SNestor

I'm trying to make a cedar bracket like the one shown in the attached picture. My problem...how to make the 4 sided beveled end cap. This should be simple...right? Probably...but, not for me. I've tried making it with "solids"...but couldn't get all the components to come together. It seems most solid objects can only be used in plan view. The "face" object is available in elevation views...but, I'm really not sure what the "face" tool does. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Genius... Thanks very much!

Wondering what I did to make the siding on the left side elevation of this plan to disappear. The siding where the floor system would be has just gone away. I was messing around with the wall at the stair landing...trying to make it a balloon framed wall. Maybe this caused the issue? Also...can someone tell me how to get a railing on the stairs that lead up from the stair landing to the second floor. When I select rail on left side...the stair contracts. I want this section of stair to remain parked above the framed wall below. Thanks in advance...(plan attached) 5045A.plan

Which method produces the best results in vector view?

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.

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".

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?

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

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.

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.

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.