Reference
The LuaCAD tab
| Ribbon panel | Button | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Plug-ins | Piping 3D, Piping 2D, Ventilation 3D, Drainage 3D, Floor Heating, Openings, Block Library, Annotation | Opens the palette of the plug-in. |
| Project | Project palette | Shows the project of the active drawing. |
| Project | New project | Starts the project wizard. |
| Project | Import drawing | Brings a plan into the project – see Importing a drawing. |
| Project | Project backup | A copy of the whole project – see Project backup. |
| Exchange | IFC import, IFC export | Read models, or output all plug-ins as IFC. |
| Tools | Select by properties | Select parts of all plug-ins by their property fields. |
| Info | LuaCAD settings | See LuaCAD settings. |
| Info | Check for updates | Checks whether a new version is available – nothing is downloaded. |
| Info | Website, Help portal, Support, Info | The website, this help, contact to support, version and program components. |
On the Home tab, the LuaCAD button at the far left takes you to this tab.
The welcome window
| Element | Effect |
|---|---|
| New project | Starts the project wizard. |
| Open project | Choose the project file (Projekt.pdata); the project appears in the project palette. |
| Import a single drawing | Bring a plan into a project and align it. |
| Continue with an empty drawing | A new drawing with the template set for new drawings. |
| Recently opened projects | One click loads the project. |
| Don't show again | The window no longer appears by itself – switch it on again in the LuaCAD settings. |
While "LuaCAD is loading …" is shown at the bottom, a click remembers the choice and carries it out as soon as everything is ready.
The LuaCAD settings
| Area | Content |
|---|---|
| Author | The name in isometrics, lists, IFC and the clash list. |
| Drawing units | The units in which fields display values and new parts are created; "Automatic" uses the units of the drawing; otherwise always mm, cm, dm or m (no inches yet). |
| Welcome window | Show at start yes/no. |
| Notices and prompts | Everything switched off with "Don't show again" or "Remember answer" – switch on again one by one. |
| Getting started and insertion help | On/off per plug-in; "Show all cards again". |
| Updates | At start, check silently at most once a day. |
| Export and transfer settings | "Export settings …": all settings into one file (*.luacad-einstellungen); "Import settings …": apply such a file (current state backed up first, from the next start) – see Export and import settings. |
| Default settings | Reset the chosen areas (backed up internally first). |
| Help and website | This help, the website. |
The project palette
| Element | Effect |
|---|---|
| Tree | Disciplines, levels and drawings of the project of the active drawing. |
| Double-click | Open the drawing. |
| Check box in front of a drawing | Show it in the active drawing as an xref. |
| Red | The file is missing, or it is in the project folder but does not belong to the project. |
| Menu on the entry | Edit levels, add discipline/level, replace plan, update IFC, colorize, change path type, rename project, add to project. |
| Open project, Recently opened projects, Reload | Show another project; read the tree again from the project file. |
| IFC classes | Hide element types of the IFC xrefs. |
| Alignment | Align drawings that were skipped when the project was created. |
The project wizard
| Step | Content |
|---|---|
| Project | Folder, name, number, template drawing, drawing units, path type |
| IFC | optional: architectural model, discipline per IFC, levels from this IFC |
| Structure | optional: site and building as a folder level |
| Levels | Names and elevations from bottom to top |
| Disciplines | Names; load or save the standard |
| Drawings | optional: assign existing plans (they are copied) |
| Create | Summary, create project, then align |
Every setting in detail
The settings that apply to all plug-ins – with their effect, default value and an example. The settings of a plug-in are in its reference (for Piping 3D: Every setting in detail).
LuaCAD settings
| Setting | What it does | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | The name in isometric, lists, IFC and clash list. | empty | "M. Sample" |
| Drawing units … | In which unit new parts are created and fields show lengths: Automatic takes the units of the drawing (INSUNITS), otherwise always mm, cm, dm or m. Applies to all plug-ins, also set in the gear menu of each palette. | automatic | cm for an architect's plan in cm |
| Show the welcome window at startup | The window "Welcome to LuaCAD" when GstarCAD starts; "Show now" opens it immediately. | on | off if you always start with a drawing |
| Check for updates at startup | Check silently at most once a day whether there is a new version; nothing is downloaded. | on | – |
| Notes and questions | Everything you turned off with "Do not show again" or "Remember answer" – turn on again one by one or all together. | all on | turn the question when moving a network back on |
| Getting started and help when inserting | Per plug-in the cards of the pages and the help before special procedures; "Show all cards again". | on per plug-in | Piping 3D off once you know the plug-in |
| Export settings … / Import settings … | All settings into a file or from a file – see Export and import settings. | – | transfer to a new computer |
| Default settings | Reset chosen areas (settings of all plug-ins, systems, templates folder, notes and Getting started); a backup is made first. | – | reset only the systems |
Project wizard, step Project
| Field | What it does | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folder in which the project is created | The project folder is created in it; remembered for the next project. | last folder chosen | D:\Projects |
| Project name, project number | Name of the project and of the project folder (shown below); the number appears in lists and in the title block. | empty | "Sunny Hill residence", "2026-014" |
| Template drawing | All drawings to which you do not assign an existing DWG are created from it. | template LuaCAD.dwt or the last one chosen | your own template with the office title block |
| Project units | Take over = from the first drawing; otherwise millimeters, centimeters, meters – drawings from the template and from an IFC are brought into these units. | take over | meters for a large site |
| Path type of the references | Full path or Relative path: how each drawing finds the others as a reference. Relative when the whole project folder is moved or handed on. Change later on the project palette. | full path | relative for a project folder that travels |
Project palette
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Check box in front of a drawing | Show the drawing as a reference in the active drawing (remembered per drawing). | off |
| IFC classes | Hide and show element types of the IFC references (freezes the layers of the class). | all visible |
| Menu › Color | Show a reference in one color – back with "reload". | off |
| Menu › Change path type | Full ↔ relative for the whole project (no project drawing may be open). | as when created |
| Menu › Edit levels | Floor-to-floor heights of the project; a change never moves an object. | from the wizard |
Keys at the cursor
| Key | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | type a distance, elevation, length or wall offset |
| R | rotate |
| D | type an angle |
| W | pick an angle (two clicks) |
| H | free elevation, or vertical |
| B | reference point |
| P | match properties from the drawing |
| N | match system |
| G | free direction |
| S | switch side |
| T | tilt in 45° steps |
| Q / L | across / along |
| M | mirror |
| F | hold at the connector |
| Z | pull away from the connector |
| K | cone (Ventilation) |
| I | draw only one pipe (Floor Heating) |
| V | spacing increment (Floor Heating) |
| E | open properties or the template |
| Space | another base point; while drawing, snap to angle / free |
| Enter | finish or accept |
| Esc | cancel |
Shift and Ctrl are never assigned at the cursor – they belong to the CAD.
Reference levels
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| TOS | top of slab |
| FF | finished floor |
| FC | finished ceiling |
| BOS | bottom of slab |
A level runs from its structural floor (TOS) to the structural floor of the next level. The elevations are in the gear menu › Levels or in the project palette › Edit levels; all plug-ins use them for "from level".