We aim to make the gCADPlus interface clean and simple. All the tools necessary to create landscape drawings are in easy reach via drop down menus, toolbar icons or can be typed at the keyboard. For ease and speed of drafting, many tools are available on right click pop up menus.
Key areas in the drawing environment are labelled in the figure below. The black area in the figure below is termed the drawing editor (aka model space) and it is here that designs are created using various tools selected from toolbars, menus or typed in the command area.
Tip: The location of menu items or screen layout does not change when new versions of gCADPlus are released. We think that it is important to maintain consistency in the interface and not to change the location of menu items or screen layout when new versions of gCADPlus are released.
Help for beginners
Landscape designers can quickly move from hand drafting to CAD using in-built templates. The figure below shows a template in action. A new design will be created by dragging elements from the symbols at right to the left of page.
Learn about the CAD drafting interface here.
Learn about components of the gCADPlus drawing environment. We show the use of drop down menus, various commands to draw lines, circles etc. We will add accurate dimensions to plans and check out speed landscape drafting techniques using options on the special gCADPlus menu. We will demonstrate editing entities using the properties box and show how to supercharge drafting using the right click the mouse button.
Show and hide the command, status line and mini layer tool. Get online help. Learn to work with multiple drawings. Use workspaces to adapt the interface to your preference.
View a simple landscape drawing
Start gCADPlus by clicking the shortcut on the desktop.
Select File>New and choose the template called FrontGarden.
Once that’s done, gCADPlus loads a design. The figure below shows the view you should see. It is a design for the front entrance of a house.
From the previous movie, you are already familiar with methods of moving around in the design, but worth practicing again as shown in the movie.
Tip: The drawing editor background is black, but can be set to white if desired.