Canuck

I have everything in AutoCad set up like that Perry. It's actually depressing thinking about all the work ahead of me to put together the same thing in CA.

Actually Graeme, I should say I had my IT tech set it up. We have a deal in the office. I design, do the accounting, and make sure the money comes in. My IT deals with the computers, looks after the web stuff and makes sure the coffee is always brewed. I know just enough about computers to be dangerous.

Yes.

Joe, its a Toshiba Satellite Laptop (17" screen) Intel ® Core i7-3610 QM CPU @ 2.30 Ghz 8Gb Ram Intel (CR) HD Graphics 4000 NVIDEA Ge Force GT 630M Xeon ® Processor E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core. This should be more than capable of keeping up. I haven't bothered upgrading the pc because I know X6 was having processing issues. Once we get moved to the new office and are settled in I'll be buying new PCs for the office. Until then I'll be suffering with the Laptop's 17" screen and letting the PC & dual 24"s take a break.

I updated my X7 couple of days ago and starting yesterday I had multiple malfunctions of the software. When I placed a door or window into the plan and opened up the DBX, the software would not open and sent an error message, I reported the first couple and just stopped doing as such because I'm sure the programmers have got the message of the problem existing. This morning I had the same issue twice so far. Shutting down and going sailing. It will be more productive. Has anyone else had this issue?

I'm afraid there tons of styles that Mr Wright produced. Can you be more specific? http://www.houzz.com/photos/entry/Frank-Lloyd-Wright-inspired-door-design-

I have a daughter in Neudorf. She's gone through 3 winters there...and is still there. I honestly didn't think she'd make it since she was raised in Baden, Germany and Comox, BC where the winters just don't exist. But she loves it in Saskatchewan nonetheless. Says she likes the small town feel...Doesn't get any smaller than where she is! Heck, they paid cash for their two bedroom house. Not sure you could do that now with the oil and potash coming to town, but being 26 and mortgage free, how many people can say that. Salmon Arm, I'll be there in about three months for a cousin's wedding. My parents had a ranch not far away in Enderby, out on Mable Lake. Spent my youth building houses all over the region as my Dad was a contractor in the summer months. Started out at 9 cleaning up after the carpenters. By 17 I was banging nails like a seasoned pro. Not sure you could get away with that now with the child labour laws. I got a call from a guy not long ago wanting plans for a build in Saskatoon, I sent him to Robinson Design. If I had known you were in the region I would have sent him your way. PM me your contact information and I'll add you to my call list.

Yes would be the short answer Sherry. I do a lot of work for a company that does factory built wall panels. Their wall systems are at 96 3/4", 108 3/4" and 120" (Tall Walls are always custom of course). And since the same company owns a bunch of sawmills that provide lumber to the major markets ( Home Depot, Rona, Home Hardware), I ended up giving in and just setting up my template at those heights. The factory is laser measured & cut so we know the walls are going to be exact, so my dimensions must also be. The other contractors I draw for are supply me with no more than 3 to 5 projects a year each. None of them are too concerned about what I put on the sheets as they adjust on site if they have to. The variations in mill cut lengths is well known here so builders are ready. We adjust for the differences by making sure stair runs are never so constricted that they can't adjust if they have to. The there is the environmental factor ( we live in a rain forest) that makes building fun. No builder in his right mind counts on vertical elevations to be as they are on the plan. They just adjust as they build. Where in Saskatchewan are you located?

Darn....Perfectly good bottle of scotch about to be wasted. Thanks Dennis.

For the most part I think I understand the roof systems in CA but one thing I can't confirm is the "baseline" location in elevation. My understanding was that if you are building a roof manually, your baseline elevation would be the outer edge of the top plate. So if your wall was a standard 9ft height, the baseline would be at the 9'-0 3/4" height (Canadian stud wall height). But last night I was chatting with an architect buddy of mine who worked in CA up till a few years ago. He told me that the baseline was the top of the truss along the outer edge of the top plate. So if you wanted a 9" heel to ensure you got the R-60 insulation in the attic you needed to add to ensure you had a baseline of 9'-9 3/4" baseline....I'm thinking not, that the baseline would remain at 9'-0 3/4" with a heel height not part of the number....So who's correct here? And yes, I am slight embarrassed to have to ask this question...

You can name the room "PORCH" and specify a 4" concrete floor....but as Rob stated, post the plan and the help gets far better.

Spent the better half of my business day going over X7. Update went very smoothly. While some of the icons are slightly different, I'm OK with them as I've suffered through ACAD;s 2008 to 2014 GUI that looks like cartoon threw up. CA's is acceptable. I threw together a quick house to test out the software and it performed nicely...as did X6. All in all, good job, especially the cabinet update. I really like the back splash fix. I wonder what X8 will bring us....CAD perhaps? Anyway, back at it tomorrow...

I'm trying hard to find a reason to download my upgrade and so far you guys aren't helping. Crashes, icons from Teletoons, and problems with layout font....

I use both....and I prefer CA. I wouldn't use REVIT anymore if it wasn't for architects & engineers I work with being addicted to it...The more proficient I become with CA, the more I like it....

I haven't downloaded the update yet and think I'll wait a few months till the major bugs have been worked out....

Too bad they just don't provide a sloped wall function and simplify our life,...I use the roof plan trick.

David, what an awesome offer. While I don't need it, being that I'm in Canada, I do know the value of having that resource at your finger tips if you ever need it.

A good learning moment, thanks Scott. BTW - Love your videos. Entertaining and educational. I'd be disappointed if you ever stopped producing them!

Stucco is generally a big no-no here on Vancouver Island. (Think Seattle Washington). When clients ask for it I advise them to avoid it. If they insist on using it, we use a rainscreen detail. http://www.scrd.ca/files/File/Community/Building/rainscreen%20handout.pdf And if the client wants it, I have a waiver I make them sign stating they understand the risk of using Stucco in a rain-forest environment and it's limited success in our wet environment. But as mentioned above, I'd go with a poured wall system. I usually use ICF for this application but have used a fully poured formed wall. Since we are also a high earthquake zone we avoid block walls. Best of luck with the client. Sometimes these discussions can be like banging you head against a concrete wall.

Thanks to both of you. I will try both methods and see which works best(easiest).

You must save your file as: 2004,2005,2006 Compatible Version. Layers (Displayed only). Scaling (Inches). And leave the final box unchecked for AUTOCAD INDEX because that can be a nightmare. Save File and send to him. When he opens it, make sure he does so with a clean drawing, and not from a template. That too will mess things up if he has anything set up. The CA version already has it's settings and will open up as such for all it's own layers. If he imports anything, tell him to do so as blocks or reference files. Many a time these guys use text blocks instead of retyping their notes. If he has any problems, send me his phone number and I'll call him and help sort it out. Make sure you send me what town & state he lives in so I can time adjust.

OK, I'm sure there is an easy path to finding a way to change the font size of the window text callout (Example 3040DC). I have a client that is complaining that the current default size for all text, it just isn't large enough for his aging eyes. . He hates schedules so that's not an answer. Instead he wants the text placed on the plan enlarge. All my attempts to figure this out in the video and data base have failed. A helping hand on this would be appreciated.

Thought as much. I'm looking forward to it.

I like what I saw. It will help to cut down on the amount of sections I must include in the set. I look forward to seeing other changes. Anyone know the approx. release date?

Thanks guys but once again I was over-thinking what I was trying to do. Trout - You were 100% correct....I was looking for the "move" tool and had it in my mind that was the only way...