AutoCAD Architectural 3D Modeling Program

           	        by Lu-Yen Chang 2003.8

           	    
Arch3D is a complete package of utility tools for the making of architectural 
3D model inside the AutoCAD.

It has many parametric programs to construct common building elements 
such as: column, beam, wall, slab, door, window, stair, railing, and etc,
to increase your speed of modeling.

Arch3D has better UCS controls and better vports configurations.
It also includes a few second routines to enhance AutoCAD's wedge, cone,
extrude and subtract commands.

A dynamic camera routine replaces AutoCAD's dview command to help you 
generate desired perspective views conveniently.

Arch3D can generate hourly sunlights and scenes for rendering,
as well as generate a series of sunshine image frames for shadow animation.
This is very useful for architectural daylight study.

Arch3D uses AutoCAD's familiar pulldown, toolbar and image menus.
It also uses AutoCAD 2000 option prompt style that leads you to 2000 smoothly.

Non-English user can customize Arch3D program prompts and pulldown menu
using his/her own language.


The Arch3D shareware contains:

	1. arch3d14.zip  (installation file for AutoCAD R14)
	2. arch3d16.zip  (installation file for AutoCAD 2000, 2002, 2004)
	3. readme.txt    (this readme file)


How to install...	

Step 1: Use file compression utility to unzip "arch3d14.zip" extracting 
        all the compressed files into a new folder such as:

            C:\Program Files\AutoCAD R14\arch3d

        (Note: unzip "arch3d16.zip" for using AutoCAD 2000, 2002, 2004)

Step 2: Go into AutoCAD
	Pick "Tools" menu and select "Preferences" ("Options" for ACAD 2000)
        Choose "Files" page and select first item "Support File Search Path"
        Press "Add" button then key-in or use "Browse" to enter a path 
        such as:
        
            C:\Program Files\AutoCAD R14\arch3d

        When done press "OK" to finish the setting.

Step 3: At AutoCAD's Command: prompt, key-in:
      
            (command "menuload" "arch3d")
          
        Then you will see the Arch3D toolbar floating on the screen.
       
Step 4: At Command: prompt key-in:
      
            3dmenu1	(for English)
        or  3dmenu2	(for Chinese Big5 encoding)
          
        Then you will see the Arch3D menu appear on the right side of the
        pulldown menu.
       
        Now you can try the Arch3D menu and pick the last one "About Arch3D...",
        you will see a dialogue box about this software.

        Try some toolbar bottoms, if the images dialogue box appears properly
        then the installation is succeeded.


Since Arch3D is designed to run using a second language other than English.
Therefore for non-English user, you can customize Arch3D's pulldown menu
and program prompts with your own language.

Inside Arch3d.mnu file, it has ***POP2 section for alternate pulldown menu.
It is written in Chinese Big5 encoding. All you have to do is to translate them
into you language. Do the translation with ***HELPSTRINGS section too.
When you finish the translation, at AutoCAD's Command: prompt, key-in:
      
	(command "menuload" "arch3d.mnu")

to recompile the new menu file. Then key-in:

	3dmenu2

This will bring up the alternate pulldown menu with your language.

For the program prompts, there are 19 text files also have Chinese Big5 encoding.
After you get familiar with Arch3D, you can modify them using your own language too.
But be careful! do not change the line order of these files.

	ucs.txt
	columns.txt
	beams.txt
	walls.txt
	slabs.txt
	openings.txt
	doors.txt
	wins.txt
	shadings.txt
	roofs.txt
	steps.txt
	stairs.txt
	railings.txt
	frames.txt
	arches.txt
	spirals.txt
	forms.txt
	camera.txt
	lights.txt

When you finish the translation, at AutoCAD's Command: prompt, Just key-in:
      
	alt

Now you can run Arch3D with you own language.
For some reason if you messed up with these file, Just key-in:

	eng
    
This will bring you back to English language again.


Note: For software registration and more information, please e-mail to:

      lychang@ms2.hinet.net



-------------------- (Chinese Big5 readmee) --------------------


                  AutoCAD 建築 3D 模擬工具軟體

                         張律言 2003.8


Arch3D 是一套完整的工具軟體在 AutoCAD 內用來製作建築 3D模型。

本軟體收集了許多好用的 3D工具程式，並且把常用的建築元素如：
柱、樑、牆、板、門、窗、樓梯、欄杆等加以參數化，使得原本
繁瑣之模型建構得以自動化快速完成。

Arch3D 可以更有效的控制使用者座標(UCS)，並且擁有較佳的視埠(vports)分割，
另外還包含了數個替補程式來增強 AutoCAD 的 wedge、cone、extrude、subtract
等指令。

其中一個動態相機觀看程式用來代替 AutoCAD 的 dview 指令，可以方便的
幫助你得到想要的消點透視。

Arch3D 可以快速的設定每小時之太陽光源與場景用來彩現(render)你的模型，
同時還可以產生一系列的太陽光影動畫畫格。(這對於建築日照研究是非常有幫助的)

Arch3D 使用 AutoCAD 熟悉的下拉式功能表與工具列以及圖像功能表，
並且採用 AutoCAD 2000 的指令選項提示，使得你能夠順暢的銜接到 ACAD2000。



本共享軟體包含:

	1. arch3d14.zip  (安裝檔 for AutoCAD R14)
	2. arch3d16.zip  (安裝檔 for AutoCAD 2000, 2002, 2004)
	3. readme.txt    (本說明檔)


如何安裝...	

步驟 1：利用檔案壓縮工具程式把 arch3d14.zip檔中所有的檔案解壓安裝
        到一個新的資料夾如：

            C:\Program Files\AutoCAD R14\arch3d 的目錄。

        （註：使用AutoCAD 2000, 2002, 2004者請解壓 arch3d16.zip檔）

步驟 2：進到 AutoCAD，點取「工具」（Tools）下拉式功能表之
       「環境設定」（Preferences），選取「檔案」（Files）頁
        之第一項「支援檔搜尋路徑」（Support File Search Path），
        先點取「加入」（Add）按鈕，然後鍵入或是用「瀏覽」（Browse）
        的方式輸入一個例如：

            C:\Program Files\AutoCAD R14\arch3d

        的路徑，完成以上的設定後點取「確定」（OK）結束環境設定。

步驟 3：在 AutoCAD「指令:」（Command:）提示下，鍵入

            (command "menuload" "arch3d")

        這時候螢幕中也會出現「Arch3D」的工具列。

步驟 4：接著在「指令:」（Command:）提示下鍵入

            3dmenu1	 (英文)
        或  3dmenu2	 (中文繁體)

        這時候在下拉式功能表中會增加「Arch3D」或「建築3D」的項目位於
        右邊倒數第二的位置。

        請點取「建築3D」下拉式功能表中最後之「關於 Arch3D...」，
        這時候在螢幕中央會出現「About Arch3D」的對話框。

        再點取Arch3D工具列上的按鈕，如果圖像對話框都能夠正常的顯示
        則整個安裝工作便告完成。

	欲使用中文繁體提示時，請在「指令:」（Command:）提示下鍵入

	    alt

        欲再回到英文提示時，請在「指令:」（Command:）提示下鍵入

	    eng


註：有關軟體註冊與相關資訊，請e-mail至：lychang@ms2.hinet.net