IvanCyr

Thanks for the reply Jacob. I suppose I didn't properly state my query. I am very aware what is there. I am curious to why Chief seemingly arbitrarily and automatically created this....I've usually have success by deleting one wall or the other and redefining the space vertically. However, it keep popping up automatically with the same issue. I create a new plan and do the same, everything behaves wonderfully.... I recognize I can manually "fix" this as well....but want to get a better understanding of the guts of the program to try and get smarter myself.... Any solutions??

HallgrenWorking22.01.13.planSee attached plan (copywrite version). The garage door will NOT cut away the stem wall. There is/was some funky activity when trying to make adjustments during trouble shooting....wondering if one of the guru's could spot my problem. In the end, I want 12" of stem wall showing above the garage slab which will be set precisely -14" below main rough floor (zero 0'). Thx in advance. Ivan HallgrenWorking22_01.13.plan

Glen, it indeed was a Brick Ledge Depth issue....settings which I have not knowingly changed...or perhaps it is a default or perhaps how it may have changed by the previous construction method check mark of "Hanging the floor platform on the wall above" I don't know, but I set it to zero and it works fine. Thanks for the discourse. Yet another tool for the tool box. Cheers,

Hi Michael, Good guess and I know exactly what you're saying when walls are mis-aligned. This one is perfectly aligned with the floor 1 wall exterior framing layer aligned with sill plate which is aligned with the exterior stem wall. The vertical alignment icon does not show indicating proper alignment as well. Still scratching my head....

See attached image. The exterior wall on floor 1 is set correctly, see red arrow. The red box showcases my issue. This should be ONLY stem wall (and perhaps a rim joist or larger leger board)...NOT exterior layers from floor 1. There is NO pony wall defined...pretty much Chief default setup. This has come up a few times in the past and I am wondering about its "control" in Chief. It seems to be almost random...although this one showcased itself when the foundation walls were changed from having the floor joists on hangers mounted into the stem wall to being set onto the sill plate. Thoughts from the gurus?? Thx.

Hi Michael, Yes indeed...abandoned. As you stated, the solution complexity was greater than the problem. It was a good learning exercise in Ruby, label, and layer control. The problem, as I see it, is that the client desires different fills in the same wall. You can't do that (as far as I can tell)...so you're left with CAD overlays or Wall Hatching. Thanks for chiming in....your comments are always appreciated. :-) Ivan

Yes Perry, but walls cannot be drawn over each other therefore you are limited in options unlike other items. Cabinets act in a similar manner in Chief... I'm open to options but putting walls on different layers and having it look "nice" in 2D and 3D is quite a stretch....if not impossible. I'm looking to save time....and make a template efficient for a clients desires. If CAD on a layer is the easiest and faster method given the limitations (as you've stated above), then it is an easy decision.

Hi Jason. This was mostly an exercise to determine the feasibility of the concept; as I haven't been tasked with such a request. As I stated, it was "an interesting idea". The client is desiring 3 plan views of each floor: 1. Existing , 2. Demo and 3. Proposed (which ALSO includes the As-built as a reference floor). I do NOT wish to generate 3 files....max 2; namely the As-built and the Proposed. I was hoping to be able to buzz around the As-built and use the wall break tool, as needed, and select my walls and set them to my demo type. However, the wall settings are global, so if you change the fill in one wall, all the walls change. Therefore, you must change another attribute. However, just changing a label on the wall, say a continuous 2x4 interior wall where you wish to demo a section, if you change the wall label, the wall will automatically snap to a continuous wall type despite having different wall labels which is a non-starter. Complicating things, is that I am also using the same As-built information (NOT Demo) in the Proposed as a Reference Floor. The walls don't need to be on the wall schedule so no need to set them as unique walls and I use 3D extensively so don't want to be troubled with "No locate, No room definition" walls interfering with otherwise great 3D renderings. I'm back to the CAD line option....unless someone has found a better solution. For what it is worth...

I think we hit send at the same time.... Yep, exactly the problem...and I think you solved the problem more efficiently.

Gottit... n = (0.34* length) n = Integer(n.to_inch.truncate().to_s[0..-1]) multiple_string('X', n)

I have this so far. numbers_of_characters = (0.34* length).truncate() multiple_string('X', (0.34* length).truncate()) The first line calculates fine by itself. The second line causes the error. If I replace the "(0.34* length).truncate()" with an integer, it works splendid. I just need it to work smart... Still quite a newbie to this Ruby stuff....

Thanks Joe, I've calculated the width in inches of one "X" in caps. I simply take the truncated value of (X width multiplied by the wall length). This keeps the label shorter than the wall. I just don't know how to create the string of X's using the code. I've been researching since 6 this morning!!! As far as I can tell I need a loop to add X's to a string that will loop as many times as I determine in the function. The function is the easy part. How to get Ruby to understand my brain is confusing....or perhaps it is just Ruby who is confused. She doesn't talk back so I'm still at a loss... :-) I've tried: def multiple_string(str, n) return str*n end

Hi Joe, I suspected the same for #3, I would likely set the text via layer...since I could create demo walls for 2x4, 2x6, 8" and 10" stem walls...generally what I use out here for main layers. Any idea to solve #1 and #2 above?? Ivan

Good day to the Ruby code gurus, I have an interesting idea...at least to me. I'm building a paired template. I have a client who would like to have a set of plans that has as-built, demo plans, and the proposed views. The challenge is that the layout pages are to have as-built walls that show both as-is and then those which are to be demo-ed. I would prefer NOT to create a separate Demo .plan file to link to the views. I'm thinking of creating a "SMART" label which will type text "X";s in the label that would overlay the main layer of the demo walls. I could then assign the unique label to the wall. The height of the text would be set in Ruby code as a function of the wall main layer width, and the number of X's in the string would be a function of how many of those X's (truncated to the nearest whole number) could then fit in along the entire length of the wall. The label would be text justified to center. The length of the wall is easily found by %length%. 3 problems: 1. How do you retrieve the wall main layer thickness. It is "nested" in "upper_layers" and "[1]" and "thickness". 2. Anyone ever try to generate a string of text a specified number of characters long based on an objects attributes?? No idea how to code this. 3. The text size would ideally be controlled automatically such that the X's (or perhaps the label's corresponding border) would fill the main layer of the wall. Thanks in advance. Ivan Edited to add #3 problem.

Salut Michael, Bonne fete! Indeed, you are correct, albeit whether or not he has a BMW, I doubt it, likely a 3/4 ton diesel 4x4. It is more a question regarding how Chief put this together. The auto feature works great. What is confusing to me is that this garage was initially set in Chief as a detached garage and I set it all up manually. Client desired to have an attached garage so I pt-to-pt moved the structure to the house. I had to make foundation adjustments. Then the stem wall was showing fine, but the exterior cladding was populating on the exterior of the stem wall to the slab, which as you mentioned, we wanted 12" of concrete above slab/grade to the sill plate. The pony wall feature is great...and yes, NEVER drag walls if you can help it...it is about the very last thing I might consider for 3D model fixes prior to exporting to my high end web based virtual reality solutions.

Works well. Thank you! Point of clarification. When Chief auto creates a garage, it does NOT use a pony wall...where is the difference here?? If you care to comment. Thanks, Ivan

Hi all, Was wondering if there's a quick setting here that I'm missing. I've attached 3 images of my garage; foundation room, slab room (floor 1) and cross section. The garage slab is to be located 56.25" below rough main floor (zero reference). Concrete stem wall is to be 12" above slab. I do NOT want to see the exterior cladding pushing vertically downward onto the garage stem wall section above the garage slab. There are NO pony walls set in the garage. Thx in advance.

Michael...I just sent you an email. It will be from Inteck3d Inc. Thanks. Ivan

Hey Michael....ah...the triple click! Thx for the screen shots. I would have been scratching my head for a while on that! I was looking through the Chief "Help" menu for info on this but what you've presented must be somewhere else from where I was looking! Curious, is your source of info on this within Chief...or outside of Chief 'proper'? I definitely prefer your method and it helps me to better understand how to glean better and more thorough ruby coding back into the mat list. So much appreciated! Thanks!!

Hey Mark...well, that was too easy. I suppose I was thinking that I could add a designated column somehow to the M. List. Sometimes one thinks too hard on this stuff! Ok...thanks so much.

I likely have an advanced question for folks who like to jump into the deeper functions of Chief. I am working with a client to automate his pricing for kitchens. I have almost all the items figured out. However, I'm currently wondering how to "fix" the following: I'm noticing that the cabinet schedule callouts are NOT equivalent to the C#'s found in the materials list. I would need to find a solution to do one of two things: 1. Automatically duplicate the cabinet schedule values (C1, C2, C3...etc) into the same values created in the materials list; or 2. Create a macro that presents the value in the cabinet schedule above AND be able to "present" in on a line in the material's list. Regarding #2 above, I've been able to create a macro...but how can I point back to it from the Materials list and add it in the Materials Master List. Or perhaps there's another solution that I'm missing. Any comments would be well received. Thanks in advance.

Hey thanks Steve. I suppose I need to better understand Chief's ideas of furred vs frame through. Thanks again!!

Fair enough Eric...I'll give it a whirl here...no huge rush... With a handle like "solver" you would think you would just get me an answer or link to the answer!! LOL :-)

While on the topic of furred walls, (could find an answer here on the forum after some searching) does anyone else get the ceiling surface disappearing above the furred wall? I have modelled a split level, with the bottom portion of the basement portion 4' below grade (foundation level), I have defined a 4 foot high 8" thick concrete stem wall on that half the house. The top half is another 48" of exterior Siding 6 wall (so it is defined as a pony wall). I set a furred wall all around the four sides inside up against the 8" concrete stem wall capped at 48" to the top of the concrete stem wall. The furred wall layers are defined as 1" air gap, 2x4, 1/2" drywall. It is set to furred in the Structures panel. I have tried no room definition, no locate etc. but the ceiling in that basement stops at the furred wall (which doesn't go to the ceiling...stops at 48" above floor height). A manual ceiling drawn will also automatically delete itself in that area. What button am I missing!! Likely a rookie question...but this one has evaded me for some time... Thanks in advance! Ivan

Glad you liked the idea. Keeping various design options organized is absolutely critical. I use a lettering system. File management is typically alphabetical on computer systems and this lists the files as such. So a typical project is named, jobA, jobB, jobC as we go along for the versions of the file. Sometimes, say at jobC, the client wants to see three roof options. So at this point, starting from jobC file, I'll create jobC1, jobC2, and jobC3. When we move forward from there, it becomes jobD and so on. Seems like a small thing, but vocabulary becomes important. I use "VERSION" for the letter sequencing and "OPTION" for the number sequencing. In the event of getting to version Z, then the file becomes ZA, ZB, etc. That's only happened twice.... Number and date systems seem to be popular...but they always seem to get messed up between different peoples "way" or even country standards. As well, the time/date stamp is there with the file already so it becomes redundant. Using the letter system then allows for the attached date to be an additional layer of quality control. Organization is the vault to success here....a good system is the key. Again...by humble opinion. Cheers,