glennw

Designating a Knee Wall tells Chief to ignore the wall for the purposes of building a roof as in the pics below. The 2 short walls on the upper floor are designated Knee Walls. Notice that the roof builds from the lower floor and ignores the Knee Walls. When you uncheck Knee Walls, the walls become full height and the roof builds off the full height walls.

Mick, I use Image Resizer as well. Multiple select and resize - too easy.

Jon, Have a look here: C:\Program Files\Chief Architect\Chief Architect Premier X7 (64 bit)\resources\buttons

Do you get the behaviour indicators next to the cursor when this happens (make sure you turn on in Preferences first).

Rashid, The Object Layer Properties on the Edit toolbar works exactly the same (for hiding a layer) as the ALDO introduced with X7. It still changes the active layer set though.

Mick, I think the real issue is that Chiefs ML really does quite a good job. Wether you call it a header or something else, Chief is intelligent enough to know that if you delete the on edge headers, you will still need a piece of framing there AND it is all accounted for accurately in the ML. Jared was questioning the accuracy of the lumber take offs and my main point is that the ML is accurate in this instance.

Layer groups would be a nice addition.

Jared, My guess is that the ML is correct. Although you have deleted the Headers over the door and window, Chief still builds a flat "header" plate that is needed for the top of the opening when the headers on edge are deleted. Chief still calls these Headers - which they are - it's just that they are on flat. The count is in ft - meaning lineal feet, not number. So, 7' for a window and door is about correct. If you leave the headers as default, that is 4 headers. Chief reports 13 lineal feet which is correct. Have a look in a 3D framing overview and see what happens with headers on and headers off. I suggest that you ring TS back and explain to them that Chiefs ML is smarter than what they think!!! If you want Chief to count number and not lineal ft, you need to use the Buy List. I think this post exemplifies the (mostly) unjustified criticism of the ML. With a bit of digging, the ML is usually correct. And in this case it is!

Yup, it's a curved roof, so I would do that with curved roofs

You can order the layers based on whether they are used or not (or if they are displayed or not), so that all used layers are at the top of the list. It is easy to find a layer using the Name Filter.

Dennis, If you wanted the ML to report framing, why would you use poly solids - why not use framing! Joey, This is 100% correct. I couldn't agree more. I did make an earlier post referring to the fact that Lew was talking through his buttocks, but thought better of it and deleted the post. But in view of Lew's ongoing comments, I thought it worthy of another mention. Lew, maybe you should get some first hand experience of the ML before you comment any more. The post from kbird1 above is a perfect example of a user who is trying to use the easy way without putting in the time or effort to figure out how the ML works and why he is not getting the results he expects. As the saying goes "Rubbish in - Rubbish out".

Mick, You really need to delve into the tools you are describing above and learn to use them properly - which you are not presently doing. You are expecting too much of Chief to give it all to you in the format you want without a bit of preparation. How is Chief meant to know what your buy lengths are or the size of your drywall panels? You need to tell Chief these things if the defaults aren't what you want. You need to learn how to set up the defaults so that when you ask for the information from Chief, you get what you want. Briefly: You need to edit the default Buy List or create a new one so that it reports the information in the manner you want. You can manually add waste in the Extra column. Your roof is only built with the smaller rafters. The paint color is in the Ceiling Finish spec. There is no paint finish on the walls, so why would you expect that in a ML? If you want more colors or coats - add them. If you want a different drywall size - define the material with the correct size. etc, etc..... As far as I can tell the material list is reporting exactly what Chief is set up to report. If you don't want it that way, you need to set things up to suit your situation so that materials get reported the way you want.

Mick, Could be user error! I have no trouble getting the Material List to include a 16' piece of 3"x8" lumber for a 14' 93/4" rafter. Have you edited the Buy List to tell Chief what you can buy - Chief can't do it all for you! What is the problem with studs on furred walls?

I'm up for a stab in the dark (but only one). Check your "Build Platform to Exterior of Layer" setting in the Wall Type Definitions dbx.

Robert, Think of the Pad Elevation as Chief's zero floor level. Enter the Pad Elevation as in real world heights ie, 903' give me a call on Skype.

nicknz, I suspect that Screen Refresh doesn't solve your problem. After you sent the view to layout did you change the display of any layers in the layerset set that you sent the view to layout with?

The instances where I have seen this are fixed with F5 (Refresh Display) - with the layout active. Try this: Open a layout and plan file and have them in separate windows (this doesn't work with tiled windows). Move an object in the plan. It will auto update and move in the layout as well. Undo the move in plan. The layout will not update - the object will remain in it's moved position. Make the Layout window active. Click F5 (Refresh Display). The moved object updates in layout. If you tile the plan and layout windows, the action of activating the layout window will update it without the need for a Refresh Display. nicknz, See if the F5 (Refresh Display) works for you. I also have it in the back of my mind that this is also related to layer display. This is really hazy, but I think if you have sent a view to layout and then change the layer display, a similar thing can happen and the Refresh updates the view with the new layer display settings - but maybe I am remembering incorrectly. I will have a play.

I would be very interested to find out the source of your information - can you provide details? I suspect that you are talking through your ars*!

You can, of course, turn these icons off at Preferences...Edit...Behaviors...Edit Type...Behavior Indicators. But then you won't be aware of the information that Chief is trying to tell you.

Joey, I can easily get Chief to build the slab on top of the stem wall or top of slab inside stem wall (no slab thickening though as in your detail). It's also easy to switch between the 2 methods.

Call it a Court, Deck, or Balcony.

Why would you ever want to do that - you can't build 2 walls in the same place! I show new and remaining walls with different wall types, but I would never show a demolished wall as a wall type. I would always indicate a demolished wall with 2 broken lines - it's not a wall, so don't draw one!

Then use the drag/tab method and the + or - doesn't make any difference.

Bob, There is no ceiling because you haven't drawn one and you don't have a room defined for an auto ceiling - a slab and footing doesn't create a room.. The roof return won't build because you don't have a gable wall defined at the front of the porch. Not sure about the frieze board at this stage. I reckon it would be much easier to build an auto roof on a house like that. Anyway... Build the porch from invisible walls. Define the front wall as a full gable wall and give it a roof return - that will fix the ceiling and roof return problems.

Yes, rebuild the framing and it will appear as if viewed from inside - mirror reverse of the way you had it (viewed form the outside).