Softplan 2016 New Features

108 Softplan 2016 Upgrade - Softplan Home Design Major Features SoftPlan 2016 Update Major Features More Info Details SoftPlan 2016 Upgrade Detailed Features List More Info FAQs SoftPlan 2016 Update FAQs More Info Pricing SoftPlan 2016 Update Pricing More Info I have found the program to be much more stable than version 2014, 3d is crisper the renders are better.

* Hi all, Finally getting around to get serious about homebuilding CAD, and I’ve narrowed my choice to two: ChiefArchitect (the new version, 8), or SoftPlan. I’ve seen all the demos, etc, but was wondering if anyone out there has made this comparison before, and would be willing to offer their pointers. SoftPlan seems to be slightly more expensive (but that gap has narrowed with the recent Chief price increase), but also seems to maybe offer more, in the form of a better interface (more productivity?). I don’t know if it is representative of the true user base, but there seem to be a lot of Chief users out there; then again, maybe the SoftPlan users are just quietly steaming away getting their work done????

Anyway, all pointers greatly appreciated! Thanks, -frank. Are you a builder, remodeler, or designer. If you are primarily a designer. Maybe softplan is for you. If you are a builder, remodeler. You can get plans out the door ready to build faster with Chief.

That's from 5 years of working with Chief after being on a board since '69. It's also based on lurking around vectorworks user group. And getting comparisons from those who've worked with Soft & Chief on our Chief user group. All things are subjective. And the above is certainly subjective.

But that's my story and i'm stickin to it. *There is nothing like this heading to spark a good healthy dicussion. To stay brief - my vote is for SP. Windows server 2003 standard bootable iso creator.

Over at JLC live, Joe Stoddard has fielded several discussions on the same topic and he is familiar with both. At Splash we find many chief users moving up to SP and glad they did.

Chief is good but not as powerful or as many options - though I confess to not being aware of their latest stuff.I remember when I was comparing both and I kept asking the Chief guy how to do this or that. His answer always seemed to be, 'We can sell you this other program to.' These were all things that were built right into SP and I've never been disappointed with it.They include lifetime tech support free too. *Softplan is an architectural design package. Has limited basic CAD tools.Turbo cad or Autocad light or Vectorworks might be better choices for mechanical design.Basic CAD tools draw lines, circles, shapes, etc and regocnize them as such.

X and Y axis is all you get. To those of us who drew lines and circles on paper and want to do similar with a computer a very inexpensive CAD program will do. Next step up is 3D modeling withability to rotate views. Y axis is added.Softplan is oject oriented. In other words, When you select a wall to draw it, you are not drawing a pair of lines that 'represents' a wall as with a paper and pencil drawing or basic cad, you are actually drawing the wall that you selected. Within the bowels of the PC Softplan is drawing studs, sheathing, wallboard, etc. Right down to the nails and insulation and adding all that to your materials list.

You can create new walls to save that have just the dimensions and materials you want. The objects have associative properties - eg. The program knows that a bearing wall holds things up and needs a footing. It knows that an openning needs a header and places it. If you tell it that you want five inch trim on all your windows, that's what you'll get.But it doesn't have sheet metal, screws, bolts, tubes and other mechanical materials.(you could probably create them but that work and the lack of associative properties for the mechanical products would drive you insane) •. *Piffen can tell us more about Softplans inner workings, but i'll tell you what i know.I did all of our drawing on a board since '69.