Medeek Floor
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I've been thinking about this plugin some more as I've been occupied with upgrading the javascript/ruby interactions within the wall plugin.
Some floor framing plans are very simple, while others are considerably more complex.
I need to make the plugin as flexible as possible so it can accommodate the more complex floor variants.
One issue I'm trying to address is how to best handle floor plans that have floor joists running in different directions within a single floor plan/assembly.
My proposed solution is to limit the direction of the floor joists in any given assembly to one direction. Then to allow for a complex floor assemblies I will need a tool to suppress the rimboard along any given edge of the floor assembly. This will then allow for the butting up of floor assemblies next to each other to get the desired floor framing layout.
This particular edge tool will have three options for any given edge of the floor assembly: rimboard, no rimboard, or ledger.
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First look at the main toolbar for the plugin:
1.) Draw Floor
2.) Edit Floor
3.) Move Floor Edge
4.) Edit Rim Joist
5.) Engineering
6.) Global SettingsMost of these tools are fairly self explanatory, number 4 is probably the most interesting. I will allow the user to customize each rim joist per floor edge (if desired), or remove it entirely. This will come in useful where there are multiple floor assemblies abutted next to each other.
There will also be additional context menu tools (ie. regen floor assembly). One context menu tool I am thinking about adding in is a way to select a given edge as the starting point for the floor joists/trusses. This will allow the direction and spacing of the floor joists to be aligned to any edge along the floor outline.
There will need to be another completely separate toolbar and tools that deals specifically with holes cut into the floor.
Lots of little details to still work out and even though much of the code base can be recycled from the other plugins there is still a lot of work involved to produce a completely new plugin with the capabilities that I envision for this new architectural tool.
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First look at the floor opening toolbar:
1.) Draw Floor Opening
2.) Move Floor Opening
3.) Edit Floor Opening
4.) Delete Floor Opening -
First look at the floor covering toolbar:
1.) Draw Floor Covering
2.) Move Floor Covering
3.) Edit Floor Covering
4.) Delete Floor CoveringThe colors are a little bright for me, I may have to subdue them a bit to get the right look.
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First look at the floor beam toolbar:
1.) Draw Floor Beam
2.) Move Floor Beam
3.) Edit Floor Beam
4.) Delete Floor BeamIf the floor beams align with the joists/trusses things are fairly straightforward, however if the in-floor beams are perpendicular or oblique to the joists this becomes a bit more interesting.
I will have to give some serious thought to this module in order to make it as flexible as possible.
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For the floor covering module I think an option for 2 or 3 layers should be sufficient for most cases:
In this case I am modeling/representing the carpet and its pad.
Tile floors usually require some time of cement board underlayment.
Pergo and hardwood floors may also have an underlayment of some type or another.
Openings cut in the floor assembly will also cut through the floor coverings if they intersect. This will allow for interior holes within a floor covering.
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Development was paused on this extension at the beginning of March, I apologize for the delay in its initial BETA release. Development will begin in earnest again starting June 1st, with an estimated ETA of Sept. 1st.
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I've finally wrapped up my recent move (Utah -> Missouri) and the dust is beginning to settle some. The next few weeks I will be working in earnest on the Floor plugin and try to get it put together and released before the end of the summer and prior to the upcoming SketchUp Basecamp.
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Looks like I’ve got most of the basic Global Settings all put together now. Fairly basic to start with, I’m sure as this progresses it will diverge from the initial template quite a bit:
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The edit menu and draw menu are pretty much done now, just a few more tweaks and error checking and we might be able to start creating our first real floors with this thing:
I was going to include the blocking as an advanced option but after some further thought it seemed like it might be more intuitive to have the blocking be similar to beams and openings, where you can really customize the location and size etc... of each row of blocks independently.
I usually have a pretty good idea how I want things to go even before I start coding but sometimes you get halfway into it and you realize that an alternative method or system would be more optimal.
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