Replies

1. 
   txlandlord | Feb 25, 2010 09:50pm | #1

   The thought occured to me that printing to scale and fit drawing to page are in conflict with each other. To "fit drawing to page" and "print to scale" is to take a long shot at the paper size and drawing size matching. To test my theory, I pulled up a drawing on SP V14, hit "print to scale" and then "fit to page" and the scale selection went off. I have printed house plans in the last two weeks and had no problems printing to scale. I rarely use fit to page, and again I think the two selections would rarely be compatible.

1. 
   RCutting | Feb 25, 2010 10:32pm | #2

   To correct what I said. When I select a scale and depress the "position print window" the button depresses, but nothing happens. as I said before any help is much appreciated.

   Thanks,

   Rob

   ps. In response to what mike said. trust me I plan on upgrading to v14 and getting tech support, but for right now I am just glad I am current on all my bills. So thanks for your tech support it's all I've got for now!

1. 
   txlandlord | Feb 26, 2010 08:18am | #3

   OK,. now I understand that you have a different problem than I understood. The only recollection I have of trying to print with nothing "seeming" to happen is when the drawing is small, the print scale is small and the overall drawing area (not the actual drawing) is large. The page outiline in "position print window" is so small it can not be seen or is barley visable. Other than that I have not encountered that problem.

   I am busy, busy, but will try to post the problem on splash for you. I have also seen an alternate SP users forum called spline. It may be on facebook, but I am not sure. Go to FB and type SoftPlan in the search box.

   Actually, I would not worry too much about your SP situation in posting your problem on splash. I am almost sure that the connection would not be made, and the forum is often better help than tech support. I am not indicating that you or others use the program illegally, but in this dowturned economy I am sure there would be some sympothy from SP if they discovered your situation.   

   Also BTers Piffin and Boss Hogg are SP users.  

   You could email me: [email protected] and I will share an email address of a well respected and resourceful SP Splash longtime user and major SP guru. He regularly has SP workshops, but is not directly affiliated with SP. He may be able to help.

2. 
   Piffin | Feb 26, 2010 08:44am | #4

   Sounds like you are onWindows XP pro udate service package #3 for a operating system. That caused the printer connection with older Softplan versions to quit working. Since SP has gone top V 14 now. they are not writing new patches for that.

   Your choices are to upgrade Softplan to V 14 or to roll back you operating system to service pack 2

1. 
   RCutting | Feb 26, 2010 01:12pm | #5

   Thanks for the info,

   Would I just download service pack 2 or do I have uninstall service pack 3. Sorry if I am not as savvy as I should be with this

   Thanks again,

   Rob Cutting

1. 
   Piffin | Feb 26, 2010 06:06pm | #6

   Way I understand it, you uninstall SP3. Not sure of the process, thoi have read that MS has stuff online about how.

1. 
   RCutting | Feb 26, 2010 09:42pm | #7

   I un installed the service pack 3 and I can print to scale again. Thankyou very much

   _Rob

   Something else will probably crash now that I took the service pack off  :)

1. 
   Piffin | Feb 27, 2010 01:55pm | #8

   You're welcome.

   But still
   You're welcome.

   But still consider upgrading. v14 is twice the program as V 12. I have never refretted the investment for a minute. Outstanding tool box and improvements !

   Even if you do not upgrqade, paying for the transfer will let you have access to eternal tech support.

   At Splash, it takes your key number to be able to sign in, but there is a vast world of experience available there.

   And open to the public is the Spline user's group on Facebook. They also do some Sketchup stuff there.

   Best wishes.

2. 
   HowieTiller | Mar 13, 2010 09:42am | #9

   Hi my name is Howie and I'm a Softplan user!

   Sorry had to do it!

   I have v-13 was wondering what you liked better about v-14? I'm a builder and I have drawn several sets of plans for  my own projects was wondering you you liked or disliked if you upgraded fro v-13.

   Howie 

3. 
   Piffin | Mar 13, 2010 04:38pm | #10

   Hi Howie, I'm Paul

   I upgraded from v12 to 14, so the differences were astounding, but to tell the truth, it's been over a year now, so I can't recall too many of the specifics, other than much more pawerful roof module. Oh - and more control over what shows and what prints in each mode. Lot of other goodies that simplify and save oodles of time, for instance with kitchen design.

4. 
   RCutting | Mar 18, 2010 10:30pm | #11

   I will upgrade soon, just need the cash

   I know I need to upgrade. The glitches in the roof drawing are a pain.

   will I need to upgrade my computer when I upgrade the program

   windows xp      not sure the processor     1 gig of ram

   I have another question also,  I know that markets are very diffrent, but I am interested in knowing how other builders handle this.   I designed a large addition and one thing I did not do is have a contract. Next thing I know another contractor is bidding of my plans.

   How do you handle design when a project is only in the " can we afford it stage" .

   I waisted a lot of time and it caused me a lot of irritation. In the past it has worked out for me. People are usually amazed that you can come back with a plan after a weekend and I get most jobs. 

   This time though they are friends and I think I got used!

   I know I made a mistake, but how do you aproach a customer when they are not positive they want to do a project.

   Hourly, set price for the plans? do you do a basic drawing and give them a rough price off of that?

   Thanks for your reply

5. 
   Piffin | Mar 28, 2010 08:44am | #12

   Lot of ?s and lot of answers

   First - you have a legal right to sue for theft of services and coipywrite infringement on that deal.

   I get a deposit before starting the design work, after up to a two hour meet and greet where I sell myself and my ideas.

   After that, you never want to leave the customer with a buildable set of plans until you have been paid. Softplan makes it easy to do this and still communicate your ideas with the client. You can do 3D representations instead of floorplans and elevations or cut sections to show them. You can "hide" dimension lines from the printer and send them floor[plans as a jpeg with no dims on it.

   I print to an odd scale or best fit to paper also. That way if another builder or a DIY were to try building to my plans without making final payment to me, they have a drawing that is not to any common scale and without given dims, which will cause them more time and headache than simply paying me would be worth.

   Since most folks are conceptually illiterate anyways, it is best to communicate ideas with 3D views which would be impossible to build from. Thjen you produce the working drawings ( you yourself already have them in your computer) at the printer only when you have the money in hand for thedesign phase.

   If you are doing the design /build thing and do not design for others to build ( some think this wise, as it avoids some liability) and throwing in the design work with the construction contract, make that clear up front and get cleaar contract language written.

   Your PC sounds like it could handle the latest vesion opf SP fine except possibly the video card, which you don't mention. Mine is a 2002 XP pro machine . When I upgraded, it had 512 of RAM. I upgraded to double that and added a video card with 512 RAM onboard it. SP is sensitive to the video card power because it is constantly working with the 3D information, even tho you may not be seeing it on screen.

   Roofs are one place this shows up, in time spent processing them.

   I  am not here daily like I used to be since they screwed things up at Taunton, but I'll check this thread again when I do get back. Notifications not working here.

6. 
   MikeSmith | Mar 28, 2010 01:31pm | #13

   if you do

   Design  / Build...you have to keep the two serarate...

   i have a design contract that specifies the design phase and the responsibilities of both parties.... it is three pages

   one of the clauses  explains that  the plans are only for us to build from  .... as a liability issue.... another says that  if they choose not to have us build... the drawings cannot be used for construction by anyone else.... only for conceptual purposes... the must have the plans redrawn by other parties

   another  clause indemnifies us  if anyone else builds from the plans

   i make it clear that  if we are the builder         and       the designer we already have all of the liability

   we get progress payments for the design... and the final design payment when we submit our construction price

   they  are under no obligation to hire us for the construction