HELP CENTRE
Roof Software Tips and Tricks

 

The following downloadable files are a series of documents for the Sorcerer, Wizard and Magician roof estimating software. The tips have been written to help take a new operator through the various processes one step at a time. These have been collected from our Customer Service Centre files. If you have a difficult question, drop us a line and maybe it will end up here too, helping someone just like you.

There is quite a collection now. So hopefully a detailed description already exists to help you with that cut up roof you're trying to model. As we update the downloadable printed help files (in PDF format) to reflect changes to our software, we will be adding a video clip to better explain what we're trying to show. Often, it is easier to see someone else do it and copy what you see.

If you have any further questions, please contact your local support guy or email AppliCad at support@applicad.com and we will be beack to you within 24 hours (Usually a lot less).

Get more from your software and collect each one.

 

AS AT 30 June 2011 - WE'RE STILL DEVELOPING THE COMPLETE LIBRARY OF HELP FILES. PLEASE DROP BACK HERE AGAIN REAL SOON!

 

 

DemoCentre1

Video Help File 001

Creating 3D roof geometry the easy way
How to use the basic AppliCad Process to develop precise 3D roof geometry using perimeter measurements.

 

 



Tip 001

Cut-Out Verandah
How to add a veranda and develop a cut-out around a corner gable.

as a PDF document.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.

 


Tip 002

Diamond Gable Roof
Develop a roof with the ridge diagonally across it.

as a PDF document.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.

 


Tip 002a

Bellcast Verandah.
A step by step uide to adding a "bellcast" verandah or porch at a different pitch.

as a PDF document.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.

 


Tip 003

Project Gable Comand
Creating complex roof shapes from simple shapes

- as a PDF document.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.


Tip 004

Intersecting Roof Slope.
Clever use of the Intersect Planes command, and theVerandah command allows to insert this "pitch-break" in.

as a PDF document.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.

Tip 004a

Split Dormer Gables
A step by step guide to creating a split dormer feature on the roof model.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.

 


Tip 005

Using Barge Lines
Creating a roof with three different eave heights in minutes.

as a PDF document.

A video clip explaining this tip is available.


Tip 006

Dutch Gable
A dutch gable feature that cuts a valley line on the roof.

as a PDF document

A video clip explaining this tip is available.


Tip 007

Creating Courtyards
A popular feature on structures today.

as a PDF document

A video clip explaining this tip is available.


Tip 008

Internal Box Gutters
A method of draining what would otherwise become an additional swimming pool. Created in a similar manner to Tip 7 above.


Tip 009

Projecting Gables
Different Eave Heights with Barge Lines
A most awkward roof shape modelled easily with a little cunning.


Tip 010

Creating Additional Hips
Not likely to occur often, but when it does, this is how you do it using the Smartlines options.


Tip 011

More Courtyards
A variation on a theme - maybe our next home? Similar to #7.


Tip 012

Creating Additional Hips
Not likely to occur often, but when it does, this is how you do it using the Smartlins options.


Tip 013

A Grand Entrance
What a handsome entrance-way this will make, but such a bother to model.


Tip 014

A Bunch of Simple/Flat Roofs
Some of the most handsome roof structures are a collection of simple ones. This model may be typical.


Tip 015

Double Gables on the Ridge
This is an actual job and combines several clever tricks to complete the job in a few seconds.


Tip 017

Twin Townhouses
Adjoining townhouses will often share the roof plumbing (box gutter). Well, lets see how to add this.

 

 

Deleting a model

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 018

Deleting a model
This tutorial explains how to delete a model no longer required in the database.

Tip 019

Portico Porch
Adding lower roof features used to be a bit of a drag. Using this unusual way with the Gable command, the feature is added instantly.

 


Tip 020

Adding Low Set Bay Windows
Just as with the preceding tip, this one makes adding lower roof features such as bay windows a snap.

 


Tip 021

Planning Use of Fall Anchors
The use of fall anchors and similar devices isn't an option any more. Let's plan for their use properly.

 


Tip 022

MonoRidge Roof
This roof shape is impossible to generate entirely automatically, so here is a way to manually intervene.

 


Tip 016

Turrets in the Middle
Add the turret and cut away the roof under. A perfect finish.


Tip 023

Creating Quote Groups
We have now provided for the ability to group line items on your quote, to make it more meaningful for your client. This is how.

 


Tip 024

Digitising Digital Images
At last an even better way to digitise. Throw your digitiser away, stop hauling those big rollup beasties around and pull out your 'happy-snap' digital camera - and start digitising ! This is really fast roof geometry input.

 


Tip 025

Adding and Costing Soffit
So you want to do soffit eh? Try this little trick on for size.

 

Fall Barriers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 026

Using Fall Barriers
Need fall barriers? This tutorial explains how to set up and use them.

 


Tip 027

Using Smartlines #1
Mongrel roof with multiple internal gables and hip for good measure.

 

>

 Tip 028

Cricket Tutorial
Adding 'crickets' to regular roof shapes.

 


Tip 029

Curved (Arc) Sprung Roof Tutorial
Creating arc roof quantities and a 3D representation.

 

Tip 030

Using Smartlines #2
Cut up roof as often encountered in Texas and places south!

 

Tip 031

Cranking or crimping roof sheets to achieve arc shaped roofs as often used in Africa and the UK.

 

Tip 032

How to split metal roof panels at a purlin or batten.

 

Tip 033

Using Smartlines toolkit to develop complex roof shapes.

 

Tip 034

Using CAD toolkit to develop complex roof shapes such as Spires and Domes and then creating a flat pattern of the shape.

 

Tip 035

Using Smartlines toolkit to develop mid roof gable (similar to Tip #3).

 

Tip 036

Using regular Construct Roof functions to develop a multi-level roof.

 

Tip 037

Using regular Construct Roof > Smartlines functions to develop a multi-level roof.

 

Tip 038

Using regular Construct Roof functions to develop a multi-level roof.

 

Tip 039

Removing co-linear rake lines on the gable end.

 

Tip 040

Creating multi-pitch roof from a field sketch.

 

Tip 041

Creating multi-pitch roof from a a scanned plan. It is in two parts because it needed some cleaning up after the automatic features had done their job.

Part 1 - Digitising over a JPG

Part 2 - Cleaning up afterwards

If you get your plans as PDF documents, consider using a utility such as Universal Document Converter to change them to JPG so you can use them as an underlay image to digitise from.

 

Tip 042

Digitising Aerial Images to prepare a client estimate/proposal. Using services such as Bing, Google and Pictometry.

 

 

 

Tip 043

How to add extra flashing or trim to a roof geometry line to ensure they are quantified, costed and ordered.

 

 

Tip 044

How to build this clubhouse the easiest way.

 

 

Tip 045

Just a few mouse clicks using the Dormer function will build this roof.

 

 

Tip 046

Build tis from an aerial image - yes a little difficult, but not impossible.

 

 

Thanks

And drop back soon for more useful tips and tricks from the Customer Support Team.
Don't forget to send us your ideas. You may email us the processes you used and the model database.


*Please ensure that we do not breach copyright on any drawings you send in.