stevenyhof

The CA help worked and all you guys! Thank you! I was able to blank it out with a box filled and draw two lines over to put my TB back together. It's not as good as coding, but it seems to work fine

I set up a mono spaced font and added a solid filled white box to cover the remaining file name info. However, I cannot find anything in help or in the forums for drawing order or stacking objects. Even though I made the box last it is under the file name text. Some direction please!

Thank you Michael! I didn't think of the mask - great idea! I will also look into Ruby a bit more although I am completely lost yet. I may reach out to you for some help. PS. I am working my way through the tutorial as you suggested - at the same time messing with my set up

I will reach out to him. I talked to him a few days ago on the phone - really great and smart fellow! Thank you Robert

Hello Ruby Script-er, I am new to CA and Ruby, and I will study Ruby to learn more, but while I am setting up my layout with my title block, I want to use the same plan (file) name set up I had in ADT. If my file name is called SND1234 John and Sue Doe.plan - I'm sure I need to use the %file.name% name, but in some way tell ruby that I only want the first 7 characters. So in the layout in the Title Block under File Name will be SND1234 - Removing the John and Sue Doe See images above Thank you, Steve

I have a database with a counter that gives me a number - 1802, 1803, 1804 as I create a new record to store all my clients info and plan info. I also work for many builders, so they each have their own three digit code and folder - SND, MPI, BMI, etc. When I create a new plan I save it into the builders folder - MPI1804 But that does not tell me much about the client, so I add the clients name, or something more... MPI1804 John and Linda Smith In ADT, the first 7 characters are auto placed into my title block. When someone calls me 5 years from now, they can give me the file name - BMI1423 and I know the build and then can easily find the plan number. I have done this for almost 16 years. Not that I could change, but I will still be using my database(s) and ADT for some time yet before CA takes its place. Either way, I will keep my file management as I have for many years. Thank you See images...

Hello, I am new to CA and Ruby, and I will study Ruby to learn more, but while I am setting up my layout with my title block, I want to use the same plan (file) name set up I had in ADT. If my file name is called SND1234 John and Sue Doe.plan - I'm sure I need to use the %file.name% name, but in some way tell ruby that I only want the first 7 characters. So in the layout in the Title Block under File Name will be SND1234 - Removing the John and Sue Doe Thank you, Steve

I agree when the homes are higher end. I too allow for 4.5". But most smaller homes cannot afford to lose the space in other room for a wider hallway. I have built, framed and trimmed many homes, and 3.5" trim fits perfectly against the wall with a 1/8"/1/4" reveal on the door jamb - if built square mind you. Most homes, large and small, around here are being painted, so some caulk and you're good to go. (Unless you use the words of my father, "a 1/4" paint covers a lot of mistakes".) I also use 32" (2868) wide doors as that is code for bedrooms here in Michigan, so I make my hallways 40" wide rough in.

This looks exactly how my plans look in ADT except I show the frame only - so a 2468 dimensions to 2'6" opening and shows 3" for studs! - Thank you for the info and images!

I am not planning on using the casing for anything other than 3D views (no material take off). In ADT I do not show casing in plan or model view. However, I kind of like it in CA so thinking I will show it. I have some other questions related to casing and plan vs model vs elevation views, but I need to keep studying first and if I still have questions I will start a new topic if another does not exist. I have enjoyed the communication here in the forums and everyone's willingness to offer ideas and insight! And even some personal fun! I have missed that for many years because I stopped upgrading my ADT and it fell off the radar. So thank you!!

Yes, I am learning the center command - thank you

This is very helpful and shows and explains what I was looking for. My plans are typically drawn for the framers so I do not get into the detail CA does. But I like it and want to expand what I include in my plans. I will mess with the casing and see how it behaves. Thank you!

Thank you Ryan. I see I need to get into the material (help/videos/etc.) and read. My bad! Just playing around - like a new toy you know!

Thank you for the info guys!!

For the record, when I changed the frame width to 1" from 3/4", it fits perfectly. The dimension of 2'10 (rough opening) also lines up perfectly with the outside of the jamb (frame) and not just in space like the previous pics above - see door image with 2'10 dimension and note that the extension lines go into the gray space and not to any intersection. I guess that would be fine knowing that the dimension is telling us that that is the rough opening between the laps (studs) - and the overall width of the door plus the frame is 2'9.5" leaving the 1/4" gap per side for shimming level. I'm still working on centering the door without eyeballing it. I was hoping the door would snap to the center of the wall. I will keep studying...

I'm new so just learning, but when I place a door or window in a wall and want it 3" (lap and stud) away from the corner of another wall, I can't seem to get it to 3" - it's always a little off. I drew a center circle from the corner with intersect snap so I know where the 3" intersection crosses. And when I move the door next to the wall and then slide it away, and use the TAB key to enter 3" - it still is not 3" - does not line up with my circle - see image. I cannot get the door to center in the opening either - If I turn object snaps off, I can eyeball it to center. I can see the frame of the door is 3/4", so the gap I am seeing is the 1/4" that remains that shows that the 3" radius circle is not connecting - see image. Maybe I should make the door frame 1" so it fills the gap (space between the frame and the stud) that is there to allow some movement in real life. But for CAD, I want to make sure my objects are placed precisely, otherwise things go down hill from there and allow discrepancies. Many times I place walls by this 3" (Lap and Stud), then a door/opening and then another 3" and then a wall - like for a bedroom closet. When I dimension the plan, the framers do what they should and the door fits as expected. Same with the window. When I slide a window against a corner wall, it snaps about 1/2" from the corner wall, but I don't know for sure because it is hard to use the tape measure and see what it is snapping too. Then I drag it away from the corner and TAB and enter 2.5" - but still it does not line up with the 3" radius circle - See image. I am new and still working through the tutorial so maybe I am jumping on this too early. Thank you

In AutoCAD, you select objects with a window (anything inside), or a crossing "window" (anything the window crosses). A window is made by clicking and dragging to the right, and a crossing is made by clicking and dragging to the left. I hope this can be added some time to Chief as both are used extensively! So in Chief, I set up the hotkeys for these two options. Select Intersected Objects and Select Contained Objects. Hotkeys for when in select mode... Select Intersected Objects - SC (S, C = Select Crossing) Intersected Select Contained Objects - SW (S, W = Select Window) Contained Note that I am not using SI, as I like to keep my keystrokes close and on the left of the keyboard if possible so I do not need to look at my keyboard. If the keys I want are on the right, they will be grouped on the right, but I seldom do that. You of course can use SI (Intersected) and SC (Contained) if you understand from Chief's lingo. I come from AutoCAD so I understand these commands from AutoCAD's lingo. Chief also uses the Shift key (held down) to make multiple selections - very nice!

Thank you Mark for the info. I am excited about researching more about and using Ruby to update text related things, but still finding other ways, perhaps a macro recorder to do other things. Thank you!

I'm new here so maybe this is already covered in some place I am missing. Can someone versed in Ruby offer some guidance to information, books, videos, etc. where I could learn more about Ruby and how it is used within Chief Architect? I'm coming from an older version of AutoCAD ADT and have programmed extensively with AutoLISP. I would think these have similarities, but also would like to know if there is a command line, or how does Ruby communicate with keystrokes/mouse to call a command/script? Thank you