mthd97

From 93 to 97 my Builder boss was not a fan of computers for quantity take off. I couldn’t convince him to get a CAD system in place back then. Coming into that Job above from a family owned lumber yard where we were from 1986 making prefabricated wall frames and trusses. Using the Bostich system from the USA with the old DOS system of numerical input. from 99 I decided to use CA for that purpose as I was on my own after 97. But because CA wasn’t developed enough back then I just used it draw my framing plans and took things off manually. Now if I was doing that sort of work I would be confident in using CA ML but I would still use basic checking methods to ensure the quantities are in the correct range. Those checking formulas could be placed in the excel spread sheet for comparison. With CA you can very quickly build a 3D model with framing that you can edit. When you are a building estimator you know what percentage to allow for each of the framing and other building elements. So a perfect 3D model is not essential when you are at the estimating stage. Many changes will occur along the way. I thoroughly recommend using CA for this purpose and as you become more skilled at using it to build a 3D model, you will become more accurate in your quantity take offs as well. When you are taking off concrete slabs and reinforcement you usually have to get that info from an engineer. For more accurate trusses and wall bracing and anchoring you would need to use a system and engineering application to finalize the process. Nothing is perfectly accurate in estimating to get the cost correct so that you do not loose money, that usually comes with much experience. Have fun !

Awesome !

Way to go ! Chopsaw, I have never heard of this technique before. Tearing off a strip or give it the “scourging” treatment. I would like to see it illustrated or a video on “Scourging a roof plane” cool !

I understand why now because the 3D navigation works better with a standard mouse. I tested it in X10 and X8 as well and it wasn’t that fluid. I think we need to find out how others here get it to work more smoothly like the person in the video above apparently does ?

When you install it, it gives you quick training exercises to learn how to navigate in 3D. The game is to move the tea pot. I got one this year and I absolutely love it. Yes it’s very sensitive but if you apply very light pressure on the direction you want to navigate in, it will work good for you. One hand on the conventional mouse and the other on the spacemouse when you need to navigate in 3D. To learn how to use it with CA, please see this video on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ChiefArchitect/videos/chief-architect-x8-3d-mouse-support/1343304632365452/

Oh yeah ! That too !

Yes I understand and with a laptop you don’t want a slow performance with work like that and sitting around waiting for your render to produce. I have moved over to a Mac Studio recently because I was fed up with the amount of house keeping time it took to maintain a windows PC. Even my Microsoft surface pro still takes up too much time keeping it up to date. I hope that Apple will produce a laptop specifically designed to handle real time RT renders better than it has up to now.

For X15, the recommended laptops are at the bottom of this list from your link. If they want to test an Apple first then that is their choice to do so. If it doesn’t perform as expected they can always consider other options too. Recommended: 32 GB of RAM 512 GB SSD PC Desktops: Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 5000 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 Laptops: Minimum 15" screen Intel i7 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800M Mac Desktops: Mac Pro Laptops: MacBook Pro 16" Metal GPUFamily: Apple M1 or newer 8 GB video memory

I am just showing what some Apple products are capable of in comparison to other popular video cards that are out there. There might be a mobile Apple alternative out there that can do a good job of real time rendering as well ? My advice would be to test an Apple laptop first before buying if that is possible? I guess you may have tested the new MacBook pros with the M2 Apple Silicon in them ? You guys who do high end rendering would know what works with mobile devices. All good !

https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/10/19/m1-pro-and-m1-max-gpu-performance-versus-nvidia-and-amd

Hey Basil, your AMSM1 Ultra machine can handle the X15 video card requirements easily for now and into the future with its huge GPU capacity. My older PC machine couldn't produce the 3D views or cross sections with testing the CAX15 demo so I will have to download it again, this time for my Mac to be able to test it out properly. “Mac M1 compared to Nvidia & AMD video cards link below” https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/10/19/m1-pro-and-m1-max-gpu-performance-versus-nvidia-and-amd

Cheers Val For the master Chiefer above. I like diagrams to make it easier for me. JB is referring to this article. Please see the diagrams and notes in this official link below. https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00673/creating-corner-windows.html All good.

Oh they make it easier than some other CAD out there but hard to figure out the tricks of the trade. Thanks GD, VH & JB on how to do this trick.

My X15 favourite feature is to be able to extend outer wall skins down below the floor level. Great job Chief Architect .

Hi, I making an enquiry about the downloaded demonstration version of CA. When will it be X15 so I can test it out please ?

You got to be brave when you get lots of questions from users who are clearly not sure on how to get around simple problems. Cabinets one inch from the back of the wall ? Try an invisible wall one inch thick or ask here on the forum for more options. Use a custom counter top with a one inch overhang on the back end. etc. Corner cabinet should just be square and you put small side ones to make up the distance to get rid of the line in elevation. No software is perfect and they never will be. We just have to find our way around problems that can come up. I didn’t want to waste anymore time hearing questions that they can simply ask here on the forum. They can also raise there issues here on the forum as well. The webinar was about X15 not about teaching others how to use the software. You need to set up question delay time before it gets to the presenter just Incase it has nothing to do with X15. Some questions were good and to the point. I think you handled them quite well. I think you have more patience that I would have with some of those questions .

Hi, does anyone know if the webinar video for X15 is available to view yet ?

Drag multiple copies does the same thing usually. I used a Bostich timber truss framing application with the old DOS system input in the late 80’s to design trusses for manufacturing in our family truss making plant. The more complicated the roof got the more likely you were to send it off to an engineer at head office to complete the design of girder trusses and supporting beams etc. Chief Architect is not engineering software so trusses we build in that application should only be for a guide. I always get the truss manufactures to engineer them first and finish my drawings after importing a DWG from them first.

Very cool ! ComputerMaster86. I have the spacemouse wireless and I like how you have used the graphics icons from CA in your radial menu commands.

Is the March 2 X15 webinar available to view yet ?

Hi, I am wondering if we have an onboard system for converting imported pdf drawings to 2D CAD lines in CA yet ? It would be good if it did have one incorporated right into the native CA work environment. What other software are you using to assist you with this process ? Thank you in advance for your replies.

I don’t think it’s greed because they are still allowing SAA for long time users to continue if they opted for it within the allotted time. It’s definitely an updated system now with no more Chief Interiors product being offered. Most of those users will be migrated to Chief Premier if they want to continue to be upgraded because they could also choose an SSA option before the expiry date. The SSA period is over for us who didn’t upgrade within the specified period. The best decision IMO would be to offer both an SSA option or a subscription option for new users. Of course SSA perpetual licensing would cost more because if you miss your SSA the upgrade fee naturally increases. I am not testing X15 but it is obvious that the former Interior users will get a good look in with X15 and future releases of Chief Premier. Maybe I should have upgraded before the allotted time ? Circumstances in life change for all of us, to me not continuing SSA or upgrading before the expiry date was a no brainer if you lived in the US. I look forward to what X15 has to offer and I am glad that I can still get a 50% discount for my first year if I wanted to upgrade to X15.

So now, how do SSA current users keep their future SSA payments up to date since the CA website only shows subscription prices ?

Whoa ! I didn’t know that but I will definitely be looking forward to what’s new in X15 this year.