RL-inc

My landscape designer uses a program that works with .LNF files. Any way to export a DWG or other CA supported files as .LNF files so he can edit?

That was the ticket. Thanks Michael. The symbol looks great with the door closed in 3D. Can't really show it open due to the fact it needs to be classified as a hinged door- single door only in CA. had to do a little cad add on to make the plan view work as well. As always good help found on this forum.

That did work what am I missing?

Here is the file i downloaded. If i had to bet.....based on past experience it's something simple I'm doing wrong. FoldingSlidingDoor5t.zip

I have bee trying to download some bi-fold door units from 3d warehouse and when I try to import to CA I get the error "couldn't create symbol, no 3d surfaces found in data file". Seems like there should be 3d info there. ( forum won't let me upload the SKP file for me to post here.)

I thought it was every sept?

"Okay, so Johnny and Rob started this mess" Glad i could be partly responsible for something. Been meaning to get up to the UGM in Idaho again - maybe next year. ​This could be a nice little spin off topic for one of the advanced sessions.

I do like Joe's system for a separate plan file for foundation details, roof details, framing details, etc.... and then stored in a common folder Seems like a clean way to stay organized.

Ya- One plan file for each detail- My machine and my brain would be overwhelmed.

All very interesting. (Scott was right on track about opening a dialog for the different methods.) Joe- I am guessing that when you say "CAD detail window" and "present to layout" you are referring to the active plan file for the project. Then the "Warehouse plans" would be similar to what I am doing by keeping my details in plan files in folders with my base layouts. When I am ready to send drawings to layout for a particular job I copy the base layout that has the details on it from my "Warehouse plans" to the job file. That way the layout file can reference both plan files. Does this sound similar to the way you keep the details linked to the individual job files?

Perry- I want to make sure i understand this correctly. You don't have details in your standard layout template? You create a plan and have a layout saved in the same file and then pull the details you need for that project from your library into that particular plan and the send them to layout?

Scott- Not sure if there were real concrete reasons for the system i have created- just kind or started this way and ran with it. In reply to your questions Why wouldn't you put them in a CAD detail in the plan file? I keep them in their own plan file- is there a reason that I should have all details that I need to show on layout pages copied into every plan file that I create? Seems like a lot of duplication -Why wouldn't you send the details directly to layout like Perry and Richard do? I do send the cad details to layout- my base layout and then copy that layout file to each new plan file on a job by job basis -Why do you think it is better to put in a separate plan file vs the Direct To Layout method. Not sure what the direct to layout method is vs. what i am doing now -Why wouldn't you use CA's method.... BTW, what is CA's method Do not know what the recommended CA method is. Pretty much my basis for jumping in on this thread.

Throwing this out mainly to see if there is any real negative to the way I do it. I keep all my cad details in a couple of plan files along with my base layout. These are stored in a file called layout X6. Then I copy my base layout to the new plan file for each job. When individual details need revising for job specific conditions I open the original detail- copy it and drop it into a new cad detail in the new plan and revise, then replace in layout. All details are saved in user library as well. It has proved reliable so far but would like opinions.

Hillside- A few tips for this forum- someone else will throw this out so I might as well be the first. Create a signature that has your name and the version you are using. Also your location doesn't hurt. Lot's of good people on here- most are happy to help if they feel that you are in this for the long haul. i started very similar to you- framed custom homes for 20 years or so. Most of the time it was great but shoveling snow to sheet roofs and sweating it out in 100+ wears you down. Word of mouth got me going and my reputation as a quality builder who understood complex framing projects opened a lot of doors for design. Many builders and clients appreciate a designer with years of hands on experience. It can really help in being efficient in design with materials and labor costs. If you have the confidence to represent yourself in that light the opportunities will be there.

The fill and blocks may be there but i can't find any way of selecting them to know. I have imported all layers offered and the tried to drag marquee around the entire detail but i still can't find them

No - not cut the truss chord- can't ever do that. Just bring a flat bottom member out 2' or whatever the flat of the coffer is desired to be.- The attachment is with a press plate as in any flat bottom chord truss. Then run a vertical leg up to the scissor. Then 1 more flat chord across to the other side and the mirror of the first side. Block in between the trusses at the coffer line and a bit of corner backing- Done deal

Why not just have the truss co. under frame the coffer off the bottom chords?

I started with CA in ver 9. I would suggest i am about 50% proficient now. Strongest overall in structure and design. Weakest in cad and production drawings. When i graduated from high school in 1986 i went to trade school to learn auto-cad. After 1 year of training there and an associates degree i wasn't very proficient with it but did learn enough to know that i couldn't sit at a desk all day. So i started framing houses and got my GC licence and ran crews on custom homes in Central Oregon for about 20 years. Fast forward to a JLC live show in Portland OR about 10 years ago and i saw a guy demo CA- he grabbed me and said draw this house. The rest is history- The way the program works made so much sense to me because it was ACTUALLY BUILDING A HOUSE ! Not just inputting line and patterns. I'm by no means trying to disrespect Auto-cad- but I spent so many years fixing designs in the field that a designer or architect swore up and down would work in his office and then when I got him on the job and showed him why it wouldn't work I would hear things like " well I can't see that view on my screen" or " I'm not a carpenter, I don't put all the parts together. I draw the plans" As i progressed through CA and the upgrades I took online classes and went to training's where I could. And of course this forum is probably the moist valuable too available to any of us. I knew I couldn't frame houses forever but I still loved to build and CA was the perfect fit.

I don't go into that detail and frankly don't know and designers or architects around her that do. Are you meaning a 12" max heal height on the truss? Seems odd- we do raised heel trusses all the time with 2-3-4- foot heels depending on need and plane. And when it comes to scissor trusses we can usually get 2 less pitch on eh lid than we get on the roof. IE. your 8/12 roof would get a 6/12 ceiling max.

Generally I create the model and layout the trusses and then send i to the truss co. They do there thing and then i review for conflicts or issues. I may may make some revisions after that but not many.

Just got an email back from my eng. He exploded a bit of text in one detail on his end and resent- there it was. Think that will fix the issue ( i'm not very familiar with Auto-Cad and it's inner workings) I have run into similar issues when importing contours from a surveyor and had to ask them to explode the contour blocks so i could import as elevation data.

I am having an issue importing some details from my engineer. Some of the text is coming in but most is not. I have checked all available layers when importing. My only thought is that the text may be blocked together on his end and CA is not seeing it for some reason? I have attached screen shots of what I know he sent by opening it in a separate DWG viewer and what I am getting after import into CA. Much thanks for any input.

I have similar troubles with lintels when mulling door and window units together. If I want an oversized lintel with an extended head I have to add manually. If lintels are checked when mulling the units all kinds of crazy trim looks are produced

I just send the view to Layout and when I do name the appropriate direction at that point- thus creating an individual layerset for each elevation.

Basically I am- it just takes some editing