[Plugin $] LSS Arch Lite - discussion

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LSS Arch Lite - plugin [$] $25

This is a lite version of the full LSS Arch plugin [$]
Plugin developer: Kirill B - kirill2008 Russian architect

Extension Warehouse
http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/lss-arch-lite

Overview
This extension is a simplified version of LSS Arch and it allows you to draw and edit
basic building elements, such as walls, columns, slabs etc.

Could be useful for small to medium scale projects.
Has anyone tried this plugin? Any comments?

[pilou]

All plugins of Kirill2008 are very useful so this last one can be the same!

[Rich O Brien]

I haven't tried but it looks similar to 1001bits.

Although the dialog options look intense to have to play with. I like the geometry manipulation though. Very slick.

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LSS Arch Lite - QUESTIONS TO PLUGIN AUTHOR Kirill B.

Kirill,

A. Can LSS Arch Lite be used with Skalp as for LSS Arch?

B. Could IFC naming be added?

The IFC naming feature at present is only included in LSS Arch.

Could an Arch Lite version include this feature?
(listed in LSS Arch features as " 07.3 set IFC attributes to LSS Arch Objects"

I would suggest the above features A and B would make the LSS Arch Lite plugin
more attractive and users would be willing to pay an additional cost.

These additional options could be included in an intermediate version called
LSS Arch Lite Plus. (at a higher cost than LSS Arch Lite but below LSS Arch)

FULL VERSION FEATURES OF LSS ARCH
(Not Included in LSS Arch Lite)

1. mesh tool
2. grid tool
3. contour tool
4. reports generation
5. labeling
6. layers dialog
7. utilities
   07.1 save/restore LSS Arch objects
   07.2 convert imported IFC objects to LSS Arch objects
   07.3 set IFC attributes to LSS Arch objects
   07.4 batch explode selected LSS Arch objects
   07.5 load points from CSV or OBJ file
8. ability to adjust manually origin and rotation of texture mapping

[kirill2008]

Hello Ray,

@facer said:

A. Can LSS Arch Lite be used with Skalp as for LSS Arch?

Yes ability to explode reveals of openings (which allows Skalp to detect empty openings inside walls) was also added to version 1.0.5 of LSS Arch Lite.

@facer said:

B. Could IFC naming be added?

I didn't think that this feature could be required in lite version. In fact I wasn't sure if users of full version will use it extensively. Note that IFC naming implemented in full version just applies corresponding names to selected objects, but it doesn't store implicit geometry of objects, so other software which is able to read IFC recognizes objects as walls, slabs, columns, beams etc, but unfortunately it will not allow to interact with imported objects the same way as if they were initially created in it.
The point is that storing of implicit geometry (for example coordinates of wall's or beam's axis line etc) requires a lot more coding (most likely it is necessary to use some third party IFC library for that purpose). And it requires some more experience in IFC specification itself, than I currently have. So I'm not sure if I'll be able to implement such functionality soon.

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plugin - LSS Zone Used in conjunction with LSS Arch Lite

Use of LSS Zone for concept sketch design.
The following comments relate to this use of LSS Zone for concept Sketch Design.

LSS Zone can be improved for Sketch Design if the drawing of a Zone is similar to drawing walls in LSS Arch Lite.
At present, it is difficult to determine if a right angle has been drawn in LSS Zone. I like the firm snapping and
guide symbols used in LSS Arch Lite, these would help in LSS Zone.

Using LSS Zone in the Sketch Design phase gives the following advantages:

1. Quick "block modelling" of required rooms or zones
2. The Client's Brief can be checked quickly in regards floor areas and hence costs (based on $/sq. metre)
3. The "volume massing study with LSS Zone" allows quick insights to the evolving "shape" which then illustrates likely issues as height (setback requirements) and the sun (shadow)

Your present focus for LSS Zone is for the analysis of rooms for multi-residential buildings.
The first time user of LSS Zone is most likely doing smaller scale projects.
The use of LSS Zone in the Sketch Design phase could be of interest if they were
alerted to its potential use.

Regards,
Ray

[kirill2008]

Hello Ray,
I agree about problems with UI in LSS Zone (lack of direction lock using Shift key while drawing and editing for example etc). I added recently a "Zone" tool to a full version of LSS Arch. It basically uses the same logic for zone object as free LSS Zone extension, but utilizes UI logic of LSS Arch (so zone tool behaves basically the same way as other LSS Arch tools, direction lock is available etc). I tested how zone tool works in LSS Arch during a project, which I'm currently involved in at work, and I'm mostly happy with results (I revealed a couple of minor problems in zone tool inside LSS Arch though so fixing is in progress right now and nearest minor update of LSS Arch will contain those fixes).
So now I have an idea to publish new commercial LSS Zone Pro extension, which would utilize UI logic of LSS Arch and drop support of a free LSS Zone extension, because I'm afraid I have no ability to continue developing of freeware projects (at least at the moment). Such new extension can be used in combination with LSS Arch Lite (such combination would provide ability to trace quickly closed spaces bounded by walls). I hope this plan will come true someday.

Sincerely,
Kirill

[pbacot]

Thank you for the great plugin work. And thanks Rich for the extensive video!