Easy tool for drawing floor plans

Post by **Digit** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:32 pm

I wanna try a different approach for my user interface before i continue creating all the screens with buttons etc.etc.
I would like to try out using a floor plan and decorate it with icons to mark the devices you can control.

Now i'm looking for an easy tool to create a floor plan. Does anyone have a good tip for me what tool i could use best? The floor plan will be rather basic: walls, doors, windows, some furniture, textures but not to fancy, just enough to recognize your own home in the picture

Post by **Fantic** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:54 pm

I used Easy Computing's Super Architect 3D Platinum to create my houseboat the buildingplans that should finalize around april next year.
Otherwise Visio does a decent job as well.

Regards, Maarten.
Never let a computer know you're in a hurry.
Sorry had to remove the link.

Post by **drmacchi** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:16 pm

Digit, this is freeware and works 3D too.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/

Post by **Snelvuur** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:08 am

http://sketchup.google.com/ is free too..

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **Digit** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:02 pm

Thanks for your suggestions!
I looked at them, some are quite pricy (Easy Computing around 100 euro for 2 basic floor plans) so i looked a little further and found www.floorplanner.com.
Very easy to work with, it's free and it does exactly what i want.
Disadvantage is that you lose the plans when the company goes out of business. But what you see below was made in less than an hour, so i can live with that.

It can also do 3D:

Post by **Snelvuur** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:37 pm

still need to do that too, but i assume your house does not change each years, so your still good to go..

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **TANE** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:43 pm

Robert,
Looks cool.
Your Asus Top is missing ..

Post by **Digit** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:48 pm

Haha, you're right

But it was a little hard to show the floor plan with the Asus top on it, that was showing a floor plan with an Asus top on it, that was showing a floor plan with an Asus top on it, etc.etc.

Post by **DMB** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:23 pm

Robert,

Look's very good. I'll try it also.
Where's the swimmingpool in the backyard?

DMB

Post by **Hetwieg** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:22 pm

Nice tool and is on the Internet thats nice to save

Post by **Digit** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:29 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DMB
 
Where's the swimmingpool in the backyard?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Here's the latest version of the floor plan, including a button for the pump

Post by **DMB** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:30 pm

Robert,

Very nice.

DMB

Post by **Snelvuur** » Tue May 05, 2009 2:51 pm

p.s. found this one too http://www.gliffy.com/

nice if you want to make a data drawing too

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **r_255** » Thu May 07, 2009 2:21 pm

Funny, while searching for this topic yesterday, i found this easy and free to use program online.

http://www.sweethome3d.eu/

It also easy to make your walls transparant wich might give you more freedom in the 3d point of view

If you have a look online can find all kind of 3d objects for importing. like .obj .lws and .3ds free for personal use.

That might also be a sugestion for those hard to find button icons.

Post by **Mhwlng** » Thu May 07, 2009 3:07 pm

I have used visio to create my floor plan.
Then exported to SVG format (can be displayed in a web browser).
Then manually added interactive elements (lamps, motion detectors, heating radiators etc. change colour and lamps can be clicked to switch on/off)

These are all vector graphics, so the same SVG file will work fine on any screen resolution...