Michael_Gia

I’m on X14 with no issues Here's what I’m using…

Works great for me and I’m on a lowly 2019 MacBook Pro. As mentioned above, take care of what you bring in from older versions and update you template. I actually use Chief’s X14 template as a starting point and then import layer sets, defaults, etc…. Although I’ve barely noticed any issues, when I have on occasion, it’s always been from an older file.

As a result of unstable toolbars on a Mac I’ve learned to rely on hotkeys extensively. The good news - It’s really sped up my workflow. I took a page out of Revit’s hotkey convention and use their two letters assignment system. You’d be surprised how easy it is to remember them since they closely mimic the name of each command. p,i = paste in place d,m = dimensions manual d,a = dimensions angle r,l = reverse layers r,a = reflect about r,d = reference display. etc… Using 2 letters gives you a wider range and helps group similar tools. When your toolbars randomly disappear you need to get creative. I only use Chief’s default toolbar.

Go to archives file in Chief X10 data folder for a previously saved version?

To get rid of the “stickiness”, I’ve developed the habit of clicking on a folder in the library or the top of the folder window in order to cancel out of that item. It’s annoying since even pressing escape or the space bar doesn’t get rid of the item trying to place.

Around here most architects/draftsmen simply add a note that says, “all exterior face measurements are taken from the outside face of the foundation wall” regardless of floor. Don’t show the brick ledge sticking past. Have your brick veneer finish flush with the exterior face of the foundation wall. This way it’s only your brick layer who worries about hanging his brick over that 3/4” or so. Bricklayers don’t care about our pretty 3D images. Carpenters will place their exterior wall framing according to where you indicate on the plan or in a detail (preferably). That leaves you to define your exterior wall so that the framing falls where it’s supposed with respect to the outside face of your foundation. (my opinion, of course)

Twinmotion or what most guys do is to put up a giant screen by using a p-solid and stretching your image onto that. That way you can scale the image and move it around. Make copies of it and put the solid on different layers so you can adjust per render view.

True, so what I do is after I set my rough ceiling height (which messes up the stemwall height) Then, I tab to the stemwall height and set it to “0” (which now messes up my ceiling height) Then, I go back and re-enter my rough ceiling height, at which point Chief will automatically correct the stemwall height. Give it a try.

Back to the basics with ya… https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/322/creating-a-split-level-structure.html

Unless I just developed colour blindness, they all look like brass to me?

Alternatively to what Chopsaw mentions, is to raise your entire roof using the transform/replicate tool in the “z” direction by the appropriate height so that the bottom chord of the trusses cantilevers over your top plate. (sits on top) - Like 99.999999% of homes in the northeast. It’s important to check “trusses” in the dialog box that Chopsaw is showing, regardless of which method you use. I hope one day there will also be a checkbox for “auto-cantilever trusses”, because calculating the “raise from ceiling” box is anything but trivial. Nasa has yet to solve it.

Sometimes when walls below or above are not inline they can produce all sorts of chaos.

Thanks for the in depth analysis. If you’re using Chief primarily for its precision in designing the home, why don’t you just simplify the model as much as possible before exporting to SketchUp? No wall or floor layers, no cabinets, doors or windows (use openings) etc…. Just the structure. You can use plugins in SketchUp for doors, windows and cabinets. I get that Vray is on another level, but there are a lot of real-time ray tracing programs that are getting close, not quite but close. Is the extra time really worth it in Vray?

No need. Just like the cartoon, after a while you’ll start saying, “I like it, I like it!”

You, my friend, are a genius. I must try this. Is there a limit on referenced plans?

Design your homes. Make a simplified version of them. (example, tun off most items on the inside) Convert homes to 3D symbols from a 3D overview (just the homes, no terrain) Create your terrain separately in a plan file and place all of your Symbol Homes on the terrain. For extra pizazz export everything to twin motion.

Yes, 3DS model.

Export as 3DS in the file menu. nevermind, I thought you meant model. she can always import the pdf or dwg version of the plan from Chief.

That’s Grand Prix weekend here. I’ll be at Saturday’s qualifiers myself. All of the smoke meat diners will be swarming that weekend. Thanks for not calling it pastrami…

Construction lines are also a great tool for this sort of thing.

I realize nobody reads the manual but it’s the first place to start, actually… ”Click on the Align With Wall Above or Align With Wall Below edit button. By default, walls on different floors are aligned by the outer edges of their Main Layers when using the Align edit tools. In most circumstances, the Main Layer should be specified as the structural layer of the wall, particularly when the wall is a framed type. If you do not want the walls to align based on the outer edges of their Main Layers, instead of using the edit tools, use the Reference Display as a guide and manually move the walls to the position you want them to be, relative to the floor above or below.

What I do is convert to road perimeter for roads and/or terrain feature. I start with lines and p-lines, of course. The sticky part is sometimes the curb doesn't always play nice when connecting to other terrain features when the curb is turned on. I sometimes have to resort to 3d molding polylines for curbs in those situation. Either way, your logic is correct, and so much easier and flexible.

Hey thanks for looking into it for me. I see that you used retaining walls to create the terrain cutout for the sloping driveway, I also used to use those. I guess it's the "proper" way to achieve that cutout, however you then need elevation data lines which then cause all kinds of kinks in the terrain which are hard to control. This is why I only use terrain regions which I lower to the basement level. This cuts a clean hole and normally plays nice with the doors at the foundation level. Unfortunately, X14 brought back those issues. (I think?) I'm sure there is a fix without having to revert to elevation data and the like. I've even gone so far as to simply put my terrain at the basement floor level and then use 3D solids to build up my landscaping and driveways... more work but easier to control.

I noticed today it happened only after I closed the startup window. As long as the startup window stays open then the menu glitch doesn’t happen. At least that’s what I noticed today so far. If I can reproduce it then I’ll post the issue.

In X13 the fix was to extend the terrain feature so that it extends into the building. This fix doesn’t work in X14.