HumbleChief

Doesn't look like either piece of advice is correct. I always thought that attic walls rebuilt themselves when they were deleted. Can't get that to happen. Selecting 'gable wall' still creates an attic wall - at least here it does. Really bizarre. Can't get attic walls to auto re-build. Thought that was a no brainer. Oh well. Basil you can always go to the attic level and move that attic wall into position. There's also a small icon that aligns wall above and below. You can also check 'balloon through ceiling above' in the structure tab of the lower wall if you want to eliminate the attic wall.

That's pretty impressive Joe. Nice work.

That gable wall is an attic wall. Just delete it, it should regenerate properly. If not hit At Q and make sure rebuild attic walls is checked

Thank Perry That's my usual MO as well unless I need/want to change a ceiling height and can't because of that message. This 3 story house had that message coming and going and I was/am dumbfounded as to why it occurs sometimes. I went to the garage to change heights and couldn't because of that message. Went to the floor above and quadruple checked the floor heights and couldn't find any that 'varied'. Just muscled my way through and I THINK I have it dialed in now but am not sure when it will change again, or why.

The mind is an amazing thing and mine no less so. I have been reading and re-reading this message over and over again (for almost 15 years) and somehow never REALLY read it. "Ceiling values may not be changed as the FLOOR above this room has varying heights." Somehow I read 'rooms' into the phrase, but many times a 'floor' will have many rooms which could each have a different floor height. I still wonder how, with a simple single floor, one could get that message other than what you pointed out Basil. I always get it fixed, usually by selecting un-selecting those items you showed but will continue to explore and see if I can truly understand it one day. The biggest issue is when it appears out of nowhere during plan development as it did the other day. Plan was perfect all defaults set up just right. Sections and all heights perfect then bam, something happens to cause that and the garage ceiling height can't be changed. Check the floor above and can't see any variations in height in any room or the defaults and the games begin. Appreciate you taking your time to explore this.

Double click a wall, go to wall types and select your wall, go to define and you'll see the wall definition dbx, Your main layers are set up there. Better yet what are trying to do? What do you want it to look/build like?

Thanks Joey. Same here but I'm trying understand the why.

Check your main layer in wall definitions.

Thanks Basil. I actually have no problem with single story structures and can build a garage with a slab without much problem but the issue was earlier in the day with a 3 story structure where that message would appear at random intervals and without any knowledge on my part as to what brought it on or what the cure was. The interesting part was it happened very early in the default setup stages where there would be a large single room on let's say the third floor. The message was that there were 'rooms' with varying heights but of course there was only one room in this case so the message is inherently confusing with no clear direction on how to remedy the message. I got it fixed as I always do but with much experimentation and changing every parameter I could think of. Typically when I get that message I usually look for a 'room' that has a different 'height' than others on that floor and that can happen through plan development and is pretty easy to discover and fix. But when I had an entire floor that was only one room, then got the message it stumped me and had really no where to look, similar to the simple garage I posted. Again the interesting part and the reason I posted the simple garage was that it would occur seemingly at random and when it does I don't always know where to look for the cure. I'm sure the problem lies within my brain and my inability to understand the intent of the message because the message can't literally be correct as, in my world at least, there can't be 'rooms' with varying heights if there is only one 'room'. So I'm missing what the message is really saying and that's what I really need help with and I thought the simple garage was a good example to explain that intent. I searched the web and will again this morning for some more clues and maybe the idea will sink into my thick skull. Thanks for taking the time to post a reply, I greatly appreciate it.

Sorry Basil, I can't help you. I used Corel Draw for many years and drawing curves, like Illustrator, is simple and very straight forward. I struggle with all the curves in Chief and have no solution for you. There is a drive way spline tool with very limited options and no way I could find to add a node or any other method to make the tool truly useful. Others may be able to lend a hand but I gave up a long time ago and just struggle through the process.

Wrestled with this all day on a 3 story home and was simply too embarrassed to post more questions regarding the structure dbx. But I was drawing a simple garage and got the message with only one room on the floor and am genuinely perplexed. Does anyone really understand it? http://www.screencast.com/t/emnDprvxQ plan vary heights 1.plan

Good idea Perry but I avoid decks like the plague. I hate the framing disappearing and other odd 'deck' behavior. Maybe I can call them a kitchen or bedroom and set the default as you suggest? May end up there but for now the 3D looks perfect and for the initial concept looks pretty good.

Those are embedded plot maps that came from those previous files. Not needed in this file but thanks for the heads up.

Not to worry, thanks

I think I answered all those question in the second vid and your observations were correct.

GOT IT, with your help Mick - thanks so much. http://www.screencast.com/t/jTa0EEtr

Thanks Mick, That might do the trick. http://www.screencast.com/t/Fql7XFuJ

I THINK I might use the same technique as Perry. I just shade walls various shades of gray (I usually use around 50 - get it?) as I've never really used color walls to depict various wall types, only grays and variations of gray. If I remember your original request and your remembrance of the way Chief used to work, I think getting that functionality back would be pretty cool and something I might use in the future, but never really took to using colored walls, and that could be because i didn't understand Chief could print those in Gray Scale and jpg's/pdf's in color.

I want to show steel framed deck rims in 3D. Is there a method for such a thing? I've manually placed them in this pic and added a 6" layer to the railing to overlap the steel but was wondering if the deck rim joists can be spec'd as steel anywhere in Chief? plan DECK QUESTION 1.plan

Well said Alan and I think the fear that one's designs will be stolen is a pretty natural thing until one examines the reality just bit closer as you (and others) have illustrated above. What real damage is done if your design is used somewhere else? First of all it will almost never be used in its entirety because of local conditions and clients concerns, wants and needs, and even if it was what really happens next? If your design is built right next to the house you designed then that's a different story but the chances of that happening here with the diverse community that inhabits this forum is pretty remote. On the other hand some us of don't really need to worry about our designs being stolen

Still number 1 on my top ten list - would save HUGE amounts ts of time.

What is idle time?...and what would be an optimal setting?

Non-modal operation in Chief is number one on my top ten list. I don't use the ALDO much either and I'm a bit sad about that considering how much work went in to it.

I can see what your talking about Ben and I would think the print out is where it really shows because I have to go to 500% magnification to see it. Do you have theory on what's causing it?

Will show WHAT better? Still curious. What is it that you're seeing so easily Richard? Maybe use some words, or a description, or point to the area you are seeing, as I think we all see the same screen shot. What is it supposed to look like?