Elliot

I am struggling with plan views and layer sets. In the plan I am working on now, I created two views. A ceiling framing view and a floor framing view. For each one I created a layer set and assigned the layer set to the corresponding view. So the Ceiling framing view gets assigned the Ceiling layer set and so on. And for each layer set I create layers which would be very specific to just that view. For the Ceiling view I have Text - ceiling framing, and for Cad I have CAD - ceiling framing , and same for dimensions. So those items show up only on that view. I have watched the videos and I think I am doing all correctly. But I am in the Floor Framing View and the layer set is the Floor Layer Set with the Text - floor framing turned on. But I start to place text in that view and CA asks me if i want to turn on the Text- Ceiling Framing layer. I don't understand how the layer sets coordinate or are affected by what I set in the defaults/setting. I thought the selected layer set overrides whatever is in the defaults. Is there a setting to make it ignore the defaults and just use whatever I have set in the layer set. Why is it doing that and what am I doing wrong? thanks

ShCanada2 I figured out what you were saying and that fixed the problem. I was always going to the definition of the wall type and it would not work. But when i did like you showed me, selecting the materials item on the menu, it was really easy to change and it worked. All fixed thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

Glennw. I did a complete plan backup and tried to attach it to this post. but it would not because the complete zip file is larger than 14mb whcih is the limit. Any other way to do this? thanks Elliot

Guys I am still having ser Serious problems with this. I place an interior wall and sometimes one side of the wall will have exterior siding on it. When I check the wall definitions, it doesn't say anything about exterior siding. But in the 3D images, it shows a exterior signing. It's not even the sighting I set as default, which is a lap siding like Hardy. What is showing up in the 3D images is a cedar shingle, which is the default for the program. Somebody please help me. I really need to know how to fix this.. perhaps I should call the SAS service on Monday.

I just started a new drawing. Simple rectangular house with 4 exterior walls and a couple of interior walls. I started drawing the kitchen and when I did my first 3d view of the cabinet walls it showed exterior siding on one of the exterior walls and both of the interior walls. I checked the wall definition of the exterior wall and it shows Exterior 6 like it is supposed to but it shows exterior shingle siding on both sides of the wall inthe 3d. In the details of the wall definition is shows siding on the exterior and drywall on the interior. For the interior wall it shows Interior4. The 3d has exterior siding on both sides. But in the wall definition panel it shows drywall on both sides. Is this a glitch? Or am I doing something wrong? thanks

Thanks I got it figured out. Ready to print, save as pdf and submit for permits.

Guys I read through a lot of this thread, hoping to find my solution. It is related to this font size issue. I have my whole drawing plan file complete and I created the layout file. I sent all my views to layout and everything looks great except the size of the dimensions. In the plan view, all the dimensions and text look great. Nicely proportionate and spaced well. But on the layout, the text all looks great and the dimensions are all quite tiny. Can hardly see them. I am in X15 and I don't believe this every happened to me before. I am sure it is just some small setting in defaults but I cannot find it! And para-CAD I appreciate you sharing your cheat sheet with us. I printed it, and will use it and think of you!

thank you guys I finally got this figured out.

I just started using X15. After finishing a drawing I opened a new layout from my previous layout template. On page 0 of the layout, if I right click on the box where the client information goes, and open it, the macro is all there. But when I move forward to page 1, the macro does not populate with the client info from the data I put on the project file. So do i need to add the client information to the layout file also?

MarkMc great idea. I like that. I have not played around with style pallettes, but it is time to do just that. thanks

Oh I see. I think it was in fact changing the hardware done in the tutorial which they did for all cabinets by changing default. To add the crown to all cabinets I just select them all and modify them all but it doesn't change the default. thanks for the quick response. Seems like you are always there for us when we need you!

I know I saw this in a video or online class but I cannot find it or remember. After I finish drawing the kitchen if I want to add a crown molding by changing all the defaults in the default settings for wall cabinets and full height cabinets, how can I then get all the cabinets which I drew as the default to get that crown molding applied. I thought it was automatic which is the idea behind setting up and using defaults. But it is not working. Or like if I want to change all the cabinet hardware, same thing. Also how can I add a 6" horizontal filler between the wall cabinets and the crown molding to fill the space up the ceiling on a 102.5" ceiling? thanks

Chopsaw Thanks for your quick response. I have all the utility lines set as default line weights when I choose them for the site plan. For instance for the electric I selected the "240v" line and on the site plan it shows 6 little "240v" labels spread along the line. but on the layout it just shows 2 of them and the font is way bigger. So I played around with the line weights to try it. I changed it to line weight of 6 and also a line weight of 50 but it did not change the quantity of labels nor the font size on either the site plan nor on the layout. So still dont know what I am doing wrong. To expedite this project I just changed all those utility lines to dashed line with no labels and I added a text in the size font I wanted and then copied it all down the line at the spacing I wanted. So I get this done because I had to submit this to the county today like before 6pm. So that much is done and it looks great. But I still want to figure out what I am doing wrong.

I am having trouble with the font size changing in my line labels on a site plan when I send the site plan to the layout file. Notice the "GAS" for gas piping and "S" for the sewer. Stuff like that. They are nice and small the way I made them in the site plan and then greatly enlarged in the layout. It is only the line labels that are affected. What can I do? LAYOUT FILE: ORIGINAL FILE:

I searched on my D drive where I keep all my data and found an Archive folder. So the file was in there but it was not the last few hours of work. If it was supposed to save every 5 minutes why wouldn't it be everything except the last 5 minutes of my work? And I found no auto save of the layout file at all. Isn't Chief supposed to autosave that file also? Anyway I know what I will be doing tomorrow morning! Good thing is I really enjoy spending time with the Chief!!

thanks for the reply. I drilled down to Chief Architect Premier X13 Data but there was no folder named archives in that directory. I did a search on my whole C drive for "archives" and I found one old file from years ago. Any ideas?

After working all day, almost finishing a full set of remodel plans and layouts, I saved everything. Then windows 11 just decided it had to do an update so I let it. I was gone for a few hours and when I came back and opened the plan and layout, a whole lot of my work was gone. In fact the layout file was almost blank. I have no idea what happened. I am so careful to save my file before I close the program. And I have the autosave to save every 5 minutes. But I just cannot find how to restore from the last autosave. I searched the reference manual but didn't find anything that helps. I searched this forum before I posted another question. I am sure this has been asked many times before. thanks guys (feeling really stupid right now)

Larry I did it. Took a minute but I got it. And I was able to send the dxf to the structural engineer for his use. thanks for your incredible help! Emanuel addition roof plan.pdf

Larry thanks for that video you made for me! That was way too cool. I will study the ref sets and start developing my own. I knew there had to be a simple way so thanks so much I think I learn something about Chief every time I turn on the program.

I am having a hard time showing all the roof planes on both first and second floor in one view. I am in CA13. I have turned on the Framing, Roof Plan Layer Set, or Roof Plan Layer Set. (I tried both). I switch to second floor because most of the roof is on the second floor. Then I make sure the roof planes layer is on. I change the lines to solid and weight of 75. All that looks great. But the roof planes for the first floor section of the house like the garage do not show. I turned on reference layers and the first floor walls all show up but not the roof planes. I can switch back down to the first floor, and the roof planes all show up for just the first floor but not the second floor. I am sure this is just one of those simple clicks but I cannot find it. thanks guys

I have been reading this thread as I have finished a set of design plans, saved as a 4 page pdf and sent them to the structural engineer for his work. we have been working back and forth by phone with the pdfs. But he said he would have to redraw the whole building unless I can export as a dwg. so I also exported as a dwg but he said it was not usable. I have read here that you cannot just export a layout, which of course has all the images and details on nicely arranged sheets, as a dwg. That would make life so much easier. So I exported just the working layer set of the building and I selected "export only displayed layers" . Is that correct? What about the elevations and 3d images of the building. What about the cross section details? do I need to export each view as a separate dwg file for him? thanks guys

wow Eric that is amazing. I am drawing this one and will actually build it for myself in my own backyard. Always wanted a gazebo. Plan to add one wall with a linear propane fireplace and face of stack stone. I actually did use the regular polygon tool instead of the pyramid as I was already using that for other things. then I followed the rest of your ideas for the Octagon post.

Ok I did as instructed. I added a wall to one side of the cupola, slapped a vent into it, changed it all to wood. Now I can repeat for the other 7 walls. Almost ready to submit for building permits. Just gotta draw some details and create my layouts. I really enjoy this.

Eric thanks. that was so simple. I have the octagon post in place, with the finial below, and the weathervane. still working on the vents in the cupola walls. and I tried a jpg file which worked instead of a pdf.

I am drawing an 18' diameter gazebo and although I have most it drawn I have found an item that has me stumped. I want to add an 8 sided post 7.5" diameter that goes from the peak of the second roof for the cupola though the main roof and hangs below the ceiling about a foot. The bottom foot will have a turned large finial on it. Each rafter and joist will end on the center octagon post. I need help figuring out how to get Chief to draw that. Also I keep trying to place the weathervane from the library on top of the peak but it doesn't show up. And I want to add venting in the 20" tall fascia for the second roof but can't figure that one out either. thanks for your help. Gesang Gazebo 3d2.pdfGesang Gazebo 3d1.pdf