google sketchup

[David Anderson]

I downloaded this design program for free.  I'm trying to design a building, but this could be used to design a bus layout.  Has anyone ever used this?  If so, I may want to bug you for some tips.  I'm pretty PC inept and spent almost an hour trying to draw a rectangle an exact dimension.     Finally, after the tutorial and some poking around I figured it out.  It looks like a good program.

David

[zubzub]

I'm a little rusty on sketch up but the tutorial vids are really helpful, also get to know the command strokes that speeds things up as well.  Helps to have a mouse wheel, and a decent/powerful computer.  The learning curve is steep, but not as steep as traditional CAD Pro or similar.

[happycamperbrat]

I attempted it, and still have it on my puter...... but havent had the time to learn how to do exactly what I want (rectangles with dimensions). I have a lot of study to do. Someone posted a sketch up awhile back with their kitchen cabinets on it. Pretty good program if you can figure it out.

[David Anderson]

Pretty good program if you can figure it out.

That is what I read on a DYI site for Tim the toolman type  guys.  I searched the site for "best planning software" and several threads popped up that this was really good.  I tinkered with it last night and figured out a few squares and rectangles, but it is frustratingly slow for me.  

David