Steve_Nyhof

The truth is I have had fun with you, but still put you on a pedestal. I can tell there is a great depth of a young man sharing his experience with us. Anyone who knows me knows angry is not in my makeup. One day you too will look back on things like this and realize how much of an ego can cloud ones mind. There are many people here who have bragging rights but know what having to prove yourself sounds like, so we let that go for the most part. You would also have to know the Chief users to know we are all kind of like a family here. Many of us came forward excited to share our knowledge of Chief with you, but you did not recognize the family dynamic. If we were all standing face to face you would know and see it in our demeanor. However, from what I have read in your questions and comments felt more like stepping on our toes. You are right, I have no plans to learn Revit. I have learned a lot in my life and proud of what I have accomplished. I honestly think people like yourself are incredible to have spent the time to learn a huge software like Revit. And I am not being funny. Many people in this forum have come from amazing backgrounds. Just keep that in mind as you interact with them.

And now I am going to call on the Power of Greyskull, ah, er, I mean the Power of @Renerabbitt - where the heck are you? We have found what could be your greatest nemesis and you are not here to defend us!

I would say this works in reverse as well. We (speaking for myself and I am sure others) don't know Revit or how the Phasing works, but I am equally convinced, as we do not know Revit or Phasing, you do not know the power of Chief's automation or the tools beyond the automation. Chief can in most cases automate most of a structure very quickly, and where it ends there are tools like Revit and any CAD software to do what ever our hearts desire. I think a better way to end this thread is to say, "I do not understand the complexity and automation of Chief like I understand the manual creative power and tools of Revit." vs taking a stand with a number of users in this thread that can run circles around most CAD uses of any brand. You asked if Chief has phasing. We said and showed you what we have. Nope, it's not "phasing". OMG, why is it not called phasing!! Chief does not have "phasing". Something you weren't even looking for in software now becomes the criteria of a worthy CAD software? And by all things wholly, make sure it is called phasing! (Not sure if I covered that). Why not just come clean and tell us that you are an amazing software, programming, salesman, architectural, engineering genius that likes to move from forum to forum and suck the life out of it's users. I'm just having fun. Shoot at my age this is better than TV any day

Chief does have phasing, we just call it Reference Display and it functions a little differently but does pretty much the same thing. If I was an avid Revit user, and know what I know today about Chief, I would just purchase Chief also. While there are a few systems like Chief out there, non of them hold a candle light to its automation and power. Why not own both and up your services? I started out with AutoCAD while it was still a DOS software. I learned the LISP language and others to make dialog boxes, etc. and made systems that sold all over the world. Even got a Highly Recommended from the Catalyst magazine who did a review. As time went on Autodesk continued to develop new and more amazing software, mainly aiming at commercial and industrial, leaving the little guy in the dust. Chief came along about the same time, but it looked cumbersome and every time I tested it, I could not get it to do what I wanted. So I walked away from it over and over and stayed with AutoCAD. About 5 years ago I purchased Chief, and because my mind was so wrapped around AutoCAD and how it functioned, I almost gave up, but kept learning, and the good people here would kick my butt time and time again as I complained. Over the years I was still using AutoCAD because I had projects running, or clients wanted to purchase a plan with changes. But I was slowly forgetting the commands and some of my programs were failing because of Window updates, and I was tired of maintaining them. Today I use Chief and love it. Yes of course there are issues and things we all want to see get fine tuned or added. But Chief is designing for the little guy, or the common residential or light commercial Architect, Designer and/or Builder. I'm not just another spec in a monster company who doesn't care about me nor know who I am. So. When I say just pick something, or get to work, I know I am talking to a hard working and very talented person. I don't think you need anyone of us to tell you what you need to do next. But if you're asking, I would suggest you pick up a copy of Chief and become an avid user. Again, it sounds like you are running into job situations that are using Chief, why not add it to your list of skills?

I was a bit mean spirited. Sorry. I missed my nap today and that was most likely my problem

After reading enough, I'm exhausted and too old to have to think this much. Four decades ago I was complaining about what I should do, already designing homes for 10 years on the side. My oldest brother, a contractor, just told me... Just get to work! So I did using whatever tools were available, and adjusted my tools as technology changed. Pick something. I do not think there is enough that could be said here that could move you one way or the other. Sounds to me like you just need to get to work, do something.

Also here...

The template is in the very first post on Page 1. I highly recommend that you follow my steps exactly so you get my same results.

I would suggest asking your questions in the General Q & A - you will get more interaction from those who watch that space more closely. https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/forum/7-general-q-a/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XJo7gJ9_KXpR-Pp0COgzfKdpmXtVjPE_/view?usp=sharing In the link is this Library. Download the file and drag it into your drawing.

Honestly, I deleted the 2D shadow trees from my personal Library. Just click on the link in the first page in this thread (I see it above). But they do not cast as nice of a shadow as 3D trees do. Follow my first steps in the beginning of this thread as I add 3D trees for shadows.

If you are drawing giant homes that require a hundred pages, by all means use Revit. I do know that Revit can do anything you want it to. It sounded like you were going to work for someone who used Chief for remodeling, so I was just suggesting that it does, I believe everything you need it to do to draw and document remodeling documents. Make the documents as extensive as you like. As far as slamming Chief, we do it all the time. However, I don't know of anyone who walks away from it. I know of others that would love to get into a long conversation with you about the intimate details of Cad software. I'm just saying that Chief offers what a designer needs to do very complex models and detailed construction docs.

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/search/?default_tab=video&q=remodel I've looked into Revit several times and Chief is way more user friendly in my mind. Restricted in areas because of it's automation, but there are always work-arounds. I used AutoCAD for several decades, and moving to Chief was the best thing I did. Mind you I did not like a number of things because my paradigm was from AutoCAD. But once you get past that and understand Chiefs approach, you will not look back. I draw about 120 plans a year with Chief and 60% of them are Remodels. Once you get the overlays setup in your template it is super easy to see the As-Built plan in your Remodel plan.

I don’t use TM any more. Check in the grass / plants area. It’s a sub menu

Correct, I updated my language above This is what I find. I never question Michael, and I do always learn from him. This is what I am learning for being able to change the garage door into a Door. https://my-plan.stevenyhofdesigns.com/v/HjmT6E57Z2hjPRpM0LMZ

I did not know there was an option for Add to Library As tool. Going to look into that. Thank you

Non of my doors used Doorway as a symbol from the start. I tried that and that is goofy. The video above shows how I make a door symbol and use that to generate the same panel garage door, and that symbol shows up in the DBX in the Library list, again because it is a symbol. Once the Door symbol is made and put into a wall, you can open the garage door and change all the settings you want and then save that to the Library. This now is only a garage door and can only be inserted into a wall from the library and not from the DBX library list (it is no longer a symbol). You can still open it in the Library and change its settings as a garage door. IF HOWEVER, you create a full sized garage door (7' x 18') as a Door symbol it will show up in the DBX library list. But only as a symbol, and you cannot change the settings like you can in the example above. So, if you want to be able to swap out full garage doors you would want to create a Door symbol as a full size garage door and leave it as a symbol. The doors that have the row of glass in them where saved as a full size garage door symbol, but then I still adjusted the settings I wanted and saved that to the Library so that when I inserted it into a wall, all my garage door settings were in place. When I have a client that wants to change a 16' wide garage door to an 18' garage door, I delete the existing door and add the new 18' wide garage door from the library. By doing it this way I know that all my default settings will come with that garage door when it is placed and I have nothing to change. It would be nice if I could swap out a garage door from the DBX or the library tool because I would not need to relocate the door or attach the dimension again.

@Chrisb222 So based on my videos, what am I missing on my doors that could make them work? Thank you

What I am finding is that it needs to be a symbol to show up in the DBX https://my-plan.stevenyhofdesigns.com/v/W7xS5a3le3OoCEuhaSUw Here is more of why the one works and the other does not https://my-plan.stevenyhofdesigns.com/v/LfjOvLqiaAst1tXNT5CT

Hi Gene, I am not looking at my doors, but maybe as a symbol I have some option not set. I did make these in X15 while still learning Chief so it is possible I do not have something correct. When I want to use the garage doors I just put then in the plan on my garage wall and move on, so I have not tried what you are talking about. Now I am curious as to what is different.

Yes, please drag the door you want from the library onto the garage wall. Thank you

Hi Gene, There should be complete garage doors in the library as well with a top row of glass. Let me know if you cannot find that.

I made these up long ago. Don't use them much but now and then when I just want to grab something I can copy and paste into the plan. Note that all the fireplaces have a line through the center and inline with the exterior wall. Copy the fireplace and the 2 lines so you can place it in your plan exactly where you want it. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I49m4HgjK6S3DOTrfi1wkRdZFX86K3_r/view?usp=sharing

Also YouTube for Chief Architect and mulled windows, or Grills