Download

Online

Gallery

Blog

  Index  | Recent Threads  | List Attachments  | Search
 Welcome Guest  |  Register  |  Login
Login Name  Password
 

Sweet Home 3D Forum



No member browsing this thread
Thread Status: Active
Total posts in this thread: 2
[ Jump to Last Post ]
Post new Thread
Author
Previous Thread This topic has been viewed 3405 times and has 1 reply Next Thread
whengreg
Newbie




Joined: Dec 8, 2021
Post Count: 2
Status: Offline
Reply to this Post  Reply with Quote 
First-time user feedback

Background: I'm an amateur home designer, as in I've designed exactly one home, decades ago, and I'm interested in having access to similar software again. The first home was designed with 3D Home Architect, which technically runs in Windows 10, but it's from 1997, and has some serious weaknesses. So, I'm trying out Sweet Home 3D. (Version 6.6a.) I know that first-time feedback is useful, so I'm going to be noting features I would like to see. Some of these features might already exist. If so, it probably means I couldn't figure out where they were, which is a different issue, but still an issue.

In general, I like the program; the learning curve wasn't too bad, and I think I'll be able to do everything I want with it.

Wall T-intersections: If a wall meets another in the middle, and not at an end, I can't join them. Part of my design process is to slap down a bunch of walls based on a napkin-quality sketch, then resize things as needed. (Oh, this corridor is too narrow; I'll just pull this wall out a couple inches.) When I do that, I expect any attached walls to stay attached, but they don't.

Doors, windows, and room definitions also feel like they should stay attached to a wall when I move it, but they don't.

Included furniture: I'd like a car to be included to sanity-test garage dimensions. Also, shelf and rod closets; this is needed to sanity-test closet sizes, and isn't even in the basic "download stuff here" list. I didn't see baseboard heaters in the basic "download stuff here" list, though having them included by default isn't really important to me. The "Bed" should really specify the size, because it's not standard. (Also, I don't know off the top of my head how big a Queen-sized bed is, so while being able to manually set the size is technically good enough, I want either separate entries, or something in the model config that lets me ask for a King/Queen/Twin/etc-sized bed without needing to look that up.)

Having a text filter in the category folders view would be nice; the filter in the searchable list is good, but I don't see why it can't be in both.

I had trouble with railings. Sure, you have them as a 3D model, but those don't define the edge of a room properly, you can't stretch them out to cover a long area without also making them look silly, you can't join them up to make corners properly, you can't make them arc, you can't join them to an existing wall, and so on. These feel to me like they should be a style of wall, not a 3D model.

I tried half-height walls (like a railing, but solid) by making walls that are 4' high, but those don't mix with room definitions that have a ceiling. As far as I can tell, there's no way to specify that a wall is important for a room definition, but the ceiling shouldn't touch it, and no way to have different logical and visual wall heights.

When joining walls of different heights, the join occurs at a 45 degree angle, which is never what I want.

There doesn't appear to be a way to delete a room definition corner?

0-height walls aren't possible. These are nice for outlining a room, but I'm stuck with 1" walls.

Sliding Doors don't embed themselves in walls the same way regular doors do?

Stairs exist as a 3D model, which prevents customization. Like, I know making some sort of stair constructor would be difficult, but the existing setup of "hope you can download exactly the staircase you need" isn't great, considering the variety of options stairs have.

Also, stairs display on the floorplan as a featureless brown rectangle, not noting the direction they go. (I guess because they're 3D models, and that's what they actually look like from above, but so are doors, and those look fine?)

Maybe add an "Apply" button to the properties window to allow for easier playing around?

No roofs. While there are 3D models, as with staircases, this feels like something that should be generated because of the large variety of options.

Cabinets tend to end up slightly misaligned. I put down some cabinets in a peninsula, and those things did NOT join up evenly. I know I can fix this by manually editing the position, but I shouldn't need to. A particular issue here, as there's nothing stopping you from having cabinets occupy the same space, and cabinets are particularly likely to be arranged in rows one next to the other. I should be able to assemble a kitchen that looks good without needing to manually enter in locations and do math.
[Dec 18, 2021, 6:25:21 AM] Show Printable Version of Post    View Member Profile    Send Private Message [Link] Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
Puybaret
Expert
Member's Avatar

France
Joined: Nov 7, 2005
Post Count: 9141
Status: Offline
Reply to this Post  Reply with Quote 
Re: First-time user feedback

Welcome to the forum.
Wall T-intersections: If a wall meets another in the middle, and not at an end, I can't join them. Part of my design process is to slap down a bunch of walls based on a napkin-quality sketch, then resize things as needed. (Oh, this corridor is too narrow; I'll just pull this wall out a couple inches.) When I do that, I expect any attached walls to stay attached, but they don't.
Managing objects attached to each other is tricky for undo/redo operations or as soon as the user moves a bound object to a weird place. I don't think it will change soon.
Doors, windows, and room definitions also feel like they should stay attached to a wall when I move it, but they don't.
Use multiple selection (either with a selection rectangle or with shift key)
Included furniture: I'd like a car to be included to sanity-test garage dimensions. Also, shelf and rod closets [...]
The basic lists will never satisfy all needs. Feel free to download more models at Free models page.
The models search engine isn't perfect but playing with a few keywords or synonyms could help like radiator or heat. I add from time to time new keywords, but can't guess all of them, moreover since I'm French.
I had trouble with railings. Sure, you have them as a 3D model, but those don't define the edge of a room properly, you can't stretch them out to cover a long area without also making them look silly, you can't join them up to make corners properly, you can't make them arc, you can't join them to an existing wall, and so on. These feel to me like they should be a style of wall, not a 3D model.
3D models don't define additional shapes when you resize them, but for railings you can copy paste them and place them side by side with the menu item Furniture > Align side by side. You may also overlap a railing over the other one to get intermediate lengths.
I tried half-height walls (like a railing, but solid) by making walls that are 4' high, but those don't mix with room definitions that have a ceiling. As far as I can tell, there's no way to specify that a wall is important for a room definition, but the ceiling shouldn't touch it, and no way to have different logical and visual wall heights.
Even if I agree that ceiling management is quite touchy, you can manage its elevation by moving room points at the right location (see help about rooms for more information). You could also create a dummy higher level because Sweet Home 3D attempts to compute sloping ceilings only at the last level.
When joining walls of different heights, the join occurs at a 45 degree angle, which is never what I want.
Don't join them!
There doesn't appear to be a way to delete a room definition corner?
Right click to access to Delete point from room menu item (or create a new one where you right clicked).
0-height walls aren't possible. These are nice for outlining a room, but I'm stuck with 1" walls.
Programs don't like 0 too much wink More seriously, the smallest value you can enter is ⅛" not 1".
Sliding Doors don't embed themselves in walls the same way regular doors do?
These are doors for closets, probably named incorrectly but note that they are not in the Doors and windows category.
Stairs exist as a 3D model, which prevents customization. [...] No roofs
These are complicated options with a wide diversity of models. Looking in the forum could help you get ideas.
Also, stairs display on the floorplan as a featureless brown rectangle, not noting the direction they go.
You could draw some polylines as explained in this tip.
Maybe add an "Apply" button to the properties window to allow for easier playing around?
Yes maybe...
Cabinets tend to end up slightly misaligned. I put down some cabinets in a peninsula, and those things did NOT join up evenly.
Use the various Align items in the Furniture menu.
I should be able to assemble a kitchen that looks good without needing to manually enter in locations and do math.
Magnetism helps to place cabinets along walls beside each other. But you have to pay attention not to move your mouse too fast.
----------------------------------------
Emmanuel Puybaret, Sweet Home 3D developer
[Dec 18, 2021, 6:21:02 PM] Show Printable Version of Post    View Member Profile    Send Private Message [Link] Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
[ Jump to Last Post ]
Show Printable Version of Thread  Post new Thread

    Get Sweet Home 3D at SourceForge.net. Fast, secure and Free Open Source software downloads
   
© Copyright 2006-2024 eTeks - All rights reserved