Gyfte

does anyone knows if there is a free/low cost program out there that allows us to distribute it in our shops . the program is just to show our customers what there stairs will look like. so not a technical program like compass /staircon ,...
also i want to program a smal VBA in it so it has to be possible to do so.

program like this ;
pressing a selfmade button, fill in some dimensions en some other things, and press ok,
then you'll get automatic a 3D model fully rendered. as presentation for the customer.

any idea's for this application?
maybe there are programs like that but it have to be cheap because it has to come in like 10/12 stores and then 1000$ * 12 stores is a lot of money for a presentation drawing

thx
yves

framerman

You want to run 12 stores with free software?

What about SketchUp?

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Willie T

I whack up 3-D stair renderings all the time in SketchUp. I find the program aggravating, overall, but it sure does stairs quick and easy. About 10 to 15 seconds, total... for just the stairs, with no building attached.

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Static Design

Sketch up is probably your best bet for free software.

Gyfte

our vendors as well as me don't know how to work with sketchup , so it would be long until we can work with it?
i'm thinking of a real stair program or a module implemented in a cad program
and i don't believe that sketchup has allready a stair making module for it and i can't program a vba in it because sketchup doesn't support vba.

also i didn't say it has to be freeware but i can't order 12 times autocad, Compass, staircons,...

As I said, its just to get the buyers over the line and buy a stair, in the production we use Compass Staircase Software ND.



also we have 1 store of our compagny so, maybe we can just get a program for that shop. what would you advise then?

Static Design

There are several tutorials for sketch up on youtube or the intraweb, you can learn basic sketch up in 2 days to lay out some stairs. Sketch up also has basic components built in that you can import in your drawings and you can scale them to fit, why not learn sketch up yourself and just convert the drawings to jpegs and show them to the customers?

Gyfte

its not just me that will have to work with the program but mostly the vendors. i don't know if there is any way to get a vba kind of program in sketchup?
i read it can't be done. that way, our vendors should just put in some dimensions and they can see a 3D stairs to show there customers.

anyway , what do you guys think about Staircon. i might change from compass to staircon due to the staircon web.
with staircon web you can put a vmrl on you website. then you can give your customers the oppertunity to create and request a price proposal.
also that way , your vendors can show the stairs in 3D ( with zoom and rotate ) to the clients.
that way , i only have to buy 1 program and my customers will have a better view of what they are buying.

Static Design

There is no way to punch in dimensions and a stair case magically appear on the scene, but what you can do is manipulate components to your design specifications.

StairJunkie

Gyfte, if you're still around, mind if I contact you?

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