SNestor

Maybe a CA guru who designs in an area of the country where basements are common can give me some insight on how to construct a foundation wall that is a pony wall...and get this wall to align properly with the wood framed wall above. I can move the wall manually...and eventually get it to line up...but it's very time consuming. Especially for a complex house where some of the walls are 2x4 with stone or brick veneer...and others are 2x6 with stone or brick veneer. There must be a simple method? I've thought that I may not have the "main layer" defined correctly...but I've messed with that a bit and without success. I've attached a simple plan that shows where the foundation is placed automatically. Foundation Pony Wall.plan

Well...I'm confused. Does the location of the baseline change depending on whether the roof framing is trusses or stick framing? Or...is the location ALWAYS the intersection of the outside surface of the wall main layer and the top surface of either the rafter or top chord of roof truss?

How would one go about creating a sidelight as shown in the pic below. I searched the catalog...didn't find anything. I tried to use a window...but, you can only reduce the glass size by about half...by increasing the width of the bottom sash. Also...you don't get the raised panel. Maybe I could use a cabinet? Hadn't thought of that until just now. If someone has a better idea let me know. Thanks

Structural changes might require some department notification...but not always. However, what about the size or location of a bulkhead or some variance of an exterior trim detail or cabinet layout. Builders here in Indy make these types of changes everyday - all day. We are still "free men" in Indiana...to some degree.

You all are making great cases for detailing the plans. Clarity is always the better. No doubt. However, Do you ever consider how much liability you may be taking on by detailing the plans? And/or...are you paid enough to take on this liability. In Indiana...a lot of builders just don't want to pay for you to take the time to detail their plans...they kind of make it up as they go. Also...just from experience. I'm not sure people working in the field actually review and use all the details you may show on the plans. I can't begin to tell you how many times I walked on to a job and a subcontractor was fabricating or installing something incorrectly. When asked if they had looked at the plans...inevitably their answer was..."we are doing it the way we always do". Arrrrrr.....no wonder my hair is gray.

Here's a simple example of using (2) roof planes...it's a bit quirky. I don't want the entire soffit sloped...unchecking the "boxed eave" selection makes the entire soffit length sloped. I just want the soffit sloped from the gable wall out to the rake. Rake Overhang Ex1.plan

Wondering how you would create a gable end like the one shown in the attached. The rake soffit is sloped until it reaches the wall...then the soffit is flat. Would I have to create (2) separate roof sections? One roof would only be about 16" wide...basically just the overhang. Then create another roof from the wall back...with a flat soffit? Thanks...

Thanks. I'll check the settings. Never had this happen...and using same template. So...I've clicked something I shouldn't have.

I'm building this roof manually...wondering why the gables are not automatically building. The roof's are raised above the plate...would that have something to do with it?

I have managed the construction of thousands of apartments with PEX. It's a fabulous product. You should not fear using it. To me it is superior to copper.

I think Richard's point was that when Dan made the video...you could enter a "zero" for the stem wall height...and the stem wall would only move to the bottom of the floor. It would not move the floor. Well...now it does move the floor. I wonder why they changed this? So...with the current version of CA...you can move the floor by setting a height for the floor...and you can move the floor by moving the stem wall. It is a bit confusing...but, not the end of the world.

Richard is correct regarding setting the basement floor to zero...it now moves the slab up. The footing always remains below the floor. In previous versions of CA...as per Dan's video...if you set the stem wall height to zero...it would only move the footing to the underside of the floor. CA would lock the location of the basement floor in regards to the stem wall height. But now, in the current version of CA...the stem wall height actually moves the floor.

Great points Perry. "the grass is always greener" syndrome can be debilitating. I'm all for improving the software, and quicker would make me happy...but, I'd hate to see CA become a behemoth that doesn't listen to it's user base.

I agree with this post 100%. I've learned the software mostly by trial and error (a lot of error)...and could not have gotten anywhere without this exceptional forum. Also...Joey Martin got me off and running with a session...a very wise investment on my part. He was a very big help. I also wonder if the guy that started this thread...joedesign30...gave up on CA or what. I don't see any posts past 2014. Maybe he decided to join the dark side...

Michael...thanks for the info. I didn't realize this about text...and I'm not sure how I'd use this capability. Probably won't figure it out until I need it. Can you give me an example of where I might need to use a "Text" box...so that it can appear on different layer sets? In the "Breckenridge" example plan set...the text I'm talking about was typed into a layout box. It is "Site Plan Notes". Not sure why they would create notes in a text box on a layout page? I guess if it was a text box in a floor or electrical plan...I could understand why you might do it this way...but not adding a note in layout. Am I missing something?

Sorry...one more NEWB question concerning notes... If I'm typing a note into Layout...does it matter if I use a Rich Text box...or a standard Text box? I'm looking at the Breckenridge plan set again...and whomever put that set of plans together used both types on the same page. I suppose it doesn't matter...but, thought I'd ask the people that know. Thanks for indulging me...

OK...I created a simple text macro. Question: can you control "formatting" in a text macro? Such as a numbered list? What about text wrapping?

I was really just talking about "boiler plate" notes. Maybe in sunny Cali it's difficult to have these type of notes...but here in frigid Indy it's not a problem. More specific items/notes...something like a wall legend would work better if it was in a template plan - or using the SAM...the last good set of plans you put together. I appreciate you all chiming in...I think someday in the future I will be using parts of all methods discussed. Chief Architect did a decent job with the "Breckenridge" example set. I have used this example set to learn how to I might put my own plans together...its a good starting point. I get the feeling "power users" probably don't get much from this CA example...but it has helped me think through how I might put my template together. The "Breckenridge" example set is a "single" one-off design and as such they don't use text macros and it's difficult to discern whether or not the notes they have in the layout sheets are encapsulated in their layout template...or just typed in specifically for this particular plan...or, possibly pulled out of the library. Maybe a little of each?

Thanks all for the replies...very helpful. I am trying to create "boiler plate" notes that I want to appear in all my drawings...so, I guess I should be typing them into a text box in "layout". The text macro idea is great...but I'm not quite up to speed on "macros" just yet. This is just step #1...someday I might take the leap to text macros. The "Save-As-Method" does work...but I have to have the info in the plan or layout file first. That is what I'm trying to do. Once I have what I want stored in layout or plan...I can create a template...or just use the SAM.

Do you type them directly into the template?

Basic question...I think. I'm trying to create general plan notes that show up on every plan set. So...is there a "best method"? My current process is to create notes in a Cad Detail window (in template plan file)...then send them to my layout template. However, I was looking at the CA "Breckenridge" plan...and most of the notes on that set of plans were placed or typed directly into the layout file. I have saved some note "blocks" to my library...but when I place them directly into a layout...they are very large (6" tall text). I gather this is because they were created in a Cad window at 1/4" or 1/8" scale...and layout is full scale. So...I'm just not sure if I'm going about this in the right way.

I have a general question regarding roof trusses and attic walls. If I choose to raise the roof plane then an attic wall is created. Automatically this wall is a copy of the wall below it...so, typically it will have drywall on it...which is not needed in the attic. So...I create a new "attic wall" type...without the drywall. However, if I will be using roof trusses with an "energy heel"...what happens to this "attic wall"? As you can see from the framing perspective view...the attic wall does not show....except at the gable ends. (I have attic walls turned on). Does the use of "roof trusses" override the attic wall? I'm wondering if the materials for the attic wall are still being calculated. Also...the attic wall does appear in the cross section view. Needless to say...it's a bit confusing.

Ahh...got it. Thanks Larry. I'm trying to set my own "system" up...these discussions and the videos really help.

Larry...why would you need to update specific layout boxes...just link (reference) the layout to a new plan file and the layout boxes (except for camera views) should automatically update? Am I right? Hell...I have no idea. But I watched Scott's videos and he never updated a single layout box. It's interesting to me that Chief has Never put a series of videos together to show systems or methods on how to use CA with layout and plan files. I realize there are a number of methods...but maybe at least one series showing a "possible" system would be helpful.

Fabulous! Thanks Larry....a great help video.