SNestor

Well...I want the boxed out window floating above the roof. The bottom needs to be roughly 18" above the roof so it can have some corbels under it.

Perry - Cannot open the file. It says it's a different version than what I have. I am running 16.4.1.20OSX Do I need to upgrade...or are you running version 7? Also...the reason I created the bump on the 2nd floor is because the house I am trying has a porch roof under the bumped out window. The roof cuts off the walls....which is another issue. This is such a typical detail...I am really surprised how difficult it is to create. Chief...fix this please! ---- Chief software engineers seem more interested in cabinet design that house design.

Well...I tried the auto box window but I don't know how to get (2) separate windows on the front of the box. Is this possible?

I want to create a box (or bay) type window. The walls of the boxed out window extend out 12" or so. I want the floor in the boxed out window to be raised up about 36". I want the floor structure of this boxed out window to be 2x6's...and there needs to be a finish on the bottom side...such as 3/8" soffit. The window I'm trying to build will ultimately have a couple of corbel brackets under the box out. I've attached a basic plan to kind of show what I am trying to accomplish. Why don't I have a ceiling on the porch roof? I had one...then it went away. So...I did something...but for the life of me I can't figure out what. Do I need to have a room under this boxed out window in order to create a finish on the underside? Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Box Window - second floor.plan

Stair tool...

To clarify...I do feel paying for SSA is worth it. My hesitation stems from the fact that the cost of my first year of SSA was somewhat "buried" in the sales price of the software which I purchased last December. I think the cost was probably stated clearly...but I just didn't remember. I was under the illusion that the cost of SSA was around 300.00...not sure where I got that number...just too many numbers in my head I guess. I'm sure if I decided to pass on SSA...about a week or so later I'd have some terrible technical issue...and then I'd be kicking myself. Cheap insurance...and it does help with product development. Now...let's see if Chief programmers can improve the stair tool...

Is the price for SSA (445.00) the same as last year? I purchased the software last Dec. and the SSA was included so I had no idea what one year of SSA cost. I guess I was somewhat shocked by the price...I never had the need to call support. I did download "fixes". Seems pricey to me...

I don't know how you guys stand all the government you have...geez. Oh yea...maybe it's the weather? (right now it's 42 degrees in Indy...wind is about to howl 20-30 mph...lovely)

OK...got it. Thanks for the clarification....

I use a Mac. So...when I find an object at 3d Warehouse I wan and click download..."collada" is typically not a choice. So...how do I get this object imported into Chief? I guess I don't know what you mean when you say "Export to Collada" (.dae).

Got me. Is the shingle texture a layer that I can control the color and line weight. I will try that. So... The bottom line is set all line weights and color before sending to layout? Obviously I don't know what I'm doing...yet.

So...I send an Elevation view to layout. How do you control the weights of specific lines so for instance...the edges of the roof are bolder than say the shingle texture on the roof? Or...the trim on the building stands out from the brick or siding veneer? Is this something I need to setup in the plan file before I send it to layout? I know you can edit line weights in layout...but this seems tedious to have to do an entire elevation this way. If there is a good tutorial on this somewhere please point me to it. Thanks!

OK...well I'm glad I asked. I doubt I would have done it that way. Thanks!

Ok...I'm sure this is a simple question and I'm certain my "newb" status will be firmly cemented by this question. When an elevation is sent to layout...is all the text that describes what is on the elevation placed on the drawing in the layout view? Text that describes the size of the trim, roof pitch, details, floor elevation markers and dimensions. Is all this text placed on the layout view? Thanks

Jon - the wall has brick veneer. The trim is 2" thick. I can see the trim if I don't mind in laying on top of the brick veneer...but, this isn't how it's built. The trim attaches to the sheathing. The brick abuts the trim. In the overhead door DBX - when I select recess to main layer the exterior trim disappears. I believe this is occurring on entry doors as well. Some sort of glitch in the software I think... I did figure out a way to create brick soldier/sill etc. There is a decent article in the CA help files. Still fiddling around with it...but basically once the object is created I can attach it to a molding polyline and boom...brick sill. Not sure how to get the brick object the same color as the brick I'm using. It's always something. Thanks

Tommy...thanks for the tip. I may have tried both methods. The bigger problem is that it sits on the surface of the brick...which does not look realistic in 3d. I suppose in a 2d elevation it would look ok. How about attaching a brick arch above the trim board...in the same radius as the trim board. I have no clue how to do that... I'm also experiencing the garage door trim issue I've read about. If I attach 6" trim to the overhead door...but recess the door to the main layer the 6" trim disappears behind the brick. So, the only way to get trim along the side of the garage door is to use a polyline solid...but again it sits on top of the brick. Not very realistic.

Can anyone explain to me how I would accomplish drawing a brick arch over a garage door (or any opening for that matter). See the attached pdf example. In the example...the trim over the garage door is a 2x that is arched. The brick sill sits on top of the trim board. I have tried to accomplish this by using a polyline converted to a polyline solid...but if I push the object back to the wall...it disappears behind the brick veneer. This is such a common detail (at least in Indiana it is) that there has to be a simple way of accomplishing this. CA is a great program but it seems simple things like attaching a brick sill to the bottom of a window or adding a simple brick soldier to a window.door opening should be a much simpler task. I think it should be something in the window/door DBX that could be selected. Thanks. Garage Door with Brick Arch Example.pdf

If I download the free version of sketchup for Mac can I open a sketchup 8 object and save it as a collada file type?

I understand I can't import sketchup files directly into a Mac...but, is there another source of 3d objects that can be imported...or a way to import a sketchup file? Thanks

Control + Tab should do it...but it doesn't. I'll try it again to make sure. But that didn't work for me yesterday.

If I have 2 or 3 windows open of a drawing...such as a plan view, full over view and an elevation...isn't there a keystroke that will allow me to switch between these quickly? I know you can do it on a PC...but, can't figure out how to do it on my Mac. Thanks...

The brick shown above the garage door is what we call a "jack arch". Typically you have to order these custom made by your brick supplier. However...this home is actually a high end (450K) production home and as such...we tend to rely on the skill of our mason to construct these. I can tell you...they do not look like the drawing. Personally I would never use a jack arch in a home that cost less than a million dollars. Just FYI. This drawing was created by a cad program called Vertex BD. It's a cad software that a lot of production builders use.

Well...upon further inspection. I guess you can run it on line. Wonder if it will work on a Mac? Probably.... Thanks for the tip.

Well..."masonry designer" is a windows program - and I have a MAC, so it won't work for me. However...that piece of software sure does look to be quite a time saver. Might have to pull my old PC out of the closet just to use it.

Can anyone tell me how I would create a brick soldier course as shown in the attached PDF? Thanks. Brick Soldier Course Example.pdf