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Make your 2D room from a Template

Separate a Wall / Floor

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2 Insert a AutoCAD file or a Scanner image Export to DXF file

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-  AutoCAD Save 2D space as a image

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- Image Grouping Objects

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3 Insert Camera Save a Collection

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- 3D top view Save a Partial Collection

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4 Insert Arrow and Measures Vertical Listellos

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5 Interior Walls Random Tile Selection

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- Stairs Material Border in an InWall Object
 (example: doors, windows, etc)

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- Base sinks balcony Tile Layer / Advanced Installation

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Covered Wall (for bathtubs)

 Custom Pattern - Pattern Designer

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1 - Make your 2D room from a Template
 
 

It's possible to start drawing a new Room in VirtualDecor in many different ways. In 2D mode you have some predefined rooms sketches that can easily help you.
To do so, go to “File” and choose “Open Template”.
 
 

 

 

It will show you several common room shapes that let you start using the tool:
a Rectangular, a Double Rectangle and "L" and "U" shapes.
 
 

 
 

If you prefer to draw from an empty space, you can use different drawings modes:
 
 

Straight Angle: Use always 90º corners

Rect: Use a rectangular shape drawing, to easy draw a square/rectangle room

Free Drawing: without limitation on angles, make special free forms drafts
 
 

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2 - Insert AutoCAD file or a Scanner image
 
 

You can use a AutoCAD (DXF file) or a image to help you recreating your real life room
 
  AutoCAD
 
 

Importing a AutoCAD file, require that you first assure some specifications for the file.
( To see tutorial click here: How to create a DXF file).

 
  Import a AutoCAD file, by clicking on “Insert CAD Project”.

 

Select the file you want to use

 
  The AutoCAD file will appear on the background of your working place
 

 
 

When you click on it with your right mouse button you can:

 - Delete the background image;
 - Send it to back/front;
 - Block it (useful if you don’t want to move it accidentally).
 

A good advantage of working with this background image, is that you can draw on top of it, using the lines of the CAD drawing.

By using the option of  “Snap Properties”, and  only selecting “ End Point”, you can draw the room easily, because it will detect the end of the lines that are shown.
 

 
 

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  Image
 
 

To use a image, go to Insert menu, and select Image.
 
 

After choosing the file, and before using it, you must define the correct scale by selecting two reference point and its real measure.
 One example is the size of a door, that has an approximate value of 70 cm.
 
 
 

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  3 - Insert Camera
 
  If you are working with several rooms spaces, an easy way to navigate between them in 3D, is using the “Insert Camera” option. This will help you "jump" from one to another in a very simple and easy way.
 
 
  Click on "Insert Camera" and then in a Room space. It will create a camera icon, now Rotate and Move it to adjust the angle that you want to see in the 3D Mode.
Repeat the same process to the others Rooms.
 
 
  3D Top view
 
  In 3D Mode, you can then use the option  “Select Camera” and change between the different camera views.
 
 
 
 
  You can always create another camera point in any place you are in 3D Mode, going to View, Insert camera.
The Camera view will be placed were you are and with the same angle that you have at the moment.
 
 

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  4 - Insert Arrow and Measures
 
  You can insert Arrows to help you to have a well organized 2D drawing, giving some extra information or measures.
Click Insert Arrow or Insert Measure, then click and move it, to define your direction of the arrow and it's shape.
 
 
 
  You can chose several Arrow's types  by right clicking the selected arrow and go to the Properties menu.
 
 

Here you have several options to use with your arrow.

The more significant are:

Has Measure: Indicates a specific measure, like a distance.
Text: Writes a small text in the arrow, like a title.
Line End Visible: you can change the visibility of the arrow, on the beginning of line, it's end, both or none.
Type: Type of arrow you want (arrow, white arrow, double arrow, diamond, bullet, oblique, inverse oblique).
Arrow size: Defines the size of the arrow

 
 

 
 



The Measure arrow works the same way as describe above, but it is more specific to only measures.

 
 
 

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  5 - Interior Walls
 
 



To use interior walls, you click the icon "Interior".
You can only build this type of walls inside a room.

 
 
 


Just click and drag the mouse to define the measure of the wall.

  By default the material applied to the room will be also applied to the Interior Wall.
 
  There is other interesting uses for the interior walls, like:
- Stairs;
- Base sinks balcony;
- Wall covered in bathtubs. 
 
 

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  Stairs
 
 



To create a Stairs, you must create a step at a time.

Define, for example, a 80x20cm interior wall box. In it's properties window you will have important fields that defines your Stairs step:

Elevation: is the height that goes from the floor until the start of the step's surface.

Height: is the measure of the step's surface. For the example, this will have 15cm.

Is Coated: you can use materials on it's upper and lower surface. To do this, change to the value to True.

To create the Stairs, the next interior wall (2nd Step) will have 30cm of height, and the next one will have 45cm.. and so one until the it reach the measure you want.
 
  After you create the stairs steps and adjust it's parameters, the result will be like this:
 


 
 
  You can change the covering of the stairs, by using different materials.
To do this you have two options:
use the "Separate a Wall / Floor" or the "Advanced Installation" features.
 
 

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  Base sinks balcony
  This is created the same way of the Stairs, but you will define the Elevation value.
 
 

To create a balcony with a height of 80cm and with 10cm of thickness, the values will be as shown on the image.
 
 



After you put a washbasin, at the correct height of 90cm, and change the materials using "Separate a Wall/Floor", or "Advanced Installation", the result will be like this.

 
 
 

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  Covered Wall (for bathtubs)
 
  You can use interior walls to create a wall around a bathtub.
First create the interior wall with the shape of what is need to "hide" on the used example, we choused an "L" form, define it's height (50cm this example) and select the upper and lower Coated (value TRUE).
The result is like this:
 


 
 

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  6 - Separate a Wall / Floor
 
  You can use this feature to change the applied material on a selected wall.
After you define materials for the room, all the walls are covered with the same product by default.

To create a special Wall/Structure you should use this feature
 

Click in Coverings, Separate a Wall/Floor, Select.
 
 

Then click the wall you want to select to change its materials, or just click on the wanted surface.

The selected wall will become white and ready to start working with it. 
 
 

After this, you can drag and drop materials to the room, but it only be applied to that specific wall.
 
 

You can be more creative and divide this wall...turning it into two separated wall:

Go to 2D, select a wall, click with the right button and select Divide.
The selected wall will be divided in half. (You can make this step as many times you want).

Now you can work this new wall separately.
 
 

In 3D, select only one of the walls you just divided and use the tiles you want.
 
 

You can always go back to the default covering, by  selecting the "Reset Materials" button, then choose the wall that must be returned to the default covering.

You can also make a "Copy Materials".
This will copy the applied materials of the selected wall, to other wall.
 
 
 

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  7 - Export to DXF file
 
 

You can export your 2D design to a DXF file format.
 
 

Go to File, and Export to DXF. Save the file.

 If you open it on a CAD program, the exported file will look like this.
 

 
 

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  8 - Save 2D space as a image
 
 

You can also save the 2D Drawing plant as a image format file.

Just click in Save Image, and select the name of the file.

 
 
 

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  9 - Grouping Objects
 
  Sometimes its good to have a group of objects to work with them more easily.
This feature can be also be used to change the same attribute of all objects at the same time.
 
  To do this, select the objects you want by left clicking and moving your mouse, covering the objects you want, or select the objects by clicking one by one with "Shift" key pressed.

Other way of multiple selection is going by the Tools Menu, and choose "Select By Name".

In the example shown,  we have selected 4 objects.
 
 

After selecting, right click in the room space, and select Group.

This will create a group of the selected objects.

Selecting, moving and changing parameters will be performed to the group.

At any time you can use the Ungroup function.

 
 
 

If you try to change the attributes of this group, it will be performed to all the objects in it.

However, only to the ones that have the same attribute reference and values.

 
 
 

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  10 - Save a Collection
 
  Use this function if you want to save your environment collection and use it in a different room.

To use it in another room, just click on Open Collection.
 
  Save a Partial Collection
 
  Use this the same way of the Save Collection, the only difference it that this function only saves a part of the Collection: Floor or Walls.
 
 

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  11 - Vertical Listellos
 
  To create Vertical Listellos go to Coverings/ Vertical Listellos/ Insert. It will open a Pattern Wizard box.
 
  Here you can define:

1  - The position in "X" from the wall alignment;
2 - The alignment of the Vertical listellos related to wall (Left, Right, Middle).
3 - This option is needed if you want to add a Vertical Listello just to a specific wall. (*)
4 - Here you define the rotation of the material:
a Tiles in Vertical - put the material in the original position.
 (maintains the tile's orientation)
b Tiles in Horizontal - it rotates the material 90 degrees.
5 - Chose a desire pattern and follow the rest of the indications.

Click next in the Pattern Wizard box, Select the material and finish the Wizard.
 
  (*)When you click in "Assign to a wall", a new box display's the list of walls that can be assigned. Select one, or just click in the desired wall.

 
 
  The applied Vertical Listello.
 
  If you want, you can change it from place.

Just select Vertical Listellos/Move.

You can move it's position by changing the parameters of X Position, and the Alignment.

If you select Assign to a Wall, you can select a different wall to assign yours Vertical Listellos.

You can always assign new Vertical Listellos to the walls.
 
 

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  12 - Random Tile Selection
 
  To make a random tile application, you must first select a layer of tiles that you want to change:

Go to Coverings/Material Tiles/Random Tile Selection, or Right click in the screen and go to Material Tiles/Random Tile Selection.

It will open  Random Tile window were you will select the material to be applied.
 
  Here you will see on the top, the original applied material.

On the left, the tree with the materials or you can make a search by size to find some specific materials, since only tiles of the same size can be applied.

When you select one, you will define a value (0 to 100%) to specify the percentage of that material.

For instance:
If you select two materials, and use "50" of  each one, you will apply them randomly, making a total of 100%.

After this, click Apply and you will see the result.
 
 

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  13 - Material Border in an InWall Object
 
  In some 3D objects (InWall), it's possible to create a Materials border around it.

InWall 3D objects= by definition, this special 3D models can cut the tiles on a wall. Some examples are:
Windows, Doors, and some Wall mirrors

Just select the object, right click and select Material Border/Create.

It will open a Pattern Wizard window were you select the pattern, then the material you want to use.
If you have a corner to apply, you could use it too.

You could always delete it, change it's settings and materials after applied
 
 
 
 

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  14 - Tile Layer / Advanced Installation
 
 

This is a advanced functionality of the Virtualdecor Tool. With this feature you will be able to create special areas on the covered Wall/Floor, like ceramic rugs, empty areas (behind bathtubs or kitchen cabinets), or special patterns.

Also is possible to printout tiles installation details, to help building the wall patterns by the professional technician.
 
  Click in the icon of Advanced Installation and left click in the wall (room or interior) you want to work.
 
 

You will see the wall you select with some information of the tiles already applied.

If you click Compute Tiles, you will have a full tile view.

Here you can create extra tile boxes, drawings, as many you want.

Other use is to print it and hand it to the technicians, to help the installation procedure.
 
 

You have 3 types of special drawing areas.

1 - Filled Bar - create a selection of tiles, and also a border around it. Ideal to create Ceramic Rugs.
2 - Region - create a simple selection of tiles. Use it to create a special area on the applied ceramic, like a "Panel".
3 - Blank area - instead of materials, it defines an empty region. Very useful on the wall portion behind a bathtub or Kitchen Cabinets.
 
 

To create a special area of tiles, just left click and drag the mouse.

Then you can resize, move, or change its  parameters.

To access it's option, just right click on it, and chose what you need to change.
 
 

You can change it's order (front/back), delete and copy.

Also you can Set Geometry To Surface, and it will fill the wall. This is usefull if you want to cover all the wall not only a specific area.

Then you can define the materials you want to apply.
The Pattern (yellow area), the Border and Corner Patterns (blue area).
The Corner pattern is optional. If you don't use it, select "False" on "Use Corners?" in the properties window.
 

The "Region" drawing have the option of Set Geometry to Section, this will make it adjust to a specific tile's section (yellow area).
 
  Its possible to save all the special areas that are created on the Advance Installation and use it on other project.
To do so:
 - Save your work at any time;
 - Open a saved one;
 - Merge - this is useful if you want to use several saved "special areas" on the same project.
  To define the materials you want to apply, you have two ways of doing it:
 - Normal Pattern Wizard
 - Custom Pattern. (explained on the next chapter)
 
 

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  Custom Pattern - Pattern Designer
 
 

Here you will create more complex Patterns.
It's a simple tool, but a very powerful one, were you can try many different pattern.
At any time you could test the pattern, and go back to the Advanced Installation, or even back to the 3D Mode, and test the results.
 
 


 
 
  To start, just select a material and click on the white zone.
The material is dropped a zero point position of our Pattern Designer.
The next tiles, must be moved to the right position.
 


 
 
 

Period Arrows:

Green Arrow - This will make the tile repeat itself on the Y-axis and is defined by the values of  X,Y (position and size of the arrow);

Red Arrow - This will make the tile repeat itself on the X-axis and is defined by the values of  X,Y (position and size of the arrow);
 
 

When we put another material, it will be dropped were we click.
You can select the tile, and move it to a more correct position, and aligned the other(s) tile(s).
The easiest way to align two tiles is  right clicking  with the  mouse button, and use the Align options, to move the material to the exact correct position.
 
 

After aligned the tiles, we need to change the Period X and Y arrows to the desire pattern.

In this case we have a 31.6x59.2cm material and the grout is (by default) 0.5cm.

Formula for this pattern:
tile1=31.6x59.2 cm
tile2=31.6x59.2 cm
G=0.5 cm

Pattern= "Period Y Arrow", "Period X Arrow"

Period Y Arrow=
X=0;
Y=[Y(tile1)+Y(tile2)]+2xG

Period X Arrow=
X=[X(tile1)+X(tile2)]+2xG
Y=0

So, "Period Y Arrow" will be [X=0,Y=(2x59.2)+(2x0.5)] and Period X Arrow will be [X=(2x31.6)+(2x0.5),Y=0]
 
 

Our example pattern will repeat itself on the Y axis, two times the Y size of the tiles and in the X axis, two times the X size of the same tiles.

If you go to File, Test pattern, you will see something like this:

 
 

After exiting the Pattern Designer and having all the materials placed, you have a result like this in the 3D mode
 
 

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