LeeDrafter

I forgot to mention, I am working in Chief X5

Thanks guys, I do not have a scroll bar in the rendering screen (another problem I need to learn how to fix?) but I did try zooming out, and it did not reveal anymore of the picture. I attached a screen shot of when I zoomed out on the ray trace screen.

I also exported it to a jpg also, and still got the incomplete picture. 

Any other ideas? Maybe I need to learn how to add a scroll bar and that might work? thanks

Hi all,

I am in need of a picture that is 1600 px X 1200 px. My monitor is not that big and is not in that proportion. So, in ray trace current view dbx wizard, I uncheck use active window and uncheck retain aspect ratio. I input the width and height pixels that I am after. But the ray trace only does a portion of what I have on the screen. I'm guessing because my screen proportions are different than what I am asking for. Is there a way to create the view in some sort of border that matches the proportions I need before I ray trace? How do I know where to locate thing on screen so they don't get cut off during ray trace? I attached the screen and the resulting ray trace at my input pixels. Thanks!! 

Thanks all! I will try these things. Haven't had time to revisit it lately. But thanks for all the suggestions. I will post the file if I am still having trouble.

hello,

I am drawing a CAD detail that involves hidden (dashed) lines that are only 3" long. I selected the smallest dashed line from the drop-down menu, but it still only shows as a solid line. The dashes don't show when I print from layout either. I have read through forums a bit before I decided to ask this question- so I made sure the page setup dbx says line weight of 1=1/100 mm. I don't know if that has anything to do with my problem or not. All I want is to be able to draw a very short dashed line and still be able to see the dashes. The dashes are visible if I toggle off the lineweights, but that won't do me much good if it doesn't print that way. I appreciate any help- Thanks!

Thanks all, I look forward to upgrading my software someday. In the meantime, I will edit the header it the framing detail. Or I can just add the appropriate amount of boards to my materials list when I actually order the lumber. 

Open the window dbx and click on the framing tab.

mine doesn't have a framing tab. I am using X5, maybe the framing tab is in a newer version?

Lee,

Set up your header defaults for your typical windows. If a window differs in header count, size, or material; it can be adjusted in the window framing DBX, and will report the change to the material list.

The window defaults will also allow editing of size of the header based on span. You can customize this DBX based on your load requirements.

I am struggling to find a window framing dbx. Is it different than the window specification dbx? I can't find where you can specify a header for a specific window.

Of course that is an option,  however I find that if you put in a gable end truss and rebuild framing,  the studs will not rebuild.  You must put the END TRUSS in and then REBUILD WALL FRAMING.  

Thanks Dshall, adding end trusses worked really well. Speaking of trusses, how can a build a truss where the bottom chord extends all the way to the fascia and creates a flat soffit? 

good idea!

Thanks all, that helps. I fixed the stud spacing so it is defined by the wall type. Still don't think it's possible to define the amount of header boards based on span. I will just have to learn the rest through trial and error. I sure wish there was a step-by-step tutorial. Does anybody know how to tell Cheif not to frame the gable walls? We use trusses and they come with framed-in gables wall trusses on the ends, so I don't need lumber for that part. Thanks again.

interesting thread. Has anybody found or put together a workshop for a Chief Materials list? 

I have been using X5 for a couple years now but have put off learning the materials list. I have been doing lumber lists manually, but I would love to learn to use CA materials lists because it might save a bunch of time. So far, I have come up with two questions right away:

1. How can I tell chief to build my exterior walls @ 24" o.c. and my interior walls @ 16" o.c.?

2. The builder I work for uses 2x10 lumber for all window and door headers. We use 2 boards if the opening is 4' or less and 3 if it is more than 4'. Is there a way to tell Chief to do this? I see that you can set the header depth based on the span, but I don't see that you can set the amount of boards based on the span.

Thanks, and please share if anybody knows of a good workshop or webinar on Materials Lists

Lee

4 PLEX.zipI am using X5 with a 1GB dedicated video card. Here is the plan 

Hi All,

I am working on a 4 plex. When I edit -> all floors and then reflect about the center line to create the other side of the 4 plex, a lot of the dimensions get messed up. Some of them are moved to the other side and deleted from the original side, and some are stretched. How can I avoid this or do it correctly? See the picture. Thanks!!

Thanks guys, I agree that it would be ideal to not have to make the lines 90deg if I don't want to, but if that fixes the problem, I am willing to do that small extra step. It may not be so easy if the Lot is a more difficult trapezoid. 

In the past I have had trouble with dimensioning to the plan footprint in a site plan CAD detail. The dimensions would always be 2"-3" off for some reason. I thought maybe it was dimensioning to the siding and not the framing, but that didn't quite make sense either. Anyway, I never figured out why dimensions to the plan footprint weren't correct, so I started drawing a CAD polygon the shape of the house and dimensioning to that. Then I add the footprint on top so the walls, roofs, doors, etc. show. But none of my dimensions are actually to the footprint. This may not be the best way, but I have gotten used to it. If anybody has any suggestions or knows how better to dimension to a footprint, I would love to hear them.

The reason I have two footprints, 1 for each floor, is that I like to show the 1st floor walls where the foundation will be, but I also like to show the 2nd floor walls to show what the roof will sit on. The excavator needs the foundation wall location (thus the need for very accurate dimensions) while the building inspectors often require the the roof on the site plan so they can verify the overhangs don't go into any setbacks. Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks again,

Lee

Thanks, that angle was actually on purpose. I drew the site plan based on existing bearing angles. Then I drew the outline of the house and made those lines parallel to the site plan lines. I just tried turning everything slightly to make the lines at 90deg. The dimensions did not correct themselves as I had hoped, but drawing new ones seems to work. I will just have to remember to make the site plan at 90deg first next time. I can just turn my north arrow accordingly to make the bearing angle dimensions accurate. It is weird that it worked for Robert and Jim when they opened it though. 

Thanks guys, I guess it must be a hardware issue. I appreciate you opening it to check. 

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I used the make parallel tool to make all the lines parallel. The plan is attached. The problem is in the CAD detail "Site Plan". Thanks

LOT 2 ASPEN GROVE, CRIPE.plan

Hello,

Sometimes dimensions and/or length and angle labels of CAD lines are skewed or offset from where they are supposed to be on the dimension line or the CAD line. This only happens in CAD details. A lot of times it prints correctly anyway, but I would like to see it in plan and layout view correctly so I know if I need to fix anything. Does anybody know what could be wrong and how to fix it? A picture is attached. I am using X5. It doesn't happen all of the time. On this plan, the lines are parallel, but not straight up and down. Could that have something to do with it?

Thanks!

Lee

Hello,

I am getting jagged triangles into space in the 3d view of the home. see attached. This has happened before while doing shed dormers, but I usually am able to fix it be slightly adjusting the side wall(s) of the shed dormer. That's not working this time. Why does this happen, and how do I fix it? Thanks!

LOT 69 LAKES VILLAGE BARNES 1 SHEDS.zip

correct the wall connection or uncheck "circle unconnected wall ends"

Hello,

I have Chief X5 and my preferences dbx does not have a check box for this. Do you know how else to get rid of an unconnected walls circle?

Thanks