This module shows how to create the finished landscape design from a mud map made on a site visit.
Part 1
The movie shows us starting gCADPlus, choosing the default template, and drawing the footprint of the buildings on site. The line command with the polar switch is turned on (to ensure that lines are constrained to the vertical and horizontal plane) and used to place the building accurately. We emphasize that the computer model is full-size. We add a series of steps and move the steps into position (with the aid of entity snaps) to an accurately defined location using the offset command. The boundary lines are drawn, and the value and use of the properties box are demonstrated. The offset tool is used to locate a shed 8100 mm x 6000 mm (units) on the site. The line command is used to locate a carport. The use of the trim and extend commands is demonstrated as we place the carport. The rectangle command indicates three raised garden beds. The exact size of a raised bed is demonstrated using the relative coordinate system of data entry. Finally, we introduce some planting symbols by inserting a group of symbols suited to this job. Scaling and copying planting symbols makes building up the design a straightforward job.
Part 2
The movie shows how to place rectangles as an aid to hatching. The hatch is affected by loading a hatch pattern file and selecting individual hatch patterns – line and brick. We insert another plant species symbol and show how easy it is to scale a symbol. The multi-line tool is then used to place a detailed note about the rehabilitation strategy. The multi-line text is moved and resized to aid in the layout. The scale and line spacing inside the note are adjusted. We set up a layout sheet ready for printing using an A3 sheet and adjusted the view of the design inside a floating viewport. Finally, a title block with the design practice logo is added.
Part 3
Use MTEXT where large blocks of text are needed. The text-align tool can be a handy tool to help in laying out these entities.
Part 4
We indicate some areas in the design earmarked for future development by hatching rectangles. The linetype of the polyline marking these areas is set to dash, and the linetype scale is adjusted to make the pattern visible.
Part 5
We dress up the design by introducing more elaborate planting symbols from the named section of the symbol library. We scale and rotate some symbols to introduce a more artistic look and feel. The edit symbol and match properties tools are used to change the character of a symbol to match the intended species more closely.
Part 6
We complete the design by adding a scale bar and north point indicator in model space, using the polyline command, and hatching the area to indicate a grassed zone.