGLASS, BLOWN FIBERGLASS, ROCKWOOL, CELLULOSE
9.) Corner Framing: California, 3 Stud, 2 Stud etc…
10.) Holdowns: YES.NO

Note that I have eliminated the Corner offset. The amount of offset will be driven by the stud depth, however in the actual wall library (store parameters) I will include the offset for both start and end so that they can be edited independently. Right from the get go I will set this up so that one can right click on the wall panel and instantly edit any of these settings as well as add or remove window and door openings.

I’m also going to add in a holdowns advanced option which will then trigger a sub-menu which will allow one to place holdowns at each end of the wall segment.

The holdowns sub-menu (subject to change) will include the following paramters:

HOLDOWNS MENU:

1.) Holdown Type: DTT2Z, HDU2, HDU4, HDU5, STHD14, STHD14RJ, etc… (also straps ie. MSTC)
2.) Holdown Vertical Offset (in.): 0 (this allows the ability to fine tune the placement)
3.) Holdown Anchor Bolt: None, SB58-24, SB78-24, SB1-30, SSTB16, SSTB20, SSTB24, SSTB28, SSTB34, SSTB36, THD Rod, SB + THD Rod, SSTB + THD Rod (this parameter will be applied only if holdown type requires an anchor bolt)
4.) THD Rod Length (in.): 24 (this parameter applied only if an option with THD Rod is selected
5.) Holdown Placement: Start, End, Both
6.) Holdown Strap Placement: Framing, Sheathing

The anchor bolt options that include a threaded rod with the anchor bolt will also include the appropriate coupler nut based on the size of the anchor bolt chosen: CNW58, CNW78, CNW1

Additionally the threaded rod diameter will be based on the holdown chosen.

As you can see there is going to be a considerable amount of logic that determines the sizing of these components.

Why not include “CUSTOM” as options for Sheathing and Cladding Thickness?

Is “Wall Gypsum” intended to be on the interior of exterior walls? If so, What about other finishes (Many finish shops with plywood instead of gypsum)? And CUSTOM thicknesses?

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The corner framing for each end of the wall panel can be set in the advanced options as well as in the global settings (default value).

This parameter can also become very important when holdowns are specified especially large capacity ones like an HDU11 or HDU14.

In these cases the end stud might be a combination of nail laminated studs (ie. 3 - 2x6) or a solid post like a 6x6 DF No. 2 timber.

There is a multitude of ways to frame a corner:

The most popular of which is probably the california corner (Detail #1)

To start I will probably go with the following options for corner framing:

  • California Corner
  • 1 Stud
  • 2 Stud
  • 3 Stud
  • 4 Stud
  • 4x Post
  • 6x Post

When the corner is an inset or end variant it will default to a 1 Stud corner, otherwise it will default to a California Corner or whatever is specified in the global settings as the preferred corner treatment.

The wall gypsum is for sheathing of interior walls (both sides) and the interior side of exterior walls. Technically this could be any material, paneling, rough sawn boards etc… I call it gypsum only because that is the most common interior wall sheathing treatment.

I suppose I could change the name to “Interior Wall Sheathing” and then in the global settings allow the user to set the material type for this parameter: Gypsum, paneling, plywood, OSB, etc…

Rather than go with the common fractional values I could simply make the thickness parameter an open ended decimal value. The problem with this is most people don’t know what the decimal equivalent of some of these fractional values are (ie. 7/16 = 0.4375).

Hence my suggestion to add CUSTOM to the options, as you have done for stud size and stud spacing. List common values, but allow custom ones.

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Working in earnest on this plugin now. I’ve also decided to create a system where walls can be grouped. So that if you alter the height of one wall segment it will automatically adjust the height of the other wall segments within that group.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/128644708/medeek-wall-plugin/

I’ve been watching the development reports of your plugins here on the Sketchup Forum for quite a while now. As I’m getting close to actually needing them, I figured it’s time to support you - especially as the support is specifically aimed at developing the wall plugin, the one I’ve been waiting for! Kickstarter: Kicked!

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Thank-you for the vote of confidence. For as much as I’ve talked about this plugin it is now time to push something out the door.

I’ve added a few FAQs here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/128644708/medeek-wall-plugin/faqs#project-faqs

The default layers for the plugin will be the following:

WALL LAYERS:
wall_frame
wall_sheath
wall_clad
wall_trim
wall_gypsum
wall_insul

MISC LAYERS
wall_hardware (straps and holdowns)

If one want more granular control over the wall framing layers then the option will exist in the global settings to enable “advanced wall framing layers”:

ADV. WALL FRAMING LAYERS (ON/OFF)
wall_header
wall_plate
wall_beam
wall_column
wall_king
wall_trimmer

I’m sure there will be other layers that will need to be added but these are the ones I’ve come up with for now.

Global settings:: Layer Tab:

The Kickstarter campaign has met its goal of $2,500.00. I will be working on the wall plugin full time for the next month or two, until I have released the first public release of this new plugin.

I would like to thank all who have pledged and supported the campaign and also those who may yet support the campaign.

I am making solid progress on the Wall Plugin. All of the framework is now in place and the backend progamming (shopping cart, database, icons, images etc…) is now also complete.

My ETA for the plugin is mid June but I think I will probably beat that self imposed deadline if I can keep at it full time like I have the last few days.

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