Ed_Orum

Hello Mark, I am just down the road from you in Newburgh. I'll give that a try tomorrow, thanks.

Thanks, I tried that, but the program will select all rows, but not let me edid the new dimension row. Maybe I need to call technical support. Lane

In past versions there was as option to make all the offsets from marked objects the same. In X15, there is a chart which lists each dimension string offset and the ability to control each one. I liked the old way better, is there an option in X15 to change all of the distance to the marked object at the same time? Thanks in advance. Lane

I've only done one so far, and it was for an addition. I have to check to see if the same applies to New Build as Additions/Alterations. Thanks! Lane

Is anyone familiar with the New York Stretch Energy Code? I know it has requirements for window and door U values, hook up for electric vehicle charging, increased insulation requirements, but what else? Thanks in advance, Lane

Thanks Gene. It has to stay at two risers because the existing stairs are two risers. If I was doing it from scratch, I would make the difference 14" so the risers would be 7" and the treads 11". I'll change the walls back to the default top wall height as you suggested.

This plan has two different floor elevations, but the top plate elevations should be the same. One floor is 16" higher than the other. The ceiling height in this floor is 97-1/8". The lower floor ceiling height is 113-1/8" (97-1/8"+16"). Everything shows up correctly in the structure dialog box, but when I do a cross section the floor elevations are correct but the top plate heights are different. How do I correct this before I put the roof on this building? Zip file attached. I am using X15. Thanks in advance, Lane 12-10-2023 Revised Floor Plan.zip

Thanks!

I can't find the search feature in my Library Browser. I don't even know what I did to lose it. Any suggestions? Thanks, Lane

Thanks for clearing up the windows label and callouts.

The plates are ordinary 2x6 PT run through a planer so the tops of the new joists align with the tops of the existing ones. The concrete contractor matches the existing foundation height for the foundation wall, then the framer makes the adjustment to the sill plate height.

Great question. When I refer to Labels, I mean the designator generated by the Window Schedule....W-1, W-2, etc.

Oh, I did that. I selected the windows in the plan, but still no change.

Thanks, but no luck. I changed the window labels default to "relative" and changed the label orientation. It shows correctly in the dialogue box, but not in the plan.

I want to change the orientation of the window labels so they are parallel, not perpendicular to the Windows. This occurs where the windows are on the sides of the building running top to bottom. The windows running left to right are aligned properly. I tried to change the angle in the Window Schedule Label dialogue, but nothing changes. Next, is there a way to control the height of the sill plate for a given section of foundation wall? I have a continuous wall and in one section the span will call for I joists. The other sections of the wall call for 2x10. The 2x10 are actually 9-1/4" tall, while the I joists are 9-1/2" tall, so I want to use a 1-1/4" thick plate where the I joists will go. Do I need to create a new wall for that section? Using X15 Thanks, Lane

I would rather not say because I do not want to give the impression (maybe I already have) that it is superior to Chief. I actually use two other programs, depending on which Architect or Engineer I am working for at the time. Chief makes me more money than the other programs, but it also gives me more agita. Happy Thanksgiving. Lane

Well you are a better man than me. Elevation views are always popping up errant lines, missing something here or there. Having said that, when I called Tech Support I was told they only help with issues concerning the products performance, like if the program is not working properly, they are not there to help with teaching how to perform operations in ther program. I do a lot of CAD details, I probably have at least 500 I have drawn for different municipalities here in New York, some for CT, and some for PA. Chief does a great job in that respect. I can do a section view in Chief, convert it to a CAD Detail, then annotate it and correct whatever Chief left undone or done incorrectly. Chief is probably the best when it comes to CAD Details and annotating them. But, I use it because for simple drawings, it is a good money maker. I have done pretty well with it over the years and have learned a lot of my own workarounds. Nothing is perfect, so I will continue to use it. However I am not sure I could encourage anyone who is starting out in residential blueprints (and some light commercial) to go with Chief. I think Revit would be a better choice. In the final analysis, I have to keep in mind that some of my problems with Chief can certainly be because I do not fully understand the program and how it functions, in spite of using it for over 20 years. So I need to take some of the blame too.

Chief is a great 2D program, but trying to figure out it's 3D limitations is nothing but a waste of time. So often in Chief I find myself drafting the 2D, then generating the 3D exteriors which I then convert to CAD where I can fix them without Chief insisting I don't know what I actually want. Even in 2D, wall intersections, especially in foundations where a new one connects to an old one becomes an issue. So what I do there is have no fill for the walls, then in 2D create a polyline, assign a fill pattern to distinguish the new from the old and adjust the polyline to show the correct wall intersections. This precludes an automatic wall schedule for the foundation walls (since it will not automatically generate the polyline fill patterns), but that is and easy work around. I also use another program, which is much, much, much better at getting the model correct. The other program allows for everything to be independently controlled..wall heights, widths, offsets, top, bottom...all can be easily set to reflect the actual construction. Especially helpful in remodeling and additions. The other program also addresses one of my pet peeves about Chief, which is the foundation sill plate is part of the foundation. In the real world framers put down the sill plate and it really has no business being part of the foundation. It is like Chief was programmed by someone who read a book on construction but has no real construction experience as opposed to the other program which seems to have a much keener insight into actual construction practices. Having said that, for all more or less new construction simple plans I prefer Chief, as long as everything is one or two levels, no split levels, no split roofs, and no stepped foundations. Garage slabs can also be sloped (as can foundation walls, footings, whatever) in the other program. Earlier I asked if a slab could be sloped in Chief 15, but alas, no such luck. For remodeling and additions, unless it is simple and straightforward, it's the other program.

The 0'0" elevation is the existing kitchen, to the right is the existing entry, and to the right of that the existing garage elevation. To the left of the 0'-0" the floor rises 16". So it took a couple of hours to manipulate and now almost everything is correct. I have some minor adjustments to the existing entrance way and the garage, but I will eventually get it. The whole issue is that Chief is always "correcting" what I want. When I started this plan, I was going to do it in a program other than Chief, (I use them both and each has its pros and cons) and I should have gone with my gut. Everything in the other program is independently adjustable, so you can set elevations for everything, including individual wall heights just as I would if I were in the field framing. Don't get me wrong, Chief is great for something that is straightforward, ranches, colonials, whatever where there are no steps in floors, roofs, or foundations and I use it a lot for those homes. This is my first drawing in Chief 15, and I wanted to see if 15 would do any better than previous versions with the "meat and potatoes" of the structure as opposed to the rendering, interiors, etc., where I think Chief has it all over the other program. But for getting an accurate model going forward, it's back to the other program for anything that is not more or less a straightforward design. I will probably end up doing what I do so often in Chief, send everything 2D to the layout, then capture the Elevation Views as CAD files, make the necessary Elevation View adjustments in the CAD view and be done with it. Annotations are way more efficient in Chief, which is one of the primary reasons I like it. Thanks for you input and help. Happy Thanksgiving! Lane

Yes, I clicked on the layout boxes and pulled out the borders. They overlap, but since they do not show it works.

Using X15 Ranch House. 1st Floor Defaults: From Defaults, Default Settings, Floors And Rooms, 1st Floor: Absolute Elevations: Ceiling: 97-1/8" Floor: 0 (Greyed Out) Floor Below: -103 1/2 Relative Elevations: Rough Ceiling: 97 1/8" Finished Ceiling: 95 7/8" SWT To Ceiling: 97 1/8" (Greyed Out) Ceiling Below: 93 1/2" Stem Wall: 97 1/2" 0 Floor Defaults: From Defaults, Default Settings, Floors And Rooms, Floor 0 Defaults: Absolute Elevations: Floor Above: 0" (Greyed Out) Ceiling -10" (Greyed Out) Floor: -103 1/2" Relative Heights: Rough Ceiling: 93 1/2" Finished Ceiling: 92 3/4" SWT To Ceiling: 93 1/2" Ceiling Below: Blank Stem Wall 97 1/2" SWT= Stem Wall Top (Greyed Out) Ceiling: Roof Over This Room, (Checked) Flat Ceiling Over This Room, (Checked) Ceiling Finish: 0 Floor Under This Room (Checked) Room Supplies Floor for the Room Above (Unchecked) From the dialoge box for the room: First Floor Absolute Elevations: Floor Elevation 0 Ceiling Elevation 97-1/8" Floor Below -103 1/2" First Floor Relative Elevations: Ceiling Elevations 97-1/8" Finished Ceiling 95-3/4" SWT To Ceiling 97-1/8 (this box is greyed out, cannot be changed) Ceiling Below: No Change (why is this not a dimension?) Stem Wall: No Change (again, why no dimension here?) As far as I can tell, it all looks correct. But.... In the Room Specification Dialog Box, it forces a stem wall height of 113 1/2". If I change it to the default setting of 97 1/2", it changes the floor below (basement floor) to be 77 1/2". How do I control these settings so everything lines up with the default settings. Zip file of the plan is attached Thanks in advance. Lane 10-20-2023 Appolonia New Conditions Plan.zip

I use a rectangular polyline to outline the notes and diagrams I send to layout. When they arrive in the layout, some of the polyline outlines are invisible. If I click on the layout box border and extend it a little past the polyline, the polyline will display. This does not happen with all of the polylines, but a few on each layout sheet. Is there a setting to offset the layout box border from the item being sent to the layout? Thanks, Lane

Thanks to both of you, problem solved!

When I add an arrow to a text line using the diamond "add an arrow" below the text, the arrow does two things. 1, it attaches itself to the bottom of the text line. I would like it to attach itself to the center of the text line. 2. The arrow extends at an angle, I would like it to extend straight away from the text line. How do I get the arrow to behave? Using X15. Thanks, Lane

Thanks, that is what I did, but for some reason X15 will not recognize the new file path. Tech support next.