buildology

We have 8 licenses and will be keeping own SSA up to date but with this move we have lost all good will and confidence that Chief will still work for us going forward. With a company our size we have some ups and down so choosing weather we upgrade our SSA this year or skip a year was our choice. For this season we don't do any subscriptions. 

Also here in New Zealand most Architectural firms use ArchiCad but we have stuck with Chief because it was so good and we have built all our systems around it but going forward we will be looking at new software.     

5 minutes ago, SHCanada2 said:

so i think the simplest method for you is to just change your macros to use a hash, and set a macro in the file to be the filename, manually.

 

Step 1. create a macro in your .plan file called "filepath"

Step 2. when you create the .plan file or rename it, you will have to go into that macro and set it correctly, or more importantly uniquely. For instance : "C/owner/63 pleasant Dr v0.4"

Step 3. On your cad detail page where normally you have something like $roof=label, now you would have %$configHash[[ macros.filepath,"Roof" ]] = label%

Step 4. For text box on elevations or elsewhere, put in the text box, %$configHash[[ macros.filepath ,"Roof" ]]%

 

The other ways to do it are more complex. One is to require a box on each view. If you are willing to have a box on each view, then you can eliminate the manual assignment of the macro filepath. As Michael mentions you can have it in your template file, but I think and he can correct me if I am wrong, you would have to add it to each new elevation you create.

 

I'll see if I can eliminate the box requirement, but so far no luck. 

Thank you so much, I give it a try.

Adding a box to each view would not be a problem if that makes it easier. 

49 minutes ago, SHCanada2 said:

I'm not sure I understand, the screenshot you posted shows you assigning values to global variables by moving the pointer to different options. where does excel and the json file come into play?

I was explaining why I don't just use Text Macros as it takes to lot. We have the basic roof, window and floor and we can just drag the pointer to the one we want which, I think you understand want I trying to achieve it was more for other people.

If we need to change it we can just click on the box the Global Variable is pointing to and change it there.

2 hours ago, Joe_Carrick said:

FWIW, 

 

I don't understand why you aren't just using a Wall Schedule for the Walls in your model.  Assuming that you have your Wall Definitions set to use the correct materials and those materials are named & sized appropriately (not Chief's standard names) then everything will be taken directly from the model and you won't need to use anything else.

 

 

Note that the materials in the Wall Types for the above Schedule are not what I would normally name them - those are mostly Chief's standard materials. 

 

I do use $Global Hashes for some things - Site Area Analysis for example where I get areas directly from Closed Polylines - but otherwise I tend to avoid extra $Globals that aren't fixed data - such as structural information (standard properties, etc).  IOW, things that Chief doesn't otherwise provide.

 

It just seems to me that you're making it more complex than it needs to be.  The Chief Model has an enormous amount of data available.  Adding extra data entry doesn't make sense to me.

 

I know I'll probably get slammed for this post - but so be it.

No Joe your not going to get slammed I think ever day if I just making to complicated but I am always trying to find better ways to do things. I think I on version 3 of our 2022 update.

Regarding wall schedule we do use them and it works really well but how do I get that information to elevations?

I have set up around 100 different wall types in the library.

In Object Information/Description Field holds a short name (proposed bevel-back H3.1 timber weatherboard cladding on cavity system) this is used in the Concept plans in the Wall Schedule and on Elevations. In the Object Information/Manufacturer Field holds the long name(proposed external timber framed wall with 90x45mm H1.2 SG8 studs @ 600mm crs. and nogs @ 800mm crs., clad with H3.1 timber bevel-back weatherboard on cavity system) this is used in working drawing in a second schedule.

To populate Wall Type W1(in the screen shot I attached) so we can use the short description anywhere we have a Global Variable in our library which you drop on you plan and point to the wall we want. But you can't do the for roofs or window so that's why I set it up in the CAD detail with the pointing arrows. It all works well as long as you don't open other plan and with the amount of staff using the system it needs to work without issues.    

2 hours ago, SHCanada2 said:

slick

 

...as a feature, you could consider including the assignment to a hash, and retrieval from the hash, thereby eliminating the need to shut down to print

 

the assignment, as posted above, is not much different, but the retrieval using a text box (as opposed to a pline label) is a bit more complicated from what i have discovered so far. I'm still looking to see if I can get it to work without needing a macro. 

 

If, and it is a big if, it could be simple enough, it would eliminate the global variable problem, for those that have the problem. For me I have the CAD detail variables assigned in their own macros, so they are guaranteed to be correct within the plan. (ie. I have a macro named "DET-Fascia" and the only thing in it is "Metal Fascia"). But I can certainly see the appeal of the graphical editor you and the OP have. No need to type. 

We could split this in two.

For wall label and CAD detail.

It's not so much the typing is more we have over 80 Text Macros that are assign at the beginning of the project. (We have an Excel Sheet that our Admin person converts to a .JSON file)

But while our staff are working on the project they need to update and change other Text Macros and I find it frustrating to find the Text Macro and then 3-4 clicks so I was trying to have all the information in one place that was easy to read and change.

We could use the Excel system for this but I am trying to keep everything in Chief.

Assigning a Hash (if it works??)

This would be prefect for things like our Site Calculations and Elevation heights. 

I am still trying to learn all this so sorry for the confusion.

Yes, I know it would be easier to get someone else to do it and have used Alaskan_Son services before and it was a great help but I am always updating and tweaking our systems so need to learn it myself.

On 10/10/2022 at 12:17 PM, buildology said:

Hi All,

I have been playing around with Global Macros for wall notes and elevation heights but run into issues when I have two plans open.

Is there a way to assign a value to a standard macro in the same way you do for Global macros?

Hi All,

I have been playing around with Global Variables for wall notes and elevation heights but run into issues when I have two plans open.

Is there a way to assign a value to a standard Text Macro in the same way you do for Global Variables?

The CAD detail window is only the setup(to assign the Global Macro) and then it is used in the Plan View, Elevation Views and in other CAD Detail windows. It's all in the same .PLAN file

Thanks Eric,

Text Marcos and Global macros.

We have a Text Macro for wall type - to change it we need to open the Text Macro editor find the Macro edit it and close it. We have lots of different Text Marcos so doing this for every one takes quit a bit of time.

So I have changed it to using Global Macros - so have set up a CAD Detail in the Project Browser that has a list of lots of different wall types and it sets a Global Macro to assign what ever Wall Type you point it to. I have done this for Roofs, Floors and Levels it all works quit well but when I first open a plan I have to open the CAD Detail which holds the setup and if I have two plans open it sometimes uses the Global Macro from the other plan. 

Hopefully that's a bit clearer??

Hi All,

I have been playing around with Global Macros for wall notes and elevation heights but run into issues when I have two plans open.

Is there a way to assign a value to a standard macro in the same way you do for Global macros?

Just realise I was on X14 so I tried on X13 and I can't build it as well. 

No Cancel that the framing layer was turned off. It works fine.

Hey Ed,

I opened your plan, opened the deck room, under deck I check Automatically regenerate framing and it worked as it should.

56 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 

Are you talking about the Preferences Setting for minimum Line Weight or you set the line Weight to 1?

Line Weights are generally controlled by the Layer they are on.....

 

 

 

I'm talking about the line style spacing, both line in the image are the same line but when I turn the Line weight on and off it changes the spacing for some reason. It should only change the width not the spacing.

I have both Layer Weight and the Line Specification set to 1.

Second question for the day..

When I turn on Line Weights it scales the lines styles to 50 times bigger. I have the line weight set to 1.

Is there away to stop that happening? 

Thanks Chopsaw,

That was it

I am getting weird tails on all my lines. If I draw a line add a style the line has solid bit at the beginning and end and where ever there is a bend.

Can anyone help with this?

33 minutes ago, robdyck said:

I was just going to report this! It seems as though almost all my text boxes change size in X14. In layout, I only have a few but they were set with 0" margins top and bottom, and in X14 Chief has added a 1/16" margin to the top.

The snippet below shows an example from an elevation view and a cad detail. These were all aligned and now have to be resized for every plan. Time consuming!

 

Seems to be adding a margin in between every line.

If you convert it to Rich Text it goes away but we have 100s of text boxes so not an ideal fix.

Anyone having issues with vertical spacing of their text in X14. There is so much to love about the update but all my template text boxes have grown so new plans are a mess. When I make a new text box it also has the same spacing.

Update-- If I remove the the Margin from the bottom it fixes it. It seems to add the margin to every line..

Hi Curt and Mick,

The way I have my profiles set up I'll need to send my chief hot keys as well and I'll need to delete a few things off the profile so try to find time soon.

When I first set it up I made a Layout in Chief with a map of the key pad and went through want I used the most I'll see if I can find that as well.

I use the joystick for changing the camera mode and the two buttons either side, one for fill screen and the other for point to point.

I have G15,G20,G21,G22 all set with the different copy and paste functions.

In our office I have my computer with the keypad and one for our big screen with just a normal key board and it really does seem very slow using the tool bars and normal hot keys.  

We have a system that when a job comes in our Admin person puts all the information into an Excell spread sheet(name,address,zone, wind zones etc...)

I use this information in my first meeting with clients, if the client signs up the last excell sheet has a chief marco that is auto filling so we just copy and paste to a word doc and save as Json. file.

When we start our layout we just import the Json. file and it fills in all the site and client details.

Sounds a lot more work than it really is, it only takes above five minutes and saves about 20mins

Logitech G13

I've used this for years and I love it 

Basically I only use the main keyboard when I write text, the rest is with my mouse and the G13.

It has speed up my plan drawing massively.

I also have my email address on one touch.

Is there a hole for the window in elevation or is it a blank wall?

Site measure took 6 hrs for two people and no structural drawings.

Yes render time is crap but I think it was the 3d tree and the size of the model.

I normally go for around the 5-8 minute mark, I've attached another project which I think came out with similar results at same setting but 6 min Raytrace time.

A lot less detailing inside and less trees outside 

File size is 58mb

We also have a few spare computers in our office so I normally set up five or six at a time and then go off and do something else..

Just draw the profile you want with a normal line send it to the library as a molding, then chose the new profile under the gutter select.

The Raytracers were a bit rushed as we had tight dead line and it was 11.30 on a Sunday night but we used the model on our big screen for the client presentation and they seemed really happy..

Raytrace Time 30mins each

Model Build time 40hrs

We've done a block a 15 apartments, Chief did start running a bit slow but it got the job do. Final file size was 65Mb on X5

I am currently working on a 1920s house with lots of internal detailing as well as lots of external landscaping file size is 115Mb seems to be running fine.

One thing I did do was to trim the default Camera back to just walls,roof and terrain and then made an internal camera view layer and an external layer just to speed things up when I want to look a it in 3d.

Also make sure you save lots..

I've tried the Makerbot software(which is free) just exported a 3DS and it went straight in, just need the $2500 for the printer and I'd be away..