Kbird1

The technique I used above works for Framed Chimney Chases as well , just tried it to make sure on the plan I posted above , and it does work for adding a chimney after the fact too if needed, which I hadn't tried before. I'll attach the new plan too. Only downside is in section view you'll see the interior wall of the chase against the house , so you'd need to remove those lines in your section detail. I used a text box on my .plan to make notes originally so the "How To" is On the plan. Updated on One level if adding afterwards. Your trick of the extra floor isn't needed but , maybe it could help ? have a look on the new .plan , You or Glenn can no doubt modify my technique and make it better, being you ( and others) here really know the inner workings of CA. Mick. New plan: Brick Chimney Example cw Framed Chimney_X5.plan

check your Preferences>General>New Plans >Open and Save As setting if it is set to Use Last Folder , and you tried to save to a network or ext. HD that isn't there anymore maybe it wont? gets confused?, it may not be actually trying to save in My documents .....you can reset that in the same window with the "use this folder checkbox" too worth a look anyway. M.

True Brick Chimneys don't have framing but not sure what the OP really wanted ?......However it might be done this was for "the look" , a framed chase is usually only done for B-Vent type chimneys , otherwise it would be double (masonry) layer brick. Might use "Cultured Stone" on a framed wall these days I guess too.... Scott's idea of the extra floor should work too , it is the same method used to do Custom Cupolas , you just have to make sure to derive the extra floor from a BLANK plan or it doesn't work. Not sure if it works if the Chimney is "outside" the building though, haven't tried that part. http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00869/52/Home-Designer/Roofs/Creating-a-Cupola.html If you build the Chimney as you Build the House it is pretty painless though whether brick or ??? , didn't try too hard with this example when I tried it out a while back but you should be able to add slopes etc with "Shapes" too . No doubt someone has a better method too ?, but I could see how a "tool" would b quicker though and there'd be no need to build it as you build the house..... you could however "pull" the walls up in elevation if you forgot, using this method from the basement too I think. here is the X5 plan which includes my "how to" to myself. Brick Chimney Example_X5.plan

It would be nice to have a toggle to "Turn Sea Level Off" , so you can work with "Local Datum Heights" (except when you need S.L.) I have NEVER seen S.L. referenced on a set of Plans , it is always off the nearest City Datum point such as the top of the Curb or a Manhole Cover etc , the old standard set point used to be 100.000ft (decimal) and everything + or - from that, far easier to work with , though why they can't convert it to fractional feet ( at the touch of a button) for the Builder onsite doing layout etc ,I have no clue either .... the Construction Master Pro gets a hell of a workout on those days.... maybe different in the metric world of course M.

I don't think anyone was "Whining" just asking , and of course I appreciate any symbol I find here that I can use... I downloaded the Trial version so I could check it out and some of the symbols , and it maybe a Trial Version issue but I have a missing texture? in this library and one of the others so far, would it be cause I haven't downloaded ALL the Addon Content yet? eg.... the other library referred to an X3/DMDz/ ..."deloren control panel" though....

FYI .....Using Trial Version , I got an error on import that ..... X3/DMDesigns/XXXXX/"deloren control panel" was missing...

Lew is right I think , HD Software can import 3DS,DAE etc but can not Export 3D Models. Export is DXF or STL (3D Printers) you would need one of the Premier Versions, eg Interiors You can download trial versions of both , BUT the Trial versions do not allow saving or Printing of any kind... If you are a Student perhaps you qualify for Academic Pricing ? M.

you are using the Break line tool right ? -------not the Break Wall Tool ? Tried zooming in real close ? then breaking it?

just import the library you liked from V10... or open an old plan with it in ,and save to library.

Once again thanks Joe , appreciate the extra tips and the time replying... Mick.

I use CCleaner the same way as Perry , only Cleaning Cookies right out when I have issues or do "Spring Clean" every now and then. It doesn't take long to move your libraries to your Data drive and it helps especially on smaller SSD's which seem to need some "head room" to operate at full spec. , had the same issue with a 60gbSSD which I cloned to a 120GB and things seem better. Make sure to deactivate CA if you are going to Clone a drive its on , it wont work afterwards as I discovered, Win7 didn't need activating again but Chief did. ( I used WD Acronis as my data drives are WD's) Mick.

yep it is the stretch plane stuff I wasn't figuring out when I made my 3D B&B symbol panels , although I set them all and could change their sizes they didn't actually change size for some reason in the 3D views... never done any 3d modelling before so probably have all the X,Y,and Z stuff mixed up is my guess, so I'll keep playing. M.

Chrome blocked access to the CA webserver (security) so CA wouldn't open? ( or internet was down temp ? ) ...

Thanks JC appreciate the extra instructions , I had tried making a few of my own and it wasn't working so well , will give this a go tonight...... Is this something you learned the hardway or am I missing part of the Manual somewhere for more insight on molding and symbol creation ? Mick.

The Break line Tool has TWO applications depending on your needs..... single click the icon to break (bend/move) a line but both are still attached to each other double click the icon to completely break the line ,ie so you can move a piece away or delete it. and don't click on anything in between as David said or you will "lose" the break you made and have to redo it... M.

Thanks Joe , I assume they are in X6 though right ? dag nam it ! Mick.

thanks Joe had not seen those so i'll check them out....

Defaults>Text.Callouts and Markers I think.... but on X5 here....

Thanks Joe that last hint got me there , I was using the wrong kind of Pline and then converting to assign the moulding instead of using the "Blank" molding Pline when it was offered ,setting the height and then assigning the moulding in the Molding Tab. Mick.

Like Lew said the lengths are only there if you choose "Buy" list or "Cut" List otherwise it only gives you a total lineal footage... BTW the BUY list is badly done for eg who buys 12' 8 3/4" 2x6's? nobody... you'd need to buy 14' , last one I did I have 9 entries for 2x6's totalling 29 pcs@ 14' 2x6's that should of been one line... M.

Apps that you don't need the speed of the SSD for, you could uninstall and reinstall on the 500GB Data Drive is one idea for more space on C: another idea I use is also to move ALL my Libraries to the Data Drive too , this saves me lots of GB's , eg your Pictures. Videos, Music, Downloads and My Documents call all be moved to D:\ Drive by simply telling Windows to move the folder location to D:\ ( I make the new folders on D:\ 1st , then just point windows to the right folder , say D:\Pictures , it will ask if you want to move all existing content to D:\ , hit OK and it will automatically move it all and keep track of it ,but leave the shortcuts where they are so you can still find them easily. funnily enough , it looks like PugetSystems even has a weblink to the library moves... http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/support-software/Moving-Windows-7-8-Libraries-184/ or http://www.pcworld.com/article/2079571/move-your-libraries-to-a-second-drive-or-partition.html and on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X53z54NR3b0 Turning off hibernation will also save you 8GB ...(an amount equal to your RAM) hope this helps assuming you can get on to read it !

Good Question , that would be a handy PDF to have... M.

I agree , especially since I don't know when the last time was anyone built a hand rail directly over the Rim Joist was ( you cant notch posts) , you can offset the newels , so why you can't just offset the whole rail and/or place it as any other wall ?, I am unsure why they lock it to the Rim. It is the same with the rail on the stairs if you happen to drag it 1" off the stairs it builds horizontal instead of following the stair... once again the Newel is mounted to the outside of the stringers ,but the rail wont build if not on top of the stringer ( same as Rim joist problem). M.

I did try setting the PLine to 48" as you suggested earlier but all it did was move the Pline up to 48" and did not cut around the windows or doors it still continued across them , but it maybe in the way I made or assigned the 3d molding to the wall ?, this was a 1st go at this kind of thing in Chief ,so I'm probably missing something you do without thinking about. M.

The disappearing post issue , I couldn't solve but I think the 7 1/2" earlier and the now "required" 9 5/8" are due to how/where I was measuring earlier , this technique is fairly easy once you have played with it a bit , but I may need to just leave the two post corner ( except for Client "Pics" ) out since the 7 1/2" gap is nearly double the Code reqd. measurement for anything City related. I made a small 12x12 deck , keep the standard single post at the corners , then turned the Deck into a symbol and dropped it back into the plan if anyone wants to look , or have a "play" with this technique. (Done in X5 , other techniques in X6 perhaps?) M. Fascia Mount Railing Symbol Plan.plan