Where's the noob section?

[rallison203]

I just installed the latest version of SH3D, running on Linux Mint. I would like to try my hand at drawing a simple building site plan.

I am not a designer or a computer expert. Having said that, there's a very steep learning curve on this program. I'd like to start at the beginning and try to understand.

Is this the right software to create a 2D building site plan? The description says SH2D is "interior design" software. I see images of site plans prepared using this program, but I'm not finding the simplest features, like how to draw a circle.

Maybe someone can point me in the right direction. Thank you.

[MarioSambol]

Yes, the program description says it's interior design of houses. I don't think it's the right choice for creating site plans. But of course you can create a site plan in 2D but also automatically in 3D. Import a 2D site map in Plan option and just draw the basic walls of the buildings with the given wall heights for each building separately.

[Keet]

Is this the right software to create a 2D building site plan? The description says SH2D is "interior design" software. I see images of site plans prepared using this program, but I'm not finding the simplest features, like how to draw a circle.

If Sweet Home 3D is the correct software for you depends on what you want to create. It started as an interior design program but it has evolved into software that can do much more. However, it is NOT software to create an official building plan.
You can create a plan to give an architect a very good idea about what you want but it requires professional software to create the plans that a contracter can use. You have to understand that the main purpose of the 2D plan is to create a 3D view of a home. This means you don't "draw a circle" in the 2D plan, you draw walls, floors, and add furniture.

Sweet Home 3D is used in very different ways by many different users. Some create very detailed complete homes, other create scenes to render photo's. Some use it to create 3D models of furniture or draw a plan of their existing home to have a way to see different results for rebuilding the interior or add additions to the house. Don't expect to create a plan that a contracter can use to build a house.

If you are not sure if Sweet Home 3D is the program for you then browse through this forum and see what other users do. It will give you a very good idea about what is possible and what not. There are some features specifically for a 2D plan. Search for "2D symbols" that are used for identifying electrical outlets and look up the Wirings plugin.

[rallison203]

You can create a plan to give an architect a very good idea about what you want but it requires professional software to create the plans that a contracter can use.

This, I think, is the point. I'm beginning a remodel project. A building site plan is the first submittal to the permit authorities. It shows land features in plan view, such as watercourses, wetland boundaries, property lines and so forth. It isn't a framing or structural plan.

I think I might be able to create a site plan using this software, using "walls" to create lines and circles. Unfortunately my drawing options are somewhat limited in Linux. But I agree, this is very useful software, just not intended for creating detailed contractor drawings.

[Keet]

Unfortunately my drawing options are somewhat limited in Linux.

Uh, how's that? There is lots of drawing software available on Linux, from simple to professional. It depends on what you want to do, drawing, painting, photo editing, etc. Simply search for "linux drawing software" and you will find plenty of options. For simple lines and circles you might even look into LibreOffice Draw.

You probably already searched for "linux site plan drawing". The first (14 year old) result is from AskUbuntu and the first recommendation is Sweet Home 3D [:)] Most of the rest of the search results are for CAD software. Plenty of those for Linux too. In most cases Sweet Home 3D is much easier to learn and you can use it to create impressions of different possible endresults.

[rallison203]

Yes I'm already checking out libre office draw thank you. My options in Linux are limited, only because I have limited skills. But I'm working on it.

[sjb007]

Also look at Inkscape . Better than LibreDraw in my opinion. Native SVG editor, and can export to PDF's.

[rallison203]

Will do, thanks