HumbleChief

To the OP Debra, I've included a chart to compare your current CPU to the newest out there and you can see how far back in technology/speed your current processor is. http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+9950+Quad-Core translation - you really need a new system. Your current motherboard will not support a fast enough processor to really bother with up-grading and the 9800 GTX video cards are dinosaurs as well. The difference between Xeon processors and the current i7's is simply the amount of data each can move (in gigaflops). Here's another chart http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html you can see the Xeons kill the i7's and ideally you'd get a couple of high end Xeons in a server motherboard but the cost would kill. I've got a couple low end Xeons in my system that was built by a guy that had them on hand for pretty cheap (system was $2500 complete and the 2 Xeons overclocked moved more data that the then current higher end i7's) I can upgrade the processors to faster Xeons but again the cost will not justify it so I consider myself lucky to get a decent deal on a couple of fast processors and will use this system till it ages past its usefulness. http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Xeon+L5640+%40+2.27GHz&id=1263 Here's another part of the web pages from above. http://www.harddrivebenchmark.net/ The rules for Chief are very simple. Buy the fastest CPU you can afford. The CPU chews through RayTracing and general system speed. If you don't know which is fastest check the charts (for everything). Same for video cards. The video card handles the 3D rendering chores. Buy the fastest GAMING Video card you can afford. Stay away from the Quadro CAD cards as the bang for buck is simply not there for the way Chief handles graphics. Nvidia seems to be the brand of choice. Check charts. Memory, simple again, get the most, fastest you can afford. I personally would get less, faster memory than more slower memory. 8 GB min 16 GB max as Chief really won't use much more. Hard drive(s) Single SSD and single disc HDD. Power supply HAS to be big enough to power your goodies. 1000 W minimum. Cooling. If you don't know, buy a system from someone who does. Simple.

Those are great spec's for a great system. Maybe a little more RAM but that's all and that system is ready to go.

You could create a printing Anno Set, and a working Anno Set, but I don't think there's a way to set up individual layers to print/not print. That would be a great feature IMO.

Really looks like a video issue. Before I upgraded my video card I would get choppy renders like you're showing. I suspect, like Doug above, that the retina display is asking more of your video card than the older machine. One thing you can try is a smaller model, like 4 walls and a roof. See if that's also choppy. If it's not then your model size is probably stressing the video capabilities of your newer machine. If it's still choppy then either the video card is simply undersized/spec'd for Chief rendering engine with the retina display or there are other issues over my pay grade. BTW none of that helps with the frustration I know none to well. Let us know if you resolve the issues.

Price went from $395 to $445.

With CA X6 you could create that with (2) doorways, one high across the entire wall and another lower under the first, suppress all casings and sills. HD Suite certainly has doorways?

Thanks Jintu, Meant to get back to this thread but got distracted. Appreciate the tip.

...instead of the backdrop staying still while the view rotates? Works OK in a singular view and a RayTrace view but when viewing with an interior camera it looks way goofy. Kind of like 'pinning' the backdrop to a view?

...just sayin' - the help here is amazing. Thanks for all the great help from everyone.

+1

Why didn't I think of that?

Like that Robert. Just noticed it was a window. Not sure how to get window in there. Will experiment a little. Ah I see it's got a window in another interior wall. Both methods should work.

Doorway with poly line solids to fill in irregular shapes? Or 3 doorways, one arched in middle two (square topped) flanking each side? Then mull doorways, add columns, moldings etc. Just noticed it was a window...hmmm

Ah I see that. Since it's a double light flood there's 2 light sources? Like I said wasn't getting it. Thanks for your help. Did the trick thanks

Thanks Jon, When you look at the plan, didn't I have the lights turned off? Here? In this dbx? And it seems to show them off here. But they still show in the RT.

I usually leave them on but I have an exterior RT that I'd like to have the lights turned off and I'm not getting it. I've attached the plan and it should show the (2) front porch lights turned 'off' in the light data sheet and shown as used in Camera view only but they seem to shine just as bright as they were when turned 'on'. I can delete then replace the lights post RT but am curious about the settings and how they really work (don't work?) Here's the plan and a pic showing the lights still on. RAY TRACE QUESTION.zip

Ah yes - same here. Thought you were zooming in with CA. Thanks.

Firs off thanks again for the video. I think I solved this a while back but am learning still. Scott I have a MAC question (sorry for the highjack). Do you not have a zoom wheel on your mouse or must you use the + and - buttons to zoom and pan as your video shows? Always remember Mac mices not having the same options as Windows mices but was just curious.

If you want static models you can't change use symbols. If you want editable floor plans use the Edit Area tool and copy/paste into the terrain.

Rich, I'm not an engineer and this assumes you've calc'd the new I-Beam to carry the loads you'll be carrying, given that, we work with steel quite often and your design should work fine but it's a bit overkill based on the engineered designs I've used in the past. Overkill is typically a good thing (versus underkill - is that word?) but you can get away with a lot less and still be very safe structurally as the 4 X 6 post should provide very strong support. If your 4th picture is accurate you really just need to trap the I-Beams between 2 king posts just like you would with any other beam. Maybe turn the side supports into those king studs and and replace the bottom through bolt with a series of 16d nails, the upper through bolt eliminated and the angle brackets replaced with A-35's. Maybe add a strap across the 2 x 6's. This all depends on the actual loads and structural stresses which can't really be discerned from your post or pics but we use steel all the time and unless it's a moment frame or absorbing any particular shear stresses the construction techniques are really pretty simple. We will often fill the web with wood using tack welded studs to attach the wood fillers, then hang joists from the filler but that doesn't look like your case here. Be ready for the chorus of don't do anyhting without and an engineer's blessing and this is always good advice but if you have the loads/spans figured out (which almost always takes an engineer) you should be fine. EDIT: Just read again and I see you're replacing load bearing walls. Do those walls contribute to the shear loads of the structure? That needs to replaced somehow if that's the case. Your design will most likely not serve that purpose. Que chorus singing, "Make sure it's engineered properly."

Best 'gaming' laptop is the usual call. I have a working partner who has a projector he uses with his Lap Top for 3D presentations. Not sure which Lap Top he got but it wasn't too bad expense wise. Here's a crazy link I found by searching for "best gaming laptop" http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2020688,00.asp

You can 'snip' them (in Windows it's the snipping tool) in your PDF viewer and get them cropped tight to the edges, then import into Chief - works pretty well. Might even start doing that myself as the png's behave so much better than the PDF's. Still can get only 3 landscape images across on a Layout page so don't really see the point.

Feel your pain and the new landscape layout makes it even worse. Even with the blank spaces eliminated still can't fit more pages no a Layout can you? I often take the default 8.5 x 11 inch size and change it to 8 x (aspect ratio maintained) in the properties dbx. Makes them a little easier to fit.

It seems like I had those same settings and crashed bad last week and had corrupted Archives as well - had to go to Carbonite to get usable file. Can't say I understand the archive function very well. Very interested in what tech support tells you.

Can't you just pull the offending roof lines back so they don't intrude? I pull them back all the time then join roofs to create a valley at the correct height. You'd have to turn off auto roof but that's a small price to pay and a very quick fix..