Like with many programs PlansXpress allows you to copy and paste items with ease, however there are two different methods of copying items within PlansXpress producing slightly different results.
The first way of copying allows us to copy items identically from one plan to another. The second way allows us to change certain aspects of the items as they are pasted (useful when copying entire floors as the basis for creating additional floors)
Copy Method 1 (identical copy)
1. Select the item(s) you want to copy and then click the Copy button at the top of the PlansXpress window. You could also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C.
2. To paste the copied items just click the Paste button to the right of the Copy button. You could also use the keyboard shortcut ctrl+V.
When copying items in this way the reference point used to place the items will be the start point of the item drawn, so when copying a circle it would use the centre, copying a square would use the first corner drawn. If copying multiple items the reference point will be the start point of the item drawn first.
NOTE: Using this method will duplicate the copied entities exactly and allows you to copy items from one plan to another (it even resizes the items automatically if the plan it is pasted into is a different scale).
Copy Method 2 (copying to create a new floor)
1. Select the item(s) and click the middle mouse button. This will bring up a small menu. Select Copy, the Command Window will then instruct you to “Give Reference Point:”. The reference is used when placing the copied item or snapping it to other items on the plan.
2. Move your mouse cursor to a suitable point of reference and single click the left mouse button.
3. The Command Window will now read “Give Point To Copy To:”. Move your mouse to the location that you wish to copy the selected items to and click the left mouse button.
The Copy Plans Options window will then pop up. You can choose whether or not to copy the external and internal doors, windows and openings as well as giving you the option to remove foundations and footings (Important if you are intending to import the plan into EstimatorXpress!) You can also change the height of the internal and external walls being copied.
NOTE: Using this method of copying will not copy the estimated information for Stairs or for Roofs. The Stairs will be displayed on the upper floor that you've created but only so you can see where it is going to be with respect to the upper floor – it will only get priced up once. Similarly if you copy any Roofs to an upper floor it too will only be estimated on the original lower floor copy of it.
John Rees