Nicinus

Thanks, found it (and some others too). A bit more readable I think, wider.

But what happens when you import dwg's? Won't you get a mess with layers?

Btw, you say your details are at 1/2" scale, I typically use at 1 1/2". Do you use 24x36? How big are your invisible boxes?

I downloaded it and think it looks great, especially the site plans! Is that Chief's own Blueprint or which font are you using for notes?

That certainly sounds like a good way of organizing them, and you don't have to have separate plans for them. Would be interested to hear Joe's view on advantages with using separate plans instead?

I've noticed that it seems to be a good idea to work on exploded details in a clean plan so that I don't mix up layers with my typical setup, as a blocked detail only uses one layer.

I have a Plan for each type of detail:

 

Railings

Door Head, Jamb, Sill

Window Head, Jamb, Sill

Foundation

Roof

etc.

 

Within each Plan I have a set of "CAD Details" that are named and have a Callout with text (Macro uses %view_name%).

All my CAD Details have an invisible border of the same size so I get consistency when sent to layout (same layout box size)

 

I create all my Details completely within Chief.  Each of my Detail Plans are modified versions of Chief "Detail Template" which provides a really nice simple way to create consistent details.  Occasionally I import specific product dwgs (manufactured objects) which I add to the library so I can put those things into my details.

Why separate plans for these categories and not one with several detail pages? To avoid a mess in the Detail Management dbx? There doesn't seem to be a way to create sub directories in the Project Browser (except cameras where I have an Overview folder for some reason.)

How do you handle layers for these details? Are they all in Cad, default or do you separate out text and dimensions?

What is is that designates a drawing to a certain category like being a detail in Chief? I would for tidiness like to have an elevation category but it all ends up in 'Cross Sections'.

Sorry for all my questions, but I find the reference manual to be very dry when it comes to motivating different options, and searching usually results in very old threads and Choef versions.

Interesting. So you have one dedicated plan file for all your details, and then you copy from that one to your working plan or directly to layout?

I have some issues with 2D dwg import for details and just wanted to get some feedback on whether I've understood it correctly, or if there is a better way:

1) In order to import a dwg detail I create a new detail in 'CAD/detail management' in plan, and then import the dwg.

2) Hatch patterns are lost or converted to solid polylines.

3) I mapped all layers to a single layer, but created a new CAD, details in order to "minimize" the mess

For some reason all notes disappear in the import. Initially my dimension notes disappeared as well, but came back after I told Chief not to import as cad block instead of dimensions in the import dbx so I assume this problem is related.

I've enclosed the cad detail in case anyone would like to import it and see why the notes are lost. You have to rename the file call 'Wd_Std...." from .plan to .dwg as the uploader refused to let me upload neither dwg nor zip.

Wd_Std_SPS_Window_Silly.plan

Yet Another approach to Key Notes in Chief

 

http://youtu.be/L2lVMf12kfo

 

Note to TS -- Not a suggestion -- just a comment to those interested!!

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

Maybe your thinking of the roof plane tools section. its there. Just select a roof plane and it comes up in the edit toolbar.

Thanks. That's it, the 'display on floor above' command for roof planes! That would come in handy on other things as well it seems.

Thanks Jim,

I think that's what I did in the beginning. I had a set on a lower floor level and then copied and pasted them in elevation and moved the copy up.

Could have sworn that I've seen a command for moving stuff up or down a floor though, but can't find anything about it in the reference manual either.

I have some corbels that are on the top floor roof, but somehow they show up on floor level 1. How can I move them up one level?

I tend to remember that I've seen such a command in the right mouse button menu, but it doesn't appear in this case.

+1

Some form of 'visual styles' options for walls would be very useful. There is no clever way of doing poche except manual, which creates problems if something is modified. Same for demo.

Now Michael,

 

I totally remember how to do it.  I'm just trying to get some of the new kids to scratch their heads in wonder. 

Well, that would be me but I have no clue how you did it. Four windows perhaps and one is a single casement?

Nice, I've always first uploaded to the gallery and then picked it via the MyMedia button. Glad I won't have to do that anymore!

It also seems as if ChiefTalk remembers me longer nowadays. Haven't had to log in again for several days.

Todd,

You seem to be on a similar learning trajectory as I. I asked the same question a couple of months ago along with some related issues. Perhaps there is some info that thread that may be of help to you:

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/1415-cant-find-update-to-layout-command/

Haven't used these yet, still working on my first exterior, but normally three views like that is combined into one symbol with three arrows. Is that a problem?

I use it often when editing or combining terrain feature surfaces. It is extremely awkward though, and the proper way would be to be able to cut polylines and control and merge anchor points. This is one area where I wish Chief would do rapid progress.

Both Sub-Zero and Wolf are a must, aren't they interested in supporting Chief?

Is there perhaps a way to put just the shelves on their own layer?

As to which dbx controls what text etc, I think I'm slowly starting to figure it out. The dbx for 'Dimension Line Specification' has a setting 'Inherit Default Properties From' that has been playing tricks with me.

What I can't understand though is why the dimension label text changes size in plan? Or starts to get smaller at a certain point. Let's say I've decided to place my floor plan on the sheet in 1/4" scale and I want dimensions to be 1/8", which means the text should be 6" in plan, right? It respects this when zooming out, but not after a certain point when I zoom in. I assume it is to keep text readable but this behavior is in contrast to for example room labels that always keep their relative size.

Thanks Jim, the scale matches Layout. Previously I've used the Layout box and specified a number there, but according to the manual that is a legacy way and it is recommended to do it via text styles, which is really the way I prefer it.

If I look at a dimension it states layer 'Dimensions, Automatic' and that layer uses in my case the 'Default Label Style' and I've changed the text size between 1" to 12" but see no difference.

If I look at annotations it says 'Using Active Defaults', which is set to 'Plot Plan Dimension Defaults', which in turn is set to use the 'Default Label Style.

Since the Default Label Style doesn't change anything, what is? Looking in the 'Dimension Line Specification' it says Inherits Default Properties from '1/8" Scale Dimension defaults', but where are these properties set? Everything I see seems to say that the default is my Plot plan Dims?

I am somehow probably being a tad thick here, but this seems very messy. All these settings kind of rubber band together.

It's actually on the contrary, I want the text to stay the same no matter Zoom level. Just like in Layout and the text fields for Rooms and other labels.

I want to make all my adjustments in Plan and then just send to Layout without having to worry.

Yes, that's the one I change.

Is there some form of hierarchy with annotation set that I'm not understanding perhaps? I have created a 'Floor Plan Set' that is using the active defaults, and dimensions is set to 'Label Text Style' but numbers are more like 12" and seem to use the Plot Plan Style, besides scaling with the plan when I zoom. How can I determine which annotation set is really used when it is using active defaults?

When I set min display size to 0 it has an effect when I zoom out really far, but numbers get smaller in relation to model when I zoom in. Is there a corresponding max number?

Perhaps it isn't taking effect properly? Is there a way to "refresh" the plan without opening and closing?

I can't figure out how to control font size in my dimensioning in Chief. I don't like the way it zooms in and out so that if I use autodimensiong I can barely see the house for all the numbers if I'm zoomed out. How do I get the same behavior as in Layout? I understand that there is a difference in scale here, and that chief works in a 1:1 mode in plan, but this works with all other text and labels.

I've searched on this topic in the old forums but most threads discussing this are older and may not be relevant anymore. The closest I've come is that I'm supposed to set the Min display value in Preferences for dimensions to 0, but that doesn't do the trick for me. Numbers still change depending on zoom level.

Also, in Layout there is a (over ride?) setting in the layout box settings that lets me set the dimensions directly, which affects all of them. When am I supposed to use this, and isn't it more logical that dimension are set in the annotation set?

Sorry if this super obvious, I seem to be struggling as usual.