Michael_Gia

...just seemed like you were posturing, since you didn't really offer any further clarification. My apologies if I misread you.

Ok big shot

Not true. Dropbox IS the way to do this. The link between a shared file however is what's messing things up. You have to use only one Dropbox account. Also your first sentence is a recommandation but the plan file does not necessarily need to be in the same folder. You can have a template file for things like notes and cad detail that can be shared across multiple layout files residing in different folders all over the place. I do this and it works 100%. The downside is I'm sharing a Dropbox account with someone else. This has to be someone you trust of course.

He's using "render" as a verb to describe the process of Raytracing in Chief. Most other software use Render for what Chief refers to as "Raytrace". I wish Chief would as well. I might be speaking out of place though.

I do the same but we log into the same Dropbox account rather than share a Dropbox file or folder. I think that is the difference. If you are sharing files between two Dropbox accounts there will be issues. Although technically there shouldn't be.

There's a mountain of discussion on this topic. The overall consensus on fuzzy or grainey looking Raytraces is due to light bouncing off of either stainless steel or other shiny surfaces. Reduce shiny surfaces and you'll reduce grainy appearance.

Dont try and calculate, or you will have to calculate for each and every pitch. It's a futile approach. Also there is no rhyme or reason to that calculation. 1) as was mentioned check "trusses" checkbox. 2) know what your top plate absolute value is for the wall your roof sits on. 3) in your roof dialogue box, lock your pitch and set your "top of fascia height" accordingly. (Of course know your fascia height in advance from the roof structure tab) This is the most reliable way to ensure your trusses will sit on your top plate as they do up here in the north east, which is where I'm assuming you are from as well. This will give you a flat soffit. Also this will ensure you pick up the right elevation point when you do your storypole elevations etc... I think the programmers of roofs in Chief all came from sunny California hence the default and useless rake system. Looks cute though.

Ah ha! Eureka! After creating a new layer (so only this polyline is affected), you then have to go into: "defaults" -> "cad" -> "general cad" -> "display line length format" and then make your change in units. wow! 2 years using this program and this is the first I've ever had to do this. I was struggling with a terrain that was oddly shaped. thanks everyone

Oh, so what does control the display of the units in the actual view? I really wish I could just right click on the label and have a dialogue box come up and allow me to enter this stuff on the fly, with perhaps a warning dialogue box asking if I want the change to apply to the layer set or just this one time. Yeah, that's what I'd like.

Thanks, and yes it would be nice. I was able to change the text style with a new layer but I still can't get my decimal feet to show. It's still in feet-inch. And that seemingly useless "number style" radio button is there for decoration only. At least as far as I can tell.

So, I should create a whole new text style and cad layer if I want to affect only that one particular polyline?... thanks for the quick reply by the way

I selected "show length" on the "line style" tab of a standard polyline. Question 1) how to set height of this label? Question 2) how to set the units? as in meters or decimal feet? The "number style" button at the bottom of the page seems to do nothing at all. What does that button actually affect? Is this such a mystery, bad program design or am I absurdly daft? Honest, I'm actually quite proficient in Chief. thanks, - Michael

Ok, I guess my coment is from the perspective of a builder like myself. I don't design custom millwork. So I don't need that level of precision. No offense

Dumb question, and I'm not trying to be facetious but why is this level of precision so important? I mean at the end of the day you are providing instructions on how to build a house. The individual sub-trade, in this case your stair carpenter knows how to build a staircase and railing. He needs the number of steps and the width and he'll figure out the rest. Your customer understands that this is simply a visual representation of the general look of the home in 3D, so unless it's for personal ocd reasons (and we all have that or we wouldn't be using a program such as Chief) then what's the point? I personally draw a line at, "if the carpenter has enough info to build it" then I stop there with the details. - Michael

I think OP is talking about forwarding the URL link to the 3D model and not the App. And yes anyone can forward that link and they will be able to open the model up in their browser to view. I've yet to see a customer go through all the hoops and loops to download the app when they can simply use the web browser on their desktop or laptop.

1) - Go to floor 1 2) - click on Defaults > Floors & Rooms > Current floor, and set your desired Rough Ceiling height as Greg pointed out. 3) - Repeat process on floor 2 and then for basement. 4) - then go back to floor 1, and for each room, open up the dialogue box and go to the Structure Tab. Click on the default checkbox for Rough Ceiling (E), and all other Defaults. 5) - repeat for floor 2 and basement. You can also use the Match Properties tool to set all room defaults quicker for each floor. (This is all in case Greg's answer wasn't clear enough)

3D Viewer is the greatest thing ever! Takes 2 minutes from start to emailing link to client. The only thing I wish it had, was the ability to measure in 3D like in Sketchup. Unfortunatly converting to sketchup is cumbersome as the sketchup file is monstrous. Also which client has sketchup?

I really wish Chief had the ability to measure in the 3D Viewer File Model like we can in the Sketchup model.

If you break your landing into sections, shouldn't it generate railings wherever you want?...

And I can't use accented French text. It's like typing on my commmodor 64 from 1984. Or am I missing something?...

Someone please post a demonstrational video for op... Personally I have my default "locate elevations" down to the bare minimum - top of footing, highest rough ceiling and highest ridge. My "top of footing" is set to 0, as this is the accepted "0" point in our neck of the woods. Then I just add in the other floors and elevations by dragging new points to wherever I want. I find it quicker than picking off unwanted points.

..."but once you get to a point where pre-scripted options dont work you have the ability to explode any 3d object and finish with basic (but robust) generic shape tools." Can everyone please hit the like button on Johnny's comment please? I feel Chief put this "like feature" in order to be able to quickly sift through all of our regular day to day wining with something significant. So more likes and it gets priority. I would love his ability. Imagine having the option of exploding any object and being able to modify and nudge things into precisely what you need?... Great comment!

Get real comfortable using molding polylines and p-solids to cover up these and many more issues in Chief. I had a plan once that, I swear, would've been quicker to build entirely out of soffits or cabinets instead of walls/floors/roofs. I'm exaggerating only slightly.

Late to the party, but I place the "Electrical Meter Socket" symbol and adjust its dimensions to roughly the size of an electrical panel box and then block it together with the Electrical Panel symbol. This gives what I think you're looking for. (If I was more experienced I could figure out how to make the opening on the top look circular again after it was stretched to an oval as a result of adjusting the dimensions for the symbol.)

Thanks for mentioning the "open symbol" approach. I always forget that's there. I've become programmed to always "open object" instead. Then when I don't see any parameters that can be adjusted I assume there's no other option.