Medeek Floor

medeek

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.

medeek

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 Settings

Most 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.

medeek

First look at the floor opening toolbar:

1.) Draw Floor Opening
2.) Move Floor Opening
3.) Edit Floor Opening
4.) Delete Floor Opening

medeek

First look at the floor covering toolbar:

1.) Draw Floor Covering
2.) Move Floor Covering
3.) Edit Floor Covering
4.) Delete Floor Covering

The colors are a little bright for me, I may have to subdue them a bit to get the right look.

medeek

First look at the floor beam toolbar:

1.) Draw Floor Beam
2.) Move Floor Beam
3.) Edit Floor Beam
4.) Delete Floor Beam

If 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.

medeek

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.

medeek

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.

medeek

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.

medeek

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:

medeek

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.

medeek

I realize that people are chomping at the bit for this new plugin and I have been working on it diligently for the last two to three weeks. The biggest holdup has been going back through all of the code and bringing it up to speed with the other plugins. There have been quite a few incremental changes to the other plugins with regards to licensing, materials, layers etc...

For instance the plugin material library back end was originally coded based off of the 2022 version of the Wall plugin. I just updated all of the code now so that it is keeping in line with the most current version of the Wall plugins material library code base.

So right now I'm spending a few more days making sure everything is modern and up to speed with the other plugins.

gullfo

Yay! it's finally coming!

medeek

I might actually designate the initial release a BETA number but I'm still not decided on that yet.

Right now the plugin is all torn apart as I continue to add in a few additional features like presets and the "remove joist list" option:

This is my current desk setup, I've just added the big monitor to my left which gives me more screen real estate and improves my coding efficiency. This is where all the magic happens, at least for now.

I also initially used the slab-on-grade code for moving edges of the floor perimeter but now that I'm testing it more extensively it appears that I should probably switch to the code I use for the complex roofs, so some additional adjustments required there as well.

This is how the sausage is made, one line of code at a time.

gullfo

what, no physical scale models of a floor joist system as a handy reference?

medeek

The draw and edit menus are working great (all HTML) but I’ve decided I might as well add in “floor” presets since I know that request will be coming down pike if I don’t add it in initially.

Also after using the current menus and given all the I-joist options (sizes and manufacturers) it seems almost cryptic in many ways unless you are intimately familiar with the various manufacturer’s product numbers. I’m not saying now but maybe at a later date (after the initial release) I will add in a small SVG graphic into both of these menus which give a simple preview (cross section) with dimensions of the selected I-joist product. It would certainly make the menus a bit more graphical and exciting(engaging) and actually be minimal work to implement, thoughts?

gullfo

i might suggest only simple icons - wood, metal, i-joist and glulam representations and textual info - should be sufficient to select the range of product by type and then list the dimensions. chances are someone engineering this structure would have likely researched the products and specs before going though the effort to lay it out...

medeek

How soon should I release the BETA version? I'm currently checking the floor preset functionality and I will also look at the addition of insulation (bat or fill) tomorrow. The gypsum (ceiling) seems to be working great, but eventually I will add in battens because I know someone will request it, but it is not top priority right now.

I'm thinking I will push out the opening and beam modules after I release the BETA, they will complicate things and may take a few weeks of tweaking and testing before they are ready for prime time. The opening module will be the higher priority of the two.

I've created the template for the integration with the estimating module, but this will also require further fleshing out. In addition there will need to be updates to the cost database and weight database modules that integrate materials for the floor assemblies.

I'm honestly not sure how useful the connection function is as compared to the Truss plugin, but it will be a feature since most of the heavy lifting is already done.

The CUSTOM and SUBTRACT feature will be similar to the Truss plugin, it is in place and appears to be working as it should, further testing would be prudent.

The I-Joist libraries (sizes and types) is much more organized than the previous system and should be easier to maintain and if required more manufacturers can be easily added. I may also add in a "custom I-Joist" option which would allow one to specify the full set of dimensions for a custom sized I-Joist (depth, flange depth, flange width, web width, web material etc...)

Similar to the Truss and Wall plugins, one can specify a comma deliminated remove list to remove specific joists from an assembly.

Still lots to do but it is almost close enough to the finish line to think about putting it out there and start garning feedback and suggestions.

gullfo

@medeek maybe keep working on it a couple more weeks and then release the beta. it sounds like you're still in the middle of a couple of things that may hamper a good set of beta testing.

medeek

Added a “Floors” tab to the global settings, I’m sure this tab will get more populated as development progresses.

The tool tip in the draw and edit menu.

medeek

Batt and Blown insulation are now enabled: