Quick start: the first opening

This page shows the shortest way to a wall opening – in the plan with hatch and as a 3D solid, firmly linked – and the most common changes afterwards. Every step has a picture; the details are in the linked tasks.

#1. Open the palette, choose template and display

Ribbon › LuaCAD tab › Openings. The palette opens at the edge of the drawing.

1. Under Template choose "Wall opening". Below it you see the type and the dimensions inserting starts with – "(dimensions open: proposal)" means the template leaves dimensions open; you will enter them in a moment.
2. Under Display choose "2D and 3D" – then the plan symbol and the solid are created together. The default is "2D".

#2. Insert: enter the dimensions

1. Click Insert. The Dimensions dialog box opens with the values of the template.
2. Enter the dimensions: Width X 300 (along the wall), Depth Y 200 (the wall thickness), Height Z 300. Calculating works: "250+50".
3. If there should be space around the pipe: enter about 25 under Clearance per side and check with clearance at width and height – the opening then becomes 50 mm larger in each.
4. Under Disciplines check who needs the opening, for example Plumbing. OK.

#3. Place it at the cursor

1. The opening hangs at the cursor – in the plan by its bottom left corner (without clearance).
2. If the wall is at an angle: press W and click two points along the wall. Rotate at right angles with ← / → by 45°.
3. Click the point on the wall edge (object snap helps). The opening is inserted and has the next free number. The next one already hangs at the cursor.
4. Esc leads back to the dialog box – Cancel there ends inserting. The command line states how many openings were inserted.

#4. Look at the result

1. In plan view you see the plan symbol: outline, diagonal, hatch – on the layer LuaCAD_BAU_Aussparung_2D.
2. Set the view to isometric (for example with the ViewCube): the solid stands at the same place, with its bottom at elevation 0, on the layer LuaCAD_BAU_Aussparung.
3. Both are a fixed pair: what you change on one side also changes on the other.
4. Set the elevation of the solid with MOVE of GstarCAD in Z, for example 1000 up – the plan symbol stays where it is. See Elevation of the 3D opening.

#5. Simple editing

• Change dimensions or type: in the palette Change properties, click the opening, change it in the dialog box, OK.
• Drag it wider or deeper: click the plan symbol and drag a grip – the solid follows. LuaCAD does not stretch a 3D solid; it jumps back.
• Move, rotate, copy: with the commands of GstarCAD. The pair goes along; a copy gets a new number and is never linked.
• Delete: in the palette Delete or with ERASE of GstarCAD – the other side of the pair goes along, U brings both back.

#What next?

• Your own templates with your usual dimensions: Managing templates.
• Color, layer and hatch by type: Display by type.
• A fixed distance from the corner of the wall: Inserting at a distance.
• Annotation, legend and schedule for the plan: Number, annotation and lists.