What is Pro Mode?
Pro Mode is the professional planning tool in Eturnity Expert. Unlike Basic Mode, here you model the entire building in 3D – not just individual roof areas. The result is a realistic 3D model that your customers see directly in the offer.
Advantages of Pro Mode:
Realistic 3D representation – Convincing visualization for customer presentations
Automatic complete building model – All roof areas are created simultaneously
Suitable for all roof types – From simple gable roofs to complex dormers
Professional additional functions – Sunpath, shading analysis, import of floor plans and 3D models
Precise and symmetrical – Intelligent tools for exact building modeling
💡 Difference from Basic Mode: In Basic Mode, you draw individual 2D roof areas. In Pro Mode, you create a complete 3D building model from which all roof areas with correct geometry are automatically generated.
Video Tutorial: Pro Mode Step by Step
In this video from our Video Training Center, you'll see the entire process in action:
The 5-Step Process in Pro Mode
Planning in Pro Mode follows a structured 5-step process. Steps 3 and 4 (obstacles and margins) are optional, depending on the project:
Select map material – Ensure best quality
Draw floor plan – Outer and inner roof edges
Extrude roof – Create 3D model
Draw obstacles (optional) – Roof windows, chimneys, etc.
Adjust margins (optional) – When they differ from default values
Place panels – Cover roof areas with panels
Step 1: Select the Best Map Material
As in Basic Mode, start with selecting the optimal map material. This is especially important in Pro Mode since you're modeling the entire building.
Recommended approach:
Open the map selection on the right side
Test different options:
Orthophotos without distortion enable even more precise models
Germany: BKG Orthophotos
Switzerland: SwissTopo
Austria: Basemap.at
Bing Satellite Images
Google Satellite Images
Choose map material with:
Perpendicular view from above (no house walls visible)
High resolution and good contrast
Current imagery without shadows
⚠️ Critical success factor: Orthophotos are always taken perpendicularly from above and contain no distortions. Satellite images with visible house walls distort the roof and make it harder to draw symmetrically. Investing 30 seconds in the right map selection saves you 10 minutes of correction work!
Step 2: Draw Floor Plan and Inner Roof Edges
In Pro Mode, you always draw the entire building. This means: first the outer building edges (floor plan), then the inner roof edges (ridges, valleys, etc.).
Draw Outer Floor Plan
Select the Roof Tool from the toolbar
Start at a long, straight outer edge of the building
Use the snap functions intensively:
90° angles snap automatically
Parallel lines are indicated by the circle indicator
Equal lengths of opposite sides
Work systematically around the building
Close the floor plan with a double-click at the endpoint
Why draw symmetrically? A symmetrical floor plan leads to a precise and symmetrical 3D model. The snap functions help you automatically – let the visual hints guide you!
Draw Inner Roof Edges
After the floor plan, draw the inner roof edges. For a simple gable roof, that's just the ridge:
The Roof Tool is still active
Move the cursor to the center of a building edge
The midpoint snap mechanism activates automatically
Click at the midpoint to start the ridge
Drag to the midpoint of the opposite side
Click again – the ridge is finished
💡 Pro tip: The midpoint snap mechanism is your best friend for symmetrical buildings. It ensures the ridge runs exactly in the center and you get a perfectly symmetrical 3D model.
More complex roofs: For roofs with multiple ridges, dormers, or offsets, read the article "Modeling Complex Roofs and Dormers". There, advanced techniques like split roof edges are explained in detail.
Step 3: Extrude Roof and Create 3D Model
Now comes the "magic moment": you transform the 2D floor plan into a 3D building model.
Switch to the Height Tool in the toolbar
Select the highest roof edge (usually the ridge)
The selected line is highlighted
Enlarge the 3D preview in the upper right to see the changes
Hold down the mouse on the selected line
Drag toward the top of the screen
Watch in the 3D preview how the roof extrudes
Release at the desired inclination (e.g., 30°)
What happens during extrusion? Eturnity Expert automatically calculates the complete 3D geometry of all roof areas based on the floor plan and inner roof edges. You don't need to manually create individual roof areas – the system does this intelligently for you!
Step 4 (Optional): Model Obstacles
After the 3D model is established, you can draw obstacles like roof windows, chimneys, and vents.
Draw Obstacles
Activate the Obstacle Tool
Zoom closer to the obstacle for precise drawing
Draw the contour of the obstacle (e.g., roof window)
Use the 90° snap angles for rectangular objects
Close the shape with a double-click
Set Obstacle Properties
By default, obstacles are "roof-parallel" (they follow the roof slope). For chimneys or other protruding objects, you need to change this:
Select the obstacle (e.g., the chimney)
In the settings at the top, deactivate "Roof-parallel"
Enter the actual height of the object (e.g., 1.5 m for a chimney)
The object is now displayed correctly in the 3D view
Why draw obstacles? During automatic panel coverage (double-click), obstacles are automatically considered with correct minimum distances. This saves you manually deleting individual panels. Additionally, obstacles are considered in shading analysis.
Step 5 (Optional): Adjust Margins
Eturnity Expert uses a default margin of 200 mm to all roof edges. This can be adjusted if needed:
Switch to the Margin Tool
Select a roof area
Adjust the margins:
All at once – Uniform distance everywhere
Individually per side – Different distances depending on requirements
Typical use cases: Larger distance to gutter, smaller distance to ridge, special structural requirements.
Step 6: Place Panels
Now cover the roof areas with panels. Pro Mode offers two main methods:
Method 1: Automatic Complete Coverage (Recommended)
The fastest and most commonly used method, especially when you've already drawn obstacles:
Switch to the Panel Field Tool
Make a double-click on a roof area
The entire roof area is automatically covered with panels
Obstacles are considered with corresponding minimum distances
Repeat this for additional roof areas
Advantage: One double-click per roof area – and done! Intelligent coverage automatically considers all margins and obstacles.
Method 2: Draw Individual Panel Fields
If you want to cover only specific areas:
Select the Panel Field Tool
Click once to start a panel field
Draw the desired area on the roof
The area is automatically filled with panels
Use case: Partial roof coverage, specific design requirements, or gradual approach for complex roofs.
Adjust Panel Settings
You can make detailed settings for each panel field:
Select a panel field (marked in blue)
On the left side you'll find all settings:
Panel: Select a different panel from your library
Mounting System: Adjust the mounting system
Panel orientation: Horizontal or vertical
Additional options: Depending on panel type and project requirements
Additional Functions in Pro Mode
Pro Mode offers additional professional functions that are not available in Basic Mode:
Sunpath Simulation
Visualize how shadows move across your panels throughout the day. This helps identify shading problems and find optimal panel placement.
Shading Analysis
The shading analysis shows you in 2D view with color coding how strongly individual panels are shaded throughout the year.
Practical benefit: Identify panels that produce little yield due to shading and might be omitted.
Floor Plan and 3D Model Import
You can import existing floor plans or 3D models (e.g., from drone surveys) and use them as a basis for your panel layout. This is particularly helpful for very complex buildings or when CAD data is already available.
💡 Pro tip: Importing drone 3D models enables extremely precise planning, especially for difficult roof geometries or when no on-site visit is possible.
Comparison: When Pro Mode, When Basic Mode?
Criterion | Basic Mode | Pro Mode |
Learning curve | 5 minutes | 15-20 minutes |
Planning per project | 3-5 minutes | 3-10 minutes |
Roof areas | Best for one area | Any number of areas |
3D model | No | Yes, realistic |
Complex roofs | Less suitable | Optimal |
Customer presentation | Functional | Professional & impressive |
Shading analysis | No | Yes |
Best application | Quick preliminary offers | Final offers & sales |
Summary: When to Use Pro Mode?
Pro Mode is the right choice when:
You need a professional 3D model for your customer presentation
The project has multiple roof areas
You need to accurately represent complex roof geometries
You want to perform shading analyses
You want to visualize a sunpath
You're creating the final offer after the on-site visit
Expected result: With Pro Mode, you create a complete, realistic 3D model including panel coverage in 5-10 minutes that impresses your customers and increases your closing rate.
Next Steps
After mastering the basics of Pro Mode, we recommend these advanced articles:
Drawing and Adjusting Roof Areas to Scale – Correctly implement precise measurements from the on-site visit
Placing Panels Flexibly: Techniques and Best Practices – Optimizing your panel fields
Modeling Complex Roofs and Dormers – Advanced techniques for demanding buildings
The complete Video Training Center – Module 3 contains additional practical examples and shows all functions in detail.