SNestor

I know many like to find ways to get CA to frame automatically, but I have yet to see many examples where it does so (a.) correctly*, and (b.)faster than using Chief's framing tools and just manually modeling it.

 

It is pretty cool you can use all those tools in CA to frame things correctly - and if you want to mix with auto-frame sections just lock your hand-framed sections.

 

*I say its worse to show something framed incorrectly than simply not showing it.

 

 

Ahhh...of course I never thought about just manually framing it.  Tunnel vision...

 

I was thinking if I could create a floor...then it would auto frame?  But...creating the floor platform is where I get lost.  

Run the stair one way and turn 180 and go the other way, stop and click between them and it will generate a platform. Same way you would do both stairs with a 90 turn.

 

 

I can create the stair platform...but it does not frame like a floor.  Or maybe it does and I'm doing something wrong?

So...I'm hoping this question is general enough that I won't need to post a plan.  

 

When constructing a switch-back style stair.  So...you travel up 8 risers...land...then turn 180 degrees and travel 8 risers to the second floor.  My question is...how to you construct the floor landing so that it frames.  

 

I know you can use the stair landing tool to create the landing for the stairs to connect to...but this is a polyline and it does not create framing.  

 

When I created the wall under the landing (at the head of the first floor 8 rise run) it created a room.  However, when I went in the structural dbx it stated that "ceiling values may not be changed as the floor above this room has varying heights".

Check your text preferences.  You may have set your number of segments to 1 instead of 2 which is the normal default.

 

 

That was it...thanks much!

I'm wondering if I have changed some default behavior somewhere.  

 

When using the leader line tool...it seems to me the standard behavior should be - you click where you want the arrow to be...drag the line for the 1st segment to where you want to change direction...then let go and drag the horizontal segment to where you want to place text.

 

For some reason...probably user error...I can draw the 1st segment...but when I let go of the mouse to draw the 2nd segment the text box opens.  This behavior occurs no matter what template I use to create a plan...even the OOB plan template.  

 

Any ideas as to what I've done to create this problem...

 

 

Thanks...

Wondering why the cabinet glass is solid gray instead of clear like it should be. What am I doing wrong? Also - the table behind the couch is white marble...but it's washed out.

I rendered this over night...so there were a lot of passes. This is only my 2nd or 3rd try at creating a decent render - and my results are based solely on pure luck and great software.

Thanks so much for all the great tips.  I knew there had to be a way...and turns out there are many.  Geez I feel dumb....

I'm sure my topic heading is vague or confusing...or both.  

 

Here's the issue.  Say I'm drawing a wall...and I have zoomed into the plan to start the wall at a certain location...now I want to draw a wall say 30' long...but to do this, I have to draw a few feet (because I've zoomed in on the plan)...then, let go of the line, zoom out, grab the line again and finish drawing to where I want.  Sometimes I have to let go to zoom in...and then pull the line/wall to the exact location.

 

Ok...so, I know there has go to be a way I can hold on to the wall and zoom out...or just pull across the screen somehow?  But...how?

 

Thanks.

I'm just getting started setting up anno sets. I created a simple plan file to use to test and setup my layers within each anno set. The plan is a simple box 2-story with a simple part basement/part crawl. I suppose I should create a layout set linked to this plane and once I'm happy with everything (layers, anno sets, cameras, text...) I should use these files as a starting point for all future jobs...until I have a better plan/layout. Then I would save these files as my new template.

Does it sound like I've got a grasp of this...or am I going wrong somewhere?

Thanks again for all the tips and help.

Joe - is your "template" plan a copy of a recently completed plan...or some plan from the recent past?

If it's a template you use over and over...why not open it and strip items out of the template so you don't have to do this exercise each time you create a new plan.

Thanks

Well...coming from a newbie who gets a thrill from creating a couple of anno sets the process Joe describes seems daunting.

I love the process because it seems it would make creating accurate and consistent condocs so very efficient. Which would mean you could possibly turn out more jobs per month/year and therefore make more money...which is always one of the goals.

Scott - do you think the SAM videos you created closely describe Joes system?

Hey, I did a series of vids called ANNO SETS FOR DUMMIES, you might want to check them out, do a google search,

Scott - I have watched...but it was a while ago. Back watching again. Thanks for these videos. Us newbs would be lost without them.

Starting to create some custom annosets.  As I work with them questions arise that I know can only be answered here.

 

I'm creating a roof plan annoset...that I would use to send a roof plan to layout.  Do you guys create separate layers for the objects on each floor?  Such as...doors 1st floor; windows 1st floor, headers 1st floor; casing 1st floor...etc.  Then create the same for the 2nd (or other floors).  This way you can turn on/off what you want.

 

Am I thinking about this correctly?

Johnny...here is the link. Hope it works.

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/3507-boxed-out-window-help/?fromsearch=1

See your thread from last January.

 

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/6131-box-window-troubles/

Yep...I had forgotten that I had asked about this before. The link didn't work for me...but I did my own search and found the topic. Making the space a balcony seems to be the key.

Thanks.

There is a nice little button on the side (toolbar) you can toggle color/b&w....

 

Johnny...I know about the color on/off button.  I've been playing around...and I guess CA sends elevations to layout as B/W by default.  They aren't in color.  However...this isn't the same for floor plans.

 

Attached are two examples...just using the toggle button.  I'm wondering why my walls have no fill if I turn the color off.  I would like the fill to be at least a gray.

If you use the box window tool that does seem to work...  You need to add your freeze board detail but that should be easy.  Inside the visual is a nice clean line.

 

Johnny...

How do you raise the floor in the box window to create a "seat".  

Also...how do you add windows...it doesn't seem possible to have more than a single window in a box window?

I was looking at the "Riverstone" plan that Chief created.  I opened the layout and the elevations are a nice crisp black and white.  I double click on the layout box to view the elevation view and it's in color.

 

How do you send color rendered elevations to layout in black and white?  

 

I almost hate to ask this question...because it should be obvious...but, not to me.  Do elevations just go to layout in B/W?  What about floor plans?

 

See attached pics.

 

Thanks

 

 

Riverstone Elevation.tiff

Riverstone Elev Layout.tiff

Attached is a simple plan that shows 2 methods (that I know) used to create a boxed window on the 2nd floor.  Neither version works perfectly..both have their own issues.

 

Can anyone shed some light on this subject...where am I going wrong or right?  Why are simple things like this so confusing....I mean, a boxed out window is a typical detail and should be a piece of cake to construct.  

 

Well...maybe it is if you know what you are doing?  

 

 

Box Window Trouble 2.plan

Scott - is this the video. If so...you didn't make a column with the cabinet tool. Great video...learned something new.

In my search for the perfect Porch building solution I came across a thread about how to build columns. The consensus was to use the cabinet tool to make columns. I'm using p-solids...or a moulding. Never considered the cabinet tool.

Is there any possibility I could get one of the experts to do a video on this. I'd love to learn how this is done.

Thanks.

Glenn is the best, He knows more than me, he knows more than the CA Staff, in fact he knows more stuff than my wife, ........... but you must take into consideration how this will appear in plan view.

Do you need to dimension the columns? How will the columns appear in plan view? Are your going to have half columns at the exterior wall of the house? How often are you going to use that particular setback of column from the edge of porch slab? How often are you going to use that style of column? Is the height of the column base going to change from project to project? How is the beam supporting the room going to appear in plan view.

Bottom line, I advocate a less auto approach for the reasons I just referenced.

Scott - yes, all great points. Most everything I do is custom. However...the porch slab will typically hang past the face of the foundation wall 1.5".

Some items change all the time...like the size/shape and the number of columns...also the height of the columns.

Building the porch manually probably works best for me.

Steve,

 

This is really easy to do with a predefined wall type that you can save to your library, or place on a tool button.

Select the wall from the tool bar and draw - couldn't be easier.

 

Johnny,

I don't understand, why would I want a more non-automated way to do this?

Why would I want to make it more complicated and take longer?

 

 

http://screencast.com/t/GrLixLW2i4ip

 

Glen...yes, that does look easy.  Can you elaborate on how you created the wall definition?  I believe you used a railing wall...but how do you get the column bases to be inside the edge of the slab?  

 

Thanks for taking the time...that video shows the power of CA once you know how to harness it. 

Just turn off auto foundation and drag the footing wherever you want it. You can also adjust the footings to any depth or thickness individually. I tend to not have the slab generate on porches and add one manually.

So...the bottom line is just build porches manually. I figured out by trial and error to just build the foundation manually. I think it's probably just easier to build the slab using the countertop tool...adding an edge is easy. Then just pull in columns I've created or from the library and manually build a roof.

Use Glen's railing wall method, then manually draw a foundation beneath the porch. The only remaining step is to place a molding on the slab edge.

I've done it the way you suggest. The molding for the slab edge works well...but, the molding line appears in the plan view and there appears to be two lines creating the slab edge. Is there a way to correct this?

Also - I'm just amazed that CA won't create a foundation under a porch...especially if there are load bearing walls that define the porch. Weird.