contractcad

Figured it out

I am working on a detached garage where I have not created a foundation for it. I want to use a separate Plan View of the 1st Floor as a "Foundation Plan View" with it's own layer set that I send to the layout whereby I have only the lower (block) Pony Wall selected to "Display in Plan View" on the "Wall Types" page when I open the wall specification for each wall. I also have a "Floor Plan View" with it's own unique layer set that I have created for the same 1st Floor with "Use Default" selected for "Display in Plan View" under "Wall Types" to use as my main floor plan. Now the help dialogue says that the "Display in Plan View" setting is "view specific and can be set differently in each Saved Plan View" which is exactly what I want but even after having saved each plan view after selecting how I want the walls to display what I select for each plan view changes globally over both plan views and is then shown identically for both plan views on my layout. I also made sure I selected each wall individually because Help under Plan Views seems to indicate that this feature doesn't work if I select to change multiple walls at the same time. If anyone knows what I'm missing please pass it on to me, thanks!

Yep, changing "saved plan view" to "none" fixed the problem

Granted I'm not the most proficient using Chief Architect but please tell me if I'm remembering right or I'm actually starting to get senile. If I remember correctly older versions of CA Premier would automatically create unique layout box layer sets for each new layout box plan view sent to a layout. That seemed to stop in more recent versions but I believe I was still able to create unique layout box layer sets manually (figured it was probably some setting I could change but never bothered to take the time to try to figure it out). The problem that I'm having now is that in attempting to place 3 small plan views (foundation, first and second floors) on a single layout page it was thought to be quicker and simpler to just create unique layer sets for each floor layout box... except after creating the layer sets and then attempting to update each layout box to it's own layer set all 3 layout boxes would update to the layout box layer set I would select for any one of the 3 layout boxes. Very frustrating. Now I know that I can keep this from happening by unlinking the layout box as I send the view to the layout but I never did this before and I believe my plan layouts would previously always hot update changes I made in the plan, even though for any elevation I had sent to the layout I usually had to force an update by clicking the update radio button to see it. I believe sending layout pages to print would also force updates. Is this layout box/layer set schism I'm experiencing something new to CA or am I just loosing my mind?

Oh, and thanks Eric for clearing that up

Yes, I did know I had added another framing reference. I had reviewed a video previously and was under the impression that you could have more than one framing reference marking in your plan and the program would refer to the closest marker to the area being framed. After re-viewing the video I do note now that multiple markers were also being separated by being on different floors.

hmm, I had backed out of that plan file, but I guess I DO still have it referenced to the layout that still was open. Now to be specific, the wall I was concentrating on is the far left one that has the wood stove thimble going thru the center of the wall on that side. I was attempting to shift the studs 12 inches along the wall so that the thimble would end up between the studs, not thru the middle of one. Also, I placed the tall and narrow accent windows on either side of the wood stove so once the studs were shifted the windows would wind up between the studs without any need for a header or extra framing. (but the studs, they are not moving) The framing marker is just hanging out in space right now because I was just moving it around trying to get the wall studs to do something. Didn't work. This plan is really just for me to get some uncluttered framing views. Not my full plan. My main plan has gone thru so many changes I thought it just easier to make this shell for some of the extra details I wanted. Green - Truss and Framing 3.plan

I've been trying to upload but it fails and I keep getting an error code 200. I could try placing it in cloud storage and provide a link.

Another mystery for me. I have a framing reference placed in my plan that seemed to work fine when I originally framed the structure but now that I wanted to shift the framing in one of the walls to more properly align with components and windows I have placed within it, the framing reference appears to be ignored. I have "use framing reference" selected in the structure tab and "retain framing" unchecked but no matter where I scoot the framing reference marker around to the framing is remaining static within the wall when I choose to "build framing for selected objects". I've even opened up the wall framing detail and deleted the framing but when I click build framing again for the selected wall the framing returns to it's original position. I have moved the framing reference marker around but to no effect.

hmm, I think I even remember clicking on that button too

I have a strange predicament, I updated a wall that I had previously framed with new windows and after highlighting the wall, I wanted to reframe it using the radio button in it's command ribbon at the bottom of the window but alas, that particular command is not there. Looking up help it says that to frame a wall it has to have a framing layer to do so which I do believe I have seeing I have already framed the wall once. Also, as a check I created a new identical wall off to the side and highlighted it and magically the frame wall button is there, just not on any of my existing and already framed walls. I am left at a loss as to why and scratching my head here.

Yep, that's the video I watched. Thought I understood what it was saying. now for another problem I'm having. It also appears that when framing the floor joists the program is ignoring the joist direction I indicated over the basement area. The program is laying my floor joists parallel to my center support beam. I'll look at that problem in the morning after I get a few hours sleep.

hmm, wouldn't load the first time but seemed to do ok when I clicked retry. Also, not sure how you would be able to do a complex house unless you're able to move the framing reference around. I did watch one of the videos on framing references and it mentioned moving them around as if it were not a problem. Green - Truss and Framing 2.plan

Don't know if its a chief architect problem or a me problem but I am trying to create an accurate framing model for a somewhat simple L-ranch home. I don't mess with framing too much but for this design I thought it important to work out some accurate framing views because of the rather large heel attic trusses and ceiling height changes. I first attempted to just do a automatic framing of the whole house but soon changed to frame the walls individually first using a framing reference (move the reference around depending on which wall I was doing) and then click on "retain framing" when I was happy with it. One wing of the home seemed to do well (basement wing) but as soon as I moved the reference to the other wing (crawlspace/garage wing) it is as though the framing reference isn't even there. I have manually adjusted some of the framing by clicking off the "use framing reference" button and manually adjusting the offset but I am still getting some funky results. One of the more irritating is that the double plate at the top of my 12ft high great room eave walls are ignoring the scissor truss energy heels (1ft) and the wall is shoving the top plates thru the bottom of the truss close to the top chord. Another is that although the garage wall on the basement side of the house appears to create the wall below the attic truss properly the wall on the other (front) side of the home wants to also put studs in between the attic truss along with an extra set of top plates near the top chord as well. Just wondering if someone with more framing experience can see where I am erring or let me know to get where I want to go it'll have to be tediously done manually.Green - Truss and Framing 2.plan

I do see I get the edge effect I want if I create an "open below" room on the foundation level. I can just manually create my own slab floor and should be good. I just think that when doing a slab on grade setup the slab should be bounded by the wall assembly created at the slab level and not by the pony wall that I've created below it.

I was attempting to get creative to some of my section views whereby using the pony wall option I was creating pony wall assemblies whereby I would create on the foundation level the lower pony wall as my full block width (with top of wall say 8" below floor level) then have what would be the top of foundation having a narrower course of block with either say 2" rigid foam or 1/2" joint material as being internal portions of the wall. I found that the automatically generated floor slab will always stop at the interior of the lower pony wall as well as cause either my insulation layer or contraction joint layer only come to the bottom of the floor slab as well. I'm still going to play around with it some more by deleting the slab and use the slab tools to create my own floor slab but it would nice if the program could be made what I'm trying to automatically. I am trying to have the the foundation room below generate the slab, I could also see what result I can get by having the main level generate the floor to see if I can get a better result.

Tried doing the marquis select but no radio button found to deselect the selection from the schedule. Only way I found was by selecting like items and then opening them up. (i.e. windows, doors, etc.)

I happen to be working on a small commercial building addition that I had already added a previous addition to several years ago. Is there a way that I can do a window grab across the existing part of the building and then deselect that portion from the schedule list rather than individually picking each window, door, cabinet, wall etc., opening the item and then deselecting the schedule box located on it's schedule tab???

Even my partition walls on the 1st floor are not giving me any problems for the moment.

I guess nevermind, for some strange reason it seemed to work for me this time. I'm not sure what I did different (except for it not being 11 o'clock at night) but it appears for now I'm getting the result I want. But the day is not over yet.

These 3 pictures show the area of the full barn where the studio is going to be placed, the studio placed in the partial barn using the shelf ceiling option, and finally the bizarreness I'm getting when attempting to add the mezzanine using the 2nd floor option. It seems to be attempting to add a ghost floor in between my 1st and 2nd floor.

This is the customer approved plan I'm working towards.

This 3D view is showing how I've laid out my plan, Tan Pole Barn is the existing original, 1st Blue barn is the addition the customer is adding which I've already fleshed out with the foundation and most of the framing (except around doors and windows). I don't have the old and new tied together because of previous problems of walls and gable ends making strange extensions and disappearing act when I attempted to do so, I'm just going to stitch together plan and elevation views within the layout to get the results I want. 3rd partial blue barn is just a partial copy to place and layout the interior studio, and that's the one where I'm getting the problems. I'm not going to have the studio shown in my main barn addition layout to keep the barn structure construction separate from the studio buildout.

I'm running into difficulty creating a studio apartment with a mezzanine storage area above that is to placed at one end of a pole barn. I've tried using the shelf ceiling feature in the room structure dialogue that kinda gets me there but for me to make a deck above I right now have to create one manually using a shape and then specify it's material for a subfloor. I also have problems when I create partition walls in the studio area the program creates errant attic walls automatically in the attic area above which is not acceptable. I've also tried making a second story above the studio area and when I do I start getting drywall up to the barn roof that I don't want either.

I think I understand, I see where you can adjust the vertical and horizontal offset in the material definition, and yes it appears to be a pain in the butt. I think I've done it before adjusting grids for lay-in ceilings. not fun.