SNestor

1 hour ago, kwhitt said:

Steve - thanks for the explanation.  I will be working on this today.  Was there anything special needed for the newel post origin?  Do I draw the newels in plan or elevation view?  I appreciate the time you took to illustrate this.  Kevin

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.  

On 11/11/2019 at 12:41 PM, kwhitt said:

Thanks guys for the feedback.  Michael - I know what you mean about it being just as quick to model it, but I'm on the 3rd revision for this guy (starting to regret taking the retainer) and could possibly have to do a couple more until he settles on a footprint.

 

So, were I to have CA do the automation, the vertical members would be newel posts with short horizontal members attached to align with my horizontal panels (the seat and back)?  I am unsure of where I place the origin for such a symbol so that the slanted back exceeds the outline of the deck.  Also, I failed to mention that the deck has chamfered corners as shown in the attached.  Does this present any problems with the automation (mitering specifically)?  I am just getting into creating my own symbols and would appreciate any advice.  Thanks again,  Kevin

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.  

9 hours ago, robdyck said:

I usually use an invisible room divider that's 1/2" thick and is 1 layer of drywall, or the same material as my typical wall finish. If my room divider is perpendicular to the end of a partition, I make sure its a through wall. That puts drywall on the end of the partition. I rarely run into the interrupted baseboard this way.

This isn't perfect for every scenario, but good for many. In the OP, I'd also use a doorway that's NOT in the schedule (if using one). 

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.  

2 hours ago, solver said:

 

Not understanding this. What do you want that is different from the image I posted -- the white dropped ceiling edge? 

 

I still cannot believe this is how Chief models this condition.

 

I have p-solids in the library (I've colored them here so the parts would show up) that I use after drawing my own ceiling plane.

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...

11 minutes ago, solver said:

Instead of an invisible wall, I'll use a doorway.

 

 

 

Chief will upsize a thin wall to match the wall it builds above the opening.

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:

3 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

Chief only adds the "Auto Light" in the center of the Room if there are no "User added Lights" in a Plan AFAIK ,

 so looking from a Room without added lights into a room that does may seem okay , but other rooms may appear "dark"

 

M.

3 hours ago, glennw said:

In relation to your last picture, try this:

Open the camera dbx and go to the Camera panel>Lighting.

Is Automatic checked?

If so this will give you a default light (that you are missing).

You can check Light Set and unless you have any custom light sets, the Light Set will be Default Light Set which will not have Chiefs default light (which I think is what you are not seeing). 

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

1 minute ago, TheKitchenAbode said:

 

Fast is a relative term. I can run the PBR with all the lights on also without any problem but having all those lights on does slow things down. It's most noticeable if say when in the PBR window you click on a cabinet and then press ok, it takes a while for your cursor to come back, maybe 10 seconds or so. If the rope lights are turned of the cursor will come back in say 5 seconds or less. 10 or 15 seconds can become frustrating if you are making a lot of changes in PBR.

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...

18 minutes ago, Cheryl_C_Crane said:

Thanks, Steve.

 

I have been wondering if maybe my default template file has become corrupted because I've been experiencing this for about a month. But if you are easily able to work with this file, then maybe it isn't corrupt.

 

Did you turn off the rope lighting?

 

I was hoping that the Gremlins would leave with Halloween!

No...fast even with rope lighting on.

4 hours ago, Cheryl_C_Crane said:

Changing or adjusting materials or other modifications are abysmally slow in both standard view and PBR. This on a machine that did the same tasks quickly a few months ago.

 

What can I do to fix this? Plan view & Vector view are running fine. I give customers PBR's but I've never had a rendering that didn't require adjusting materials.

 

Is this a Win 10 update thing? I'm at wit's end

 

Here's a poor quality video that I did with my cell phone.

 

The plan is also attached.

 

https://photos.google.com/u/0/search/_tv_Videos/photo/AF1QipPG5AgzsvriRRAWgQfzunAaEaZVm27YFkFPu0W2

Dill Marti Vern.zip

 

(That's Huckleberry's voice letting me know that a tennis ball is under my desk. The joys of working from home 8-) )

 

Thank You for your thoughts, ~Cheryl

 

 

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;

32 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 

Do some searching on MAC issues over on the Nvidia Forums ......join and Post over there Perhaps for the best help....

 

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/discover/

 

M.

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!

11 hours ago, kylejmarsh said:

Do yourself a favor - get a copy of Get Your House Right.

 

It is a map through the thousand design decisions you'll be making as you design a house. It is a dictionary of the Architectural Vocabulary our predecessors worked to perfect and articulate, and is your key to taking your designs to the next level. 

 

You have to drive around this life and see houses designed by total amateurs, littering the neighborhoods and fields along the roadway - don't let your designs fall into this category.

 

You owe it to yourself to buy this book and study it.

 

 

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! 

3 hours ago, Electromen said:

1. Click Open System Preferences.
2. In System Preferences, click the lock at the bottom left corner to unlock.
3. In the right panel, check the boxes for Logitech Options and Logitech Options Daemon.

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...

Thanks...

I'm running Catalina on a 5 year old iMac...absolutely no problems with Chief. 

On 10/25/2019 at 2:15 PM, GeneDavis said:

See the pics.  I prefer deck railings done with newels fastened to the outboard face of framing, or for stairs, outboard the stringers.

 

Is this possible?

Just FYI...I've done a number of videos on this type of deck rails...take a look, maybe they will help you out.

On 10/23/2019 at 12:13 PM, CTB_Russ said:

I am trying to add a bonus room to a single story house...a 1.5 story house and I keep running into problems... I only want a 2nd floor above the garage, but there vaulted ceilings in other rooms. The current challenge is adding transom windows in the vaulted rooms...The model has the upper floor stucture cutting through the transom or not allowing placement of the window beacause the floor of the upper floor is there...these are areas that should not have a floor above.

If you want an answer...post the plan...or at least a sample plan.  You will get an answer promptly...

I made a video about putting tile on a shower ceiling...nothing amazing but it might help someone 

3 hours ago, robdyck said:

And here's why I don't like soffits for this application.

I'd rather use a psolid for the ceiling, and make a room molding for the crown. A light still works, you just need to offset it. These items are faster IMO than messing around with soffits, material regions, etc. But as mentioned, there's often many ways to skin a cat!

 

 

 

What if anything happens if you drag the soffit about 6” past the shower walls...