DHerb2014

I've been trying to find out (unsuccessfully) how to change font type and size for electrical symbols, particularly the AFCI outlet. By default, AFCI has a very small font height and is City Blueprint. I'd like to change it to a 3" high, Arial Narrow font for example. Please see attached for example.

Rene, What do you mean by not keeping your data files in the Cloud? Do you mean the actual X15 program itself? Not clear on data files vs. project files? We keep the project files in Dropbox and work off of them in Dropbox as "live" files that are saved directly into Dropbox and not kept in our PC's. Only one person at a time can access the project file itself.

Many thanks for chiming in Rene. Yes, I would like to know what I'm doing incorrectly with Chief and Dropbox. I don't want this to be a recurring theme. Are there links or recommendations for making this a standard protocol? As far as the Mac, I don't do photo-realistic renders, and if I need to get close, I use Twinmotion. I'm using Logic X for recording music and like the Unix based platform vs. the clunky Windows code. No platform is perfect, but the Mac to me is where I'm heading at some point in the future. AutoCAD will run under Parallels or Bootcamp when needed.

SOLVED! I tried everything with Chief, then decided to try Restoring Windows to an earlier version. Thank goodness I had a restore point from two weeks ago. I restored back to this, and reinstalled a fresh copy of X15, copied over my Templates and User Libraries, and it's living/working perfect again under Dropbox. Can't wait until the Mac Studio comes out with the M4 Ultra chip, as I'm ready to dump Windows completely. Been using it since its MS DOS days (1989).

Hoping someone has encountered this before. I was having numerous error messages when opening X15 and saving files. I called Tech Support and they didn't provide a solution, other than telling me to NOT use cloud services such as Dropbox for "live" files. It had been working perfectly until two weeks ago, when the error messages started populating. I uninstalled X15, after making copies of Library files, etc. I noticed that after uninstalling, X15 data folders/files were still on the Windows 10 tree. I deleted them manually as well, thinking a fresh install would place them back in order. I downloaded a fresh copy of X15 from SSA and reinstalled. Now I'm getting four error messages when opening the program (please see four attached). When opening X15 now, not only do I get the four error messages, I don't have any toolbars. I get seven error messages when closing the program, but want to solve the startup issues first. It's too late to call Tech Support and am hoping someone has a solution.

My User Data is on the PC. My collaborator (out of state) and I use the Dropbox file as a shared file. He does not work in/on it while I'm using it. For example, he will place a folder such as CD Floor Plan Model in Dropbox under his username. I have his password and keep it accessible to load or work on his files that he keeps in the specific folders. This afternoon I tried to "Make Cad Block" from the icon. No problem. When I tried to save the block to my Library, it gave the error message that I posted earlier. Also getting strange error messages such as "Could not create backup file "C:/Users/MyName/Dropbox/.../X15 Plans/Project. An attempt will be made to save. You should determine why the backup could not be made and correct the problem. Possibilities include a full disk, a path name that is longer than 260 characters or disk corruption." Never had that come up in the 20+ years of using CA.

I'm working on the project through Dropbox. It lives and updates in Dropbox. Collaborating with a colleague in another state on this project.

I'm having challenges with trying to block and save block to My Library symbols for X15 on PC. Keep getting error messages. Please see attachments. Have never encountered this before, very strange.

Thank you guys. Really appreciate it. I'll review the videos and learn how to properly use Saved Plan Views, etc. I'm used to AutoCAD and how their system operates, and need to learn more about Chief. As always, the Chief User's Group is the best around!

Thanks Charles. Why would the Electrical Layer globally override the other settings? You should be able to switch from Electrical Layer Set back to Working Plan Set, and have the changes reflect on the Layout sheet. Why do you need to re-link if it's just changing the setting from a drop down menu? That's a glitch to me. A user should be able to click "Undo" several times to get back to original plan view, and not have to re-link anything. Can't even do that...

Here's a couple more screen shots: 1. "Layout Elevations" sheet is missing all views. Clouds and deltas shown, but missing the views. 2. When double clicking on "Layout Elevations" sheet, this is what comes up each time - Electrical Layer Set. (see "Elevations Missing" screen shot) 3. If I select "Working Layer Set" from Active Layers, the elevations populate, but don't show up on Layout sheet! Is there a glitch in X15 or is it something I'm not seeing here? I've tried refreshing the screen, but doesn't help.

I made a change in Active Layers for changing over a floor plan to an electrical plan. 1. Selected the Active Layers and drop down to switch from Working Layer Set to Electrical 2. Floor plan changed over to Electrical plan. 3. Here's the conflict - when I went back to Layout sheets, some of sheets are either missing or have been changed to the Electrical plan. When I click on each window (view) from Layout, it opens up the Electrical Layer Set. I change it to Working Layer Set and Save, but it defaults back to the Electrical Layer Set. Attaching three screen shots of my conflict. I have no idea what I've done and hoping to switch these views back to Floor Plan, Elevations, Sections, etc. This is a project for plan check corrections, as you'll notice the clouds and delta marks. Hoping someone has encountered this before.

Thanks Rene. We will use your advice and give it a try.

Thanks for your comment as well Rosco. I'm running both platforms. Perry's correct. My colleague uses a very small display setting on his 34" monitor. My eyes aren't as young anymore and I need to use a larger screen display for my 34" Dell monitor (3440 x 1440 and 150% text size) . Learned something new today as well!

Perry, thanks for your suggestion. What is the cause for this, as this happens many times when sharing files with a colleague? Having to manually open and stretch the text boxes is time consuming, and wondering how to prevent this from occurring?

We're both using the same font (Bahnschrift Light Condensed), and just checked all of the setting in Default. Reopened the Layout file and it's still crowding the characters together.

Want to reach out to you regarding a conflict I'm having with text shown in both Plan and Layout files. I'm collaborating with another designer, and when opening up an existing plan file, the text is sometimes jammed together and does not automatically resize itself. Attaching an image of what I'm encountering. I went to Preferences and Default settings and didn't find anything to change this around.

Many thanks guys, as I did Rob L. said, and it works perfect! Able to rotate and move around easily. YOU GUYS ROCK!

The image of the sky is the Camera view looking at the model that I made. It's supposed to be flat with the flat portion facing up toward the sky. The way the block sits currently, is vertically-oriented. The model that I traced over was the PDF section with the man standing. I traced over the outer portions of the truss-roof, and then converted it with "Convert to Polyline" tool as a slab. I gave it a 35' depth. I was trying to extrude the object, but it was converted to a vertical block, and I need it to be a flat block sitting on top of a wall (shown in PDF section). All I'm trying to do is lay the block flat from its current vertical position.

Created and modeled a 3D truss roof into a custom profile. Traced over the attached PDF and converted it into a 3D object. What I can't figure out (in my small brain) is how to move the image so that it can be imported into the floor plan as a "flat roof"? Attaching a section of what it looks like, a Plan file, and Camera view of what it looks like currently. In Section view, it looks great. When you take a camera shot, it's 90 degrees vertical...? What is the procedure for creating this block as a flat image? This is a tricky one CUSTOM ROOF MODEL.plan

Many thanks for your help. It worked with Edit Wall Layer Intersections. Attaching what it looks like, and what I'm trying to create.

I created a 6' tall concrete block wall using horizontally-stacked blocks. When trying to locate next to the main layer of the house, it merges into the main layer and will not allow it to locate next to the main layer. Please see screen shot. Not sure how to locate it right next to the stucco house wall.

Thanks for the comment. I'm having difficulty with most of the Plan files and images not copying over. Tried "Backup Entire Plan" thinking this would copy everything to the flash drive. It didn't work.

Hoping someone else has encountered similar issues while creating a Layout in PC and then exporting entire Layout/Plan Files to MAC OS. I created an entire project on a PC and exported (I thought) all files to flash drive. I tried opening the Layout file from a MacBook Pro, and encountered numerous windows indicating that X15 was missing files and attachments? Question: How do you export the "entire" project from PC to a MAC OS with all attachments, PDF's, Plan files, etc. remaining intact?

Rene, Please explain where "I" is located? No idea. Thanks