Quick Start

Below are some simple steps for quickly creating your first landscape design. These steps should be used to get a feel for how the software operates by automating some of the design process. If you wish to design your own landscape from the ground up, simply close the Welcome Menu that appears when you start Realtime Landscaping Architect.

1.   Start Realtime Landscaping Architect by clicking the icon on your Windows desktop. When the Welcome Menu appears, click Start a New Design using the Wizard. If the Welcome Menu does not appear, click File and Welcome Menu.

2.   Click the Next button.

3.   Select the desired width and length of your lot, which determines the dimensions of a fence that will be automatically place around your property, and then click the Next button.

4.   Click the picture of the house that appears, select the sample house that you would like to use, and then click the Next button.

5.   Click the picture of the pond that appears, select the sample pond you would like to use, and then click the Next button. If you do not wish to add a pond, click the Do not add a pond checkbox.

6.   Click the picture of the fence that appears, select the fence style you would like to use, and then click the Next button. If you do not wish to add a fence, click the Do not add a fence checkbox.

7.   On the graphic that appears, click and drag each landscape element to the desired position. When finished, click the Next button.

8.   Click the Finish button to create your first landscape.

Your first landscape is now ready for editing. You can add new objects and edit existing objects as desired. Switch between the Plan view and the Perspective view to see your landscape from different viewpoints, or enter the Realtime Walkthrough to walk through your landscape realistically.

Important: These Quick Start steps are very basic and allow you to quickly design your first landscape using pre-built objects. While this is a great way to learn how to use the software, you will likely want to create your own design from scratch. To start a new design, click File and New. Next, add your objects as needed, designing them exactly as you envision them.

Tips:

•      You can switch between English and Metric measurements at any time. To access this option, click Settings and Program Settings. For more information, see Using Metric.

•      When designing your landscape using the Landscape Wizard, as in the steps above, your landscape is limited to a maximum lot size of 500’ x 500’. However, when the wizard finishes you can increase the lot size by clicking File and Page Setup.

•      The fence that the wizard adds around the perimeter of your lot is rectangular by default, but can be changed to any size and shape after the wizard is completed.

•      The prebuilt houses and ponds that are added by the wizard are grouped by default, but can be ungrouped to become fully editable.

See Also:

Starting a New Design using a Template
Adjusting the View
Adding Objects
Editing Objects
Editing Points
Adding Plan Detail
House Wizard
Deck Wizard
Swimming Pool Wizard