glennw

Alan, Winders will work, but they only work when contained in a room. So...create a room around the stairs with invisible walls.

You didn't think to post the plan?

What tools did you use to create the object and what type of object did it end up being - solid, symbol, architectural block.....? Maybe even post the plan as it could be a few things - save us guessing.

Thanks Michael, I did look for the layer setting suspecting that was the culprit, but I only checked in the Camera, Dollhouse View layerset whilst viewing it in a 3D view, where it was turned on. So...I'm just trying to get my head around what is the point of having the M available in 3D view layersets when it seems to be the floor plan layerset setting that takes precedence in generating a ML? I have just done a bit of experimenting and it appears that, in a 3D view, even though a layer is checked to be included in the ML, it makes no difference because it is the M Layer setting in the floor plan view layer set that determines what is included in the ML - as is evidenced in this case.

It is being caused by the fact that those walls are defined as Foundation walls. I am not 100% sure why as I haven't had too much time to look at the plan in depth. Trouble is when you don't make them a Foundation wall, you loose the footings. I wouldn't have drawn the plan with the lower floor on level zero - and I think that could be part of the problem. I would draw the lower floor on level 1 and then Have a foundation on level zero.

Mark, I can get rid of the hole by selecting the external room between that corner and the boundary and defining it as a Deck - I think it has to do with the structure of a Deck (no ceiling). You will need to change the floor structure to a mono slab. You will then be left with a vertical line back a bit from the boundary side corner. I think this is because you may have played with the Edit Wall Layer Intersection tool. Anyway...it can be fixed with that tool. In the second floor plan, select the walls and adjust the wall layer junctions so that the grips are at 45deg. You probably don't need to do all the wall layers, but is shouldn't hurt. That other corner problem is a really messy corner which I think should be able to be cleaned up with the same tool.

It's a hard thing to describe. It has to do with the top of the door meeting the head jam at an angle whereby the height of the door is higher than the head jamb at the meeting point - due to the sloping head jamb. I would imagine the thicker the door, the greater the problem. And I would think that the same thing would happen with arch top doors. This may help explain what is happening:

I think you may also have to shape the top of the door arches to allow the doors to close or they will bind on the top frame before they close. I remember I once had a thick door with a sloping top and we had to gradually bevel the top of the door to allow it to close. From memory we needed to bevel more on the hinge side of the door top and gradually easing to nothing on the handle side top. Then again, I could be wrong on this as it was a long time ago - but still worth keeping in mind and trying to find out if what I am saying is correct. There would be nothing worse that getting something like that made and then finding out that the doors won't close!

Peter, I'm on my way.

Peter, My guess is that you have already been given the answer by Dan. Do a Perspective Full Overview and Toggle Textures should be available. The Toggle Textures tool will only work in a standard render view - not in a plan or vector view. If Toggle Textures is greyed out, you must be in either a plan view or a 3D vector view. Note that whilst in standard render mode, you can toggle textures on and your plants will appear, and if you then toggle the same view into a vector view, the plants will remain visible. ie, the texture toggle mode will apply to both standard and vector views - even though you can only toggle textures in standard mode. If that doesn't make sense, let me know and I can do a quick video, or probably better is a Skype session where we can share screens - am just over in Sydney.

I believe the wall hatch tool goes way back to a time when that was the only way to hatch a wall - before wall definitions could contain hatches. Its one of those tools that have just hung around in the background and occasionally has a use.

Peter, You are probably not aware of Chief's Rich Text In Place options. Select the Rich Text tool. If you click in the drawing area, you get the Rich Text dbx. BUT, if you drag a box instead of clicking, you get the text in place method which seems to satisfy your request. Once you have some rich text in the drawing, there are 2 ways to edit it. Select the rich text. You can open it's dbx and edit it there. Or, you can select the Edit Rich Text In Place tool from the Edit toolbar.

Here I pop! The difference between the 2 plans is that the DECK RAIL PLAN 3 (no extra wall line) has the deck floor level set at the default zero height. The other plan with the long name that I couldn't be bothered typing, has the deck floor set at -4" (this is displaying the extra wall line). Once you change this deck floor level to zero, the extra line disappears. Any negative floor height causes the extra line to appear. I am still playing with it to see if I can find the cause. It is weird behavior. I'll keep digging and see if I can come up with the reason. Maybe hand over to tech support?

Johnny, Easiest way I know is to break the foundation wall and change the footing size. Is this what you are after?

For most situations you can use shortcuts for the zoom and pan tools when you need to change the drawing area while editing. I have the following 2 key shortcuts: PA Pan ZA Zoom All (fill window) ZI Zoom In ZO Zoom Out ZP Zoom Previous (undo zoom) So if I am drawing a line that I have started in the drawing window and I want to draw it to finish outside the present drawing window, I drag the line past the end of the screen and whilst still holding down the mouse button, I do a PA shortcut (Pan). This allows me to pan the window and then go back to placing the end point of the line. This also works for the other zoom commands. But yes, an auto scroll would be much easier

Mike, There are a couple of ways to do it. I will do a video - give me a few minutes.

I had been having very annoying computer crashing and mainly freezing problems for the last couple of months - they were random and inexplicable.. I just couldn't track down the problem. I tried all the usual things like cleaning, reseating the ram and graphics card etc. I then thought it may be an overheating problem, but all the fans seemed to be working properly and there didn't seem to be any dust problems. I then removed the cpu fan, cleaned off what was left of the thermal paste (it was sparse and patchy) and applied new paste. I did this about a week ago and haven't had a freeze or crash since - the computer is running like a dream. I can only assume the problems were caused by an overheating cpu caused by the old thermal paste. I have since done some googling and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that thermal paste can dry up and deteriorate, causing problems.

Have you played with the "Color Off Is" setting in Preferences...Appearance...Display. You can select ether Black and White or Greyscale.

Mick, Yes, I hear the dark side calling. I have always wanted a mac and maybe now is the time. Standard or vector view...makes no difference on my machine with 1GB video memory! - almost instantaneous.

Yeah, we call everyone "guys" down here.

I probably have the oldest system here (just thinking of going to an iMac). I don't see any delay at all - it all happens in a flash.

I really don't recommend it, but you could try turning off some of the auto functions like Auto Rebuild Walls/Floors/Ceilings and see what if it makes a difference.

Because he is looking for a tip or technique - makes sense to me.

Is this what you are after. All done automatically.

Michael, Why doesn't it work for the third row down - seems to work OK here. I don't understand why you are saying it doesn't work for the beams - they are in Drawing Group 19 and thus draw under the joists and under the labels - once again, looks OK here.