LAND F/X

By Scott Weinberg, Technology Editor, University of Georgia, Athens

This shows the addition of the Land FX menu items directly set in the AutoCAD tool bar. It requires no opening and placement of drawings in any special file. When you open AutoCAD, you automatically open Land FX.

A new player has just joined the family of CAD programs targeted to the landscape design field. LAND FX has arrived and is ready to take its place in the market place.

The software is one of the few alternatives for the landscape architectural and design profession to choose from when it comes to CAD programs. LandCadd, MicroStation, VectorWorks and now Land FX just about complete the basket of products we actually use in our day-to-day life. Considering the fact that 90 percent of the world that utilizes CAD software, landscape architects, engineers and architectural professionals, use AutoCAD, that leaves us with LandCadd and now LAND FX.

The labeling routine can either draw straight lines or curved lines to connect the materials. Once labeled the label itself can easily be moved anywhere on screen. Also automated is the plant schedule function.

Significant improvements are what Land FX has produced. They have looked at the other software programs used in the landscape architecture profession and have improved on them. Making things easier, more accurate, and above all, more professional seems like a task they took on when writing the program. The main concern is that they haven?EUR??,,????'???t gone quite far enough. But what they do have is a truly long-awaited and exciting new product that saves time and produces great looking drawings.

The basic program is similar to that of LandCadd with one attribute that makes it stand out far and above its competition. That one important characteristic is that it works seamlessly with AutoCAD. Unlike LandCadd which uses a project manager to open and manage drawing files, Land FX becomes part of AutoCAD. The menus appear in the AutoCAD menu toolbars.

This shows the dialog box which allows you to set up the plant schedule. Preparing a plant schedule or list is made simple by using this dialog box. Simply enter your selections in each box and you have ordered your plant schedule. Click and place.

There are three modules that Land FX has developed. It contains a planting design module which enables the user to prepare planting plans. This contains some significant improvements over some existing products. The placement of a plant is a fairly simple operation. You can select a specific plant either by the plant?EUR??,,????'???s name or by the symbol which is associated with a plant. Once selected it carries along with the symbol the information regarding the plant itself. In one instance it is this information used in the plant labeling routine.

A second part of the program package is the irrigation module. This module has created what the developer likes to think of as a user friendly tool to produce accurate irrigation plans. One suggestion: if you don?EUR??,,????'???t know how to produce an irrigation plan, this isn?EUR??,,????'???t the place to learn. As with all irrigation programs you need to understand the process.

You will notice in this graphic that the plant schedule generated by the program is made to appear in paper space in the AutoCAD program. In this case the first column shows the symbols associated with each plant.

If you know how to draw an irrigation design by hand, this program will allow you to fly through the steps and get terrific results. You can pick your equipment, select your gpm and pressure. Before you realize it, you have completed your task. The program will automate nearly all of the tasks that you normally do by hand.

The third module is what they call a detail builder and detail files. You can think of this as a detail database. It contains thousands of detail components that are easily accessed and have been developed using the CSI numbering system. According to the software developer it is a simple five-step procedure to create a detail:

Five-Step Procedure

• Graphically build the assembly.
• Isolate assembly components for individual details
• Insert the Land F/X detail template on the individual assembly components that best defines the size and scale of the final detail.
• Label, dimension and hatch the detail as required.
• Save the final detail using the Land F/X detail file system.

Sizing pipe, drawing in the laterals and mainline, helping to locate the valves and water meter are all parts of what this program can do. It shows the graphic style used for locating heads, pipes and sizing the pipes.

In the final analysis it does what it claims to do and does it well. The program lacks of any 3D images. When using the planting design module I always find it useful in the design process to be able to show my clients a 3D view of my plan, complete with trees, shrubs, etc. The other item missing is the ability to create a quick and simple digital terrain model (dtm) that could be used in an analysis function.

If you are not concerned about 3D effects I certainly would not hesitate to look into Land FX for your professional needs. Unlike other programs, you cannot purchase the modules individually. The three modules make up the program and come as one package. Pricing is available by contacting the Land FX group directly.

The website is located at www.landfx.com.

Showing a typical detail from the detail library that comes with the program. However, stock details are available, but the program makes it simple to create your own.