Chief_Content

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Posts posted by Chief_Content

    Manufacturer Catalogs - Create A Buzz

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    years ago i got marvin windows and doors to do that

    Thanks so much, Harry! I wasn't aware that one of our users initiated this relationship. It really works for users to make that bridge between Chief and Brand contacts.

    We don't currently charge for access to manufacturer catalogs (nor have we in the past), though we do reserve the privilege of access to some catalogs as a benefit of our SSA program. Marvin happens to be a brand that has always done their own development and hosting directly from their website.

     

    I try to periodically point out the catalogs that have been recently added and updated in the announcements thread here:

    https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/forum/5-announcements/

     

    You can also see what is featured directly on the 3D Library. The "Featured" catalogs generally represent what has been added or significantly updated in the last month or so. I recommend checking here every 3 weeks to learn what is new and improved.

    New and Updated Catalogs

    in Announcements

    Posted

    We have a number of new and updated manufacture catalogs that we are happy to announce and share!

     

    Please run "Update Library Catalogs" to get the latest versions of already installed catalogs, or visit the 3D Library to download and install those catalogs that you have not yet accessed.

     

    Here are a few of the catalogs we've recently added:

     

    Also, we've updated a variety of the existing catalogs for quality control and to incorporate new items. Here are some of the catalogs in which you may notice improvements:

    ... and more to come!

     

    • Upvote 1

    Manufacturer Catalogs - Create A Buzz

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    Thanks for the responses! Great lists!

     

    Yes, Emser is in the works, there are a few other brands mentioned with whome we are in touch. Anything you can do to mention the Chief Architect name and give the extra push for popularity to these brand contacts helps the process move forward more quickly. A mention of "@Chief Architect" on social media pages can't hurt!

     

    There are recent updates to many existing catalogs, including Thermador and Cambria. We've also released Kohler since the inception of this thread!

     

    Thank you so much for the help! More to come!

    New Bonus Catalogs; Updated Catalogs

    in Announcements

    Posted

    This month we are releasing 4 new bonus catalogs, many of these correlate with our design contest: Outdoor Living Spaces. We'd love to see how you leverage Chief's features, catalogs, and your design creativity to come up with interesting and unique spaces.

     

    Check out the latest catalogs on the 3D Library. These catalogs are free to those with SSA access.

    post-24-0-19811300-1464373849_thumb.jpg

     

    Additionally, our content team has done a number of updates to catalogs in the library browser. Please take a moment to run the Update Library Catalogs command to ensure you have all of the latest corrections and additions to your existing selection of catalogs.

    Libraries

    in General Q & A

    Posted

    We try to announce new and updated catalogs in the Announcements forum, through social media like Facebook, and in our monthly Newsletter. We always post new catalogs in the Featured category of the 3D Library and leave them there for about 1 month before categorizing them appropriately, and we try to feature updated brand catalogs for about 2 weeks.

     

    If you check these places regularly, you ought to have the best chance of seeing new content.

     

    We receive regular requests to notify users of new catalogs through the program's interface, however that isn't a feature we have implemented programmatically thus far.

     

    I hope these tips help!

    Recent Catalog Releases

    in Announcements

    Posted

    You may have noticed that there have been a number of catalog releases since our last announcement in February.

     

    We are pleased to share that you can now enjoy the following catalogs that are either free or included at no extra charge for SSA Users.

     

    Kohler

    Cabico Custom Cabinetry

    Gaggenau

    PentalQuartz

     

    Country Chic No.3

    Antique No.2

    Antique No.3

    Tables No.2 End Tables

    Home Essentials No.2 Cleaning and Air

     

    We have also made quite a few updates and corrections to a variety of catalogs, both branded and bonus. Please take a moment to use the "Update Library Catalogs" feature within Chief Architect to ensure that you get the latest available version of any catalog that you've downloaded, automatically.

     

    We hope that you enjoy and can find a use for all of these new objects and materials!

     

    How do you keep track of all of the symbols that CA offers

    in General Q & A

    Posted

    Please be aware that objects placed in a plan will not be updated when library catalogs get updated. This means that any bugs fixed or quality improvements made to the source items by Chief Architect will not be reflected in objects in a plan, but will be reflected in the library browser when "Update Library Catalog" is run. Also, objects in your User Catalog that are Shortcuts to the original items will reflect updates made to the original source.

    February's Bonus Catalogs - Celebrating Modernism

    in Announcements

    Posted

    We are celebrating Modernism Week and the Mid-Century Modern style with this month's featured bonus catalogs.

     

    Check out the latest 4 additions to our Mod / Retro catalog series. This creates a total of 6 catalogs inspired by the era.

    Mod / Retro No.3

    Mod / Retro No.4

    Mod / Retro No.5 Retro Seating

    Mod / Retro No.6 Outdoor Entertaining

     

    post-24-0-06216800-1455572739_thumb.jpg

     

    These catalogs are available for all active SSA users to download at no charge, and for purchase to non-SSA users.

    • Upvote 2

    3D Library Site Changes

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    Thanks for the feedback, Joe.

    If you already have accessed these catalogs in the past and backed-up your resources, it is unlikely you'll need to re-download them for purchase in the future.

    Versions of these catalogs that you have downloaded in the past for free will continue to function and update as usual without any charges. However if one chooses to download them from the 3D Library, a purchase is required.

    Changes To The 3D Library

    in Announcements

    Posted

    You may have noticed that the User Interface on the 3D Library has changed recently.

    We are now able to offer catalogs for purchase to our Home Designer users and other Non-SSA Chief Architect Software users! The purchasing option should not affect the ability of users with active SSA Accounts to access catalogs.

    To offer a brief history, at the inception of SSA our Chief Architect users were granted access to catalogs as part of the value and benefit of the package. This left a segment of our Home Designer DIY users without a mechanism to access the catalogs in the same way. Now, with the new purchase option, we are able to provide a way for all of our users to leverage the content available on our 3D Library site.

    It is possible for any visitor to purchase catalogs from the 3D Library, perhaps mistakenly, if they are not logged into the site with their active account. To avoid this confusion, simply log in with your active SSA account, and you will see catalogs indicated as "SSA" with the regular price crossed out. We are happy to continue to be able to offer the value of catalog access as a benefit to those that choose to renew each year.

    We do not intend to change the availability of catalogs to our SSA users, or start charging for catalog downloads to SSA users in the visible future. The exception in this strategy is for cases of catalogs with very niche markets and that are very specialized when compared to regular design projects created in Chief Architect. Currently, the two examples of this are the Crime Scene & Fire Investigation and the Medical / Dental catalogs. These catalogs are currently available as purchases for all users. Versions of these catalogs that you have downloaded in the past for free will continue to function and update as usual without any charges. However if one chooses to download them from the 3D Library, a purchase is required.

    We hope that this change makes sense, and that our SSA users will see minimal impact to their regular use of the site. We will continue to make updates and improvements to the 3D Library as permits.

    I've created this thread in the "Symbols and Content" forum where you can share questions and comments on this topic, should any arise.

    Visit the 3D Library to see the new changes to the page and try downloading a few of the latest offerings we have there!

    Best,

    Chief Architect Content Development Team

    Favorite Backdrops? Share with us!

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    Thanks for the submissions! I think many of these are good, we do often crop or "fix" parts of the images in order for them to work even better as backdrops. However, it appears images attached in the forum are limited to 1200px wide. We need larger resolution images to work better with today's bigger monitors.

    Could each of you e-mail your photos to Content@Chiefarchitect.com? I think we will be able to retrieve a better version of the file through e-mail.

    Glenn, yes, those look good! The grassy scene may need the tree removed in the foreground, but aside from that, they seem like good candidates!

    Thanks again everyone for sharing!

    Favorite Backdrops? Share with us!

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    Do you have a favorite backdrop image that you find works well for many of your projects?

     

    We are looking to accumulate a variety of examples that we can share with other users as a bonus catalog!

    If you would like to contribute any images for consideration as a backdrop, please send your samples to:

     

    content@chiefarchitect.com

     

    We have found that good backdrops typically have a horizon line at about 1/2 the height of the total image. They also need to be a minimum of 1920 pixels wide in order to have enough resolution on screen.

    post-24-0-04615400-1445959291_thumb.jpg

     

    *Any images submitted must be yours to share as owner and author. Please do not share other artists' work that you do not have rights and permission to distribute. Chief Architect may modify images for optimization and purposes and contact you for more information about any submitted images.

    Window Wells

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    No problem. You do need the "Inserts in Terrain Hole" attribute in addition to the hole in the CAD Block, so you were 1/2 way there!

     

    Here is an article that covers the concept of creating a Custom CAD Block for an object that cuts a hole, in this case a sink.

     

    http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-01203/creating-a-custom-sink-hole.html

     

    The same steps can essentially be applied to terrain objects like Window Wells. Good Luck!

    Window Wells

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    Hi Levis!

     

    The key is in the Symbol's CAD Block assignment.

    If you block a "Terrain Hole" into the CAD Block that is assigned to the symbol, you can control the shape of the hole that is cut into the terrain.

     

    By default, Chief creates a rectangular hole the size of the object's bounding box. You must manually modify the CAD Block in order to produce an object that cuts a non-rectangular hole.

     

    This is the same idea for Sink objects, but you are substituting a Terrain Hole for a Countertop Hole.

    Window Wells

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    Thanks Jon! We love bananas but prefer banana bread.

     

    We are glad you found value in this catalog!

     

    For early bird clues on catalogs, we have been trying to keep this Album up to date on new releases:

    https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/gallery/album/67-bonus-catalogs/

     

    We also have been announcing catalog releases and updates in this thread:

    https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/forum/5-announcements/

     

    And on our facebook page:

    https://www.facebook.com/ChiefArchitect

    Wavey bottom lap siding

    in Symbols and Content

    Posted

    We offer 3 variations of siding similar to this in the "Rustic Wood Materials" bonus catalog.

    http://3dlibrary.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?r=site/detail/972

     

    post-24-0-88180900-1443626321_thumb.jpg

     

    They are labeled as "Waney Edge", but also have search terms for "Live Edge". I hadn't heard the term "Skirl" before, but can add that to the key word search in the future.

     

    We don't currently offer a pattern file that represents this in vector views, but it is something we hope to include in the future.

     

    I hope these are helpful.