javatom

I just did the two stair method. It looks like this. Your probably right about the glass though.

Sorry. Had to step away for client mtg. I have X7. Could not open your plan, it must be X8. I have run into the newel post spacing thing before. If it is critical in its placement, I ended up manually placing them and creating the panel from various other methods that avoid a system provided spacing. I have heard others on the forum using two stairs for doing this. Each stair is doing a different function. Maybe one could be a default rail and handrail with all the materials set to "open-no material" except for the handrail. The other stair could provide the panel below. Maybe someone else had a more elegant solution.

It is not the dbx for the stair. It is the dbx for the RAIL. You have to manually draw a rail wall on the stairs after you have turned the automatic one off. Then click on the rail (not the stair). That is where you will find all those controls. Sorry for the confusion.

Open the stair dbx, turn off the railing on left and right. Look for the tab called rail style, change it to "panels. Look for tab called 'build from", change it to say "follow stairs". Look for tab called "newels & balusters", change it your selection from the library. The top rail may be breaking because the panels are repeating. Make sure you have your top rail defined. You can even select one from the library.

Some materials can be doubled. Pick a color in 3-d mode and apply it to the beam. It should be something that has ONLY color as a material. Apply it to your beam. It will probably keep the texture of the grain but tint it the color from the object you picked the color material from.

I think you would have to create it manually not automatically.

Your builder is wrong on so many levels. I love the logic you used with him to point out that he is not paying attention to the plan. He obviously just took your schedule and sent it to the manufacturer. Most good builders do their own window and door counts and don't rely on the schedule.

You may have intend the roof line to look like this but your roof planes are not lined up. That is why you are seeing a fascia board where the roof planes are trying to meet. Dormers react very strange when there are other problems in the roof system.

You can also adjust the overall light level in the 3d settings. A light source or two will look better though.

I don't think I have ever seen a manufacturer label their window in inches as you show. That could get really confusing to the rest of the building process. You can manually label windows to say anything.

If you call them, it should be a problem or bug. I'm sure they would rather not teach you how to use the program. (Statement intended for new users. Most of you already know this)

When you save it on your end, make sure you save it as "back up entire plan". Do this from the layout. Send them ALL those files. They will get the model and all the materials you used. You may have a roofing material they don't have.

Ctrl+S early and often.

You could also use SIP (structural insulated panels). No perlins needed.

For the door, you could create a very shallow depth cabinet. I don't know about showing it open though. Maybe you could use the delete surface tool (its the one that looks like an S with an X through it). You can then hit it again to make the material come back.

You need to have the invisible wall layer on. Then you can click on the wall, open its dbx and uncheck "invisible". It will then become a normal wall again.

After your create your new layer sets, make a new default based on that version. Layer sets follow the plan not the system.

I did not load the plan but I think you may need to open the dbx for the roof and tell it to have no ceiling. You will then be able to see the roof framing and sheathing that you are specifying to be t&g.

Door headers have their own layer. The default it a dashed line. Make sure you have that layer on.

You can do quad csements by making separate windows then blocking them together.

Be careful of designing a roof system that can't be done without the roofing nails showing in the ceiling. Design in some purlins or extras plywood for a nailing base.

Make sure your logo jpeg is in the same folder as the layout.

There's always polyline solids.

Try losing the rail it provides and building a user defined rail. It is outlined here http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00082/creating-stairs-with-glass-railings.html

select all your walls. Open dialog box and change it to allow room definition.