DianneDSC

I use a molding polyline with soldier brick material.

I'm in Nashville, TN, and would be interested in getting a group together. I'll message you my email address.

Welcome! Chief is an amazing tool. When I started using Chief in 2014 there used to be multiple templates with predefined styles, such as Arts & Crafts, modern, etc that had different cabinets, doors, lighting styles set as defaults. Perhaps those are what is shown on some of the videos you've watched. I'm not sure when Chief changed to having less template options, like residential, etc. as those older templates kept migrating with my new installs. I never really used those other style based templates so finally deleted them so they don't migrate anymore. The residential template is a good starting point. Save a copy and then modify to suit your needs. Then in the preferences settings, change the default template to your modified one.

As an optional method to quickly hide objects, there's a command called "hide layer"or "layer hider". I've added a hotkey for this or you can add a tool bar button. With the hotkey all I do when I want to turn off an objects' layer is hit my hotkey, then click an object that's on that layer. No navigating to a dbx to clear a checkbox. Super quick. For other layer controls, like turning layers on, I have the Active Layer Display Options docked for quick access as others have suggested.

Suzy, Following Rene's suggestion,quoted below, for our User library. I do have a system working somewhat well. We use dropbox and still figuring out the update sequence. It seems that when our computers are shut down, such as overnight, the next morning when we each start up and open Chief, the user catalogs are updated. Using Onedrive, Rene mentions having a dedicated account just for user catalogs, and a scheduled time for syncing overnight. What we have discovered so far to keep from having conflicted file copies: User A cannot add, modify, or delete in any folder created on User B's system and vice-versa. I have all the user library content on my system but Melissa, our other designer, has access to this content to use in Chief. She just can't add to these folders, delete items or modify the content or else a conflicted file copy is created. She can copy the items to folders in her user library and modify from there if needed. Melissa created a folder in her User catalog named "1 new (her initials)" so " 1 new mb". The "1" is so it's at the top of the list. This is a holding place for new content she adds. She creates sub-folders that match the structure of our main user catalog. Then, once the files are synced so I see them on my system, I add each new item into the appropriate folder in the main user catalog on my system. Once she has the synced updated main catalogs, she can clear out her "1 new mb" folder. Rene's suggestion that I followed. Since you have 3 users, you would need to add an additional user symlink, and place in the bonus libraries on each system. Hope this helps.

@rispgiu With x11 our user library can be in a cloud location for accessing from multiple computers. The conflicted copies will only come into play when more than one concurrent instance of Chief is accessing that file. If you have only one license and only using Chief from one location at a time, you'll be fine. You should only need to direct Chief in the preferences where your user library is located. Do this on each of the computers you use for Chief.

I had a very similar issue on Friday, wasn't completely locking up but was very slow. Couldn't even make any modifications. I had floor plan on laptop, 3d view and section on external monitor. Restarted computer, didn't help so gave up using external monitor. After reading this thread over the weekend, I followed Dermot's thought & updated my video card driver and, so far, has solved my issue. I'm using x11 beta.

Joey, since using Chief and seeing your work, I've admired what you do. It is so unfortunate that builders in your area, as well as many areas around the country, do not understand the value we can provide for them and their clients. Working in Tennessee, there are many rural areas that do not require drawings for permits, nor do much, if any, site inspections. I'm fortunate to be in Nashville, so most of our work is in this and surrounding counties. We have provided home design and construction plans for rural areas though, even if not required for permits. It's usually the clients seeking our services because of unique site considerations or not finding stock plans that fit their needs. We've had some builders in rural areas refer their clients to use as well. They understand that if they do not have a clear understanding of what a client wants, it's hard to give them a price and negotiate a contract with them. I know that this is not the normal thinking for builders in rural areas.

Even if drawings are not required for permits, good design is needed and should be valuable to clients. Perhaps market and sell design solutions with 3d visualization. Also, construction documents for remodels and custom home design help convey what is to be built so builders can provide clients with more accurate pricing and be included with the contract. Potential clients and builders may need to be educated and shown the value in having professional designed solutions. It's not always about just what's needed for permits.

I've had this problem of trying to select something, such as a roof, and the curser picks something that is on a layer that is off, like a dimension, text, or wall. Locking layers does not help. Seems to happen mostly when more than one plan view tab is open.

I've had a couple custom home clients request rights to the design & plans more so to keep it from getting into the hands of a production builder. After explaining that I do not transfer rights, I point out the paragraph in our design agreement that states I will limit resell of the design, with or without modifications, to exclude future construction in the town or general area of a larger city as the original construction. I also explain that we are in the custom home design business rather than stock plans selling business. On the rare occasions this has been brought up by a client, my agreement and explanations have satisfied them. Although not required, I add the limitation of resell in my agreement to ease the minds of clients even if they do not bring up a concern.

We used Minutedock for many years before switching to Proworkflow project management that has a built in timer. Love Minutedock. Works with several accounting programs as well. I also tested toggl and it seems very useful as well.

I'll call you to set a place and time. Then I'll post here so anyone else that wants can join us.

If you have a preference, is weekday, weeknight, or weekend best for getting together?

Deb. Justin, and Scot - I own a home plan design company in South Nashville. I've been using Chief since 2014 and love it. I've been designing homes in the Nashville area since 1991, used Auto-cad, Auto-cad Architecture, and VisionRez add on to ACA prior to switching to CA. Let's schedule a day / time to meet to discuss work, design, and Chief!! Dianne Shelbrack DesignServicesCompany.com Office: 615.833.7818 Cell: 615.260.7221 Nashville TN 37211

I haven't tried this but it may work. Could cause the same problem as using subtracted material regions at the wall intersection.

Thank you for the idea to use solids. I had tried thinner brick walls at the corners and quoins but it was hard to control. I'm thinking solids will work great.

This would be good if the quoins could cut the surface like material regions. In matching the existing home for an addition, the brick is recessed rather than protruding.

This is the first way I tried but could not get the edge of the intersecting walls at corner to look right in elevation or 3d. It seemed the end of the walls were overriding the material regions or the regions where conflicting each other. Tomorrow I'll post a plan showing the issue I'm having.

Need some help figuring out how to create this recessed brick detail which wraps around the outside corners. I've tried material regions on each wall but at the edge of the corner, the full thickness of the brick shows. I've also tried changing the wall style at the area of the detail, apply quoins the same depth and material as the main brick wall. This caused an offset of the frieze molding. Any other ideas?

After creating pdf with Chief printer driver, I open it in Bluebeam Revu. There's a tool to reduce the file size in Bluebeam which works great. I haven't tried creating a pdf in Chief using the Bluebeam driver in awhile. Last time I tried the quality was not good. Bluebeam Revu also has great markup tools we use frequently.

I create a cad detail from view and then create the cad block in the cad detail window. This way the original line work is available if needed to adjust anything or reblock. Also, I do a save-as of my plan and name it "whatever"as-built.plan so I have the 3d version available as well. Then open up the working plan to start on the proposed remodel.

When I do a save-as for a plan file to preserve it at a certain stage or version, I add a suffix such as -a.plan; -b.plan, etc. The plan that I have linked to the layout never has a suffix, eliminating the need to adjust the linked file.

Another option to show depth is to have shadows on for your elevations. The sun angle can be adjusted to help highlight the areas best suited for each elevation.

Coming from 20+ years of using Autocad / Autocad Architecture before switching to Chief in 2014 the hardest thing to get a handle on was dimensioning. Now the process seems so much better than Autocad. Since I had 3d experience with Autocad Architecture learning to build the model in CA was quick to learn. The tools in chief are so much better though. If you've only used 2d Autocad there will be a learning curve but it will be so fun! There is an abundance of resources and tutorials to help you get going. Definitely the 2nd best decision I've made in my home design business. The best decision was hiring Melissa Baca (she found out about CA and shared with me)