Development and Updates for the Medeek Wall Plugin

[Medeek]

Version 1.7.9b - 01.05.2021
- Added the following Simpson Strong-Tie holdowns to the shearwall module: HTT4, HTT5, HDQ8.



Added per customer request.

[Medeek]

Version 1.7.9c - 01.09.2021
- Added the following Simpson Strong-Tie holdowns to the shearwall module: HHDQ11, HHDQ14.



Another customer request.

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.0 - 01.16.2021
- Added a "Remove Cladding Lines" option within the global settings.



This feature might come in handy where you have split walls or multi-story structures and you want the cladding to blend between separate adjacent wall panels.

You can do this manually by hiding the wall (cladding) edges however this is time consuming and additionally the cladding lines will revert to their previous state if you were to regen the wall.

[Medeek]

I've been meaning to add the sliding glass door type for a while but it always seems to get pushed back due to some other priority.  So tonight I hammered out the final details and I will work on adding it as an additional door type.

I am using Andersen's 100 series (no flange) sliding glass door as the template.  This should provide a fairly universal option for a sliding glass door.  More exotic options can always be inserted by the user.

Initially I will disable sidelites and transoms for this door type however I will probably add those options in at a later date as they are requested.

My quick and dirty diagram outlining the dimensions for this door type:

[Medeek]

First look at a sliding glass door:



Note that sliding glass doors are quite a bit different from regular swing doors, obviously they slide when opened (not rotate).  However, there are also other parameters in the draw and edit menu that are not applicable.

The SLD can be specified as a left or right hand door.

I have not yet enabled sidelites or transoms for this door type.  Additionally, only rectangular door geometry is allowed for this door type.

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.1 - 01.18.2021
- Added sliding glass doors to the door module.





This item has been on the todo list for far too long.  I'm excited to finally get it out the door, no pun intended.

View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/ba03e59c-cc03-4824-819f-f792f05a2943/Sliding-Glass-Door-1

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.1b - 01.19.2021
- Added an "Animation" parameter to the General tab of the Global Settings.
- Enabled "animated" opening and closing of sliding glass doors.

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.1c - 01.20.2021
- Enabled "animated" opening and closing of single and double man doors.
- Enabled "animated" opening and closing of garage doors.

[Medeek]

Tutorial 18 - Gable Walls (18:05 min.)

[Medeek]

Updated (public) todo list (as of Jan. 21, 2020):

1.) Making the Window, Door and Garage Door modules work with generic walls, not just Medeek walls.
2.) Shear Wall module which will ultimately integrate with the engineering plugin.
3.) Presets for Garage Doors
4.) Move the Estimating module to the new **Medeek Project** extension, and further develop this module as it relates to the wall plugin.
5.) Start work on the integrated **Medeek Engineering** extension, start with window and door headers for vertical loads. (in progress)
6.) Additional door and window types as requested (eg. bi-fold closet doors, sliding glass doors, pocket doors, double and triple single hung windows).
7.) Spend some time on the new tabs in the global settings, currently showing an Under Construction sign.
8.) Stair module permutations: U, L, T etc...
9.) Further "idiot" proofing of the plugins: (zero value, nil values, checking for impossible geometry, etc...)
10.) Wall Justification
11.) Interior trim added to **Medeek Interior** extension.
12.) Resume development of the **Medeek Floor** extension. (in progress)
13.) Complex Roof rafter algorithm (in progress)

The items marked with strike through have been completed.

More door and window types still need to be added, this one seems never ending.

I did begin work on item #1, however there are some difficulties that I ran into which have placed this item on hold for now.

There are a number of other small issues or features that are not included in this list that need further attention, most of which I would call mid-hanging fruit.

The initial Medeek Engineering extension is functional as far as applying, modifying and deleting loads and supports, however the most important part (matrix analysis) is still in development.

The complex roof rafter algorithm is mostly there but there are still enough special cases that quite a bit of logic is still needed to make it reliable and stable.

[Medeek]

I will work on adding in a second sheathing layer and organizing the draw and edit menus a bit better:

[Medeek]

First look at an exterior wall with the second layer of sheathing material installed. In this case I have chosen foam insulation as the material:

[Medeek]

Either layer can be any of the typical sheathing materials as well as custom materials from the Material Library.

You can use Zip Sheathing on Layer 2 and insulation on Layer 1 as shown:



*Cladding layer turned off for visibility.
** Each sheathing layer is set to "LAP" at the corners.

[Medeek]

A couple more possible permutations:





If you turn off layer 1 of the sheathing the 2nd layer will be installed as if the first layer existed which allows one to introduce an air gap (equal to the thickness of layer 1) between the sheathing and framing.

The second example shows an air gap between the framing and sheathing and an air gap between the sheathing and cladding (via the cladding air gap parameter).

Now I just need to do a whole ton of error checking to make sure all of the other routines for placing doors, windows, trim, quoins, and annotations all work seamlessly when this second layer of sheathing is invoked. It will be another 2-3 days of tedious checking and testing, at a minimum.

[Medeek]

Exterior trim and wainscoting with a second layer of sheathing installed: