I have tried 2 other packages recently, SweetHome3D and LiveHome3D. They make it really easy to get started, by simply importing an image from tax records that show the walls layout and dimensions.
Import image, set initial scale from 0, 0 (x, y) reference point, then draw walls, then duplicate 1st floor up to 2nd and 3rd floor. DONE.
Then start adding detail.
The 1700-page manual is very old-school FrameMaker encyclopedia-style documentation. Very complete, but reads more like a software menu functional specification book. NOT user friendly to newcomers. The tutorial book is a little better. I spent more than 2 hours hunting on the website, videos and manuals, but don't see how to import a simple background image, use it, and then hide on a background layer or remove it.
How do I import the site plan IMAGE with building wall dimensions from my city tax records, and then trace the walls on top of the image?
I have attached the site plan image that I will use.
Thank you.
I got the plan from the architect but it was only for the front porch renovation. It includes the living room, front hallway and bathrooms. I want to add the rest of the house to it myself and fill in the details. The house is off-registration down in the lower left corner, past the left boundary. When I "Select All" and then try to deselect the page boundary, it will not deselect the page boundary by Ctrl-Click. This is how multiselect works in all other technical drawing and CAD programs that I use. I followed the "Transform" instructions to move it back to 0,0 but if I cannot delete the page, I cannot select the house and move that back to the upper left corner 0,0 registration point. I got an error message to delete an extra large object or camera view that was causing the file to be too big, and shifted off the registration point, but that did not fix it.