HumbleChief

... in plan view? I have a dark fill I use for new walls and have never had new railing walls to try and fill. They seem to appear with white fill no matter the settings. True?

VERY interested in your experiences Michael.

B.A., Right click the callout and open it to this dbx. Uncheck automatic size and enter another size to taste.

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/5147-172069-update-has-been-released/ Some nice changes in there. Nice work CA. Appreciate the hard work.

Excellent Dermot. Don't know if the update improves speed yet but the fact you are on it is impressive. Thank you for all the hard work you guys/gals do.

VERY helpful Jim. Took me 10 minutes to figure out you double click on the foot print to display the dbx. Amazing how helpful that video was. Never really bothered to learn this feature in Chief. I think the combo of the Anno Sets controlling the Plot Plan Set, relayed to the plan foot print display may be the best bet, for me. Still experimenting.\ but thanks so much for taking the time.

Here's some strange behavior (or not) with the plan foot print tool. http://www.screencast.com/t/PjqIkOlwUa

Didn't think about re-orienting the entire plan to change site plan orientation. I've got both methods set up to go so I can choose between methods and see what's going to stick.

Thanks Graeme, leaning that way myself - no problems/downside that I can see - yet.

Good point Richard and have always done the same thing with the plan footprint in 2D. Haven't really tried using Anno Sets yet but am modifying a Layout now to see how it works for me. I'n thinking out loud that once the PL is created it too could be moved around to fit the walls of the plan and can't readily see a downside to using Anno Sets. Thanks for the feedback

I've always set up a separate CAD detail for my site plan but can't remember why I don't just use the main Plan file with a separate Anno/Layer Set for the site plan. What do use all use for the site plan? CAD detail? Layer Set? Advantages?

Saw your reply in this thread Perry. Thank you. Appreciate you taking the time https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/5119-ssd-data-migration-question/

Yeah I'm set up pretty close to how you've described it, I think it's just a semantic thing between As-built plans and Proposed plans. My as-builts rend to be pretty bare bones, and can't remember when I ever included a section in my as-builts. But different strokes and very much appreciate all the comments and feedback.

Agreed of course that the as-built should be complete and accurate, but do you have "SITE PLAN, ROOF PLAN, ELEVATIONS, FLOOR PLANS, ROOF FRAMING, FLOOR FRAMING, FOUNDATION AND 6 SECTIONS" done as part of your as-built? Genuinely curious and would like to learn others' approaches.. I find that all I usually need for my as-builts are the floor plan, elevations, and foundation plan, all accurate and complete of course, before I 'save as' for the new addition. Every plan varies and I'm currently doing an interior loft addition that shouldn't even need elevations for the as-builts. Plan check and complete plans is another question and that's completed and presented in probably a similar method between all us Southern California gentlemen.

I cloned my boot drive with the Win 7 OS no problem. Cloning the MBR is part of the process if you select that to be cloned. If all the info for both OS's is in the MBR then it should work. Also there shouldn't be much risk in trying as I assume you have a functioning hard drive with an intact MBR. Just clone everything to your new SSD and try booting from the SSD. If it doesn't work for some reason just boot back the to the functioning hard drive and try plan B.

Thanks Perry, Thanks Andy

Andy, I find I average 1 - 1 1/2 hour for an as built measure. I have an old laptop and was considering doing the complete drawing on site but it seemed like it might take too much time in the clients house. How much time do you think it takes you to draw the entire plan on a laptop with Chief? I'm always finding some error that makes me nuts when I get my notes back to the office and can almost always resolve them but more than once I've had to do another site visit to confirm a stray measurement. Doing it on a lap top would/could/should eliminate those errors.

I remember you mentioning this before Perry but am having a hard time visualizing exactly how it's used. Do you have a pad of paper that you're drawing your rough sketch for the as built? With notes spoken and written as you sketch the house? "Everything goes to your computer" In what form? Do you have a computer there while measuring? Do you download/upload the ECHO pen data later at the office? What form is the ECHO data? I watched a few videos of the pen but can't quite make the connection to as built field drawing. Appreciate any clarification.

We're just using different words and terms for different things. I was answering your 'as built' question not a question of what needs to be included for plan check. Of course one can't design an addition without a site plan, floor framing, roof plan, sections etc. but one could do an as built without a site plan etc. etc. My as-builts are pretty much bare min. to get me to my (saved as) proposed set. We're just using different terms and probably just follow a different path to the same end goal.

Awesome Scott, New stuff is always exciting. Run some Ray Trace comparisons from your old machine and maybe post a plan with RT times so we can bench mark. What was your system cost, if you don't mind?

Scott, no real way to compare our methods. My as-builts only include the bare minimums that will get me to the proposed plan sets. I've never really timed my method but it's not nearly as complex as yours. Six sections? More power to you. Never had a need for six sections on any remodel I've ever done. Don't do floor/roof framing and seldom include a roof plan for the as-built either. Never found a need. Those all go in to the proposed plan set. I also don't include the site plan and consider that part of the working drawings. Don't include any road or sidewalks either unless it helps with initial concepts. Not much help.

I had Samsung's data migration fail for unknown reasons and also used Macrium Reflect to clone my first 256GB SSD then my second 500GB SSD. Went perfect each time BUT I didn't try and migrate/clone a dual boot system - that might get interesting.

...but creates one more problem - no direct export to Chief. It looks like Red Stick will create DXF or PDF files but then what? CAD to walls? Trace over the PDF? Still not really saving time for my purposes.

For a whole house as built I typically use a tape to measure the exterior walls first then move inside. With a rough hand drawn sketch of interior walls I use a laser to measure all interior walls. Don't even think about using a tape in the house. Windows are measured for size and location and any other relevant info is measured and jotted down. Recreating the as-built back at the office is pretty quick but laborious none the less. I've learned there are no short cuts and problems with measurements not matching up arise on EVERY as built. I have learned to adjust and most of my work is not within 1/4" as I like to keep my sanity but I understand others' need to have such exact measurements. I keep trying to like the digital input systems like room planner but I tend to be very pragmatic about my technology purchases. Measuring a square kitchen hardly needs an iPad or the cloud and you should have that done with a scratch pad and laser in 15 minutes max. and that's if you have to stop and sharpen your pencil. Take a quick video of the kitchen with your phone for reference and you're out. The thing I like least about an app like room planner, especially for a whole house as built, is that I write down copious notes and register intricacies of each measure and I can't imagine getting back to the office and not having that paper trail for my notes etc. Or what happens when you have an odd shaped room? Do you load a couple of 'square' rooms? Or a room with a notch? How do they all go together? Second floor? I think the future is with cloud apps and I see the need to market such tools but if you want to sell something like room planner to a professional remodeler I shouldn't think that a square kitchen should get too many of us excited enough to buy an iPad when a scratch pad of paper and a laser is still very efficient and fast if you know what you're doing. Show us. please, a demonstration of a whole house as built measure using room planner. Til then I'll remain skeptical of its professional usefulness on any thing other than a square kitchen.

Hi Bob, Do you need the 'look' of a cabinet going around a protruding pipe chase? Or an actual cabinet with cut sheet type exacting spec's?