I use Maya software,just need some time to study it.

If I Google Maya software, I pull up a price of $1995.......?? I can't begin to afford that. If you are a landscape professional, I can certainly understand why you'd have such a full-service program, but it's both over my head, and (I'm guessing) overkill for my personal needs. Literally, computerized graph paper would do me, but I don't have that anymore on the Mac. I used to, on an older computer, but it's history now, darn it.

Yes,it is very expensive and need long time to study.but it is a great software.

Thanks for the suggestion. It's just more than I need, or can afford... For a hobby lightweight such as I, what do you know about or think of the Punch family of programs? I saw a landscaping one that was in the $50 range, which would suit my pocket nicely. Would it help me layout and organize my yard? I can always call the propane tank a rock... ;)

I only used Cad,photoshop,3dsmax software,they work too.

I learned design using pencil and paper. It's 100% intuitive. I've tried Autocad and low end design programs (though not Punch.) While a computer drawn plan CAN look slick, as others before me have said, it cannot help you design a landscape any more than Microsoft Word can help you write a novel. That comes from study and experience. In the beginning, rather than helping you draw, they inhibit your drawing. While the very basics might not be too bad to learn, some of the details can be maddening. When you can't find a way to accomplish some small task that prevents you from moving forward, it's frustrating. The other bad thing is that it can be very difficult to control the drawing the way that you want. I've seen computer drawn plans that look horrible and were barely readable because of being so cluttered with goofy plant symbols. If a low end program has a plant database, it will be woefully insufficient, especially if you're interested in unusual plants. To use a low end program, I find I must virtually ignore the plant database, and the symbols in order to create a drawing that is uncluttered and easy to read. Doing that makes it impossible to create a computer generated plant list so it's little better than pencil and paper to me.

There is one nice advantage to even a low-end program and that's the ability to help you figure out, draw and visualize nice site work. If you're trying to layout some hardscape features, the drawing is precise and clean. The 3-d and rendering capability can make it easier to visualize the end result.

I still like pencil and paper the best... except for the erasing. But throw-away tracing paper can eliminate a lot of that.

minflick,

If I understand your question, you are looking to duplicate the graph paper / pen process on your computer. All you need to do that is a graphic file of a grid and software that allows you to draw lines on the grid graphic.

The software can be as simple as Microsoft Paint. I demonstrated this in a thread I will link below (Drawing the Plan. part 1)

A much more powerful graphic editor is available as an online application not requiring any download or installation at pixlr.com/editor. Find and store on your computer a suitable blank grid (you can use the one in my link below). Then browse to http://pixlr.com/editor/
Select "Open image from computer". Call in the blank grid and you are ready to draw. Don't forget to save your drawing often!

If you have trouble finding a suitable grid come back here for help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Drawing the Plan. part 1

Yardvaark - "I still like pencil and paper the best... except for the erasing. But throw-away tracing paper can eliminate a lot of that." That is exactly how I do quilt design. But my lot is laid out so oddly that I thought, and still think, something on the computer would, in the long run, help me better than the paper method. I could so easily be nuts in this, I know....

pls8xx - that sounds like what I had in mind. Thank you so much, I'll give it a try.

As I pointed out, all that is needed to start drawing a plan over a grid, is the grid. There are some online grid generators. The one I like allows you to customize the grid by using up to 3 line spacings, with your choice of line weight/width and color. Mostly I only use two lines and clear the box for the third line. The link to the site is ...

http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/multicolor/

The graphics below show the grid options available.

{{gwi:27049}}

{{gwi:27050}}

Download the grid and save it to your computer. Check to see that it is like what you wanted.

There is one small problem in using the above grid with the online graphics editor; the grid is in PDH format and the editor needs a jpg format. There is an online converter at ...

http://pdf2jpg.net/convert.php

At this site browse to the grid you downloaded and click the box to convert. A new page will come up where you can download the converted grid in jpg format. Use the online editor in my post above to open and draw on the grid.

Hello Guyz ,
can anyone tell me that what is the freeware software for image editing with great features ??
searching for the light weight with good features photo editing software. if anyone know about it then let me know. I have already download many software for photo editing but thats all are not good.

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This post was edited by Pavantaneja on Thu, Sep 11, 14 at 6:03

hey Taneja............
I think i may help you to giving information about your recuirment...
first of all i want say there are many freeware software for picture editing, but the question is what type of features you want in softeare. Any ways, I want to suggest you a freeware image editing software, that name is "Serif Photo Plus". Serif Photo Plus Starter Edition as a free version of its software suite for users basic tools to edit your photos as well. The software has the base covered with resizing tools, filters and effects, and red-eye reduction, among other functions. Because it is not certain elements of the paid version (the goal is to make you pay to upgrade), and you get so far in your photo editing. however, provide tools in an easy to use, you can polish the photos in your album. i have use this software 2 months before. it has many features, I hope you may like this one. :)

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Nice post and nice discussion too, I want to ask something from you all that what is the html editor software i can find on internet? Already using bash html editor but need some extra options. Unlike most HTML editors infant death his bloated and expensive, and has only a few features, Bash HTML Editor is designed Fully user friendly. Everything you need. To increase most visitors to your web page for a comfortable hand And contrary to the above mentioned program is what THAT Advocate General Control your HTML code and makes it unnecessarily complex, which is Bash HTML Editor. but i want some another one, please give suggestion to me for the suitable software.

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