DefinedDesign

It does not print. Thank you.

Chief Architect X17 Project Management Question: When opening a new layout page, there is a small crosshair/reference marker appearing on every single layout page, including completely new blank layout files. It is: not selectable does not seem tied to Page 0 appears in the exact same location on every layout page survives reopening the file appears even in a brand new test layout I initially thought it was: a CAD point reference marker origin marker cursor/tool state layout object Nothing I have tried removes it. I have attempted: Select Objects tool deleting/selecting it turning all layers on checking Page 0 reopening Chief creating a new layout zooming in/out Escape/Spacebar changing pages What exactly is this thing, and how do I get rid of it permanently?

Thanks @GeneDavis I have experimented with AI image generation quite a bit, but I have not found it reliable enough yet for accurate architectural material rendering. I need the rendering to remain true to the actual architecture, geometry, and specified materials. For example, accurately applying soffit materials, brick, metal roofing, TimberTech decking, trim details, vent patterns, proportions, and lighting conditions without the AI “reinterpreting” the design. Why I pay for Chief. I have found most AI tools still hallucinate or redesign portions of the architecture rather than faithfully represent the actual modeled structure and material assemblies. Was hoping to improve the material workflow directly inside Chief so the renderings remain tied to the real construction model.

Attempting to create a more realistic wood grain vented soffit material while still preserving the existing Chief vent perforations and panel grooves. Currently using the stock: “Vinyl Soffit – Center Venting” with “Blend with Texture” enabled. However, the stock Chief texture does not contain much actual wood grain detail, so tinting it brown still reads more like colored vinyl than stained wood. I would like to keep the existing vent perforations and soffit geometry from the Chief texture while also achieving a realistic stained wood grain appearance similar to the attached product image. What is the best workflow for accomplishing this in Chief?

Mostly because I was trying to avoid reintroducing a wall issue I previously worked through with Chief Training. During that session, I was instructed to use a railing wall in that location as part of the workaround to eliminate a hole that was appearing where the deck and wall intersected. Since the workaround resolved the issue, I was hesitant to remove that wall entirely and risk recreating the problem. My thought process was that converting it to an invisible wall and unchecking “Railing” might preserve the corrected wall behavior while functioning similarly to a Straight Deck Edge. Clearly that assumption may have been incorrect. At this point I will probably submit the plan to Chief so I can determine whether this is expected behavior, user error, or a software limitation/workaround interaction.

I’m running into an issue with deck plank overhang in X17 and wanted to see if anyone has encountered this before. My deck plank overhang is set to 2.5”. The overhang generates correctly around the deck except at one location where I converted a Straight Deck Railing into an invisible wall and unchecked “Railing.” I also tried drawing a Straight Deck Edge over the wall and get the same result. At that location, the first deck plank stops flush instead of maintaining the 2.5” overhang. Is this not possible?

That is what I thought, but for some reason I don't see a color listed.

Thank you, @Joe_Carrick I appreciate the response. I must not have communicated my question clearly. I am not trying to apply a new paint color to the wall. I am trying to determine what paint/material has already been applied to an existing wall surface in the plan. I’m working in an older plan and cannot remember what paint color/material was previously assigned to a particular wall. Grateful for you.

What is the fastest and most reliable way to identify the actual paint/material currently applied to a wall surface?

You are correct! Thank you for your help today! All fixed and Copy/Paste Hold Position is working correctly! Grateful for you.

Thanks Michael. That explanation finally made the workflow click for me. For some reason I am struggling to actually select the Point Marker itself. I can click it multiple times and eventually the dialog opens, but I cannot seem to get it into a visibly selected state so I can copy/cut it to the clipboard. I also tried selecting nearby objects and tabbing through selections, but it does not seem to pick up the Point Marker. I understand the alignment concept now, I am just stuck on how to properly select/copy the Point Marker itself in X17 on Mac. Thank you again for your patience and help.

Thanks @Alaskan_Son I am struggling. I placed a Point Marker on one plan. Is it right that I select the other plan with the Edit Area to relocate it? I don't understand where I find the coordinates so I can coordinate the location so it's the same as my other plan. I've used Point to Point Move to move objects but I'm unsure how to use with coordinates.

I have two separate plan files with identical footprints in X17. I am trying to copy doors and windows from one plan into the other using “Paste Hold Position” so they insert into the exact same wall locations. However, the pasted objects land far away from the building instead of inserting into the matching walls. I eventually realized the two plans are not located in the same coordinate/origin position within the drawing space, even though the footprints are identical. What is the best workflow for aligning two separate plan files so they occupy the exact same coordinate position/origin location? The goal is to reliably: Copy → Paste Hold Position → have windows and doors automatically insert into the matching walls in the second plan. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Hi @Renerabbitt I was able to watch your video in another browser. Thank you so much. I scrapped my other plan and started over, following your suggestions. I set the walkout wall to “Stop at Floor Below,” created the two breaks on the east and west walls, and removed the pony wall. However, when I follow the steps to check and uncheck the monolithic slab, I am not getting the same results. Here is before Checking monolithic slab: Here is what I get after checking and unchecking monolithic slab: If you or @Alaskan_Son would like to investigate the plan and possibly point out what I might be missing, I would appreciate it. In addition to the issue above, I am also having a problem with the tall wall not extending to the underside of the roof truss. Grateful for any feedback. Redraw Bplan.zip

I’ll be honest, I read that Help text several times and it just didn’t click for me. In my head I was trying to fix wall behavior in the Room dialog, so I wasn’t connecting that setting to what I was seeing. Since the description focuses on the floor platform, it didn’t lead me to think it would affect the walls or that unchecking it would fix the issue. I didn’t realize that with that option checked, the floor and related foundation pieces are being taken from the room below, so changes I was making in this room weren’t having any effect. That’s where I got tripped up. Thanks for pointing this out, now if I can remember it going forward