KTKArch

Were any of the X14 changes related to kerning? It seems that my fonts are all condenced with little if any whitespace between the letters in a word. A page wide title on the screen will print to about 3/4 width on the PDF file. The body text looks like a jumbled mess.

in X14 my font looks good on the design screen. However, after printing to PDF via the Chief Save As PDF all text in all the fonts I use are condenced [0 kerning] on the PDF. Anyone else have or had this problem and if so, how did you remedy it?23-01 Pristas font test 2.pdf

Thanks. Sounds like that may be similar to part of what IvanCyr was asking earlier.

In many ways with third party programs, agreed. Within Chief?...That is my intended context, even going back to my original scope of this thread.

Clarification: "Import" is a point by point intake of a file. Just as when we import a .jpeg or .pdf it is a graphical entity with it's own data and shapes. Importing a data cloud would get you a data cloud in Chief. "Converting" or "translating" a data cloud or any program's file is the process of creating Chief elements like wall types and windows/doors, floors, etc. much like 'Convert to Wall' does for cad lines. In a typical data cloud what you have is a 'random/incomplete' but orderly grouping of points that represent what the scanner has seen. Following the concept of what you put in is what you get out - If there are items in the way such as bushes or hanging clothes, move around them or move them to the best of your ability. At thousands of points per square foot, many are likely to be the wall behind, enough to at least get an accurate surface representation that will prove valuable. - Putting a little work into the prep or actual taking of the scan can yield exponential benefits. This would easily become the as-built file that could be referenced while tracing only what you needed and adding your new design elements becomes the working model. Arguably, having something that accurately represents the existing landscaping would personalize the project for your client and could easily increase the marketability of your services. Typical Chief Users may never need or want to do something like this, until its available and easy, just like rendering has become. But for the ever increasing power of personal computers we could all still be using ink pens and mylar and slide rules, if we remained satisfied with the typical. Keep pushing Chief and keep improving your own level of typical.

While Chief's form of file locking works, it's antiquated and lazy. In the mid '90s I managed 140 ACAD 9 & 10 licenses and even more users across 7 design offices all around the US. While we had a constant backup system for catastrophic [user] errors, that seldom came into play at the file level. AutoCAD was/is able to lock a dwg file at the 'record' level so we often had Architects and engineers of multiple disciplines all 'in' the same file at the same time from multiple locations. The file was stored on a central server and accessed directly across the WAN and LAN. This was accomplished over Windows NT 3.5 & 4. So the current version of windows is not the problem, CA's unwillingness to troubleshoot networked installs of CA vs keeping CA program files under C:\user is. Each discipline had their own menu and layer sets. We designed, amongst other large buildings, the Boeing 777 expansion, 1.4 million SF, doing this. AutoCAD was doing this more than 20 file versions ago, yet Chief can't get the concept down as to how powerful this option is. dBase was doing this years before ACAD; and QuickBooks can do it without accountants getting confused. CA would open themselves up to the large market of multi-personnel offices, giving them expanded growth potential. Giving all their users the potential to expand their businesses too. But sadly, we have to continue patching the process ourselves, spend time rehashing 'lost in the cloud data' and even use 'sneaker networks' e.g. Nike, Adidas, Reebok sneakers for those too young to remember that term.

Thanks, that does look like the present options. Of course, I was trying to avoid them until I had more time.

Looking for a quick way to emulate log/round beams and rafters for a "old western covered boardwalk" look. Any suggestions? Would be useful in emulating Vigas as well...the post ends that stick out from Pueblo and Spanish style architecture.

Does anyone know of a cloud storage option that you work in the cloud and it won't let another open the file, say a secondary file locking option. Dropbox copies the file(s) down to each user's computer and keeps a copy in the cloud so everyone can have it open. Box seems to have some built in protection but I haven't used it since 2015. What are you collaborative astute users using today? I could try to setup my own cloud as I have a few multi TB drives available. Does WD or Seagate software/clouds work for anyone?

I have been experiencing this option with Windows Animations turned Off and the Library Window not even open, let alone docked or undocked. Simply by dragging a 3rd or 4th tab to the second screen (all into the same window) and bang. Screen Zoom is set to 125%. Doesn't seem to matter if Chief has been opened 2 hours or 2 days. Last time it appeared to occur after a floor plan, elevation, full camera, then floor plan - !!! Plan, elevation, full camera menus all effected. Plans' went to upper left corner, the rest went to single line with submenues condenced.

NOW I HAVE NO TOOLBARS! I have to chime in here. I have been using the same system for five years. In that time I have experienced toolbar issues 2-4 times on X10 and first install of X12. I use two 40" hdtvs (Samsung & Naxa) at the same 1080p resolution. Both are directly linked to my laptop, a Sager 6700K w/ gtx970m. Then, after installing the latest update to X12 in very early January 2021, I have joined the toolbar blowup team. It happens when I have CA on both screens, often when moving a 'tab view' to the second screen. Usually a 3D view vs a plan. Closing CA or Opening another file might reset them but more often than not I had to reset them manually. Trying to select a custom saved toolbar config or any for that matter didn't work. It's been a frustrating week with this happening many times a day and more frequently once it starts. I have even had it happen within the same drawing file on the two screens but not in a second drawing file from a different project that was also opened at the same time. Tonight, it started (crunched up in the left top corner) on the second screen first, right after dragging a 3D view there. As soon as I selected something in the first screen (samsung) it blew up there as well. Soon there were no toolbars and nothing would bring them back. Tried: Closing the file. Resetting Toolbar defaults. Choosing saved Toolbars. Loading latest CA update. Opening in user and in Administrator mode. Running repair on CA. Deleting and reinstalling CA. Each time I'm confronted with the "reinstall should fix it" dialog box. It didn't. I even tried copying in X11's toolbars as the X12 toolbars directory is empty. Same thing and after closing the DB, I watched as it wiped the X12 toolbars directory clean...again. NOW I HAVE NO TOOLBARS! Last WIN 10 update was a few weeks before it started, but it may have updated in the background recently. I have in the last two weeks updated many drivers via AVG's tuneup program but this was in response to the first times it happened. So out of desperation I "Reset Preferences" and I'm now seeing & working with the default toolbar menu. Which came back in the typical wonky format of everything pushed to the right, on just two lines, compressed and unlocked. This was the case with both the Layout and Plan files. Aside: I will say that the update after 'reinstall' went smoother than expected and it found everything else "where I left it"

Renton, just south of the Lake. You have any dealings with the Clifton's and others in Skagit County's Builders Group? They used to have good meetings that a number of us AIBDers would drive up and attend. Really enjoyed their tour of the Engineered Wood factory/plant just north of Burlington.

It is a virtual event but NAHB is still charging to access the 'virtual vendors' trade show floor'; as well as the virtual training classes. Many vendors have given away free passes in the past, including CA. Haven't heard from any vendors yet this year so I'm asking if anyone else has.

I believe I heard that CA is not participating in the 2021 IBSx in February. If that is true then the answer would be obvious but here is the question anyway. Will Chief be offering 'free' tickets to the IBSx trade show floor this year? And if so when? If not: Does anyone know of venders who are and share the vendors' names? Thank you.

Anyone else experiencing strange things happening to their files "while they are closed". Twice that I know of now and in as many days, I have reopened a properly closed file to find significant changes happened to my file. The last things that I placed are still there, but other things have changed causing even more things to disappear. This morning's revolve around wall types changing. (Arrows) Level 1 walls of a specific type were replaced by 'attic' walls that are of the '8" Concrete Foundation' type from Level 0 - or with original wall type. The correct wall type, a new one I created just yesterday, is still in the system and not all of them were changed (see circled 'green filled' walls). Because the wall type and 'attic' change occured, the corresponding rooms were lost and any doors or windows in those walls are also gone. As are any associated dimensions. This also really messed up the as-built file that spawned todays Scheme 1 file. It was my only record of indoor measurements taken on-site (the first time this happened and first time I used X12 for as-built). To that end I will be printing pdf files of plans as soon as I am 'done' with as-built measurements and may consider doing as-builts in earlier versions. No one else has access to these files. X12 file from the start. Happened on two different PCs to the 'same' file. Second one was a Save-As of the first. Both times to some of the last items adjusted and typically surrounding wall types or locations. Note: in as-builts many things are adjusted vs newly drawn so the first time there were significant changes. Not just happening to 'new' wall types. I'm presuming it has to be something in how X12 stores or refreshes the wall types upon closing or opening. I will be opening a technical problem report.

Thank you all. I'll look into it the next time I'm at the drafter's locale.

Those folders, while all the subfolders and names are there, there is no symbology. These names also don't show up in the standard linetype choices in the standard dbx. I am not at his machine so no snapshots. But envision opening a line, selecting linetype, and seeing only the 20 Basic linetypes available. And yes, it appears these folders may have been 'moved' or copied to a folder called CAD under the User Library but I can't verify that until Sat. evening. These core directories should be recoverable.

One of my drafters has about 7 of the original linetypes that come with X12. Is there a way to reestablish the default linetypes, hopefully without reloading the program. I can't export them out of my X12 unless they are mixed with other sets of things. He had a folder in his user library called CAD that had all the missing ones listed, but nothing was assigned to the names so still no linetypes. Thanks for the help.

OK...too long staring at the screen... In CA's unknown wisdom they changed EARTH to WEAVE. Not nice to fool with an old man's brain like that.

(x11) When I open an object to fill (closed polyline etc) I have a standard list and the library option that takes me to Chief's library. It currently only shows that I have patterns of my own making in User Library. It also appears that I can no longer open 3rd party .pat files as I could in earlier versions. And finally, I cannot find a basic EARTH pattern in the defaults. So either I somehow purged some of the patterns or there isn't a default EARTH pattern. And how can I import my earlier .pat files? Not sure if this happened after installing x12 or if it is just this one file. Not using x11 but to finish out this project.

Bump! This is an important issue for helping clients view their entire project. It isn't working 'out-of'-the-box'.

Hover doesn't appear to do inside dimensions. A point cloud file is measurable between any of its millions of points. And these measurements can be taken while in any "2D" or "3D" view because each point has x,y,z coordinate values. So the accuracy of your scanner contractor is important. Scans at inaccuracies greater than +/-1/2" will not be a good value. If the point scanner 'saw' the interior items you wish to measure, you can. And even answer esoteric things like: how far the bed is from a dresser or window... That chandelier hangs how far from the cathedral ceiling... The fence was how far from the corner of the house... the tree's caliper size, height, dripline... Was it a 3-3/4" crown molding or a 5" and what was its profile? How big was that owner's cat...

If you hire a scanning firm, you can bill them out with mark-up, make a profit and still be working on other projects while the whole house scan is being done. The same goes for the draftsperson/service you hire to 'trace' the point cloud into CA. So the scan and trace take minimal time from you for coordination of the team. Your client gets a thorough scan and as-built of their complete house for less than you can personally do in the same amount of time. And you complete more work in office raising your productivity on other projects as well. Is this more than you need to get the project drawings done? Very likely. Have you overperformed for your client at a lower cost? Most likely. Has it slowed you down or distracted you from your office's total production. Less than likely.

Hover is a good start point for an as-built. It is a true cad model and not a point cloud of course. It doesn't include any topography or landscaping. It offers little for interior remodel needs at this point. It also requires your time to go out and get the pictures unless your client can do it for you. I'm asking for the ability to pull a 3rd party point cloud file into CA so that a drafter can 'trace' in 3D using CA. And a true point cloud is measurable. Each and every point has an x,y,z coordinate so pulling a dimension from one point to another is as accurate as the service you hired. This will make 'tracing' very simple, swift and accurate.

You call out an interesting issue. The Point Cloud will definitely show the items that are out of whack. Your as-built will have to have some kind of key that describes how you are going to show what and where the wonky issues are. Until we get spline-based and out of plumb walls. But what you really have uncovered is where the issues are and how big a problem they might pose to your client. This way the client isn't 'surprised' by the contractor's change order because something isn't as assumed because the as-built was 'drawn w/ perfect walls'.