SNestor

Listen to Joey...he knows what he’s doing. Great tip Joey...

That is a great tip Rob....thanks!

Thanks! I'm always happy to hear someone got something from my YouTube Videos.

The "stair tool" is an antique when compared to the rest of the software. This tool has needed to be "updated" for many, many years...I'm not holding my breath that it'll be "fixed" anytime soon...I gather it's just not that important or maybe just too big of a project for Chief.

No doubt...using newels like these in a railing wall is fast...but, the corner construction is weird. The time you'd spend messing around trying to get them to work you could drop in the newel symbols exactly where you'd want them...attach the seat moldings and be done with it. Also, moldings don't allow you to drop a "doorway" into them...so, to create any opening you may want to have you will have to break the molding where you want the opening...select that section and select "remove molding from selected edge".

Correct. If you find the origin is off just a bit...just right click on the symbol in the library and “tweak” it...then just click the newel in a 3D view and “replace from library”...with a few tweaks you’ll get it right.

I drew the newel in plan...for me it’s much easier. This does require that you rotate the symbol to get it in the right position (standing...not laying down). I did have to adjust the position of the X/Y/Z so that the newel sits on the deck in the correct position. This might take a little trial and error. You could just make a “fixture” symbol and place them exactly where you want them. This might even be a better solution.

Yes...but, it may not be perfect. In the picture below I've created a custom newel post. I used P-Solids to create the newel design, then turned these into a "millwork" symbol and assigned the symbol to be a "newel" on the "options" tab. I've used (2) separate molding profiles (the brown is molding "A" and the pink is molding "B"...see pic below) so that I could paint them with unique materials...or at least control the direction of the the "grain" if the material was a wood. In order to get the molding lines to "sit" correctly on the newel you will have to tweak the horizontal and vertical offsets in the molding tab....but, with an open "section" of the railing wall it's not that difficult or time consuming. The newels shown below are in a "railing" wall...set to "open", no top or bottom rails...newels are spaced 72" on center. You will find that using a railing wall is quick...but, the newels at the corners don't always look correct. There isn't much you can do to fix this other than creating a newel "symbol" and placing these exactly where you want them...then attach the moldings for the seat.

If you change the ceiling height the room divider wall will automatically change to an interior-4 to create the drop ceiling. Really...using a doorway seems to be the easiest method.

Eric - you are right! Doorways are the way to go. So...to get a "white ceiling" and keeping the doorway the drywall color....I raised the doorway height to just above the finished ceiling and it works. Using a doorway is the way to go...saves a lot of time and hassle. As far as using a "soffit"...the soffit is just one color, the bottom of a soffit cannot be "white" like a ceiling... See pics below...

I agree with Eric on this one...a very thin dividing wall just auto changes to an interior-4 when you change the ceiling height. I'm happy to know that the "invisible wall" is a problem and doesn't always allow the base (or other moldings) to wrap correctly. I was just wondering if it was me or Chief... The problem with using a doorway is that if you have a white ceiling...you can't paint the door jamb the same color and you end up with a strip up at the front edge...so, you just have to paint the dropped ceiling the wall color. Not a big deal...but just another work around in Chief.

Is this a typical problem with Chief? Many times when I've added an invisible wall in order to create a "room" with a drop ceiling...the baseboard does not wrap around the wall. Just a real PIA... Example:

Mick - I removed all the "User Added Lights"....it didn't make any difference. See pics below... Glenn - Automatic is checked...but I still don't get the light on the ceiling. Here is picture of bedroom...automatic is checked. No light on ceiling. All user added lights removed Here is generic plan using the same template...automatic is checked and I get the ceiling light.

UPDATE: It's not my hardware (see my other post) or my NVIDIA video card...according to Apple. We looked at the Activity Monitor with Chief Architect running and a "floor camera" window also running and the computer was not taxed at all... So...I have some other issue. Here's my problem: I have a large floor plan. I have rooms where I have placed light fixtures...and also some "added lights". Other rooms on the same floor don't have any lights. When I use the floor camera...and I have "sun follows camera" checked...some rooms are "dark"...and no matter what I do I cannot get any "light" on any walls or anywhere in the room. Maybe my file bot corrupted? Have I screwed up a setting somewhere along the line? I don't remember this every happening to me before. Below are pics from the plan I am working in...and another new plan I created just to test the floor camera and the supplied lighting... These (2) pics are from the same plan file...on looking into a room filled with lights...the other in a room with lots of windows...but no lights. This "floor camera" view was created in a new plan...no windows, no lights...as you can see I get the typical "Chief" generated light

OK...relative speed...obviously. My computer is 5 years old...so, take that into consideration. Maybe a newer more powerful computer would generate the PBR is a couple seconds...I just don't know. What I guess I'm saying is that the PBR rendering of Cheryl's kitchen didn't take any longer on my computer than most of the other PBR renderings I have created...10 seconds or so to complete with "improved lighting" checked. I'm not rendering expert either...so, take that into account.

Chop beat me to it... Here is my example... You can find stuff like this in the help file...

No...fast even with rope lighting on.

Just FYI...I opened your plan and had no trouble with generating a PBR. It would generate in 10 seconds or less. I have a 5+ year old iMac...you can see my specs in my signature. Not much different from yours. You might want to experiment with a new file just to see if the one you are working in has gotten corrupted...or the Chief Gremlins have invaded. You never know...

UPDATE: It's not my hardware or my NVIDIA video card...according to Apple. We looked at the Activity Monitor with Chief Architect running and a "floor camera" window also running and the computer was not taxed at all... So...I have some other issue. Here's my problem: I have a large floor plan. I have rooms where I have placed light fixtures...and also some "added lights". Other rooms on the same floor don't have any lights. When I use the floor camera...and I have "sun follows camera" checked...some rooms are "dark"...and no matter what I do I cannot get any "light" on any walls or anywhere in the room. Have I screwed up a setting somewhere along the line? I don't remember this every happening to me before. Below are pics from the plan I am working in...and another new plan I created just to test the floor camera and the supplied lighting... These (2) are from the same plan file... This is from a generic plan to test lighting...as you can see on the ceiling;

I've looked at the forum...most of the posts lost me. I'm not a techie... Getting on phone with Apple Support...I'll post anything of value that I learn.

I have a late 2013 iMac...with an NVIDIA GTX780M video card. I recently installed Catalina...the new MAC operating system (wish I hadn't)...and now my video card doesn't seem to work. I checked my system...and according to Apple my system is up to date. I called Chief Tech Support...they told me that Apple controls the drivers on their systems...and Chief doesn't have a solution. So...wondering if anyone else has this problem and maybe has a solution? Or...should I just head out to the Apple store and get a new computer? Seems so stupid...my system works just fine otherwise...although it's a tad slow. Thanks!

This book is an invaluable design resource. Filled with information that you just don't learn "off the street"...so to speak. That said...unfortunately I feel the ship has sailed on good design...unless you have a client with deep pockets and a willingness to pay for "quality" over "quantity". It appears to me that home design is being driven by "quick hit" shows on HGTV...turning everyone into a design "expert". Also...millions of giant, out of scale homes by large production builders....the modern "craftsman", "farmhouse" and "transitional" designs. Lord...they are everywhere. If you design/draft home plans for a living you no doubt will occasionally have to swallow your design pride just a bit in order to stay employed. You do have to make a living afterall...and I doubt few of your clients will know what a "cyma" is...nor will they care. You know...they want their home to be just like the one Joanna Gaines did last week!

I did this...but you cannot uncheck the box associated with the Logitech Daemon. I don’t know why...but a quick google search revealed that Logitech has a problem with Catalina.

Yes...I have the same problem. I think Logitech is aware...but the solution might be a new mouse.

You may want to check out my dormer videos...