HumbleChief

I'm also thinking about changing my Drive accounts to DropBox as well. Drive doesn't seem to update/synch reliably and many times I have to 'start' Drive to get it to update/synch - it's PIA.

DropBox keeps a copy of your files on your computer AND in the cloud and also allows files to be synched with multiple computers. In this way one can have copies of all files on a main computer in a DropBox folder and up to date, synched copies on other computers, and files backed up to the Cloud. I personally have 3 other computers that have all my Chief files synched to their hard drives and Drop Box back up in their cloud. In theory 4 copies of every file at all times. OneDrive behaves in almost the exact same fashion and can't see why there would be a conflict with Google Drive. Been tempted by OneDrive and Office 365 but just dont need them at this point and DropBox seems like a great way to store back up files. Oh, BTW I have Carbonite as well. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I think that the files on your computer(s)' physical drive live in your computer's DropBox Folder and in the cloud, so if DropBox goes nuts you still have your files on your hard drive(s). I did read where people lost data because of a problem with DropBox because they didn't synch certain files that were only in the cloud but it's rare and any valuable files you are not synching to your hard drive you are setting up for data loss.

Thanks Michael, I was thinking real life. Must be a snow load thing perhaps? Here a simple 2 x 6 over frame usually does the trick.

Curious, has anyone ever built, or ever seen, an overbuilt roof built with trusses? We always just frame on top of the old framing using a CalFil method that I don't think Chief will build but is easy to detail.

Nice Justin, Never thought of using a road. What rendering engine did you use?

Michael, I don't doubt your analysis is correct but so what? And I really don't mean that in a negative way. It might be difficult, but so what? It's all difficult isn't it? So what? I don't want any parts of Revit that I've seen but having the ability to have more that one plan version in a single plan file would be awesome IMO. Is it too hard? Maybe, but given the incentive it might be doable but I'd leave that up the Chief programmers to figure it out instead of deciding it can't be done for whatever reason I think might be relevant.

...we could even use Anno Sets as they now exist with the exception of walls occupying the same space in different versions. Is that the only limitation within Chief's current paradigm? I'm going to move this to the suggestion forum, even though it's not a new idea, maybe it's time to revisit it.

To me there are many reasons not to use Revit and price is not one of them. I watched a video of a simple house being created by a Revit expert that took at least twice as long as the same thing would have taken in Chief with cabinetry that looked like it was created by a child. Way too complex and almost no library of cabinets/fixture etc. Some nice features but nothing compelling enough to switch, again without cost as a factor. Having said that there's no reason Chief has to be anything like Revit and no reason they can't implement their own version of 'phases' and make it easier to use and understand. After all it's only a series of layers turned on and off for each 'phase'. We currently have the ability to do everything that Revit's phases does except place walls from different phases in the same location(s). An overarching 'Versions' system that contained each set of plans with a master Layer control for each 'version' would be sweet IMO. Each 'version' could be named and categorized and held within a single plan file. Click on a different version and every thing changes to that version. I wonder how many of Chief's users would welcome such a feature? I would use it all day every day but what's the cost benefit within Chief business model? There's no reason to implement such a major change without a lot of customer requests for such a feature and how would such a feature effect overall sales? I would welcome a feature like this with open arms and he!! yes, steal every good feature from every competitor out there until Chief becomes even more powerful and useful.

I think the concept is brilliant and would love Chief to implement such a feature but I'm not optimistic as the code changes could prove to be monumental but worth it IMO. It would fundamentally change the way Chief works, and in a very good way IMO.

I think it would nice to have the ability to have many versions in one plan but Chief's programming paradigm will not allow for that at this time. I've grown so used to this method that it's second nature but the downside is missing something in the as-built after you've created your proposed plan. Then you must go back and make changes to the as-built.

Quick crappy video on my thought process and remodel method.

I do remodels all the time and have found no other way that works for me other than 2 plans. An As-Built, built as closely to the original as you can, then a Proposed Plan which is just the As Built' saved as the Proposed Plan, or whatever name you choose. I do't have or use a specific demo plan. I combine that with my proposed plan that shows demoed walls. I use a mask as well, which is created from the As built (with most every layer other than walls turned off) to show demo walls and use Chief's basic method for creating that mask. Link below. https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-02208/showing-the-as-built-in-a-remodel-plan.html

Interesting Greg, don't think I've seen that before. Thanks.

Link's broken Greg.

Update all views seemed to repair it but I did not want to update all views.

When printing to PDF - not a new problem but I thought I was immune.

Weird. I just clicked on 3D dropped down to View Direction and generated a Left Side view. Ray Traced it, didn't like what I saw. Closed the view, made some changes now the options for 3D View Directions are all grayed out. I'm in plan view, should I be in another view/mode? Weird. FIXED. Didn't realize I need to be in the 3D full camera overview. Makes sense.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post but I did find it as you've shown. Couldn't believe it was just a button click away. NICE, and thanks Glenn.

That video was pretty painful to watch but admire the author's expertise. I'm now trying to figure out how I can get this done in CA 'much faster'.

I wanted to add a small caveat and that is I am not disappointed with Chief's tools as they are now. For my smaller projects I have everything I need to create ConDocs that work for me and my clients. Chief can create a custom schedule tool or not and I hope they can upgrade their software to address a larger market that's not being addressed now but I can use what's here without too much trouble. I also hope Chief improves their tools for those who really need them.

Here's my challenge. I don't want to use straight text notes for all the reasons noted above but I don't want to use Chief's tools even less. If Chief came up with a custom schedule tool tomorrow I would be very surprised if it wasn't inflexible and clunky at best. It's just not what Chief has shown they are good at. I saw a video with Vector Works schedules and it was a revelation. Not that one should be surprised by the functionality that was put into its function, after all it is 2016, but that Chief seems so far away from a similar tool. Chief programmers are good at what they do but custom schedules and the like are not in their wheel house IMO. Something I would like is a very flexible (fonts, sizes, layout tools, headers, merge cells, borders, etc.) Excel type spreadsheet schedule maker that would allow for custom schedules that looked the way you liked to fit into your design. But the problem at Chief remains I think, and that may be that they are focused on the great 3D stuff we have all benefitted from but when it comes to CD's there's just no one there who knows what goes into creating great CD's. I get it as their business has grown with the focus they have had but it leaves the professional who prepares plans for a living with a few less tools than truly needed to create great CD's.

That's my general feeling about a lot of Chief's tools. I make a simple text key note schedule and it takes less than 2 minutes if you have to create it from scratch, no time, other than changing text, if it's in your template. Very much like my experience with the new Story Pole tool. Another hassle trying to get everything set up correctly, or another 2 minutes (max.) to set my template Markers manually, maybe another minute if I have to add another marker/height location.. I get the fascination and challenge with getting these tool to bend into something that's genuinely useful, but to me they are anything but.

I think this is one of X8's best new features. Took a bit to get used to but I just did a multi-level, complicated terrain model and it saved me some major grief.

Hold the cntrl key and place the column wherever you like?

I did notice that - Thanks Ken.