ArCon open +VA 2007 Professional Edition The ArCon open Professional Editon is the most stable and up to date product of all ArCon open versions. You don’t have to have any specific CAD-knowledge for the ArCon open Professional Edition. You plan your project, that is walls, doors, windows, stairs etc., in the floor plan. Just with one mouse click you can view your project in 3D.

ArCon open +VA 2007 Professional Ed.
vendor: ArCon

The ArCon open Professional Editon is the most stable and up to date product of all ArCon open versions. You don’t have to have any specific CAD-knowledge for the ArCon open Professional Edition. You plan your project, that is walls, doors, windows, stairs etc., in the floor plan. Just with one mouse click you can view your project in 3D. This enables a constant visual control of the entire house, as well as of construction details. The design and the ideal illumination of the rooms under real lighting conditions, can be checked and viewed in the planning phase.

ArCon open Professional Editionis compatible to all previous ArCon open versions. You can use all house data in ArCon open and also complete in it.
Features of the ArCon open + VA 2007 version in detail:

• Create exciting videos with the storyboard, be creative as a film director.
• Actual cost estimation
• Facelifted interface in 3D touch
 

The most important features in the version ArCon open Professional Edition are, above all:

the extended processing possibilities in construction and design mode
loading O2C objects directly from the manufacturer from the Internet
new landing and slab designers
The new features and extensions in detail:

Landscape designer
The creation of polygonal landscape is possible in construction mode,. Any desired, polygonal areas can be constructed in a 2D top view. Auxiliary elements (lines, circles, ellipses) and various existing contour forms (right-angled, round, rounded) support the construction of complex geometry.

On stating a lower level, a height and, with the possibility of defining an inclination for the sides, a 3D body emerges which can be textured as desired and equipped with bit maps. Each individual object can be given the characteristic "Contour" or "Hole". With this, the creation of any desired recesses in the objects is possible. On selecting filling models and colours, an individual 2D substitute presentation is available for presentation in the plan. The landings created are available for further planning (storage with individual names in a catalogue possible)

Slab designers
With the integrated slab designer starting from version ArCon+ 5, you can create 3D slabs in design mode. This makes the planning of any desired, polygonal areas (e.g. advertising areas) with construction facilities possible as for the landing designer. The contours of moveable walls, advertising areas and other slab objects are constructed with a 2D profile.

Multi-selection in construction mode for deleting elements
Selectable elements can be selected using straightforward selection (pick up with Shift key) or a right-angled box. All selected elements can be deleted.

Multi-copying of elements and objects
Selected elements are copied stating the spacing, number and direction of rotation. The placement is controlled by selecting the positioning points of the elements concerned or by stating an angle (offset). A preview appears with set copying options as placement aid.

Construction mode: windows, doors, supports, chimneys, auxiliary lines, text.

Design mode: furnishing objects, elements

Circular arc wall
The automatic rounding of building corners (e.g. quarter circle) is an example of application for this new construction feature. Superfluous wall sections are deleted automatically here.

Different construction variations enable the construction of any desired circular arc walls.

O2C objects directly from the manufacturer from the Internet / loading O2C objects
Objects in O2C format (e.g. downloaded directly from the Internet) can be selected directly in design mode in ArCon explorer and planned by drag & drop for a project. Information about the pertinent Internet page can be found in the object settings in the register "Internet". This enables, for example, the possibility in the planning with furnishing objects downloaded from the Internet to receive additional information about the project online from the manufacturer.

Catch option in design mode
The catch behaviour of objects can be defined in design mode (all view types) . With the new catch mechanisms, a furnishing object "snaps" automatically onto the "approached" wall. Objects can be placed in this manner directly onto an inclined wall without the exact angle of the wall having to be determined. Construction objects (e.g. hand rail) can in this way be positioned on one another.

Roof intersection for several buildings
Walls in several buildings can be intersected optionally under one single roof.

Level height lines / factor can be set
Definition level of the 1st and 2nd height line. A factor (in Germany, for example, 0.5) can be defined in this area for determination of the area.

Parapet heights for doors
Using the definition of a "parapet height", doors can be constructed which do not extend up to the floor of the current floor. This can be used, for example, in the construction of staggered floors.

2D substitute presentation for windows
Presentation of the opening direction of windows in construction mode.

These features of ArCon open listed in the following are contained in the ArCon open  open Professional Edition version.

Dimensionally accurate input
With ArCon open, dimensionally input of any desired complex ground plans supported by rasters, auxiliary lines and lineals is possible.

Planning and design
The planning and design of any desired number of floors including basement and roof are possible. Floors can be superimposed and faded out again, walls created directly as 3D models and cut automatically. Windows and doors can be selected from a given range or designed with the aid of intelligent assistants.
The necessary wall openings are automatically created when positioned. The ceilings of the rooms are created automatically.

Wall holes
Any number of right-angled holes can be cut into the walls. In the dialogue "extended window design", there is a check-box to superimpose the window frames (including glass) and fade them out again.

Automatic staircase design
ArCon open  includes automatic staircase design with balustrades for L and U landings and for straight, spiral, semi-spiral stairs and spindle and circular arc staircases. All staircases can be designed as solid or wooden construction. The surfaces can be designed freely and, by pressing a key, optimum traffic safety can be calculated according to the rules of DIN 18 065. For each staircase, it is possible to define a lower and upper level difference. Further, for a single-flight straight staircase, it is possible by entering an angle to agree an angular first or final step. With the aid of this "special type of staircase", ramps can be used in planning, for example, to design flats suitable for the disabled.

With the polygonal, spiral staircase, any desired polygonal staircases can be created and various forms of staircase balustrades selected. The varied possibilities of settings allow adaptation to various style directions. Any desired 3D objects and can be used as posts. The filling of the balustrades can be carried out using vertical or horizontal rods or by means of a glass surface.

Automatic and free roof design
In ArCon open , automatic and free roof design is included for saddleback, shed, half-hip roofs, mansard and barrel roofs as well as any combination of these forms of roof, including roof positioning and eaves details. ArCon open  automatically creates a design suggestion for the roof structure including rafters and creeping rafters, hip and valley rafters and also ridge, eaves and central purlines.

In a straightforward way, the roof editor supports the definition of new, complex roof forms. For each side of the roof, it is possible to determine whether it should be a simple side, a gable side, a half-hip side, with or without "owl flight", a mansard roof side or a shed-roof side. Depending on your selection, the required parameters are queried and explained by means of sketches.

The roof construction is adapted automatically to the design. With the aid of integral undo and re-do features, each individual design step can be retracted or re-created within the dialogue box.

The extended jamb-wall assistant alleviates the determination of different eaves levels. For visible purline heads, various forms of head can be set.

Roof dormers
Three different types of roof dormers (including the roof construction design) are supported. The front dormer wall can stand on a floor (non-attached dormer) or extend only to the roof area (attached dormer). The following types of dormer are supported: dust-pan dormer, saddleback dormer and triangular dormer. Windows can be positioned in the dormer walls (as in normal walls also).

Roof windows
In ArCon open , everything is tuned to each other exactly for anything to do with the window for roof extension.

A large selection of roof windows can be planned in ArCon open . Furthermore, the following types of roof window from VELUX are available:

- GDL - the two-leaf roof window with roof exit
- GPL - the top-hinged centre-hung window
- GHL - the top-hinged centre-hung window
- GTL - the living and exit window

Beam cross-sections
All wood cross-sections can be defined in a dialogue for roof construction. Using an information box, characteristic data about the roof are queried (roof area, running eaves, gableboard, etc.).

Complete interior furnishing in 2D and 3D mode
With the standard catalogue contained in ArCon open , planning of the complete interior furnishing from the furniture to the wallpaper and floor coverings in various style catalogues with more than 3,000 objects and textures (textures are used for the surface structures is possible. Furthermore, you are able to creates any textures which you may desire.

Apart from Windows BMP files, JPEG, TIF, PCX, GIF and PGN files are supported as file formats for textures.

Further, moveable objects can now also be presented using ArCon open . With the aid of these moveable objects, it is possible, for example, to open the door of a cabinet.

Ground modelling
The terrain is defined by means of an comprehensive polygon. After this, height levels can be set and holes cut into the ground (e.g. for swimming pools). The ground can be divided into various areas (terrace, paths, lawn, gardens, etc.) and then textured individually.

Consideration of sun and moon positions
Longitude and latitude are determined using a dialogue box (the entry can also be made by defining the state and town). The time determines the exact position of the sun and moon which can also be superimposed in the background. The colour of the daylight is determined depending on the time of the day and year. A north arrow can be positioned on the construction plans. This also determines the alignment for the course of the sun and the moon.

Photo-realistic presentation with ray tracing
A special feature of ArCon open  is the photo-realistic simulation of light conditions with ray-tracing. Light, shade transparency and mirroring are calculated realistically. The creation of high-quality images for presentation is, of course, also included in ArCon open  .

Building shadows
The user is able to determine whether the house will cast a shadow or not (e.g. building shadows for external videos with terrace shadowing). It is also possible to make a selection for objects as to whether they cast a shadow or not. That is important in some cases in the creation of images to be able to handle shadows specifically. This feature is a supplement to the already existing feature "Lamp creates shadow".

Labelling, dimensioning and output
The dimensioning of ground plans with individual or chain dimensions is a further feature of ArCon open . Efficient and correctly dimensioned output for each floor, including frames and labelling field can take place on any printer or plotter connected under Windows. Ground plans, views and images can be integrated into Microsoft Word for Windows for the drawing up of expertises and sales documents.

Foreground / background - bitmap
In design mode, a bit map can be superimposed at any desired point as a foreground image (e.g. ArCon open  logo, company logo, etc.). This bit map also appears on the images and videos created.

For the background, there is the possibility of image background design (horizon, bit maps) by inserting a bit map (image).

Cost dialogue (simple)
A cost estimate can be carried out in straightforward dialogue using the 7 cost groups of DIN 276. The square metre living space or cubic metre enclosed space are determined by ArCon open  automatically.

Numeric input possibility
In registering the ground plan, ArCon open  includes, alongside the input possibility via cursor and raster, also a numeric input facility (complementing the feature "Dimensionally accurate input"). For the first step, the polygon is thereby only recorded approximately and then determined dimensionally more exactly. This feature increases registration of the groundplan appreciably.

Import of DWG, HPGL and 2D-DXF files
DWG, HPGL and 2D-DXF files can be displayed as underlay foils for groundplan input. Further, the ArCon open  versions which we offer include the export of HPGL and 2D-DXF files and ProCad foils as 3D models for further processing in other CAD programs as a standard feature.

Planning and design of several buildings of different levels
The planning and design of several buildings of different levels is possible with ArCon open  (e.g. for nested semi-detached house development). Joists and suspended beams or wall holes are also supported.

Creates videos as AVI files
ArCon open  can create videos in the video format customary under Windows. Create professional video films for your client and set new standards in the presentation of your construction project.

Detailed space information
By pressing a key, detailed space information can be created as a text document with the description of space, information text and automatically calculated information, such as, for example, green areas, volumes, circumferences and wall areas. Through Microsoft Word for Windows, a list of all rooms can be presented as a RTF file which in addition contains a list of the furniture for each room if requested. The scope of output and the output format can be adapted freely by the user.

Profiles and views
In construction mode, as many horizontal, vertical and diagonal profiles can be defined as desired. Each profile can be placed as an image in the current plan or defined as its own sheet. The profiled areas are presented as shading. The same applies for views.

Profiles in design mode
The profiles defined in construction mode can also be made visible in design mode. In this manner you can look into the house as into a doll's house.

Calculation of ground areas and capacities
The rooms can be given a type of use in accordance with DIN. Calculation of the areas and volumes can be created with the aid of the feature "Room information" as Word Document. All points of DIN 277 are taken into consideration for the calculation of ground areas and volumes (e.g. plaster deduction, room heights lower or greater than 1,5m).

Virtual walls
With the aid of virtual walls, rooms can be created which are not surrounded on all sides by walls, i.e. logical rooms can be created which are taken into consideration in the determination of areas or continuous walls divided to texture them separately. Apart from this, floors of different levels can be created with the aid of virtual walls in connection with buildings.

2D-Editor
With this input aid, you can create simple 2D drawings in construction mode for further detail planning, e.g. also your requirements when installing sanitary systems or waste water systems. The symbols necessary for this are deposited in two DXF files which you can read in with the 2D editor and process in accordance with your construction planning.

Surface planner/tile mirror
The surface planner enables detailed processing of wall surfaces and floors. The areas can be divided into any desired segments and covered with materials such as tiles, linoleum and types of wood. This feature is also suitable for the design of façades.

The export of images
The export of images in design mode is not only possible as a bit map file, vector-orientated formats can also be exported (HPGL, DXF, Windows Metafiles, etc.). Retrieval takes place in the design mode under the menu item "Export file vector graphics". The ArCon open  versions which we offer use the type of presentation "Concealed edges" for export. If the type of presentation "Wire model" has been selected, this is used for export.

Two standard macros for export
Two standard macros for exporting the files of ArCon open  projects to ProCAD and speedikon (HLI format) offer a simple and almost complete export of projects into the two programs stated.

Language & Operating systems: English Windows 95/98/2000/XP

ArCon open +VA 2007 Professional Edition The ArCon open Professional Editon is the most stable and up to date product of all ArCon open versions. You don’t have to have any specific CAD-knowledge for the ArCon open Professional Edition. You plan your project, that is walls, doors, windows, stairs etc., in the floor plan. Just with one mouse click you can view your project in 3D. Product licence price Buy online ArCon open +VA 2007 Professional Edition CD-Version 469,00 EUR Purchase