builtright3

Every city that I'm working in provides me with the plan review list and general notes that apply to their city specific and some of them are just straight out of code so most of them work from city to city.

After my first post and processing this think I will continue to cut and paste their notes on the front page because if they are familiar with the general notes they don't have to study them to closely so it makes it easier for them to review. Everything on my front page will be city specific requirements and I will label that page as such.

I agree with other suggestions that I should add the notes (even if its in their twice) to floor plan, electrical plan, foundation plan.......

Now that code has changed so much around here the last couple of years I find myself rebuilding my boiler plates so this discussion really helps me.

Yea its kind of a passing thought to generalize my notes. It's one of those come and go I ideas. It's not hard to cut and paste the notes specific for each city into the library so I will continue going with the way I'm doing it.

Thank you for your input.

This question is more for California Architects and Designers,

I have been doing drawing for several years and have always posted the general notes in the plan specific for the city I'm in. It has been so long since I have seen another set of plans besides my own. So my question is; is it typical to do it that way or do some go thru and combine notes so they work in every city?

Does this thread hold the record for longest thread? I can believe it is still going!

I use 7zip but windows 7/8 has built in "Extract" function for zipfiles on the Right Click menu

you could have just drag the files to your desktop instead of unzipping.

I'm have to call Dell support. Something has changed in my system and I need them to clean it up anyway. I pay yearly for their support. Its good money spent so I don't waste countless hours fixing and cleaning when things go wrong. Also they do scheduled maintenance. 

I think someone should start "CA Video's for Dummy's"

I would be the first in line to buy it!

Just a Dumb Biker

Joey, don't say I never did anything for you: https://youtu.be/9zEC9ZoVMss

I really appreciate the video but that wasn't the problem. I had to download winzip so I could unzip the macro files. I got that to work but also Joe finally just put the macro up so I can cut and paste it. Everything is working great now!!!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

All you guys are great!

I love the video's!

Thanks for all the good post and video's. I finally got it.   You guys make me feel really dumb sometimes.

I do a ton of historic stuff.  Lot of brick homes - we switch to hardie siding, mostly, kick it in 4 inches or so.

. 

Nice work Charlie! I used Hardie siding for the garage I built. Good stuff!

I couldn't open the links you sent me with the formulas in it. I copied the one from the video is how I got it to work. I need to study macros and learn how you did that.

Thank You Richard

A simple closed polyline can be attached in the interior -- IF it has a fill. The big advantage that a polyline solid has is that you can SUBTRACT areas with holes, and it will calculate the resulting area correctly.

 

Joey,

Could be that don't have "Referenced Object" selected next to the evaluation checkbox. If your text leader has attached to the object, then you should get that macro as a possible macro to insert into the text DBX. Maybe watch the video again? BTW, there are two macros: one for cross-boxes, and one for closed polylines. Are you using the right one?

I got it to work with the cross box but I cant get it to pick up the PSolid. I have tried transparent, solid fill and every other scenario I could think of.

PSolids (actually any solid) can be connected with an arrow pointing inside the area, whereas a simple Polyline will need to be connected to the edge.  In Richard's video he is using a "Cross Box" which isn't just a simple Polyline - it has a "Fill" which also allows the arrow to connect to the interior - but it's not as persistent a connection as you get with a Solid.

 

 

 

btw, I posted this a month ago - before Richard's video.

Not trying to prove a point of who thought of it first. I just wanted to know if I might be missing something. He also mentioned in his post (not video) you can use PSolids.

Everyone explains things a little different for the same Idea and I like that because we all learn different. I'm terrible with written directions so I like the video's.

BTW, I couldn't get Richards macro to work. I attached the dialog box. Maybe someone can tell me what I have wrong. I typed it in because the file he sent did not work.

I found an interesting aspect of Polyline Solids that allows Text Boxes with Macros to maintain connections even when the PSolids overlap or are in contact. 

 

1.  A Text box with an Arrow will connect to the PSolid with the Arrowhead inside the perimeter of the PSolid.

2.  Each PSolid can have separate Text Boxes connected.

3.  Overlapping PSolids will not interfere with the connections of each others Text Boxes.

 

So here's a scenario:

 

1.  Convert the Property Line Boundary to a PSolid, 1" thick, Transparent Material

2.  Attach a Text Box with an area macro to that PSolid  with the Arrowhead pointing to a spot inside the boundary.

3.  Edit the Boundary and the macro will display the new area - and there's no "Disconnect" problem

 

Now repeat the above for other areas within the site that you want to get the areas of.

Even though the PSolids overlap, they will not interfere with each other.  The area's displayed are correct for each area.

 

This makes it possible to do Area Analysis of Site Plans, Rooms, Groups of Rooms, etc without the problem of the Text Boxes becoming confused as to what they are connected to.

 

It may take a little finesse to get the Text Boxes connected to the right PSolid the first time, but once that's done it works really well.

Joe,

What is the difference between what you just shared and Richards video?

That worked really good Joey all my stuff is in order now and works great!!!

Thank you Joey I think I will try that!

 

joey_martin, on 26 May 2015 - 09:47 AM, said:

I do the same exact thing with drop box and it works great and is another backup.

 

But in order to run from another computer you would have to have all the data files. Like the library, templates..... Do you also have that in drop box? Or is the whole program in drop box?

 

I keep my data files and plan files as per the attached picture like this on my second drive which is also in drop box. In this way every time I install a new CA program version I can keep tract of what version I drew it in. When I open it in an earlier version I save it in the latest version. 

 

The problem is when I set all this up with the two different drives and drop box I got things working but mixed things up and don't know how to straiten it out. I need to understand better how the data files are kept with CA because now I have duplicates and I'm afraid to move things around.

 

Does anyone know of how I can get instruction of how to straighten out my mess?

Attached Thumbnails

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Well Joey I think you should put all your files and data and put it on an external drive and wipe out your internal storage drive, delete Chief and re load the program so you get a fresh start.

joey_martin, on 26 May 2015 - 09:47 AM, said:

Yes. Plan and layout files go in the dropbox so that I can work on them anywhere and have everything updated as needed. I also keep all my client folders in the Dropbox as well. Everything I need to run my office is in the dropbox. Goes with me everywhere...PC's, IPad, Phone...etc.

I do the same exact thing with drop box and it works great and is another backup.

But in order to run from another computer you would have to have all the data files. Like the library, templates..... Do you also have that in drop box? Or is the whole program in drop box?

I keep my data files and plan files as per the attached picture like this on my second drive which is also in drop box. In this way every time I install a new CA program version I can keep tract of what version I drew it in. When I open it in an earlier version I save it in the latest version. 

The problem is when I set all this up with the two different drives and drop box I got things working but mixed things up and don't know how to straiten it out. I need to understand better how the data files are kept with CA because now I have duplicates and I'm afraid to move things around.

Does anyone know of how I can get instruction of how to straighten out my mess?

I keep all plan files in Dropbox. 

Would that just be your plan and layout files you put in drop box?

Do you still leave all the CA data files on the C drive? 

I would love it if CA could have an "in house" spread sheet or a way the we can export excel into it and still have the working calculations. In addition to the macros to work with the spread sheet would be nice. I think it would be easier then using the schedules for some of the things we do.

Does that make any sense or do we already have something like that or am I just nuts?

Joey, how can you match existing materials when clearly the historical district doesn't want you to? The building must look different.

Not to sure what you are talking about. All my projects I have to match existing.

Attached pictures show the existing house on the right and the new back side of the garage we build. The materials aren't a perfect match but similar look.

Now this other home I'm working on is clearly historical. But the owners knew what they were getting in to and so there are no issues. We are going to build a pergola off the back deck over the garage and of course it will have to match the other materials.

Ok, you got me started!

So the home on the right is historical and the home on the left is not. Can anyone tell me the difference? I can, the home owner on the right has to pay out $1200.00 for planning review to tell him that he has to spend a crap load of $$$ to buy expensive wood window sashes because they wont allow him to put vinyl block frames in the existing wood frame like all his other neighbors. Go figure!!!???

I think that before escrow closes that the new home owner should be aware that they are buying an historical home and have to sign off on it. I mean, with a home that looks like this would you think it is historical when you  buy it? Most people would not even give it a thought.

In Whittier CA they want any improvements or additions to historical homes to match existing. I myself would never live in a Victorian home but some people like it and I like to drive through the historical areas and enjoy the beauty to the old homes. I personally like the craftsmen style homes.

I'm okay with the city's regulating the historical areas but some of the areas in late 30's to early 40's they go a little to far with the regulations. When anyone buys a home they should always find out the city regulations for historical homes before they buy because it can be very costly to improve them. I'm working on a job right now that we are adding square footage and they have spent a lot of un expected money that they don't really have because of it being an historical home. 1941 Is the cut off year and that is the year his house is and the one next door is 1942 and he can do whatever he wants. Too me that's just stupidity at its best. If they are going to regulate they should go by neighbor hood or street in group not just pick on a house in the middle of the neighbor hood. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Sorry, went off a little

It would be nice if they did improve the fireplace.

I typically put the exterior wall dimensions on my plot plan around the perimeter of the house but I don't use the dimension lines. I just put the text. But can I dimension it as normal but not show the lines with arrow?

Does that make sense?