HumbleChief

Couldn't get a simple screenshot because the dbx would disappear but there's a quick vid, Anyone else seen this?

http://www.screencast.com/t/AmXms61R

I think you're probably missing something simple in the symbol creation process. See if this helps. You don't have to build door symbols in the vertical plane but it helps me keep it simple without rotating and stretching.

http://www.screencast.com/t/MNa1kix7h

Then try Sherwin Williams

LOL

You can calibrate your monitor but that still won't get you that accurate because of the way light is reflected in real life and displayed on a monitor. 

http://www.rgbworld.com/color.html

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=color+calibrate+monitors

5 feet and 1 hour fire rated walls have been code here for a very long time but not always enforced by every planner in my experience.

I just always design so that there are about 3-6 inches for setback.  It's inevitable that the construction will be off a bit and who needs the hassle.

Of course. Always a good practice BUT - we've had inspectors insist on a survey to confirm setbacks even when given some 'breathing room' to the set back.

EDIT: Mostly because fence lines are almost never right on the PL and the inspector can use his judgement to make the call for a $1500 survey.

The setbacks around here are never measured from the finish and never has. And I have done work in 50 cities.

Perry, a kind and courteous "So what?" There's a city here in the San Diego area (Coronado) that insists that setbacks are measured from the finish as the attached note indicates. I'm not saying you're wrong I'm just sayin' there's differences in different cities and peoples' experiences.

Here is the plan file if you would like to look at the windows.

That's probably the easiest method I've seen Thanks for posting that.

Larry, In my 40 years of drawing ,I have never used outside of stucco for any measurement's, around here the cities want stud to stud.

I don't doubt that at all. But we each have a different experience of course. I haven't been able to do an as built by measuring to the studs but I guess one could estimate where the studs are and use that as a measurement. Like I say we each have a different experience and I'm sure yours is valid for your purposes but I actually have a city I do work for that includes the following as a required note. 

YARD SETBACKS ARE TO BE MEASURED FROM THE EXTERIOR WALL FINISH TO THE PROPERTY LINE AND NOT FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FOOTING (OR FACE OF STUDS). THE PLANS MUST BE DESIGNED WITH THE WALL FINISH THICKNESS(i.e. 7/8" STUCCO, ETC.) ADDED TO THE PLAN FOR THE SETBACK MEASUREMENT. THE FIELD INSPECTOR WILL ADD THE PLANNED WALL FINISH THICKNESS TO THE FOUNDATION SETBACK. IF THE WALL FINISH IS TO BE CHANGED AFTER THE PLAN APPROVAL, THE EFFECT ON MEETING THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT MUST BE CONSIDERED TO GET THE CHANGE APPROVED BY CITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

I now see how that works to the center of the wall, thanks Robert.

But change the actual room def to garage instead of just writing the words and the result is much different but perhaps makes sense again as Chief will take SF from the garage by moving the measurement from the center of the wall to the garage side of the wall, increasing the room SF and decreasing the garage SF. Starting to make sense to my thick skull.

Michael,

There's a bunch of videos out there dealing with this. I'll see if I can find a couple.

Check this google search page -should keep you busy for a while.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=corner%20window%20chief%20architect

..and a small reminder when looking for Chief answers techniques etc. Use google instead of the forum search just add Chief Architect to any term and you'll fin much more relevant info than the forum search.

I have a layer set up called "Square Feet" and I do polylines around the areas I'm calculating square footage. Its extra work but quick and easy and I don't have to worry about being off on square footage.

Probably the only way to really deal with the issue other than Scott's request above for closed poly lines with labels.

No real resolution in my mind and will have to deal with the tools as they exist but I'm not happy. Mostly I'm not happy with not being able to understand the basic concepts of Chief interpretation of SF.

http://www.screencast.com/t/O66s4ysznd

Always wondered about this calc and now I REALLY wonder about this calc. Why and when is a 20 ft. x 20 ft. room not 400 SQ? How is Chief calculating square footage. I simply do not understand.

http://www.screencast.com/t/GXZH4LlliW

...This is why I never use CA's area calculations.  I can not trust their calculations.  This information must be accurate.  I cannot stress enough to CA how important this information is.  If this information is inaccurate it can cost somebody thousands and thousands of dollars.

Agree, agree, agree.

I guess the second screen wouldn't help because it wont allow you to get out of the box.

I did try that Joey and appreciate the tip but everything including the second monitor was locked up with that text box.

Tech support had seen it once before and hitting the escape key got rid of it but not this time.

Talked to tech support and had to end the application in task manager. We went through a few hoops to get everything back but all is well.

Hope this helps someone in the future.

I'm afraid to close down X7 with the task manager as I don't know how much work I might lose. Time to call Tech Support I'm thinkin'.

http://www.screencast.com/t/Iidnw2pxrH

Training Video 361.

That video was pretty good. I've done a hundred as builts from scanned plans and never even knew there was a Point to Point Resize button. Great tool that I'll use from now on.

Hi Larry,. I also always check keep deck framing and uncheck auto rebuild deck framing, but when I change a deck room from Deck to Unspecified all my deck framing still disappears In my current situation I have custom deck framing under a 3 season room and want to change the room to unspecified so my electrical outlets don't show up as weather proof. Have you run into this problem ?  Chuck MTL Homes

Chuck,

There's a 'keep deck framing after deck room is deleted' check box that does just that if you want to change the room name. Just tried it and it works.

If your only problem is the electrical outlets showing up as Weather Proof I'd create a CAD electrical outlet and place them on the wall where you need them. I have a little custom GFCI outlet in my library for islands that don't have a wall that Chief needs to place outlets on. Works fine.

I hesitate to call this a tutorial but here's one way to duplicate what Curt did.

http://www.screencast.com/t/NBXEV2ELiF

IMPORTANT - Chief CAN change your default floor heights out of the blue. I'm working on a plan and the first floor default ceiling height was changed to 0" after I set it to the default 97". If your plan gets wonky this is the first place to look. This is a major bug of some kind and I will not be able to reproduce it but I noticed my 3D views were destroyed and did not know what happened. I checked my defaults and my first floor height was 0". User error? I'll always cop to my ignorance but this just up and changed so beware.

Also points to the importance of the defaults. A good place to check first if things go a little nuts in your model.

Note,

 

There's a faster way.  Go into the Plan Defaults and make the changes there.  You'll have to do it for each floor.

 

Then, dbl click on each room and in the Structure Tab click on the "Use Default" for the Ceiling Height.

Do that for each Room - but start on the Top Floor and work down.  Then Rebuild the Roof Planes.

If you modify 'floor defaults' as Joe suggests you have a future touchstone of sorts if your floor heights ever go wonky on you. Using floor defaults to set/change floor heights is a very good Chief practice and will insulate you from future mystery floor height changes.

If I have a job that needs to get done and I arrive on a job site and don't have the proper tool, or the job is way too complex to even figure out which tool I should have brought, I'll find a way to get the job done with the tools I have. Is that a work around? Or creativity using the tools at hand?

A Chief user with a job that needs doing and a request for tools that Chief doesn't have could just say "I don't like the word work around." Or that user could get creative using the tools he does have and get the job done.

Work around? ...or Creative and imaginative? You chose the terms that makes you happy as long as it doesn't keep you from getting the job done with tools you do have.

The video really helps and unfortunately I've got nuthin'. I've simplified my page numbering and let go of A-1, S-1, G-1, E-1, etc. and MIGHT be able get what you want but I think you hit the nail on the head for problem - Chief needs more options to achieve what it is you want.

What about Perry's idea of simply creating another Layout file and delete unwanted pages, then number and order the remaining pages any way you want?