ebdesign

Perry, I can think of a few different ways to get to the attic flr directly w/out scrolling thru all the existing flrs, I could use the Project Browser or the "Change Floor Reference" dbx or having that floor already open in another tab, etc. But that's not usually how I move between floors. How do you normally move between floors? And then there's........... I need to go the the 2nd flr. But wait! the 2nd floor (or "level") is not really the 2nd flr. The 2nd flr is actually on the 3rd level.......or however you have it set up. No thanks!

A lot of users don't want to add flrs until they're needed. When I need to go to the attic flr, I don't want to scroll thru 3 blank flrs to get there. All we're asking for is the ability to assign a default cl'g hgt of our choosing before a new flr is built w/out the workaround of extra flrs in our template that very likely will not be needed. We understand that it only takes a few seconds to change it, but that is not the point. How many times does that need to be said, Joe? "A Floor isn't really a part of the Model if there's nothing on that Level. It's just a holding space for the vertical location. By having the Levels predefined with default heights - you get what you want." That's bologna! Chief calls 'em "floors", not "levels". I'm going w/ that. CAD Details are made to store stuff. Copy/Paste in Place (Control/Alt/V) between the plan & a CAD Detail works just as well (no, make that "better") as blank flrs w/out the trickery. Even if the new flr took on the cl'g hgt of the floor below (like it used to work), that would be better than 97 1/8". (Does anybody use that 1/8" anymore?)

Wow. Impressive you guys & gals. Base cabinets rule!

Hey Joe, I can put stairs in that go to a floor that doesn't even exist.............yet. I can draw stairs in the basement that actually start at the 2flr & go up.......or down I can copy/paste stairs from one flr to another & not have them change vertically at all. Just jerkin' your chain Joe. Trying to snap out of the Monday funk.

Sorry if I sound grumpy. It's Monday after all. I thought my question was pretty plain. I do not build floors until I need them. I understand why some of you do. I don't & neither do a lot of other users. So can we move past that? All I was asking was a way to preset the cl'g hgt value so that when a new flr is built, I don't have to change anything. IOW, no clicks at all. I don't think there is, but I thought someone might know of a way.

Read a little closer guys. A "NEWLY BUILT FLOOR" I don't add floors to my plans until I need them. As do a lot of other users. & no, Joe, newly built floors do not pick up the defaults of the flr below. Not here anyway. w/ the version of Chief I have.

That's not what I asked Perry. But, thanks.

Is there a way to get a newly built flr to have the cl'g hgt I want instead of what I get- 97 1/8"- & then have to change it?

1,2,3,

I'm guessing it's the attic wall under the hip roof down there. make that wall invisible, or select "Balloon thru.........." for the main wall under that attic wall. could be the edge of your roof plane is not exactly against the siding too.

But that dimension is not necessarily using the layer to determine the text style. You have to look at the dimension defaults to see what you have set up. Are you using the layer to determine the text style/ Are you using a specific text style for dimensions regardless of layer. Or a custom text style? It can be very confusing. and maybe I'm confused too. The quickest way to get this solved would be to post the plan. or just copy/paste an area illustrating the situation into a blank plan & post that. We'll have it figured out in no time.

Oh. Well, then leave that value at zero. Guess I didn't understand the question. But I'll take another stab anyway. Select a dimension & see what defaults that dimension is using. What text style is being used for that default? Does it match the scale used in the layout view?

If you want to be able to read the dimensions regardless of zoom level, than put a number in the field. That number is pixels on your monitor screen, so depending on your monitor resolution, will determine what size that number is displayed at. set it to whatever size suits you. That setting has no effect on printed output.

Todd, Insert a window in a plan. Then open that window spec dbx & browse through all the tabs. All the values you see w/ a (D), or "Use Default" or the Default field is selected, those are the values that change when the defaults are changed. That's it. So things like, size, hgt abv flr, etc do not change after they are inserted. Those values are not dynamic. to change those properties that are not dynamic in existing windows, you must select the window(s) & change them manually. This applies to everything else in Chief too.

Rob, I think Glenn is referring to "RESIZE ABOUT" in the wall defaults, not "rotate about" in Preferences. Look at Defaults/Walls/General Wall/Resize About Draw a single wall, change those settings & select the wall again. Notice where the grips are When a wall is selected, where the grips are located along that wall (layer) indicates what is selected in that dbx. This is a very handy/powerful tool when changing wall defs & types & wall alignment. Also a very dangerous tool.

Absolutely. I'm a golfer...........I mean I play golf.......not very well anymore. We have some GREAT courses up here. This area is a vacation destination; all about tourists. busiest vacation area east of the Mississippi that isn't on the ocean. Torch Lake is pretty spectacular too. I'll take you on a boat ride. Be sure to contact me as the time gets closer. I'll be your "guide". We did that a few yrs ago w/ some Chief-users that came here as a group. Annette, Bill Shideler, half a dozen others whose names escape me at the moment. Great time.

Perry, I live in NW Lower Michigan- near Torch Lake/Traverse City. My primary acct is an architect in LA/Beverly Hills. & another acct in San Francisco Bay area. So I'm kinda familiar w/ your CA codes, condoc requirements & dealing w/ plan checker notes from the city. Also dwg import/export for the trades. "kinda familiar" is all I'm willing to cop to though. I use the Plan Footprint for site plans. Works very well. When I get time, I'm gonna play around w/ that for foundations.

I use Terrain/Elevation Data/Elevation Regions for that kind of stuff. Stay away from the "Modifiers". Use those sparingly at the end to add "accents". I wouldn't worry about cutting a hole for the neighbors.

I hear you, Perry. a great deal of the homes I draw are in your area. & to be completely up front, I often do the foundation plan in a CAD detail. Which loses the "live" link to the model. (Just thought I would point that out before one of y'all did.) Which got me wondering if there is a way to use the plan footprint in a CAD detail for the foundation plan? I know I can control the flr & the layerset of the plan footprint. Hmmmm..........

Keith, Assign an elevation (sea level) to the main flr in the terrain spec dbx/ building pad elevation. Change that value, & the whole terrain, inc all elevation data, features, etc moves up/down as a single unit relative to the house. As an aside, I use flr 0 all the time for the basement/ foundation w/ no problems to speak of. If the basement ends up being finished w/ lots of detail, etc, then maybe, but hasn't been necessary in a long time. I prefer to keep flr1 as the main flr level, since that flr default elevation (0'-0") cannot be changed. & then I don't have to do any math to figure out where my terrain is either, since tht is also tied in to 0'-0". I also don't ever use "bogus" blank floors. Again, there are multiple ways to get most things done in Chief. Generally, no way is "right" or "wrong" as long as it gets the job done. ......generally.

Keith, If you have actual sea level elevations/contours or elevations relative to some benchmark down the road, then, by all means, use them. Just assign your building pad elevation (0'-0") using those values.

Keith, The images I posted are for a plan w/ a supplied dwg w/ elevations, terrain features, etc. It was a complete teardown/rebuild w/ several retaining walls getting down to the lake. I've done many of these types of homes & lots, built into side of mountains, etc.

Overviews? The garage & the boathouse are both in the main plan..........as symbols. What would I miss? My attached images are overviews. Landscaping? Don't really see how that would have any effect either. I know exactly where the symbols are gonna go. & you can always place a bldg footprint polyline in the main plan if you want to. I've done it w/ all the outbuildings in the same plan in the distant past. .....no thanks. Particularly for newer or less experienced users, there's just too much to remember....or learn. But, to each his own. You & Glenn are certainly experienced users. Pick your poison. Things would get pretty boring if we all did it the same.

Both the boathouse & the garage are symbols & have their own plan. They can be accurately placed in the main plan or just do it visually.

There's no way I would put outbuildings in the same plan as the main house. (Once in a while I will, if the terrain is pretty flat & the outbuildings are orthogonal to the main house.) There are way too many things to remember when one of the outbuildings changes: wall angles, absolute elevations relative to main house, floor hgts, defaults, etc. I use separate plans for each outbuilding. Once those changes are made, making a symbol out of the building & bringing it into the main plan is a matter of seconds..........literally. That's my opinion, FWIW.