Renerabbitt

On 7/25/2025 at 3:19 AM, Smn842 said:

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but I cannot reduce the months back as I use it when the need arises and its at least 6 months a year (can be more).  As I am not an architect my use isn't short term projects.  I've got perceptual X16 and X17 licenses there's no need to keep paying any more for legacy SSA with more potential increases, or pay for rental to get newer releases. 

 

I will keep using X16 as I won't get bug fixes for X17 and my SSA ends soon, plus I can use it in a locked down VM on one of my Proxmox/XCP-ng home servers for as long as I need if OS compatibility issues ever become a problem (already tested and works fine).

The last available perpetual license is X15, you won't have access to X16 and X17

I share free tips and tricks while updating my templates toolbars and libraries. 
Please note I do mention my systems for sale in video.
Ep 1. Reviewing My Sofa Library, repairing symbols and textures and showcasing the workflow I use to create my furniture
 

6 hours ago, ComputerMaster86 said:

"Ctrl", "Alt", and "Ctrl + Alt".

I would strongly encourage you to stay away from the alt key, this can cause some problems with mnemonic keys. False-positives, and menu initiation may occur. This will change with your system speed as it gets bogged down. The alt key targets Chief Architects main menus. I would stick to ctrl and/or shift for modifiers.
I would also switch to sequential keys if you need more combinations as it greatly increases the possible key combinations 
 

3 hours ago, SteveCanbury said:

(sorry no example, but Rene Rabbit likes it, and probly has examples)

See this:

Tools:

• Chief Architect X17
• Photoshop or Photopea
• Krea as of 2026, their enhancement tab and specifically the Krea Legacy LLM

Goal: iterative output for controlling specific elements of the original design intent while enhancing using Ai in a efficient way
We will be skipping some basics such as FOV settings, angle of camera, and composition in this first episode and we are jumping straight to the hot-topic of Ai image enhancement
Start by Exporting an image to disk. This is Important as we need to maintain an exact base resolution. we will be exporting a second image for material based mask selection

Next, we will be changing all of the vector based colors of our materials in camera and switching to a vector based rendering. This is specifically for material mask selections in Photoshop

We will then use Photoshops function to change line thickness to 0

When the Vector mask ID image is placed underneath the source image in the Photoshop Layers panel and is the targeted or only displayed layer it makes it very easy to select a material base on color.
Here is an example, the selection lines and active color suggest that I used select by color on the purple material ID. Notice the walls have a hatched selection line indicating their selection

Here is the mask of the walls

This entire sequence up until now has taken 5 minutes
The purpose of the material ID mask is to mask out problem areas that an Ai output changes
So lets send our image to our Ai Enhancement software
I made a pass with a HIGH level of creativity Low Level of fidelity and one with the opposite settings. Sometimes You may want to mask in a feature from a very interpretive output.
Here is our base ai enhancement

Notice a sprinkler head was added, that the photos were changed, as well as the chopping block and a few other features such as the highly reflective white surface tricking the ai into creating floating LED's
The major reason for utilizing the Ai enhancement software at the top of this post is because I have recognized that this software DOES NOT change the pixel-to-pixel perspective and orientation of the source image. 
For example, notice that the backsplash and photos are in exactly the same spot when revealing background layers with a mask:

So for our first pass, in Photoshop, I will create a raster based mask layer on the Ai enhanced image. The Ai enhanced image will be higher in the order of the layers panel, sitting on top of our source render. 
I will mask with a brush, shown as pink in this example:

Giving us:

Next I will add some lens flare, and using the material ID mask, I am going to add a hue adjustment layer and adjust the color of the walls and cabinets. Also using the material ID mask I am going to change the exterior by masking out the windows to reveal a layer underneath which will be a landscaped yard
At this point I can easily change any finish colors I need to very quickly

For example, I introduce a repeating pattern for texture. A blend mode set to color burn, masked to the walls, to give the walls some texture

At this stage we have spent 15 minutes total, and have change our output significantly and set ourselves up to make new edits very quickly. Make sure to save your camera settings in Chief Architect in case a design element has changed, because you can drop that source image back into your layer stack
Let's send this to Ai for another round of enhancement
Our 2nd round did offer some improvements. There is a 2nd round of masking and then we are ready for a camera raw filter.

The camera raw filter can correct some common pitfalls of ai enhancement, such as heavy contrast, white balance, white levels black levels, texture, sharpening, noise and more
The great thing about camera raw is that we can save our settings and they can provide a base edit that is often times all you need...a single button press for major improvement to the Ai output

This series of edits all in all took 20 minutes, and although we would have gotten a similar output from ai in just a single click, this final output is controlled and does not depict anything that was not specified in the original design

On 11/18/2025 at 8:22 AM, Radius1 said:

no macros

I just found this searching for something else. This is a simpler solve than you might think. From a cold start of the program your macros name is producing nil until the object initiates and creates a value. Your text box is set to auto width which produces a text box that circumvents auto link to tail. To solve for this, have your macro set an init value such as a string "placehldr" so that it maintains the overall width until the macro initiates and produces the dimension. 
Another solution is unchecking auto width but that's a bit messier

I just found this thread searching for something else. 
You would have to right click on your library object and update it from the TMM:

On 2/16/2026 at 8:50 AM, KilianDrafting said:

Thank you! I see this would also be affected by a pony wall situation.

Yes but if you had something you were trying to target, such as concrete, you could write a macro to search descriptions for the presense of the word "concrete" and total the areas being reported:
 

# ============================================================
# Written by Rabbitt Design
# www.rabbittdesign.net
# 2026
#
# DISCLAIMER:
# This macro is provided as-is without any guarantees of accuracy,
# completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose. Results are
# dependent on model conditions, layer definitions, and material
# assignments within Chief Architect. Users are responsible for
# verifying all outputs. Rabbitt Design assumes no liability for
# errors, omissions, or any decisions made based on this data.
# ============================================================

def concrete_area_total
  # ----------------------------------
  # CONTEXT HANDLING (owner / referenced)
  # ----------------------------------
  obj = owner rescue nil
  obj = referenced if obj.nil? || !obj.respond_to?(:upper_layers)

  return nil unless obj && obj.respond_to?(:upper_layers)

  total = nil

  [obj.upper_layers, obj.lower_layers].each do |layers|
    next unless layers.respond_to?(:each)

    layers.each do |layer|
      begin
        next unless layer

        mat = layer.material_data
        next unless mat && mat.description

        if mat.description.downcase.include?("concrete")
          area = layer.area
          next unless area

          total = total ? total + area : area
        end

      rescue
        # silent fail
      end
    end
  end

  total
end

concrete_area_total

32 minutes ago, ImNewHere said:

The file is a bit too large to upload, but I think I found a couple solutions...

Wetransfer is free to use

6 hours ago, LeeDrafter said:

thank you,

See video solution:

For the right “roof,” build it using railing walls on a second floor, set to a solid rail style with a height of 4". Then, in the room dialog, define the structure accordingly. Add a few polylines and convert them to holes in the platform, or use a skylight converted to a fixture and set it to insert into the floor.

For the left roof, use a flat roof. Set the pitch to 1/4" or 0" and adjust the structure and fascia as needed. 

23 hours ago, tds_cc said:

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.  I recently upgraded to x17, and that's when I started to notice these issues.  I am having trouble with clicking on things actually working.  Some examples, clicking on measurement lines or walls does nothing - will not open the time.  Double clicking in a layout does not open the floor plan that I am clicking on.  I am using tab to try and cylce through various objects and nothing happens.  I feel crazy typing this out.  Has anyone else noticed this or have any insight?  

 

Chief version x17

MacBook Pro 14-inch, M5 Pro

48 GB

Tahoe 26.3.1

Your shift key might be stuck
Your mouse might be switched from right click to left click
 

6 hours ago, GreenAcorn said:

I'm looking for someone that can convert a .dxf export from polycam into a native CA .plan file. Just a raw import with a bunch of polylines isn't useful. I need accurately converted walls, windows, & doors. Most of my properties are single story and under 2000 sqft.

Instead of exporting to dxf, export as an object file and import as a fixture and then use it to align walls in 3d

This will help in some instances

You have rim joist construction turned off:

and like evergreen said, gable sub-fascia

Also a good idea to drive your first floor structure by the defaults:

I would also build your daylight basement on a level 1 instead of level 0 since it allows you to isolate your foundation and footings plan from a floor plan of that level as well as giving more options for transition from stem wall to slab to stepped and furred walls

wasnt she castle build or something, I remember her website back in the day

13 minutes ago, JonathanK said:

Did Cheryl die, or what?...or just retire?

Passed Aug 4 2020

12 minutes ago, JonathanK said:

That signifies that you can manually adjust the newels

No that signifies that the CAD block for your newel post failed to properly generate. you can share your newel post file here so we can take a look.
You can tab through and move newels on any railing if you tab close enough to a newel post.
If instead you manually change the CAD block for your newel post to just an x polyline I bet that issue goes away

4 hours ago, JonathanK said:

Thanks, Joe.

That's all good and well, but wondering why the top wall on the left doesn't have the "customization"?

 

I always just assumed that right click was a continuous draw option, but apparently there is more to right click than I thought?...

Not sure what you mean, these are identical:

You can get close to automatic with a very custom set of textures stacked up in your wall type. incrementally shapes the logs

You would add quoins that are custom to recreate the log ends at the corners which I do not have shown

On 3/13/2026 at 2:02 PM, PitMan71 said:

It would be nice to have control over wall display and hatching in different views which help streamline things.

X18

2 hours ago, Mona_Sh said:

Does anyone has a better solution?

This is not meant as a slight in any way shape or form but I have not accidentally moved anything in this software in over a decade. I truly think it is difficult to let go of the way another software does something, because when it comes down to it, this software is worlds faster than Revit, so fully embracing its methods are beneficial.
That being said, this may help you:


Additionally, I would encourage new users to switch to contained selection modes

This will help you avoid inadvertently selecting more than what is fully contained within a selection marquee which can help for moving things around.
Also learning hot to perform tool restrictive selection using shift+marquee with a tool active to restrictively select that object type/symbol category while avoiding others
If you can give an example of when you wanted to lock an element, we might have a nice helpful solution for avoiding that condition, such as resizing walls by locking a side to resize about:

Why are these not automatically being found?
The missing resource from the backup is quite literally in the Asset Manager with the exact same name as the missing resource:

Instead I have to go 1 by 1 to replace every missing resource. This is a huge waste of time

1 hour ago, KBEDesign said:

Thank you for the suggestions! I've tried them all but man I am really struggling! I am a fairly new chief user and the sloped ceilings are really challenging for me. If I posted my plan file would anyone be willing to help me out and show me what I'm missing? 

Post it

1 minute ago, katiebits said:

@Renerabbitt It is way more complicated than it needs to be. It worked just fine as it was. Why did they have to complicate it? Not happy and seems to be very confusing. I don't want Chief's project management. Years and years of working with dropbox and now it is overly complex and not smooth. Just stupid.

I hear you. The why is that PM solves 2 of their most frequent support calls, broken links and missing textures.

You can turn project management off from preferences if you like

For some of us power users we wouldn't do without Project Management, it adds the ability for some really robust automation. It also solved some age old issues. If you want to know more about that you can check out this video:

You can turn project management off from preferences if you like