NealFlora

Trying to figure out if I can do what I need in Chief Architect.

I am trying to construct a Fire Pit Table (essentially a CAD drawing)

Parameters:

1. Metal stud construction
2. Concrete board over the studs
3. Stone over the Concrete board on the sides
4. Porcelain tile on the Top
5. Cut-out on the top for the Fire Plate
6. End up with a bill of materials

Can this be done in Chief Architect?

Are there any tutorials that I might find helpful?

Is there a better app to use for this purpose instead of Chief Architect?

Any guidance will be appreciated.

Neal Flora

I am trying to export a Chief Architect plan in .DFX and .DWG to import into Realtime Landscape Architect 2020.  

They, Realtime Landscape Architect, are telling me "It seems that the exported DWG file is 8524' x 5707'. This must be a setting in Chief Architect to control the lot size."

I cannot find any setting in Chief Architect that relates to this,  What am I doing wrong.
I don't know how to look at the content of these to tell me anything.

HousePlan_Plot_Terrain_Training.dwg HousePlan_Plot_Terrain_Training.dxf

Thanks guys, I figured it out.  Had to use  Cross Section/Elevation and draw in the correct direction.

Gene, Shelves do not show up.  Window does, Cabinet is orientated correctly

I have room with a window, shelves and a cabinet.  From the entry door the Shelves are on the left, the window faces the door and the Cabinet is under the window.  There are shelves on either side and below the Window.

The Back Clipped Cross Section appears to be a great tool to create an image to send to my builder for showing dimensions (You can add dimensions and notes).  However no matter what I do the  Back Clipped Cross Section shows everything reversed (Shelves on the Right, Cabinet reversed, etc).  By drawing the Back Clipped Cross Section in the opposite direction I can get the orientation to show correctly but then there is no window?

Not sure what I am doing wrong 

Just took a look at Blender.  Both xfrog and Blender will do the job.  Gona look at both and see which is more intutive to use.  I will post a review of both from a newbe perspective for others to see.

Thanks guys!  Very helpful.  

xfrog 3d modeling looks like it will do what I need.  gona take me awhile to learn it.  When I have created the plants I need, I'll let you know and provide access to everyone to them

There is something I am obviously not understanding.

The attached plan is a simple room with 5 walls.  Notice that one wall is angled.  This angel is not 45 deg

What I am trying to do is to set the verticle and horizontal wall to exact dimension (Top = 61 1/2", Right = 48 1/2", bottom = 36" and left = 24 1/2")

No matter how I have tried, I can get 3 of the 4 walls correct but when I change the last one, one of the other walls that meet the angle dimension changes.  I suspect it is due to the Angle Wall (Which I do not change).  How can I get this room to the correct dimensions?

Master Shower.plan

Erec, thanks

Adam

"You could find a PNG file and import the plants yourself.  It works much like the material importer." - I presume this would be a 2d.  I need a 3D Model

Mick

Found some stuff on the Sketup site, Other sites look interesting.  After a little research it seems that creating a 3D Model (of any kind) from a 2d image is non-trivial.  

Regardless of format, there must be some applications where you can create a 3D image from 2d files.  Anyone have any leads?

Here in Utah we have trees native to this area that ar supossed to be used in Landscaping.  I have imported all the SSA Chief Architect libraries I could find with Trees but Can't find any that I need.

Desert Musum Palo Verde tree

Yellow Bird of Paradise shrub

Chaste Tree

Other than the laborious (and expensive) task od creating a 3d image from 2d pictures, what, if any, are my alturnatives?

I tried Michael's solution and it did seem to work as advertised.  Still playing with it and I'll let you know how it goes

The issue I face is figuring out how to make the driveway (and Walkway) curved as in the image I sent.  When I place a driveway using the Terrain tools, nothing seems to work to cause the driveway to curve as in the Image.  Somewhere I read a CTRL (or ALT) key will allow curving of driveways but that does not appear to work.

Trying to add some Driveways and Walkways to my plan. 

After googling I was unable to find a clear explanation on using the Driveway and Sidewalk tools to accomplish what I need.  I got to thinking that Driveways and Sidwalks are really just polyline solds so my thought was to use a Line, create the driveway and walkways with the curves I need, then convert to Polyline solid.  Am I on the right track?

Keeping in mind that my plan is just to produce a rendering.

Not sure this is the correct place for this, and if not let me know what Topic it should be placed in.

I have been inpressed with the responsiveness and competentcy of all the contriutors I have had interaction with on the Forum.  Having used many Forms like this for many different applications, this experience has been the very best!  Thank you all.

Eric,  Great video and very helpful.  I am going to build using your video my shed from scratch in a new plan.

Ryan

"You do need to have the room have a floor (as you said it has a concrete floor.) The other items should not be necessary."

Why?  I have a 17' by 15' slab the shed will sit on.  The shed walls should sit on plates that will be anchored to the slab.

"So you want a Shed roof not a gable roof?  (Single fall from one higher side to one lower side?)  Proper terminology is key in Chief Architect."

No, I want a Gable Roof whose "ridge" is offest to one side

"You don't need to have anything in the Interior layer of the wall it can be empty.  You do need to frame the wall to see the studs.  And if you changed the wall definition from another existing wall definition that had interior sometimes you will need to remove the phantom layer that will show at first using the remove surfaces temporarily tool.  Once you do it once it will stay off in that case."

Can't find any "Remove Surfaces Temporarily Tool"

Tyan,

1. Appears ya need to both set the Room Specification.Floor and unchek everything AND set the Wall Specification.Floor to "Stop at Floor Below

2. Sorry for bad nominclature,  Gable needs to be more on one side than the other as opposed to Centered

3. Still fighing this one

Creating a garden shed from scratch.  

Shed is 12 X 8 with a gable roof, one window and a 64" wide double door.  No floor as it will sit on a Slab.  Room Type is set to Storage with Ceiling = "Roof Over This Room" and Floor = "Monolithic Slab Foundation"

1 . I can't seem to figure out how to make the walls stop at the Slab (they appear to go through the slab.  It should sit on top of the slab.  How can I fix this

2. The roof peek should not be centered over the structure, how can I move the roob peek?

3. The walls are 2 x 4 studs, Materials: plywood on exterior, and interior set to  Openong (no material).  Is it possible to render in 3d to see the interior studs?

Thanks

Mark, very very helpful.  I downloaded, unzipped and opened.. I now can see much better what was done and why.  I created one (different style) and so far it is comming out right.

Not sure I understand it all yet, but I will.

Thanks again

Thanks to everyone trying to help me. As with all sophisticated applications there is always more than one way to get at the end result.

When trying to get help on some feature or function new to you, as is often the case, ya got to ask the right question. 

After reading the responses I fear my question was too vague and extensive.  

My goal here is twofold,  1. Understand more about Chief and its functionality and caveats and 2, create this Walk-in planter in Chief. A detailed Materials list is not that important.  

I could walk out to my shop, power up the saw and physicially build this easily.  Creating it in Chief (most importantly so that I can export it as a 3DS) not so much.

Mark, posting the plan would be fine.

MarkMc

"More importantly if you are going to learn to use the program the learn to use the program."

That is what I am trying to do.  And I have, for the most part.  I have createded complete two story design with Terrain and much landscaping (not an expert by any means but I have gotten by). 

Most all funcionality in Chief when building a house are fairly intutive.  Walls, Foundations, roofs, etc.

Of couse in can be done.  Someone built a Cabana Bar (Outdoor Rooms and Gardens Library) so I know it can be done.  

It is just this one has thrown me.  What I am trying to do and the tools available in Chief seem a bit counter intutitive.  

I'll keep on trugging until. with much help, I figure it out.

Gene,  I have the "Trial Version" of Sketchup.  I can't find the Walk-in planter your found.  Any ideal host for find it in 3D Warehouse? Search by ?

Gene, I agree based upon what I have tried in X13.  I will take a look at Sketchup a look, Thanks for your candor.