SNestor

Scott...when you change to "Truss" it changes the "birds mouth cut" to "0", "0". When you frame conventional and you don't have "Truss" checked...you may need to adjust the birds mouth cut... I'm no expert...but I'm not having these problems. Also...(I'm not sure about this...maybe Alaskan Son can comment) - after you build a roof plane (like in your vid) you may need to use the "edit all roofs" command instead of the "build roof" dialogue. I'm guessing...so, take this advice for what it's worth.

Here is the same truss...ceiling drawn from inside surface.

I agree with the Alaskan Son...it doesn't matter where you define the ceiling...either draw it from the outside...or the inside. You will need to adjust either the "inside bottom height"...or the "outside bottom height" to make the ceiling plane land in the proper location...

I created a simple plan using one of Chief's OOB plan templates. I built the framing...all looked good. The mud sill plates all met the corners. The plate width was the OOB 5 1/2" width. I did some experimenting. - I started by specifying a 3 1/2" plate. They plates did not meet in the corner. - I increased the width to 4"...and bingo. The plates all met in the corners. Crazy. It seems if the you specify a mud sill (in the foundation wall dbx) and it's width is 3 5/8" or less...the plates will not meet in the corners. This exercise did teach me that the plate specification in the foundation wall DBX controls the size/width/qty of the mud sill. There is also a place to specify the "plate" in the wood frame wall DBX...which I think is there only if you are using a slab foundation. I'm not sure...but this makes sense since you wouldn't typically be using an 8" concrete foundation wall if you were using a slab... Looks like a glitch to me?

I think the corner intersections are missing at every corner. That's my point. Is this normal Chief behavior...and if I want the corners to look correct I will have to manually edit? Perry is right...it's not a big deal because it's not something that you would typically show in a set of ConDocs. I'm just wondering if I have something set wrong.

No...I don't have "retain framing" on... A plan file is attached...maybe when/if you have time you can take a look. It's not the end of the world...but, I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. Thanks Plan - Sill Plate X9.plan

Can anyone tell me why the sill plate corners don't come together? Is there a wall setting that controls this...that I might be missing? Or....is this just the way the program works? Thanks for looking...

Yea...you are right. It doesn't appear on my phone either. Must be a Mobile App thing Steve Nestor Chief X7, X8, X9 27" iMac 3.5GHz Intel Core i7 1TB Hard Drive 16GB Ram 1600MHz DDR3 NVidia GeForce GTX 775M with 2GB memory

Scott - this last RT was 100 passes. Not sure how much time...maybe a bit more than an hour. Honestly, there wasn't much difference from 50 passes. I just set it and left. I use a 2 year old Mac. See my signature. It's powerful enough...

Yep...I'm with you.

Scott - thanks for the compliments...but really, it's all trial and error. That is why I don't do these too often...only when I have some time and feel like messing with Ray Tracing. Doing this Outdoor RT I have learned a few things... - Seems to me the biggest factor in changing the brightness is the "Lighting" menu in the RT menu. I have experimented...and to me somewhere between 3-4 is good. - I have also experimented with the color of the sun light. White is typical...but for this RT I have used a very soft "yellow". A very light "blue" sunlight is good also. Just depends on the backdrop and the colors on the house. - I also adjust the sunlight so that it shines on the house and creates the shadows I want. I don't ever just use the standard "sun follows camera". - I've recently been experimenting with "focal blur". If you put something in the foreground...and lower the F-Number...I used 1.4 in the attached RT...it will put some blur on things in the foreground...gives the RT a real "camera" feel. I didn't use Photon Mapping...not sure what it is...but I think I tried it a few times and didn't like the way it looked. I don't know what "Ambient Occlusion" is...or how it really effects the RT. For the attached RT I used 0.3 for the minimum and 1.0 for the maximum. Whatever that means. I also used "Enable Environment Light (Outside)"...intensity is set to 1.0 (which I think is the default?) I also checked "Use Sky"...whatever that means. Sounded logical for an exterior RT. Dennis...thanks for the tips. In the attached RT I changed the grass...changed the X and Y scale to 60x60. Added a bump map. Same for the brick...I added a bump map. - Just FYI...for the grass...all I did was copy the "texture" file into the "Bump Map" file field and added a "Height Multiplier"...in this case 0.03. I did the same for the brick..but inverted the height multiplier. I also adjusted the height of the plants to make them look a bit more "realistic". These things really did improve the RT. Thanks!

I have been saving files as you guys have described...but, I do think one of the plusses of the CA system is that any new materials created or used get saved with the file. You don't have to wonder what happened to the roofing you used...or that special brick, siding or flooring.

Since no one replied I gather this "recommended" method is not used by many. To summarize...when you have completed say a "revision" of the plan, CA recommends that you choose the file/backup entire plan. Save this file to a new "folder" within the project folder and name the folder with a version system...to indicate the day the changes were made. It's a nice system...I think. I may give it a try on a project to see if it works for me.

Don't think the "shelf ceiling" will do the trick...as the vaulted ceiling is in both the master bedroom and the master bath. If I designate the bath area room to have the "shelf" ceiling...well, I lose my vaulted ceiling. Would you recommend using a "wall divider" to create a little room...maybe on the bath side...then designate this "room" to have the shelf ceiling? I'll give that a shot... Thanks guys

Hope Michael is still watching this thread. Ok...why does the wall over the bedroom door travel all the way to the roof? Why doesn't the ceiling (vaulted) cut this wall off? Thanks...

Well...that was simple. Holy cow... Thanks Michael!

Believe me...I really no idea how to explain to anyone how to ray trace. With me it's just trial and error. I don't know how to create or use bump or normal maps...and I only use Chief. But...I think a ray trace like the attached would be good enough to help sell a job to a client. I wish I knew more...but, ray tracing is time consuming and I only do these for my own enjoyment and training...or, if a client really needs something to help them understand a final design. Here is one of my latest...all Chief. Basic settings. For me...I think adjusting the sunlight makes the biggest impact. But...keep in mind, I don't know what I'm doing.

I watched a Chief video this morning about their recommended method to save "versions" of a plan...it was interesting. I was wondering if those of you who use the software regularly use this method....or not. My method has been to just save a file with a version designation...but, I do like the tracking ability of the CA recommended method. What do you all think? Here is the video...https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/1951/file-management-sharing-collaborating.html?playlist=81

I have a wall between a bedroom and a bathroom where the wall is only 9' tall...but open above. The vaulted ceiling travels over the wall into the bathroom. If I designate this wall as "no located"...then the vaulted drywall ceiling above works fine, but I lose my room definition. Plan attached: Nestor House Plans X9.plan

Mike, For the "exercise"...I worked on your plan. Take a look. Maybe it will help. It's a nice elevation... Rancher (056) v05.plan

See my signature...specs are listed. My MAC is 2 years old...so, not sure it's the same today. But my MAC works fantastically with Chief.

I didn't construct the dormer...but this should get you started. David Michael has got it right. I built the roof manually....I just find it easier than messing with auto build. Also...I didn't not change the plan...but to get the house to look like the "plan"...you will have to make some changes to the porch etc. Rancher (056) v05.plan

Just FYI...it appears that the front porch should extend out in front of the garage face. You have the porch wall and the garage wall aligned. It will be difficult to create the look shown in the attached PDF. So..I think you will need to modify the floor plan. Maybe I'm wrong...others may chime in.

Turn "OFF" the "Framing, Wall" layer...in the Camera View set...weird. But, it works. Thanks Michael...(I would have never figured that out)

I'm wondering why sometimes I don't see the "fir framing" when I'm working in the wall dialogue box (this walls happens to be the OOB Interior-4 wall)....see pic attached. Do I have to have the "framing, wall" layer turned on in the layerset being used?