Elliot

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

the suggestion about just working under the 4x6 beams is a good thought. But it is a tiny place with short ceilings. and of course my clients are tall!

They just had a new roof put on not long ago. I am going to submit with just adding 2" foam under the decking which certainly will not meet energy code. But here in Washington they don't always make me bring a remodel up to new construction energy codes. Just depends on the city I am working with.

I made all the changes in the roof defaults. I don' t know why I didn't look there before. Silly me. But then Chief would only apply the changes if I told it to auto rebuild the roof and it would only do that if I allowed it to delete any manually drawn roof planes. Well this house is so custom I had to create the roof one plane at a time so I certainly would not allow it to delete all my roof planes! So I will just make the changes to each roof plane. I found the white tongue and groove roof layer material and set it to 1.5" thick as the bottom layer of the roof plane.

thanks guys for all the help I will work with those suggestions. There is no insulation in the ceiling/roof structure at all. I am going to fir down between the beams with 2x3's at 24"oc which will make a space for adding lighting on the ceiling. they want to add about 28 LED ceiling lights. Then spray foam between the 2x3's with foam insulation 2' thick and cover it all with 1x6 T&G pine painted white. And then because the beams lose half their depth, we will make new beam wraps and have them all stained and finished a medium brown to contrast with the white ceiling. I don't necessary need to draw all that detail in 3d but I want to try. I will at least show it in a cross section for the building department to review.

I am drawing plans to remodel a small country french home. the ceilings are all vaulted (about 4/12) , built with 4x6 beams at 48" OC. Then covered with tongue and groove 2x6 decking material. Possibly plywood above that and then composition shingles. I cannot find how to draw that in my plan (in X13). I have the building almost finished in X13 but I just drew it with conventional 2x6 framing members and drywall. I added pine t&g to the ceiling and added the beams already. But to get an accurate cross section I really need to get rid of those 2x6 joists and have the 2x6 T&G decking from beam to beam. thanks for the help.

I have drawn the house in X13 and I created the material list to get quantities of flooring for that part of the bid. The whole house is only 1443 sq feet. It will be LVP everywhere except the entry and the master bathroom. When I generate the material list for the whole house, which is only one floor, it shows a quantity of 2854 lineal feet of 5" wide maple flooring. Is there a way to tell the program to calculate that flooring as square footage instead of lineal footage?

I installed X13 last night and then this morning I watched the Chief video on all the new features while having one of my new plans open. Then as she taught about many of the new features I would flip over to my plan and try it out, so it imprints in my mind. No way to remember everything but I knew if I tried it, maybe I would remember more of them. Lots of nice new features I will use and I am really excited about the new version.