HumbleChief

That strategy works best for me as well but as illustrated above Joe uses a different strategy. The key is to understand how Chief works/thinks/is designed to work, which is the hard part, then develop a strategy that works for you. Really appreciate you taking the time to post the plan. I learned just a little more.

Great advice Wendy and I think if your post shows anything it shows that a person has to develop a strategy that works for them and stick with it. I'm leaning toward the 'set the terrain perimeter/building pad at 0' and adjust the terrain with elevation regions but I can see your strategy working just as well and as long as ones approach is consistent the crazy making should be kept to a minimum. BTW the file you attached had 0k and I could not open it.

Here's what I get with these default out of the box settings. I tried a couple settings in the wall framing dbx and have no idea how you got the walls to frame that way Greg. The attached pic is the only way I can get them to frame. Found it. Uncheck the "horizontal frame through" button will get you what I posted. Checking it will get you what you posted.

Here's a quick terrain video that may or may not be relevant. http://www.screencast.com/t/geVV2Cbm

Here's a vid of the above strategy. There are a few land mines that you must avoid and if you watch through to the end you will see THE SINGLE MOST FRUSTRATING THING ABOUT CHIEF'S STRUCTURE DBX. Hope this helps. http://www.screencast.com/t/Qsc4usSSnwDP

That's a good strategy and another option is to put the garage on floor 1 and set its floor height to a negative number below the main living floor (floor level 2) above which can be set at '0' - 0"'. Both strategies work bit since most of the of design work will probably be done on the floor above it might be nice to have that floor set to '0' - 0"'. Also if you consistently set the main living floor at '0' - 0"' you have a conscious place that all your buildings, now and in the future, will start and stop their floor levels from.

Not sure this helps but I caught Chief in the act again today. Only posting to help the tech guys with all the clues they can use. http://www.screencast.com/t/BjnDWDFosK7M

After doing those vids I realized that I've tried many different times to create a basement using the foundation level (0) but probably won't again unless it's a mono slab and even then having your slab on floor 1 is not a bad thing. May be I won't use Floor (0) again - not sure but pretty enlightening stuff from all you - thanks..

Yeah I think I got your point in this last vid, something I didn't try in the first. http://www.screencast.com/t/DbymFvFcJ I'll watch yours now. Great vid as always but I think it's pretty easy to get it all done without a foundation level as your vid shows and I think you might have stated as much at the end even though you used it initially to get your framing to show. Either way always nice to see the different techniques and learn just a little bit more about the structure dbx.

Always appreciate your comments Scott. I think I just discovered that in order to control the height of the slab independently of the footing that the room height setting allows this and the stem wall height keeps the footing and the slab 'joined' and moving together. See if I missed something. http://www.screencast.com/t/k38LoQZs9f

Another look and probably something most saw when I was doing the vid. http://www.screencast.com/t/Z3Lx8UiZGVwu

Here's another method without a mono slab - probably what you (and Joe) are talking about? http://www.screencast.com/t/uVv2YNjXe

Yup, do you think that's what Sherry is asking for?

A footing in a basement without a slab? Huh? What would you walk on? A wooden floor? Wood on piers? Genuinely confused. I guess you could try and define the slab as air space, and that might show only the footings and then you can walk on the dirt floor of the basement? Sorry for the snark Sherry but I don't understand but it is late so it might be something simple I'm missing. Oh wait, a footing with a separate slab poured later? That could work. Is that what you mean?

See if this helps. Lot easier in practice than in theory. http://www.screencast.com/t/MCzcZa1wvV

Haven't seen that either Alan.

Roof framing - rafters end up on 'framing, roof rafters' layer. In this pretty unique situation I want most of the many, many, rafters to be grayed out to show existing framing below, with the new rafters darker to show new framing above AND I want the new rafters on a different layer. Almost done manually making the changes by manually selecting the roof rafters and changing layers. but any auto framing gets me right back to black on black rafters every where. Was wondering if one could send all roof rafters to a pre-selected layer? Or certain roof plane framing to another pre-selected layer?

+1

I started up X6 the other day and noticed a general crispness that X7 is missing. I just shut it down and am taking my medicine with X7, Not happy but not that disappointed in the current X7 speed.

Deleted that layer Joe, thanks - sometimes the forest for the trees etc, etc, Much appreciated.

Trying to get a t&g finish on a vaulted ceiling. I know it's simple. Thanks in advance http://www.screencast.com/t/GY4pnR1Mtf

Funny Dennis!

Thought so - Thanks for confirming this Joe - appreciate your time.

This is all could find on the web - in the OLD forum - are there any new tools or is it done manually as this old thread suggests? Checked all the tutorials and every Chief source I could find. Thanks for any help. http://www.chieftalk.com/showthread.php?17306-first-time-creating-a-crawl-space

Tried it - like it.